Impressive traditional temples in Bali.

We’ve journied as far West as you can go. So we’re now actually in the East–Indies that is. Known as the Spice Islands and as the Dutch East Indies, Bali is now part of Indonesia. Popular as a resort visited by Aussies (in droves) and by other visitors from across the globe, Bali combines beauty and harmony between its native and Colonial traditions.

The Dutch colonists helped develop a printing techniques for fabrics called wax prints. These recognizable designs, very frequently in blue and white, are much like the block prints famous from Country French decorating but adapted to Eastern motifs. In addition, more ancient batiks are also much in evidence. This look was popularized in the U.S. in the ’70s and ’80s by China Seas, the fashion forward fabric resource. Now, batiks and wax prints are an on-going force in home furnishings design, popular favorites for their strong color and pattern influence. Our fabric and paint board showcases a variety of these fabrics, some small in scale making them a perfect resource for at-home decorating projects–pillows, placemats, table runners, etc. Many of the fabrics are in the traditional blue and white palette, but spice colors are also frequently seen–nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.

Wax prints and batik looks from the Dutch East Indies.

Of course, you don’t have to be a sewer, or crafty, or even handy to adapt some Bali style for your own. An easy option is to source pillows with these motifs and switch out your everyday ones for some with an Indonesian mood. It works best, of course, if your room either has some blue elements in it or is neutral enough that you can go blue easily enough. We took a media room sectional, normally accessorized with Turkish kilim pillows for fall and winter, and went more colorful with strong Balinese elements. Of course, it also helps to add in a major accessory piece–like this carved wood figure. Blue accents from elsewhere on the globe, like this Murano bowl, can successfully mix in if blue is the underlying connection point.

A media room takes on a Balinese mood with pillows and accessories.

Blue and white is also a great color palette for mix-and-match table settings. Indonesian inspired patterns on various sized plates can easily mix with more modern motifs in the same blue and white tones to create a balanced, playful, colorful tablescape. It is easy to use cobalt blue accessory and serving pieces to coordinate, like our tall candleholder, star-shaped banana plate, and tall goblets. To lighten the look, we found a softer blue color for placemats. For zip, why not bright yellow paper napkins?

Multiple patterns mix for an Indonesian fruit snack.

The exotic look of Balinese design brings to a close our foreign visits for summer decorating inspiration. Isn’t it about time to come home? No matter how amazing foreign travel is, it is always great to get off the plane on our home soil. Coming back from the East Indies is a long trek. Our first stop on U.S. shores will be in the extreme Southwest corner of the contiguous 48–California’s Laguna Beach.