Raima, Barcelona!
The grey exterior sets off the color waiting inside. One thing that we Americans are always thrilled by, is the antique to ancient architecture of European cities. Note the detail of the arch surround and the beautiful, mottled stone.
Color, Pattern, Style…
I remember the first time I saw a Pedro Almodóvar film, it was Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, sometime in 1988. I was completely taken by it. Charming, quirky, stylish…and above all, unapologetically colorful.
So when I walked into Raima in Barcelona, that burst of exuberance—the Almodóvar boldness, the Spanish delight in pattern and saturated hues—hit me right away.
Raima opened in 1986 and has since grown into the largest paper store in Europe, a true multi-level wonderland for anyone who loves beautiful materials. Even on a grey day, its interior glows. Color everywhere. Texture everywhere. Energy everywhere.
Orange is one of my favourite colors. But I love the busy floor pattern too.
A Store for Designers, Architects, Artists and Crafters…
I wandered through every level passing writing instruments, journals, letterpress papers, handmade sheets, patterned wrapping, decorative boxes. If you’re familiar with Paper Source, imagine its European cousin…only bigger, more eclectic, and far more theatrical. (This comes from someone who once worked at Paper Source headquarters designing display pieces, so that comparison comes from the heart.)
Walls of paper, cards, party supplies…
Color includes cream!
Beautiful Displays on One of a Kind Pieces…
Throughout the shop, the displays are thoughtful and a little magical with mixes of antique curiosities, found objects, tools, and art materials styled with the kind of instinctive elegance Europeans do so well.
Leather goods are part of the Raima mix as well.
And it’s not just paper. Raima carries leather goods too—totes, portfolios, small accessories. My husband even found a little dachshund keychain for me, which feels appropriate since yes, we do indeed have a dachshund waiting for us at home.
Look closely, you’ll see much of the furniture is painted in the same exuberant palette as the paper items.
A sibling in spirit: Mélodies Graphiques, Paris
Raima reminded me a bit of Mélodies Graphiques in Paris, which I’ve written about before. Both stores combine vintage and new, both have artful vignettes, and both feel deeply European.
But the experience is different.
Mélodies Graphiques is calm, intimate, almost whisper-soft.
Raima is exuberant, layered, and joyfully extroverted—very Barcelona.
And this, I think, captures the contrast between the two cities themselves. Barcelona dazzles with pattern, color, and warmth. Paris, by comparison, is more restrained, classic, and contemplative. Both beautiful—just in different emotional keys.
You cannot possibly feel anything but cheerful in this shop…
Paints and more. Note more painted furniture - and not just a solid color.
For designers, artists, writers, makers…this is a must-stop.
I’m one of those people who seeks out art materials the moment I arrive in a new city. They’re a small, harmless addiction—pigments, papers, notebooks, textures. If you share that impulse, Raima absolutely belongs on your itinerary.
Think of it as a cross between Paper Source, Anthropologie, and Dick Blick, all wrapped up in a historic building bursting with ambiance. So, on your next trip to Barcelona, stop in, you won’t be disappointed.
Want to visit Raima?
Raima – Gothic Quarter
Carrer Comtal, 27
08002 Barcelona
(Their website lists the two additional Raima locations, but the Gothic Quarter flagship is the one you want.)
website