What To Do In London - The Ultimate Design Guide For The City Of Art

London is a world capital of exquisite design. From art galleries to design events, this European city is filled with experiences any design lover will fall head over heels for. This guide was created to help you navigate the incredibly diverse list of events, exhibitions, and installation, taking place across the English capital. Explore UK’s best talents: from top interior designers to emerging talents. Discover what to do in London – Where to go: the best hotels, restaurants, and bars. What to visit: from museums, shopping streets to the most iconic landmarks. We hope you’ll enjoy exploring what to do in London through our city guide dedicated to the celebration of design.

London Events You Can’t Miss

London Design Festival (14 – 22 September 2019)

The vision of the London Design Festival is to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world. The Festival is made up of over 400 events and exhibitions staged by over 300 partner organizations across the design spectrum and from around the world. The Festival also commissions and curates its own program of Landmark Projects, Projects at the V&A, and Special Commissions throughout the city.

100 % Design (18 – 21 September 2019)

100% Design is the largest and longest-running design trade event for design professionals in the UK. Celebrating a quarter-century of unearthing some of the industry’s most influential people, this year’s show will be an unmissable destination for design and innovation.

London Design Fair (19 – 22 September 2019)

Located in the creative heart of East London, London Design Fair is a four-day event that happens during the London Design Festival. It brings 550 exhibitors from 40 countries together, including independent designers, well-established brands, international country pavilions, features, and exhibitions.

Designjunction (19 – 22 September 2019)

Presenting breakthrough brands which shape design today, designjunction is the interior design show you don’t want to miss! As part of the newest Design District of London Design Festival, this event is packed full; whether you’re searching for inspiration, sourcing items for a project or looking to connect with some of the best in the industry, designjunction puts visitors at the heart of the creative community.

PAD London (30 September – 6 October 2019)

Set in the vibrant heart of Mayfair, PAD is London’s leading fair for 20th Century art, design and decorative arts. Inspiring a unique spirit of collecting, PAD epitomizes how modern art, photography, design, decorative and tribal arts interact to reveal astonishing combinations and to create the most individual and staggering interiors. Prominent international galleries from major cities across Europe, North America and Asia come together to offer an exceptional panorama of the most coveted and iconic works available on the market today.

DECOREX (6 – 9 October 2019)

Decorex International is Europe’s leading event for interior design professionals. Established for over 40 years, Decorex will open its doors during October. Each year the event curates a four-day show presenting next-level design from across the world, presenting interior products, projects and perspectives – and the people who create them.

NEXT YEAR

Clerkenwell Design Week (19 – 21 May 2020)

Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet, making it truly one of the most important design hubs in the world. To celebrate this rich and diverse community, Clerkenwell Design Week has created a showcase of leading the UK and international brands and companies presented in a series of showroom events, exhibitions and special installations that take place across the area.

London Festival Of Architecture (1 – 30 June 2020)

The London Festival of Architecture takes place during the month of June, featuring exhibitions and installations, talks and debates, open studios, tours, family activities, film screenings, student shows and architecture evenings which focus on the importance of architecture and design in London today.

Design Districts

Design Districts are a key component of the London Design Festival with each Design District constituting a cluster of events within a short walking distance of each other, enabling visitors to navigate the 400 events. Wondering what to do in London? These design districts might be the answer!

Mayfair Design District

Mayfair is a leading destination for contemporary & collectible design in London. Mayfair welcomes back Achille Salvagni Atelier, The New Craftsmen, Sketch, Galerie kreo, and Gallery FUMI, as well as new partners including The Grosvenor Estate, David Gill Gallery, LOEWE, Phillips and Gabriel Scott amongst others.

King’s Cross

King’s Cross, London’s newest creative quarter and retail destination, becomes a Design District for the first time. Already home to incredible design brands, the District will see some of the biggest names in the area open their doors to the public, presenting exhibitions, installations, talks and much more – as well as welcoming back designjunction.

Clerkenwell Design Quarter

Clerkenwell Design Quarter is home to some of the most influential contemporary design innovators in the world. Take time to explore the area with its ancient alleyways and historic buildings bordered by the much-feted Brutalist gem, the Barbican Estate. Clerkenwell was famed in the 18th century for its printing, drinking, and thinking. Now it is a hotbed of international design, with showrooms and studios specializing in furniture, lighting, kitchens, bathrooms, surfaces – as well as a large population of architects busy shaping the city.

