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Inside WOW!house 2025 and the brilliant ideas you'll want to steal for your house
Now a firm fixture in the calendar, WOW!house returns to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, SW10, for the fourth time from June 3-July 3. The fully immersive showhouse concept, which won the 2024 House & Garden Spotlight Award, will once again be installed on the Design Avenue. This year, there are 22 rooms and outdoor spaces. Created by a mix of established studios and rising stars, these have mostly been designed in collaboration with one of the Design Centre’s showrooms.
Among the designers taking part are Ben Pentreath, this year’s winner of our Project of the Year award, who has created a kitchen with Lopen Joinery, and Emma Sims-Hilditch, whose multipurpose boot room is a new addition to the house. Nicola Harding has designed a powder room with Drummonds, and Thurstan has worked with lighting specialist Hector Finch on a snug. Laura Hammett’s bathroom is a partnership with Samuel Heath, while the living room by Kelly Hoppen, CBE, is a pared-back space that combines vintage accessories with Visual Comfort & Co’s lights. Peter Mikic has worked with Benjamin Moore for the dining room, and the paint company is also bringing colour into every space in the showhouse as WOW!house’s first paint sponsor. ‘It’s thrilling to expand on the creativity of WOW!house each year and we’re looking forward to welcoming design enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the talent of the international 2025 line-up,’ says Claire German, CEO of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
Milo Brown1/22Adam Architecture Facade by Darren Price
A beautifully symmetrical Georgian townhouse facade is the work of Adam Architecture’s design director Darren Price. Lifted straight from the pages of Mary Poppins, the house features two arced arches – a hallmark of the era – which flank a bespoke, classical front door by Atkey & Co. Though suitably contemporary, Darren describes the façade as ‘a clear homage to the great architects of the Georgian era – Sir John Soane, Nicholas Hawksmoor, George Dance the Younger and John Nash’.
Milo Brown2/22Artorius Faber Entrance Courtyard by Alexander Hoyle
Creating a good first impression is an essential part of a good decorating scheme, and often starts before you enter the house. Garden designer Alexander Hoyle has teamed up with experts in British stone, Artorius Faber on an entrance courtyard which mixes‘Chedworth’ English pitchers, ‘Cheesewring’ English cobbles and patinated flagstones for an eclectic and thoroughly delightful design. It is softened by a number of eye-catching potted plants, among them pelargoniums and citrus trees.
Milo Brown3/22Cox London Entrance Hall by Victoria Davar Of Maison Artefact
“I was inspired by the idea of an artist finding a charming historical building and turning it into a place of optimism and creativity,” says Victoria Davar, founder of London-based antique dealer and interior design practice, Maison Artefact. The impressive space – with five meter high ceilings, a floating staircase leading to imagined rooms beyond and a charmingly patinated reclaimed floor from Lapicida serves as the perfect backdrop for a curated mixture of antique and contemporary pieces. Among them, an arresting ‘Oak Leaf’ chandelier in cast bronze and iron by the room’s sponsor, Cox London takes centre stage.
Milo Brown4/22Fromental Drawing Room by Chad Dorsey
Imagine stepping into the most considered (and exclusive) members’ club. This is the atmosphere that has been masterfully created by Texas-based designer Chad Dorsey. Combining the glamour of American design with the character of British, Chad has conceived of a luxurious and welcoming space defined by floral motifs and sumptuous materials. On the walls, Fromental’s ‘Kiku’ wallcovering provides a botanical backdrop, against which Arts and Crafts furniture and layers of textiles sing. The room is especially cosy thanks to the bespoke Strike fireplace.
Milo Brown5/22Phillip Jeffries Study by Staffan Tollgård
If you have a study or home office, it is crucial that its decoration is conducive to productivity, and thus the space must be at once calming and energising. Nobody understands this brief better than Staffan Tollgård, creative director of design studio Tollgard, who has worked with wallcovering specialist Phillip Jeffries to create a warm and welcoming space. ‘I have envisioned my dream home study by stepping into my client’s shoes, ensuring that it is both functional and inspiring,’ Tollgård explains. ‘It’s designed to be visually compelling but also enhance the way someone lives and interacts with their environment.’ The walls are clad in Phillip Jeffries’ ‘Modern Muse’ wallcovering, a sculptural design made using slices of oak and paulownia wood. Furniture here includes a large reading chair from Ceccotti Collezioni and – essential in a study – its ‘Neverfull’ drinks cabinet.
Milo Brown6/22Nucleus Media Room by Alex Dauley
Describing this media room as ‘opulent with the tiniest hint of drama’, Alex Dauley has used a mixture of textures to create a tactile, cocooning space which lends itself beautifully to an evening spent watching films in utter comfort. On the walls is Zinc Textile’s ‘Z Suede’ fabric and shimmering ‘Lacquer’ wallcoverings, while the floor is clad in Ecohardwood’s ‘Diamond Oak’, grounding the space with a subtle three-dimensional pattern. The added layers of walnut and bronze bookshelves, oak ceiling beams and hand-turned wooden vessels by Darren Appiagyei results in a warm and contemporary room.
