Today’s Vacation; Tomorrow’s Home Décor: How Travels are Inspiring People’s Everyday Spaces

When 43% of Americans haven’t had a vacation in a year or more and a half are only using nine days off on average to travel, people are finding a way to bring pieces of their getaways into their everyday lives with their home décor.  

Between the cost of travel, worrying about falling behind on work, hurting their chances for a promotion, or risking losing their job, Americans are decorating their homes to remind them of their favorite vacation destinations when they can’t get away. 

Vacation Feels Like Bliss, So Why Not Bring it Home

A survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Puffy Americans reported that interior design decisions weren’t about function or creating spaces that better served their needs but about craving a luxe space that felt more like a sanctuary. 

“There is actual science for why we choose to decorate our homes with memories tied to a specific place — it’s called Topophilia, the love of a place,” said Lars Gesing, a Fine Arts Nature Photographer.  “It’s an effort of our society, which now spends up to 80 percent indoors, to reconnect with nature.”

“As an interior designer, I find that travel can be one of the most inspiring sources of creativity. Exploring new cities, immersing myself in different cultures, and admiring the natural beauty of a destination all provide endless inspiration for my work,” said Carmelo of Axel Property Management.  “When I return from a trip, I often find myself incorporating elements of what I’ve seen and experienced into my design projects.”

Are Certain Destinations More Inspiring Than Others?

According to an analysis by Storyboards.io, New York, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Missouri are the U.S. States with the most design inspiration. These rankings considered the number of landmarks, museums, and design-related hashtags when sharing images on social media. 

New York Is At The Top of The List

New York is where décor dreams of made of. The state has 276 landmarks, 786 museums, and many attractions over its 11 regions. From Niagara Falls to New York City, Catskills to Cooperstown and Hudson Valley to Hudson Yards, there’s a diversity of landscapes and landmarks to incorporate into living spaces. 

“My biggest décor inspirations are the clean lines of New York City,” said Diana Kellogg, Architect. “The Mercer Hotel comes to mind in terms of style inspirations as Christian Liaigre’s clean, comfortable, and timeless look represents the ideal of the modern styling I base my décor on.”

The California Love Extends Beyond The State

Home to many iconic cities and landscapes, California trails closely behind New York for driving people’s décor decisions. With mountains, beaches, desert, national parks, stunning historic and modern hotels, plus the creator’s spirit of Hollywood, it is also a creative well for home decoration. 

One of those inspired vacationers is Raf, who, despite traveling to 45 countries and 46 U.S. states, designed his home office after one California destination known for its mix of mid-century modern design and playful use of colors. 

“My office color palette is inspired by Palm Springs with a blush-colored sofa, teal-accented throw pillows, and a vibrant rug to set the tone. The wall color, Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue, provides a serene setting, and the tropical plants thrive in the natural light that comes through the window,” said Raf, Interior designer, Founder of Meble Furniture.

Other travelers have gone as far as recreating their favorite hotel room in their own homes. 

“My husband and I love the Ojai Valley Inn. They decided to remodel all the guest rooms about seven years ago, so I bought their outgoing Spanish-tile-inspired fabric, drapes, pillow shams, furniture, artwork, and accent pieces. I completely redid my living room and bedroom,” said Elizabeth Borsting, Account Manager, DCI. 

“Whenever I get ready for bed, I ask my husband to ‘Ojai Valley Inn’ the room, which means closing the drapes. It really transports me back to the inn, one of my happy places.”

Trips Inspire Spaces Outside of Home Walls, Too

Three years of pandemic-era travel to wide open spaces have also driven people to change the outdoor areas of their own homes. 

“One of my favorite places to visit and vacation is Hawaii. I love the tropical environment – from the beaches to the animals to the colorful plants. One of the Hawaiian flowers that I really love is Birds of Paradise,” said Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love. “So, a few years ago, after a trip to Hawaii, I researched the plant and figured out it’s suitable as an indoor plant. I got a few, and they sit in my sunroom.”

“I fell in love with the Florida Keys. The tropical flowering plants, orchids, and the many variations of palms, both big and small. The bright colors, the blues, yellows, light greens, and pinks, and the turquoise blue water,” said Marc Renson. “So I came home to New York and created a key largo front porch. I walk out the front door, yell to my husband, “I’m going to Key Largo,” and sit on my front porch.”

It’s Not Just Domestic Vacations Changing People’s Homes

According to AAA booking data, international travel is up more than 200 percent in 2023, inspiring travelers to bring those memories made during their paid time off into their everyday lives. 

“The Dunmore Hotel in Harbour Island, Bahamas, inspired me to design our home with an island feel. It’s a whimsical blend of organic greenery, carefully curated vintage pieces, casual and unpretentious elegance with a combination of natural textures and pops of color,” said Violette de Ayala. “There is a sense of elegance and rustic homage to island life that I fell in love with and was able to transport into our home in Miami.”

“The mix and blend of vintage rattan, old art, pops of turquoise, and an array of natural fibers, including fresh-cut greenery from the outdoors, was so captivating, and these components were easily adaptable at our home. I love the black and white striped awnings and added these to the exterior of our home,” Ayala continued.”

“You can’t travel to the Mediterranean region without coming back inspired to redo your decor at home. With the rich textures and colors you find in traditional homes throughout Spain, Italy, and the Greek Isles, you’ll want to bring a little piece of that back with you in your own home,” said Todd Saunders, CEO of Flooring Stones.

“A tile backsplash with a Mediterranean design was our choice after our travels to Greece. It’s a great reminder of our awesome trip and is a focal point of the kitchen,” he added.