Happy Monday dear friends. Hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend. I personally would’ve preferred an extra day to chill, so in an effort to extend the “weekend vibe” I would like to kick off the week by sharing one of my dream holiday destinations. I guess you could consider this post as part inspiration, part motivation, part torture. In other words – it’s really good for you.

Villa La Banane is seriously BANANAS! First there’s the ridiculously amazing location on the island of Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean. Then there’s a lot of yellow everywhere which is (almost) always a fabulous idea as far as I’m concerned. I should also mention it’s über-cool owners – vintage furniture collector Jean Marc Israël and Benjamin Fabbri, a former marketing director at Dior. Need I say more? With a combined passion for 1950s design and an eye for impeccable style, La Banane interiors are bathed in good taste at every possible opportunity.

 

 

There are nine individually-designed bungalows in total, each named after artists, designers and craftsmen who were in their prime in the 1950s. The rooms and the public spaces are furnished with pieces by well-known designers such as Serge Mouille, Jean Royère, Juliette Derel and several one-of-a-kind pieces by Swiss architect Pierre Jeanneret (Le Corbusier’s cousin), who’s highly collectable furnishings were originally designed  for administrative buildings of Imperial India.

 

 

La Banane was originally built in the 1970s by Jean-Marie Rivière, a French entertainer who used to perform his cabaret show ‘La Banane’ on an island in the middle of the villa’s pool. Pretty wild stuff apparently. Now, under the direction of it’s new owners, La Banane has been completely revamped and relaunched as a much more glamorous and exclusive version from it’s early party days.

Is it just me, or is all this fabulousness a little bit ridiculous and seriously exhausting? I think I need to grab a cocktail and go lie in the sun by the pool…… *splash*

[Images courtesy of  La Banane and Design Hotels.]



About The Author

Founder & Editor

With a disarming blend of authority and approachability, Dana is a former refugee-turned-global design visionary. Through her multi-faceted work as a creative director, keynote speaker, editor, curator, interior designer and digital publisher, Dana empowers others to appreciate and engage with design in transformative ways, making the sometimes intimidating world of design accessible to everyone, regardless of their familiarity with the subject. Dana's been catapulted to the status of a stalwart global influencer, with recognition from industry heavyweights such as AD Germany, Vogue Living, Elle Décor Italia and Danish RUM Interiør Design, who have named as one of the Top True Global Influencers of the Design World and counted her among the most visionary female creatives on the planet. Her TEDx talk—"Design Can Change the Way You See the World"— will challenge and transform your understanding of design's omnipresent and profound influence. Through her vast experience in interiors, architecture and design, Dana challenges the prevailing rapid image culture, highlighting the importance of originality, sustainability, connecting with your values and learning to "see" design beyond the aesthetic.

5 Responses

  1. Dave

    The only thing that is not absolutely perfect is the bubbly tile in the shower… i just don’t quite get it?

    Reply
    • yellowtrace

      I so know what you mean – those tiles certainly wouldn’t have been my choice, but they are bright, summery and tropical, and make sense in a way. I also actually like that there is one “not so perfect” element in the space. Makes it feel more real and human.

      Reply
  2. Sarah-Jane

    I’ve been dreaming of this place for years!! The bedside lamps are my favourite

    Reply

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