Why Travel Teaches You More About Design Than Trends Ever Will

In this episode of Design Unscripted, interior designer Manuella Moreira explores how stepping outside your routine and experiencing new places can sharpen your design eye in ways trends never will. Recorded after Paris Design Week, Manuella shares how moving through the city, observing how locals live, and immersing herself in art, architecture, and everyday moments shifted her perspective on intentional design.

From wandering residential neighborhoods and people-watching at cafés to experiencing Monet’s Water Lilies at the Musée de l’Orangerie, this episode is a reminder that great design starts with feeling. Manuella also breaks down the key interior design trends she noticed in Paris, including warmer color palettes, rich textures, sculptural forms, and layered patterns, and explains how to use trends as a supporting layer rather than the foundation of your space.

Whether you’re a designer, design enthusiast, or simply looking to create a more meaningful home, this episode will encourage you to slow down, stay curious, and design from experience, not autopilot.

Topics covered:

• How travel influences personal design taste
• Why observation is a powerful design tool
• Designing from feeling, not just aesthetics
• Key interior design trends from Paris Design Week
• How to apply travel inspiration to your own home

Follow along for more design inspiration:
Follow Manuella on Instagram and TikTok for behind-the-scenes moments, design insights, and travel inspiration, and subscribe on YouTube to watch full podcast episodes, trend breakdowns, and visual walkthroughs.

Transcript

Travel vs. Trend Reports

What if I told you that travel can teach you way more about design than any trend report ever could?

Welcome back to Design Unscripted. I’m Manuella Moreira, and today we’re talking about how stepping outside of your routine and just immersing yourself in new places can reveal so much more about your personal design taste than any industry forecast ever will.

Why Travel Creates Design Clarity

When you travel, you’re not just seeing new spaces. You’re observing how people live, how they move through spaces, how light, texture, and proportion shape everyday moments. And in doing so, you begin to understand what truly resonates with you, not what you’ve been told should. That perspective is where real design clarity begins.

Yes, trend reports are absolutely important, and we’ll touch on them a little later in the episode. They definitely play a valuable role in understanding where the industry is headed.

Experiencing Paris Beyond Design Week

But first, I want to talk to you about how I personally experienced Paris and how that time there shifted my perspective on design. I was in Paris for Design Week, and beyond all of the showroom visits, what really stayed with me the most was how inspired I felt simply by moving through the city.

Paris has a way of grounding you. It encourages you to slow down, to observe, and to be intentional. And that mindset has a direct impact on how I approach design. And that experience is what I want to share with you today.

Living Like a Local

When I travel, I usually try to stay in a more residential neighborhood. I always want to experience Paris, or any city that I travel to, through the eyes of the locals.

For example, one of my favorite things to do in the morning is to walk to the local boulangerie, which many times they don’t even speak English, which is totally fine because I’m in their country. It’s my responsibility to know the language. So I try to make the effort to order a croissant, and it’s just the best.

Observation as a Design Practice

I get my coffee, and I sit outside and people-watch. I see how people interact with one another, how people walk down the street, and everything just feels intentional. And that’s always my approach with design.

After I have my breakfast, I usually just wander throughout the city. I try not to make a lot of big plans. I try to be very spontaneous and check out different neighborhoods. Wherever I end up, I end up, and that’s great. I don’t want to have any pressure. I want to leave space for surprises or things that might just change my perspective on something.

Breaking Out of Autopilot

One of the reasons why I think travel really teaches you a lot about design is because the moment you go to a new city, or even a city you’ve been to before, but it’s not your home base, you’re no longer on autopilot.

Your mind starts to wander a little. You observe things more than you ever would at home, because you’re always in a certain routine. You don’t notice things as much because you’ve been there, you’ve done that, you’ve seen it. You’re on autopilot.

Expanding Your Design Perspective

And when you’re traveling, that’s different. You’re exploring more. You’re seeing different colors, architecture, and culture, and it’s so rich. It opens up your mind to so much more. You might see things you never thought you’d like, or didn’t even know existed.

I always encourage everyone to travel as much as they can, even if it’s locally or somewhere close that you can drive to. Maybe it’s a winery, or a nearby town with cool museums or architecture to explore. All of that opens your mind to so much more.

Travel really forces you to slow down and notice things you might not have before. I highly encourage you to do that, however that looks for you.

Leaving Space for Inspiration

When you do travel, leave blank space for meaningful experiences you might not have considered.

On one of my free days after breakfast, I walked around the city capturing photos of architecture and door knobs. The Parisian doors are just insane. Everywhere you go, there’s a door that’s different. The colors are different. The hardware is so rich, and you can tell there’s so much history.

