Roam from home

If you dream of the African plains, yearn for the Orient, or just like to be reminded of the excitement of discovering new places, then travel-inspired style is for you, and it can be reflected by your own souvenirs or splashing out on homeware that has a foreign vibe.

Plus, if autumn’s come too soon and you can’t bear the thought of the chill of winter, this is an effective way to warm up rooms, with splashes of colour in exotic prints or patterns which, together with travellers’ touches, could create your own ‘home away from home’.

“We’re often at our happiest and most relaxed while on holiday, so why not conjure some of that feel-good vibe at home by taking inspiration from different cultures and influences?” says Sarah Quilliam, head of product design at blinds, curtains and shutters specialists, Hillarys.

“Travel not only broadens the mind, it also opens our eyes to new decor interpretations, gives us ideas. We can also bring back objects which suggest a life well-travelled and give a home a unique, personal and multi-layered feel.”

Colour choices are key, she says, advising that a rich palette of teals, cinnamon, ochre and blush pink can lend an Asiatic quality to a room, while an eye-catching Ikat design paired with dark wood furniture is suggestive of sultry Indonesian style. “F inishing touches, a globe or your own treasures collected from around the world, will complete the look and add a personal element that can’t be bought,” says Quilliam.

There’s no need to travel far afield to find pieces to transport your home to foreign climes.

Travellers’ tales: If there’s nothing you like better than packing a case and journeying to foreign destinations - or you’re simply an armchair traveller - you’ll enjoy surrounding yourself with those voyager essentials, from decorative suitcases to globes and maps.

Nomadic retreat: Nomadic is truly the most versatile of styles, as it mixes the exotic with the reclaimed and new - think market finds, rustic furniture and tribal rugs paired with whatever appeals to your taste, from Moroccan-style lanterns and animal prints to a vibrantly patterned kilim.

Passport style: Build decor around one key piece, taking inspiration from its style or colour, and you’ll find it easy to create a cohesive setting; important rooms which may contain an eclectic collection of treasures.

East meets West: A profusion of plums and pinks is evocative of the richly decorative floral designs so characteristic of Eastern settings.