Tip Tuesday: Incorporating Travel Purchases Into Your Home

When traveling I love bringing mementos home with me. Not only is it a great way to remember your trip, but it adds a touch of your unique life to your interior design. I mean who else has a carved skull of a Yak from Tibet hanging in their office? The only problem is that it can also add a struggle, as unusual items tend to be difficult to incorporate alongside your every day pieces. 

The yak skull from Tibet displayed in my husband's office.

With my husband's business being based in China he had the opportunity for some extreme travel before he moved back to the states. On these trips he brought back some very unique accessories. When we first moved in together I found it difficult to find spots for his crazy finds in our home. I thought they would all be banished to his office/man cave. However, after playing around with our furniture, art and his travel purchases I realized that they add a fun and exciting addition! 

Foo Dog from China acting as a bookend for the cookbooks in our kitchen.

The first tip I will offer is to take a unique piece and use it for another purpose. While this foo dog was meant to be used for decorative display, here it houses the cookbooks in my kitchen. Adding another dimension to this otherwise simple space. 

Next, ensure your travel purchase is combined with more commonly seen decor items to help them blend into your home. If you place everything you have collected over the years in the same spot it will begin to look like an eclectic yard sale rather than a meticulously designed space. Here I added a wine carafe from our honeymoon in Turkey to our bar. Bonus: it also adds a pop of color! 

Turkish wine carafe displayed on our bar.

Finally, have fun with it! I am constantly moving items around and playing with new ideas. When it comes to unique pieces, think outside the box. 

Happy designing!

xx Allie