Their best designs are laced with irony: A jar in the shape a giant tooth, which, when de-lidded, reveals a cavity to be filled with sweets or cookies, or a giant pencil sharpener hollowed out to make a pen pot. Surrealism often sets up an apparent contrast between what something appears to be, and what it actually is (see Dali's aptly-named 'Lobster Telephone'), and Red Candy's quirky furniture store is filled with bits and bobs that are not quite what they seem. Surrealism has its own category in print shops and poster websites, so any bare stretch of wall can be easily filled with melting clocks, abstract collages and contortionist portraiture. More overtly domestic are the sculptures, and replicas of Salvador Dali's iconic 'lips sofa' (it's exactly what it sounds like) are as comfy as they are mind-bending. A quick Google search yields Rene Magritte-themed cushions, Salvador Dali curtains, and mugs adorned with the works of Max Ernst. Surrealism is steeped in avant-garde aesthetics, so the designs themselves fit well into a modern interior.

You probably won't want to seriously consider full-blown surrealistic style for your next decor update, but these out-there looks and quirky designs might inspire a few new touches.

It worked pretty well for Spanish artist Salvador Dali it may do the same for your kitchen. The Collins Dictionary describes surrealism as: 'A style in which ideas, images and objects are combined in a strange way, like in a dream.' We're not going to stick to this too rigidly here (full disclosure: We just want to show you stuff that's cool and weird), but it's worth keeping in mind nonetheless. These surrealist home improvements will make you question all you thought you knew about your living room and, perhaps, your reality.

Warped reality