Last Updated on October 26, 2025
CDW paints the town pink
For only three days a year, the usually quiet Clerkenwell flings open all its doors for Clerkenwell Design Week. Shocking pink signs and lines illuminate the path around the neighbourhood, showing off homegrown and emerging talents as well as established names.
Clerkenwell Design Week returns for its 12th iteration, having recently merged with Design London. If you’re planning a home renovation, dreaming about one or just enjoy the world of interiors it is worth a visit. The interior design world is notoriously closed off to members of the public, but here all is on show, so long as you have a pink lanyard (which anyone can get by registering for free online).
The events are catered towards design world professionals, interior designers, architects and suppliers, but it is well worth a look for hobbyist designers too. This is where interior trends will be spotted and set for the year. The displays range from the more typical trade show stalls of office interiors and light switches to eye-catching immersive art installations.
It is clear that the exhibits have been carefully thought through. Site-specific exhibits artfully utilise Clerkenwell’s architecture to contrast against contemporary designs. Highlights include the ‘Light’ venue that is in an underground brick cellar (or dungeon) featuring some really beautiful light installations. Iris Ceramica (61-67 Old Street) is showing a mesmeric water installation that looks at hydrogen as a future fuel source to fire their kilns. Steve Messam’s playful inflatables puncture the landscape, drawing attention to the familiar red phone box. Baux presents a travelling outdoor exhibition featuring an installation by British artist Morag Myerscough that is a feast for the eyes.
There are a series of talks taking place across multiple venues: the Design Fields on topics from sustainability to the launch of Pantone’s annual colour trends. In the Old Sessions House, Icon magazine has talks celebrating its twentieth anniversary, featuring speakers such as Tom Dixon and Mimi Shodeinde.
With over 130 showrooms and 11 themed venues, the lineup is quite intimidating. I recommend starting at the Old Sessions House (a lovely new members club), before heading to see the ‘British Collection’ and ‘Light Venue’ and ending up in the ‘Design Fields’. And then have a wander around the area’s many showrooms. This might be the one occasion where Clerkenwell’s rabbit warren roads are an advantage: you never know where you might end up and what you might discover.
Although Clerkenwell Design Week is only open for three days, on Wednesday the exhibitions are open until 9 pm for a post-work gander. The event also benefits from being quite compact and whilst the streets make it a little difficult to navigate, there’s always something interesting around the corner.
Various locations across Clerkenwell, EC1
Exhibition venues are open 10:00 – 18:00 on Tuesday, 10:00 – 21:00 on Wednesday, and
10:00 – 17:00 on Thursday. Showroom opening hours vary.
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