I love a jolt of whimsy in decor. That's why I was so pleased to come across this pattern when doing research for a client's dining room the other day. It's called Kirkwood, and it's from the Shangri-La collection for Thibaut, the venerable American design house.

What looks at first like your standard botanical pattern is actually a lot more fun. You have your obligatory bird, vines and flowers in there. But look closely. What else do you see?

Why yes: that is indeed a squirrel.

It comes in a variety of pleasing colorways.

And it's also available as a fabric.

I like Kirkwood not only for its cheeky animal choice. I'm also a fan of its scale. It's quite large, which gives it a nice heft. And that same size also keeps it from feeling too precious. It's unapologetically bold, which makes it really fun.

I'm a fan of Thibaut papers in general. They're very broad in style, and tend to be really well priced compared to other manufacturers.

So will Kirkwood make the cut with my client? We're weighing lots of great options, both from Thibaut and other brands. I'll keep you posted on the progress.