Each Tiny Escape home is grounded here in Portugal—in its forests, its stone walls, its rhythm. But each home also opens a doorway into another part of the world through its decor. Years of travel shaped these homes, and the pieces inside them are real artifacts gathered on those journeys. Hand-carved figures, small paintings, old tools, textiles, and sculptures… each one traveled back in a suitcase or backpack, carried by hand because it meant something to us.
We love the idea that guests may return to try a different home, or come back to the same one because it feels like theirs. As the houses take shape, we wanted to share a small journal of the objects that inspired them—shown here as artistic renderings of the originals.
Colorado House
Colorado is our second home—specifically Breckenridge, a historic mining town surrounded by ski slopes and pine forests. We wanted this house to feel like a mountain cabin: warm and rustic, but playful.
The wooden elk, mid-swing with his tiny axe, came from our friend Brian Stokes (and Rider the Golden Retriever) at Mountain Kind. The snowshoes were found in a small antique shop in Fairplay (“South Park”), dating to the 1940s–50s. Their ash frames and rawhide webbing are “bear paw” style, designed for quick maneuvering rather than long treks.
Thai House
Thailand has always pulled us in because, though we have had many visits, it feels exotic every time—its temples, its colors, its energy, its architecture.
When we’re in Bangkok, we like to visit Chatuchak, the world’s largest outdoor market. Both pieces for this home came from there. The Buddha is gold-washed and hand-carved from a block of wood with delicate black detailing. The tapestry is a contemporary nod to the hand-stitched and hand-beaded pieces from the Lanna region, echoing the textiles found across northern Thailand.
Greek House
Greece leaves sensory memories as much as it does itinerary memories. You can close your eyes and smell the salt of the Hydra bay, feel the dry heat rising from the dust of the Acropolis.
On our most recent trip, we searched for specific pieces for this home and found them in the Monastiraki flea market. The statue of Hermes is molded from solid copper alloy and is a commemorative piece from 1982. The helmet is a recent bronze reproduction of a 7th-century Corinthian helmet—sturdy, simple, unmistakably Spartan.
Brazil House
My first visit to Brazil was for work, but the colors, the food and the warmth bring me back. On our latest visit, we discovered the artisan village of Embu das Artes just outside São Paulo.
The Carmen Miranda painting was custom-sized for us. The headdress is from the Kayapó people of Pará—its size suggests it was used in an initiation rite.
German Haus
Germany is full of contrasts—Berlin’s modern edge, Bavaria’s alpine landscape, the warmth of their Christmas markets. We wanted the décor in this home to reflect that diversity.
The careworn youth lederhosen come from Bavaria. The bear sculpture is part of the Buddy Bär collection—an art movement that began in Berlin and grew into an international exhibition series.
Casa Mexico
Over 20 years ago I had a work assignment in San Miguel de Allende. Its high altitude makes it cool even in the blazing summer months, and its artists create some of the most iconic Día de los Muertos imagery in Mexico.
The figurines of La Catrina celebrate ancestry and life’s impermanence. The slate carving blends Aztec and Mayan motifs into a single modern design.
From our travels to your stay— nothing in these homes was chosen just to fill a shelf. Each item carries a memory, and they are a meeting point between the memories we’ve gathered on the road and the ones you’ll make here. We hope you enjoy discovering them as much as we enjoyed finding them.
