ROSS HAMILTON

Trinkets and trash…

or valued treasures?

ROSS HAMILTON

How to integrate travel collectibles in your interior design scheme. 

So, I recently did an interview regarding how to integrate travel souvenirs and various sundry into one’s space.  (I must confess that I still am mildly amused that running a furniture brand seems to give me authority to take a position on interior styling questions!)  I tend to respond the same way to most interviews: surround yourself with pieces you love, that energise you, and do not question if it is right or wrong.     

Your interior is about telling your story.  There are always tricks of the trade to edit your space, curate your selection of prized pieces, balance shapes, colours, textures, etc. but you fundamentally need to love that with which you choose to surround yourself. 

When it comes to travel souvenirs, I have a bit of a past with delightful – if not over-the-top – errors.  Perhaps I am still finding my way around this topic…

I remember my first flat in Hiroshima, Japan, which had the ghastliest curtains known to man.  Living with hideous accoutrements has long provoked a visceral sort of reaction in me.  They were functional and necessary, and as I only intended on staying a year, my will to change them out was limited.  Nonetheless a Christmas trip to Bali brought an end to my torment as I hastily stitched a tasteful assortment of neutral-printed sarongs over top of the grim 1980s abstract print, blue and brown acrylic monstrosities. (I might need to qualify the word “tasteful”: it applied to my 1990s post-college aesthetic and ultimately was guided by the desire to exorcise a potent force of dismay from my little tatami-floored flat on a hill.)

All of this would have been fine and dandy had I not gone for the Total Look Indonesian Bazaar aesthetic. It was an over-the-top experiment in home décor but, well, I was 22 and having grown up with a rather staid East Coast Americana design aesthetic, I craved anything new and different.  (That said, exaggeration does have its purpose, and editing down is often an easier task than trying to add more – hoarding aside, obviously). 

Following several international moves and a foray into the design world, the number of objects has been more carefully curated to what I really love and which holds meaning for me.  Although, I am always slightly fighting the urge to purge these days…

So what advice do I deign proffer to the individual struggling with items of affection? Or to designers faced with their own objects of torment (perhaps imposed upon them by demanding clients)?  I will provide some general ideas, but remember to take my opinions for what they are: opinions. As I said, your interior is about telling your story.   

Attachment matters.  I am a firm believer in strong attachments to objects, energetic connections and whatnot.  If you feel strongly about a piece, respect that.  How many designers’ nightmare pieces end up being their favourite focal point or the pride of their clients?  If an item is really speaking to you, listen to it.  It will bring good energy to your space, and you’ll figure out how to make it work.  (Or not…  In that case, amazing designers abound and are there to help.)  If during your travels you have found the perfect sculpture, the ideal porcelain, a piece of folk art, embrace it.  You will figure it out as you go along. 

Less is more.  As my “Indonesian Bazaar” experience taught me, going with one total look may be overwhelming.  Unless you have a totally bare space, try to exercise some control when the urge to embrace retail therapy hits.  What looked great in Istanbul, Marrakesh, Taxco or Taipei may not transition as seamlessly as you think back home.  I too have fallen under the spell of a charming salesperson who invites you almost to bunk with their family and eat at their table the next time you are back in the country, while rebuking your attempts at negotiating price (with copious use of “my dear friend” thrown in for good measure).  I have also walked away with the object of my affection and immediately thought, “Why in the world did I just buy that?”  Remember that it does not have to go up on your wall or even make the journey home.  When in doubt, refer to the previous point on attachment. 

Occasional gallery walls. To add visual interest to a space, I tend to like very diverse art arrangements and a mix of different styles, such as paintings, prints and photography. Art clusters that mix objects and sculpture with framed art arrangements can add dimension and depth. Pro tip: Make sure to have your favourite pieces properly matted and framed.  Good framing can be the difference between an amazing art experience and a mediocre one, and I have often gone from hate to love based on a simple reframing.   

In my own house, I have a Japanese Netsuke sculpture in a black shadow box behind glass, arranged with several paintings from different countries, as well as a free-hanging antique necklace.  On another wall, I have a Moroccan Koran box nestled between a late 20th century European abstract painting and a circa 1910 American colourised photograph.  Adding elements that you would never find in anyone else’s home personalises your space and tells your unique story. 

Find balance.  Usually I say that anything goes, but it is obviously good to create harmony between objects.  Things need not match, but should “go” together.  This is, of course, very subjective, but in general a space should not be overloaded. Uneven numbers of art pieces and asymmetry tend to be my rule: groupings of 3 or more, for example, and staggered. For travel items, minimalism is best unless you are working with a specific theme.  I have seen successful collection walls with items of similar provenance, but I personally prefer balancing them against contrasting pieces or isolating them, depending on the size. 

The red thread.  The French use the term “the red thread” to indicate finding a common theme in something.  It helps to figure out what yours is.  With travel collectibles, only using your favourites can suffice.  But practically, one can work with a colour theme, or a lack thereof.  I currently have neutral walls and furniture, for example, and work in my splash of colour through art and accessories.  But I have also used colour on the walls with more neutral furniture and art.  It is all what you consider to be a good balance at a given time, but I generally vote to follow your instinct and embrace your vibe. Homes need not be static.  We are dynamic beings and need our interiors to move with us. Change is always a good thing in my mind. 

Try a “do-over”.  After a year and a half of living in my latest space, I rearranged everything (well, within reason…) as my energies had changed.  Perhaps this is a result of being in the furniture trade and wanting to try out new pieces, but I do think we need to reconsider things fairly regularly.  This could vary from a seasonal cushion change-out all the way up to a new floor plan.  Maybe the kilim cushions that worked for you in 2017 are not jiving with you in 2019, or that Chinese porcelain vase no longer brings the feng to your shui…! This is why we have attics, basements and storage closets.  Don’t be afraid to store things and start over. 

These are just a few of the ideas I have been working on for the past 25 years with no clear end in sight...  It’s my hope that this gives you some ideas and inspiration and designing your space and incorporating items you love. Do you have any tips for integrating travel collectibles into your décor? Please share them in the comments below!