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Give Your Home Some Global Style

Pick and choose from these 24 design elements to give your home a well-traveled look

Killy Scheer September 10, 2011

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Technology and a global economy has made our world so much smaller, and whether you have the opportunity to travel extensively, or you simply dream of doing so, creating a worldly home that reflects your personal interests and passions is easier than you may think. A modern global style encompasses many elements: natural materials, handmade pieces or works of art, exotic textiles, bold pattern designs, extraordinary colors and unique furnishings and accessories paired with clean contemporary lines. But, most of all, it should reflect you and the things you love. I've always felt that if you love it, there is a way to make it work with the rest of your scheme. However, there are some elements that are guaranteed to reflect your inner world traveler.

Eclectic Home Decor Eclectic Accessories And Decor

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Bamileke feather headdresses from Cameroon have been all the rage for the last few years. They add an explosion of unexpected texture to walls. Safari Fusion has great ones for sale!

Sara Ingrassia Interiors

Map or map-inspired wallpaper will infuse any space with an undeniably worldly feel. This lovely, watery paper is the perfect choice for a powder room. For amazing "map-i-fied" wallpapers and textiles, check out Zoffany's Intaglio collections; they're gorgeous!

Hoedemaker Pfeiffer

Framed maps will do it every time, especially those with a hand-drawn, vintage feel, whether in color paper type or illustration style.

Studio William Hefner

But why relegate maps to walls at all? What's more global than a globe? In this vignette, the globes are a big part of the Old-World look, but the rest of the elements are pulling their own weight: The stunning credenza sitting beneath a traditional painting and all those books results in a space that feels loved by well-traveled owner(s) with impeccable taste.

Jane Ellison

Woven wall hangings or other textiles, whether brought back from a faraway place or purchased locally, have a wonderfully warm impact on interiors. This one adds color to a beige wall and anchors the piece beneath it as a focal point of the room.

Rick Hoge

Textiles on walls can come in many forms, from actual pieces of fabric to interesting clothing to rugs. If a piece is particularly fragile, but you don't want to waste its beauty by storing it in a dark closet, consider hanging it on a wall. They can be hung like most pictures, but if you feel additional protection is required, take it to a framer, who can give the royal treatment with museum glass and archival materials.

Mediterranean Living Room Mediterranean Living Room

For some reason, gold and turquoise will do it every time. Get those two colors together and BAM! You've got a global interior.

Sylvia Martin

There is it again: turquoise art paired with gold accessories. But, there's more. This entry provides all kinds of interesting things to look at: the airy lamp sitting atop the Asian-inspired console table with suitcases and a busy area beneath. The hint of an enormous plant gives the space even more life.

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti

Having a global style doesn't mean every nook and cranny of a home has to be filled with exotic finds. Unexpected elements mixed in with your home's main style work, too, as can be seen by this lovely little chair sitting in a decidedly transitional bathroom.

So many elements are working to make this entry feel worldly: the parquet floors, lantern-like light fixtures, dark wood moldings and off-white walls, the radiator, not to mention the sparse styling.

Megan Blake Design

Moroccan diamond rugs are a great alternative to heavier traditional rugs with lots of deep, brooding colors. The lightness and subtle pattern make them versatile and easy to coordinate with a variety of styles. They are especially adept at softening up clean, modern interiors.

What is it about this detail shot of a very small portion of a kitchen that looks so worldly? In my opinion, it's the fearless use of color on the cabinets paired with brassy fixtures and the farm sink. Even if you haven't traveled much, using elements commonly seen in other countries will contribute to your own personal global look.

Mediterranean Kitchen Mediterranean Kitchen

Gorgeous hand-painted tiles are a sure-fire way to add color and style to your worldly look. Such special tile can be expensive, but using it in small doses, add big style without breaking the bank. The red cabinets, yellow walls and well-styled cookery make this kitchen look like it resides in some fabulous little town in the Spanish countryside.

Lewin Wertheimer

Bring in materials typical of homes in other parts of the world. While tiled floors are nothing new, terracotta tiles lend a warm look with a cool touch, especially nice in warm climates.

Farmhouse Living Room Farmhouse Living Room

So many elements are working together to make this room look as though it had been pulled together over many years.

Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design

Sometimes, less is more. In this bathroom, the sparseness of the simple finishes are what make it feel as though it hails from another century.

Modern Modern Atlanta House Tour/Becky Harris

An artful arrangement of a great collection goes a long way. Grouping your prized pieces in a prominent place creates great visual interest.

Vinci | Hamp Architects

If you don't have a large collection of something, combining the interesting pieces you have among books is a good way to get the well-traveled look.

Scheer & Co. Interior Design

Bring in a vintage suitcase, and you'll have people wondering from whence you came.

KitchenLab Interiors

Going global doesn't always have to manifest in big gestures; little ones also make an impact. This transitional interior is injected with a dose of the travel bug in the form of that great little pillow.

Pack Associates

This is clearly a modern structure, but hints of warmth from a traditional rug and charming wood furniture make it hard to put a time stamp on it, which is another important element of creating worldly interiors.

Kim Nunn

This Otomi upholstery on the headboard with a traditional silhouette infuses an exciting and unexpected element to the tailored bedding and cool wall color in this bedroom.

With printed curtains, an ikat-covered chair and a two-toned graphic toss pillow, lots of patterns are mixed in this vignette, but they complement one another, rather than compete. The colors, scales and styles differ, resulting in a look that implies the homeowner traveled the world to find all of these wonderful textiles.

Draping a vintage kilim adds excitement to a simple white headboard while making great use of a beautiful textile. Simple bedding and upholstery lets the colorful rug and textile speak volumes.

More:
Design 2011: Layers of Global Style
Guest Picks: Finds for the Travel Addict
A World View: Decorating with Maps