How to Decorate with Global Style

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

How to decorate in a global style

Full article

World traveler Amanda Jones lets emotions, not style, determine how she displays treasures from her adventures.

“I keep something [displayed] because it is beautiful and it makes me happy. You’ll never forget the moment you got it or who you bought it from,” she says.

Click ahead for her tricks for creating a textured, global style in your own home.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

An easy way to achieve global style

Allow countries' treasures to mingle. There’s this belief that all Asian goods belong on one shelf and African on another. It’s more interesting to mix them up.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

Carting it home

Amanda prefers to pay the extra $100 in baggage fees rather than ship from overseas. If you buy an oversize item, mail it through the vendor, not the post office.

Shown: Amanda's collection of hats from around the world.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

Choosing what to buy

Go for foldable textiles and small objects. The tile-topped armoire isn’t practical. Instead, buy tiles and plan a DIY project that incorporates them.

In the shackteau are silk fabrics from Vietnam, textiles made by Hmong people, Rajasthani saris (turned bedspread), and tiles from Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

Sourcing global buys

Flea markets and antiques shops can be the slush pile for forgotten treasures. Also, favorite online sites like Cost Plus World Market, Viva Terra, and Wisteria.

Shown: A basket collected in Panama.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

Be a collector of freebies

Waterfowl feathers from Zambia and seashells from Zanzibar, Fiji, Maldives, and New Zealand are accents around the home. Just be careful not to take anything illegal. For example, shells from protected species are a no-no (see cbp.gov).

Shown: Shells gathered from Fiji, New Zealand, and Zanzibar.

Photo by Thomas J. Story; styling by Miranda Jones

Final word on going global

"I keep something displayed because it makes me happy ," Amanda says. "It’s a living photograph that takes you back to that place and time."

Get global style

How to decorate in a global style

An easy way to achieve global style

Carting it home

Choosing what to buy

Sourcing global buys

Be a collector of freebies

Final word on going global