What Clerkenwell Design Week Reminded Me

Home Design | May 22, 2026

What Clerkenwell Design Week Reminded Me About Luxury Interior Design

For Clerkenwell Design Week

Walking through Clerkenwell Design Week this week reminded me of something I come back to constantly as a designer: the most beautiful spaces are rarely the loudest ones.

In an industry where trends move quickly and social media constantly pushes “more,” it was refreshing to step into spaces that felt calm, intentional, tactile, and emotionally considered. Spaces that weren’t trying too hard. Spaces that simply felt good to be in.

As designers, we spend so much time looking at references digitally Pinterest boards, Instagram saves, renders, moodboards but physically experiencing materials, lighting, scale, texture, and atmosphere in real life is completely different. It changes the way you understand design entirely.

The softness of a fabric.
The warmth of natural stone.
The way light reflects against textured surfaces.
The atmosphere created by layered lighting.
The balance between openness and intimacy within a space.

These are the details that cannot fully be understood through a screen.

One of the biggest things Clerkenwell reminded me of is that luxury interior design has very little to do with excess.

True luxury is not about filling a home with expensive objects or following every trend. In fact, many of the most memorable spaces throughout the exhibitions felt incredibly restrained. Calm palettes. Thoughtful textures. Soft architectural lighting. Natural materials. Simplicity with depth.

The spaces that stood out most were not the spaces shouting for attention — they were the spaces that created an emotional response.

That emotional connection is something I think is becoming increasingly important within interior design. People no longer want homes that simply “look good.” They want homes that feel grounding, calming, welcoming, and deeply personal to the way they live.

And honestly, I think that shift is incredibly important.

For years, interiors became heavily trend-driven. Spaces were designed for photographs rather than real living. But walking through Clerkenwell, there was a noticeable return to slower, more intentional interiors spaces designed around atmosphere, wellbeing, comfort, and longevity rather than temporary aesthetics

That’s something I’ve always believed strongly in through my work at Babylon Design Studio.

A beautiful space should not just impress visually for five minutes.

It should support your daily life.
It should feel good at different times of the day.
It should function properly.
It should age well.
It should create ease.

One of the strongest themes throughout the exhibitions was materiality and texture.

There was a huge focus on tactile finishes warm woods, brushed metals, textured fabrics, handmade details, imperfect surfaces, layered stone, soft matte finishes, and materials that feel natural rather than overly polished.

I found myself constantly drawn towards spaces that felt grounded and sensory rather than overly decorative.

Because materials completely change the emotional experience of a room.

The same colour can feel entirely different depending on whether it’s placed against polished marble, warm oak, limewash walls, brushed metal, boucle fabric, or textured stone. Materials influence how light behaves within a space, how warmth is perceived, how sound travels, and ultimately how comfortable a room feels to live in.

This is also why I always encourage clients not to rush material decisions during renovations.

One of the most common mistakes people make is choosing finishes too quickly without fully understanding how they will work together long term. Materials are not just visual decisions they shape the entire atmosphere of a home.

Lighting was another huge reminder for me throughout Clerkenwell.

It’s probably one of the most overlooked aspects of residential design, yet one of the most powerful.

So many homes rely purely on ceiling spotlights, which often flatten spaces and create harsh environments without depth or atmosphere. But the spaces throughout Clerkenwell that felt truly luxurious all used layered lighting beautifully.

Soft ambient lighting.
Integrated architectural lighting.
Decorative statement fixtures.
Subtle concealed lighting.
Warm pools of light that created intimacy and softness.

The right lighting completely transforms how a space feels.

It changes the mood, the warmth, the emotional comfort of a room, and even the appearance of materials themselves. Stone feels richer. Wood feels warmer. Textures feel softer. Spaces feel calmer.

It’s why lighting is always considered extremely early in our projects at Babylon Design Studio rather than treated as an afterthought later on.

Another thing that stood out to me throughout the exhibitions was how important spatial flow is within good design.

Some of the most successful spaces were not necessarily the largest or most extravagant. They simply flowed well.

There was breathing room.
Thoughtful zoning.
Balanced proportions.
A sense of calm movement throughout the spaces.
And honestly, that matters far more than trends.
A beautiful sofa means very little if a room feels awkward to walk through.
An expensive kitchen means very little if the layout does not function for daily life.
Good design is not just visual it’s experiential.

That’s why so much of my consultation work focuses on layout clarity and planning before construction even begins. Because once the build phase starts, changing decisions becomes expensive very quickly.

Most renovation stress does not come from styling decisions.

It comes from poor planning.

And I think that’s why exhibitions like Clerkenwell are so valuable creatively. They remind you to slow down and reconnect with the foundations of good design rather than getting distracted by fast-moving trends online.

Leaving Clerkenwell this week, I found myself feeling inspired by quieter luxury more than ever.

Natural materials.
Layered textures.
Calmer palettes.
Architectural simplicity.
Warm lighting.
Intentional detailing.

Spaces designed around feeling rather than performance.

As designers, it’s easy to constantly chase what’s next. But sometimes the most important thing is returning to the basics of what actually makes a home feel timeless and emotionally connected.

Because ultimately, good interior design is never just about appearance.

It’s about how a home supports the people living inside it.

How spaces flow together.
How lighting changes throughout the day.
How materials age over time.
How a room makes someone feel when they walk into it.

That’s the kind of design I continue to value most and the kind of work I hope to keep creating through Babylon Design Studio for many years to come.

If you’re planning a renovation or redesign and want clarity before making expensive decisions, consultations can be booked through Babylon Design Studio.

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