The Best Design Tips I Gathered From Across the Globe

 

Whether you’ve been following along here on the blog or you simply met me once at a cocktail party, you know I have an insatiable appetite for travel. Thankfully for me, that passion mixes pretty seamlessly with my design career, and I’m constantly pulling inspiration from the destinations I’m visiting. This month, I thought we could feed our wanderlust together and revisit some of my favorite design moments and the tips I’ve gathered from my travels around the world.

Embrace Color and Its Meaning

I never shy away from a thoughtful and experimental color palette (as you know from previous blog posts), and I’m always thinking about how to incorporate colors cohesively and strategically. When reflecting back on my travels, there’s never a shortage of color — and one country in particular really sets my heart on fire.

In India, all of the colors joined together on fabrics, clothing, in designs — even at the flower market — were amazing, and I truly felt so alive in their presence. India has a very lively culture, so all the vibrancy of the colors matched the community’s energy. Even moreso, what was so great about each of the colors was that they all served their own purpose. For example, Indian brides wear red to represent the goddess Durga as she stands for purity, dynamism, and fertility. Another example of this is saffron, which represents sanctity, purity, and sacrifice, making it a very sacred color (you’ll often find the Hindu monks in saffron robes). Blue is another color that you’ll find throughout India, meant to represent royalty and often associated with Lord Krishna, one of the most important Indian deities… I could go on for days!

 

Images from a 2022 trip to Mexico

 

And I have to give an honorable mention to my most recent visit to Mexico (see above!). I couldn’t get enough of the pinks and oranges that were used throughout my stay at Las Alamandas, and the vibrancy was truly breathtaking.

All this to say… don’t shy away from using color, especially when they are meaningful to you.

Take in Every Last Detail

Images from a 2022 trip to Greece

 

Frankly, every place I’ve been has had so many wonderful design details, and it’s honestly hard to recall them all! But I have to say, there are a few that I simply can never get off my mind. On a trip to Greece with my son, I spotted a long dining bench at a beach club. Now, when I have a client who is ready to have a long dining bench incorporated into their home — either indoors or out — I have the perfect vision for a piece to have custom-made. I’m also a sucker for a good antique piece, and there was an antique chair at a brocante in France that took my breath away. The way the fabric and the nail heads were applied was so creative. Nailheads in furniture design are not as big as they were 10-15 years ago, but it’s something that always strikes me when done well.

The takeaway here: Look out for pieces both old and new that offer craftsmanship and practicality in new ways — then think of how to repurpose those ideas in your own space.

 

 

Lean into the Lasting Moments

Every place I visit heavily influences my designs as I continue to create unique spaces, but one recent design moment I experienced has left such a lasting impression. At Raya Heritage, my hotel in Chiang Mai, the bar lounge walls are made of bamboo that has been painted in a high gloss black (and I adore a strategic high gloss finish). The texture and the color together are absolutely stunning and make for an incredible “ripple” effect on the walls. Granted, it’s not as easy to locate bamboo here in the US as it is in Chiang Mai (especially at a large scale) but if I could figure out a way to make it happen — and an adventurous client who was willing to try — I would find a way!

Unfortunately, I can’t fit all my love for the places I’ve visited into just one blog post. Egypt, India, Greece, Bhutan, Mexico, France, Chiang Mai (where I am currently writing this)… they’ve all inspired me in ways that will enrich not just my designs but also my everyday life. I can’t wait to see which country inspires me next… and, of course, share my journey with you all along the way!

If you want to keep up to date on my travels in real time, head on over to my Instagram and give me a follow. I’m always letting my community in on all my favorite moments while traveling!