A showcase for the best interior design talent in the UK and beyond, WOW!house at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour has quickly become one of the design calendar’s most anticipated annual events. Every year, the possibilities are pushed, with more innovative and exciting spaces than ever before – and 2026 looks set to be no different. Here, we speak to four designers whose rooms will be the talk of the house…
Nucleus immersive room by Russell Sage Studio
‘Technology can be all about movie nights and playing things loud,’ says Russell Sage, but he wanted to use it to wrap himself in the moments that matter, the snippets of joy that we all have recorded and trapped on our phones – for him, it’s walks with his beloved Labrador Hugo. ‘It will be like an isolation tank of the warmest memories from your life,’ he explains of the concept (pictured top), which has been named ‘Momentarium’ (it stems from the Latin momentarius, meaning brief or temporary).
There will be drawers and cupboards containing mementoes around the circular, cocooning space, while at the centre of it all will be what Sage describes as ‘an absolutely giant, human-sized dog bed’ created especially for the space by George Smith. Every element will be designed to indulge the senses, from the incredibly soft-underfoot rug to the walls that are covered in linen-based wallpaper and stretched fabric featuring a hand embroidered and painted design, layered with acoustically transparent sheer curtains that conceal the speakers without affecting sound quality. nucleusav.com; russellsagestudio.co.uk
Ca’ Pietra bathroom by De Rosee Sa
There are perhaps not too many similarities between London and the Mediterranean coast, but that is set to change; De Rosee Sa is bringing sunny romance to its WOW!house space. ‘That feeling when you arrive somewhere warm and you can almost hear the crickets, sense citrus in the air,’ explains the studio’s director Claire Sá, is what they want people to experience when they step inside.
Collaborating with stone specialist Ca’ Pietra gave this project an architectural edge that suited De Rosee Sa’s approach to design, with Sá teasing that the room will include a window looking out to the suggestion of a garden beyond. Every element of the design will be bespoke, from the shower screen to the mirrors and tub, but it is with stone that the studio is defying expectations. ‘We’re pushing Ca’ Pietra to the limits of what can be achieved in the material,’ says Sá. There will be a round-window surround, a profiled stone cornice and flooring in the brand’s new ‘Pietra Pazza’ (Italian for ‘crazy paving’) version of its ‘Buscot’ limestone. capietra.com; deroseesa.com
Turnell & Gigon Group drawing room by Albion Nord
Changing the very shape of their room was the starting point for this design firm, who took inspiration from the octagonal drawing rooms of the Georgian and Victorian periods. A domed ceiling with a skylight and a sash window will add to the grandeur. Not only will the walls be covered in a powder-blue Turnell & Gigon fabric (‘Titli’ by Filling Spaces), but there will also be a cornice made of tassels – an idea sparked by the historic textile mill of the wonderful Passementeries de l’île de France. The flourish speaks to Albion Nord’s desire to uphold time-honoured craft techniques while bringing a youthful freshness.
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Four arched niches will have different functions. ‘One frames the entrance, another has a bespoke bar, a third houses a banquette, while the fourth displays a sculpture,’ says Albion Nord founder Ottalie Stride. ‘The space has conversation at its heart.’ turnellandgigon.com; albion-nord.com
Perennials and Sutherland garden terrace by Fettle
‘Our vision will capture the effortless glamour of an Italian villa’s terrace – a place that celebrates colour, craft and the simple pleasures of outdoor living,’ says Fettle’s co-founder and creative director Andy Goodwin. His studio, which specialises in high-end hospitality projects, was happy to collaborate with textile experts Perennials and outdoor-furniture specialists Sutherland, having used both brands’ previous collections in spaces such as the rooftop bar and restaurant at 1 Warwick in Soho and the terrace at The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica.
Unlike those locations, WOW!house is not blessed with natural sunlight, but that won’t stop Goodwin and his team from delivering a ‘warm, joyful and immersive’ experience, ‘like stepping into a sun-soaked Mediterranean afternoon’. Key to this is Perennials’ latest ‘La Dolce Vita’ fabric range that would look at home on the patios of the most fashionable nonnas – think ginghams and fruit prints with lemons and pomegranates. Following the trend this year for structural interventions, architectural niches along the walls will frame sculptures and greenery. perennialsandsutherland.com; fettle-design.co.uk
