Blainey North’s design guide to London

Blainey North has established a distinctive presence in the design industry over the past two decades.

As managing director and creative director of her eponymous studio, Blainey North & Associates, she has cultivated an ultra-glamorous, polished style evident in her work on high-end residential projects across the world that celebrate the value of art and culture at home. North’s approach is characterised by a deep exploration of a project’s history, ensuring that architectural gestures are complemented by meticulous detailing and contextual relevance. She has expanded her offering with furniture and lighting under the Blainey North Collection banner and has offices and showrooms in Sydney, New York and London. North’s philosophy is evident in this selection of must-visit destinations.

Hidden behind the stairs at the hotel, the Connaught Bar was designed by one of my heroes, the late David Collins, and the interior is one of the best.

Connaught Bar

Hidden behind the stairs at the hotel, the Connaught Bar was designed by one of my heroes, the late David Collins, and the interior is one of the best. Overall, the space looks like a traditional English bar; however, upon closer inspection, the sofas are deep-green crocodile leather with curved backs, the lampshades are made in perforated metal, the tables wrapped in leather with metal studs and the walls are a patchwork of geometric gold leaf. It’s an absolute delight for someone who lives for detail like me, and they serve my favourite London Gin No. 3.

Enormous Damien Hirst sculptures of Greek gods spring out of the balcony and seemingly hold up the ceiling, painted like the sky.

Bacchanalia

If you want a dining experience like no other in the world, this is the place – an unashamedly extravagant room that embodies the hedonism of its name. Enormous Damien Hirst sculptures of Greek gods spring out of the balcony and seemingly hold up the ceiling, painted like the sky. An Adonis-like DJ pumps out the beats from a balcony up high and mirrors are hidden everywhere, expertly reflecting the action. It is an enormous cash-removal zone, but you won’t regret it for a minute.

Like a beautiful piece of reactive machinery, it comes to life through the movements of the people inside.

Lloyd’s Building

This is my favourite building in the world – I often visit and just watch it move. Like a beautiful piece of reactive machinery, it comes to life through the movements of the people inside. The lifts and services moving up and down the outside of the building make it feel like a living organism. Built by the brilliant architect Richard Rogers [Rogers also worked on the Centre Pompidou with Renzo Piano], Lloyd’s Building changed my idea of the possibilities of our built environment forever.

It’s like entering a fantasy, rather than a house, where you are immersed into the mind of a collector from another time.

Sir John Soane’s Museum

This renowned museum was once the home of architect Sir John Soane, who built this incredible residence in the 1700s and collected an astonishing amount of art and sculpture, which are still on display. It’s like entering a fantasy, rather than a house, where you are immersed into the mind of a collector from another time. One room has a collection of his wonderful architectural models, which is a salient reminder of the time we all used to spend planning our built world.

I always find something here that I’m not expecting, something that has stretched material or craft to a new place.

David Gill Gallery

My all-time favourite place to buy furniture in the world! This gallery represents, in my opinion, some of the best contemporary designers. We recently purchased a coffee table from the designers Fredrikson Stallard made of clear resin, which looks just like a piece of ice – it’s incredible. I always find something here that I’m not expecting, something that has stretched material or craft to a new place. Galleries like this are rare in the world and this one is a true delight.