European Adventures —
Given my heritage, I have the very fortunate position of having many places to travel to on vacation. With family members strewn about most of central Europe and Scandinavia, there are always requests for visits, or incentives to cross the pond in the first place. This summer was no different and because my children are at a great age to really understand what they are seeing – we added lots to our travels to make for a very inspired itinerary.
Our beloved summer intern Jackie (J) sat down to interview me (L.S.) post trip…
J: WHY EUROPE? YOU’VE DECIDED TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE GLOBE WITH YOUR FAMILY IN TOW, BUT WHY EUROPE OF ALL PLACES?
L.S.: Europe is at the heart of our heritage; we grew up there. Traveling there enabled us to see family, to reconnect with cultural points that we know, and to show our children these different points. The world offers many different flavors and perspectives, and my husband and I are insistent that our children experience them to the fullest.
J: WHAT CITIES WITHIN EUROPE DID YOU FIND MOST INSPIRING ABROAD?
L.S.: Rome, simply because it was a luxurious experience one-on-one with my husband (the kiddos got to stay with their grandparents for that one!). Additionally, you can really see the critical-to-history culture there. So much of what we love today comes from the Roman Empire – which is certainly obvious — but I think we lose track of that sometimes. London was a close second though, because we took the kids to the various places we used to live and experience – how extraordinary that was.
J: WHEN IT COMES TO EUROPEAN FASHION, WHAT INSPIRED YOU THE MOST?
L.S.: Though I would have assumed to be most inspired by Italy, as it’s classic and traditional and the birthplace of such class and tailoring, it was actually Spain that left me wanting more. The wearability in Spain had both a cutting edge and accessibility to it that I didn’t expect.
J: FROM YOUR LATEST BLOG POST FEATURING THE BEAUTIFUL CEILINGS OF EUROPE, WE CAN ALL SEE THAT THE ARCHITECTURE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO YOU AS WELL. DID YOU TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE THAT YOU CAN IMPLEMENT INTO INTERIOR DESIGN HERE IN TEXAS?
L.S.: Historic references are inherent in Turnstyle’s approach and how we tackle design, so I will always have takeaways. Could you have gold ceiling in your home here in Austin? – maybe some, but many things can be re-interpreted as an offshoot from these ideas. Maybe a gold accented ceiling, maybe an extra piece of moulding to suggest something more luxurious than is often seen. The lesson anyone can learn from European architecture is how to show off the beauty of a building – how to emphasize space.
J: REFLECTING ON YOUR EUROPEAN EXCURSIONS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP FEW TIPS TO ANYONE TRAVELING THERE, OR ANYWHERE, IN THE FUTURE?
L.S.: My biggest share-point is this; and not necessarily related all to Europe: there are 365 days in a year, most of which are filled with work. Three weeks of travel is a true DROP in the bucket. Remember that there’s so much to discover in the world. Give yourself time. Go, and don’t have too much of a plan. Allow yourself to wander and fall upon things – you’ll love to roam free.
