In challenging times such as these, it may feel as if the wolf is at the door, but in fact he's already inside the house.
So are a host of other anthropomorphic forest dwellers, storybook damsels-in-distress and figures from Nordic mythology.
These days, neither Lewis Carroll nor the Brothers Grimm would feel out of place at design shows, which are rife with fairy tale themes and motifs. When it comes to contemporary art and style, once upon a time is now.
"There are several thematic threads that run through my work, but the primary theme is one of the fantastic colliding with the mundane," says Hamilton, Ont.-based artist Steve Mazza, whose lupine ceramic figures were among the standout works at Toronto's recent Artist Project show.
Like the villain in Little Red Riding Hood, Mazza's wolves sport disarming if slightly more modern-day garb. (Think business suits and neckties instead of Granny's night cap.)
Their goal, he says, is to "destabilize the normal," thereby adding a little whimsy and wonder to the everyday.
To be sure, today's fairy tale decor does nothing if not enliven a space, even if the tone varies wildly.
Some examples, such as Marimekko's new collection of folklore-inspired fabrics, bedding and tableware by designer Sanna Annukka, are bright and poppy, evoking stories from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, through stylized patterns and graphic animal prints.
Others, such as Belgian-based Studio Job's marquetry-covered Bavaria series of benches, tables and cabinets, have a darker, Hansel and Gretel quality to them.
Lying somewhere between the creepy and the cheery is English designer Stephen Johnson's Wonderland line of porcelain candle holders for Artecnica.
Presaging the release next year of Tim Burton's film version of the Carroll classic, Johnson's designs balance precariously stacked maiden, bunny and other animal figures atop one another.
Of course, none of these wares will guarantee that you live happily ever after if you bring them into your home. But in a dreary, uncertain world, a fanciful spin on the dull and domestic isn't such a bad thing.
1. Studio Job's limited-edition Bavaria series of seating, tables and other furnishings has a rustic, Hansel and Gretel quality to it. The items, including this four-panel screen, are available through New York's Moss Gallery (http://www.mossonline.com).
2. A detail from the Bavaria line reveals pastoral motifs such as barnyard fowl and farm implements. The images were laser cut into Indian rosewood to produce a seamless surface.
3, 4. In an homage to rural European traditions, Studio Job recast humble elements such as milking stools, candle sconces, oil lamps and stable tools in lustrous bronze. Called Farm, the series is now on permanent display in a contemporary barn at the Zuiderzee Museum in the Netherlands.
5. Sanna Annukka's Taikamylly textiles for Marimekko (http://www.marimekko.fi) evoke the Sampo from Finland's national epic, the Kalevala. The Sampo was a 'wealth-grinding mill' that brought riches to its owner.
6. Also inspired by the Kalevala, Annukka's Kanteleen kutsu designs for Marimekko depict enchanted forest animals. Here, a squirrel detail adorns a mug.
7. Stephen Johnson's whimsically stacked Wonderland candle holders for Artecnica (http://www.artecnicainc.com) come in matte white, chrome and gold.
8. Steve Mazza's Wolf figure (left) offers a 21st-century take on traditional fairy tales. His work is available through transit gallery (http://www.transitgallery.ca) in Hamilton, Ont.
