London Design Week Spring 2026: My Styling and Design Takeaways
Interior Styling Blog for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration
Hi, I’m Sandra, this blog is about interior styling for real homes. If you love interiors and want your home to feel stylish, pulled together, yet still personal, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be sharing styling advice to help you edit, layer, and finish your home with confidence, alongside articles on what’s happening in the interiors world — from design events to colour stories - so you get the full picture.
I also take you on tours of beautifully styled homes from around the world, offering inspiration and styling ideas to steal for your own space. Ultimately, I’ll show you how a little bit of styling can be transformational and take your home to a whole new level.
Today’s post is all about interior inspiration, highlights and stylish details from my trip to London Design Week 2026.
London Design Week always seems to come around so quickly. With spring in the air and that lovely sense of optimism, it’s my favourite show of the year and such an unmissable interiors event. For me, it’s the ultimate place to immerse myself in unlimited design, colour, pattern, and creativity. This season’s programme included the latest product launches, collaborations, plenty of hands-on workshops, fascinating talks plus - with goodie bags, champagne and delicious canapés as an extra bonus at some showrooms - it really felt like one of those exclusive events reserved for VIP industry insiders. The good news is, you don’t have to be press or trade to attend; whether you're an interior designer or simply a home enthusiast, everyone is welcome to be a part of this special event.
My enthusiasm for London Design Week is clearly shared by others too, including Livingetc’s Executive Editor Pip Rich, who described the event as having “such a buzz in the air and so much amazing creativity, positivity and inspiration,” while interior designer Samantha Todhunter called it “the best in the world in my opinion.”
The five-day show takes place at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, home to 600 brands and over 135 showrooms, almost all under one roof. The showrooms themselves are a wonderful mix of fabric and wallcovering brands, as well as lighting, rug, bathroom, furniture, tiling companies and more. Throughout the centre, on display were plenty of stylish vignettes to admire, with layers of home decor, soft furnishings, books and flowers all beautifully displayed. Specially created for the week was the ‘House Guest’ area - pop-up showrooms where 30 additional design companies exhibited. This season, there was an exciting new addition - a multi-brand marketplace, The Design Emporium Collective, which was overflowing with everything from furniture to tableware. I will be taking a deeper dive into this in the summer.
Alongside the showrooms and House Guests, there were creative workshops, demonstrations and insightful talks, including Conversations in Design hosted by the leading interior magazines including The World of Interiors, House & Gardens and Elle Decoration, involving some of the world's most celebrated interior designers such as Martin Brudnizki and Kit Kemp. Sophie, who has styled many shoots with me over the years, joined me as usual for Design Week, and together we took part in several hands-on sessions, which this season involved painting wallpaper, block printing and candle making. We also went to a number of talks, including a particularly interesting one on Feng Shui. Read on to find out more.
As always, I came away full of fresh ideas and inspiration to share. It would take me a month to cover everything at the Design Centre, but here are a few of my takeaways to give you an overall feel for the event. And if you would like to attend the autumn show - Focus on Design, it is on from September 14th–19th. For more information go to www.dcch.co.uk
Photos: Sandra van Aalst - images top left: Stark, top right: Ralph Lauren, bottom left: Watts 1874, bottom right: Pierre Fray. All following photos in the article are by Sandra van Aalst unless otherwise stated.
SPRING BLOOMS AT THE DESIGN CENTRE LONDON
Many brands were launching their spring collections and seasonal blooms were in abundance, but one of the most impressive sights for me was at the entrance to the Design Centre. Over a dozen white pots in different heights, sizes and shapes were brimming spring flowers, creating such a breathtaking display and setting the tone for the show. It has inspired me to swap out my bunch of different pots for all white ones.
The flowers were a striking mix of spring blooms including daffodils, paperwhites, tulips and a few grape hyacinths for that essential hint of purple. Some were potted bulbs, while the larger containers had been styled as arrangements with tulips, daffodils, foliage and branches of blossom. Three pots were elevated on plinths for added interest, which gave the whole display height and balance. If you’d like to see last year’s display and read more about styling spring flowers, you can take a look at my Styling Spring Blooms feature.
