Posts
Beach life inspires Denys & von Arend for the refurbishment of Boutique Hotel Akquaaa on the Costa Daurada
The interior design studio Denys & von Arend has completed a comprehensive refurbishment of the Boutique Hotel Akquaaa (formerly Hotel Kursaal), located on the Costa Daurada, right on the beachfront in Calafell (Tarragona). The project involved the renovation of its forty rooms and common areas. “The property owners wanted to renew the hotel by updating its image,…
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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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Álvaro M. Leiro wins Spain’s 2023 Artisan of the Year Award
On December 15, 2023, Galician artisan Álvaro M. Leiro received one of the highest honours in crafts in Spain, the prestigious Premio Nacional de Artesanía (National Award), at the sixteenth edition of the National Craft Awards. Convened annually by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism through the School of Industrial Organization (EOI) and its craft promotion arm, Fundesarte,…
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Masquespacio’s Latest Project Harbours Mediterranean Living. Valencian Style.
Masquespacio is an award-winning studio based in Valencia that knows how color, texture, and space work together to create emotion. Their latest project for Danzas Studios, a chain of holiday apartments in Valencia, takes its name from the street in the old town where the apartment is located. The brief for the project was to create…
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Spain for Accessible Design: Summary 2023
Since I published Moving Forward in 2022, my mission has been to feature beautiful interiors and products from Spain that allow those with reduced mobility to enjoy the built environment. It has been challenging to find projects to feature. Sadly, there is not yet widespread recognition of the need for this area of design and its incorporation…
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2023 Made in Spain Holiday Gift Guide
Purposely pared back, this year’s holiday gift guide showcases Spain’s rich and varied ceramic, textile, glassmaking, and woodworking artisanal traditions. Plaart Located in Madrid, Plaart studio makes unique handcrafted contemporary ceramics. Founder Isabel San Martín is a graduate in fine arts and received specialized training in ceramic arts from the School of Art Francisco Alcántara and the Moncloa School of…
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Andreína Raventós Architecture: connecting to nature in new ways
“The art of living with pureness is a central idea in my designs represented in different ways, sometimes working with organic lines, raw textures, balance of volumes or simply working with the light.” Andreína Raventós. Andreína Raventós of architecture and design studio Andreína Raventós Architecture has a keen understanding of how a restrained palette, texture, and space…
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