Inspirations From Europe with Love

I just returned from travels to Europe which included hotspots like Barcelona and Venice. This designer experience will always be cherished! It all started with an invited tour from the Cosentino Group (the Silestone company) to visit their factories in Ameria (Spain) along with tourista adventures in Barcelona and Granada.Then I was off to Italy to visit and tour several well-known factories to view eco products like LED lighting, luxury wine cellars, and contemporary cabinetry companies. The highlight was to tour the green homes built by Sunflower Life Projects in the Treviso area. The trip ended with a visit with the love of my life, Venice.

These photos show a mere glimpse of the exotic mystique and love of exploration, the freshness of the culture, food, and art, the heritage, the colors and textiles, the flowers and stones - and all the inspiring designs and details.

A special moment: actually being inside Gaudi 's buildings in Barcelona. Side note: the instant I learned about architect Antonio Gaudi, I wrote a university paper on Organic Architecture, and that was it! I went on to study Interior Design, which evolved into sustainable research in my early career... A few years later while studying abroad learning Industrial Design with Domus Academy in Milan, I visited the Palazzo Fortuny in Venice and, by chance, I stumbled upon an art opening (vernissage) honoring photographer Horst. I still have the exhibit poster framed in my bathroom boudoir (those who have toured 119 Living Studio have seen it), so it was momentous to return to the Palazzo Fortuny after all these years... full circle...