GOING DOWN MEADOW LANE AT RALPH LAUREN
We started at the Ralph Lauren Home showroom, where they unveiled their new Spring/Summer 2026 collection, Meadow Lane. It was such an uplifting way to begin the show with fresh meadow flowers, gorgeous fabrics on display and delicious coffee, of course! Ralph Lauren Home has always taken a pioneering lifestyle approach, which was so evident in this current collection that celebrates timeless coastal living capturing the essence of charming homes by the sea. Looking at all the different blue-and-white prints made us think of those long summer days and balmy evenings. As Ralph Lauren puts it, “Summer is more than a season. It's a natural world of endless blue skies, the ocean, green fields, and white fences, rusticity and elegance with a quality of light that inspires dreamers year after year."
KIT KEMP IN CONVERSATION AND SIGNING COPIES OF HER BOOK
Kit Kemp is a visionary designer and co-founder of the luxury boutique Firmdale Hotels. Her aesthetic is often described as bold, colourful and whimsical, with a kaleidoscope of colour and pattern that blurs the lines between traditional and contemporary style. We joined Kit at the GP & J Baker showroom in conversation with their creative director and Homes & Gardens editor Jo Bailey, as they discussed the design journey behind their second fabric and wallpaper collaboration. Kit was also launching her beautiful new book, Design Stories, at the event and I was delighted that she signed a copy for me. Back at home it feels like more than just a book; it’s also the perfect styling accessory for my new shelving.
A BESPOKE WALLCOVERING WORKSHOP AT LINCRUSTA
We stopped off at the Lincrusta showroom for an interactive demonstration showing how the world’s most deeply embossed wallcoverings can be transformed with paint finishes and layering techniques. We were given a choice of several designs and paints to work with. I chose gold, while Sophie went for gold combined with pink, and we each left with our very own customised piece.
It also struck me that these embossed wallcoverings are a wonderful way of adding texture and something unique to an interior scheme. I was inspired to think about using them on a new headboard idea I’d been planning, so Alison from Lincrusta showed me a beautiful example of a headboard, pictured here, in a contemporary hotel bedroom setting. This design is the Elizabeth, a regal pattern that mirrors the orderly geometric motifs favoured in 16th-century English stately homes. It, like all of the Lincrusta wallcoverings, adds a sense of grandeur and elegance to any interior today.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Lincrusta
UNVEILING OF THE NEW COLLECTION FROM MINDTHEGAP
MindTheGap are celebrating ten years and, since launching in 2016, have become something of a sensation for their artistic bravery in design, taking historical patterns and giving them a rebellious, creative twist through bold colour and pattern in a way that is fearless and fresh.
For their latest richly textured collection, they draw on their Transylvanian roots, shaped by the romance and free spirit of their enchanted homeland. One of my biggest takeaways from Design Week was a renewed confidence to use colour and pattern, which spending time at the MindTheGap showroom confirmed further. The team are endlessly creative and have just launched a newspaper and a video on Instagram so fans and visitors can discover more about their brand and story. I will be writing a full feature on this fascinating company, so do watch this space.
DELFT TILE PAINTING AT CA’ PIETRA
To mark the launch of their new collection, we joined resident artist Aaron Hammond for a hands-on Delft tile painting workshop, exploring pattern and craftsmanship over drinks, nibbles and informal networking. Originating from the Dutch town of Delft in the 16th century, the tiles remain popular today. Traditionally defined by their blue-and-white palette, Delft tiles are typically square in shape, with delicate corner motifs and a central design such as a windmill, bird or flower.
Ca’ Pietra always produces the most sophisticated tiles in beautifully considered designs, but their Spring/Summer 26 collection takes a more grounded view of luxury, with a focus on tactile materials and the beauty of natural variation.
ARTIST DESIGNS AND JARDIN À LA FRANÇAISE AT PIERRE FREY
When we first walked into the Pierre Frey showroom, we were immediately struck by wallcoverings and fabrics that felt as though they had been imagined by an artist. Pictured left is Mémoires Colorées - a collection of fabrics, wallpapers and rugs created by Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave in collaboration with Patrick Frey and his creative studio.
