School is out, temps are rising and our clients are heading out of town to enjoy summer vacation. Summer vacations are a great opportunity to pick up art, knick knacks or furniture that makes a statement and tells a story in your home.
But how can you make sure you’re picking something that won’t get thrown away come next year’s spring cleaning?
Here are a few tips on how to pick the souvenirs on your summer travels that will wow your guests all year round:
Think before take off
Before you take off for your destination, think about what design holes currently exist in your home. Is there a room in need of some new art? Does your bookshelf need a nice sculpture? Walk around your home and consider what could be additive to your current decor. Once you’ve identified the items you want to prioritize, take a picture so that you can make sure whatever piece you buy fits into your space. Having a good idea of what you might need will prevent you from overdo-ing it on your travels.
Remember the things that catch your eye
It’s tempting to buy the first knick knack you see on your travels, but be patient! Avoid buying the first cool artwork or souvenir you see, especially if you’ll be traveling for a long period of time. Take note of the things that wow you, and come back to them later in your trip if you can’t get them out of your head. It’s hard to anticipate what will inspire you on a trip. It’s best to be patient to see what memories you want to bring back with you. Your suitcase and your wallet will thank you.
Travel light
Every once and a while, you come across an item that you can’t resist… but also can’t fit into your luggage. Thankfully, it’s easy to ship those have-to-have items home with you! Instead of paying to ship at the retailer or boutique, consider bringing your item to the airport and shipping it straight from there! Be sure to splruge for insurance and save your tracking number somewhere you won’t lose it. We’ve found this method to be more reliable when traveling overseas with fragile items.
Get creative
If your walls are packed and your suitcase is stuffed, there are lots more creative ways to remember your trip. Oftentimes, tourist destinations will offer unique activities and opportunities to memorialize your trip. Consider hiring a photographer to take some photos of you, your partner or your family! This is a great way to commemorate travel and capture a moment you won’t want to forget. Add these pictures into your photo rotation, switching out your frames season by season to keep your walls fresh with fun memories throughout the year. And don’t forget ato use your outdoor spaces! If there isn’t enough room inside, consider placing one of your souvenirs on your front or back porch to keep your fun memories top of mind.
Ask your designer bestie for advice
If you need some extra design support when you’re in vacation mode, consider enlisting One of a Kind Interior Design to be your designer bestie on call. Our team can be a quick text away to help you decide if you really need that rug, have to have that painting, or can’t live without that coffee table. Through our designer bestie on call service, clients have an expert designer at their fingertips. We help our clients identify the things that they really can’t live without.
Need some more tips before you take off? Connect with our team today to learn more and hire us to be your designer bestie on call.
