How to decorate in a global style
World traveler Amanda Jones lets emotions, not style, determine how she displays treasures from her adventures.
“I keep something [displayed] because it is beautiful and it makes me happy. You’ll never forget the moment you got it or who you bought it from,” she says.
Click ahead for her tricks for creating a textured, global style in your own home.
An easy way to achieve global style
Allow countries' treasures to mingle. There’s this belief that all Asian goods belong on one shelf and African on another. It’s more interesting to mix them up.
Carting it home
Amanda prefers to pay the extra $100 in baggage fees rather than ship from overseas. If you buy an oversize item, mail it through the vendor, not the post office.
Shown: Amanda's collection of hats from around the world.
Choosing what to buy
Go for foldable textiles and small objects. The tile-topped armoire isn’t practical. Instead, buy tiles and plan a DIY project that incorporates them.
In the shackteau are silk fabrics from Vietnam, textiles made by Hmong people, Rajasthani saris (turned bedspread), and tiles from Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico.
Sourcing global buys
Flea markets and antiques shops can be the slush pile for forgotten treasures. Also, favorite online sites like Cost Plus World Market, Viva Terra, and Wisteria.
Shown: A basket collected in Panama.
Be a collector of freebies
Waterfowl feathers from Zambia and seashells from Zanzibar, Fiji, Maldives, and New Zealand are accents around the home. Just be careful not to take anything illegal. For example, shells from protected species are a no-no (see cbp.gov).
Shown: Shells gathered from Fiji, New Zealand, and Zanzibar.
Final word on going global
"I keep something displayed because it makes me happy ," Amanda says. "It’s a living photograph that takes you back to that place and time."
