DE S IGN CENTRE
A CALENDAR OF CREATIVITY
A year-round roster of events elevates the Design Centre into a thriving hub at the heart of London's design scene – attracting international visitors, and boosting business
Professionals and design enthusiasts alike are making it clear they are ready for more design encounters, more immersive experiences and even greater connection. “You have to look around to see the energy and how many people came out – the Design Centre is so lively,” said Ashley Kenner Stark during a packed Access All Areas event in the Stark Carpet showroom. These
O days, different events attract different
audiences. Every year Focus and London Design Week are stalwarts on the design calendar, but more tightly focused events across the year reflect the Design Centre’s indelible impact on the world of design. It is no surprise that brands are keen to get involved; events generated by the world’s premier design centre offer greater visibility, reach new audiences faster, build personalised relationships and networking opportunities to targeted audiences. Take Artefact, the contemporary craft fair, where
visitors are encouraged to gain a greater understanding of how one-of-a-kind designs are conceived and made, as
ne glance at the packed aisles in the Design Avenue and on every floor during Focus/22 was enough to confirm that in-person events are back in a big way.
well as acquire unique works to cherish for years to come. “I always really enjoy interacting with craft galleries,” said Jo Le Gleud, co-founder of Maddux Creative and House & Garden Interior Designer of the Year 2022, during her visit to the event. An impressive rollcall of contemporary craft and visual arts galleries including Cavaliero Finn, Katie Jones Gallery, Madeinbritaly and Vessel Gallery will return for the third edition in May 2023. “The Design Centre means a great deal to many
people – it’s a melting pot of ideas and inspiration,” says the Design Centre’s CEO, Claire German. “Showrooms and pop-up House Guests flourish here because every event is carefully curated, and a great deal of effort is put towards their growth.” At Lighting by Design, visitors from residential and hospitality practices were invited to view the beauty and imagination on display in the magnificent Design Avenue and Go with the Glow tours gave more opportunities to delve deeper into their creation. There were strong sculptural shapes by Bethan Gray x Baroncelli and Baccarat that could bring a unique artistic sensibility to a design scheme; artisan skills were on show with Lladró‘s porcelain designs and Curiousa‘s free-blown glass shades; and large-scale installations that could hold their own in a
grand architectural space by Visual Comfort & Co. and Sharon Marston. “We’ve had great feedback on our products, from the right people,” said lighting designer Martin Huxford, who exhibited sculptural pieces on his stand. “It’s been a great show – a nice variety, with bigger names alongside smaller companies, and not the same people you’ve already seen 50 times.” Packed full of showrooms and already the beating
heart of the UK’s design scene, the Design Centre was the obvious setting for the first WOW!house. It was a simple concept, but one with the most ambitious of intentions – to pioneer a sense of wonder, to amaze and to inspire. The moment the doors opened it was clear that the designers had far exceeded expectation and thousands flocked to see it. Nigel Palmer of House of Rohl, which sponsored the bathroom designed by 2LG Studio, could not hide this enthusiasm. “It's fantastic to be part of it – the opportunity to work with leading designers and to create something on a completely open brief, and to mix those together so that people came through the house and had all of these different experiences”. Momentum is already building for WOW!house 2023 in June. It will be an event at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour not to be missed.
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