A design lover’s guide to… London

By Daphne Vassiliades

April 12, 2023

Daphne Vassiliades – co-founder of Rehaus, an online platform dedicated to pre-loved vintage and designer furniture – shares her London address book, and tips for design devotees.

A dining room at the iconic London restaurant, Sketch

In love with London

If you’re inspired by design and aesthetics, then you can’t help but appreciate London – it has retained so much of its historic architecture. I love beautiful things and anything old in general, and because of Rehaus, I’m able to glimpse into people’s stunning and highly curated homes – there are some fantastic houses in this city. I’m also inspired by the interiors of new restaurants and members’ clubs that are constantly evolving and improving, working to outdo one other. Check out the décor at Sketch in Mayfair, and you’ll see what I mean!

Inside the V&A museum’s gift shop in London

Give the gift of good design

The best souvenirs can often come from gift shops in galleries and museums, inspired by the pieces on show. I particularly love the shops at the V&A and Saatchi Gallery, and often spend most of my time there, looking at jewellery, hand-painted pottery and other knick-knacks. I’ve bought some of my favourite things from museum gift shops.

A visitor walking down a spiral staircase at Tate Modern in London

Artistic inspiration

I always love going back to Tate Modern and I usually find something interesting at the Saatchi Gallery. That said, I’m much more focused on specific artists than galleries per se. My newest obsessions are Kour Pour, a British-Iranian artist whose exhibition I went to see at Gallery 1957, and whose work I would love to start collecting, and British interior designer Luke Edward Hall. I consider him an artist – he’s so incredibly talented, and I loved his recent book with teNeues.

A colourful installation at the Design Centre in Chelsea Harbour

Flânerie at its finest

I adore just walking down the World’s End side of the King’s Road in Chelsea – it’s full of furniture stores – and visiting Lots Road on a Sunday before an auction. Alfies Antique Market is another classic, and I enjoy venturing down to the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, which is such fun for fabric inspirations.

In North London, Stoke Newington has some fantastic little shops with curated objets d’art and interiors, while Islington’s fabulous design stores are perfect for a saunter. I will always be so grateful to Search & Rescue, on Stoke Newington Church Street, which sells some truly inspiring pieces. It’s where I discovered Spanish brand Octaevo, which I’m obsessed with. It has become my go-to brand for gifts for my friends, and I have its Apollo cocktail coasters on my dining table.

Ikea is always a fun day out for me. A lot of people can’t stand spending a whole day there, but the design team are so talented and always coming up with fantastic new design pieces, and the Swedish meatballs are incomparable. The Conran Shop in South Kensington is also fun, and I often stop for a coffee at Soho Home on the King’s Road.

Where to refuel

Mazi is a Greek restaurant in Notting Hill, owned by a friend of mine. It’s the best Greek food I’ve had in London – think eclectic, high-end fusion dishes. I’m also a huge sushi lover, and really rate Eat Tokyo in Notting Hill. Its sushi is always exceptional and feels very authentic – the restaurant is always full of Japanese families, which is a good sign! Being Greek, coffee is in my blood (and likely a large percentage of it). The best coffee, in my opinion, is on Portobello Road at Coffee Plant. The inside is nothing to write home about, but the coffee is super; order a takeaway, then meander by the antique stalls.

A vintage shopper searching for unique pieces of clothing

Bygone beauties

I have always been obsessed with old things, and love nothing more than breathing new life into past treasures. Most of my furniture is vintage, as are a lot of my clothes – I used to run a luxury vintage e-commerce business, and collected some great items. My husband restores and collects vintage motorcycles, and is obsessed with vintage jackets and jeans, and we even have a 1972 VW camper van. 

Buying pre-owned items is firmly embedded in the culture here, and is considered cool – which isn’t necessarily the case in other countries. If you’re visiting, stroll down Portobello Road and check out the vintage shops for clothes, Alfie’s Antique Market on Church Street for interior treasures, or head to Lassco for salvaged finds. From Rehaus, I found a beautiful mustard velvet sofa by B&B Italia that we re-covered, and a pair of 1930s black Art Deco Josef Hoffmann chairs that I use ask desk chairs. They make me so happy every time I walk past my office. Good design can do that to one’s mood.

Unearth unique design treasures within reach of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London and Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair.

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About the Author

Daphne Vassiliades

Daphne Vassiliades is co-founder of Rehaus, an online platform dedicated to pre-loved vintage and designer furniture.