The annual WOW!house showhouse in London—held inside a makeshift 6,400 square foot “home” erected inside the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre—provides a valuable opportunity to witness some of 2025’s hottest design trends at play. The showhouse, which opened on June 3 and runs through July 3, features 22 different rooms and outdoor spaces brought to life by a group of talented designers hailing from the UK and beyond.
Having spent time exploring the showhouse and speaking with many of the interior designers who brought it to life, we’re eager to share some of our top takeaways on the trend front. Don’t be afraid to implement these design choices into your own home—the results will be majorly chic.
Try a tented ceiling.
Tented ceilings are an immediate head-turner and aren’t solely for bars and restaurants, though they’ve been making themselves known inside many trendy locales, such as New York City’s Le Bar Penelope. Try incorporating one at home—in fact, tented ceilings don’t even have to be reserved for main living spaces. Designer Nicole Harding brought a tented ceiling into her moody, jewel-toned powder room, using Namay Samay fabric from boutique London showroom Tissus d’Hélène.
The “Unexpected Red” theory is here to stay.
Designer Kelly Hoppen’s mod living room is proof, whether intentional or not, that you can’t go wrong with a bit of unexpected red. In case you’re not familiar, the unexpected red theory states that adding a pop of red to a space where it may not seem obvious makes a room look better. Working in collaboration with Visual Comfort & Co., the room’s sponsor, Hoppen designed a contemporary space rooted in neutrals but wove in a couple of pops of red, including a plush throw pillow and oversized vase. The setup is proof that even the slightest touch of bold color can be impactful and sophisticated.
Canopy beds are très chic—as is pattern drenching.
Canopy beds are no longer a thing of the past—in fact, they’ve been making their presence known in full force this year, and the guest bedroom that Alessandra Branca designed for this year’s Wow!House is no exception. Looking to take your sleep setup to the next level? This space is also a masterclass in the art of pattern-drenching. Instead of cherry picking which spots get a pop of print, go all-in with canopy curtains and complementary wallpaper, as seen here for a truly eye-catching design. Here, Branca used fabrics from her very own Casa Branca line, which offers textiles and wallpaper, as well as furniture.
Treat your bathroom like a sanctuary.
There’s no need to book a trip to the spa when your at-home bathroom rivals that of your favorite luxury resort. The 1508 London’s House of Rohl primary bathroom features a curved shower, a freestanding bath sectioned off with curtains, and a sophisticated lighting scheme that allows the user to set their preferred tone for their bathing experience.
Boucle is here to stay.
Boucle fabric doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Branca incorporated a white boucle headboard into the guest space she designed, while a curved boucle sofa sits pretty in the Benjamin Moore dining room by Peter Mikic of Peter Mikic Studio, offering guests a plush place to perch when they’re finished eating. While these are both instances of white boucle, keep in mind that the fabric comes in a wide range of colorways, should you wish to take a moodier approach.
Combine contemporary and classic for timeless design.
As seen in a number of rooms throughout WOW!House, classic and contemporary pieces can (and should) exist together in harmony to create the lived-in, collected look that is so sought after by designers and their clients. Personal touches are a must, too. In the Shepel’s home bar by Toni Black of Blacksheep, the designer incorporated a commissioned piece by her daughter, artist Kaylah Black. “She created the work using a palette drawn from all the colours in the room, and having her contribute to the space felt incredibly meaningful,” Black says.”It’s a quiet nod to the stories we carry, the ones we pass on, and a personal moment in a space designed to feel layered and lived in.”
Above all, comfort is key.
Establishing a home that is equal parts elevated and inviting is something that designer Chad Dorsey of Chad Dorsey Design holds dear. The Dallas, Texas-based designer follows a “relaxed luxury” approach to his work, which he translated into the Fromental drawing room he designed for WOW!House. “Relaxed luxury is the idea of living casually with things a person loves: approachable, understated, quiet, and often goes unnoticed,” he says. “It’s the difference between existing and living.” In this space, Dorsey drew inspiration from international private clubs while incorporating elements of both British and American arts and crafts motifs. “This room in particular is energetic with live piano music, conversation, and cocktails,” he says.
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