Milo Brown7/22Stark ‘the Curator’s Room’ by Spinocchia Freund
The inaugural ‘curator’s room’ is dedicated to displaying the treasures of an imagined collector. Designed by Brigitta Spinocchia Freund, the room is awash with bespoke designs which work in harmony to create a backdrop for curation of artworks. Decorative, 1920s-style columns made by Féau Boiseries sit alongside a ceiling ornamented by designer Roksanda. In the middle of the room sits an ottoman made by Luella Bartley, who worked with embroidery house Hand & Lock on its embellishment. The star of the show here is the bespoke rug imbued with interconnected curved motifs; another bespoke design made by Ashley Stark, creative director of her eponymous rug company.
Milo Brown8/22Fortuny + Bonacina + Barovier&Toso Primary Bedroom by Tomèf Design
London-based, Italian designer Tommaso Franchi of Tomèf Design has collaborated with three of Italy’s leading heritage design brands – iconic fabric house Fortuny, handcrafted rattan furniture company Bonacina, and Venetian glass masters Barovier&Toso – to create a bedroom that is a celebration of Italian craft. These differing elements – antique mirror and silk walls, a rattan headboard frame, upholstered with gold fabric and topped with a Murano glass jewel – come together beautifully, resulting in a glamorous, transportive bedroom.
Milo Brown9/22House Of Rohl Primary Bathroom by 1508 London
House of Rohl has long been associated with sturdy yet beautiful bathroom furniture, hardware and accessories, which it has demonstrated over the years at WOW!house. This year, it has teamed up with interior design studio 1580 London to create what it describes as a ‘contemporary sanctuary’ which marries modern design solutions with ancient bathing rituals. A curved shower takes centre stage, though those who prefer a bath will be pleased to see Victoria + Albert’s ‘Seros’ bathtub tucked behind a discreet curtain. It is a room which proves that functional design needn’t be boring.
Milo Brown10/22Treasure House Fair Morning Room by Daniel Slowik
This deeply sophisticated room is the result of a match made in heaven: the antique dealer and decorator Daniel Slowik, who has teamed up with Treasure House Fair, the annual fine art and antique fair, to create it. Calling upon a number of the expert dealers who will be showing at Treasure House Fair this year (June 26-July 1) he has layered pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries - including an impressive George III bookcase and chinoiserie furniture with a mixture of botanical and figurative art. Fans of the decorator (and really, who isn’t?) will notice the inclusion of a number of fabrics from his recent Nuthall Collection, which he launched with his partner, Benedict Foley. Of them, the ‘Diamond Trellis’ and ‘Ivy Trellis’ stand out in vibrant, energising colours.
Milo Brown11/22Perennials and Sutherland Courtyard by Goddard Littlefair
The house is broken up with the inclusion of a courtyard – surely one of the dreamiest and most sought-after additions to any townhouse? This one, designed by Goddard Littlefair with Perennials and Sutherland, successfully manages to bridge the gap between the inside and outside. Sutherland’s ‘Frank’ sofa and a pair of inviting, curvaceous ‘crescent’ armchairs prove that outdoor furniture can be just as stylish as indoor. A transportive palette of earthy tones inspired by southern Spain is created using Perennials’ hard-wearing, outdoor fabrics.
Milo Brown12/22Sims Hilditch Courtyard Room by Emma Sims-Hilditch
It is fitting that the courtyard room designed by Emma Sims-Hilditch is dominated by a foliage-print wallpaper and green woodwork. Emma is a master at fusing a grown-up, sophisticated aesthetic with one that feels young and energising. Here, that is manifested in a patterned rug and a mixture of mid-century and antique furniture, including a rare Swedish Mora clock. “Youthful, fun and full of fresh colour, our room offers inspiration to all,” says Emam. “It’s a real bow-wow of a space!”
Milo Brown13/22Casa Branca Bedroom by Alessandra Branca
“A guest room is a wonderful way to indulge your favourite people while also having a little more fun yourself,” explains fabric designer Alessandra Branca. This one celebrates romantic decoration, with floaty linen fabrics in shades of pink and browns, all from her most recent ‘Srinagar’ collection. On the walls, a classic paisley is nicely balanced by the bold stripe which surrounds the bed, while the furniture is a pleasing amalgamation of old and new: a 17th-century gilded wood commode from Rose Uniacke rubs shoulders with Paolo Moschino Ltd’s angular ‘Draper’ desk.
Milo Brown14/22Samuel Heath Bathroom by Laura Hammett
When it comes to adding personality and depth to functional rooms, Laura Hammett knows what she’s doing. The Art Deco movement, which this year celebrates its centenary, has provided much of the inspiration for this Samuel Heath-sponsored bathroom, which features angular lighting and mirrors, glamorous marble bathroom furniture and hardware and bathroom fittings in Samuel Heath’s new ‘vintage bronze’ finish. If proof were ever needed that the devil is in the detail, this is it.
