Beyond the First Impression: The Joy of Details at WOW!house

Built within Design Avenue, WOW!house at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour spans 600sqm, housing 22 full-size rooms and outdoor spaces brought to life by leading designers in collaboration with globally recognised brands and skilled suppliers.

At WOW!house, each space becomes a conversation between designer, supplier, and visitor, a moment where you are welcomed in, your emotions are orchestrated, and a message is communicated through every decision, every layer, every carefully placed element.

Walking through WOW!house is an exhilarating experience, with your attention pulled from one striking moment to the next. But within this excitement, it becomes impossible to take in every nuance at once. This feature is not a sweeping review of the event but a closer look at what could easily be missed: the passion and immaculate attention to detail that underpin these spaces.

Here, we spotlight four trends that brought us joy during our visit to WOW!house, moments that caught our attention.

Original Artworks

Across hospitality and workplace settings, we’ve seen a consistent growth in the investment in original artwork, integral to the design brief and often used as a tool to deliver spaces that relate meaningfully to their setting and community. It’s not surprising, then, to see original artwork layered thoughtfully into the WOW!house rooms.

Hector Finch, Snug, by Thurstan. 

Scale, medium, and style vary dramatically, but in every instance, these pieces bring the human hand into the space. Whether it is a quiet painting that adds depth to a scheme, a bold piece that shifts the room’s energy, or a series of smaller works that encourage discovery, art within WOW!house becomes part of the narrative each designer is telling.

Shepel, Home Bar, by Toni Black of Blacksheep: Toni Black’s statement ‘A place of warmth and welcome, where the stories flow freely as the drinks are poured’ could not more perfectly encapsulate the space she has created.  The guests are wrapped in warm palette, organic forms, and rich details. Illustrated by a stunning painting commissioned from Kaylah Black.

Stark, The Curator’s Room, by Spinocchia Freund: This space exclusively features work by women and benefits from many stunning, and thought provoking, pieces. Joline Kwakkaenbos’ self portraits brought character scheme and it was interesting that the artwork was strong and determined, shying away from traditionally feminine styling.

Samuel Heath, Bathroom, by Laura Hammett: In this bathroom the bath is king! The veined San Marino marble roll-top bath sits directly below ‘Sovereign’ by Terrell James, brining contemporary balance to the 1920’s Art Deco inspired space.

Hand Finished Details

The human hand was present throughout WOW!house, offering a quiet but firm pushback against the world’s rapid digital advancements, including the rise of AI technology. Visitors could feel the makers within the spaces through the artworks on the walls and the artifacts and furniture in each room.

Sims Hilditch, Courtyard Room, by Emma Sims-Hilditch

This presence was expressed through a rich range of materials: the warmth of timber, the weight and coolness of stone, the precision of metalwork, and the intricacies of handprinted wallcoverings. It was evident at every scale, from intricate details and considered accessories to entire wall coverings and furniture pieces, each carrying the subtle signatures of their makers reflecting the imagined lives of the ‘homeowners’ these rooms were created for.

Fromental, Drawing Room, by Chad Dorsey: Panels of Fromental’s hand-painted sunflowers and chrysanthemums were wonderfully juxtaposed with Candida Höfer’s large-scale photograph Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Fundação de Serralves Porto.

Many accessories, including Paglia low bowl by Alexander Lamont, must be mentioned, as well as Bobbin dining chair by Julian Chichester.

Cox London, Entrance Hall, by Victoria Davar of Mason Artefact: Two scales played together in this space, with the bespoke ‘Mini Oak’ suspension chandelier drawing you into the entrance hall while tiny bronze mice, made by talented Cox London apprentice Amber, scuttled playfully across surfaces with their cheese.

Stark, The Curator’s Room, by Spinocchia Freund: A collaboration between Spinocchia Freund, Rick Baker, Kuhn Upholstery and Hand & Lock, the stunningly intricate and beautiful ottoman brought a sense of fragility into the space.

Dominant Accessories: Books

The accessory of choice across almost every WOW!house room was books. From novels to oversized coffee table tomes, neatly lined up or casually stacked, books were everywhere. In contemporary schemes, classic rooms, and heritage-inspired spaces alike, books became a consistent thread linking the rooms with a quiet but undeniable presence.

Far from being mere props, these books added warmth and texture, suggesting life and curiosity within each interior. They softened the edges of highly curated spaces, made grand schemes feel approachable, and offered an insight into the personalities the designers were crafting within each room. Stacks on side tables, rows within bespoke joinery, or single volumes placed with intention—each placement became a tool to shift scale and rhythm within the space.

Phillip Jeffries, Study, by Staffan Tollgard: ‘Modern Muse’, formed of oak veneer and paulownia wood, dyed and hand-laid, turned the entire wall into a piece of bold artwork. This was accessorised by a unique ‘Golden Cage’ bookcase by Ceccotti Collezioni, unconventionally displaying books.

Hector Finch, Snug, by Thurstan: One of the smallest but most engaging WOW!house spaces, it felt lifted directly from someone’s home, with lime plaster walls painted in no fewer than 15 layers of paint, marble dust, and varnish, sitting alongside metallic treasures, emotive artworks, lights, and many books.

Visual Comfort & Co, Living Room, by Kelly Hoppen CBE: This space encouraged the visitor to pause and relax, with books stacked on the coffee table and floor speaking of the ‘homeowner’s’ love of travel, collecting, and music.

Materiality

Materiality at WOW!house was a reminder of how the selection and application of materials can transform a space beyond function, creating emotion, impact, and moments of joy. Unexpected, bold, or unusual materials were brought into the home context, while familiar materials appeared in new and inventive ways, challenging assumptions about how surfaces and objects can shape an environment.

House of Rohl, Primary Bathroom, by 1508 London

In hospitality and workplace design, we often discuss narrative and the layered stories a space can tell. The same applies here. Material selection becomes the designer’s alphabet, the language through which the story of the room is drafted and shared.

Benjamin Moore, Dining Room, by Peter Mikic: This room was unapologetic and joyful. With a bespoke dining table by Kaizen bejewelled with semi-precious stones, beneath a large artwork by Ian Harper, creating a wonderfully uplifting effect.

Dedar, Library, by Pirajean Lees: Every surface in this space was enveloped in textiles, giving it an unexpected tactility and acoustic properties perfect for sitting back and appreciating your favourite track.

Fortuny + Bonacina + Barovier & Toso, Primary Bedroom, by Tomef Design: Designed through collaboration with three Italian brands, Tomef’s Tiara bed brought together a rattan frame, golden velvet, and a glass jewel crown, showcasing material expertise within a single statement piece.

WOW!house is a reminder that beyond the initial spectacle, it is the layers of craftsmanship, narrative, and human touch that give a space its resonance.