How to decorate with travel souvenirs and have it not
look like crap from the straw market.
During your summer travels, be it the Serengeti ( hopefully you didn’t kill any protected wildlife), the sea, the city, or just your local import store. You probably picked up a few items that inspired you about the culture, heritage, or vibe of the places you visited. Now you’re home and wondering how to decorate with your travel souvenirs and not contribute to the clutter.
This is a wonderful opportunity to invoke a mood into a room or corner of your home. Let your personality shine.
To demonstrate how to decorate with travel souvenirs or import store finds in this Mini Design Soulution I will use the photo of the regal tribesman from the Stark + Stunning Collective as inspiration.
The intricately painted designs on his face astound me. ( Heck, I can’t even draw my eye liner on straight. I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to master the cat-eye look for years without getting the jittery hand shakes.)
Needless to say, this face-painting is pure art. And the white paint against his skin tone just makes it more breath-taking.
Here is how I interpreted the photograph.
I kept this simple with two items which provide a lot of punch to build a room around. The pillow-ah, I love the geometric shapes in this pillow fabric. Do you see how it mimics the sharp lines, and angles from the face painting? Cool, huh?!
The upholstery on the chair beats to its own drum. 3/4 of the chair upholstered in white fabric. ¼ of the chair upholstered in black fabric. Creates a perfect rhythm blending a traditional styled chair with turned legs and upholstered arms with modern upholstery details.
Design Tip:
This upholstery trick is a great way to use inexpensive fabric ( like cotton duck, wool felt, or burlap) to create some wow in a room. Or if you find a favorite fabric but can’t find enough yardage for what you need-this is the way to compromise.
I have always wanted to do this affect on a chair or sofa. I think its the bit of boho virgo in me. You can do this with any color combination. Two shades of blue. Gray and yellow, ivory and turquoise. The sky is the limit.
Here is a closer look at the Mini Design Soulution- Tribal Chic
I added a bit of “animal” print with this wallpaper. A modern take on the traditional cheetah pattern stays off the cliche.
p.s. Notice the sculpture on the chest? Wink…another of those professional details designers pay attention to.
So you don’t lose track of your favorites here is an image to pin.
