During your travels, a particular place so enchanted you that you want to bring some of its magic back home. Enhance your interior with a touch of far-away places! Let’s explore 5 exotic décor styles that don’t include tacky fridge magnets!
Italy: The embodiment of flamboyance
The essence of Southern Italian décor: Happy colours and extravagant patterns.
Italy is a country that knows how to exert its seductive charms perfectly! The bel paese has no trouble mesmerizing our taste buds and eyes. Its aesthetic DNA spans the gamut, from southern folk traditions (Naples to Sicily) to contemporary design à la Milan.
Currently, interior design is leaning towards maximalism. This trend embraces a profusion of bright colours and a hodgepodge of objects flaunted without shame or remorse!
A touch of Italy in our décor often starts at the table—ceramic plates adorned with vibrant flourishes, multicoloured glassware, and tablecloths printed with lemons. Remember to save a spot for one of the many iconic Italian-style objects, such as a Bialetti Moka coffee maker or a decorative mini-Vespa.
Plates with an intricate motif of intertwining vines are just waiting to be filled with pasta alla Norma! Perhaps the White Lotus series, filmed in Taormina, Sicily, contributed to the revival of Baroque patterned ceramics.
Williams Sonoma pasta bowls, US$99.95 for a set of 4
If a trip to Venice is not in your plans... Quebec artisan Charlie Larouche crafts delicately coloured glass pieces by hand, like those found on Murano Island near the Doge’s Palace.
Charlie Larouche drinking glasses, $55 each *Local purchase
For diehard “tricolore” fans (not the Montreal hockey team!), this fridge from the Italian cult brand SMEG clearly shows off its origins.
Smeg refrigerator at Tanguay, $4,529.99
A magical little island in the Gulf of Naples captures the imagination. This poster illustrates the vibrance and sparkle of Capri.
Desenio poster print, $27.95
Perhaps you’ve already rented a Vespa for a scenic drive along the picturesque Amalfi Coast route? Here’s a miniature in ceramic. Quieter but just as adorable.
Bouclair trinket, $19.99
Provence: Endless summer
It seems as if time stood still in this classic Provençal cottage kitchen.
It’s hard to remain unaffected by the charms of Provence, with its stone villages slumbering under the scorching sun, the song of the cicadas, and the intoxicating scent of lavender. When re-creating a country house ambience, the key concepts are “rustic” and “traditional.”
Essential element—a sideboard or china cabinet in weathered wood, painted a pale colour to showcase your earthenware crockery. Look for a country-style set in hyphenated or ecru or be bold and hunt for delightfully mismatched pieces at flea markets.
Other must-haves include tablecloths, cushions or tea towels in Provençal colours—yellow, blue, garnet red and leafy green—olives, cicadas and calissons. Complete the picture-postcard look by adding linens or wallpaper adorned with wildflowers and, of course, some dried lavender bouquets!
A wooden sideboard or china cabinet painted in a distinctive regional colour—sky blue, lavender, eggshell white or celadon green—like this one! And a vintage patina finish would enhance its authenticity.
Winston Porter sideboard at wayfair.ca, $455.99
A galvanized steel watering can be used as a vase for flowers and lavender bouquets.
Canadian Tire watering can, $26.99
For authentic white earthenware, check out flea markets. Psst! Good imitations can also do the trick.
Zara Home tableware, from $9.90 (mug, bowl, plate) to $69.90 (tureen)
Treat yourself to an aromatic escape with bouquets of dried lavender for just a few dollars.
La Maison Lavande dried lavender bouquet, $14.95 *Local purchase
Lavender flowers on an apricot background. Don’t overdo it, a single wallpaper panel is all you need for a whisper of Provence.
Urban Outfitters removable stick-on wallpaper, $79 (120 cm X 60 cm)
The bench—a cross between table and chair—harmonizes perfectly with décor that honours Southern France, with stoneware jars, dried herbs and a set of antique keys.
Springwater Woodcraft bench at Simons, $178 *Local purchase
Mexico: Eclectic and colourful
Classic Mexico: Rich in colour, contrast and visceral emotion.
Does your décor lack pizzazz? Spice it up with inspiring ideas from the Mexican hacienda! The tried-and-true formula: brilliant colours + artisanal weaving + cactus plants. Say ¡Adiós! to neutral whites and greys, and ¡Hola! to bold contrasts on walls: terracotta, fuchsia, chlorophyll green or ochre yellow.
The unabashed love of colour in Mexican décor is unmistakable in the patterns of printed textiles. Multicoloured stripes and Aztec geometric patterns infuse joy and light into throws, cushions and rugs.
Handcrafted bins and baskets (tenates) made from braided vegetal fibres and must-have succulents will contribute to the restyling. And why not a mini piñata to bring joy to your inner child...?
