I’ve just returned from a holiday in the south of Spain and I’m keen to bring some of the sunny, carefree vibes home with me. As well as making an aperitivo my new evening ritual, I’ll be adding some decorative, travel-inspired touches to my home to keep the holiday spirit alive.
I always think decorating with items picked up on our travels makes our homes so much more personal and homely. It injects colour and character, creating a home that tells a story about the people who live there giving a home personality.
Plus, there’s the simple fact that holiday-themed decor makes us smile, much like the recent dopamine decor trend. It brings back memories of long and lazy summer days and acts as a reminder to book another getaway.
Style notes from a Spanish holiday
A travel-inspired approach to decorating needn’t be expensive, either: “Buying special pieces on your travels to bring the holiday feel home could be as simple as a pretty postcard that you can frame,” says Sophie Clemson, interior designer at The Living House. “It’s a lovely way to have memories of each place you visit.” A great way to remember and treasure the happy places around the world you've visited.
Below are five trends I’m using to bring the relaxed, Andalusian vibe home.
Sophie Clemson is the co-founder of The Living House, an affordable online interior design company that helps busy families transform their homes easily, online and within their budget.
1. Decorative plates
I always love taking photos of the vibrant, patterned ceramics on trips abroad – from beautiful buildings with tiled frontages in Lisbon to the patterned tiles unique to each region in Andalusia. You can capture this holiday feel with decorative plates – they’re a great alternative to artwork and can help to create a rustic and whimsical feel in kitchens and bathrooms.
Carefully pack them in your suitcase or pick up colourful patterned plates from Habitat on your return, and don’t panic about finding the perfect arrangement. You take notes from our feature on hanging artwork or simply hang them up in a spot where they won’t be knocked, and enjoy.
We also have a real weakness for the Spanish splatter plates and bowls below, which look great stacked on open shelving and add fun colour and pattern to a casual dinner eaten out on the patio. It doesn’t matter if they don’t match your existing plates and bowls (personally, I love an eclectic collection).
RRP: £14 | This palm tree dinner plate from British designer Eleanor Bowmer features a hand-illustrated squiggle design, finished in a glossy glaze. The design is inspired by the golden coastlines of Los Angeles. Dishwasher and microwave safe for everyday use.
RRP: £4.77 | This plate from Wayfair is made of melamine, so it's lighter and more durable than stoneware plates – a good option for outdoor entertaining. The floral pattern and sunny yellow and blues give it a traditional and authentic look. Available in different sizes and patterns.
RRP: £50 | These bright, bold and playful plates are individually hand decorated in Portugal and take inspiration from traditional painting techniques found in Southern Europe. The 12-piece set adds a summer mood to any meal and includes 4 stoneware dinner plates, 4 side plates and 4 bowls.
2. All the natural textures
An eclectic mix of blue exotic floral curtains, white rattan chair, woven stools, bamboo pole wall decoration, 50s walnut sideboard, Beswick vases and vintage Spanish tiled flooring.
From bamboo ceilings and rattan lampshades to woven plant pots displayed on apartment balconies, I saw lots of beautiful natural textures on holiday – which is luckily a key interior design trend right now. Look out for natural materials, such as wood with graining, wicker, and stone when adding new pieces to your home.
This helps to create a subtle, beachy vibe and makes your space look more interesting visually. “Using organic natural textures will be a nod to a coastal feel with a modern boho twist,” says Sophie. “Add natural textures with woven baskets, plant pots, or jute rugs.”
Pop a small houseplant in a wicker container on your dining table, or hang Abigail Ahern baskets on the wall. Add a mirror with rattan or straw details to a downstairs toilet, or replace old storage containers knocking around the house with some more luxurious woven baskets.
You can also display driftwood, shells and pebbles, stacked wooden chopping boards, aged terracotta pots and so on, the possibilities are endless.
RRP: £16 | This cool, curvy handwoven basket is a natural catchall winner. Great for storing rolled-up towels or toilet paper in bathrooms or corralling bits and pieces that collect on the dining room table.
