Bergen The Home Issue

The true vagabond has no home base—nothing to redecorate, nothing to vacuum. But who ever said the rest of us can’t catch the vagabond spirit, tapping the world’s visual variety for the homes we cherish? This month, Escapes takes a break from its usual wanderings for an armchair tour, courtesy of five northern New Jersey interior designers. We asked them to spill the beans about travel destinations that have sparked their creativity. If your next trip idea doesn’t spring to mind here, maybe a design notion will.

Barcelona, Spain:

“A recent family trip allowed me to explore the unique architecture and design of the great Antoni Gaudí. All of his work is inspiring, but my visit to the storied Casa Batlló left a lasting impression. Gaudí’s kaleidoscope of purple, blue and green inspired me to design a client’s dining room using this color combination. Gaudí is known for his organic shapes and layering of mosaic patterns, textures and materials like ceramic, glass and iron. Casa Batlló has reinforced my practice of adding unexpected whimsical elements to my designs—a reminder to us all not to take ourselves too seriously. For example, I hide a handcrafted decorative mushroom, whether wood or ceramic, in every project I complete.” —Terri Fiori, Fiori Interior Design, Mahwah

For some of her home projects, Terri Fiori, Fiori Interior Design, Mahwah, infuses the Spanish blue, purple and green color scheme found at the Sagrada Família (top) and Casa Batlló in Barcelona.