Designing Your Travel Memories Into Your Home-According To LiLu Interiors-Pro Tips
By Lisa Peck, ASID
Traveling is inspiring. It opens our minds, hearts and eyes to a feast of new perspectives and new beauty. When you come home designing travel memories into you home can extend the inspiration. At LiLu Interiors, we love to help you keep the fabulous feeling inspired by travel going all year long by designing travel memories into your home. Travel is one of the top ways the people we work with spend their leisure time.
Today I would like to share our pro tips for designing your travel memories into your home.
Tip One
Buy art on your trip!
-Before you go, take a look around your home for a wall that is bare or has become boring to you.
- Measure the space you have to fill and tuck a little note with the dimensions into your travel wallet or put it on your phone. Once you catch on to this trick a little planning ahead will pay off. One of our dear clients was even bold enough to buy a piece of art that was 6' wide because they knew they had a space to display it.
- Take a photo of the room you want to use your new art work.
- Keep your eyes peeled on your trip for galleries and bravely explore flea markets and antique shops. You never know where the perfect piece will pop up.
Tip Two
Buy an object to display in your home.
-Before you go look at the shelves in your living room or you dining room buffet for an empty spot that is begging for more life.
-Again take measurements. One of the biggest mistakes people make when picking up objects when traveling is buying a small object that will be lost in their home. We all have a trinket or two we don't know how to display that carries warm memories. I personally, put the small painted donkey I bought in Mexico as a college student in this category. Love the memory but have trouble living with this little tchotchke.
-Give yourself permission to buy something big and ship it home!
Tip Three
Buy textiles or pillows to use in your interior.
-While it may not be the most obvious go to purchase picking up some fabric, a pillow or a throw can be a great way to design travel memories into your home. Even consider buying a rug for a bare floor.
-Take some photos of rooms that could use a little refreshing so you can work with the color palette you've established and build on it with an exotic fabric, pillow, rug or throw.
-Pack an extra bag to take your unbreakable goodies home with you.
Tip Four
Start a collection
-If you can't bring yourself to commit to a large-scale purchase while traveling think about starting to create a collection. It doesn't have to be tourist teaspoons! Think outside the box.
-Consider something you already love and buy a small example of it everywhere you go. I love textile art and every culture has examples. My collection includes batiks from India, camel bags from Africa, and Hawaiian quilts. A memory in every piece of art.
-Grouping your collection when you get home can give it more impact in your home. Create a collage or a shelf with small; similar objects can remind you of happy travels.
Tip Five
When you return home, don't delay! Find a spot for your new travel memories and display it immediately. If all you brought home was photos see Monday's blog for tips on Designing a photo collage wall into your home.
Maybe you picked up something with out having a spot for it? I've done this. Here's my advice be ruthless and edit out something to make room. You may have a piece of art, a rug, a pillow that you purchased but it doesn't mean as much you as the memory of your trip. Store it for rotation or better yet give it away so it can find a home where it will be loved!
Frame it and hang it! This step can sometimes delay people from using their newfound treasure.
If you need to reach out to a professional for help...do it! We are here for you. Designers love working with clients existing items.