Travel-Inspired Interiors: How to Bring the Holidays Home

With the holiday season in full force, I'm taking a look at how we can create interiors inspired by our travels, bringing that holiday feeling home, to last the whole year round

The way I feel when I’m travelling or holidaying in new places is a feeling like no other. I feel like a child drinking in everything around me, I have an infinite amount of patience, nothing feels like a problem (anyone else?) and I feel (not kidding) at my happiest.

When we’re on holiday, we slow down and relax, we switch off and reconnect… then the minute we get home, life goes back to normal and it feels like we’ve never been away. But what if we extended these holiday rituals or even the idea of finding ourselves, to something that we can achieve at home, not just abroad? 

 The House Upstairs, photographed by @ollyhunterphotography

While travel is a beautiful discovery and exploration of the world and ourselves, exposing us to new people, places and traditions, home, is our sanctuary. It’s our safe space that reflects and celebrates who we are. Put the two together and you have the perfect recipe for creating an interior that will truly make you feel good.

Objects 

We’ve all brought something home from a trip abroad. Whether it be a quirky fridge magnet or a handwoven rug, these keepsakes carry a personal meaning that connects us to that place or memory. But how can we incorporate these into our home in a way that feels personal, yet thoughtful and curated at the same time? Jodie Hazlewood, treasure hunter and avid traveller, from The House Upstairs, explains “Don't buy the obvious stuff, seek out junk shops and flea markets wherever you go. Baskets and bags are useful things to bring home but look for textiles and kitchenware too. It doesn't need to be obviously 'holiday' - only you need to know it's a memory.”

If you follow Jodie on Instagram, you’ll know that her home is a treasure trove of beautiful objects. ‘My favourite thing to bring home is obscure kitchen equipment. I love my tagine from Morocco and my fancy vegetable peelers from Thailand!’ Bringing home objects that don’t just look good, but that you’ll use all the time, is the perfect way to elevate your everyday rituals (and no doubt bring a smile to your face when peeling those veggies!). 

 A salt fish from Mallorca pride of place in Jodie’s kitchen, photographed by @ollyhunterphotography

Colour

One of my favourite things about travelling is the changing colours around the world. From the multicoloured houses of Burano to the rich earth hues of the Australian outback. Collecting colours is often something we do on an unconscious level. 

There are three ways in which we relate to colour: personal colour association, colour in culture and colour psychology. All of these are huge factors in how we experience a destination when we travel, helping to create memories and experiences of that place. By transforming your favourite colour combinations into your interior design, your home can take you anywhere around the world.

 A Moroccan-inspired colour scheme by The House Upstairs, photographed by @ollyhunterphotography

Tash Bradley, the Director of Interior Design at Lick, loves seeing the different impact that light and seasons have on the colour choices we make in our homes. “When I travel, I take note of how different colours make me feel. I love warmer tones that remind me of Summer. I want to bottle up that warmth and energy from my favourite places and bring it into my home in London.”

One of Tash’s favourite destinations is Cornwall. “I love being by the beach and near the sea, so my home has fun yellow accents that remind me of sunshine, and blue artwork that reminisces our beach holidays - these colours just fill my soul with happiness!”

Tash’s colourful home in Somerset

Rituals 

What rituals do you have on holiday that you’d love to do at home too? Perhaps it's to spend more time at the table connecting with loved ones over delicious food? Spending less time on your phone and more time with a good book? Or simply making your morning coffee a ritual, instead of a quick caffeine hit that you drink on the go? Interior designer and journalist Kate Watson-Smythe, from Mad About the House, has even introduced aperitivo hour in her home. “This started in lockdown when there was a real need to make a break between the working day and the evening when everything was taking place in the same space. Rather than just grabbing a glass of wine, we take the time to make a drink (often Campari-based) and a little tray with a bowl of olives and some nuts. Taking the time to sit down and chat with my husband has become a key part of our day and one that makes us feel a little bit more connected to our favourite place on earth - Italy.” 

Photography by Mark Anthony Fox for Kate Watson-Smyth

If there is one country that has taught me how to slow down and change my daily rituals, it’s Italy. Channel la bella vita by finding a sunny spot in your home. Take advantage and sock up that moment with your favourite drink. Or why not create a reading nook or display your books on open shelves or on the coffee table to encourage you to curl up and get lost in a good book? 

Photography by Mark Anthony Fox for Kate Watson-Smyth

In Italy, the table is sacred, a place for sharing conversation and good food with the people you love. Consider a round dining table (or a rectangular one with curved edges) to soften any space, making it easy to bring people together or squeeze in unexpected guests. These subtle changes can encourage small but meaningful moments, shaping homes that relax and restore us. 

Interior design and image credit by Topology Interiors

Holidays are precious because they allow us to simply be, rather than always do. We reconnect with ourselves and our surroundings, and by translating that feeling into our homes, we can create daily environments where the ordinary feels a whole lot more special.