Interior Design Travel Retreat in Italy - 1 Year Later

In October of 2024, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy for an interior design trip. I was contracted to help manage an interior designer’s design and travel business. My weekly New York City trips allowed me to familiarize myself with the D&D showrooms where you go to find designer wallpapers, fabrics, and finishes. The showrooms include: Brunschwig & Fils, Clarence House, Cowtan and Tout, Fabricut, Kravet, Lee Jofa, Osborne & Little, PB Trade, Pierre Frey, Phillip Jeffries, RH Trade, Sanderson, Scalamandre, Schumacher, Studio Zen, Summer Classics, Thibaut, West Elm and Williams Sonoma. I created her two websites from scratch, using my knowledge from my computer science degree. I interviewed over ten website design companies to refine the look of the company sites and ended up hiring an individual rather than a company. Since I was managing the entire business administration on my own, it became clear that a CRM system was necessary. I vetted several interior design based CRM platforms, compared Design Studio and Studio Designer, and ultimately selected Studio Designer for the business. Her clients were primarily upper class married professionals with families in NYC and western PA. Over time, many of them became her close friends, which is how the interior design and travel side of her business began. Their professions ranged from doctors and dentists to lawyers, teachers, and architects. She wanted a way to host her friends on luxurious trips and share the world through her travel filled perspective. I created a design inspired itinerary that blended interiors, culture and upscale restaurants. When this opportunity came along, it arrived at the perfect time for me to slow down, travel with intention and find inspiration. I sourced and booked both Airbnbs, one in Florence and another in Cortona. Each space was full of character, natural light, and authentic Italian details. My family had recently purchased a home in Rome, and with my step sister being an avid backpacker, I received plenty of tips and suggestions from different family members before I left.

After landing in Florence, we went straight to a Roman spa, which ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the trip. I’m obsessed with anything wellness related, so being surrounded by water, steam, and stillness was exactly what I needed before a week of exploring. Of course, I fell asleep and napped for about two hours in the indoor pool house, wrapped in a robe behind sheer curtains with the sound of water echoing in the background. The days that followed were filled with interior design and discovery. I carried a disposable camera everywhere to capture moments in different way. We visited the Gucci Museum (Gucci Garden), saw Michelangelo’s David, explored Italy’s oldest antique fair in Arezzo, spent time in artisan studios, leather workshops, and luxury furniture showrooms. The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, is the oldest perfumery and pharmacy in Florence with vaulted ceilings, marble floors and wonderful fragrances, every detail was stunning. I watched a paper marbling workshop, where handmade sheets were transform into colorful patterns. I bought a custom marbled journal, that I still use to jot down design ideas and travel notes. We explored Piazza del Campo in Siena and the medieval town of San Gimignano, where the cobblestone streets were beautiful, though definitely not ideal for knee high platform boots. I totally underestimated the amount of walking I’d be doing, but every view and every corner made it worth while. In Florence, I couldn’t get over the wine windows scattered throughout the city. Tiny stone arches are built into century old walls where locals used to serve wine out of. They were quite literally hole in the walls. I took an Italian cooking class, and made fresh pasta and sauce (with plenty of complimentary wine.) I loved wandering through the local markets, sampling cheeses, olives and pastries. We visited olive groves, vineyards and family run restaurants. Every restaurant served incredible food, and had views that made us want to stay longer.

While in Florence, I also had the opportunity to tour several real estate options, which was such a different experience. Walking through old and historic apartments, seeing the layers of architecture, stonework and natural light, made me appreciate how interior design and real estate intersect no matter where you are in the world. Somewhere between the antique markets, long dinners under string lights, and quiet mornings walking through narrow streets, I realized something important. This was the trip where I decided I could move forward in my business at my own pace, in my own way, and build something that truly fits my lifestyle and future. It reminded me that success doesn’t have to be rushed, it can be intentional, personal, and built around the things you love most. That week in Italy changed everything. It taught me that travel, design and business can coexist beautifully and always at my own pace.

“Visualize what you want. See it, feel it believe in it. Make your mental blueprint, and begin to build.”