The Conran Shop is, quite simply, one of the best design shops in London. It’s a one-stop destination for the crème-de-la-crème of contemporary design. “Iconic designs and future classics”, says the tagline on their website, and that’s not an empty boast. It’s the kind of shop that makes you go…Ooooh, I want this…and this…and that’s beautiful too…and these….

Update September 2023: the flagship Conran Shop in the iconic Michelin building has closed down. The new location is on Sloane Square, the new address is 16 Sloane Square SW1W 8ER. It’s right next door to Tiffany… This post has been updated with all new pictures from the new store, and – of course – the new address and nearest tube station (Sloane Square).

The Conran Shop: practical information

Address: 16 Sloane Square SW1W 8ER

Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00 | Sun12:00 – 18:00

Website: https://www.conranshop.co.uk/

Nearest public transport: Sloane Square(Circle Line, District Line).

Neighbourhood: Chelsea

Introducing Terence Conran, visionary designer

The Conran Shop was founded in 1973 by Terence Conran. He was already an established designer, and he would go on to become a prolific restaurateur, author (more than 50 books expending on his design philosophy), entrepreneur and general design powerhouse, before passing away in 2020. He was the founder of Habitat (in 1964), a store which made good design affordable to a wide audience, as well as the Design Museum in 1989.

The Conran Shop flagship store (now in Sloane Square)

The Conran Shop first opened in the original Habitat location on Fulham road, before moving to the iconic Art Deco Michelin building across the road in 1987. There’s a second location in Marylebone, as well as a concession in Selfridges. A small selection of stock is also on sale on fashion sites Matches Fashion and Mr Porter. (There’s also a store in Paris, two in Korea, and five in Japan).

What does the Conran Shop sell?

The Fulham store was a large multi-level space with rooms leading off to rooms in a seamless flow. The new Chelsea store is smaller and maybe more intimate. It sells pretty much everything with the vaguest connection to interior design, cooking, personal care, sleeping (Habitat is credited with introducing the UK to duvets), playing (there was a kids section in the Fulham store), and that’s just a small sample.

From design key rings to design garden kits, design beds to design salad bowls, design designer lamps to prettily packaged olive oil, and sofas, lifestyle books, ceramics, coat hangers, textiles, art, everything is beautifully set off by electric blue (Yves Klein blue?) shelves and walls.

Every September, the Conran Shop have special displays and unique collaborations during London’s Design Festival. Missed it? No problem, there’s an online memento.

Even if you’re not in the mood to buy, or can’t afford to right now, it’s a wonderful store for browsing and whiling away some time surrounded by beautiful things. In fact, it’s positively meditation. So there you go: the Conran Shop, under-the-radar meditation spot!