Decorating & Design
35 Ways To Inject Global Style Into Your City Space
Updated on May 14, 2020
Longing for change? While a holiday may not be on everyone’s summer agenda, bringing the world to your door may be easier than it sounds. Decorating your city space with rich textures, contrasting colors and playful prints not only adds interest and intrigue, it can also bring the vacation vibe home. Click through to discover 35 breezy and playful ways to inject global style into your space.
To soften this graphic, high-contrast living room, homeowner Pamela Meredith added a Turkish rug with shades of pink, blue and purple. Plus, a zebra painting emphasizes the global feel of the space.
A display of curated pieces from adventures abroad evoke worldly charm in this historic house’s parlor room.
The recipe for a global-inspired room? Potted tropical plants, animal-inspired motifs and plenty of pattern. A vintage burled-maple credenza ties the whole look together.
Designer Emily Griffin knows a thing or two about creating a space that will evoke wanderlust. In this eclectic family home, punchy colors and woven baskets bring Caribbean charm to Toronto.
Tour the rest of this vibrant home on H&H TV.
Bright, Cuban-inspired tiles bring a taste of South America to this Georgian Bay farmhouse powder room, designed by Cameron MacNeil.
This simple yet serene principal bedroom gets a dose of worldly character with playful woven pieces hanging overhead.
“I was inspired by a mash-up of surf shack, safari camp and Dutch colonial styles,” says Sam of her 800-square-foot hunting cabin in Frontenac County, Ontario. Woven textures feel effortlessly breezy and beautiful.
See more of this sunny cottage on H&H TV.
Bistro chairs surrounding a charming banquette transport this light and bright kitchen to a café in the south of France. Plus, a vibrant Moroccan-style rug adds even more international flair.
When designer Luke Havekes moved from metropolitan Montreal to suburban Knowlton, Quebec, he turned this 30-year-old home into a space that would stand the test of time. In the living room, curated objets and a mixture of textures and colors create a vignette reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film.
Vancouver native Jackie Kai Ellis’ Parisian abode is a study in global contrasts. Her kitchen includes a mix of copper pots and bowls from Paris’ flea markets and dishes from Vancouver ceramists Janaki Larsen and Michelle Nguyen.
This entryway is given a breath of fresh air with high contrast pieces that stand out against its all-white envelope. The global influences are subtle but impactful, like the woven basket at the foot of the bench and a funky, geometric throw pillow.
This bedroom feels like a modern safari. A lush green headboard gives the room zest and texture, while an animal print pillow makes a case for taking a walk on the wild side.
Jewel-toned pieces and a luxe chandelier give this Toronto new-build a Parisian-meets-California feel.
To avoid making this Sauble beach cottage feel like a stark white box, designer Tiffany Piotrowski added a soothing palette of blues and creams and natural textures for a laid back, California-cool look. “I didn’t want it to look too traditional and cottagey,” said Tiffany. “I wanted it to feel more coastal, like a beach house.”
The organic groove of this bedroom hails from homeowner and Snob founder Denise Zidel’s South African roots. Wooden masks, beaded animals, playful prints and pops of orange lend a holiday yet homey feel.
A collection of cheerful vases and woven objects arranged on colorful shelves add whimsy to Denise’s family room nook.
South African and Middle Eastern influences commingle in Denise’s principal bedroom. Zesty hues and bold stripes play off the elaborate two-headed camel bench, which gives this space a sense of adventure.
See more of the colorful space on H&H TV.
Layering graphic patterns and texture brings a sophistication to Y&Co founder Ali Yaphe’s living room, while a display of South African souvenirs and travel books tie the global feel together.
In Ali’s modern kitchen, the natural color of basket-like pendants and the woven rug’s lively hues bring warmth to the sleek design.
The combination of a chromatic beaded necklace, South African dolls with a vintage dresser and modern mirror creates a cheerful entryway.
The walk-in closet owes its uber-chic global feel to European, Asian and African influences, brought together under an antique globe-shaped pendant.
The textured kilim, low-profile bed and contrasting throw gives this principal bedroom — designed by Sam Sacks — its laid-back vacation feel that evokes glamping in Tulum.
Casual woven armchairs, a relaxed rug and playful raffia elephants remove this living room from its urban reality and places it beachside. Shelving that displays objects from the homeowner’s travels adds to the vacation feel.
Tie-dyed printed wallpaper gives this powder room a breezy Baja-boho feel. A simple woven basket and a hit of fresh greenery complete the cool, beachy look.
Designer Montana Burnett created a sense of escape in this office with a whimsical raffia lamp, graphic throw and moody artwork. The bar cart adds conviviality to the tribal vibe.
Black birdcage lanterns, an Aztec rug and pops of deep orange-red lend a worldly feel to this modern kitchen.
Montana injected both city sophistication and serene simplicity into this sitting room by juxtaposing the bold black and white palette with wispy raffia accessories.
A graphic Moroccan runner, two-tone woven baskets and a wooden stool add an earthy feel to the otherwise crisp white lines of this principal bathroom.
The eclectic vibe of this modern living room hails from its moody art collection and motley mix of tones and textiles, proving that global style needn’t be folksy. It can be quite chic and modern, while still being international.
The addition of a hand-painted terracotta tile in the modern bathroom likens it to 1930s Paris — the curved wall is reminiscent of the city’s underground. Enjoy a café au lait while soaking in the tub for the full experience.
A vintage Turkish kilim serves both as a unique backdrop for the headboard and a colourful contrast to the boho tasselled chandelier in this principal bedroom.
This vignette in Nam Dang-Mitchell’s home office takes a trip through design eras as well as the world — the chinoiserie wallpaper evokes elegant old world charm, which contrasts beautifully with the mid-century modern chair and contemporary desk. The art brings it together.
The simple addition of a rich-toned kilim runner to the clean lines of this eclectic principal bathroom adds warmth, allure and a hint of the global style.
Reminiscent of a Bedouin tent, the riot of vibrant colors and textures in this Manhattan living room offer unconventional comfort and warmth. This room tells a story of world travel thanks to the globes dotted around the space.
This timeless bathroom has just a hint of global influence. A woven basket hung from the wall and a rug in organic hues adds warmth and intrigue to its otherwise traditional, polished look.