DEBBIE TRAVIS Bringing an international flair home

Debbie Travis intended to go to Italy, read a book and drink some wine for the next 20 years. Instead, the interior designer says she’s never been busier in her life, partly due to a new collaboration with Sears Canada to produce a line of home products including home decor items, furnishings, outdoor items and more. Here’s what Travis had to share.

What led to this collaboration with Sears?

About three years ago, I bought a property in southern Tuscany that became all-consuming. It’s a massive renovation of this place to become a retreat for women to spend a week at. But to do this was obviously my piêce de résistance and I became obsessed with going to all the trade shows around Europe. I started creating files on what was new and different and I felt Canadians were missing out on a lot of stuff. It’s starting to look pretty bland and all the same here.

The line is set for spring 2016 — what might we see?

We’re working on capitalizing on my international travels. I travel more than anyone else I know — in the last year I’ve been to India, all over Europe, spent time in Italy and I have a place in London. So this line will have an international feel.

It’s also a mix of modern colour schemes . . . lots of lemon, a bit of teal and flashes of pink, and grey is still the new neutral.

Any tips on pulling together a look for a space?

When you’re pulling a look together, treat it as if you’re doing a spring clean. Put away everything and decide what you don’t like but keep the pieces that mean something to you. And really create a mixture of one or two good quality things or vintage pieces. Be ruthless in picking out the bits that don’t work.

What’s next for you?

We’ve made a documentary series called Dolce Debbie that will air next year . . . I don’t know if everyone would call me sweet Debbie! But it’s not just a renovation show — the renovation is the background of the journey of next chapters.

I’m especially passionate about women finding their next chapters. I started these retreats for the Italy property for women who have that déjà vu feeling, as in I’ve done this job for 20 years, the kids are going to be leaving home, so what’s next? This generation of women are fitter, healthier and more educated than their parents as a whole, so they’re not willing at 50 to start knitting booties for grandchildren. They want to do something else.