I love Anthropologie's whimsical home decor (furniture, lighting, decor, etc). Sometimes their stuff can be on the high end price-wise, but it is usually good quality and very unique. They also regularly have a sale section.

Etsy
Anthropologie
Viva Terra
Sundance Catalog

http://www.chiaroart.com/ A store in Chicago

MacKenzie-Childs!

Visit local artsy shops and arts festivals. I love the piece we bought at the New Orleans JazzFest one year from these artists. Am thinking about another.

Here is a link that might be useful: mixed media wall pieces

My favorite things have come from flea markets. I love Etsy, too.

thanks so much for the great ideas!

anthropologie... my all time favorite store!
sundance... i ordered the wall hooks shaped like hands. i have a collection of r's and i'm going to hang my old old baseball hat that i found with an r on the front by one of the hands. the other will be used for dish towels. :)
natal... i love the link you sent. that is exactly the kind of stuff that i love!
etsy would have to be my guilty pleasure. my hubby has put me on a quarterly etsy budget. :)
grandma... i will see if there are any hancocks left in my area. the one right by us closed a couple of years ago.

thanks SO much for all of the great suggestions!!!

At West End.com has some cute funky stuff

I agree with trying flea markets and etsy. To me, if it is mass-produced, it isn't really all that whimsical. This is the beginning of the time of year for local crafts fairs, too, and you would be supporting local artists!

Another vote for Anthro and also, Z Gallerie

This is a post dragged up from 2011 by a spammer (since deleted).

I used to get great pieces at school spring fairs every year. It is amazing the things you can find in different fairs and jumble sales, real original items at quarter of the price.

One of my favorite places for unusual, original, and one-of-a-kind home decor accessories as well as more traditional art forms are gift shops at small-town art galleries. I found it 'essential' LOL to continue my collection of hand turned wooden bowls and other wooden accessories as well as handthrown pottery pieces.

I agree with Cyn that "if it is mass-produced, it isn't really all that whimsical". Some people think that prices will be high at art galleries but I've found there are good artists who show in small galleries who just want to sell so price reasonably low. Also part of the fun is in the search.

My other sources for unique items have been auctions, antique stores, thrift stores, flea markets, and especially yard sales. The last does depend on location tho.

Home Goods

Flea Markets, antique shops, estate sales.