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.
5 Iconic Furniture Brands from Spain You Should Know About: Ondarreta. Humble Beginnings to Global Reach.
This is the fifth and final article in a series about iconic furniture brands in Spain. Founded in 1974, Ondarreta is known for its contemporary furniture. The story began at the Ondarreta beach in San Sebastian as a small carpentry workshop. From that humble beginning, Ondarreta has developed into a brand with a global reach,…
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Profile: Miguel Ángel Torres Ferreras Spain’s 2024 Artisan of the Year
Above: Feria Collection by Torres Ferreras and Sebastián Gallego Briefly describe your background and the beginnings of your studio. Torres Ferreras is the brand of the pottery workshop of Miguel Ángel Torres Ferreras, who first sat at the wheel at the age of 11 in a family member’s pottery workshop. In his hometown of La…
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Course on Introduction to Cataloguing and Preventive Conservation of the Decorative Arts
The Association of the Friends of the National Museum of Decorative Arts (La Asociación de Amigos del Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas) and the Department of Art History of the Complutense University of Madrid have organized a four-session course on Cataloguing and Preventative Conservation of Decorative Arts. From March 10 to 12, it will be in…
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Miguel Ángel Torres Ferreras wins Spain’s 2024 Artisan of the Year Award
On December 7, 2024, the seventeenth edition of the 2024 National Crafts Awards was held in the Ministry of Industry and Tourism’s auditorium. The event brought together artisan finalists from all over the country in recognition of relevant actors of Spanish national crafts who, with their work, make the sector a driver of economy, employment,…
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Spain for Accessible Design: Summary 2024
This year was not as I had hoped to feature accessible travel and design in Spain on my website, partly due to other responsibilities that led to insufficient time to connect with my network. Next year, I will research, identify, and capture images of accessible tourist sites, accommodations, and beautiful interiors that combine striking design…
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2024 Made in Spain Holiday Gift Guide
This year my Made in Spain Holiday Gift Guide showcases ceramic jugs. There is no reason for this selection other than when I visited Spain this year, I spotted a striking striped ceramic jug in Hijo de Epigmenio. This gift store sells artisanal ceramic, glass, textiles, and other items from across Spain. I have featured this…
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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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