More Than Child's Play with Carlo Colombo
As British children's interiors house Dragons of Walton Street enters a new chapter, we sat down with Italian architect and designer Carlo Colombo to discover how he brings a contemporary perspective to a world built on craftsmanship, imagination and the stories that stay with us long after childhood.
In 1979, a small shop on London's Walton Street became home to a rather particular vision of children's furniture. Founded by Rosie Fisher, Dragons of Walton Street was built around the belief that a child's bedroom could be more than a practical space, where beautifully crafted furniture and hand-painted illustrations became part of the memories we carry into adulthood.
Its creations brought together quintessentially British charm and traditional craftsmanship, transforming familiar characters and imaginative worlds into furniture designed to be cherished. The approach soon attracted a remarkable clientele, including Princess Diana, who commissioned furniture for the royal nursery in the early 1980s.
More than four decades later, the London house is revisiting that philosophy through the eyes of Italian architect and designer Carlo Colombo. Appointed Creative Director in 2025, Colombo brings his experience in architecture, interiors and furniture design to a world where imagination plays an essential role.
"What fascinated me about Dragons of Walton Street was its ability to bring imagination and storytelling into the world of furniture," he explains. "There is something special about designing for children: you are not simply creating objects, but becoming part of their memories and the spaces in which they grow up."
Rather than reinventing the brand's identity, Colombo sought to bring a contemporary perspective to its established heritage, combining the charm of British decorative traditions with a more architectural approach to form and materials.
“I wanted to bring my Italian design sensibility into this world, introducing more contemporary proportions, materials and architectural elements, while preserving the charm and imagination that have always defined the brand."
The first expression of this new direction was unveiled during Milan Design Week 2026, in the Brera Design District. The collection marked a shift from illustrated surfaces towards more sculptural forms, where familiar characters take on an entirely new physical presence.
The Hippo Armchair, with its soft, rounded silhouette, and the Dragon Sofa, which translates the brand's mascot into a playful modular composition, illustrate this evolution.
"The idea was to take the characters and illustrations that have always been part of the brand's identity and transform them into real objects, almost like little companions that become part of a child's everyday life," Colombo explains.
Behind these playful silhouettes lies a considered understanding of how children interact with their surroundings. Designing for younger audiences requires balancing imagination and curiosity with the practical demands of everyday life.
"I believe children deserve the same quality of design as adults, if not more," Colombo reflects. "The challenge was to find the right balance between imagination, comfort and safety, creating objects that children can enjoy and parents can appreciate for their beauty and timeless character."
For a designer accustomed to presenting his work internationally, the collection's debut in Milan offered an unexpectedly personal experience.
"What I enjoyed most was seeing how naturally people connected with the collection. They smiled at the playful shapes, then came closer to appreciate the design and attention to detail."
The opening represents more than an expansion of the brand's international presence. It signals an ambition to establish a lasting relationship with the region's families and creative community.
"Dubai represents much more than a new opening. It's the beginning of an ambitious international journey," Colombo says. "My goal is to establish Dragons as a reference for children's design in the Middle East, building strong relationships with families, architects and interior designers."
For a brand whose story began with hand-painted furniture in a London atelier, the journey has come a considerable distance. Yet its central belief remains remarkably consistent: that design can give form to imagination, and that the objects surrounding us during childhood can acquire a significance far beyond their original purpose.
After all, we may outgrow the rooms we once called our own, but rarely the memories of how they made us feel.
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