What do a concert pianist and an award-winning interior designer have in common? Quite a lot, as it turns out …

London-based Irish interior designer Brian Woulfe brings his instinct for rhythm, detail and atmosphere to Design Week Dublin – back to the city he increasingly sees as one of Europe’s most exciting creative hubs.

For him, the transition from performing on stage to designing some of the world’s most sophisticated interiors was less a complete change of direction than a different way of expressing the same instincts: discipline, proportion, rhythm, atmosphere and an obsessive attention to detail.

This September, the London-based designer returns to Ireland to take part in two events at Design Week Dublin. On September 18, he will take to the stage at Anantara The Marker Dublin for Symphony of Space: Brian Woulfe in conversation with Amanda Bone, sharing insights into his approach to timeless interiors and the ways thoughtful design can elevate everyday living.

On September 19, he joins fellow interiors experts Sara Cosgrove, Aiveen Daly, Róisín Lafferty, Maria MacVeigh and Helen Kilmartin for the Interior Design Round Table – a lively exchange of ideas, experience and perspectives on the business and creative practice of interior design.

It’s the first time that Brian will engage with an Irish audience in this way, and he’s looking forward to discovering what this year’s DWD has to offer. “Dublin has always been a city I’ve enjoyed getting to know in different ways over the years. I’m spending more time here now and it feels like a very exciting moment for Irish design. There’s a confidence to what’s happening across architecture, interiors, art, fashion and craft, and increasingly an international audience for it.”

That sense of creative momentum is something Brian is keenly aware of. Although London has been home for more than two decades, Ireland remains an important part of his creative DNA. “I think there’s a warmth and informality to Irish creativity that I’ve always responded to. We take what we do seriously, but perhaps not ourselves quite so much. Alongside that, there’s an extraordinary tradition of craft, making and storytelling in Ireland which continues to influence the way I think about interiors.”

Brian’s own journey into design was anything but conventional. He began his career as a concert pianist before following a longstanding passion for interiors and founding Designed by Woulfe in 2009. “Founding the studio without any formal training felt daunting at the time, but there really is no better way to learn the level of detail and the processes involved in creating the right finishes for clients than when you are on site working directly with craftspeople, tradesmen, and a team of expert designers.”

That hands-on approach remains central to the studio today. Designed by Woulfe works with a broad network of private clients and property developers and has built a portfolio of more than 80 projects across five continents. Brian remains closely involved throughout the process, from hard hat and site visits to the final, all-important finishing touches. His design philosophy is rooted in creating interiors that are luxurious but, crucially, liveable – spaces that feel personal rather than prescribed, and that reflect the personality, aspirations and lifestyle of the people who inhabit them.

Whenever he’s in Dublin, he also makes time to meet people, visit studios and discover something unexpected. It is often these informal encounters that feed back into his work. “Some of the most interesting things we’ve brought into our projects have come from those encounters rather than from deliberately going out looking for a particular product.”

For Brian, that’s precisely why events such as Design Week Dublin matter. “They bring people from different disciplines together and create conversations that might not otherwise happen. Ireland produces extraordinary creative talent and it’s important that we celebrate that at home while also recognising the influence Irish designers, architects and makers are having internationally.”

And there will be plenty for him to discover during the week. “I’m looking forward to hearing from Níall McLaughlin as well as fellow interior designers Róisín Lafferty and Sara Cosgrove, and to seeing what comes from a wider exchange of ideas.”

With its mix of architecture, interiors, fashion, art and craft, this extraordinary week offers precisely the kind of cross-disciplinary creative conversation that Brian values – and a chance to see how an increasingly confident Irish design scene is making its mark both at home and internationally. Design Week Dublin runs from September 16-20 2026, with its main events centred around Anantara The Marker Dublin and The Malt House at Grand Canal Quay.

Book Tickets

Design Talk: Brian Woulfe, September 18 from 5.30-7pm at Anantara The Marker

Design Round Table: Interior Design Round, September 19 from 3-4.30pm at Anantara The Marker

SEE MORE: What To See At Design Week Dublin