For many people, travel has a profound impact on our world view. Whether it be exposure to a new culture, food, history or climate, seeing places outside of our own territory encourages growth in us all. As a designer, my travels have provided an education a book or classroom can't, and have informed much of my design preferences.

Inspiration #1: Shopping the Texas-Mexico border markets

My first memory of travel sparking my design style is shopping the artisan markets at the Texas-Mexico border as a college student. It was my first exposure to old, rustic, furniture, and items patina'd from love and use. I remember decorating my first apartment with finds from our shopping trips. Those trips established my appreciation for decor with an organic, imperfect form.

Inspiration #2: Living in Brazil

Living in a foreign country truly provides the chance to soak up the style and culture of a country. The five years we lived in Brazil expanded my design tastes, exposing me to fantastic mid-century modern classics mixed with traditional colonial, and tropical styles. I soaked up everything I could, making mental notes of the way spaces were designed, and how inspired they made me feel. It was during that time I learned about the profession of interior design, and decided to pursue it.

Dois Irmaos from Ipanema Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Inspiration #3: Recent Vacation Travel to Spain & Mexico

In recent years, travel to Mallorca, Spain, and Merida, Mexico solidified the love of things I always come back to: organic textures and materials, woven elements, items that tell a story with patina and age.

My travels not only provide education and inspiration for my own home, they bring out the creativity and passion I can channel through client projects. Looking back, I see how travel has played such an important role in developing my personal style, and how I can share a bit of each place through my work.