When WOW!house first opened its doors in 2022, the concept was a novel one not just because show houses were rare within Britain, but because this particular type of show house—built entirely within the multistory atrium of London’s Design Centre—hadn’t been done, well, anywhere. Now in its fifth year, WOW!house has become a staple of the design industry calendar, drawing both big-name talent and eager crowds.
For the 2026 edition, designers from around the world conjured 23 distinct spaces out of thin air (or, rather, from the empty shells that all WOW!house rooms start as). From the classical-style façade to the maze of rooms within, there was no shortage of inspiration. Read on to see just a few of the spaces that made us say, well, wow.
Think Outside the (Literal) Box
For London-based firm Albion Nord, four walls weren’t enough. “We were working on several heritage properties at the time and a lot of them had octagonal drawing rooms,” explains creative director Hero Dalrymple, who collaborated with Turnell & Gigon Group on the project. “The idea of having eight facets, eight elevations—that was really exciting to us.” Dalrymple took full advantage of those additional canvases, installing a niche in each wall—one holds a sculpture, another a vase, the third was turned into a Georgian bar, and the fourth became a doorway. To soften the stark symmetry, Dalrymple covered the walls—and ceiling—in a hand-blocked print by Filling Spaces. The final touch? A subtle line of tassel trim around the cornice. “Originally, it was just a fabric-wrapped cornice,” says Dalrymple. “But then we thought—well, it’s WOW!House!”
Don’t Be Afraid to Time Travel
Whether he’s in his role as A-list decorator, furniture designer, or CEO of London’s David Gill Gallery, Francis Sultana can always be relied on for his fearless mix of periods, styles, and showstopping art. His WOW!house entry hall was no different, with references spanning from Hubert de Givenchy’s iconic salon vert to John Fowler’s Hunting Lodge (now inhabited by Sultana) to contemporary artists like Cindy Sherman and Georg Baselitz (both of whose works hang within the space) to the designs of Mattia Bonetti (chosen for their very “’80s or ’90s” verdigris patina). And, of course, there are the gold swan chairs, brought over from his personal collection: “They’re a folly. They’re just over the top and fantastic. And I think when you find pieces that you love, they will always work everywhere.”
Use Materials in Unexpected Ways
Spend any amount of time walking through WOW!house and you’re bound to hear a visitor wonder at how each designer manages to transform an empty shell into what feels like a proper room within a real-life home. Such was the case with Max Rollitt’s sumptuous dining room. The designer and antiques dealer teamed up with Schumacher to create his 18th-inspired space, with walls upholstered in Gavotte Brocatelle damask (“It actually absorbs a lot of sound in the dining room,” says the designer), a grand chandelier, and stately marble fireplace. But it was the unexpected uses of the fabric house’s wares—from the nubby Otti Silk Mohair & Wool that became a tablecloth to the dining chairs in high-shine Patent Linen (a fresh alternative to leather) to the lampshade wrapped entirely in Joss fringe trim—that took Rollitt’s room to the next level.
Balance Rustic and Refined
You’ve heard of a drawing room, but have you ever heard of a withdrawing room? “In Georgian townhouses, there would be a smaller sitting room off the main drawing room where women would go after a lovely dinner or party,” explains Sean Symington, the Canadian-born, Cotswolds-based designer who worked with Zardi and Zardi to create such a space for WOW!House. While the concept of the room was based squarely in fact, its inhabitant—an Upper East Side doyenne transplanted to the English countryside—was Symington’s creation. “It was all about the mix,” says the designer. “The gold silk trim and tassels and piping give it that Park Avenue luxury, but then there’s an English sensibility—the frames are a little bashed up, the brown furniture isn’t too precious or perfect, and the seagrass carpet is very rustic and rough.”
Unify Pattern With Palette
While Symington went England via Park Avenue, Nicole Salvesen and Mary Graham of Salvesen Graham did just the opposite, conjuring a quintessentially British bedroom set within a historic American house. The designers outfitted the space in a plethora of prints from their own Salvesen Graham Collection—blowsy chintz on a chocolate ground, trailing botanicals, small-scale paisleys, ditsy florals—that, together, read more soothing than overwrought. The key? A unifying, warm palette that keeps visual overload in check.
