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Welcome back to the Ceraudo Salon, this time welcoming designer and tastemaker Sandra Barrio Von Hurter.

Sandra is a Spanish jewellery designer and founder of Sandralexandra, who lives in London. Having grown up in the vibrant city of Barcelona, the bright colours of La Boqueria market on Las Ramblas have been one of the many inspirations behind both her designs and home aesthetic. Painting each room in a different colour to detract from London’s often grey skies, her home inspires creativity (her office is a sunshine yellow!). Nestled in West London, the home Sandra and her husband bought two years ago has quickly become the backdrop to their daughter’s childhood and family life. We stepped inside to discuss the importance of home while enjoying a Michelada…

How far do your personal life and professional life coincide with one another? How do you ‘live your art’?

They blend more often than expected. When you run your own business it’s very hard to separate life and work; your business is almost like an extension of yourself. I always say that Sandralexandra is my personal creative project where I capture nature and everyday life by working with natural materials for me and you to wear. My jewellery designs are my thoughts, my taste, my ideas made into something tangible. All those thoughts and ideas come from my everyday life experiences so there’s a very fine line...

Are there objects and designs in your everyday life that inspire you? This could be anything from particular buildings to tiles on the Tube, the shape of your kettle, the typography on a sign, etc.

I know it sounds like a very vague answer but the truth is that I draw inspiration from my everyday life; from what I eat, see, feel, read. Groceries have played a huge part in my designs, they’re so much fun to work with! There are so many different shapes, colours and varieties that they’re an endless source of inspiration. I love how they are seasonal and how every country has their own unique fruits and veggies. For example, we have a plant at home with seeds shaped like miniature pomegranates. As a joke, I hung them from my hoops and loved how they looked! So I sent a pic to my Spanish suppliers and asked them to make one with the same proportions but with an orange trim to make it more obvious, as it’s a very teeny tiny piece.

Shop Sandra’s Picks

Sonia Delaunay said: ‘Colour is the skin of the world?’
What colours are you drawn to and what do they express in your world?

Depending on my mood or even the weather outside, I am drawn into completely different palettes of colours. It sounds very cliché but not only will I dress in brighter colours if I feel joyful but I will also try to avoid a darker palette if I’m feeling down.

When I have to choose colour combinations for my jewellery pieces I always choose two combinations: a line with more uplifting tones and one with more serene, elegant ones. And the same goes with my house: I painted each room in a different colour as London can be very grey. I chose pink earthy tones for my bedroom, a fun warm orange for the guest room and a bright yellow for my home studio to inspire creativity.

Can you recall any childhood influences that have shaped your aesthetic sensibility?

Going to La Boqueria market with my mother in Barcelona. It’s in the heart of Barcelona (Las Ramblas) and you can find food of all varieties and nationalities under one roof. It’s full of colourful stalls selling the most beautiful fresh seafood, the tastiest jamon, the most varied spices, rainbow fruit smoothies, vegetables galore and more! It’s a memorable experience. I sometimes wonder if my love for groceries started with my first visit to La Boqueria.

Sonia’s husband Robert Delaunay once called her a ‘sculpture of living forms’ because she wore clothes that expressed her art. How far do fashion and art or design overlap for you?

As I make jewellery, fashion, art and design are the same for me. Every time I design something, I have to think about how it will look on someone else’s ear, neck or hands. And now that I have started a tabletop line, I not only imagine the people who would buy it but also their home; how they would set the table, what cutlery and glassware they would use and how my pieces would fit in the different scenarios.

How can art and design be more inclusive?

I think the most important thing is access. The art and design world can feel a bit like a club, so open access to education, programmes and mentoring can make a huge difference to young people from any background trying to break in. The UK already does some great things; when I first arrived in London I was blown away that most museums and galleries are free. It was such an amazing way to get inspired and learn about modern and historical art and design.

‘Sandra seen here with our Elio armchair in Orpha, Tangerine’

What does ‘home’ mean to you?

Our home is the centre of our family. We bought our house two years ago, just after we got married, so we had the chance to create something together, to our very own taste. It has seen some of the most important moments of us becoming a family; it’s where our daughter will always remember growing up and where I hope we will have more new family members to come! Home is also Barcelona – where I was born and where I draw much of my inspiration.

Do you have any muses or figures who inspire you?

My studio at home, in London. One wall is covered with cork boards where I pin my drawings, postcards, stickers, fabric and anything that inspires me. Another wall is covered with some of my favourite art pieces from prints I’ve bought through the years as well as gifted ones. It’s also full of plants and faces south so the light pours in all year round. On a sunny day it even feels like I’m in Spain!

We’ve loved speaking to Sandra and hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about her creative inspiration and process as much as we have.
These images feature the Felix Slipper Chair in Coconut, the  Elio Armchair in Tangerine and the Gaia coffee table in Pomegranate.

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