In Mexico, death is not seen as negative. Their dearly departed are honoured with joy and jubilation every November 2nd during the famous Día de los Muertos Festival. Decorative objects in the shape of skulls and bones are part of popular folklore.
La Bodega mug, $30
Tassels on each corner of the cushion add to the festive vibe.
Bouclair throw pillow, $29.99
The original model in PVC wire is called “Acapulco.” Since the 50s, countless imitations have been found on patios and in living rooms alike.
Simons Maison chair, $490 *Local purchase
This gorgeous, colourful throw is perfect for warming up décor and chilly feet!
Hamuhk blanket, $59 (210 cm X 150 cm)
Mexican-style wall art: A set of baskets in coiled seagrass. (Support fair trade when you can!)
Simons Maison decorative baskets, $428 for a set of 7
Cacti, agave and aloe are ideal for your hacienda space. No luck with succulents? You can buy fake ones that look amazingly real!
Tanguay faux cactus, $109.99
Part macramé, part piñata, this breathtaking creation is by Canadian textile artist Annie-France Bowker.
Woven wall hanging, $425 *Local purchase
Japan: Elegant serenity
Reserved, discreet and serene: three keywords to best describe this peaceful haven that inspires dreams of the Orient.
Though Tokyo is far away, bringing Japan closer to home is easy. Devoid of all colourful cacophony, excessive knick-knacks or superfluous décor, neutral colours with black accents and minimally worked raw materials are mainstays of Japanese style.
A secret to creating authenticity: Choose low furniture, like a coffee table, in the living room or a paper lamp placed on the floor. Give preference to wood—revered as a noble material in Japan and a building basic.
A beautiful, traditional item: The noren curtain, can be found right here at home. Restaurants and stores in Japan use them as signage. You could hang one in a doorway to add a touch of style. Something else to complement all this zenitude—a few cherry or magnolia branches (artificial, of course) will pass the Japanese décor 101 test!
A twisting lamp, made of metal and paper, diffuses a soft light and can be placed on a side table or the floor.
Bay Isle Home lamp at wayfair.ca, $165.99
Perfect example of japandi: A decorating trend that mixes Japanese sensibility with Scandinavian design.
Found chair, $625 *Local purchase
Pinnacle of refinement: Drinking green tea from one of these delicately coloured porcelain bowls.
Atelier Marie-Hélène Robillard bowls, $24 (small size) and $30 (large) *Local purchase
Simple, clean design: The wood will crack over time, giving it imperfections that the Japanese so cherish.
Canac table, $295 *Local purchase
Nod to the Japanese floral art Ikebana: A single branch is all you need to enjoy magnolia blooms (all year long!).
Simons faux magnolia branch, $18
A noren is a short curtain used in restaurants and stores in Japan as signage. Use them in your home to replace a door or divide a space into separate sections.
Walmart noren curtain, $38.99
New England: Nautical themes
Classic seaside style includes blue and white anything and cushions and baskets.
A long weekend at an East Coast seaside resort fills our lungs with fresh air and our heads with fresh ideas. It’s easy to feel at home in the welcoming interiors of New England—a style that’s gone viral on TikTok under the hashtag CoastalGrandmother.
Everyone who’s ever been to the beaches at Cape Cod or Nantucket has collected shells and bits of driftwood. These natural treasures can be the starting point for creating your nautical theme. Put them on display in a curio cabinet or on a bookshelf.
Fishermen’s ropes are wonderful for hanging mirrors, light fixtures and planters. Not really into DIY? The knot motif, often seen on cushions, can give an instant chic yacht club look.
Basketry is also an element in the coastal aesthetic and is in harmony with the inclination for natural materials. Baskets can be used for storage, as an accent table or ottoman. Spoil yourself with a rattan armchair to accompany your soft white or ecru sofa. And for the finishing touch? A candle lantern to light while you’re reading (or re-reading!) a few chapters of Moby Dick.
Hang sandstone buoys strung on braided ropes inside or out. All that’s missing is the scent of iodine.
Atelier Trema decorative buoys, $110 for a set of 3 *Local purchase
Boost the yacht club vibe in your living room with this navy and white cushion cover.
Cushion cover, H&M, $22.99
Look! Blue baskets! Or how to turn “practical”—storage— to “beautiful.”
H&M storage baskets at hm.com, $44.99 each
A rattan armchair, a basic for lounging by the sea.
IKEA armchair, $69.99
They look like they’ve been weathered by salt air and ocean spray.
Livom lanterns, $140 for a set of 2 *Local purchase
To illuminate a lobster feast or an oyster tasting.
Simons Maison candle, $12
