Designer On The Go: Travel Inspired Design

Upon reading Kravet’s newsletter this week I felt the urge to share with you how to be inspired as you travel. So many times I have worked with clients who come home from a trip and choose to revamp a room with what they have seen. While traveling this summer pay attention to the surroundings that inspire, calm or excite you. Following these design cues and infusing them in your own space will serve to take you back to a sugary white beach, lofty mountain peak or a far away exotic land.

After spending a month in Asia Interior designer Barbara Barry came home inspired to create yet another stunning line of textiles for Kravet. Stirred by the sumptuous palettes in the foreign architecture, I am excited to see what will come to life in her fabrics.

A client of mine upon returning from Venice was inspired by the rich colors of the buildings there. We instantly created a guest suite that brought these colors to life. With opulent textiles, a sumptuous wall color and the infusion of a bright and earthy orange the color scheme she was drawn to abroad was brought to life. To finish the space we hung framed photos of the many clotheslines taken on her trip. It is an instant getaway that takes her back to drifting down watery canals whenever she walks in the room.

For those with an exotic nature think of how more than the colors but the architecture of a country can be brought into your home. Morocco is bursting with design inspiration. The tile work alone can keep the creative juices flowing and is an easy addition to most any space. Then there are the signature arched doorways. This wonderful architectural detail breathes life into a set of unique built-in book shelves. See how easy that was.

Colors found in nature are always a driving force in design. From the russet oranges, warm browns and golden yellows of fall an inviting atmosphere is created. Maybe you have just returned from the wintery slopes of Telluride and its crisp whites, blues and grays of the landscape are what speak to you. Then again there are all the vibrant colors of spring found in the flowering trees and bushes lining any golf course in the south this time of year. Summer is coming on strong with a saturation of green in all its many hues recalling a Zen spa. It is easy to see how quickly a room can be built around what nature has to offer. It doesn’t have to be a specific location. Whatever inspires you as you travel, bring it home and make it a part of every day. It can be as simple as a paint color as broad as new furniture or as daring as a change in construction. What favorite locale have you been trying to bring home?