Decorating
10 Creative Ways to Display Your Travel Souvenirs
Interesting finds from your favourite trips can evoke memories and add a quirky element to the design of your home
Even the minimalists among us like to bring home souvenirs to remind us of our travels, but it can be tricky to incorporate them into our homes. Either there’s a clash of styles or scale, or we simply don’t know where to display the items. Here are some clever ways to put your treasures on show, and take yourself back to a special trip.
Repurpose it
Ceramics and stoneware are beautiful things to bring home, but can be tricky to transport. You could take a chance with bubble wrap in your suitcase or hand luggage, or use a specialist courier service instead.
What better way to blend beauty and practicality than by turning a decorative bowl into a bathroom basin? Speak to your plumber or bathroom fitter and get a hole drilled in the base of the bowl for the pipework, then simply seal and fix to the worktop or cabinet base.
Wall-mounted or freestanding taps are the best option to avoid additional holes. You can get away without an overflow outlet as long as you’re not using the basins in a children’s bathroom.
Ceramics and stoneware are beautiful things to bring home, but can be tricky to transport. You could take a chance with bubble wrap in your suitcase or hand luggage, or use a specialist courier service instead.
What better way to blend beauty and practicality than by turning a decorative bowl into a bathroom basin? Speak to your plumber or bathroom fitter and get a hole drilled in the base of the bowl for the pipework, then simply seal and fix to the worktop or cabinet base.
Wall-mounted or freestanding taps are the best option to avoid additional holes. You can get away without an overflow outlet as long as you’re not using the basins in a children’s bathroom.
Curate it
Put your souvenirs on display by arranging them on shelves and bookcases or hanging them as pieces of art. These textured African baskets really stand out against the grey, and those wall lights will create an atmospheric feel at night.
Put your souvenirs on display by arranging them on shelves and bookcases or hanging them as pieces of art. These textured African baskets really stand out against the grey, and those wall lights will create an atmospheric feel at night.
Hang it
Use textiles as wall art to add an organic and ethnic feel to a room. Antique tapestries or intricate rugs look fabulous hung over a bed or behind a sofa, and they’re light enough that you won’t have to worry about them falling on top of you!
For more delicate fabrics, such as silk or embroidered linen, you could display them in a frame for protection.
Browse more inspiring ways with wall hangings
Use textiles as wall art to add an organic and ethnic feel to a room. Antique tapestries or intricate rugs look fabulous hung over a bed or behind a sofa, and they’re light enough that you won’t have to worry about them falling on top of you!
For more delicate fabrics, such as silk or embroidered linen, you could display them in a frame for protection.
Browse more inspiring ways with wall hangings
Illuminate it
Lamps can be slightly trickier to import and require a bit of rewiring, as electrical systems vary around the world. It could be well worth the effort, though, as an exotic lamp can be a real statement piece in a room.
Almost anything ceramic or glass can be repurposed as a lamp with a bit of ingenuity – and the latest LED light bulbs, which run cool.
Lamps can be slightly trickier to import and require a bit of rewiring, as electrical systems vary around the world. It could be well worth the effort, though, as an exotic lamp can be a real statement piece in a room.
Almost anything ceramic or glass can be repurposed as a lamp with a bit of ingenuity – and the latest LED light bulbs, which run cool.
Spotlight it
Furniture shipped from abroad can often have a great story behind it, so whether you went to great lengths to transport a lounge chair from a Paris hotel or a 1950s barber’s chair from Chicago, make it a feature of your room and be ready to tell your guests all about it.
Furniture shipped from abroad can often have a great story behind it, so whether you went to great lengths to transport a lounge chair from a Paris hotel or a 1950s barber’s chair from Chicago, make it a feature of your room and be ready to tell your guests all about it.
Big it up
This incredible mirror is a stunning focal point and works very well with the simple square lines of the furniture. If you find something you love on your travels, then make sure it takes pride of place and gets the visual space it needs.
This incredible mirror is a stunning focal point and works very well with the simple square lines of the furniture. If you find something you love on your travels, then make sure it takes pride of place and gets the visual space it needs.
Showcase it
Use a glass-topped coffee table to display smaller or more fragile items. You can mix things in and out to keep it interesting. Ikea stocks a very reasonably priced option.
Discover how to display your objects in bell jars
Use a glass-topped coffee table to display smaller or more fragile items. You can mix things in and out to keep it interesting. Ikea stocks a very reasonably priced option.
Discover how to display your objects in bell jars
Contrast it
This striking collection works because it’s actually a simple blend of similar wood tones and organic forms contrasted with ceramics. The items all seem to belong together, but there is enough distinction to create interest. While on your travels, look out for trinkets in a similar material to make a cohesive yet eclectic display.
A top tip for packing breakables, including glass and ceramics, is to “double-box” them, wrapping them in several layers of bubble wrap within cardboard or shredded paper, or even cardboard egg boxes. That “fragile” label won’t be enough to prevent the package being dropped somewhere en route.
This striking collection works because it’s actually a simple blend of similar wood tones and organic forms contrasted with ceramics. The items all seem to belong together, but there is enough distinction to create interest. While on your travels, look out for trinkets in a similar material to make a cohesive yet eclectic display.
A top tip for packing breakables, including glass and ceramics, is to “double-box” them, wrapping them in several layers of bubble wrap within cardboard or shredded paper, or even cardboard egg boxes. That “fragile” label won’t be enough to prevent the package being dropped somewhere en route.
Reuse it
What a beautiful, evocative piece of furniture? Even though this is not actually an antique display cabinet from France, it certainly evokes French culture. Keep an eye out for shops being refitted or quirky items in flea markets. The cost and challenge of getting a piece like this home could be well worth it!
TELL US…
How have you displayed your travel treasures? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
What a beautiful, evocative piece of furniture? Even though this is not actually an antique display cabinet from France, it certainly evokes French culture. Keep an eye out for shops being refitted or quirky items in flea markets. The cost and challenge of getting a piece like this home could be well worth it!
TELL US…
How have you displayed your travel treasures? Share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
Textiles are generally easy to transport, as you don’t have to worry about breaking them. However, weight can be a consideration, so think carefully before buying a heavy material.
Whether it’s antique French linen or vibrant silk from India, drape your fabric on a bed or sofa to instantly update the look of your room. Here, a Moroccan wedding blanket creates an exotic feel in the bedroom.
If you’re handy with a needle and thread, you could even transform your travel finds into curtains, cushions or table linen.