Finding Inspiration in the Details

I love taking pictures of these doors. I find so much inspiration in them, whether it’s the molding inspiring a wall application for a client, or the hardware inspiring a finish for kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, or even a light fixture.

I continued walking and stopped at a restaurant for a glass of wine. I overheard someone talking about this museum. I’m going to really mispronounce this: the Musée de l’Orangerie, where Monet’s Water Lilies are on display.

An Immersive Art Experience

I really wanted a ticket, but it was sold out, and I was so bummed. I ended up finding one through a travel agent for a much higher price, and I thought, you know what, I must go.

I walked over, and it was incredible. These large-scale paintings felt so immersive. It was like being transported into his garden and ponds, seeing the water lilies in person. It was really incredible.

Design Through Feeling

I stood there for a long time. It brought me so much peace. I highly recommend going, and if you can, go when it’s less crowded so you can fully step back. These pieces are very large, and stepping back lets you appreciate them fully. Then, as you get closer, you see the brushstrokes. When you pull back again, everything comes together. It’s fascinating.

As I left, I kept thinking about how special it is when you come across art, interiors, or objects that create a feeling within you. Something immersive that brings joy and transports you to another place.

You all know my approach to design is very tied to how a space feels. Aesthetics are important, but how it feels is even more important. That’s what makes a space meaningful. That’s how I felt with those paintings.

Design Everywhere You Go

Before dinner, I stopped at a hotel for a glass of champagne. Of course, I was observing the design, architecture, and fabric choices. That’s just what I do. It was lovely. I was present, enjoying the moment, taking it all in.

I noticed how at restaurants, tables face outward. People dining solo aren’t on their phones. They’re reading, people-watching, or talking. It forces people to slow down and be present, and I really love that atmosphere.

An Exercise for the Listener

Here’s what I want you to do. Choose a place to go. It can be another country, a nearby town, or even a restaurant down the street. When you go, observe everything.

Pay attention to all five senses. Notice how it smells. What music is playing? What does the design feel like? How are people interacting? If it’s a place you’ve been before, approach it differently so you’re not on autopilot.

Notice what brings you joy. Then take those principles and apply them to your own space. That’s how you make it personal.

Why Travel Matters More Than Trends

Overall, my advice to you is to stay curious and present. That’s why I feel really strongly that travel can actually teach you so much more about design than just trends.

Now, like I said before, trends are very important, but trends come and go. There’s a new trend every year, every season. But all of these other principles we talked about are what really add soul to design. That’s what makes a space your own.

Paris Design Week: Key Trends

Trends are fun. I absolutely love them. They add personality and character. They’re a layer of design that we absolutely have to pay attention to. Many times, interior trends follow fashion. I watch trends not only in interiors, but also in fashion, travel, and cultural shifts, because all of that has a major impact on design.

I got to see so much in Paris, and it was incredibly inspiring. As I moved from showroom to showroom, I started noticing common threads. These are the trends we’ll be seeing through the end of 2026 and into 2027.

Five Trends to Watch

Color is one of the biggest shifts. We’re seeing deeper, warmer tones like rust, browns, and deep greens. These colors create comfort and familiarity, which is something clients are craving more than ever.

Rich textures are also becoming more prominent. Layers of velvet, mohair, and natural materials add depth without relying on bold patterns. Texture makes a space feel inviting.

Wood tones are getting darker. Walnut, burl, and dark oak are everywhere. White oak isn’t going away, but it’s now being used alongside deeper, richer tones.

Natural materials are showing up in furniture, accessories, and wallpaper. I saw an incredible grass wallpaper with so much dimension and depth. If you’re listening, head over to YouTube so you can see what I’m talking about.

Sculptural and irregular pieces are everywhere. Furniture and lighting feel more like art. Curves, oversized arms, and asymmetry feel intentional and special.

And finally, pattern on pattern. This can go very right or very wrong. The key is sticking to a cohesive color family and pulling shared tones throughout the space so everything feels connected.

Closing Thoughts

Those were the five key trends I saw. There was so much more, and I’ll continue sharing it on Instagram and TikTok.

But overall, I just want to reiterate that travel teaches us how to feel. And when you design from feeling, your space becomes meaningful. Trends support design and add personality, but they should never dictate it.

That’s all I have for you this week. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, follow me on Instagram and TikTok, and send me a message if you have any questions or feedback.

And I want to know, what’s the favorite place you’ve ever been to?

Thank you so much for being here, whether you’re listening or watching. I’ll see you next time.