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Design Events, News
News July 3, 2020 Ana Hernández and Christophe Penasse, co-founders of Valencia-based studio Masquespacio, go from strength to strength. On June 30, they launched their new brand Mas Creations with the introduction of two pieces. The line of furniture and objects represents a personal vision of a universe that is full of textures, contrasting materials, and, in keeping…
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Book Nook: Ibiza Bohemia
Ibiza Bohemia Maya Boyd (Text), Renu Kashyap (Producer), Published by Assouline (June 2017) Every once in a while, one comes across a coffee table book so engaging that it not only feeds us with knowledge and induces us to linger at the images, but it also encourages us to immerse ourselves in a place. Ibiza:…
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Book Nook: Three Essential Books about Artisan Traditions in Spain
Devotees of local crafts fairs seek them out not only for pleasure but as a respite from shops selling massed-produced items made elsewhere. They provide an opportunity to purchase one of a kind pieces, support local businesses, which in turn may contribute to retaining or reviving age-old traditions that may otherwise disappear. Crafts are often…
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Tado: The Little Shop of Ceramics
“All those who build a house around a tree or a rock and who make this tree or rock a beautiful and useful addition”. Tado owner Sylvie Fiachetti about her inspiration. Tado is Sylvie Fiachetti’s shop in the Las Letras neighbourhood of Madrid. She has been attracted to well-made objects since childhood. With no formal…
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My Pieces from Spain
My Pieces from Spain have moved with me to my various homes over the years. Some are online purchases, others in-store. There are pieces that I bought for my pleasure, and gifts from my Spanish in-laws with one from my father-in-law who once owned two gift shops in Madrid. Porcelain. Metal. Leather. Textiles. Ceramics. Some…
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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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Profile: Vajillas de Ultramar: The Beauty of Imperfection
“We want to create small pieces of art that are simple, but full of soul. Our motivation is to be able to give our customers pieces for their daily lives that make them happy.” María José Díez, an art and design enthusiast, and Natalia López, a dancer and model, founded Vajillas de Ultramar in 2014.…
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5 of the Best Portable Lamps Made in Spain
Portable lamps create an immediate connection between user and object like few other design elements. Not normally intended for task lighting, they give that nice, soft ambient glow that creates an atmosphere. Place it on an outdoor table to create an intimate dining experience. Move indoors and put it on the floor next to a…
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Profile: Ábbatte: Fine Contemporary Spanish Craftsmanship
“We create artistic objects for daily life, made with natural yarns in an artisan way”. Ábbatte creates exclusive textile pieces made with the finest silk, alpaca, cashmere, wool and linen yarns sourced from around the world. Elena Goded Rambaud and her daughter, Camila Lanzas Goded, launched the company in 2013, after careers as a university…
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Journal: A Month in Spain
This is the final installment of my four-part series about my month in Spain in the summer of 2019. August 6-9, 2019 August 6, 2019 My month in Spain is coming to an end. We returned to Madrid from Cala de Finestrat yesterday afternoon and are at the ibis Madrid Centro las Ventas Hotel, where…
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COVID-19 and the Spanish Design Industry
I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Micheal Jordan As many know, Spain has been one of the countries hardest hit by the…
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