The WOW!house 2024 rooms, in the designers’ own words
Momentum is building for WOW!house 2024, the Design Centre’s spectacular summer showhouse. On from 4 June – 4 July, the event will feature 19 extraordinary spaces created by more than 20 interior designers, working in collaboration with globally recognised design brands.
The Design Centre has been talking to some of the esteemed designers involved, to see what they have planned. Here’s what they had to say, alongside some of the hero products they plan to use to bring their room to life.
Watts 1874 Legend Room, designed by Alidad
“For my WOW!house room, the inspiration was a large scale renaissance design that was redrawn by pioneering architect and Watts founder GF Bodley in 1889. I have imagined that the room belongs to a traditional Englishman, whose family have been living there a long time and he has added his own touches to it”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Bandon Kinvara’ bullion fringe, Watts 1874
Colefax and Fowler Morning Room, designed by Lucy Hammond-Giles
“I’m planning to use beautiful, historical Colefax and Fowler chintzes to bring the outside in. Patterns that have been around forever, yet still look so fresh and clean”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Honeysuckle’ fabric, Colefax and Fowler
Chase Erwin Library, by Andrea Benedettini
“The design concept is based around the ballet – which is also part of my background as I attended the English National Ballet School – and Swan Lake in particular as it is the epitome of elegance and romanticism. We wanted the room to provide an immersive experience that resembled going to the theatre, and have incorporated sumptuous curtain walls and a bar. We also wanted to bring nature inside, with a stylised forest on the domed ceiling, a rug that resembles the rippling effect of the water of a lake, and a green leather floor”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Miami’ cocktail cabinet, Rupert Bevan
The Rug Company Dining Room, designed by Ken Fulk
“One of the rugs in our collaboration with The Rug Company is a bespoke offering called ‘A Life Reflected’, inspired by the traditions of storytelling in Delft and Azulejo tilework. The Dining Room at WOW!house 2024 takes this concept to new heights by setting it within one of our favourite dining rooms in London, William Morris’ Green Dining Room at the V&A. We want to celebrate individuality and our firm’s dedication to preserving the tradition of decorative arts from all over the world”
The hero product to look out for: ‘A Life Reflected’ rug, The Rug Company
Study, designed by Anahita Rigby
“It’s not just a study, it’s a place to think, a place to read, a place of refuge to share a martini over a little secret with an old friend when you’ve just left the dessert course at the table of a 12-person dinner party. It’s going to be a mix of different aesthetics – I’ve drawn on my past, living in Bath, London, Hong Kong and back to London again, and travelling to Japan and the Far East often”
The hero product to look out for: ‘AL36’ ceiling pendant, Gong
Dining Space, designed by Suzy Hoodless
“Our concept is to celebrate natural motifs, finishes and textures, something which we have been focusing on more and more in the studio. Not only do natural materials create a rich and earthy palette in a design, but they are also designed for longevity and are so often a feature of high quality craftmanship. Our starting point was a beautiful bespoke wallpaper, but we also loved the idea of having a statement tiled fireplace as a focal point in similar natural tones and for this we’re working with Robert Emile, who supplies beautiful handcrafted Moroccan tiles”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Bajmat’ tiles, Robert Emile Atelier
House of Rohl Bathroom, designed by Rina Kukaj and Christina Gregoriou of Michaelis Boyd
“We wanted to challenge the traditional use of a bathroom and how we interact with them. Historically the bathroom served as a practical function, whereas our design challenges the functionality and traditional use, offering the occupier to feel at peace within a tranquil environment to relax, and escape – elevating ‘private time’ to a ‘luxurious experience’”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Georgian’ single lever basin mixer, Perrin & Rowe at House of Rohl
Zimmer + Rohde Bedroom, designed by Tolù Adẹ̀kọ́
“Taking inspiration from Zimmer + Rohde’s founders, our design is a homage to the art of travel and textiles in the early 20th century: we aim to recreate an ambience that conjures the allure of the original Orient Express journey yet is transposed into a timeless setting. Our vision is to transport visitors back to an era of elegance and exploration, where every detail weaves a narrative of indulgence and sophistication”
The hero product to look out for: ‘Leto’ fabric, Zimmer + Rohde
Book your tickets now for the unmissable interiors event of the summer
