When it comes to Design in London one simply cannot miss out on the V&A. A mecca to all design enthusiasts it is the world’s largest museum of applied decorative arts and design, with collections spanning 5000 years of art.
In particular, it will be a welcome return to its three opulent and seductive Victorian ‘refreshment’ rooms which were built in the mid-19th Century; The Gamble Room with its sumptuous Renaissance Revival look, the Poynter Room with its blue-tone ceramic walls depicting fountains and elegant women in poses and the emerald splendour of the Morris room with zodiac signs and bursts of floral caprice.
Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser, was supposed to be one of the must-see exhibitions of the year at the V&A, entering into the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland and hopefully a new opening date will be announced soon.
London Design Museum reopened in 2016 in a new £83 million home that was the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington.
Inspirational as much for the building as its collections, framed by the trees of Holland Park, walk around the interior of the 1962 modernist icon with its copper hyperbolic roof, which was transformed by the architect John Pawson, with its Dinesen Douglas fir and white marble.
One of the next exhibitions to watch out for is Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers.
Visit the London Design Museum ⇒
Since opening its doors in Notting Hill in 1984, Themes & Variations is seen as a magnet for design enthusiasts in the know. Recognised as leading specialists in post-war and contemporary design, the gallery always reflects a passionate commitment to offering the exceptional and unexpected in vintage and contemporary furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics and graphic art.
Le Monde described it as “…a mythical astonishing gallery,” with its reputation in anticipating new trends and is not to be missed for its Piero Fornasetti Furniture.
David Gill established his first gallery on the Fulham Road in 1987, exhibiting work by renowned artist’s including Giacometti, Yves Klein and Henri Matisse. The first design furniture he sold included historic work by Eileen Gray, Jean-Michel Frank and Le Corbusier.
Since then he has expanded his operations and his newest gallery is in St. James, London opened in 2012 with the exhibition Zaha Hadid’s Liquid Glacial. Over the last 30 years the gallery has developed into a global presence, exhibiting all around the world and it holds one of the most vibrant contemporary programs with leading artists and designers including the Campana Brothers, Sir David Chipperfield and Gaetano Pesce to name a few.
Walking into Roca’s London Gallery you would almost forget that this is bathroom showroom rather than a high-end concept store. It was designed to appear that water had sculptured and defined every detail of the space, by Zaha Hadid architects, with its undulating white walls that snake through the building leading into concrete caves.
From the exterior it is clear to see Roca’s dedication to design and innovation with a distinctive façade that gives the gallery its own identity. Three organic portals, that appear to have been shaped by water erosion open the space to the world and flow effortlessly into the interior spaces which are functional, flexible and out of this world and are based on the values of the Roca brand – a commitment to sustainability, innovation, design and wellness
A leading auction house in Modern, Post War and Contemporary Design, we hold specialist live and online Design auctions in London and Edinburgh that are known for their international reach and strong prices.
The sales cover all the major movements from Pre-War French and British Modernism and Art Deco, to works from the Mid-Century and Post-War, including Italian and Nordic Design, European and American Modernism, Studio Craft through to Contemporary Design, Glass and Studio & Contemporary Ceramics.
Learn more about our Modern & Post-War Design department ⇒