On Substack, the Creative Director of HOMMÉS Studio reflects on how travel memories spark design inspiration.
HOMMÉS Studio has launched a new creative journey on Substack: a space to share thoughts, design tips, and behind-the-scenes insights into the brand’s universe.
Creative Director Micael Carvalho opens up about the creative process, the essence of the brand, and how to cultivate inspiration in everyday life.
This post, originally shared on Substack, explores how travel memories can be transformed into interior design, featuring some of HOMMÉS Studio’s best-selling pieces. Discover the full story below.
Nothing fuels creativity like travel memories. Whether I’m visiting somewhere new or returning to an old favorite, my senses open in ways that everyday life rarely allows.
Maybe it’s because, when we travel, we permit ourselves to be fully present.
While planning my summer holiday, I realized how much certain places have influenced pieces in the HOMMÉS and TAPIS collections.
Some are destinations I’ve visited and brought ideas back from. Others exist only in my imagination. But the result is always unique and often unexpectedly meaningful.
“(…) when we travel, we permit ourselves to be fully present.”
The Ibiza Mirror was one of the first pieces I ever designed for HOMMÉS, and it remains one of our best-selling items. The name almost explains itself. Ibiza embodies a relaxed, laid-back, and unforgettable summer.
Ibiza is a recurring destination for me, where I visit old friends and make new travel memories. I created this piece to honor the island’s bohemian spirit and love for natural fibers.
I like to think that the trip is more than a movement. It’s a journey to the heart of what inspires you. A single photograph can freeze a moment, but great design gives it new life.
So don’t let your travel memories live only in your camera roll. Turn them into something tangible. Into form. Into function. Into feeling.
“A single photograph can freeze a moment,
but great design gives it new life.”
In this same way, the Tropez Daybed is inspired by the charm of Saint-Tropez. It’s where the elegance of old French towns meets the glamour of the Riviera’s golden days.
I wanted to create a piece that embodied that blend, a chair where you can relax and recharge, just like you would in Saint-Tropez, soaking in the artistic energy of the place.
Some inspirations remain on my bucket list. One of them is the Moab Ponds of Utah, a mystical and handmade landscape I haven’t visited yet but often dream about.
The blue ponds are gaining increasing recognition due to the striking contrast between the blue water and the red and orange hues of the surrounding desert.
That’s how the Utah Table was made: stunning electric-blue pools that form a surreal, otherworldly scenery.
But not all inspiration comes from far away. Sometimes, it’s connected to childhood memories and the places that shaped us.
For me, that place is my hometown, a small town in central Portugal, surrounded by valleys and rich in deep-rooted cultural traditions and travel memories.
It’s where artisans still dedicate their lives to preserving craft techniques that are nearly lost to time. The Menizias Collection was born from this bond.
Now you see why we’re drawn to naming our pieces after cities and destinations. Places like Brooklyn, Nice, or Malaga aren’t just dots on a map. They’re living travel memories.
When we say something feels “so New York-ish” or “so London-ish,” it’s because we’ve captured a trace of the soul of that place: the energy, the colors, the culture.
Turn your vacation into design and transform the memories, moods, and moments of travel into pieces that bring joy and meaning to your everyday space.
And if you’re looking for inspiration, explore our Summer Poem Collection. We bring the slow, golden rhythm of a summer day into the heart of home.
