Dreaming of a holiday? Here are 6 destinations perfect for design lovers
From the clean Côte d’Azur lines of Eileen Gray’s villa to Luis Barragán’s colour-drenched Mexican marvels, this is our escapist design-travel bucket list. It’s time to discover the minimalist architectural gems that photographs alone will never do justice to.
Santanyí, Mallorca
Unspoilt fishing villages, rustic beach shacks and turquoise bays line this stretch of the southeast coast. Here’s your chance to savour true Mallorcan culture far from the tourist traps.
DESIGN DRAW
CAN LIS No design enthusiast worth their salt should miss the seaside home of Jørn Utzon. The architect of the Sydney Opera House used a ratio of 1:1 (first modelled in sugar cubes) throughout the floor plan to wondrous effect. He created a series of colonnaded buildings that open to the sea, incorporating local and traditional building methods and motifs. Demand to visit (and stay) here is high so be sure to book up to 18 months in advance for the high season to avoid disappointment.
THE NEUENDORF HOUSE Despite being completed in 1991, The Neuendorf House, designed by John Pawson, has an air of old-style grandeur about it, thanks to its dramatic proportions that surprise and delight. Set in an almond grove, with panoramic views of the mountains and sea, this modernist statement is still distinctly Balearic with the surrounding soil lending its pink pigments to this concrete creation. Book ahead to stay.
The Neuendorf House, photo by Renee Kemps
WHERE TO STAY Splash out on the lovingly restored fortified citadel of Cap Rocat and lounge in your private pool carved into the cliffside. Or if you are looking for a more rustic affair, choose Ca’n Gaià, brimming with character, traditional interiors and textiles of the area.
WHERE TO EAT A feast for the senses awaits at the Son Alegre Vineyard, where nature takes precedence, and it’s not just the organic Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon blends that flourish, but also native flora and fauna. Finish off your evening metres from the sea at restaurant HPC in Portocolom for boat-to-table fresh seafood and paella.
DON’T MISS Worthwhile jaunts include Cala Llombards beach for a dreamy dip backdrop that you won’t forget.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR Head straight for the Plaza Mayor in Santanyí on Wednesdays and Sundays, where basket-clad stalls are filled with local oils, salts and handmade gifts.
Tallkrogen and Björkhagen, Stockholm
Seek out seductive Scandi design in the Swedish capital.
DESIGN DRAW
ST MARK’S CHURCH Considered a craftsman as much as an architect, Sigurd Lewerentz won this commission at the age of 77. A perfect study in the versatility of brick, the entire building, down to the altar, is comprised of uncut bricks, which took huge forethought. Check the website for visiting times.
SKOGSKYRKOGÅRDEN Now a recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is a graveyard like no other. Complete with pathways through pastures and woodlands and porticos to find solace in, this design launched the careers of Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz.
WHERE TO STAY In Stockholm’s case, the hotels are every bit as much a design draw as the landmark architecture, with Ilse Crawford’s exceptional Ett Hem the hot-ticket on almost every design lover’s international hotel hit list. The city’s achingly cool Nobis is another sterling choice.
WHERE TO EAT Only locals know about Kagges, serving a modern Scandinavian tapas menu. Another insider’s secret is Lisa Elmqvist, the fourth-generation fishmonger to the Swedish royal family, operating out of Östermalms Saluhall, a huge luxury food market.
DON’T MISS Möbeldesignmuseum, with 900 design classics on show, is not to be missed for furniture lovers.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR Sweep up at Iris Hantverk brushes for something uniquely Swedish.
Vence to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, French Riviera
Subscribe to the Provençal way of life and immerse yourself in the spoils of this glittering coastline. It’s little wonder this has been an artistic haven since the Belle Époque.
DESIGN DRAW
E-1027 Many modernist masters have made their mark on the Côte d’Azur but none so perfectly as the godmother of Irish design, Eileen Gray. Escapist architecture at its very best, this villa is one of the most influential of the 20th century and a seminal work in the International Style. Keep an eye out for Eileen’s attention to detail in the fixed and fitted furnishings that have been recreated using the original techniques and materials. Advanced booking is required.
THE ROSARY CHAPEL Named by Matisse as his crowning achievement, this chapel was designed right down to the last detail by the master of colour as a thank-you to his former nurse. Here, he created a place of pure peace by using light, as he had previously used paint, to cast colourful shadows on the white marble floor in the recognisable leaf motifs of his late cut-out period. It’s only open in the afternoon, and you cannot book ahead, so get there early.
WHERE TO STAY La Colombe d’Or paints a picture of the perfect artistic escape with a towering Calder mobile hanging over its swimming pool. Follow in the footsteps of Picasso and chance your arm at paying in the form of a painting. If you are looking for something more pared back, then the striped parasols and clean white lines of Les Roches Rouges will guarantee refined relaxation.
