My Favorite Kind of Souvenir: Local Art

I am the WORST at collecting souvenirs on vacation. I hate cheap touristy figurines, love vintage pieces that are too big for my suitcase, or spend too much time eating in restaurants to shop for reminders of the trip. I always come home empty handed. Well, I take that back, following a recent trip, I did come back with electrical tape that I bought at a gas station to tape up the hole in my shoe. Horrah!

But, I have a solution for bad travel shoppers: Artwork created by locals in the vacation destinations. The first thought may be to buy artwork OF the vacation destination like paintings of sweeping vistas or photographs of the city. However, by purchasing artwork made by people FROM the region, you can find pieces that speak to you more than the scenery of your locale - even though I'm a sucker for landscapes!

While not all artists exhibit in shops and since I may not even stumble into galleries, I like to look for artwork after-the-fact on the world wide web. I've rounded up pieces created by Australian and New Zealand artists following my recent vacation to these two fine lands.

Each of the below images is artwork by an individual artist. Click through to get the piece in your home, learn more about them, and see the rest of their collections.

We've already been to Phoenix and Boston since NZ and Aus, then we have Chicago, Pittsburg, Ojai, and several more trips coming up this year. So, should I make this a regular blog series by featuring artists from the locations I go to?

Design Inspiration At The Robey Chicago

Airbnb is all the rage right now, but I'm still a fan of staying in a nice hotel. It's so lovely to return after a long day of exploring to a tidy room with nothing but your own things. You'd think that as a homebody, I would want to curl up in someone's personal reading chair and peruse their collection of tchotchkes, but I'm still a sucker for the hotel life. I think it's those super crisp hotel sheets.

There's so much to be inspired by in a cool city, and why not also your hotel room? I've outlined the design elements that I adored while staying at The Robey Chicago.

Contrast

The space is a perfect combo of bright whites and deep greens - my favorite! It's almost like the room was designed just for me and my love of moody colors.

Complementary colors

The pops of red against the green walls are so striking. Admittedly, I don't do a ton of complementary colors in my house. The closest I get is with blues and orangey-wood-tones.

Dark ceilings

I'm totally on board with this trend. If my bathroom walls weren't already so dark, I'd definitely consider painting a deep hue on the ceiling.

Curtains for doors

Just because you want to cover up some storage, doesn't mean you need a door. When done well, curtains can make a statement that doors can't. I've had the door off of our closet for two years now (haven't scraped the layers of paint off yet) but maybe a curtain is a good solution for now. Emily Henderson recently talked about how she chose curtains for her master closet.

Modern meets heritage

The space feels so trendy and hip with its modern lines and simplicity, yet also so old-school with a nod to vintage elements. Talk about old meets new - that sink and toilet look decades apart. Those retro push button switches reminded me of home.

Delicious scents

The entire hotel smelled so good thanks to the products from Le Labo. I slathered that body wash and shampoo on my person every day so I could smell it constantly. When I went into the perfumery conveniently located next door to the hotel I was in olfactory heaven. Whether you choose to give your home a distinct scent or experiment with varieties, I certainly encourage thinking about the element of smell at home.

See-through walls

These wall/windows let so much natural light into the bathroom, make the bedroom feel so much more vast, and add oodles of flair. The glass had enough texture that bathroom users had some privacy, but probably not enough opacity that I would install them in a wall between a guest bathroom and the family living room. However, I think interior windows could be a great way to share natural light while defining separate spaces. Bring back the transom window!

Which of those design elements do you already have at home? Which are you interested in incorporating?

The Robey Chicago is a gem not only because of its style, but also its location. It's outside of downtown in the lovely neighborhood of Wicker Park. Surrounded by delicious eateries and gorgeous houses, it's the tallest building for miles. The views!

The lobby, lounge, rooftop bar, cafe, and even their elevators are all to die for.

If you saw any of my Instagram Stories, it was no secret that I fell in love with Chicago. The city was such a treat to visit during the most perfect time of year. I definitely attribute my admiration to spending most of our time exploring the neighborhoods outside of downtown where we could see how folks live, enjoy unique restaurants, and admire the amazing architecture. If you have plans to visit, I highly recommend spending lots of your time in the Wicker Park, Bucktown, or Logan Square areas - and The Robey is certainly the first spot you should look at booking.

While The Robey Chicago provided me a discounted stay, all opinions are my own.