Destination decor

We all know the feeling - no sooner have you shaken the sand out of your shoes and realised the holiday is over than you’re yearning for the next one.
PA Photo/HandoutPA Photo/Handout
PA Photo/Handout

While another get-away might be impossible, and you can’t unfortunately import the blazing sunshine and sultry sunsets, you could recreate the style of your favourite destination in decor, for an at-home vacation vibe.

And there’s no need to fill suitcases with souvenirs and lug them home to conjure your look; our interiors are so influenced by global trends these days, there’s plenty to plunder on the high street and from the wealth of specialist companies.

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Evoke exotic atmosphere with a ‘faraway scene’ wall mural, or your own holiday photo turned into a canvas, and furniture pieces in characteristic style or colour. Or, confine yourself to few accessories, and then sit back and enjoy a ‘far away’ feeling. After all, it could be the perfect way to avoid airport queues, jet lag, lost luggage and all those other holiday hazards.

The French are a such stylish lot, famed as much for their elegant dress sense as their chic interiors, and our love affair with their seemingly effortless glamorous grandeur - sparkling chandeliers and carved ornate furniture - never wanes.

“Curves, carvings, swirls, floral swags, cherubs - French furniture is the manifestation of pure Gallic romance and conjures all the va-va-voom and romance we associate with the style,” says Georgia Metcalfe, creative director and founder of The French Bedroom Company.

Symmetry, clean lines and glossy, lacquered furniture in a pared-back setting conjures a tranquil, zen-style atmosphere.

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“The enduring popularity of Eastern style is mainly down to its versatility. The style works with both contemporary and traditional interiors, and as those designing interiors now have less of a throwaway mentality, beautifully designed pieces which will never date, and traceable provenance, appeal,” says Jemma Page, director at Orchid Furniture, specialists in antique and reproduction Chinese furniture.

Decorative trellis work, pattern, jewel tones and intricate tiling are vital ingredients for a cool Marrakech-style setting.

“Rich, luxurious and exotic, the style’s bold colours and shapes make it a favourite for many interior designers,” says Adnan Bennani, director at Moroccan Bazaar, specialists in classic and contemporary craftsmen-made homeware.