International & Global Home Décor

International home décor takes inspiration from modernism while blending design styles and borrowing from cultures across the globe.

What is global interior design style?

Global décor style is fluid due to its incorporation of items from various cultures as well as a variety of decorating styles. A modernist appreciation of craftsmanship is put on display, leading to well worked pieces of lacquered wood being incorporated into sideboards or sofas, treated colored glass of a pendant lamp shade striking the mood at dinner or powder-coated steel cradling a chair holding comforting dark brown leather. Texture is appreciated in handwoven rugs or crosshatched rattan lampshades you picked up or saw on vacation. Balance is achieved by pairing cold elements like steel or glass with warming elements such as leather or bamboo in the same piece of furniture.

While dark colors can dominate in rooms arranged with tone-on-tone color coordination, global home décor frequently draws the eye across a space with accents or hints of vibrant colors that carry through a room. While rustic furniture may not seem a great fit at first, when traced with tubular metal or paired with industrial style chairs & other modern elements, a rustic wooden table could complete your international home décor by adding a contrasting element. Think comfort that bends the rules while celebrating texture and the playful use of color.

Learn more about decorating with global interior design style.

Reimagining your space with international home décor means merging comfort with texture in a minimalist floor plan that can maximize the sparse use of bright colors to stand out amongst the dominating dark hues of leather, wood or textiles. To jumpstart your imagination, here are some ideas for applying global décor to different rooms of the house.

While international décor is known for featuring refined natural materials, it frequently pairs them with softer contrasting elements with a warm feel. It’s easy to achieve balance with global décor style by adding textiles, wall art, decorative pillows, drapes or room dividers. Even better when they reflect various cultures by being obtained from artisans on your travels. Think soft or dark hues whose tonality complements one another and feel free to shake things up with pieces that help you add vibrant color throughout a room.

Global dining room

To achieve a global interior design style in the dining room, create focal points with dark hutches made of lacquered wood whose glass cabinets can put on display colorful dinnerware from Italy and other keepsakes from your travels. Use the contrasting looks of steel framed modernist chairs and rustic tables to combine for a striking, yet harmonious centerpiece flanked by sparse sideboards. Use colorful seat cushions, napkins and wall art to add vibrant color to offset the softer hues. Or keep everyone looking up with a lampshade whose billowing tufts recall whimsical architecture.

Global bedroom ideas

Think about sophisticated wing back chairs with cushy dark leather to help you unwind by your bookcase made of lacquered wood. If it’s been a long day, you can place your drink on the dark wood tone of the nightstand that matches your bookcase. Apply the look of sleek, minimalist European design with a slim metal bed frame that gives way to a gray leather bedspread that’s almost as soothing to look at as it is to touch. Add a wool woven gray rug to match your bedspread and to make a connection with your leather chairs.

Global bathroom accessories

Put refined natural materials on display with metal wire and wood open shelving for all your toiletries. A design that matches form with function can also be found in metal and glass retractable vanity mirrors. Brighten things up by contrasting straightforward design with the ambience of decorative lighting that can be adjusted to the right warming glow for parties. Add picture ledges to put a splash color on the wall with the print you bought from a local artist in Chile.

Global style living room

Show off your international style while sinking into a dark, lush leather sofa or sectional and kicking your feet up—shoes off, of course—on an old travel trunk repurposed as a coffee table. Or maybe a sparse glass and metal coffee table whose bare elements are offset by the figurines and bowls you picked up on your trip to Brazil, as well as the colorful Nepalese rug your Aunt gifted you as a wedding present. Light comes from a floor lamp made of lacquered wood that has the economic construction of an easel. You could contrast simple, yet elegant design pieces with raucously colorful and striking pop-art or artful movie posters in sleek metal or wooden frames.