Design Travel in 2026: Concept Stores, Iconic Studios & Cities Where Design Lives
From Berlin vintage archives to Faroese wool, from Helsinki ceramics to Danish lamp workshops — where to find the design world in person, and the small studios our writers actually visit.
Where design lives — in workshops and small studios
Second hand and vintage shops are a big part of Berlin's identity. Here on the streets, among countless bars, cafes, "Spätis" and empty beer bottles, you'll find some true gems — vintage archive stores where you can discover something truly unique.
The Orca Lounge Chair by Gudrun & Gudrun, an eco brand from the Faroe Islands, is more than just a chair — it's a piece of art with a story. Designed by Guðrun Ludvig, inspired by her childhood in Greenland, it mimics the sleek silhouette of an orca whale's fin cutting through waves.
Editor’s quick picks
A handful of editor-chosen articles to start with — each tagged with why we picked it (new, unique, trending, local, or just one we like).
The independent design world we keep visiting
Twelve picks across cities, studios, and individual objects — the design world our writers actually buy from, sit in, and travel to see.
Not-so-obvious picks
Two of our most-read editorial deep dives in this category.
The Giggeli Project: hand-made penis candles in a Helsinki studio
A small Helsinki studio making one of the most quietly subversive design objects in Scandinavia — hand-poured candles and hand-cut soaps in unmistakable shapes, sold in small numbers, photographed beautifully. The Giggeli founders treat the work as design, not joke; the result lands somewhere between Finnish minimalism and a private grin. Worth a visit if you're in Helsinki and want to bring back something that won't be in anyone else's flat.
Read the full Giggeli Project guide → Copenhagen · workshop tourTom Rossau's lamp workshop is hiding in plain sight
Tom Rossau makes some of the most distinctive handcrafted lamps in Danish design — wood veneer twisted into sculptural ribbons, prices that go from manageable to museum-piece. The workshop in Copenhagen welcomes visitors, the store is steps from there, and watching a piece take shape is the best argument for buying one.
- Workshop + store both walkable from Nørrebro
- Most ribbon lamps DKK 5,000–18,000
- Bespoke commissions take 4–8 weeks
- Tom himself often there mid-week
Follow us for field notes from the road
Photos, places, and short dispatches from our writers — between articles.
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