An Exclusive Selection of Must-Visit Places for London Design Festival ⇒ With the London Design Festival just around the corner, CovetED has gathered an exclusive selection of some of the most extraordinary places that design enthusiasts and professionals should pay a visit as the prestigious event is taking place. From the best design events to showrooms as well as local establishments to experience, this is the perfect time to visit London as it is brimming with creativity and innovation at every corner.

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This article will act as a guide that will give you a closer look at the festival’s diverse output, from the understated to the flamboyant, the commercial to the conceptual, and the practical to the improbable. This London guide was created to help you navigate through the incredibly diverse list of events, exhibitions, and installations, taking place across the capital. Enjoy exploring this year’s edition with this amazing city guide dedicated to celebrating design.

Major Design Events

Decorex

16-19 September | Syon Park

Decorex is internationally renowned for being one of the best platforms to find the most coveting concepts and products regarding interior design, which are developed by emerging and well-established talents. This year’s edition will take precedence from 16-19 September in Syon Park. In this event, you can expect to see luxury brands like Covet House (H47), Boca do Lobo and Rug Society (H42), Luxxu and Pullcast (H45), Casamance (C24), Lasvit (H33), Nicholas Haslam (B37), THG Paris (Booth C37) as well as Santorus.

In this year’s edition, the Decorex team introduced a strict application process, slightly reducing the overall size of the event, raising the standards for visitors. The iconic champagne bar has also been redesigned by Lambart & Browne, recognized for numerous hospitality projects in London, under the theme “Bon viveur”, taking the form of tent structure on a raised platform adorned with luxury furniture pieces, and elegant lighting features.

Other features you ought to check out …

• Tricia Guild O.B.E (founder of Designers Guild) “A life in design” talk on 18th September at 13h. Tricia and Ben Spriggs, Executive Editor or Elle Decoration, discuss Designers Guild, Tricia’s love for patterns and colours, as well as her work with Maggie’s charity project;
• Don’t miss a formidable panel with Matteo Bianchi, Katharine Pooley, Staffan Tollgard, Jo Hamilton and Letitia Fitzgibbon – “From project to product: an interior designers take on product design”, on the 17th September, at 15h, where the group will discuss the growing trend of interior designers experimenting with a product,
• Be sure to visit stand H42 to meet Rug’ Society and Boca do Lobo, the rug and furniture maker duo that break the boundaries of design and conventional aesthetics, in their fields of speciality.

100% Design

19 – 22 of September | Olympia London

Considered one of the best destinations in the beloved London Design Festival, 100% Design is actually the largest and longest-running design trade event for industry professionals in the UK. From 12-19 September, this will become the best place to find the most appealing interior design trends, inspirations as well as emerging talents.

This year, the event has introduced brand-new features, including the affluent area of West Kensington Design District, 100% Features that celebrates forward-thinking design, 100% Forward that honours emerging talents in sectors like lighting, textiles, furniture and product design, 100% Build London, which is a show dedicating for the construction and architectural industry, Design Best Sale Shop, among many other attractive exhibitions. You can expect to hear from some of the world’s best designers and architects in the show’s talks, including Marcel Wanders, Kelly Hoppen, Thomas Heatherwick, Philippe Starck, John Hitchcox, Jade Jagger, Mark Davison and Steve Leung

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Discover the Stellar Programme and Speakers of Talks with 100% Design

100% Design also grants the opportunity for one to meet some of the best luxury design brands in the world, including DelightFull and Essential Home (Booth L421), Antoniolupi (L330), Tuuci (Booth L257), Vincent Sheppard (Booth L360), and countless others.

Focus/ 18

16-21 September | Design Centre Chelsea Harbour

Located in the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, Focus is recognised as a primary destination for creative excellence. Each year, the event gathers thousands of makers and thinkers from the industries of interior design, architecture and fashion. Colour will be one of the main aesthetics for the upcoming edition. Alexandra Champalimaud will present her latest outdoor collection that she designed for Holland & Sherry whereas Carley Bean, Cole & Son’s head of design will showcase the brand’s new Botanical collection with ‘live’ painting and a gin tasting.

Designjunction

20-23 September

In 2018, designjunction has found a new location in the cultural hub of the South Bank. The event will take place from 20-23 September and will encompass a combination of global furniture, lighting, accessory, material and technology brands, who have the opportunity to meet, do business and be inspired by one another. The event hosts numerous pop-up shops, installations and interactive features, making Designjunction one of the most exclusive and prestigious events in London and worldwide.

