Cool Hunting

Casa Decor (CAD) is nothing new to any up-to-speed designer and trend reporter located in either Spain or Portugal. This yearly appointment was established around 15 years ago in Madrid, with the goal to gather all the new trends for living spaces in one single building for a month, free of any creative limits. The temporary experiment, meant to be a display without commercial purposes, also accepts pieces yet to go in production or one-of-a-kind, proved to be so successful that it was replicated in other Spanish locations, then in the nearby Portugal and finally, in 2006 it crossed the ocean landing in Florida.

But Florida is not the only new landing point for Casa Decor. Between November and December, the first Italian Casa Decor was organized in Milan inside a gorgeous 1920s garage, right at the fringe of the fashion district. As is customary with this event, local design companies and artists are asked to take over the space and create new, unexpected living environments for sleeping, dining and playing. This specific installment, able to rely on the multitude of design firms orbiting around this style capital, was an obvious success.

And the real surprise is yet to come. Just a few days ago, CAD announced a new location for 2007, opening to the public between April and May in London. The building chosen is an old Royal Mail sorting office in Islington called the Mount Pleasant Sorting Office, adapted to this purpose in 1905 after being used as a wood warehouse. And, with the amount of prized architects, designers and companies orbiting around the British capital, this edition of Casa Decor, could just be the unmissable event of 2007.

by Tacita Vero