Design Trendspotting: Global Inspirations

Prior to 2020, the past decade saw a rise in experiential travel, with travelers seeking out more authentic travel experiences. Instead of spending a week at a beachside resort, we increasingly want to take cooking classes, do homestays, and visit traditional artisans, with the goal of learning from the people who actually live in the places we go. 

Unsurprisingly, this trend toward learning and experiencing the world has influenced our aesthetics. And especially now, as our opportunities to globetrot are limited, designers are looking to global inspirations as they create spaces. 

This global trend incorporates a designer’s or homeowner’s own travel experiences, bringing textures, patterns, statement pieces, and furniture styles from around the world into our rooms. Most important is the story that these pieces tell, their ability to come together and meaningfully convey the experience of traveling to another place. Pottery, tapestries, and landscaping can all be used to reflect the aesthetics of the places we’ve visited and loved — or dream of visiting in the future.