Bright Bazaar’s Will Taylor’s top interior design tips inspired by travel
If you’ve come home from a inspiring holiday, Bright Bazaar’s Will Taylor has teamed up with Booking.com to share a few interior design tricks and tips to transport you back to the destination
Image: Will Taylor, Instagram
From what we see and experience to where we stay on holiday has an increasing influence on our own homes. Holidaymakers, like ourselves, return from a pampering stay and want to recreate the relaxed mood from their time off.
But, where to start?
Totally revamping a neutral home with colour after a trip can be a daunting task, but there is no need to change everything immediately. Take gradual steps to invite colour into your home.
For instance, you may gravitate towards Scandinavian style, which focuses on simplicity and minimalism, so you could start by adding something soft pastel colours to a corner of your home via the curtains or cushions. Or, perhaps brighten up a neutral dining room with colourful dining chairs.
Interior designers are skilled at taking the essence of a place, by taking local colours, crafts and materials and reinterpreting them in modern ways.
From injecting a white-washed Mediteranean look to the understated Scandi chic, Bright Bazaar‘s Will Taylor has worked with Booking.com to offer his top interior tips for using colour in your own home after an amazing time abroad.
Will Taylor’s 5 tips on how to create a Mediterranean interior
Image: Booking.com
- Plants are a great way to add a Mediterranean feel and often do well inside. Think: Olive Trees, Eucalyptus, Rosemary or Lavender.
- Furniture: find some rustic wooden pieces at a local charity or thrift shop (lighter woods are great) as these work well for a coffee or side table that also brings Mediterranean texture to a room.
- Consider a wicker basket repurposed as a light shade as it will add exotic texture and a warm Mediterranean-like feeling.
- Contrast rich navy blues and crisp whites across the space through the furniture, lighting, cushions, throws, curtains and accessories. Liven up a white linen sofa with an array of blue cushions and place a neutral jute rug underfoot for an instantly Mediterranean vibe.
- For a bigger project, think about adding white washed flooring to your home. This will provide a fresh Mediterranean feeling and it’s an accessible option no matter your budget as both laminates and hardwoods now come in lighter woods and finishes.
Will Taylor’s 5 tips on how to create a Scandinavian interior
Image: Booking.com
- Furniture is key in a Scandinavian interior. Think about adding furniture with clean lines and if you don’t want to change a central piece, like a sofa, then just swap out an occasional chair with something that has an exposed frame and space underneath to allow the natural light to flow freely through the room.
- Go Scandi with your lighting by adding something very simple over a dining table. Consider hanging an exposed mirrored bulb from a long wire to add understated drama.
- Linen textiles are a quick way to add a Scandinavian touch. Keep your colours washed and muted vs. anything too saturated – Blush pinks, dark green and greys are perfect.
- Cut the clutter by among sure that any items are either hidden away in tidy, neutral storage. Otherwise, toss it!
- If you want a bigger change swap out dark floors and trim for lighter woods or white washed flooring. This will help maximise the natural light and provide a calm, clean and timeless base to style your room around.
Will Taylor’s 5 tips on how to create a Country Farmhouse interior
Image: Booking.com
- A great way to make a room feel like a cosy farmhouse is to add a sofa upholstered with a bold tartan or check pattern.
- In a kitchen think of swapping out the cabinet hardware and replace the knobs and pulls with some vintage card pulls sourced from a local thrift store. This will add instant character and charm to the kitchen.
- A classic Farmhouse colour is a duck egg blue so layering in a flatweave rug or new cafe-style curtains in this colour will add a cosy and colourful farmhouse feel.
- A dresser is must- have furniture piece for creating the farmhouse feel. Consider adding one to the your kitchen or dining room and using it to display collections of tea cups and plates.
- For a bigger project why not add beams? Even faux beams look very realistic and will bring depth, texture and character to a modern space.
Will Taylor’s 5 tips on how to create a Japanese Zen style interior
Image: Booking.com
- Less is definitely more when it comes to a Japanese Zen look. So, cut out the clutter and think about only having one or two items on any surface.
- A paper screen divider is the simplest way to achieve the Eastern Zen vibe. Pick a screen that is either a white, light pink or simple print for the most effective look.
- With this style the furniture needs to be low to the ground, so ensure that key items, such as your sofa and bed, have a low profile and simple wooden slats without sides. Remember: less is more across everything you introduce to the space.
- Stairs should be kept as open as possible. This is a big project but if you can remove the risers and have pale wood steps then you’ll create an instantly zen atmosphere.
- Don’t forget the scent! A jasmine air diffuser or even an ultrasonic one for a constant stream of fragrance will tell ab eastern design story all of its own.
Will Taylor’s 5 tips on how to create a Chic City interior
Image: Booking.com
- Photography is a great way to add a city feeling. Bold black frames with a white mounts will make your pictures pop, especially if you group them together in a uniform fashion to make a sleek gallery wall.
- Embrace bold colours and don’t be afraid to pair those brighter accents with black shades and graphic patterns.
- Metallics are really important for a city chic so consider adding metallic vases or metal framed furniture. When it comes to metallics remember that small touches go a long way.
- Blinds are a great option for window covering when looking to create a city chic feel. Think of simple roller blind that is sheer or a grey in colour. You want the wall colours to shine so let the windows quietly disappear.
- The coffee table is a key area in a city chic look. Add a stack of oversized books in similar colours and place a sculptural ornament or interesting artefact upon them. This is your chance to showcase your personality and create a conversation-starting vignette!
Which colourful holiday are you most inspired by? Let us know by tweeting us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.