Ahead of the Design Museum's hotly anticipated relocation to the iconic Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington this November, the new Design Museum Shop on Kensington High Street (just a short hop down the road) opens for perusal.
Small put perfectly formed, the space hints at what's to come from the new Design Museum, as both spaces have been subject to the minimalist eye and artful guidance of British designer and friend of the museum John Pawson. Plain, smoke-grey walls chime with the designer's 'undesigned' aesthetic, while textures of stained oak, glass and a cream terrazzo floor nod to the 1960s – the era that the Grade-II listed museum building was built.
Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum explains, 'The Design Museum shop reflects the values of the museum itself. It’s our ambassador on the high street, always changing, always full of fascinating things, displayed with style, and staffed by people who live and breathe design.'
The shop's 76 sq m space proves size isn't everything, and it packs a well designed punch. Compact shop fixtures come courtesy of Vitra Retail and classic Dieter Rams-designed Vitsoe '606' shelving lines the walls. Large windows on three sides give the illusion that the store is a magnified display case, in which to showcase tempting trinkets from new and established talent.
We were particularly taken by Torafu Architects' 'Air Vases', and the Barber & Osgerby jugs for Royal Doulton. Expect a rotating range of time-honoured classics like these, along with mixed global ephemera at reasonable prices, and a tight edit of more expensive objects and memorabilia, all of which uphold the Museum's commitment to quality, ingenuity and of course, style.
Small put perfectly formed, the space hints at what’s to come from the new Design Museum, as both have been subject to the minimalist eye and artful guidance of British designer and friend of the museum John Pawson
Large windows on three sides give the illusion that the store is a display case, in which to showcase tempting trinkets from new and established talent
Compact shop fixtures come courtesy of Vitra Retail and classic Dieter Rams-designed Vitsoe ’606’ shelving lines the walls
We were particularly taken by Torafu Architects’ ’Air Vases’...
... and Barber & Osgerby’s jugs for Royal Doulton
Expect a rotating range of time-honoured classics, along with mixed global ephemera at reasonable prices
Also in stock, a tight edit of more expensive objects and memorabilia, all of which uphold the Museum’s commitment to quality, ingenuity and of course, style
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Design Museum Kensington website
Photography courtesy London Design Museum Shop
ADDRESS
Design Museum Shop
224–238 Kensington High Street
London, W8 6AG
-
Pierre Yovanovitch’s set and costumes bring a contemporary edge to Korea National Opera in SeoulFrench interior architect Pierre Yovanovitch makes his second operatic design foray, for The Marriage of Figaro in Seoul
-
The best hotels in Hong KongFrom sky-high glamour to intimate design sanctuaries, here's our pick of Hong Kong's finest stays
-
Stay in a Parisian apartment which artfully balances minimalism and warmthTour this pied-a-terre in the 7th arrondissement, designed by Valeriane Lazard
-
Reimagining remembrance: Urn Studios introduces artistic urns to the UKBridging the gap between art and memory, Urn Studios offers contemporary, handcrafted funeral urns designed to be proudly displayed
-
Wallpaper* takes a turn around Somerset House for Collect 2025Our round-up of the highlights from the 21st edition of the collectible craft and design fair in London
-
‘It’s a museum-like jewel box’: L’Objet marks 20 years of elegant design with a new London flagshipOpening on 12 March 2025, L’Objet’s new London boutique is rich in chocolate colours and velvet detailing
-
This Beirut design collective threads untold stories into upholstered antique furnitureBeirut-based Bokja opens a Notting Hill pop-up that's a temple to textiles, from upholstered furniture to embroidered cushions crafted by artisans (until 25 March 2025)
-
'A creative explosion' in the West End: Sarabande Foundation takes residency at SelfridgesSarabande Foundation's ‘House of Bandits’ takes up residence with gusto in Selfridges for nine weeks
-
'What Makes a Space Nigerian?' is an exhibition celebrating the key elements of West African Homes‘Our aim was to create a space that Nigerians could connect with', says Moyo Adebayo's on his latest exhibition 'What Makes a Space Nigerian?' which explores what defines a Nigerian home
-
‘I began experimenting and haven’t really stopped,’ Miranda Keyes on working with glassIn a rapidly changing world, the route designers take to discover their calling is increasingly circuitous. Here we speak to Miranda Keyes about her forging her own path to success
-
Feldspar makes its mark on Whitehall with a festive pop-up at Corinthia HotelDevon-based bone china brand Feldspar makes its first foray into shopkeeping with a pop-up at London’s Corinthia Hotel. Ali Morris speaks with the founders and peeks inside
