Inside the Dazzling World of WOW! House 2025 at Design Centre in Chelsea Harbour
Move over Paris and Milan—Europe has a new interior design capital. For me, that crown now belongs to London.
Just one week after the spectacular display of floral artistry at the RHS Flower Show in Chelsea, I had the privilege of attending another tour de force, this time in the realm of interior design. The WOW! House at Design Centre in Chelsea Harbour is a bold, unapologetic celebration of refined maximalism. Staged by the UK’s most acclaimed interior designers in collaboration with leading luxury brands, the show is a masterclass in design storytelling. The aesthetic is distinctively British—charming, eccentric, and deeply sophisticated.
If you find yourself in London during June, do not miss this exhibition. From the intricately hand-painted and draped ceilings to the masterful use of textiles and artisan details, WOW! House delivers an experience that is truly breathtaking.
Here are three standout spaces from a show where every room was executed at the highest level:
The Primary Bedroom by Tomèf Design
One of my absolute favourites, this room transported me straight to the most elegant suites of Venice. A collaboration between three exceptional Italian luxury houses—Fortuny, Bonacina, and Barovier & Toso—brought together by Tommaso Franchi’s Tomèf , the result was nothing short of extraordinary. The layered tassels and textile work were exquisitely detailed, evoking a tactile richness that was both opulent and serene. Bravissima!
The Curator’s Room by Stark Carpet & Brigitta Spinocchia Freund
This room left a lasting impression. It was an evocative dialogue between art and space—each element enhancing the other. One couldn’t help but wonder: did the art inspire the interior, or vice versa? The room was a harmonious interplay of richly textured textiles, thoughtful color choices, and curated pieces, including embroidered artworks embedded in sofas and a coffee table. You may enter this room without a word but you’ll leave with a story that lingers for weeks.
Lopen Joinery Kitchen by Ben Pentreath Studio
And then there was the kitchen—hands down, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
Mustard yellow walls, moss green cabinets, and baby blue shelves created a palette that was as unexpected as it was utterly enchanting. Copper pans gleamed above the stove, while deep green tiles and a kitchen island in dark, moody wood topped with lighter wood brought balance and warmth to the space. It was atmospheric, inviting, and so full of character I almost forgot it was a show kitchen. I was ready to pop the champagne for my guests and start chopping herbs.
Welcome to my dream kitchen (because—hand on heart—this is exactly how mine will look when it’s time to redo the country house).
Reflections from WOW!House 2025: Art Is No Longer an Accent—It’s the Main Subject
One of the most remarkable qualities of WOW! House 2025 was the effortless integration of art into every space, not as an afterthought, but as an essential, defining layer of each room.
In the Drummonds Powder Room by Nicola Harding, a sculptural piece stood alongside a gallery-like arrangement of paintings, transforming even the smallest space into a moment of wonder. In the Primary Bedroom by Tomèf Design, “Hylas with the Golden Vase” from Moretti Gallery was given pride of place, commanding the room with quiet elegance.
The Curator’s Room by Stark and Brigitta Spinocchia Freund felt like a living gallery, where works by emerging artists were presented with the kind of reverence typically reserved for curated exhibitions. And in a particularly happy move for me personally, Chad Dorsey layered contemporary artworks atop hand-painted Fromental murals—demonstrating that tradition and modernity can coexist not only peacefully, but powerfully. So cunning!
When clients ask whether it’s appropriate to hang art over our handpainted wallpapers, my answer has always been yes. But now, thanks to WOW! House, I have now the perfect reference.