The next section of the showroom, pictured right, was reminiscent of the gardens of Versailles, with wallpaper, cushions and curtains reflecting the refined geometry of formal parterres alongside lush vegetation. This was the Jardin à la Française, a collection that captures Pierre Frey’s wonderfully inventive and eclectic way of drawing inspiration from both the past and cultures around the world. Having recently purchased a chair upholstered in one of Pierre Frey's outdoor fabrics, in a small ikat print, I am proud to have a little piece of Maison Pierre Frey in my own home.
ASHLEY STARK’S COLLECTION AT STARK
We arrived at Stark just in time for a talk with a panel of guest speakers, who shared their tips on sourcing, buying secrets and turning plans into reality. It was full of valuable advice, especially for interior designers. Alongside the talk, the family-run company was presenting a spring-focused launch celebrating light through colour, geometry and form.
This included a stunning collection from Ashley Stark, pictured left beside her Alicia rug, which offers a fresh take on the classic stripe motif. Pictured right in the showroom window is another of Ashley’s designs, Cicely, which brings in bright accent colours and offers a modern take on a classic Oushak design, hand-knotted from pure wool.
As well as playing a major role in Stark, which began in 1938 and is now in its third generation, Ashley has also established her own brand, Ashley Stark Home, which focuses on rugs, lighting, and home décor.
Photo credit: image left courtesy of STARK
ARTISTIC CREATIVITY AND DESIGN TALK AT WATTS 1874
Having visited Chelsea Harbour for well over a decade, this was my first time stepping into the Watts 1874 showroom, drawn in by my favourite shades of pink, green and blue. Inside, I was greeted by a feast for the eyes: exquisite silks, trimmings, rich velvets, hand-blocked wallpapers, chinoiserie and iconographic tapestries as murals, fabrics and wallcoverings.
We joined the talk from the CEO and design director, which included the vision shaping the future of the company. I instantly became a fan of the whole look and soon learned that, with its remarkable artistic creativity, it features in the interiors of some of the world’s most aspirational hotels and restaurants, including the Four Seasons Boston and Dubai, as well as Carbone in London. Specialising in bespoke design, Watts 1874 draws inspiration from the past to shape the present. Although it is a fifth-generation family firm, it embraces modern technology and wonderfully non-conformist fabrics and wallcoverings, often bold in both colour and scale.
BEAUTIFUL STYLING AT ROMO
I always look forward to popping into the Romo showroom because it is styled so beautifully, like a real-life interior, with such thoughtful attention to detail. Pictured right is a sofa upholstered in a gorgeous cinnamon-toned striped fabric from their Otillo range. A contemporary coffee table and side table add real contrast to the scheme, styled with books, wooden beads and a plant. On the left is one of those earthenware lamps where its luxurious fabric shade, complete with trim, shows how rustic and refined can pair beautifully together. It is sitting on a plinth, which is another styling detail that we are seeing more of as it adds height and presence to vases, lamps and sculptures, or whatever you choose to place on it.
Founded in 1902, Romo is a fifth-generation, family-run British design house, celebrated for its innovative approach to design. The company brings together six brands, all creating market-leading fabrics, wallcoverings and accessories, including Zinc Textile, where I discovered the most exquisite fabric for my own bedroom curtains.
A MODERN BLOCK-PRINT WORKSHOP AT PHILLIP JEFFRIES
We joined the team at Phillip Jeffries for a fun hands-on block-print workshop, pictured right, to celebrate the new Drama collection. It was such a lovely way to learn about the process and see how modern design can be brought to life through traditional printmaking. We were each given a canvas bag and a choice of paint colours, which we painted onto a perspex sheet before using a roller to transfer the paint onto the block. With a little pressure, we held it in place on the bag for up to a minute before revealing a gorgeous block-printed design to take home.
Now in its fourth decade, Phillip Jeffries has become known as an industry leader in natural, textured and speciality wallcoverings. Pictured left is a vintage-inspired print wallcovering with an all-over pattern that has the look of a hand-stamped block print. The muted hues of this collection are printed on beautifully textured wallcoverings, which add colour and depth to a room like the stunning bathroom shown here.