⇒ See Other Events to Explore During London Design Festival ⇐

Design Districts

One of the most important components of this marvellous design week is London’s highly curated design districts. Each one features a cluster of events and exhibitions that allow visitors to truly enjoy the extraordinary lifestyle and design essence of London. Now, take a look at a few exhibitions you must see in each one of these exceptional districts.

Bankside Design District

• Tate Edit Design Week Tate Edit – Tate Modern | 15-23 September 2018 – Tate Edit is excited to be taking part in LDF this September. Tate Edit offers art and objects for your home, chosen by Tate. We will be holding a number of events with designers, makers and authors in the store throughout the festival, ranging from workshops, talks and product launches.
• CitizenM Bankside Secret Garden | 16 September 2018 – Secret Garden at Bankside Design District’s hub. As part of its annual Secret Garden series, citizenM Bankside has commissioned The Spaces in Between, a planted installation by Carly Rogers Flowers.

Brompton Design District

• “Design for living” By B&B Italia | 15-23 September 2018 | 250, Brompton Road
• Nature meets Interior Architecture at Liaigre | 15-23 September 2018 | 68-70 Fulham Road – A collaboration with Liaigre, Rainforest is an immersive installation arranged as a large mobile playing with shadows and the soothing sounds of porcelain. Inspired by nature, it highlights a link between the finest materials such as wood and ceramic and the interior architecture house.
• Pentagram X 14-18 NOW By 14-18 NOW | 15-23 September 2018 | Victoria and Albert Museum, London – London Design Festival is collaborating with 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary – on a commissioned project inspired by the First World War concept of Dazzle.
• CITCO SHOWROOM | 15-23 September 2018| 270 Brompton Rd, London – After the first collaboration with Zaha Hadid in 2012, in 2016 CITCO starts its collaborations with renowned international designers such as Stefano Bigi, Norman Foster, Arik Levy, Daniel Libeskind, Jean Nouvel and Ora ïto enriching its Design Collection of lamps, tables, complements, vases and shelves, each with a different way of interpreting the material.
• Arvo Pärt X Arup: Memory & Light | 15-23 September 2018 | Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Clerkenwell Design Quarter

• Celebrate 80 years of design and discover our 2018 collection by Knoll | 17-21 September 2018 | 91 Goswell Road London
• Zaha Hadid Gallery | 18-22 September 2018 |101 Goswell Road – Exhibited for the first time in London, the Gallery will feature recent product collaborations including Zaha Hadid Design for Royal Thai, Zaha Hadid Architects for Nagami and an exhibition by the studio’s Computation & Design research group (ZHCODE).

Fitzrovia Design District

• Dodo Pavone Travels from The Museum of Extinct Animals By Moooi | 15 & 17-22 September 2018 | 23 Great Titchfield Street London – Participants of The Museum of Extinct Animals, first shown during Salone del Mobile this year, have started their own adventures and London showroom is delighted to welcome glorious Dodo Pavone. The Museum of Extinct Animals celebrates nature’s diversity, offering endless creative inspiration.
• Joyce Wang Studio presents FLINT: a collection of terrazzo objects | 15-21 September 2018 | 1 Warren Mews London

Mayfair Design District

Quality and craftsmanship are two of the main focus of this exceptional district. It gathers interactive exhibitions from the best galleries. Once known as a more traditional location, The Mayfair Design District now showcases how evolving and opened it has become when it comes to contemporary and collectable design.

⇒ Here’s an article full of upcoming exhibitions that will be taking place at Mayfair Design District ⇐

Pimlico Road Design District

An Immersion in the World of Craftsmanship showcasing the Art of Marquetry by LINLEY | 17 September 2018 | 60 Pimlico Road, Belgravia – On this evening, LINLEY’s master craftsman will concentrate on surface design and will do a live demonstration of marquetry techniques as they create small samples. The marquetry technique can be applied to any furniture pieces or decorative small objects with smooth, veneerable surfaces.