RRP: £129-£359 | This jute rug has a scalloped edge and simple border design that injects subtle style into any space. Its low profile and hard-wearing jute composition means it will sit comfortably under furniture. Available in a range of sizes and colours to suit your space.
RRP: £100 | Add texture and a rustic feel to your home with a wicker mirror, like this stylish option from Dunelm. It's made from natural rattan and will enhance the sense of space in smaller rooms and create a more homely vibe, counteracting harsh edges elsewhere in the room.
3. Holiday colours
Think about the colours you associate with holidays and keep an eye out for them when shopping for soft furnishing and accessories for your home. Yellow and green are among the happiest colours to decorate with but we all have a personal response to colour.
So it really depends on your taste – for me, it’s terracotta, swimming pool blue and bright, citrus yellows, but you might prefer the pinks and lilacs of a sunset or the bright whites and creams that conjure up sunny streets in Greece and Spain. You can also check out the interior paint colour trends for 2024 for more inspiration.
It’s best to pick a palette of two or three colours to stick to when shopping, and narrowing down your options can make it so much easier to choose your decor pieces. It’s much less overwhelming to choose from cushion covers, tea towels, bedding when you’re focusing on just a few holiday-inspired tones rather than every colour of the rainbow. For a nautical vibe, look for chunky striped cushion covers in blue and white.
4. Houseplants and cacti
We all return home after a holiday and question why we still live in such a drizzly country. While we weigh up a dramatic house move to a warmer climate, we can bring a tropical, holiday feel to the UK by upping our houseplant game. Try a leafy Kentia palm, available at John Lewis, or a large cactus, with their beachy, sun-parched associations.
Indoor plants are a great way to decorate an empty corner and breathe life into your space. Their transformative powers can never be underestimated. “House plants are a brilliant way to add greenery and a fresh feel to your home," agrees interior designer Sophie Clemson. "Choose some beautiful leafy plants to transport you to your holiday destination!”
RRP: £20 | This handmade planter has an individual shape and natural finish, with glass and natural mango wood tones. It looks much more expensive than it is and will look great on side tables or resting on the floor.
RRP: £155 | Bring beautiful foliage and tropical vibes to your space with a tall bird of paradise houseplant, like this one from John Lewis. It comes with a woven basket in black and natural tones. We love its large, paddle-shaped leaves.
RRP: £90 | Make the most of wall space with this hanging planter, which has a contemporary design and comes in white, white gold, and black. You can adjust the height of the ropes and slide them along the metal rod to suit your display and space.
5. Outdoor living
You can’t beat a morning coffee or evening Spritz out in the garden – there’s just something about outdoor dining that feels more laid-back and breezy. If you have some outdoor space, consider ways to give it some love and make it feel more like an outdoor living room.
We might not have the balmy evenings we enjoy on holiday abroad, but some new outdoor seating, cushions, blankets, lighting and rugs can go a long way to making it feel more comfortable on chillier days.
A quick fix to revamp outdoor spaces is to decorate with Mediterranean garden ideas and key plants, and you can’t go wrong with geraniums. Plant these hardy perennials in window boxes or large circular pots on either side of a doorway for an uplifting effect, dead-heading as necessary to encourage new blooms. If you don’t have an outdoor space, you can still create a picnic feel indoors with linen tablecloths, wicker baskets and summer-inspired recipes.
FAQs
How can I bring a holiday feel home?
A good way to bring a holiday feel to our interiors is with scent. Citrus scents, lavender, gardenia and herbs like basil and rosemary can all transport us to our favourite holiday destination. You can browse our guide to the best scented candles for some fail-safe options sure to make your home smell great.
Think about your holiday rituals, too – perhaps you like buying magazines at the airport, or simply enjoying a slower pace of life and trying as many new foods as possible. Just because the holiday’s over doesn’t mean you have to let go of your holiday persona. Here's to channelling the vacation vibes every day of the year.
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