I went on a little antiquing field trip during a recent visit to my sister's place in Virginia. My sister, who also does interior design, got the most loot, as she could toss it all in the back of the SUV and drive it home. My mom and other sister mostly browsed, while I did some photographing of potential pieces and purchasing of two things that travel well on airplanes - pillows and art. I kind of dig the 70's fiber art vibe of this big pillow, but I will admit, it was a bit of an impulse buy. The troops were fading, so after setting my mom up with iced tea and a snack I quickly ran through the last shop and grabbed a few things as if I was in some crazy reality show with one hour left to decorate a room - this is not how I would advise you to shop.

Anyway, I don't have buyer's remorse on the pillow. It is from India, not the 70s, but that's fine. It is home now, living on the bed and keeping my Mexican throw company. I bought that textile in Oaxaca - a place I absolutely love. They make the fabric from tree bark. Apologies for the subpar iphone photos.

Making purchases while traveling can be a great way to bring some character and memories into your home, but my advice is not to feel pressured about it. A current client recently called me from Europe and asked if he should buy art or a piece of furniture while he was there. My response, by all means shop if it is something you enjoy doing. If you see something you really love, go for it. However, simple and small items can be just as nice to add to your space and much easier to travel with if you don't want to pay expensive shipping fees. I once traveled through Europe with a mirror from the flea market in my back pack - not recommended. Textiles, however, it is hard to go wrong there.

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