Culture

My Lisbon Laundry List…

| Design Works International

Loved spending time in Lisbon Portugal this past week and look forward to returning to this charming and historic city. Since it was my first time in Lisbon, I did what everyone says you should do while visiting…wander the narrow streets and enjoy discovering all the different areas of this wonderful city!

While wandering I kept noticing all the colorful laundry hanging in front of, above or behind the homes in Lisbon Portugal that were colorful and creative…most of the time complimenting the tile or paint color of the exterior….I know this sounds a bit odd, but it’s true as I spent 3 days hiking the steep streets of Alfama, Bairro Atlo, Principe Real and Alcantara only to be in awe of their laundry!

Loved seeing all the colorful and fun loads of Lisbon Laundry drying naturally outdoors. Such a beautiful and charming city…and I feel that their laundry lines are truly part of this charm. I guess it’s the designer in me…but I started to see color palettes, not laundry!

Check out my laundry list below…

Looks like this load of laundry truly matches the azulejo tiles on the house! “Denim Delight”

You gotta love tonal 💙 laundry, talk about color coordinating your style! “Feeling the Blues”.

Love these brilliant brights framed by the terra-cotta tiles and deep blue sky. “Primary Power”.

Nice to see Millennial Pink as the backdrop to this load of Lisbon laundry! Tonal reds and pinks play nicely with gray and black BUT love that pop of neon yellow! “Millennial”

Inspiration is everywhere!!!

Now I am heading back home to do my laundry and I can promise you it will NOT be as interesting or inspiring!

Wynwood Miami-An Inspirational Artists Paradise

| Design Works International

Finally had a moment to explore the streets of Wynwood in Miami and they did not disappoint…if you are a fan of graffiti, updated eateries, craft beer and interesting boutiques, this is your inspirational paradise!

Best to park (download pay by phone) parking app and walk the streets to view as much graffiti as possible. The artwork is truly amazing and is varied in style, scale and medium. Some pieces are 3-D, others are etched techniques, airbrushed and mixed media. Colors run the gamet from neon, primary, earth tones and black&white.

As a designer, the vibe I felt was a celebration of the Arts, a restoration of an industrial area that is now surrounded by colorful love through design! Reminded me of the streets of Soho back in the 1980’s….probably because the same family that helped inspire Soho NYC back in the day had a similar vision for Wynwood in Miami.

In 2009, The Goldman Family had a vision for this area and the Wynwood Walls were born consisting of 6 separate warehouses where the exterior walls serve as giant canvases for the greatest street art collection ever assembled in one place. (@wynwoodwallsofficial http://www.wynwoodwalls.com)

Posting some of my favorites and apologizing in advance if I could not find the artist to give the proper “shout out”to! Best to view on your own and fall in love with this creative town paying homage to culture, design, style and artistic freedom!

@kobrastreetart
WYN Wood Block

Cryptik
Earnest Zacharevic Lithuania


Wynwood Gallery Suggestions:

Art Fusion

Bake house Art Complex

Wynwood Warehouse Project

Wynwood 28

Wynwood Blank Canvas Project

If all this art viewing and innovative shopping motivates your appetite try some of the following innovative restaurant choices in Wynwood:

SuViche Wynwood

Wynwood Kitchen

R House Wynwood

KUSH

Morgan’s Restaurant

Joey’s Italian Cafe

Alter Bar and Restaurant

GK Bistronomie

SUGARCANE raw bar and grill

Made in Italy Gourmet

Baccano

MIAM Cafe

The Lunchbox

Concrete Beach Brewery

The Butcher Shop Beer Garden and Grill

Juicy Lu (Vegetarian)

Bunbury Miami

Wynwood Brewing Company

Pride and Joy BB

Wynwood Shop Suggestions

Nomad Tribe

Special thanks to the Goldman Family for allowing a space like this to exist…but I have been a fan for years as I was married 28 years ago at The Green Street Cafe in Soho NY owned by this trendsetting family!

Creative Color, Medellin Colombia

| Design Works International

A Designer’s Paradise….vibrant colors fill the streets and artisan shops of Medellin Columbia-also known as the City of Eternal Spring because of its moderate temperatures all year round. Situated in the Aubbrua Valley and surrounded by green mountains, this progressive Latin American city is quickly becoming an international cultural destination.

The food scene is fantastic with both local and international flavor. Carmen, one of my foodie favorites offers elaborate meals created by husband and wife team Carmen Angel and Rob Pevitts who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco.

A must see on the art scene is the Museo de Arte Moderno, this industrial chic space houses exhibitions that change every quarter. On the premises you should visit their two museum stores that showcase local artisan products that are affordable and curated beautifully!

The Art Hotel, a boutique hotel situated in the El Poblado area, is a perfect place to rest and relax while enjoying your stay in Medellin, Colombia!

New meaning to “wearing many hats”!

Ode to Artisans with these indigenous Colombian hats found at Museo de Arte Moderno.

Music is part of everyday culture.

Ode to Atisians with traditional Colombian patterns on ceramic found at Museo de Arte Moderno.

Vibrant stripe handwoven hammocks.

Ombre Artisan Baskets

When your transportation matches your graffitied wall.

Streets of Medellin

Celebrating Street Art

Passion from Paris…People, Products and Productivity!

| Design Works International

Traveling to Paris this time of year is a bit ” chaotic” because of my schedule….my trip started in Germany for Heimtextil…then to Las Vegas for KBIS and now Paris for Maison&Objet.

I thought the chaotic part would be the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo and Supermarket tragedy but the French are standing united and the streets of Paris are busier than ever!
The sadness is surrounded by love and support for France by many countries!

My trip was filled with passion from all aspects…people, products and productivity! Local conversation was upbeat and engaging, products at Maison & Objet were fresh and forward thinking and in the small amount of time I spent in Paris…I was able to accomplish everything I set out to do!

Feeling blessed traveling as much as I do for business and loving that I can share my finds with all of you! My next few posts will focus on my trend updates for HGTV and of course my design studio in NYC, Design Works International! Thanks for the follow:)

2015/01/img_3354.jpg