Nomadic Nuances

A splash of yellow, a swath of purple — the vibrant colors of Turkey, Morocco and India can bring whispers of faraway locales, romance and inspiration to an otherwise bland room.

Featuring rich textiles and opulent designs, this decor has been a long-standing favorite style choice for many interior designers, said Barry Walker, owner and designer of Cozy Nomad Designs.

“The bohemian lifestyle has always been there and it goes through phases because it adds so much to your (decor),” Walker said.

The style, often handmade using traditional methods, has been edging its way into the mainstream for quite some time.

The beaded poufs, woven fabrics and overstuffed silk pillows have been popular since the early 20th century in modern homes, Walker said.

“It’s a romantic look that speaks of those far-off countries,” he said.

He and his family, based in Malibu, Calif., travel the world looking for new textiles to play with for his pieces.

“We immerse ourselves in the culture,” hoping to inspire that sense of beauty and romance into their designs so that others can experience those faraway places in their own homes, he said. “We always bring something back, whether it’s fabric or a product or service, from our time there. We fall in love with these places and we bring back everything we love.”

The deep marsala red, bright saffron orange and azure blues that often symbolize this decor celebrate the splendor of that culture, which is often brought into people’s living rooms through television. When the nation has gone to war with countries in the Middle East, the trend tends to pick up, Walker said.

“People are forced to think of other styles, other places, and it becomes something they want to incorporate into their home,” he said. “It opens you up to things you aren’t exposed to here in America, in your home, and the (design element) speaks to a lot of people here. They want to feel like they are part of the world as a whole. Decor does that.”

Introducing imported textiles and furniture into your home can have you dreaming of the colors and cool breezes of Africa and Asia. And it doesn’t have to be a big investment.

“There is nothing that looks better on a low white contemporary leather sofa than a pillow from far-off desert countries,” Walker said. “You don’t have to have rugs all over the room or tapestries. Just a few colorful pieces can fit well with any decor. It’s a very contemporary look any time.”

The seemingly chaotic patterns in

striking colors play to our senses, said Sarah Nisperos, owner and operator of Coterie, a downtown boutique on Fremont Street.

“The fun of it is that these pieces have a random but beautiful pattern,” said Nisperos, a stylist and home decor professional. “Because it’s so colorful, and usually a saturated color, it makes it a neutral in any palate.”

Adding one patterned piece can transform an entire room.

“It changes the look to a little more relaxed, easy-going, less structured,” she said.

People tend to reach for the nomadic-bohemian look when there is a lot of stress in their lives.

“It brings a sense of imagination, it brings you closer to nature and spirituality,” Nisperos said. “In these cultures, religion — or spirituality — and daily life are one in the same. When you have something like that in your home it brings you to something bigger.”

She opts to show statement pieces in her boutique, such as a beautiful throw rug across the back of a couch, a tapestry hung on a wall or a stuffed chair that oozes the nomadic fashion.

“Because I have a small space at Coterie I can’t buy everything I want,” she said. “It’s highly edited. And keep in mind people in our community are always moving, so I buy pieces that can anchor a room, because that’s all you need to set the mood to the room.”

Just as you would change out a shoe or a jacket to change your attire from day to night, you can switch out a recliner for a high-backed chair with a bold pattern, said the fashion stylist.

“It’s so easy to do,” she said.

An unusual pairing can bring nostalgia and subtle drama to a room while a vintage motif with striking hues can offer a whimsical nod to retro decor.

“When you have a room, you want to add pieces that tell who you are and how you feel in that moment,” she said. “We are all in the end human and there is something so human in a pattern and something you can’t control and it is there. It’s the soul of the room.”

The important thing to remember when choosing a piece is to find something that speaks to you, regardless of trends or rules.

“If you have a room full of stories instead of just a room full of things,” she said, “the room full of stories will never go out of style.”