
PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood’s Radical World of Colour
Vivid, energetic, dynamic, kaleidoscopic... if these words spark your interest, then this February, the Design Museum in London is a must-visit. PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood will soon be showcased in the first UK solo presentation of the visionary designer’s work. Running from 14 February 2025 to January 2026, this free exhibition marks the launch of the PLATFORM series - an initiative celebrating contemporary design’s most impactful voices.
Renowned for her kaleidoscopic approach to materials, pattern, and ornamentation, Wood has spent over a decade crafting a design language that defies convention. Each piece is a bold fusion of historical references, artisan techniques, and contemporary innovation. PLATFORM brings together over 70 objects, offering an immersive journey into Wood’s creative universe - from stained porcelain teacups to modular furniture adorned with intricate laminates.
Reflecting on the exhibition, Wood states: “This display is a celebration of my journey - of the objects that inspire me, the collaborations that shape my work, and the joy of making. It’s an honour to share it with the Design Museum’s audiences.”
At the heart of the exhibition are three themes that have shaped Wood’s practice: Desire, Adornment, and Hyperreality.
Desire delves into our emotional connections with objects, questioning why we covet, collect, and cherish certain pieces. Here, visitors will encounter Wood’s embroidered dessert sculptures inspired by 17th-century Dutch still-life paintings.
Adornment explores her fascination with decoration and its power to elevate the everyday, such as her reinterpretation of the iconic Tolix ‘Model A’ chair, transformed through a fusion of industrial design and regal femininity and echoing influences as diverse as Queen Elizabeth I and Metropolis’ Maschinenmensch robot.
The final section, Hyperreality, plays with perception, challenging the boundaries between the natural and the artificial. A full-scale Kaleidoscope-o-rama carpet, for example, is Wood’s contemporary take on Regency-era decorative rugs, celebrating pattern as a means of storytelling and transformation.
For Wood, design is more than aesthetics—it’s a form of cultural archaeology. Whether working with Italian marquetry specialists, Mexican artisans, or high-fashion houses like Hermès and Dior, she reinvents materials and traditions, creating pieces that bridge past and present. PLATFORM also offers a behind-the-scenes look at her process, displaying early sketches, prototypes, and scale models that reveal the evolution of her ideas.
With PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood, the Design Museum showcases one of the most vibrant voices in contemporary design, and invites visitors into a world where pattern, colour, and craft collide in unexpectedly delightful ways.
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Further Information:
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Image Credits:
David Sierra / Bethan Laura Wood / Emanuele Tortora / Angus Mills