Journal
Objects, makers and natural wines
Useful articles, written from the shop: what Lara sees, tastes and recommends.
Lära Concept Store's journal brings together gift guides, maker profiles, decor advice and notes on natural wine, published by Lara from her shop in Ixelles.
The essentials
Ixelles, gifts, natural wine and sustainable design.
Lara
BXL Positive tells Lära's story: from the law to a shop in Flagey
The Brussels media outlet BXL Positive ran a feature on me: my career change, why I chose Flagey, and the idea of a concept store where beautiful and responsible go hand in hand.
4 min read
Shop life
A concept store in Ixelles: what you'll find at Lära
A concept store in Ixelles isn't a list of shelves: it's a point of view. Here's mine, on Rue Lanfray, between carefully chosen objects and natural wines.
5 min read
Gift ideas
Original gift ideas in Ixelles: what genuinely delights people
An original gift isn't a strange gift: it's the right object for a particular person. Here's how I advise, budget by budget.
6 min read
Natural wine
Where to buy natural wine in Ixelles
Buying natural wine in Ixelles is mostly about finding someone who tastes it before you do. Here's how I choose my bottles, and how you leave with the right one.
6 min read
Sustainable design
Sustainable decor: 7 criteria for choosing better
Sustainable decor isn't recognised by a green logo, but by seven very concrete details. These are the ones I check before an object is allowed into the shop.
7 min read
Going further
Choosing a bottle, a table setting, a vase, a gift.
Natural wine
Natural, organic or biodynamic wine: what's the difference?
Three words you'll find on the same shelves, that don't mean the same thing at all. A simple explanation, no jargon.
5 min read
Tableware
Artisan tableware: how to choose your pieces well
Stoneware or porcelain, a set or a one-off, dishwasher-safe or not? What to check before buying artisan tableware.
6 min read
Sustainable design
How to choose a vase (and what no one tells you)
The neck, the height, the opacity: three details that decide whether your bouquet will stand up. A practical guide to vases and bud vases.
5 min read
Gift ideas
Housewarming gifts: what to give without getting it wrong
Giving a gift for a new flat without imposing your own taste is quite an art. My safe bets, and what I steer clear of.
5 min read
The rest of the Lära world
Alcohol-free drinks, home fragrance, makers and the neighbourhood.
Alcohol-free
Fine alcohol-free drinks: raising a glass differently
Not drinking alcohol should never mean a warm glass of orange juice. What I offer for alcohol-free evenings that are just as thoughtfully put together as any other.
5 min read
Sustainable design
Candle or diffuser: which should you choose for your home?
Both scent a room, but not in the same way, and not for the same spaces. How to choose based on how you'll use it, the size of the room and your budget.
5 min read
Makers
Belgian and European makers: why I choose the nearby
Working with nearby workshops changes what ends up in the shop: fewer references, more stories, and objects that can be repaired.
5 min read
Ixelles & Flagey
Flagey neighbourhood guide: a day out, by Lara
The ponds, the square, the quiet streets behind Sainte-Croix: how I'd suggest spending a day in Flagey, shop included.
6 min read