What to see and do at London Design Week 2018
A week long programme with over 100 events, London Design Week 2018 can look quite daunting – but ahead of the Show’s opening, DesignCurial give our tips on what to see and do.
London Design Week kicks off on the 4th of March, promising a programme of over 100 events. Expect ‘meet the designer’ talks and presentations, as well as demonstrations, behind-the-scenes looks at collections and insights into the latest design trends.
The unmissable, week-long interiors event will also include specially commissioned installations and a food and drink menu to compliment the programme. Once again, London Design Week will turn the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour into a vibrant hub for designers, innovators and style-seekers.
With free entry and courtesy transport to the venue, London Design Week is this season’s most anticipated design and interiors event – but where to begin? We reached out to London Design Week to find out what highlights are in store for visitors:
Conversations in Design
The first highlight of London Design Week has to be the talks that will take place over the week – some of the most talented names in the design and interior industries will be sharing their stories, ideas and creative visions. Taking to the main stage to provide insights and discuss interiors, the Conversations in Design line-up includes trailblazers such as Kit Kemp, Lord Snowdon, Linda Boronkay, Marianne Cotterill and Christopher Jenner – to name a few.
Legends
This year, London Design Week have revealed a new initiative called Legends, which sees showroom windows and showcases receiving a visionary new look, thanks to some highly imaginative collaborations. London Design Week sees the new initiative as a “voyage of discovery around the showrooms”, and the eye-catching collaborations include works from: luxury accessories brand, Loewe, teaming up with Morris & Co; Nina Campbell and Summit Furniture; and The National Gallery working with Savoir Beds.
Access All Areas: Art Meets Interiors, Essential Know-How and Artisans in Residence
The Access All Areas programme at London Design Week 2018 gives visitors to experience design on a deeper level, gaining insights from industry specialists. The showroom-based sessions bring artistry and craftsmanship to life, offer expert guidance, and give sneak peeks of new collections; we’ve chosen some that we can’t wait to take part in!
Art Meets Interiors
With the boundary between art and design becoming more blurred every day, London Design Week has welcomed the trend with open arms, with a talk on the role of art in design from Judith Mather from the National Gallery and Andrew Martin’s David Harris Find out how Bernie de Le Cuona was inspired by the Old Masters; and Artisans of Devizes hold a tile-painting workshop.
Essential Know-How
Offering visitors the chance to learn specific skills from the professionals or fill their knowledge gaps, London Design Week’s Essential Know-How events are certainly not to be missed! They include Baker’s chief creative officer Tristan Butterfield discussing this year’s design trends; two ways to tackle lighting; and how to create impactful brand images.
Artisans in Residence
London Design Week is also offering visitors the chance to admire some of the skills behind the products showcased at the event, with a series of talks and demonstrations with talented artisans. Glassblower Adam Aaronson and artist Fintan Whelan will be explaining their work at Black & Key; visitors will get to build their own tap at the Perrin & Rowe showroom, and Chase Erwin will be hosting an Arctic ice-carving session for anyone who feels up to the challenge!
If all the exciting events taking place at London Design Week 2018 seem a little overwhelming, they are also arranging Design Discovery Tours over the course of the event. Join a guided tour to see the show’s highlights, navigating the latest collections, browsing the Legends showroom windows – and all with a glass of bubbly in hand. What’s not to like?
London Design Week 2018 runs from the 4 – 9th of March from 10am – 6pm daily, at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.
