Go Inside the 2025 WOW!house in London

Perhaps no event turns out the design community quite like a showhouse and for the past four years, the Design Centre in London’s Chelsea area has been drawing an enthusiastic crowd for their annual WOW!house. But unlike other likeminded happenings, where a curated crowd of decorators transform a singular piece of property, this one comes together within the massive building that is home to more than 130 showrooms.

Now open, the 22 spaces crafted by an exceptional roster of esteemed and emerging talents will be welcoming visitors through July 3. Not only a showcase for the designers and participating brands, the annual event helps raise funds for United in Design, a philanthropy conceived by industry titans Sophie Ashby and Alex Dauley that opens the door to careers in interior design for minorities and those from underserved backgrounds.

Visitors to the installation first enter through a striking Georgian facade crafted by UK-based talent Darren Price of Adam Architecture that is enhanced by a storybook courtyard orchestrated by revered local talent Alexander Hoyle. Once inside, guests can explore transportive spaces like a convivial Arts and Crafts drawing room composed by Texas designer Chad Dorsey with Alexander Lamont lighting, Romo fabrics, and a Kyle Bunting rug or a cozy kitchen formulated by Ben Pentreath Studio.

United in Design cofounder Alex Dauley conceived an opulent media room that envelops people in a moody palette of earthy neutrals, heady aromas, and a stirring soundtrack pumped through the Nucleus home automation system. Goddard Littlefair principals Martin Goddard and Jo Littlefair teamed up with Perennials and Sutherland to orchestrate an Andalusia-inspired outdoor area while Alessandra Branca composed a whimsical bedroom perfect for an exuberant bon vivant using a mix of pieces from her own Casa Branca line alongside examples of collectible design sourced from Rose Uniacke, David Gill Gallery, and Paolo Moschino.

“The living room blends asymmetry, history, and personal storytelling,” writes Kelly Hoppen of her sumptuous salon featuring vintage furnishings illuminated by chandeliers and sconces from Visual Comfort while Nicola Harding imagined a powder room as “an intoxicating jewel box for a passionate collector besotted by color.” Each space weaves an imaginative narrative, bringing together a thoughtful mix of new furniture, creative materials, and cherished antique treasures—all of it enhanced by a custom fragrance developed by Jo Malone specifically for this year’s WOW!house.

“There is something magical about walking though a designed space, experiencing first-hand what is normally out of reach,” suggests Claire German, CEO of the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. “There is so much you can learn from masters in their field: color, pattern, layout, lighting, how to integrate art into a room, and so much more. The talent of the ‘WOWzers’ never ceases to amaze us. We’re all incredibly inspired by what we see and learn here, and we cannot wait to share it.”