International Design Styles You Can Use for Inspiration

We might not be able to travel as much as we’d like this year due to the global coronavirus pandemic, but thankfully we can still bring a little international flavor to our homes without the need to step on a plane.

Follow in the footsteps of many designers by looking to overseas nations for design inspiration. There’s a wealth of global charm and sophistication that you can bring to your property today.

Scandinavia’s Neutral Colors

The common element of Scandinavian design is usually a calming, muted, neutral color palette. Designers in this part of the world focus on light rooms with wooden floors and furniture and accessories in tones of white, buff, cream, cool gray, pale blues, lighter charcoals, etc.

Opt for this kind of palette if you’re keen to decorate minimally and create a relaxed, simple vibe. This pared-back, understated look is sophisticated and timeless and helps to make spaces look larger. As for furnishings and fixtures, stick with ash, bleached, or pine wooden options, wicker and wool, and layer textiles to add depth to an otherwise simple design. Cabinets, benchtops, ceiling fans, bed frames, and other pieces in plain white or other light shades are also recommended.

Australia’s Coastal Vibe

Coastal interior decorating themes are popular in many locales and continue to find fans annually. If you want to bring a laid-back ocean-inspired feel to your property, there’s no better place to look for inspiration than Australia. One big island and therefore surrounded by the coastline in every direction, Australian designers have this look down pat.

When styling your rooms, keep the Great Barrier Reef in mind. Decorate with colors that reflect the ocean in all sorts of shades of blues and greens, including turquoise, navy, peacock, and ocean blue. Consider choosing different tones and even ombre colors for your walls to create the impression of the waves and water moving and changing as it deepens, then pair this with whitewashed floorboards and furniture, so rooms don’t get too dark.

Canada’s Focus on Nature and the Handmade

Canada is a very outdoorsy place, with miles of striking natural wilderness and open spaces. It’s also known for being a very down to earth nation. Follow suit by decorating your home to focus on nature and incorporating handmade, specially-crafted pieces that tell stories and connect people.

Select furnishings and accessories made from natural materials like wood, bamboo, jute, etc., and decorate with one-off, expertly designed, and handcrafted pieces that are perfectly imperfect. Make your space a home with items that have uneven edges, incomplete finishes, and natural-inspired shapes, and avoid mass-market designs found anywhere. Do this, and you’ll create a home that feels lived in, warm, real, and personalized to you.

Finland’s Sustainable Design

Sustainable design is another topic that has been a big focus for designers, manufacturers, and homeowners in recent years. However, Finland has long been the home of eco-conscious environments, both in personal abodes and commercial spaces. The nation has paved the way for this outlook.

Follow the Finnish suit by buying quality second-hand goods or choosing pieces made from recycled and non-toxic materials that won’t harm the earth. Concentrate on more natural elements like stone, wood, bamboo, wool, and linen. Make like homeowners in Finland by investing in high-quality, well-designed fixtures and furniture that will stand the test of time rather than having to be replaced within a year or two.

Singapore’s Art Deco Accents

Singapore has long been known as a place to see gorgeous art deco commercial and residential interiors. The nation has done a lot to conserve and restore iconic buildings and monuments that boast this style reflecting bygone eras.

The revival of Art Deco is seen in many interiors around the world today when people want to add richness to the look and feel of their home and give it a historic and glamorous vibe. Incorporate art deco elements into your home with strong, streamlined shapes, large-scale furniture, sleek metallic accents, and plenty of mirrored pieces.

Ireland’s Jewel Tones

Rich jewel tones have been a big trend in interior design in the last year. There’s no better nation to investigate for ideas than Ireland for homeowners wanting to get in on the act. Partly reflecting the vibrant shades seen in the country’s stunning landscapes, particularly the rolling green hills, this design focus will have you decorating in shades such as emerald and hunter green, dark teal, striking indigo, sapphire blue, and rich ruby.

These hues have a high level of color saturation, which means they significantly impact a room. Paint your walls in this kind of palette or choose furniture in it, and you’ll create a dynamic, eye-catching space full of drama. It’s easy to get in a design rut, especially when you don’t have the chance to get about and about, explore, see new things, and meet new people. However, you can bring the feel of lands far away to your home just by restyling your property in a way that reflects the design choices of another country.