Love Design? You’ll Love Berlin
Hi darling,
Some of you already know that design plays a big part in my life. I completed my Master’s in Design in my late twenties, and to this day I still save up for those one-off, special pieces for home. I always imagined I’d end up working as a designer — and in a way, I did. It just turned out to be travel design, which surprised even me. Wherever I go, I’m seeking out design stores, browsing bookshelves, and quietly obsessing over hotel interiors, bar lighting, or the perfect curve of a cocktail glass. You’ll hear a lot about design here on Wise Woman — and where better to start than the fabulously cool, endlessly creative Berlin?
Why Berlin Feels Like Home to a Design-Lover
Berlin caught me off guard — it was quieter than I expected, yet every street thrummed with intention. I was moved by how the city lets its built moments breathe decades of history; I was thrilled by its creative energy pulsing through side-streets, buildings, cafés. My guide peeled back layers: a private view at uncelebrated architectural icons, intuitive context at the Reichstag dome, and emotional depth at the Holocaust Memorial. It showed me that Berlin rewards those who arrive curious and stay focused — even as it lets you roam. I left feeling inspired, enriched, and already longing for a return trip, suitcase fuller but spirit lighter.
Credit: Stephan Widua
Here’s the Wise Woman’s Design Guild to Berlin
Architectural Icons You Can’t Miss
Corbusierhaus (Unité d’Habitation): You can’t go in on your own, but standing before it is a design pilgrimage, but you can get access with a guide - so get that booked in before you leave home. It was just so cool to see something I have studied, in the flesh.
Credit: IGNANT
Olympic Stadium (1936): A structure loaded with history. Drive past or take a tour. It’s impossible to neutralise its past — and that’s what makes it essential. It’s just so fascinating to see and imagine it’s history.
Credit: Berlin.de
Bauhaus Archive: Though under renovation, its exterior still speaks volumes. Pair a visit with architecture titles from DOM Publishers or Assouline’s Bauhaus Style, with text that brings form to life
Credit: Berlin.de
Boutique Stores & Modern Concept Shops
The Square: A gallery-meets-boutique on Gendarmenmarkt, curated like a luxe apartment — elegant clothes, homeware, room to pause
Credit: IGNANT
Voo Store & LNFA (Bikini Berlin): Design-led curated fashion and home pieces — simple, sharp, Berlin-made.
Credit: Voo Store
Original in Berlin & Objekte Unserer Tage: Mid-century furniture, minimalist ceramics — objets with soul and silent storytelling. I just loved this place.
Credit: Objekte
Five Coffee Table Books for Design Lovers
Bauhaus Style by Mateo Kries — Assouline’s feast on the modernist movement
Berlin Unseen — photography that captures the city's hidden architecture
Bauen Seit 1900 in Berlin — vintage coffee table tome for mid-century modern aficionados
Berlin Architecture Guide (DOM Publishers) — comprehensive and practical city reference
Berlin Decor by Pretty Posh Prints — decorative, photo-rich and styled for the home
These books are perfect tomes to bring home — to remember, learn and decorate with purpose.
Berlin Souvenirs Worth Bringing Home
Ampelmännchen merch — that beloved East Berlin pedestrian icon is cute and unmistakable. Choose a fridge magnet or T‑shirt from the official store
Vintage architecture postcards (usually found in Original in Berlin) — elegant, small, and design-forward.
Mini Bauhaus lamps or ceramics — handmade objets that speak of the city’s design legacy.
Credit: Aram Arakelyan
A Wise Woman Note
Berlin doesn’t demand from you; it offers. It asks you to pay attention — to space, light, material, history — and rewards you for it. Whether you're collecting stories or souvenirs, wandering or studying, the city moves deliberately. And that’s the gift for women who understand that intention matters.