What Life Abroad Taught me About Interior Design - A Guide to Interior Design for Expats

My earliest memories of interior design come from walking into a craftsperson’s shop and eyeing an iron-wrought pink cat décor piece that my father wouldn’t get me. I was about 13 and it was the first time I ever felt like I needed a piece to decorate my bedroom. But it wasn’t the first time I noticed design and definitely not the first-time interior design had an impact on my life. However, the first thought of someone killing my vision meant I had a vision to begin with, and that felt important. And as an independent interior designer, it still does today.

As a child growing up in Montréal then the Parisian outskirts and then Singapore, never knowing how long we’d stay in one country, and my parents never owning a home, my only priorities for my space were: is there enough space for my toys, building legos on the floor and having friends to sleep over. Which, in hindsight, is already a sign of space-planning.

It took me a very long time to understand and appreciate the gorgeously curated pieces in my grandmother’s home and wanting to touch everything in there, from my bedroom’s tapestry, to the book bindings in the living room and open every creaky wooden drawer. Later on, as an adult expatriating myself in Sydney, Prague and now Geneva, my list of priorities for a home grew exponentially up until now where I don’t think I can compromise anymore!

My childhood bedroom at my Grandmother's was probably every little girls' dream.

My grandmother, an expatriate herself, had filled her 18th century Auvergne home with elaborate pieces from all over the world while respecting, and I might even venture, elevating, its French bourgeois origins. Not a small feat in itself mixing the powdery pinks and intricate moldings with Central African masks and heavy carved chests. And I think this is what most of us expats are striving for when either building a home abroad, or coming back to our home country without wanting to forget about our experiences in other cultures. They’re now part of who we are too and they make us feel happy.

So, when I think of interior design for expats, this question arises:

How do we make all of our cultures live together in harmony within our home just as they live within ourselves?

1. Prioritise function, always

Living abroad teaches you practicality in the most direct way possible. Every move forces you to rethink your habits: how you cook, where you store things, how you host.

Designing your home as an expat starts with function, not form. Before choosing colours or furniture, ask yourself:

• What do I actually do here every day?

• What routines make me feel grounded, no matter where I live?

Because the truth is, no furniture or layout is 100% adaptable. Some pieces you’ve picked along the way may not fit into your new home — and that’s ok. Let them go, and design around what truly matters: the pieces that bring joy, comfort, or carry a memory. The chair you bought in Prague, the lamp from Singapore, the textile from Bali — they’re part of your story. Build around them.

This table and chairs are a great example here, bought for my first Geneva rental and I've still yet found the pieces I want to replace them with.

NB:

There’s the opposite layer to this I’ve seen in my clients from overseas and myself where we’ve moved into the first rental we could find in Geneva and had to furnish it quickly. These pieces are almost always boring and not great quality because we had to act fast. When buying and renovating your own home, we instinctively want to fit them in, as they’re usually fairly new buys, however they’re a guaranty snoozer fest for your swanky new place. My advice: replace them little by little. When you’ve started living in your new space, you’ll soon see that these pieces don’t work, last or even bring you joy. But you now have time to look for more elegant, elevated furniture to replace them and create layers of comfort in your new space. I talk about how I look for curated pieces right here.

2. Design for your rituals

This is one habit I brought back from growing up in Asia. I like having an empty space that can shift throughout the week, in the morning it can accomodate my workouts and in the long winter evenings our personal cinema with Thai cushions and heavy throws.

Every country we live in leaves traces on how we inhabit space. Think about the traditions you’ve picked up and how they can live in your new home.

Do you still love having dinner sitting on the floor? Make space for it. Do you value privacy when you host, where guest quarters are clearly separated from everyday spaces? Integrate that into your layout.

Have you lived in Italy and cannot fathom not having a bidet next to your toilets? Super important to think about it when renovating your bathroom.

No shoes inside, closed kitchens with a breakfast nook, morning coffee corners etc. — these are not just habits, they’re space-planning, design and style cues.

When I work with expats in Geneva, I will always ask this simple question: what rituals from abroad do you want to keep here? That answer usually shapes the entire project.  

3. Mix contrast and balance

Global living naturally brings a mix of influences — African masks under French moldings, Japanese ceramics on an English dresser. The challenge is to create balance, not uniformity. My advice is to pair heavily designed or traditional objects with lighter, more whimsical pieces and colors.

A carved mahogany chest against a blush pink wall, or an antique French console beneath contemporary artwork — contrasts like these give rhythm to your space. They let each culture breathe while keeping the overall look cohesive and alive. Design harmony isn’t about matching; it’s about dialogue between eras, materials, and memories.  

4. Respect the home you’re buying

And sometimes it doesn't have a personnality at all, so it's up to you to bring in materials that will tell a story.

Each new home already has a voice. Whether it’s an early 1800’s Carouge town house or a 1960’s apartment in Jonction, it comes with its own personality, rhythm, and materials.

Respecting that doesn’t mean erasing yourself. It means letting the architecture and your story meet halfway. This home is going to become a part of your story too — just like all of the cities you’ve lived in. Maybe you tone down certain colors to match the light here, or you keep the original parquet even if it’s imperfect (please do). That renovation dialogue will create the beauty and comfort you’re looking for.

5. Home as a reflection of your journey

Moving from country to country teaches you that home isn’t a fixed concept — it’s something you rebuild, over and over again. Your interior should reflect that same evolution: a layering of experiences, textures, and meanings.

Renovate and design with intention, your habits and memories. Keep what feels true, reinterpret what doesn’t, and allow your spaces to grow with you. Acknowledge that every home and countries you’ve lived in has taught you a little more about what comfort, beauty, and belonging mean to you.

Last Words

Home, for expatriates, is never just a place — it’s an ongoing composition. Each city adds a layer, each object a memory, each decision a reflection of who you’ve become. When design acknowledges that fluidity — by mixing origins, respecting architecture, and honouring your daily rituals — it becomes deeply personal. Not a trend, not a style, but your story told through space.

If you’re an expat in Geneva looking to redesign your home, I’d love to help you translate your journey into a place that feels grounded, authentic and truly yours. I have 3 services available to create a home that connects you and your family's past and present — beautifully.

📩 Get in touch at stellastudio.ch/contact and follow along on Instagram for more interior design insights from Geneva and the world.

Estelle Bogros