Wallpaper City Guides

A week or so ago I volunteered to write a design guide for Berlin for the website Design Sponge. I've been having so much fun traipsing around the city, visiting places I haven't been in so long in order to gather tips. Luckily I really know my way around Berlin. You might think this would be obvious since I've lived here for ten years, but that's not really the case. I know lots of other Expats as well as Germans who really only spend time in their own neighborhood. But my first husband was a Berliner (from suburban Spandau nonetheless!) Through him I got to know the chic but not at all trendy areas in old West Berlin.

Though my current husband is originally from Hessen, he has lived in Berlin for over 20 years. He had an apartment on Oranienstrasse when the wall was still up and the squatters were still hurling stones at the police. When the wall fell he moved for a while to Prenlauerberg. He lived near Helmholtzplatz, at the time a warzone filled with drunks and druggies (now the most dangerous thing that might happen to you there is that someone runs over your foot with their 800 Euro baby buggy.)

Being an adventurous gal by nature, I've also discovered many a place by myself.

Yesterday, while in Charlottenburg, myself pushing a baby buggy (though it cost far less than 800 Euros and is unfortunately not at all chic)I took a stroll through the great art and design bookstore Bücherbogen on Savignyplatz. There I ran into a display of Wallpaper City Guides.


I remember seeing these guides before, but at the time I didn't really pay attention. They are specifically made for those interested in art and design and have a lovely design themselves. The covers are in different colors depending on the city and inside they are attractively divided into such catagories as shopping, design, and architecture.


90 guides will soon be available (in either English, German or French) and they cover everything from major metroplises like Paris and New York to lesser known and exotic places like Reykjavik and Kyoto. They also have the appearance of an artsy novel so you won't look like a fanny-pack-wearing-hick tourist when you carry one around.

Click here to take a look at their website.