Regent Street & St James’s Design District

• Italian Design at Christies | 15 – 23 September 2018 | 8 King Street, Saint James’ – To celebrate the pioneering Italian identity during the London Design Festival, Christie’s will present a survey of important Italian Art & Design, featuring works by Pierluigi Giordano, Paolo Buffa and Paolo Venini, which will be offered at auction in October.
• David Gill Gallery presents Daniel Libeskind: Fundamental Elements | 14 – 27 September 2018 | 2-4 King St, St. James’s
• David Gill Gallery is pleased to announce an upcoming solo exhibition ‘Fundamental Elements’ by Daniel Libeskind.
• Designed to Inspire Performance by Equinox | 22 September 2018 | 12 St James’s Street London
• Equinox Design Run | 15 September 2018 | 12 St James’s Street London

Shoreditch Design Triangle

• Alphabet by Kellenberger White | 15-23 September 2018 | Broadgate, London – Known for their playful approach to typefaces, Kellenberger–White has designed a new series of alphabet chairs as a Landmark Project at Broadgate, supported by Festival Headline Partner British Land.
• Observatory By Lee Broom | 18-23 September 2018 | 93 Rivington Street, London – Lee Broom will transform his London showroom to present the third and final instalment of OBSERVATORY, his new award-winning, stellar-inspired lighting collection that plays with proportions of vertical and horizontal space, sculptural, spherical form, and the refraction and reflection of light.
• Oneroom by Bethan Laura Room

West Kensington Design District

• Where Are My Glasses? by Ron Arad for VENINI by Vessel Gallery | 15 & 17-23 September 2018 | 114 Kensington Park Road London W11 2PW Notting Hill Gate -Vessel Gallery presents an extraordinary fusion of form and material combining glass and metal, creativity and technique that characterizes Ron Arad’s first project for VENINI. Where Are My Glasses? is a collection of three vases with exclusive new unique pieces launched at Vessel Gallery for LDF
• Sé presents ‘Below the Heavens’, Collection IV by Ini Archibong | 15-23 September | Sé, 60 Fulham Road, London
• Belonging By The Design Museum | 15-23 September 2018 | 224-238 Kensington High Street London – Let’s celebrate design together! This LDF the Design Museum is exploring the theme “belonging” through a series of events curated by Ameena M. McConnell, Curator at Large and commissioner for the museum’s atrium installation by London-based spatial laboratory Loop.ph.

Design Showrooms

Minotti Showroom

Minotti’s designs and philosophies been embraced by the dynamic interior design and architecture professionals who define London’s thriving property and design industries and their charisma and passion is evident in the diverse palette of projects.

Address: 77 Margaret St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 8SY

Covet London

Covet London has the noble mission of celebrating design with professionals and enthusiasts, offering an intimate and authentic design experience. You’ll get to see a wide variety of furniture and lighting designs from some of the world’s most innovative brands, including Boca do Lobo, DelightFull, Essential Home, Brabbu, and countless others.

Kartell Wander

As soon as you enter the showroom you’ll be taken on a wonderful journey across Italy and its exclusive landscapes. Kartell presents a series of traditional and innovative products in a unique setting that combines contemporary design with the charm and history of the country.

Address: Kartell Flagship Store, 223-225 Brompton Road SW3 2EJ London

Poltrona Frau

Poltrona Frau will present its 2018 collection, “The Solid Lightness” in a creative space. The collection is characterised by an interplay of materials, converging of lines and a balance of solids and voids. The collection features furniture, lighting and accessories from some of the best designers in the world.

Address: 147-153C Fulham Road SW3 6SN

Cassina

For this edition, Cassina will present its 2018 collection in a phenomenal exhibition entitled “This Will Be The Space”. One of the main products in the showcase will be the modular Bowy-sofa by art director Patricia Urquiola.

⇒ A Series of Other Design Showrooms You Should Visit During London Design Festival ⇐

Emerging Talents to Keep Eye On

London Design Festival is a great opportunity to engage and find a bunch of brand new designers. Aside from the well-established design brands and globally-renowned names, loads of fresh talents invade London to launch their freshest collections.

Zuza Mengham

Heavily rooted in a preoccupation with materials, her work explores the join between the recovery of traditional crafts and the creation of her own new methods of making. Her work explores the relationship between traditional artisanal know-how and her new ways of making.

Marcin Rusak

The London-based artist and designer situate his work at the intersection of value, ephemerality, and aesthetics. Marcin Rusak’s work oscillates from studying history to exploring contemporary patterns of consumption and industrial methods of manipulation.

