“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours.” - Terry Pratchett giving words to every amateur interior designer who sees their home in a different light after a trip.
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Exploring the world is the best way to get your creative juices flowing. Our list below talks to interior design, but you can apply it to any project where you need a creative muse. There’s nothing quite as uplifting as taking in the sights, sounds and energy of a new city. Here are 8 of the best places to go for major design inspiration.
It stands to reason that we kick things off with the City of Light. Artists, designers, fashionistas and musicians have for centuries used its picturesque lanes and architectural landmarks to embolden their imaginations. In 2020 Paris was voted the most creative city in the world by British Website Inkfi which compared 75 cities for inspiration in the form of art, architecture and music. The city also has the highest concentration of theatres and historical monuments per square mile.
Design hotspots: the antique stores on the left bank, the Dior store on Avenue Montaigne for magnificent accessory displays, the Place Vendome, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre and the Marché Clignancourt aka Paris Flea Market.
Italy is a design destination that could feature multiple times on this list, but we've chosen the Amalfi Coast because it is just so dreamy. Stroll through the cobblestone streets of small villages in the golden afternoon sun as you absorb the ridiculously beautiful landscapes into your skin, admire the quaint architecture and poke your head into tiny shops and restaurants overflowing with art, pottery, sculptures and delectable Italian fare.
Design hotspots:Villa Cimbrone in Ravello, the Cathedral of Saint Andrea aka the Duomo of Amalfi, the narrow alleyways of Positano, Vietri sul Mare - a little town known for its fine ceramics and the Villa San Michelle in Ana Capri which was built on the ruins of an ancient chapel.
India is a land of colours, patterns, sights and smells. It awakens all your senses at once, creating a delightful mishmash of stimuli that is hard to beat. Jaipur in the north is known the Pink City due to it being painted almost entirely in pink. The Hawa Mahal (Palace of Breeze) with its distinctive salmon-pink, honeycombed architecture is the most recognisable landmark in the city and just one in a treasure trove of historic buildings that will send your creative visions soaring.
Design hotspots:Hawa Mahal, the sandstone and marble Amber Fort, the art collection at the Albert Hall Museum, costume jewellery and gemstones in Johari Bazar and Galta Ji aka Monkey Temple because of the many macaques and langurs that live in the surrounding mountains.
It was a tough call between Sintra and Lisbon, but as Sintra is situated just half an hour from Lisbon you can do both! The hilltop town of Sintra is lifted straight out of a fairytale with towering mountains, exotic gardens and glittering palaces. Pastel-coloured manor houses adorn verdant hills that roll down to the bluer-than-blue Atlantic ocean. Sintra means Moon Hill and right at the top is the Pena Palace, a castle worthy of all the Disney princesses that is hands down the most romantic place in Portugal.
Design hotspots:The veritable tile museum that is Vila Palace, the lush gardens of Seteais Palace, Castelo dos Mouros aka the “Holy Grail Castle”, Monserrate Park with its Neo-Gothic palace and the quaint town alleyways lined with bakeries serving queijadas (cheesecakes) and travesseiros (almond pastries).
We could easily write an essay about Vienna’s architecture, a smorgasbord of riches that includes Art Nouveau buildings, Baroque and Gothic monuments and modern, 20th century structures that flat out reject the high ornamentation of the past. All this creates an absolute treat for any budding interior designer. Behind the Strauss waltz and the Freudian dream is a city that is overflowing with the very essence of design.
Design hotspots:there are too many to list but we have tried to pick our favourites! Gothic wonder St. Stephan's Cathedral, the Garden Palais Liechtenstein museum, the Ringstrasse aka the most beautiful boulevard in the world, the Art Nouveau Secession Building that pays homage to Austria’s most revered artistic triumphs and architectural phenomenon the Gasometers – former gas tanks that have been transformed into luxury housing.
Turkey is filled with historical and cultural offerings, but Istanbul is a special treat. From the Old City surrounded by the New City to the literal bridge between Europe and Asia, the juxtaposition – both physical and metaphorical – is just plain cool. The Grand Bazaar is a riot of colour and aromas and the architecture is a fascinating mixture of Byzantine and Islamic monuments. There is so much to explore in Istanbul and the unique confluence of cultures make your time there something special.
Design hotspots:the captivating mosaics of the 6th century Chora Church, the Grand Bazaar for the very essence of Istanbul, the Sultan Ahmed aka Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia for Byzantine architectural marvels and the pastel-coloured, cobble-streeted district of Balat.
The streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you – so the song goes, and anyone who has been to New York knows that it gives off a pulsing energy that is unlike any other city in the world. It’s known for its relentless pursuit of change, from the constantly evolving art scene to the spiky new skyscrapers that are flung up on a regular basis. With a history steeped in counterculture and bohemian expression, New York City is a beguiling muse with a bottomless well of inspiration.
Design hotspots:once again a tough choice, but here are our faves. The Glass House by Phillip Johnson for modern architecture, the Mansions Lyndhurst, Mills & Vanderbilt for historic styles, the Metropolitan for art, Little Italy & Chinatown for a cultural feast and Brooklyn Bridge for movie-perfect views of the skyline.
Marrakech is so vivid that it sticks in your mind like candyfloss on your fingers. It’s a visual feast of colours, patterns, textures and scents which define its rich and complex culture. You can simply spend a day wandering through the lively souks (markets) that are bursting with treasures and your inspiration cup will be full for months. Yves Saint Laurent once said, 'Marrakech introduced me to colour’ – and that’s just about all the affirmation you need.
Design hotspots: any souk will do but the labyrinth of Souk Semmarine is the biggest and best of them all, the Instagram-ready gardens of Jardin Majorelle, the intricate design work of the Musée des Confluences, Riad Yima Tea Room where old city kitsch meets modern Morocco and Djemaa el Fna which is the heart of Marrakesh.
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