My wanderlust ran deep long before interior design ever found me. Plus, daily exposure to classic architecture, textiles from France, tiles from Morocco, floral-prints from England, and retro Palm Beach palettes—all bonuses of my job—trigger many a dream about where my next destination may be. Now that the hustle and bustle of holiday agendas are officially checked off and forever in the history books, a getaway, preferably warm in temperature, is becoming a must.
I don’t have to remind anyone of the past year’s travel challenges that have left our passports veiled in a layer of dust. But the good news is, while in-person visits at art museums, terribly chic hotels, historic landmarks, and geographic masterpieces are temporarily on pause, I can still immerse myself in inspiring locales all over the globe. And that my friends, comes through in a series of books.
There are so many publishers of coffee table books that artfully document the world’s most beautiful regions through the lens of stunning photography. Glossy pages bound into visual journeys entice the curious, and even indulge those homebodies who would never use the word “adventurous” to describe themselves. I recently brought a new travel collection from Assouline into my shop. Assouline is known for glamorizing a variety of subject matters from all walks of luxury that include antique cars, the art of Dali, and the style of Ralph Lauren to name a few. Its new series taps into places, namely chic warm-weather spots – some always balmy where snowbirds would love to hightail it to right about now. Tulum, St. Tropez, and Italy’s winding Amalfi Coast are just a tease of the many destinations documented on Assouline’s pages that call for sunshine seekers. I’ll admit that on more than one occasion what was well-intended as a task for styling the books on my retail shelves turned into worktime interrupted as I became lost in their arresting pages, which led to inspired design schemes for our clients.
While you are spending time at home this winter, make your travel bucket list. Maybe art museums are your driving force. Maybe it’s spectacular beaches, and maybe you have the urge to swing your clubs on a notable golf course. My tip is to bookmark web sites on Google, install an app (as they say, there’s one for everything including your travel wish list), or buy a new book that will grace the living room coffee table and prompt an immediate booking. Some people acquire books of the places that they would like to visit. Other people buy a book as a memory of the places where they’ve been. Chances are, someday you’ll see stamps in your passport from some destinations and others not. But the best way to learn this world—its landscape and design, its culture, and its people— is to study it. In-person might trigger the senses more intensely, but on paper is just as beautiful.
Bon voyage to wherever your next travel venture may be.
