Global Design From A Jet-Setter Who Knows

As is the case in fashion, some decor pieces truly warrant a splurge. An Arco lamp, much like a Céline bag, tells a story and lasts a lifetime. Years later, both investment pieces will be making as strong a statement as ever, while the cheapie trends will have long since gone the way of Goodwill. But, it's not always so easy to know which buys are worth your hard-earned cash. Ambra Medda can help with that.

The co-founder and former director of the prestigious Design Miami, she has an eye for one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted finds that deserve every pretty penny they demand. Her current endeavor, online design resource and e-commerce shop L'ArcoBaleno (which means "the rainbow" in Italian) is a hub for all the treasures she finds on her wanderlusty jaunts around the world. The best woven baskets from Mexico, vintage Swedish vases, simple gold jewelry from Germany — she's done all the finding for us. And, there's a history lesson to be had just browsing her pages. Where other sites post pics and expect the dollars to come rolling in, L'ArcoBaleno shares designer bios and factory details that show a philosophy of caring about craftsmanship and celebrating the story of how each item came to be.

Given that Ambra's the definitive jet-setter — don't even look at her Instagram if you can't handle extreme envy — and obviously has taste to spare, we quizzed her on her favorite destinations, insights on design trends happening worldwide, and what's on her own dream shopping list. By the end of this interview, you'll likely be setting aside your small change for an heirloom Hans J. Wegner chair (or a trip abroad).