Barcelona- modern moments at Vincon

I know the current trend at the moment is hand made layers of love by talented crafts people, but not everyone can appreciate a doily the way they can a Kartell coffee table. I have a friend,Rosy, who unashamedly decked out her bub's new nursery with bold, bright and modern pieces from Top 3 Design, and she was the first person I thought of when I happened upon VINCON in Barcelona. VINCON gives IKEA some tough competition by taking the 'design supermarket' concept to a whole new level- same idea, but everything is an internationally recognised design piece...they even sell Aussie Charles Wilson's famous candelabra there, and the Aalto vase. Here are my top modern finds at VINCON, top to bottom: FLUM light and it's packaging, CORALLE children's toy, NOVOTAT firewood bag, PANTONE coloured notebooks, helmet cover and VINCON brand 2009 diary.

The thing I love best about it is that the terrace where outdoor furniture is on display gives you a very good, cheeky view into the neighbours' place- Gaudi's famous Casa MIla! So very Barcelona to have old and new and design all cohabiting happily.

barcelona- iguapop gallery & shop

After visiting Iguapop gallery and shop on C/ Commerc 15, Barcelona, you might come to expect amazing art, cool wall murals and friendly shop assistants to be part and parcel of your regular trip to a shopping mall- well, that's how it should be anyway! You'll not only find street fashions presented with due consideration, but amazing art in the attached gallery (Elizabth McGrath was exhibiting the day I visited-work pictured above), and the opportunity to purchase prints by Spain's best designers and graphic artists including Miss Van, Catalina Estrada and Jaime Hayon. Hola!

Miss Van

Jaime Hayon

Catalina Estrada

barcelona- loreak mendian

Barcelona brings new meaning to the words 'window shopping'. Barcelona does visual merchandising like nobody else. It's as thought there's a big competition going on for who can be the kookiest and most creative. So, I bought a cool tee by this label called Loreak Mendian, who also happen to be into amazing window displays...there are heaps of examples on their website along with their trendy but understated fashion line and amazing graphics projects. You must visit them here!

barcelona-ivo & co

BARCELONA FAVOURITES: Finally tasting xurros & xocolat in Spain, the worn, peach coloured buildings, developing a good taste for mojitos, walking up to 20km a day to visit Gaudi's architecture across the city, and discovering that every shop, restaurant and bar in the city doubles as a conceptual design space- incredible! I WISH I'D- had a magic suitcase that allowed me to bring large design pieces home on the plane...oh, the furniture in BCN!

First stop in the most creative city I've ever visited...IVO & CO. Placa Comercial, El Born, Barcelona. I never thought I'd want to don an apron and dig up a recipe for applesauce, but Ivo & Co, arguably the most beautiful home wares shop I've ever entered, had me thinking like a Stepford wife the moment I stepped inside. Retro, frenchy, vintage style home wares beautifully presented with a country feel. Plenty of gingham, linen, scrubbed back metal, bird motifs and white washed furniture. Stay tuned for my lomos of this treasure when I get them developed!

paris- le bon marche

Ever worked yourself into a state trying to find parking in 7 levels of a Westfield car park? Well, in Paris they do things a little differently. You stroll into any store off the street with your poodle, i kid you not. When the doors of Le Bon Marche were opened to us on Rue Sevres in St Germain, people were shopping inside with their tiny dogs, looking at the gorgeous design products on every floor. There is no horrid food court selling Burger King, but rather 'Le Grande Epicerie de Paris' selling deli delights such as Sonya Rykiel chocolate teddy bears. Here, my favourite design finds from France's most famous department store (all available online in the home and design section)...

Top to bottom: Iris Niewenburg china brooch, Driade Kosmo table centrepiece, Jose Levy perfumed candles.

paris- pylones

PARIS FAVOURITES: I think I may have been a little distracted in Paris on the design front by the food and wine front. The cobblestone streets, fabulous skinny boots, mastering the metro, the unforgettable taste of Laduree's hot chocolate and pretending to be Amelie while wandering the steep streets of MonMartre in search of the perfect olive baguette (which we found of course!) had me swooning.

I wish I'd...packed warmer, and not given up on finding the Luxembourg gardens (but my feet were CRYING i tell you!)

