RH LONDON

THE GALLERY AT MAYFAIR

One of our largest projects to date recently took us to London, where Londubh Studio created 4,200 square feet of hand-finished, custom-coloured white oak wood wallcovering for The Dining Room at RH London, The Gallery at Mayfair. The project included 1,275 individual panels, each measuring 15” wide by 35” long, and required us to develop an entirely new finishing process to bring Team RH’s very specific vision to life. Our work centered on translating the inspiration image they provided in a way that harmonised with the other design elements they had already chosen.

The goal for this project was to evoke the warmth and character of traditional wood paneling. As the building's historic restrictions prevented the installation of solid timber panels, we recreated the effect using a wood white oak wallcovering, carefully cut to the desired panel dimensions and installed individually. Rich in natural texture and layered with colour and patina, the finish captures the depth and authenticity of aged wood, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere that enhances the dining experience.

Developing the custom wood white oak finish

The base material was flat-cut white oak wood white oak wallcovering from Japan. We finished the raw wood with a proprietary five-step application of custom-coloured, water-based stains and glazes. Multiple layers of hand-applied semi-transparent materials introduce depth, subtlety, and visual complexity to the surface. Variations in wood grain, colour, and layering ensure that each panel is unique, while together they establish a coherent and unified design language.

The finished panels were classified into 14 distinct categories according to the grain layout and the placement and direction of the cathedral on each sheet. Detailed elevation drawings of each wall were then used to map the distribution of these categories, ensuring that adjacent panels did not repeat the same shape or grain layout.

Different for us, but also very Londubh

What made this project different, special, and creatively exciting was the combination of scale, trust, visibility, teamwork, and creative ambition. This project required us to take something highly specific, a provided inspiration image and a clear design vision, and figure out how to bring it to life in a way that felt lavish and authentic.

Every layer was developed to bring depth, subtlety, warmth, and visual complexity to the wood white oak, so that the final surface would feel luxurious and completely integrated into the architecture of the new RH London Mayfair location.

It was not our typical project in terms of materiality, volume, or technique, but it was deeply typical of Londubh in spirit. As a decorative arts studio, our work begins with listening closely, understanding what the client is dreaming of, and then pushing the process far enough to exceed what they thought was possible.

Collaborating with Team RH

One of the most meaningful aspects of the project was the level of collaboration. We had the privilege of working with a design team of women from RH who brought all the right questions, passion, curiosity, precision, and determination to the process. Their openness to experimentation, paired with their commitment to realising an exceptional vision, created the kind of trust that allows custom work to become something truly singular. We were also supported by the extraordinary dedication of partners, including Wallquest and Craft Wallcovering, whose skill and commitment helped make the rapid turnaround achievable without sacrificing quality.

The finished space

Our role throughout the project was to translate Team RH’s direction into a custom finish process that could achieve the desired look and feel while honouring the history and architectural character of Mayfair. The work needed to feel rich and refined, while remaining completely aligned with Team RH’s creative vision and the architecture of the space.

We hope visitors feel the magic, care, and love embedded in the work, as well as what becomes possible through extraordinary teamwork, attention to detail, and the meticulous application of every layer by hand. Beyond that, we want people to notice the depth and nuance of the finish, and sense that every detail was intentional. This is one of our largest commissions to date, and certainly one of the most significant in terms of international visibility.

We feel deeply connected to the long lineage of artisans who have historically adorned sacred, civic, and luxury spaces, bringing beauty, atmosphere, symbolism, and extraordinary hand skill into the built world. It is an honour to walk in those footsteps, and to help carry that tradition forward in a contemporary way.