Martha on Location: Travel Notes from an Interior Designer

This past year has been a really great one in the travel department.

There were our annual trips to the mountains and coast of North Carolina, along with time in Mexico, Bordeaux, and Southern Spain. Every destination has given me something new to notice, appreciate, and bring back to my life and work here in Raleigh.

As an interior designer, you can probably assume that my camera roll is filled with beautiful kitchens, hotels, historic homes, architectural details, and probably more pictures of floors and doors than any normal person needs. Of course I’m partial to the visual details of wherever I am.

But more than what catches my eye, it’s the experiences these meaningfully designed spaces make possible that stay with me.
So, this isn't necessarily a travel guide. Think of it more as my travel notes: the places that inspired me, the details I photographed, what I ate, what came home in my suitcase, and, of course, a few things I still wish for.

Mexico

Inspiration Notes

Frida Kahlo's Home

Of all the places we visited, Frida Kahlo's home has stayed with me the most. I loved the simplicity of it and the way the vibrant, unexpected colors felt so natural within the space. Everywhere you looked, nature was coming through a window, filling a courtyard, or becoming part of the room itself.

The colors especially stuck with me. There were combinations that felt bold without being overwhelming (yellow, mustard, chartreuse, plum), and I came home wanting to use them.

Shortly after the trip, I pulled from that exact palette for a kitchen renovation, incorporating similar shades. I love when travel inspiration works that way. You aren't trying to recreate a room you saw somewhere else. You bring home a feeling, a color scheme, or a detail, and reinterpret it for an entirely different home and family.

Dining Notes

Máximo

One of my favorite meals of the trip was at Máximo, where we celebrated my sister's 30th birthday and her upcoming wedding.

My siblings and I sat around the table over candlelight and shared plates, laughing and lingering much later than we probably intended. It was one of those meals where the food was wonderful. But what I remember most was being together.

Those are always my favorite dining experiences. I love a meal where you don't have to think too much. You can just be present with the people you're with. Let someone else take charge of ordering, or tell the waiter or waitress what you like, and invite them to create a meal for the table: drinks, appetizers, sides, entrées, all of it. I appreciate shared plates, candlelight, good drinks, and the kind of atmosphere where you realize hours have flown by. 

My one caveat: you have to save room for dessert. Sometimes I look at the dessert menu before I've even decided what I'm having for the main course.

Panadería Rosetta

There’s something I love about walking to a bakery in the morning, ordering a coffee, and indulging in trying one of everything. It becomes such a nice way to settle into the rhythm of a place. And if we find a really good one, we're probably going back the next morning.

Sourcing Notes

Sometimes what stays with you most is the thing you didn't bring home.

I found the most wonderful pair of flat cowhide ballet flats at Aurelia Concept Store, made by artisans in a small village. They were incredibly unique and comfortable, and I loved that the purchase also helped support education within the community.

Unfortunately, they didn't have my size. I’ve tried to track down a pair ever since. I'm still holding out hope that I'll eventually get my hands on them. They're definitely the purchase that got away!

Bordeaux & Paris

Inspiration Notes

My camera roll from Bordeaux and Paris is filled with doors, door knockers, mail slots, hardware, and more doors. 

I appreciate those seemingly ordinary details that give a place its character. They're so functional that they could easily be overlooked, yet they're beautifully made and have lasted for generations. 

And the floors! These stood out to me just as much. I kept noticing the tile patterns, the detailing, and the way different materials were combined. There’s so much history underfoot.

It's a good reminder that a home doesn't have to be brand new to feel special. Often, it's the materials that age, the craftsmanship you notice up close, and those smaller details that bring everything together. 

Style Notes

France also taught me the importance of a good coat (or several).

At the time, packing multiple coats felt a little excessive. But when I looked back at the photos, I realized that because of the temperatures, touring vineyards, and how much time we spent outside, my coat was essentially my outfit most days.

Layers became key, along with having different coats and accessories that could make essentially the same base outfit feel different from day to night.

That's generally how I like to pack wherever I'm going: versatile pieces that can transition throughout the day. For example, I love a dress that works for an outing, but also as a cover-up, and then again for evening cocktails. The less I have to think about getting dressed while traveling and exploring, the better.

Southern Spain

Inspiration Notes

Southern Spain was full of the kind of details I love most: color, pattern, craftsmanship, and pieces that feel distinctly tied to the place.

The ceramics especially stayed with me. I loved wandering through the pottery markets and seeing how something like a pitcher, bowl, or serving piece could carry so much personality and tradition.

One of my favorite pottery styles was from Alfarería Blas Casares Monachil. Everything felt handmade, collected, and perfectly imperfect. The colors and patterns were lovely, but the pieces overall still invite everyday use. 

It's something I prioritize in my work as an interior designer. Because what’s the point in having beautiful things if you can’t interact with them and enjoy daily life alongside them?

Sourcing Notes

Naturally, a few ceramics from Spain had to make their way into my suitcase.

I brought home a pitcher and a soup spoon tray from the ceramics market. I love that they're useful pieces that can also be beautiful objects in our home. The pitcher can hold flowers or be pulled out for a meal, while both can easily be layered on a shelf or table when they're not in use. They add a little color, craftsmanship, and culture to the mix. 

That's generally what I look for when shopping while traveling. I love little objects, artwork, vintage finds, and handmade pieces that can naturally become part of our home. I don't necessarily want something that announces: I bought this on vacation. I want it to feel like something that was collected with a purpose, and that also happens to transport me back to a wonderful memory.

The Real Souvenirs 

I love bringing home something tangible from a trip. But inevitably, the things that influence me most aren't the things that fit into a suitcase. 

It's the way people live. Long meals. Thoughtfully set tables that are actually used. Nature spilling into a room through an open window. Courtyards that become extensions of the home. Floors that have been walked all over for generations. Hardware that's as charming as it is functional. Rooms filled with objects collected over time. 

And it’s also the confidence behind it all. To use the unexpected color, choose the material that’ll become better with age, incorporate something storied, and design the room around how people will really gather there. 

Because whether it's around a candlelit table in Mexico, over coffee and pastries in France, or at home here in Raleigh, the spaces that stay with us are usually the ones where life is being lived really well.

Looking forward to bringing this perspective into your interiors in North Carolina? Inquire about your design project with Martha Midgette Designs.