Cute design shop: Pylones. These bright and bubbly shops are sprinkled throughout Paris and are the perfect place to pick up something modern and fun for the home, such as an Eiffel Tower shaped cheese grater, ceramic espresso cups that look like crumpled paper, or a wind up toy for someone little. While not what you would describe as distinctly French, Pylones is still all class, with an unexpected splash of colour and a modern twist. A souvenir from here means you can be spared those horrible shops that sell tote bags with the word Paris repeated all over them in Comic Sans font...ew!

beyond the valley

Catalogues are often ugly, floppy, stapled things you throw away. The thick, matt art stock, bold vector illustration and clever folding of the free catalogue you can pick up as you enter London haven Beyond the Valley was as good to me as getting a free book! 

Then you can get your wallet out for ceramics, fashion, jewellery, homewares, the gallery space, bags, books, wallpapers- all crammed into a little corner on Newburgh St, SoHo.

My favourite things were the Cole & Son Falcon mirrors pictured above, and the Robert Archard ceramic custard cream box (also above). Visit the online store for dozens more names in fashion and interiors.

back in the saddle

Wow! I'm back...and despite the wondrous trip I've had I still call my gorgeous Sydney home (even though Paris and Tuscany make a good close second!) The next 30 days at Love Illustrated are going to be packed with some serious design goodies! I'll do a week's worth of posts on each city/country and even when I've done that I've got lomo pics coming back from the lab and months and months worth of designers, shops and products to fuel this baby for a long time!!! First stop... LONDON!

LONDON FAVOURITES...Discovering SoHo, high tea at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eating chocolate coated strawberries from Godiva's, choosing a perfume at Penhalligans, pretending to be rich while perusing the luxe goods at Liberty and last but not least, being

 surprised by the sunshine! I WISH I'D... Bought that belt from Ollie & Nic and that bag from Dahlia in SoHo, but it was the first week and I was trying to show restraint for Paris!

First show and tell for you- DO Store, Regent St, Soho. Find modern design in this amazing 2 level store that you haven't seen every where else. Matali Crasset's Wonderland Mirror and table linen and cushions by AK-LH were faves of mine.

the letter U

Today's post is brought to you by the letter U. Umbrella. Ubiquitous. Ultra-Violet. Uplift. Teacup. Clock. Well. Almost. My favourite design co of the moment, U+, has released the perfect clock for all the girls I work with- it always tells you it's tea time. Made with real ceramic tea cups, wit and love (which you'll need to get your wallet out for) it is none the less the most charming clock I've come across and sure to get your pinkie finger poised in it's tea cup position just looking at it. 

natural curiosities

Just two weeks ago my brother in law made the discovery of a human skull on the beach, and made the front page of the local newspaper! While it was pretty interesting being involved in a mystery like that, most of us would prefer to find a lovely seahorse frozen by time, mid sea frolic. So if you're not lucky enough to live by the shore or want someone else to do the foraging through smelly seaweed for you, behold Natural Curiosities, who have all the beautifully illustrated nautical knowledge and botanical beauty you need to display your love for nature in the home.

oh no they didn't....

...but oh, yes, they did! Just as I purchase two plane tickets to London after 18 months of saving where I skimped on everything from home improvements to takeaway food, they go and load the whole Portobello Markets online! It's a great idea, and of course I'll still go and compare it to the real thing, but here are my picks from the ill-timed but still fabulous website, pretaportobello.com Now you can visit London in your lunch break!

1.Sido neck scruff, 26 pounds, 2. Belle du Jour vintage earrings, 12 pounds, 3. Orion brown stitched croc belt, 25 pounds , 4. Dahlia gold leather petal shoes, 77 pounds, 5. Jovanna frilled 'cameron' dress, 69 pounds

cute as a button

I'd do just about anything to avoid having to sew something myself...ever since my disastrous attempt at satin flares for a high school dance concert where I have never been more grateful for the invention of the humble safety pin. But when it all comes in a neat pack with patterns and fabric, and the results are as cute as these, then take courage and visit www.sewyourown.com.au where you can create and personalise your own tote bags, 'miss button' dolls and other soft friends.