Inspired in Istanbul: Spot the Turkish Touches in Target’s New Threshold Collection

Target’s latest home collection, filled with global accents, vibrant patterns and warm metals, will make you feel like you’re thousands of miles away from your own living room. Inspired by the Product Design and Development (PD&D) team’s recent trip to Istanbul, many pieces in the collection tell stories from the second largest city in the Middle East—like area rugs reminiscent of the patterns spotted throughout the iconic Grand Bazaar, or candle holders that flicker like the votives found in tiny Turkish cafés and gardens.

Following the return from their inspirational adventure abroad, PD&D team member Eric Timba shared his amazing pictures and described how the bustling city’s stunning architecture, exotic textures and gorgeous light influenced the look and feel of some actual Target products. Read on to learn what Eric had to say about the journey.

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We found inspiration everywhere—in the Grand Bazaar, the mosques, restaurants, hotels…even the back alleys. We spoke with artisans and craftsmen throughout the city, finding inspiration in their small shops and design technique.

We loved the textures, patterns, shapes and colors found in the markets. We revisited these vivid impressions when we were designing some of the Threshold home accents and had a lot of fun mixing our own patterns and materials.

We fell in love with all of the warm metals spotted throughout the city. People drink tea and Turkish coffee all day in Istanbul. We found beautiful trays and coffee pots in brass and copper that serve as the inspiration behind many of our mixed metal pieces, such as the task lamp and copper barware.