Incorporating Your Travel Into Your Home Décor

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about incorporating your personal style into your design. I want to delve a little deeper into the subject with suggestions for how to incorporate your travels into your home decor. Many of our clients travel frequently, either to their beloved vacation homes or to different and exotic locations. Why not incorporate a touch of those places into your décor so that you can relive those moments from the comfort of home?

Whether it’s to an exotic, far-off location or to your beloved vacation home each year, vacationing often evokes a sense of peace and relaxation. Who wouldn’t want to surround themselves with that same peaceful, relaxed feeling on a daily basis? One way to relive those wonderful memories of vacations past is by incorporating a little or a lot of that travel destination into your home décor.

Consider incorporating the popular colors from your favorite destination into your décor. Typically, different regions of the world have their own color preferences and trends. Tropical locations usually use bolder patterns or pastels as their main decorating colors. Or you can take a more natural approach and focus on the colors of the ocean or the sky into your décor. You can incorporate the colors of your preferred place into the paint, fabric and accent color selections you make for your home. Or, consider a good quality wallpaper mural or painted mural reminiscent of your favorite spot.

A Moroccan feel gives this neutral family room tons of personality and transports you to a far off place. Its bold, fun, creative and has an overall feel very reminiscent of Moorish design without being too “theme-y”. Design by JBM Design, LLC. Photo courtesy of www.houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/715584/JBM-DESIGNS-LLC-eclectic-family-room-baltimore)

This Hawaiian Villa could be anywhere in the world but would always evoke a feeling of tropical paradise. It is elegant and neutral in its background but has those pops of colors and perfectly placed accents to give it the tropical feel, in a very tasteful way. What an amazing space. Interior design by Henderson Design Group. Photo courtesy of houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/1745060/Vacation-Villa–Hawaii-contemporary-family-room-hawaii)

Create a vacation display area in your home: Whether you are a collector of art or sculptures, knick knacks or textiles, a good way to incorporate a little bit of your travels into your décor is by creating a display. If it’s artwork, consider an art collage or designate a room or area (like your hallway) for displaying your artwork from your travels. This same tip can be used with family photos from your vacations. Consider printing the photos at varying sizes and framing them in the same style frame and mat to create visual drama. If its knick-knacks or sculptures, consider designating one bookcase or cabinet display area specifically for your travel collectibles. Collections are much more impactful when displayed together.

Designer Kelly Lockey creates a travel inspired wall display with art and knick-knacks. It just takes back to those memorable vacations. Photo courtesy of houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/208602/Kelly-Lokey-eclectic-kids-other-metro)

Another great idea is to create an elegant wall display using antique maps of places you have traveled. Talk about a conversation piece. Its a very sophisticated way to add whimsy and interest and personal style to your decor. This would be perfect in a family room, stairway, hallway or library/study. Interior Design by Bosworth Hoedemaker. Photo courtesy of Houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/25179/Montlake-craftsman-home-office-seattle).

Another creative way to make a bold, graphic statement is to use wall decals in the different languages of all the places you have visited. Choose a word, like Hello, or Love, and create wall stickers in different fonts, colors and sizes in the languages of all of the places you’ve visited. Select a spot in your home – again, a hallway or feature wall would work – and creatively display your wall decals. This can act as a great conversation piece when you are entertaining. You can do this as a standalone feature wall or you can incorporate your collectables and knick-knacks tastefully into the display, turning the area into a fun, creative and bold collage.

Talk about a mind-trip to the beach. What a fun, creative way to remind yourself of all of those great times at the beach. This would help me get through a tough winter. Design by McKee Builders. Photo courtesy of houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/12485359/Spring-Arbor—Dalton-beach-style-bedroom-wilmington)

Fun, light hearted and modern describes this space. Wallpaper can be customized to say anything. It could be a collection of places you love and want to remember, or foreign words you’ve picked up on your travels. What a creative way to share those places you love with your family and friends. Interior design by Nurit Gefen-Batim Studio. Photo courtesy of houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/2631568/a-renovated-country-house-contemporary-kids-tel-aviv)

Some of our clients have asked to help them incorporate their travel adventures and favorite destinations into their interior design. Here are a few of our favorites:

These clients dreamed owning a beach home when we started this bathroom remodel project. While they waited for their perfect beach home to manifest itself (since then it has and its a beauty!) they asked me to design a bathroom that felt like it belonged in a fun, colorful beach home.

These clients asked us to take them to wine country in this rustic, earthy dining room. They wanted their home to feel like they are on a permanent vacation every time they get home from work. They love vacationing in California wine country and all of the rustic, woody, antiqued, and patina-ed elements found in the region.

For the same clients we found this wine barrel accent table. They treasure hunted and found the rustic floor lamp that looks like it was taken out of a barn. The draperies and soft, linen and the wrought iron hardware is reminiscent of something you would find in Tuscany or the south of France. Many of their accessories throughout the home are items they found in their travels. They have a rustic, patina-ed feel and look that fits these client’s tastes perfectly.

This photo (clearly taken from my iPhone) is of my landing to my basement playroom. Here is where I’ve decided to display photos of my children from our travels. My husband and I recently decided to collect wood signs from our favorite beaches. We hope, each year to add one sign to the collection. A few random artifacts and collectables finish off our display of favorite things, which include our travels, and of course, our beautiful children.

Bon voyage! May your summer adventures be safe and may you collect many ideas, collectibles and photos to incorporate into your own home decor.