Travel + Collections = Soul
In the Winter of 2020 I attended many conferences on Interior Design, with the changes in our world it seems so long ago now . Most of the guest speakers, who are Design Influencer’s or Design Icon’s, all spoke of the importance of travel as the number one influencer for their design inspiration.
What is it about travel that so inspires us I wonder? Can it be that travel to foreign places, where they don’t speak our language, get’s us out of our comfort zone and opens us to new experiences? Could it be the colors, the exposure to different plants, food, the habitat?
What I do know about travel, other than new visual imagery, it that it stirs my soul. The experience of being somewhere completely different, being exposed to living in a totally different way. To take note of how differently the people express themselves, through their art, clothing, festivals.
In my blog, Seashells by the Seashore, I briefly discuss collections and what they mean to us. I find when I travel I collect things that stir me, that attract my attention, that will remind me of my time away. This is true of my clients and friends as well. Each piece brought back from traveling has a story attached whether it be a a reminder of an exquisite little town, a new interaction…
Recently, before the restrictions on travel, my husband and I visited my brother and sis-in-law in Mexico. They live in a sweet place where their culture is still untouched by foreign tourism. . . although that is changing rapidly. Each time I visit I am exposed to different aspects of the culture and life there.
My sis-in-law is a creative like me...she is a beautiful painter with a bohemian style, an avid gardener, and a chef extraordinaire. I marvel how quickly and decisively she puts a gastronomic delight together. It had been 7 years since my last visit to their home and I noticed some differences in their decor.
On our last days together I asked her about some of the interesting sculptures and pieces in her home that were new to me. Each item was special and collected from their travels throughout Mexico. Each had a story and it was a delight to hear her speak of the adventures, mishaps’ and sometimes mayhem that surrounded the items.
For the next few weeks, hopefully weeks and not months, we will be in our homes and unable to travel...this will not stop us from dreaming and planning our next adventures and the excitement and anticipation of when we can seek out the treasures we will find there and bring back home, adding to our life stories. What is your next adventure?