Photo left: Courtesy of Phillip Jeffries
A LESSON IN FENG SHUI FOR THE BEDROOM AT SAVOIR
We attended a fascinating talk at Savoir on Feng Shui by Master Angela Ang, who explained that when it comes to Feng Shui, the bedroom is the most impactful room in the home. She shared practical design tips for creating a calmer space that supports restorative sleep and overall wellbeing. I was surprised to learn that this involves not only where your bed is positioned - with a bed against a solid wall being ideal - but also what sits above it. Features such as exposed vertical beams, overhead storage, and pendant lights hanging directly above your head can all have a negative impact on sleep.
Savoir beds were first created for The Savoy Hotel in 1905 and have been slept in by some of history’s most famous names, including Sir Winston Churchill, Giacomo Puccini, and Marilyn Monroe. Made using the finest natural materials, they are the definition of pure luxury. One of my favourites is the Hugo bed, pictured here. Inspired by the refined detailing of British stately homes, it is one of Savoir's most luxurious beds. With its softly winged headboard, it feels like a modern interpretation of classic furniture-making traditions and brings a timeless elegance to any interior.
Photo credit: Michael Sinclair courtesy of Savoir
STYLED SETTING BY LIGHTS&LAMPS
We stopped off at the House Guests section to look at the latest designs that lights&lamps were launching at Design Week. Here they presented chandeliers, pendants, wall lights, floor and table lamps. The brand focuses on traditional British design, with their new collection Avenue&Acre, being described as a classical revival. The pop-up showroom had been tastefully styled with their lights, and paired with contemporary furniture, books and accessories. They also had my favourite item on display - the portable lamp - which is a styling dream as there is no need for a cable or electricity; you can arrange it on surfaces like shelves and tables. In the image on the right, one of their portable lamps with a marble base and linen shade has been styled on a shelf next to books and ceramic vessels. Suiting every interior style, at nighttime this lamp would add a warm glow and look stylish wherever it’s placed. If you would like to find out more about portable lamps, you can also read my feature on these brilliant styling staples.
SHOWSTOPPERS AT THE DESIGN CENTRE
I have always admired the vast white egg-shaped planters, pictured here, that are permanent fixtures at the Design Centre and now surround the restaurant in the North Dome. They look especially stunning next to planters filled with beautiful pink spring blooms.
Alongside the passementerie showrooms, including Samuel & Sons and Houlès - tassels and trims were in abundance, especially in showrooms that had soft furnishings. Cushions, curtains and lampshades all had that extra layer of detail which works whether an interior is modern or classic.
Visible from all floors and suspended from the top of the Centre Dome, pictured right, was a show-stopping installation constructed of 500 individual handmade tassels from Samuel & Sons. It was designed using five colourway and stood an impressive 10 metres tall.
Since visiting Focus on Design last autumn, I have also become a fan of passementerie and now have three cushions adorned with gorgeous trims. You can purchase the cushion complete with a trim, or buy the trim separately and attach it to one of your own cushions. It really gives cushions, lampshades and other soft furnishings a sophisticated edge and that subtle sense of luxury.
THE BLITHFIELD BOOK CLUB
With so many showrooms and pop-up stands to visit, brands that offer that little bit extra during Design Week, whether through a workshop, talk or demonstration, always draw a crowd. Blithfield certainly did that. They are a boutique British textile house renowned for their beautifully printed textiles and wallpapers. Rooted in its rich historic archive, Blithfield fuses vintage inspiration with contemporary energy to create timeless collections.
Along with a talk from the co-founders Anne Dubbs and Liz Downing, who met as two American women living in London in 1994, Blithfield invited us to discover their new Melrose collection. There were dozens of surprise books, all beautifully wrapped in one of the wallpaper designs from the range. We were invited to choose a pattern that most enticed us to sit in a room and read, then take the book home and let it inspire us to reimagine our own interior landscape.
