PAD London 2025: Where Collectible Design Meets Contemporary Craft
Craftsmanship
The past and the possible
Each October, PAD London turns Berkeley Square into a luminous celebration of collectible design, contemporary art, and decorative craftsmanship — and this year’s fair proved why it remains one of the most influential events on the international design calendar. For those of us obsessed with materiality, colour, and character, PAD is like stepping into a beautifully curated conversation between the past and the possible.
The 2025 edition balanced artisanal mastery with conceptual boldness. We saw sinuous sculptural seating, reclaimed timber pieces polished to an almost geological depth, and bronzed, fluid lighting forms that felt more like living installations than products. There was a noticeable move toward earthy tones and raw finishes — shades of terracotta, ochre, chalk, and deep moss green — anchoring contemporary interiors with a sense of emotional authenticity.
What’s fascinating is how craft and collectibility are no longer niche concerns but central to the language of modern interiors. Designers are increasingly blending traditional craftsmanship with digital precision, creating pieces that feel both deeply human and future-facing. The result? Spaces that tell stories through texture, provenance, and process.
From our Trifle* perspective, PAD is a reminder that the most engaging interior design today is layered, imperfect, and alive. It’s about curating emotion as much as furniture — and about valuing the object not just for how it looks, but for what it represents: care, creativity, and longevity.
As a London interior design studio that champions colour, personality, and people-first spaces, we came away inspired by the fair’s celebration of sustainable materials, emotional craftsmanship, and the rise of collectible design in commercial contexts. From boutique hotels and workplaces to creative studios and retail environments, this approach is redefining how design connects with culture.
PAD’s blend of heritage and experimentation mirrors much of what drives our own work at Trifle*: creating spaces that feel as good as they look — where every finish, tone, and curve has meaning.
Author: Emma Morley, Director, Trifle*
Emma founded Trifle* in 2010 after a career in marketing, event design and production. Frustrated by the fact that only advertising agencies had inspiring spaces she had a desire to make good design the norm for all office workers. Emma has worked across well over 150 interior projects during her career at the helm of Trifle*, she remains passionate about making amazing spaces but also making the industry more accessible, more human and more diverse.
