Why WOW!house continues to inspire design professionals across every discipline

What WOW!house has to offer is not limited to those in interior design – a few hours at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour is time well spent for KBB professionals keen to learn valuable lessons in layout, flow and creativity. Photos by James McDonald.

First opening its doors in 2022, WOW!house has since wowed thousands of visitors and garnered universal acclaim for its incredible experiential spaces. 

The event, which is running until 2nd July 2026, sees A-list designers pair up with top international brands to create a room each in a 600sq m showhouse in the Design Centre's Design Avenue. This year there is a total of 22 full-sized rooms and outdoor spaces experience, supported by accompanying talks and tours so visitors can deepen their understanding of the designers' creative intentions.

The Primary Bathroom is created by award-winning multidisciplinary studio Rigby & Rigby, which delivers services for ultra-prime property in the world’s most exclusive destinations. The room acts as a showcase for Samuel Heath's British-made sanitaryware, and takes its inspiration from Japanese and Scandinavian wellness spaces, with digital screens that transport visitors far away.

Bespoke kitchen specialist Martin Moore unveiled its new Legacy Vitae collection at WOW!house 2026 as part of its kitchen room collaboration with Samantha Bartlett Interiors. Combining Martin Moore’s expertise in handcrafted, bespoke furniture with Bartlett’s refined, tactile approach to interiors, the collaboration reflects a shared passion for craftsmanship, artisanal skill, and luxurious materials to create beautifully considered spaces for modern living.

Softly curved architectural forms bring fluidity and sculptural elegance to the kitchen, while carefully considered joinery and seamless transitions between surfaces demonstrate the brand’s mastery of furniture-making. The fluidity of the cabinetry’s design is balanced by its material integrity, with every element handcrafted in Martin Moore’s Yorkshire workshop using traditional techniques and state-of-the-art technology.

Ca' Pietra is sponsoring a bathroom for the first time, teaming up with London and Lisbon-based architecture and interior design studio De Rosee Sa. The room features Versailles Marble Rough Honed across the bath surround and vanity detailing, introducing a rust-red warmth that sits against Buscot Limestone Pietra Pazza, dark timber and deep navy tilework.

The Powder Room is designed by Studio Mark Andrew, who specialises in prestigious projects from waterfront Miami mansions, to penthouses in New York and large family residences in London. The room sponsor is luxury bathroom specialist THG Paris, and the result is a masterclass in mixed materials.

The Speakeasy Salon by Studio Duggan is intended to be a room for working, relaxing or entertaining in. Featuring Black Edition's fabrics, the space explores the interplay between heritage and modernity.

The Lalique Home Bar by Charu Gandhi of Elicyon, reimagines the ritual of entertaining at home. Sparkling Lalique crystal is integrated throughout as an intrinsic architectural element.

"WOW!house has established itself as a defining moment in the international design calendar," says Design Centre Chelsea Harbour CEO Claire German. "As we enter our 5th year, we have seen 5 years of fearless creativity, 5 years of colour, texture, innovation and imagination, 5 years of the world's leading designers turning blank canvases into breathtaking experiences. This initiative has brought together designers, artisans, architects, and visionaries from across the world – proving that great design speaks a universal language."

"Every year gets bigger, braver, and more ambitious. The scale has grown, creativity surged, and expectations have risen, but the constant is community. Over the years we have forged a stronger, more connected industry, one with shared purpose and renewed momentum," says German.

"We are very proud of what WOW!house has become and if the past 5 years were this remarkable – just imagine what the next 5 years will bring."