Milo Brown15/22Visual Comfort & Co. Living Room by Kelly Hoppen CBE
This atmospheric sitting room is all about creating a soothing environment – which is only fitting as the room’s sponsor is none other than lighting brand Visual Comfort & Co. Working with the brilliant Kelly Hoppen CBE, the space is rich and tactile, and demonstrates how the right lighting can make or break a room. On the ceiling, the ‘Canto Grande’ four-arm chandelier takes centre stage, aided in part by the low-level furniture beneath it. Elsewhere, a mixture of wall lights, table lights and floor lights create illuminated pools throughout the room.
Milo Brown16/22Dedar Library by Pirajean Lees
Clémence Pirajean and James Michael Lees, founders of design studio Pirajean Lees offer something unexpected through their library – namely that it is not a typical library of books, rather one which celebrates the power of sound. “We discovered we shared with Dedar a passion for music, particularly jazz, and that inspired our narrative of ‘A440 Hz’ – the tuning standard of musical instruments before a concert. It is the sound of anticipation, an emotionally charged moment filled with imagination, thrill and the wonder of new discoveries,” they say. The room is enveloped in Dedar’s ‘A Love Supreme’ wool/satin fabric, which is both visually pleasing and acoustically effective, while a rug made for the room by Jennifer Manners turns the A440 Hz frequency into a pattern on the floor.
Milo Brown17/22Drummonds Powder Room by Nicola Harding
Nicola Harding, stalwart of House & Garden’s Top 100 Interior Designers and Architects list, is known for cleverly combining colours and finishes with a mixture of antique and contemporary furniture (which she has now taken to designing, too) to create rooms that feel at once unpretentious and deeply exciting. She has worked her magic once again in this powder room, where shades of aubergine and forest green mix with silk (on the tented ceiling) and glazed tiles on the floor. Drummonds’ covetable bathroom furniture, including a double vanity stand designed by Nicola for Drummonds, mixes an art-deco inspired silhouette with a more contemporary sensibility.
Milo Brown18/22Benjamin Moore Dining Room by Peter Mikic
If proof were ever needed that butter yellow is the colour of the moment, it is handed to us on a plate by Peter Mikic, who has used it liberally in this most uplifting of dining rooms. Working with Benjamin Moore paint, he has used not just the ‘Broadway Lights’ shade on the walls but has also commissioned artist Billy Metcalfe to create a colourful abstract artwork using the brand’s shades too. Inside, bejewelled furniture and tactile fabrics complete the look of this 1970s-inspired space which sets the scene for quite the dinner party.
Milo Brown19/22Shepel Home Bar by Toni Black Of Blacksheep
A digestif naturally follows dinner and in WOW!house world that means progressing through to the moody, dimly lit home bar designed by Toni Black of Blacksheep design studio. Known for creating innovative, immersive experiences, Toni has worked with bespoke furniture makers Shepel to create an entirely tailored room, which features a curvaceous freestanding bar and antique mirror-backed shelves behind it. The bar’s sweeping shape is mirrored in a chaise longue which has been adorned with playful trims from Samuel & Sons. We could quite easily while away a few hours in this snug, joyful space.
Milo Brown20/22Hector Finch Snug by James Thurstan Waterworth
“A layered retreat that merges old and new” is how James Thurstan Waterworth describes this snug he has designed for room sponsor, lighting design studio Hector Finch. Indeed “layered” is an accurate description of James’ style, which is defined by a mixture of reclaimed, antique, contemporary and bespoke pieces, dressed with an amalgam of different textiles. All of this is beautifully lit using a mixture of Hector Finch’s stylish lights, including its brass ‘Zac’ floor light and ‘Amber’ table lamp.
Milo Brown21/22Lopen Joinery Kitchen by Ben Pentreath Studio
This is a kitchen which frankly, puts many others to shame. The kitchen’s designers, Ben Pentreath’s director Rupert Cunningham, associate director Leo Kary and senior associate Alice Montgomery, sum up the overall look as ‘Greco-gothic’ – an imagined mixture of two of the defining decorative movements of the 19th Century. Here, this style is manifested in the monolithic stone sink, the octagonal legs of the large prep-table, the glazed bookcase with sliding doors and the striking ebonised oak pantry. It’s a kitchen to live in, as well as cook.
Milo Brown22/22Mckinnon And Harris Garden Terrace by Randle Siddeley
Leaving the house may be hard, but it is made easier by the inviting terrace by Randle Siddeley, featuring furniture from McKinnon and Harris, whose ‘Thirza Grotta’ sofa, ‘Graves’ dining chairs and Italianate ‘Mundy’ table provide ample different spots to relax. The planting here is exotic making us feel like we are not riverside in London but on a wonderfully exciting (and deeply chic) tropical island.
