Bringing Alaska Home: Using Travel to Inspire a Homestory
| Summer is such a wonderful time for traveling, wouldn’t you agree? While the kids were on school break, my family escaped the North Carolina heat for an incredible trip to Alaska. I expected rugged beauty and breathtaking panoramic scenes, but we were met with so much more. Clean, crisp air, snow-covered mountains that pierce the bluest of skies, quiet, misty forests, expansive glaciers, and experiences with wildlife that left me breathless… Alaska was a trip of a lifetime. |
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| Alaska made an undeniable impact on me, and I will hold the memories I made there with my family close to my heart for years to come. Perhaps you’ve taken such a memorable trip and can relate. When travel has such a profound effect on us, incorporating it into the very design of our homes increases the personal connections we hold with our spaces.For me, this experience led to a new chapter in my family’s Homestory, the way we design our home to tell our story. I crafted a living room design inspired by the awe, elegance, and quiet strength of Alaska. |
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| Rather than decorating with literal motifs, I wove the essence of our trip into the design so that it feels sophisticated yet deeply personal. The design map above shows furnishings and materials that I carefully chose for not just aesthetic purposes, but for the story they help tell. |
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| At first glance, this room does not shout, “Alaska!” which was intentional. Instead, the ideas behind each piece help to create a room that tugs at our fondest memories of the great wilderness. Here’s a peek at the reasoning behind each selection: |
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| Wallpaper mural: With soft, misty hues of blue, green and gray reminiscent of the mountainsides after rain, this immersive wallcovering sets the tone for the room. |
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| End tables: The texture and tone suggest the bark of the tall trees we passed on our mountain hikes—weathered, rich, and full of life. |
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| Shapely side table: This light, curved, and charming table is my quiet nod to the joy of savoring Alaskan ice cream cones in unexpected roadside towns. |
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| Cocktail table: I selected a piece with a stone top that subtly reflects the snow-capped mountain peaks we admired from every overlook—a grounded echo of something grand. |
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| Brown inlaid chest: This piece immediately reminded me of the massive brown bear we saw up close at the wildlife conservation center—majestic, calm, and unforgettable. |
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| Upholstered chairs: Both the green chairs in the rendering above and the striped chair from the design map are inspired by the rich colors of nature that surrounded us: deep green forests and stunning glacial rivers. |
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| Sculptural mirror: This piece brings a hint of playfulness and nature. Its silhouette is reminiscent of the moose antlers we spotted in the wild.Other elements selected to infuse the room with a sense of the Alaska wilderness include a leather sofa, a table lamp, a wool rug, deep green and geometric throw pillows, a light fixture, and side table lamps. |
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| This living room design isn’t themed or an attempt to replicate a destination. Instead, it’s a memory map full of layered, meaningful pieces that tell our story: our Homestory.Designing a space based off of a beloved destination is just one way we tell Homestories. If this concept resonates with you, I invite you to learn more about our Homestory approach. When you’re ready, reach out to us so that together, we can tell your story beautifully. |
| Warmly, |
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CATEGORY
8/07/2025
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