Eye-Catching Design Inspiration from the Trentino Region in Northern Italy

"I never regretted any trip I took, no matter how inconvenient, expensive or unnecessary it seemed to be at the planning stage. I only regretted the trips I didn't take."

This quote is from my travel journal in 2005. I had graduated college and decided (bravely!) to live in Italy for several months before starting work in my field. The summer before, I had completed a study abroad program in Italy with Michigan State University's Building Construction Management and Interior Design programs.

During this trip, we previewed up-and-coming construction techniques. In addition, we took a peek into the historic preservation processes required for major historical sites such as the Duomo in Milan, Italy. I was impressed by it all! To this day, my time abroad influences my approach to design and overall aesthetics. Here are some of my favorite design inspirations from my travel to Italy…

Inspiration #1: Colorful Window Details

I absolutely loved the windows I encountered while abroad. So much life is created by the simple act of adding a window box with flowers. I often found stark contrast of the rustic, old-world charm of the window frames themselves in perfect opposition to the wild, colorful life in the overflowing window flower boxes, basking in the sunlight.

These flower boxes were full of life and vibrant colors, giving the buildings a dose of delicate life in the modern world, though many were centuries old. Speaking of windows, check out my post on How to Install Curtains to Make Your Space Look Its Best.

Inspiration #2: Stunning Doors

The gigantic doors I found in Italy were stunning. Many of them soared at heights 4x or more my own height of 5'9," and some of the doors were 20' high or more! I took a photo in front of some do