Going for a walk in London

No meetings, no emails, no screens, just soaking up time.

When was the last time you went for a walk just to walk? No agenda, no “must-do” list, no need to arrive anywhere in particular—just the sheer delight of moving your legs and letting your mind wander? And (here’s the crazy part) without airpods? Madness, right?

Well, that’s exactly what I’ve been up to these last couple of days in London. And here’s the thing—I can’t actually remember the last time I gave myself permission to do something this simple. It’s only been 48 hours, but I feel like I’ve tapped into a sense of curiosity again.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how staying curious is at the heart of design. To ask questions, not know what’s next, and just embrace the unpredictability of it all. You never know where that curiosity might take you. And honestly? That’s where the magic happens.

Barbican Estate - Limited edition 1/10 Photograph David Asch

There’s this electric pulse you feel when you walk the streets of London. It’s like the city itself is buzzing with possibility, and that alone is enough to spark a thousand ideas. Add to that the showrooms, the galleries, the bookstores—oh, and the architecture. The architecture. Both ancient and modern, it’s alive in a way that makes your mind race with inspiration.

My creativity cup is absolutely overflowing, and I can’t wait to share some of my favourite interior design gems with you soon.

Reference Point is guaranteed to inspire.

Now, if you want to dive headfirst into the creative energy of one of the world’s most iconic design cities, guess what? You can come along! Bree and I are planning another design tour—this time, London’s calling our name. We’ll be there for the London Design Festival in September, and if you’re keen to join us, click HERE, and we’ll get in touch with all the juicy details.

P.S. Our Paris Milan Design Tour sold out fast, so if you want to be the first to know about the London Design Tour, don’t miss out!

Mercato is a food-lovers paradise - it's a Church converted into an epic food hall. The John Soane Museum was a place I loved to visit when I lived in London - its incredible.

It’s been a while since I lived in London, and one of my absolute favourite things was walking to work. I lived in Islington and worked on Buckingham Palace Road, which meant I had a good hour and a half of London streets to stroll through every day. Sure, it was a chunk of time, but it beat being squashed like a sardine on the tube, am I right? And this was back in the days before Google Maps—yes, I know, I’m THAT old.

I’d pass the British Museum, The Ritz, Buckingham Palace, and Green Park, and I loved every minute of it. I’ve retraced some of those steps on this trip, and while the scenery might look vaguely familiar, there’s definitely less of the side parts, skinny jeans, black tights, and flip phones happening these days.

Back then, I was working as an interior designer in a high-end boutique practice, and that’s where I really started to see the world of interior design outside the Melbourne bubble. One of my favourite projects was a residence on Grosvenor Crescent in Belgravia. Site visits were an absolute dream for a history nerd like me. I adored every second of it.

Ok, London is calling and I gotta get out there. Talk soon!

Lauren

ps. if you’re an interior designer and you want to totally elevate your practice, become more profitable and work with your favorite clients, I’d love to help you!

I’m opening up The Conversation Circle. It’s 8 interior designers in a group mentoring program kicking off in May and finishing in December. You can pop your name down here for more information.