Spanish Friday : { San Sebastian }

I’m dreaming of San Sebastian… With our journey in Spain almost at an end I’m reminiscing about all the beautiful places we’ve seen and San Sebastian is most definitely on top of my list. It has the most exquisite scenery, the most charming cobblestone alleys and the best tapas by far. So, if you ever find yourself in Spain, do yourself a favour and take a weekend trip up north to Basque country.

Photos by Design Loving

{ Dokter and Misses }

Adriaan Hugo and Katy Taplin are the married design duo, which has in recent years taken the designer furniture market in South Africa by storm. Starting out in 2007 with a Dokter and Misses showroom at 44 Stanley in Johannesburg, they instantly made a name for themselves and received countless features in acclaimed design press. They have since also opened shop alongside fashion designer David West at 113 Long Street, Cape Town. Here they have created a space where the design aesthetics of these two labels mesh perfectly. Dokter and Misses design and produce a variety of original furniture and lighting pieces and is also a platform through which Adriaan Hugo showcases his own signature range. Their work is marked by true Bauhaus simplicity and function, with a uniquely humorous edge and fun colour palette. See more of their great pieces here.

{ Urban Gardening }

Urbio is a magnetic vertical garden, which is ideal for a city apartment. Go check out their website to see how you can put together your own garden.

Spanish Friday : { Camino de Santiago }

One of my friends recently walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. It’s traditionally known as the way of St. James, and is a popular catholic pilgrimage that has existed for over 1000 years. Today it is walked by people from all over the world, religious or not, for different spiritual reasons or personal goals. The end destination of the pilgrimage is Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain and there are various routes throughout Europe from which to choose, ranging from 1000km to just over 100km.

My friend Martin walked the French route and started his journey in León. The journey was just over 300km long, and by the sounds of it an absolutely amazing experience. A pilgrimage such as this is hard to put in words as it is such a deeply personal experience, but the stories he documented during and after his journey had me in awe. From moments of extreme silence and isolation to wonderful friendships he made along the way, from pain and exhaustion to serenely beautiful Spanish landscapes and villages, from endless kilometers into nowhere to the joy of reaching his destination.  It truly sounded like a wonderful adventure! Below are some of the amazing photos that document part of his journey, but to read some of his stories you can visit his travel blog here.

Which adventure have you dreamt of going on? I’d love to hear about it.




Photos by Martin Botha

{ The Office }

I’ve been a long time fan of the work of Paige Appel & Kelly Harris. These two super creative gals are the creators behind the event coordination and styling company Bash, Please. You might have spotted some of their events over on Design*Sponge, 100 Layer Cake or Once Wed before, but if not, click on over to their blog or website and enjoy all the prettiness!

Today though, I would like to share their gorgeous new office space… I’m totally in love! What a dream it would be to work in such an amazing workplace. They’ve created such an inviting and warm space with a perfect balance between vintage and modern, fun and sophisticated, personal and professional. It’s picture-perfect. What is one thing you would love in your dream office or workspace?

{ Splish Splash }

I am swooning over this gorgeous bathroom collection by Bisazza Bagno. Revealed at their debut exhibition at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, this collection titled “The Hayon Collection” exudes both contemporary elegance and old world glamour with a strong Art Deco aesthetic. I love the top basin with the copper piping… a girl can only dream!

Spanish Friday : { Gaudí's Barcelona }

Barcelona has to be one of the most interesting and vibrant cities in the world. Owing to this fact is the genius work by modernist architect Antoni Gaudí, whose signature style can be seen throughout the city. It truly is Gaudí’s Barcelona, from ceramic tiles lining the Passeig de Gràcia to the renowned La Pedrera, Sagrada Família and Parc Güell to name a few. Gaudí’s work was greatly influenced by nature, which is clearly evident in his use of organic shapes, intricate ironwork and elaborate mosaic art. Visiting these sites are not only visual feasts but also breath-taking experiences. Have you seen any of Gaudí’s work? I’d love to hear what you thought of it?

La Pedrera: completed in 1910

Sagrada Família: 1883 –

Parc Güell: completed in 1914

Photos by Design Loving

{ Zilla Bags }

On my recent visit to Barcelona I came across these funky Zilla bags, an Italian label by Sylvia Pichler. Drawing inspiration from her architectural background, Sylvia uses industrial materials from the tech and building trade. The tactile nature of her bags is what draws your attention at first - from artificial sponge to natural cork, you just can’t help but admire it. Zilla bags are not only great fashion items but interesting conversational pieces too! I’d love to hear which bag is your favourite. I’m crazy about the sponge bags!

Zilla bags are available in selected fashion and design shops across the world, but for more information you can visit the website here.

{ Perfect Geometry }

I’m back from an awesome Easter vacation and I couldn’t wait to share these beautiful pieces with you. The Athens based jewellery label NoMilk Today is synonymous with fun, interesting geometric compositions and fantastic colour combinations. Available on the NoMilk Today Etsy page is a whole range of amazing brooches, necklaces, rings and earrings. For more on the designer and her work, visit Eva’s Flickr page here.