What does it mean to build a home? I’ve found a home on Baja’s shores and Tokyo’s futuristic streets. For a season, East London served as my dwelling place. I typed poems under the Eiffel Tower and have seen awe-inspiring works of God from the Atlas mountains.
I’ve also experienced the depth of panic attacks from Dubai to Mexico City, where the weight of anxiety, grief and burnout overtook every cell in my body. There is no light without darkness. It takes a lot of courage to travel the world but just as much bravery is required to fully understand what life on the road tries to teach us—and when, perhaps, it’s time to slow down.
I’ve been asking myself lately: how do I infuse and transcend all of these moments into my new season of discovering what home means to me?
As a digital nomad for the past three years, I recently returned to life back in the States. As I settle into a longer-term home here, I want it to reflect the beauty of the world I faithfully leaped into as a whimsical, carefree Black girl.
To bring my home inspiration ideas to life, I partnered with interior designer Michelle Burney, founder of Lakaynan, an interior design studio based in Los Angeles. When Burney and I had our initial consultation, I sent her my Pinterest board: a suitcase filled with newspaper clippings from Asia, seashells that I collected on the shores of the Caribbean, and a million Polaroid photos that captured sweet moments in time from London to Cape Town. She took all the random pieces of my travels and cultivated an interior design masterpiece in my cozy apartment.
Burney was the perfect person for this project. Her design philosophy is a belief that everyone deserves to experience a life of abundance and luxury.
Slowing down in this season also means continuing to design a life that I don’t need a vacation from. The world can be a hard place and I wanted my home to feel like a soft landing place. A sweet retreat. Each destination that I’ve called home has all held a unique purpose. For this new season of my life, California serves as a dwelling place for creative rest and new community. It’s a safe sanctuary where I can just simply be without the stress of being on the go and figuring out what the inevitable “next” is. I’m leaning toward the phrase“Fly High, Build Home.”
Each corner in my 530 square-foot apartment is inspired by a different country. I don’t have a huge house or HGTV Show (yet), but that’s no reason not to enjoy your living space and be as creative as you can be, even while on a budget. My bedroom is inspired by Japanese design, which is a mix of minimalist and clean style that creates harmony. The jungle of Tulum influences my bathroom for a tranquil spa-like experience. The kitchen exudes the vibrant patterns of Morocco, and the living room is motivated by Mexico City’s architecture.
Below, Burney shares the tips she used to incorporate travel into my apartment design and how you can use them when turning a house into a home
Skip the Souvenir Shops
Skip the majority of the souvenir shops when traveling and instead, if you can, enlist a local to introduce you to markets and artisans who have locally made goods and artifacts. This makes for great conversation starters and focal pieces in your home.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
Consider the areas in your space that feel empty and play with hanging your collected pieces, such as paintings, textiles or artifacts that create an art-gallery moment with a portrait light above. If that doesn’t feel right, test out cabinets or shelving where you can create vignettes that tell a complete travel story, with a varied collection of items.
Paint it Up
A fresh coat of paint or textured wallpaper, along with properly sized curtains, can go a long way in elevating your space. For instance, try utilizing natural fibers, like linen for curtains or sisal for wallpaper, to visually transport you back to your favorite island getaway.
