Some walk a few blocks to their parents’ house and some go further afield. I go to France, and sure it takes a little longer when I just want to stop in for a cup of coffee, but as you can imagine, I have zero complaints. People often ask whether I feel more French or English, and it only takes a moment or two to realize that more cordon bleu than rouge runs through my veins. Heading back home means I get to hang out with my family and eat too many croissants. Every trip also always gives me a lot of home decor inspiration to bring back to my London rental.
I have to highlight that to me, the French don’t “do” decor; it is just an intrinsic part of a space. Nothing is staged, nothing is even super thought out, or at least it seems that way… how do they do it?
From sitting and scribbling in Wes Anderson-esque cafés to playing card games in my mother’s living room, I came away with five intense home decor cravings that no amount of cheese is likely to fulfill. Since I only had 20 pounds of luggage, this is what I’m shopping now that I’m back in town.
$40
Be it to hold good wine or filtered water, stemmed glasses are the norm in France and I really took note of thicker stemmed glasses this time around. I love that these clear picks from Uncommon Goods are stackable, too. This is an amazing space-saver for tiny countertops like mine.
$68.99
As mentioned, I realized this time around that I need a car for my next visit so I can legitimately bring back the entirety of the antique store in my mother’s local town. I spotted the most gorgeously extra lamp with a curved raspberry base and slightly wrought silver detailing, topped off with a cream shade. I fell in love. This chinoiserie print is pretty extra, especially with the crystal detail. It's a good swap.
$9.82
I happened to visit during the International Comics Festival in Angoulême, which welcomes artists from all over to this cool town that I love and always spend time in. Walking through the streets and drinking red in a couple of bohemian bars definitely inspired this choice as you see comic book snippets and illustrated art everywhere. I think it’s a really unique addition to a home as it tells a story, a little more literally than your usual gallery wall addition.
From $51
Dressing a table is no longer associated with being a chore, and I'm here for it — Christmas or not. I love gingham and chequered looks. Lace looks good too if that’s your vibe, but a plain linen tablecloth like this one in Sandy Beige from UO is my personal favorite and is sure to perk up a rental dining table before you can say canape.
$34.99
There is a lot of crystal in my mother’s home, which I’m not usually allowed to go near unless it’s Christmas. Apparently being in your thirties doesn’t make you any less clumsy. Anyhow, I kept seeing heavy-cut and fluted glass vases everywhere. I actually picked one off the street going as trash near my place in London (here for judgment) a couple of months back, and it is one of my best finds. I want more and this fluted option from H&M caught my eye immediately.