Giles Miller Studio

Giles Miller has built an international customer base thanks to his visionary use of surface materials, from British Airways, Publicis, Selfridges, Ritz-Carlton Hotels to Hermes, Piper-Heidsieck Champagne and the London Design Museum.

Sebastian Cox

Sebastian Cox founded his design studio on the principle that the past can be used to design and make the future. He was obsessed by the way generations of craftsmen had used a limited palette of biodegradable and renewable materials in a creative way.

Studio Swine

Creating works that straddle the spheres of art, design, and cinema, Studio Swine explores themes of regional identity and the future of resources in the age of globalization. Their work combines deep contextual research and experimental use of materials.

Luxury Hotels

An insider’s guide to the Top Design Hotels in London, featuring the best for eclectic interiors, striking artwork, luxurious rooms, and spectacular lobbies, in locations including SoHo, Kensington, and Shoreditch perfect to stay and visit London Design Festival.

Four Seasons Hotel

In a landmark of power and prestige, Four Seasons London provides a central city location, near the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and the River Thames.

Address: Hamilton Pl, Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1J 7DR

Bulgari Hotel

The Bulgari Hotel, London, situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, features understated, poised elegance with silver as the dominant theme, contributing to Bulgari’s silversmith origins and Britain’s noble manufacturing traditions.

Address: 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW

Rosewood London

This design hotel is famous for the popular Scarfes Bar and the magnificent restaurant Holborn Dining Room. The main building has a courtyard but just for hotel guests, the heaven of calm and relaxation.

Address: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

The Lanesborough

One of the most renowned hotels in London for its amazing classic and luxury style and comfortable feeling, an excellent choice if you are looking for a 5-star hotel in London.

Address: Hyde Park Corner, Belgravia, London SW1X 7TA

Corinthia Hotel London

Perfectly located only steps from Trafalgar Square, Westminster, the River Thames and Covent Garden, Corinthia Hotel London combines grandeur and heritage with exquisite, intelligent design.

Address: Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD

The Savoy

The Savoy, one of the world’s iconic hotels, has played host to royalty, world leaders and legends of the stage and screen. A landmark hotel brilliantly reinvented for the 21st century where an unashamedly old fashioned glamour sparkles with a new lustre.

Address: Strand, London WC2R 0EU

The Dorchester

The Dorchester, a splendid English luxury hotel, is located in upscale Mayfair close to Hyde Park. The hotel is truly representative of the British tradition offering the quintessence of refinement and elegance.

Address: 53 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1QA

Fine Dining Restaurants

London houses so many astonishing and innovative restaurants that are lead by some of the most impressive and creative chefs in the world. Here’s a selection of some of the best luxury restaurants to experience while in the design festival.

The Ritz London

Considered to be one of the most beautiful hotel dining rooms in the world, you can enjoy traditional English dishes like beef Wellington and roast chicken amongst marble pillars and bejewelled chandeliers at The Ritz Restaurant. Its exclusive design of a classic style brings a mood of elegance and glamour that will fit your luxury lifestyle.

Address: 150 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9BR

Sketch London

Conceived by French master chef Pierre Gagnaire and restaurateur Mazouz, it has attracted unprecedented media reaction for its myriad food, drink and entertainment styles since it opened.

Address: 6-10 Bruton St, Mayfair, London W1J 6PU

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

This luxury restaurant interior has been conceived as a subtle, elegant portrait – contemporary and innovative, yet mindful of tradition. The dining room features floor-to-ceiling glass walls, giving diners a view of the kitchen and its unique pulley system.

Address: 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA

Hélène Darroze

This two Michelin-starred restaurant is located in the elegant The Connaught Hotel and Darroze’s creativity and passion become even more famous here. Gourmet dishes full of flavour and international tastes gave this fine restaurant some recognition and it is nowadays a must try in London.

Address: Carlos Pl, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL

Marcus Restaurant

One of London’s most acclaimed restaurants, Marcus combines two Michelin-starred cooking with a relaxed, contemporary space. Dining options include a la carte, classic and seasonal tasting menus. A very modern and glamorous dining area makes you feel at home.

Address: The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RL

If you want to learn more about what to do and see in London in the occasion of this unique festival, then download this exceptional GUIDE and find out about other things such as top designers and brands, architecture news, glamorous bars to visit and many other subjects that will help you be super prepared for the London Design Festival!

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Sources: London Design Festival | Boca do Lobo Blog