Profile: design firm 1508 London

Howick Place in Victoria
Founded just a year ago, luxury design house 1508 London is based at 7 Howick Place in Victoria, sharing its chic address with the likes of art specialist auction house Phillips de Pury and a Tom Ford showroom
(Image credit: press)
By
last updated
in Features

Founded just a year ago, luxury design house 1508 London is based at 7 Howick Place in Victoria, sharing its chic address with the likes of art specialist auction house Phillips de Pury and a Tom Ford showroom. Set up by Fouad Qeblawi, Alex de Blonay and Kerry McClinton-King, during the summer of 2010, the firm was soon joined by architect Chris Godfrey - a wallpaper* favourite and member of our 2008 Architects Directory - and has kick started business with a few key commissions in the capital.

The team combines previous experience at property mega-firm Candy & Candy, with a passion for the luxury market and an intention to provide a truly all-inclusive, yet thoughtful service; the perfect one-stop-shop for anyone after clever high-end and tailor-made design services.

A few months on and the studio is bustling with business. Their approach and service varies and can incorporate everything from finding the property to design, securing planning permission and executing the building work, while their current projects range from a Knightsbridge apartment refurbishment to a Dubai boardroom interior and a large Mayfair family home.

The firm's own office space interior in Victoria was one of 1508 London's first completed projects. It was also one that inspired us for the May 2011 fashion story, for which a group of construction workers put the latest denim through its paces. 1508's trusted team of tradesmen helped us execute the shoot while the office was still being completed.

Incorporated into its HQ is a spacious gallery - a clean, white volume with high ceilings, which will host a mix of external temporary exhibitions, as well as the practice's own shows, collaborations and parties. The gallery opened recently with a packed launch event and currently features work by Sussex-based artist Jessica Zoob.

The office, elegantly furnished with bespoke pieces, is now the home of the company's 20-or-so-strong team; and with their first residential projects well underway, 1508 London is definitely one to watch.

Inside view of office

The firm’s office is one of its first completed projects

(Image credit: press)

Table and chair with computer

Elegantly furnished with bespoke pieces, it now houses a 20-strong team

(Image credit: press)

a clean, white space with high ceilings

The firm’s HQ also incorporates a gallery - a clean, white space with high ceilings, which will host a mix of external temporary exhibitions, as well as the practice’s own shows, collaborations and parties

(Image credit: press)
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).

Latest