Decorate your home with travel souvenirs

Travelling has become an important part of most urban people’s lifestyles. We look at simple ways, in which home owners can use the souvenirs collected from their trips, to enhance their home décor

A home is about togetherness, where the inhabitants not only share the physical space, but also experiences. While many people love to travel, we always bring something back home, in the form of memories or things. These reminders, from one’s travels, can be used to spruce up the home.

“Our journeys are what we are. We love some travels and some are lessons. While thoughts can be penned down in a diary or blog, souvenirs from journeys can find a place in our personal spaces. A home is like a canvas and mementos, like plates, magnets, local musical instruments, miniatures, etc., can be used to make this canvas colourful. For example, the entrance of the house may have a vintage post box that one has picked up, from a flea market in Germany,” suggests Munawwar Sharifi, founder of The Design Company India.

Frame your travel memories, with photographs

Photographs are the easiest tool, to remind us of our journeys. With most modern phones having decent cameras, people tend to take numerous pictures during every trip.

“Take a few of your favourite shots and make a grid of pictures. Let them merge into one another. You can also make small stamps out of the pictures and arrange these stamp-sized photos and frame them on a display board at home. You can also create postcards using your pictures and. mail them to your relatives,” suggests Lekha Gupta, senior architect, L.A.B. (Language Architecture Body).

“Many people like buying magnets, as souvenirs of the places they have visited. Instead, one can get a simple ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) set that lets you put your pictures on them, with your vacation spot in the background,”

Using postcards as souvenirs

Travel postcards are collected by many and they look beautiful. “Instead of just buying them, write down the most favourite part of your trip and mail it to your house. It will be waiting for you when you return. Moreover, it will have the stamps of all the countries or cities from where you mailed it. Instead of keeping in the drawer, laminate it and hang it on a string near the window and keep adding to that string,”

Region-specific décor items

Each place that you visit, may have its own unique arts and crafts. You can buy such items for your home décor. For example, one can buy beautiful throws and rugs, or street art work and hang them on walls. You can use wall art to depict a narrative, or use artefacts to create niche corners in your house.

Be creative

“You can also transform ordinary things that you buy, into a more beautiful form. For example, a tiffin box from a flea market, can be converted to a lamp. Every object from your travels can be used creatively – whether it is the first ticket from a metro train journey in Paris or a tram ticket from Kolkata, or an opera ticket or even a Starbucks takeaway mug. Remember, it’s your story. So, let it be told with panache and incorporated in your home,” concludes Sharifi.

Tips for displaying travel souvenirs at home

1. Display holiday photos, by getting them printed on plates, or as a poster, or create a collage. You can also frame your tickets, entry passes, keychains, posters and maps.
2. While travelling, you are bound to like several things but bring back only those items that you would like to see at all times. Do not clutter the tea table or side table with too many models of various monuments or artefacts.
3. Buy things of utility and some value too. Textiles are easy to carry and use and can add style and colour to home décor.
4. If you are fond of cooking, pick up different mugs, teapots and other silverware, to display as souvenirs in your kitchen and serve your guests in style.
5. Ensure that your cherished pieces find a place of pride at home and are always dust- free.
6. Try grouping together all your collectibles from various travels. This creates an interesting focal point and can act as conversation starters.

Also read: 7 Things NRIs should keep in mind, while taking a Home Loan in India