WHERE TO EAT A trip to Nice will be well rewarded with fried zucchini blossoms and sautéed figs care of chef Dominique Le Stanc of La Merenda. For something different, check out The African Queen whose kitsch seventies decor has played host to Elton John and Tina Turner.
DON’T MISS Sitting pretty on a hilltop in St Paul de Vence is France’s first private art institution, La Fondation Maeght, created by Georges Braque, Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR Guillaume Dubosq’s hand-turned bowls are a must-buy.
Condesa and Del Carmen, Mexico City
With over 350 museums and galleries, Mexico City is a Mecca for design and deserves every word of artistic admiration it receives.
DESIGN DRAW
CASA ESTUDIO Colour has dominated the work of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Luis Barragán, from his signature pink to vibrant yet earthy yellows and oranges. These traditional hues of Mexican design find a truly modern form in his architecture, but his home, Casa Estudio, has more than meets the eye, as natural light plays a subtler, yet arguably more influential, part in its design. Except for the breakfast nook, it is designed not to need artificial light during the day. Booking ahead is key.
LA CASA AZUL No visit to Mexico City is complete without a look inside the childhood home of famed artist and creative Frida Kahlo. Not only will you get up close and personal with some of her most intimate works, but you will also get an unprecedented insight into her politics, private collection of artefacts, and most importantly, her wardrobe. Be warned, all other tourists will be making a beeline here too, so savvy booking ahead is essential.
WHERE TO STAY Sleep under the stars in one of the outdoor bedrooms found in the boutique La Valise hotel or take up residence at the pool bar of the Hotel Carlota.
WHERE TO EAT Feasting on tacos de Guisados at a third-generation taco hut such as Hola El Güero is a good place to start. Do not leave the capital without sampling hoja santa poached eggs at Tetetlán. Worth a visit for the space alone: a converted horse stable designed by Barragán with a glass floor that exposes the purple volcanic rock of the region below.
DON’T MISS Traditional arts and crafts are paraded to full colourful effect at La Ciudadela, but if your tastes are more modern, check out Kurimanzutto gallery, a cutting-edge contemporary space.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR Head to Onora for surprisingly chic sombreros and rattan home accessories.
St Ives, Cornwall
Explore the creative allure of this quaint corner of Cornwall.
DESIGN DRAW
TATE ST IVES Few seaside towns can claim a municipal gallery as impressive as this, with works by Alfred Wallis and Marlow Moss on the site of a former gas works.
BARBARA HEPWORTH MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN Around the corner from the Tate museum, Barbara Hepworth’s home and studio, an idyllic typical stone cottage of the region, is open to the public to celebrate her innovative work, much of which is on display in the garden.
WHERE TO STAY Take your cue from Agatha Christie at the Burgh Island Hotel or set sail for the former yacht club that is Hotel Tresanton designed by Olga Polizzi.
WHERE TO EAT Start your day with one of the breakfast pasties at St Ives Bakery, and finish it with innovative open-fire cooking by chef Andrew Tuck of Tan & Mor.
DON’T MISS Get lost in nature at The Eden Project biomes.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR Kit yourself out in something weatherproof from Cornish brand Finisterre, found at Common Wanderer.
South West Coast of Cork and Kerry
Don’t leave the south west coast without visiting these design gems.
DESIGN DRAW
BOTHAR BUI Robin Walker is the only Irish architect to have worked for Le Corbusier and studied under Mies van der Rohe. Unsurprisingly, his family holiday home, overlooking Kenmare Bay, has inspired work from some of our most treasured artists and poets over the years, including Seamus Heaney and Patrick Scott. White-washed cottages and outhouses combine with modern light filled structures to form a cluster of six buildings that dot along the hillside with private access to the sea. Plan ahead with plenty of notice to guarantee your stay.
THE SARAH WALKER GALLERY Robin’s daughter Sarah has put her own stamp on the area with a stunning gallery found in the restored carriage house on the pier at Castletownbere.
WHERE TO STAY If not the design darling Bothar Bui, try Lagom in Kenmare, whose interiors and food can be likened to a stylish Copenhagen offering.
WHERE TO EAT Get your local fish fill with brimming crab sambos at McCarthy’s Bar.
DON’T MISS Book a boat trip out to one of our original architectural marvels, Skellig Michael.
SIGNATURE SOUVENIR A pit stop at Fermoyle Pottery will have you filling your boot with dreamy ceramics. Be sure to ring ahead.
This feature originally appeared in the Autumn/Winter 2022 issue of IMAGE Interiors.
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