If you don’t follow me on Instagram, I posted a bunch of photos from the Danube river cruise trip I took with my family in May. I have to say, I take pretty nice photos, thanks to my latest model iPhone, of course.

None of us were clamboring to be the subject of our photos, but we all do love to shoot the scenery. I especially love to capture architecture, interiors and interesting details.

That’s what this post today is about, the inspo that grabbed my attention and will spur ideas for future projects.

Color

The colors on exteriors may not have all been the same as used many years ago, but I do like how colorful it all feels today.

Soft yellows, terracottas, peaches, pinks and blues caught my eye.

This salmon painted color showed up a lot inside some of the cathedrals. The Basilica Saint Michael in Mondsee, Austria below, was the one where they filmed the wedding scene in The Sound of Music.

Marble and Limestone

Of course, there was marble and limestone everywhere. This is what we imitate here in America, the old stone floors of Europe.

Rojo Alicante (or similar color) is all over in this area, in cathedrals and elsewhere. I did not see any white marble, it was all warm toned gold and reddish in color.

These red marble stairs were in an outdoor covered area.

Red marble on the floors of the Austrian National Library in Vienna.

Warm toned stone flooring in Melk Abbey, Austria.

Whimsy

I absolutely love the whimsy expressed in paintings, fountains, sculptures, etc. I think we need to add a touch of whimsy more often to places in our homes. In particualar, animals make wonderful whimsical objects that add personality in a home.

I thought that was a real bird at first, perched on the roof of a cathedral’s courtyard.

I would love to know how this fixture came to be in a beer hall in Munich.

Cumil the Sewage Worker by **Viktor Hulík,** installed in 1997, old town Bratislava, Slovakia.

Onlay Mouldings

Of course, there are layers and layers of mouldings on walls everywhere, in wood, marble, plaster, etc. But I really love the lighter touch of painted onlays on many of the ceilings, particularly vaults. What a lovely way to embellish that 5th wall.

Check out how the mouldings’ pattern resembles the antlers’ branching. And there is more of the Rojo Alicante. Salzburg, Austria

Courtyards, fountains and central sculptures

Courtyards are such sweet, private spaces and always such a welcoming delight.

We peeked into a courtyard of an apartment building in Bratislava, Slovakia. What a lovely respite.

Central fountains, always full of flowing water, invites one to stop and enjoy the sound. Fountains make a space feel alive. Passau, Germany

Herb garden in a central courtyard in Bratislava, Slovakia.

This modern bowl fountain at Melk Abbey was a delightful departure from all the old world sculptures and fountains.

Miscellaneous Features - Hooks, colored glass, interesting doors

There is nothing I love to see more than details like these, hooks/hardware, colored or stained glass and interesting doors, when traveling.

I tend to prefer hooks to towel bars in bathrooms and these hooks, made for lots of coats and hats are just spectacular.

I have always *loved* the idea of random pane colors in a window, just like this. Would love to do this on a project!

I love wood doors with painted trim. To me it makes the doors feel more special and keeps the interior lighter overall.

If you’d like to see more photos and more of what a European river cruise entails, check out my Instagram for some posts there with a little commentary.

European Design Inspiration from My Recent River Cruise Trip!