By now, you've probably heard about the Sundance channel's new show, Man Shops Globe, with Anthropologie's Keith Johnson, whose fantasy job sends him around the world in search of unique objects. Although most of us will never rack up as many frequent flier miles as him, we can enjoy our own brand of global shopping without all the travel...
- Many cities have pocket neighborhoods that feel as if they've been transplanted from overseas. In Chicago, for instance, you can find gorgeous Indian fabrics on Devon Avenue, colorful accent pieces in Chinatown, and Swedish goods on the North Side.
- Fair trade and ethically sourced stores are designed so that a percentage of sales goes directly to the artisans who created the product. A few we've profiled on Apartment Therapy include Ten Thousand Villages (with locations across the country), the Pillows Dream Project, World-Shoppe in Chicago, and eBay's World of Good.
- Antique shops, craigslist, and even thrift stores are great places to search for second-hand finds from across the globe. The hunt can provide the same type of thrill you get from finding a one-of-a-kind piece in a foreign country.
- The beauty of the Internet is that it allows you to see places you may never have the chance to physically visit. Search the web for design ideas from far-flung countries. For starters, here are a few links from Apartment Therapy:
• Inside 10 Parisian Homes
• Inside 5 Danish Homes
• Inside and Outside 10 South African Homes
RELATED LINKS
• Design Ideas from Around the World
• Global Decor without the Travel: Is It Cheating?
• Holly and Sean's Global Style

Comments (8)
and if you're looking for west african furniture like, senufo stools are bamileke/spider's nest tables, stop by my shop at:
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/greybreaks
Another great resource is The Hunger Site (www.thehungersite.com). They have fair trade products from all over the world and most purchases usually include a donation of food to needy people. I did most of my Christmas shopping there last year.
www.christineschwalmdesign.com
Overstock.com has their "Worldstock" section.
There are places online such as Global Goods Partners:
http://www.globalgoodspartners.org/template/index.cfm
National Geographic has a web resource called Novica:
http://www.novica.com/
And museum shops have goods from around the world that pertain to the subject medium of the museum they support.
I have to say I have found a lot of my world/global items at places like Ross, TJ Maxx, World Market and Pier 1. The price is always right and they have a fairly large collection if you're willing to look through and browse.
Or one could save the money for knickknacks and actually travel to some interesting places...
I hate to sound crabby, but I think it is gauche to treat people's religions like knick-knacks. Obviously, not all global decor is a Buddha stature, but still...
If you’re in Florida check out this great shop... Washburn Imports, they have two amazing showrooms in the Orlando area. washburnimports.com
I'm really enjoying his show, though he often seems rather bored (Keith!?!), it's a great peek into places I've traveled & shopped (or hope to on the next adventure) and every one of my rooms has at least one memorable piece from my travels.
I love the list everyone's assembled here - and - would also recommend the Rwanda Basket series available through Macy's. They're showcasing some beautiful work (most are traditional designs but a combination of traditional & modern colors). Last year I bought covered baskets, filled them with homemade treats, and gave them as holiday gifts.