I fear I may be starting to sound like a broken record by now in telling you how much I adore heritage interiors. They are a huge love of mine – their decaying beauty captivates and inspires me, their peeling layers leave me intoxicated unlike most “new” spaces ever can. This 18th century apartment in medieval part of Barcelona belongs to Benedetta Tagliabue, a Milanese born Barcelona based architect who has done such a wonderful job in creating a very special home for herself and her family (her late architect husband and business partner, Enric Miralles, passed away in 2000).

This home is all about preserving the memories of the building, expressing the detailing and the artistry of the bygone era, creating a natural, comfortable, rich and authentic interior which appears to be a joy to occupy…

01 | Nerding Out on Shit Hot Ceilings | Part 1. 02 | Nerding Out on Shit Hot Ceilings | Part 2. 03 | I Think I’m Turning Japanese… 04 | Thin Black Lines. 05 | Inspiration Cloud. 06 | Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend. Apparently. 07 | Library Spaces. 08 | Fashion Photography vs Amazing Interiors | Take 2. 09 | Fashion Photography vs Amazing Interiors | Take 3 (Black & White Edition).

01 | To My Fellow Citizens of The Planet. 02 | Importance of Trust. 03 | Out of Sorts. 04 | Concept Mood Boards | Bohemian Boutique Hotel. 05 | Leap of Faith. 06 | Colour Blocking. 07 | European Adventure 2011. 08 | Things to do in Milan. 09 | Scenes From my Weekend(s).

As a practicing interior designer, one of my personal pet-hates are over the top, tricked-up, gimmicky workplaces that try too hard and look outdated from the moment they are conceived. Yuck! Unfortunately I come across far too many examples of such interiors almost daily. Why oh WHY is this still happening?!

***Insert angry roar of frustration and rage here***

Look, I’ll be the first to admit that it is not easy to craft a workplace which is interesting, creative, takes a risk, pushes the boundaries of conventional beige-and-dead-boring-workplace-aesthetic, embodies the company brand etc, yet manages to deliver a fresh,  functional and relevant interior. This is NOT EASY at all! But it can be done dammit! Yes it can – …

What is it about books? How do they manage to make a space so damn sexy I wonder? Is it because we all strive to be a bit smarter on some level, and feel as though a large mass of books is going to make us feel more intelligent? Or at least, make us appear that way in the eyes of others? But that’s enough with all the (silly) questions.

On a more serious note, as one of the images already suggests, books really do furnish a room. And they do it so well. Much better than a fancy wall finish, or a key piece of furniture ever could. Books create a sense of comfort and a certain warmth. They infuse a space with texture, colour, depth and character. In this increasingly digital and intangible world we live in, books and libraries give us a sense of security and the familiar, and at the same time they evoke a child-like wonder. I don’t know – maybe that’s just me. It is this combination of security and curiosity which personally allow me to think, and dream, and create…