EXPAND YOUR DESIGN HORIZONS
INSPIRATION - EDUCATION - PASSION
Tour Dates Coming Soon
Discover new resources, new techniques, new materials, and best of all, new friends, who share your interests.
Explore the cities you've always wanted to visit, with a small group of others who are just as passionate about design as you are.
Everyday Extraordinary London
Dates Coming Soon
Discover first-hand some of the U.K.'s design resources, including both heritage brands and best-in-class innovators.
This tour is a mix of old and new, fashion and interiors, wall coverings and fabric, big brands and independents, producers and “thought producers”; and extraordinary exhibitions during London Craft Week. See what the London tour is all about below, we know you'll understand why we couldn't wait to share it with you!
- See how the past informs the present with visits to several of the U.K.'s historic homes
- Afternoon Tea at one of London's most fashionable spots
- A behind-the-scenes look at the intricate creative processes of some of London's best design houses
- Private Tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum
- London Craft Week- a magical combination of imagination, passion, and skill for best-made things.
- Portobello Road Antiques Market
- Tour Hampton Court Palace featuring the Royal School of Needlework
- Explore London famous attractions- Big Ben, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace
- Inspiring creative experiences including studio visits and hands-on opportunities incorporating some of the region's most famous artistic traditions.
- Thames River Cruise
- Aperitifs each evening while we review the day, compare notes, share stories, etc.
- We'll pencil in more design destinations and experiences as we get closer.
Explore Provence and for one week live the French way…Everyday!
Join us as we explore magical Provence through a designer's eyes. This is a once- in- a- lifetime; inclusive (almost* all meals and wines), escorted, small group luxury tour staying in an authentic Provencal Mas for:
- Fabr-i-holics
- Design Aficionados
- Creative travelers
- Lovers of the French countryside
- Devotees of chic French décor and style
Take this opportunity to connect with Provence and all its wonders. From our wonderful mas in the heart of Provence near Saint Remy, we've put together a week of unparalleled textile education including amazing design expeditions, craft&techniques, treasure hunting, and much more; all set against the backdrop of stunning scenery and centuries of history. Grab this chance to immerse yourself in a region that has inspired thousands of artisans and designers and experience the true meaning of l'art de vivre.
Topping it off, you'll experience Provence as a design insider with what has become all of our tours' signature- private design destinations- to some of the best and most exclusive ateliers, workshops, studios, markets, and shops in Provence.
PORTUGAL
Tour Dates Coming Soon
We are so excited about our return to Portugal in 2021! We have a wonderful (if we do say so ourselves) itinerary planned that combines a mix of design history (those tiles!), studio visits, workshops, and curated tours, all with time to explore Lisbon.
If you've never considered Portugal as a design destination—please do! There is a distinctly contemporary arts & design culture, fused with a true respect for traditional methods, skills, and materials. And fortunately for visitors, Portugal remains affordable, making excellent food & wine, along with great shopping, reasonable even given the Euro to dollar exchange. Plus, Portugal was named Europe's Leading Destination in the 2019 World Travel Awards, just announced earlier this month, and was the featured destination in the NYTimes travel section just yesterday!
Join us to explore the design history and design opportunities offered by a country that was once the most powerful in the world—and that through myriad circumstances managed to preserve a culture of artisanship valued throughout Europe. Restorations and renovations at Versailles and Fontainebleau, as well as other palaces and embassies throughout Europe, depending on the traditional expertise to be found throughout Portugal. And bonus: The country is home to 15 UNESCO heritage sites. Add in that the thriving contemporary design scene and you literally have dozens of excellent reasons to join us this October.
Lisbon beckons us. Touted as a modern metropolis to rival London and packed with places of interest, Lisbon is a city that is really going places. There is a plethora of history here, with tales of everything from Roman imperialists to exotic Berber pirates, Moorish builders to fierce Reconquista knights, all wrapped up in the grand palaces and heritage districts. But there is also an atmosphere of bohemianism and the surprise of the new. We'll explore the city and its design and artisan scene- starting with the amazing azulejos in the National Tile Museum followed by a private tile painting workshop. We'll continue to explore the authentic artisan culture with Grandma Comes to Work and the Portuguese Decorative Arts Museum and its satellite workshops. A visit to Lisbon would not be complete without a visit to St George's Castle, the most visible landmark of Lisbon's historic center or the famous Tram system; none are more iconic than Tram 28 which has been working its way up the steep, cobbled roads and into the Alfama district. We'll marvel at the Berardo Collection Museum, filled with a smorgasbord of eclectic artworks, which range from abstract expressionism to digital art installations or neo-realism and photography.
Here's a sneak peek at what we'll be experiencing:
*Welcome Cava on a historical boat tour of Lisbon
*Guided museum tours including Decorative Arts Museum, National Tile Museum
*Inspiring creative experiences including studio visits and hands-on opportunities with some of both city's most famous artistic traditions—gold leaf, leather, cork, tile painting, embroidery, paper, and much more…
*Indulge your senses—scent, taste, sight, and touch— with visits to renowned artisans VIP amenities
*Design destinations and insider access to showrooms and ateliers across Lisbon
*Private Lifestyle experiences to explore the secrets of Portugal
*Special “small producer” Port wine tasting
*Day Trip to see the fabulous Palaces in Sintra with our own design guide
*Private guided food tour to discover Portuguese cuisine
*Farewell dinners in Lisbon
*As-you-wish meet-ups for cocktails to review the day compare notes, share stories, etc.
*Pre-travel web session with Deb and Susan to preview locations, M&O planning, travel details, our Portugal faves and more
DESIGN INSPIRATION THROUGH EXPLORATION
UPDATES COMING SOON
JANUARY
Paris
Everyday Extraordinary Paris Dècor
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JANUARY
Las Vegas
Las Vegas Red Carpet Tour,
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April
London
High Point
High Point Market Experience,
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May
The Netherlands
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June
London
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July
Las Vegas Red Carpet Tour
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September
Provence
Paris Dècor Tour
Portugal
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