What is Spanish design?
While many of us have an idea of what is the Scandinavian look, or what elements go into French country design, few are able to describe exactly what is Spanish design.
There are many design blogs devoted to Scandinavian or French design, and countless ones focused on travel, food and lifestyle in Spain, but I have found very few English-language blogs focused on interior design in Spain.
Spain for Design covers interior design, artisan traditions and lifestyle in Spain with the aim of making them accessible to a wider audience and begin a dialogue about a part of the world often overlooked in design circles.
Catching up with Sol & Luna and Yukiko Kitahara
Five years ago, I started this blog to feature the excellence of Spanish design. I have featured dozens of artisans and makers of fine works of ceramics, leather, fiber, metal, textile, and basketry. I recently caught up with four of the studios that I have featured. In this first of two articles, I reach out…
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Workshops in Madrid on Ceramic Making
In April, those in the Madrid area can learn the art of ceramic making from the team at Guille García-Hoz, a ceramic artist and interior designer. The workshops take place at his studio at 6 Nao Street. Please check his website to verify available spots. Clay and Wine (April 3, 10, 17, 24) Learners enjoy a…
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Dichoso Estudio designs Vibrant Mexican restaurant in Madrid
Xipe is a Mexican restaurant on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid designed by Dichoso Estudio. The concept that inspired the design is the simple, neutral, organic, warm and natural architecture of the famous Mexican architect Luis Barragán and the figure of Xipe, the Mexican deity of agriculture, goldsmithing, and corn. As a result, wheat…
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Cuarto Interior designs the new Hard Rock Hotel Marbella with a Ye-Yé 60s vibe
The interior design studio Cuarto Interior drew inspiration from the Ye-Yé movement of the 60s for the design of the Hard Rock Hotel Marbella. Thriving amongst the youth of Spain in the 60s, it was a movement that broke with imposed norms, seeking to unleash imagination and live life in full color. The innovative, fully…
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Jungle-inspired decor for Maison Jaguar restaurant in Madrid
Maison Jaguar is a Mexican restaurant located on Goya street in the upscale Salamanca neighborhood of Madrid. The spectacular design is lush and jungle-inspired. Madrid-based Mil Studios was the lead design studio and collaborated with Dichoso Studio. 4Retail was in charge of the construction of the 450 m2 space. The decoration is maximalist, exuberant, and ornate with a profusion of details…
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Enrique Rovira-Beleta: Advocate for Accessible Design in Spain and Abroad
Enrique Rovira-Beleta is an architect and university professor. He has been a wheelchair user for more than 40 years. He formed his architecture studio in 1994 after completing his architecture studies in 1993. In 2009, he founded Rovira-Beleta Accessibility Consulting. Throughout his career, he has established and improved accessibility laws, regulations, and policies for public…
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Casa Decor 2021: 7 Designs to Inspire Your Workspace at Home
The pandemic has pushed millions to work from home, which will likely continue well after it ends. For me, this has been one of the few positive aspects of it. There is no longer the need to rise and travel during dark morning hours of cold winter months, no transport costs, and the absence of…
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Profile: Mayice Studio: Illuminating Artisanal Traditions with Technology
I recently saw an interview with renowned French decorator Jacques García who, speaking about his maximalist design tendencies, surmised that minimalism is easy if one has nothing in one’s head, but difficult to achieve if it is full. Far from being the former, the minimalist designs of Madrid-based studio Mayice Studio is a complex interplay…
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Profile: Masquespacio: Singular Designs
In 2010, Ana Milena Hernández Palacios, originally from Columbia, and Belgian Christophe Penasse, who had backgrounds in interior design and marketing respectively, founded Masquespacio, a creative consultancy in interior and industrial design based in Valencia. They work exclusively in hospitality and commercial design and have completed projects in Spain, Norway, France, the USA, Portugal, and…
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Essential Books about Artisan Traditions, Design and Lifestyle in Spain
The links below may have affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy. Please note this website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website. Artisans The books listed here provide an excellent overview of workshops…
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Café in Asturias, Spain Channels a Victorian Parlour
Coffees, cocktails, and cakes are specialties of Per Se Café located in the old town of Oviedo. The decor, with its earthy colour palette, patterned upholstery, and highly textural fixed elements, harks back to an old-world parlour. A curated selection of vintage and Victorian furniture pieces, posters, mirrors, and fairy lighting, mix with interior architectural elements, including…
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Asturias: Memories of a Natural Paradise
“Asturias, paraíso natural” (“Asturias, Natural Paradise”) is the official slogan of Turismo Asturias, the tourism office of the Principality of Asturias. Parts of this northern region of Spain are on the Northern Route of the Way of Saint James, popularly known as the Camino de Santiago. It has a breathtaking landscape, where the mountain and sea…
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