Pimlico Road Design District

Belgravia’s Pimlico Road is one of London’s most prominent areas for interior design, art, antiques, and fine furniture. Pimlico Road Design District has recently welcomed a number of contemporary design brands, complementing the well-established showrooms that have long defined the area. Pimlico Road will host a series of demonstrations and talks, enabling visitors to take a behind-the-scenes look into the showrooms of some of the most evocative names in design.

Art Galleries

David Gill Gallery

David Gill Gallery opened in 2012 and exhibits the work of some of the world’s most successful contemporary artists and designers. During more than 25 years, Gill has constructed an amazing portfolio of modern artists and designers whom he frequently exhibits. Many of the pieces he has collaborated on with artists have now joined museum collections worldwide and won international prizes.

Address: 2-4 King St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6QP, United Kingdom

Gallery FUMI

Founded in 2008, the gallery focuses on high-level, conceptually and aesthetically audacious contemporary designers and artists, each one encompassing the value of craftsmanship, traditional techniques and revolutionized new technologies. Besides this, the gallery is an important presence at international design fairs.

Address: 2 Hay Hill, Mayfair, London W1J 6AS, United Kingdom

Themes & Variations Gallery

Recognized by Le Monde as “a mythical, astonishing gallery”, Themes & Variations is a leading specialist in post-war and modern design. Opened in 1984, the art gallery has a reputation for forestalling new design trends through a selection of works that reflects the best of unique design, including furniture, ceramics, and fine art pieces.

Address: 231 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 2SE, United Kingdom

Carpenters Workshop Gallery

Vigorously involved in the research and production of the limited-edition creative works exhibited, Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s main goal is to produce and to exhibit functional sculptures by worldwide rising and established artists and designers.

Address: 4 Albemarle Street, W1S 4GA London, United Kingdom

Achille Salvagni Atelier

In 2015, Achille Salvagni opened his inaugural Atelier in the heart of London in order to showcase his increasing collection of limited-edition furniture and lighting pieces with unique details that are the result of scrupulous craftsmanship and historical reflection.

Address: 12 Grafton St, Mayfair, London W1S 4ER, United Kingdom

Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design London

Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design is a leading international gallery of contemporary art and collectible design. Centralized in all Europe, the gallery works with a range of collectors and offers a platform for up-and-coming talents to showcase their exceptional design’s pieces.

Address: 15-16 Brook’s Mews, Mayfair, London W1K 4DS, United Kingdom

Saatchi Gallery

Opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985 in order to exhibit his collection to the public, the Saatchi Gallery aims to offer a pioneering forum for contemporary art, showcasing work by young artists or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the United Kingdom.

Address: Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY, United Kingdom

Serpentine Galleries

The Serpentine Galleries are among London’s most popular art venues showing modern art. Situated at Kensington Gardens, these spaces present a program of contemporary art and architecture that follows all the seasons of the year.

Address: Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA, United Kingdom

Barbican Gallery

Opened in 1982 as a world-class art and learning center, the Barbican pushes the limits of all major art forms: the visual arts program has incorporated art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and film.

Address: Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom

Sarah Myerscough Gallery

Sarah Myerscough Gallery represents highly-skilled international artist-designer-makers, whose practices are grounded in craftsmanship traditions but defined by contemporary innovation. This space embraces the complex intersections between history and future: hand and technology, form and function.

Address: The Old Boathouse, 1 White Hart Ln, London SW13 0PX, United Kingdom

Whitechapel Gallery

Founded in 1901 with the principal goal to “bring great art to the people of the East End of London’”, the famous Whitechapel Gallery hosts the best of distinctive arts and crafts. The glorious building was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend.

Address: 77-82 Whitechapel High St, Shadwell, London E1 7QX, United Kingdom

Tate Modern

Tate Modern holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art. Tate Modern is actually one of the largest art galleries on the planet.

Address: Bankside, London SE1 9TG, United Kingdom

Must-Visit Museums

The Science Museum

The Science Museum is an unbelievable and incredible museum that features seven floors of entertaining and educational exhibits. Founded in 1857, this museum is a great place to see, touch and experience science first-hand.

Address: Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD, United Kingdom

The Design Museum

A captivating and charming museum that explores contemporary design and modern architecture. Inside the Design Museum, it is possible to discover more artistic ways: fashion to graphics, product, and industrial design. Besides this, it is full of free temporary exhibitions, pop-ups, and bookable displays.