A DESIGN TALK AT FRATO
Frato hosted a talk with Armaghan Okohvan of Arma Interiors, highlighting the care, precision and vision behind contemporary Portuguese design. One point that really stayed with me was her description of furniture as being like architecture for the home, which is exactly how I feel about my sofa. The right piece shapes the space rather than simply disappearing into the background.
After the talk, we toured the showroom, which had been cleverly divided into different room settings, including a bedroom and living area. Pictured on the right is one of the spaces, a seating area with contemporary-style sofas and side tables styled beautifully with books. What I found especially striking is the wall art – three circular framed fabric panels in different colourways, which felt like such a creative way to add interest to a plain wall.
I would describe Frato’s interior style as quiet luxury, and they have a timeless collection which spans furniture, lighting, upholstery and outdoor designs. Around the showroom, there were also mood boards on display, including the one above featuring fabrics for soft furnishings, upholstery and hard materials such as wood finishes for tables. Through images, textures and colours, a mood board can help give you a vision and understanding of whether your chosen materials feel cohesive and work together.
CANDLE MAKING AT KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING
Candles and diffusers play a special role in creating an interior that smells as beautiful as it looks. Neither Sophie nor I had ever made a candle before, so we were both keen to join. The mindful candle-making experience was held at the showroom of Karndean Designflooring and centred around wellbeing, using premium oils and soy wax. In less than an hour, we each created a personalised candle with our chosen scent to take home.
The process itself was surprisingly simple. The wax was melted in a special heater at a high temperature before being poured into a glass jar with a wick we had positioned earlier. We then added 30 drops of fragrance, stirred it carefully, and then let it cool for several hours.
When I first walked into the Karndean showroom, I was admiring the décor and what I assumed were stunning marble floors, so I was genuinely surprised to discover that they were actually vinyl. Inspired by nature, Karndean creates beautiful luxury vinyl floors, from marble herringbone and Basque oak to a Kaleidoscope range which has a striking 3D effect. I have luxury vinyl at home myself, and while it looks convincingly like stone, it is so much more practical, warmer underfoot, and far more forgiving when you drop a glass!
NEW COLLABORATION AT JULIAN CHICHESTER
We attended a talk in the showroom of furniture designer Julian Chichester with Ed O’Donnell, co-founder and creative director of Angel O’Donnell, and Jodie Hopkins, CEO of Julian Chichester. Here they shared the story behind their collaboration – from the initial inspiration to the final finishing touches, resulting in a beautifully crafted collection of furniture, including the sideboard pictured here on the right.
The showroom was full of standout pieces, from a vast rattan pendant to tactile wool chairs and colourful rugs, art and soft furnishings. With its mix of colours and designs, I felt as though I’d been transported to a far-flung place. What I love about Julian Chichester is that the designs feel eclectic, individual and evolving, yet are not a slave to trends. As Julian Chichester says himself: "I have never felt as if I had to maintain a particular style or repeatedly use the same materials. Over the years, influences have changed, materials have changed, and we keep moving on, experimenting and mixing it up."
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT THE DESIGN CENTRE
It was lovely to meet Angela Murray, who is currently an artist in residence at the Design Centre and works from her studio there each day on both her own collections and bespoke commissions. Sophie had already spotted one of her gorgeous canvases of soft, delicate flowers and was keen to attend her talk. Angela welcomed us, along with several others, into her working studio, sharing her inspiration and creative process while painting at the easel. I was especially interested to learn that she is sometimes given a poem that she brings to life in a painting. Angela showed us a piece she had created for a client from the poem The Shipping Forecast by Seamus Heaney.
Art is such an important part of an interior scheme, and one particularly interesting styling tip Angela shared with us was that a dark frame nearly always works best, whether slim or chunky, because it tends to create a stronger contrast with the artwork. Before we left, Angela encouraged us to visit another showroom to view a mixed display of artists' work, pictured here on the right.
LET’S SUM UP
I hope you enjoyed my round up of Design Week, and got a feel for the buzz surrounding this wonderful interiors event. If you are in London in September, it’s well worth a visit. For more information visit the Design Centre at: www.dcch.co.uk. If you want to see what was on last September, you may like to read my review of Focus on Design 2025.