Address: 224-238 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 6AG, United Kingdom

V & A Museum

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.3 million objects that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. Founded in 1852, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a vanguard of art and design and struggles to promote the practice of design and its appreciation of the world.

Address: Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL, United Kingdom

The British Museum

The British Museum is a public institution dedicated to human history, art and culture. With over 5.8 million annual visitors, this marvelous museum founded in 1753 has a remarkable collection of art and antiquities, from ancient and modern culture.

Address: Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG, United Kingdom

National Gallery

With nearly 5 million visitors each year, the National Gallery was founded in 1824. This place houses unique paintings from the 13^th – 19^th centuries including Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Holbein, Goya, Monet, and Van Gogh.

Address: Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, London WC2N 5DN, United Kingdom

British Library

Located at St. Pancras in London, the British Library was established as an independent institution in 1973 and it is the largest library in the world, with well over 150 million items in its collection. One curiosity: this incredible library is home of important manuscripts with a huge historic relevance.

Address: 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB, United Kingdom

National History Museum

The National History Museum exhibits a massive variety of specimens from various segments of natural history. Actually, this remarkable British space is a world-class visitor attraction and leading science research center.

Address: Cromwell Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom

Museum of London

The Museum of London is the world’s largest urban museum, filled with historic objects and exhibitions telling the story of magic London’s past. Inside this beautiful museum, it is possible to discover everything about one of the most famous cities in the world: since the prehistoric London to the contemporary British capital.

Address: 150 London Wall, Barbican, London EC2Y 5HN, United Kingdom

Meet London’s Top Interior Designers

David Collins Studio

David Collins signature style aims for aesthetically pleasing practicality, adding vivacious flare to rational and sophisticated design. Almost three decades later, David Collins Studio has flourished under founder David Collins and Iain Watson’s encouraging and enthusiastic leadership.

Martin Brudnizki

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio’s devotion to functionality and love of layering diverse materials, textures, and styles, allows them to craft an environment personal and unique to each client’s specific lifestyle.

Kelly Hoppen

With over 40 years’ experience at the forefront of the design industry, Kelly Hoppen is one of the most celebrated and sought-after interior designers in the world. Kelly’s globally renowned and ever-evolving style is defined by a subtle fusion of East meets West.

Tom Dixon

Tom Dixon is a British designer with a commitment to innovation and a mission to revive the British design industry. The brand is inspired by the nation’s unique heritage and produces extraordinary objects for everyday use.

Studio Ashby

Led by its Creative Director, Sophie Ashby, Studio Ashby creates spaces with a unique identity. Ashby’s aim is to bring authenticity to each project, not only in the selection of furniture, lighting, and art but in its use of a natural palette of materials and textures.

Campbell-Rey

Campbell-Rey is a design partnership and creative consultancy founded by Duncan Campbell and Charlotte Rey. Working fluently across the fields of design, interiors, and creative direction, their practice is united by a grounding in culture, a sense of irreverence and a playful, elegant aesthetic.

Oliver Burns

Famous for creating beautiful and luxurious homes, Oliver Burns is one of the top-level interior design studios. He is a London based luxury architectural interior design studio that thoughtfully designs the world’s finest homes.

Taylor Howes

Founded in 1993, Taylor Howes is a London-based interior design practise that works both, at a national and international level, creating bespoke interiors that are elegant and distinctive. Karen Howes is the Founder and Chief Executive at the helm of this incredibly successful studio.

Fiona Barratt

Fiona Barratt Interiors was formed in 2006 by the award-winning designer and entrepreneur Fiona Barratt-Campbell, one of Britain’s leading ﬁgures in the international interior design world. Being involved at every stage, Fiona believes, enables her to deliver the exemplary service reflecting her aesthetic.

Francis Sultana

Francis Sultana is one of the world’s foremost interior and furniture designers. This year he celebrates the tenth anniversary of his eponymous studio. The atelier studio is based in St James’s in the same building as David Gill Gallery, of which Sultana is also Artistic Director.

Helen Green

Helen Green Design is a comprehensive design studio synonymous with the creation of beautifully crafted interiors. At Helen Green Design, they believe that it is essential to tailor a design solution that is a combination of both the client’s aspirations and tastes.

Katharine Pooley

Katharine Pooley design studio was established for over fourteen years ago. The company has succeeded to create bespoke interiors for the most discerning clients. The Katharine Pooley design studio continues to win commissions for landmark commercial and residential projects in London and worldwide.