On a regular South London street, in a terraced house in East Dulwich, you’ll find the House of Dreams, a colorful museum filled with sculpture, poetry, text, and art. The lifelong project started by artist and designer Stephen Wright began to take shape back in 1998, beginning as a pretty small expression of creativity but has since manifested into an immersive body of work. Visiting now you’ll be hard-pressed to find an empty section of wall inside the house, even the garden has been transformed.
 |
| A mosaic face guides the way to the House of Dreams |
After Stephen’s partner and parents died in quick succession, the house took on a shrine-like quality with dedications to loved ones scrawled directly onto the walls. Over the years, as Stephen took inspiration from his travels to India and France, his home became filled with movie posters, Virgin Mary statues, baby doll heads, and mannequins.
 |
| A snapshot of the interior |
I visited the House of Dreams one afternoon with a couple of friends and was overwhelmed with the number of treasures Stephen had collected, everywhere I looked there was something to read and ponder, or a bright sculpture to admire, the colors throughout the house are incredible, it's truly a fascinating piece of art that reminded me in some respect of La Demeure du Chaos near Lyon in France, and the impressive Nek Chand Rock Garden in Chandigarh, India.
 |
| Yoga posters and statues |
My favorite part of the museum—aside from the Bollywood posters and trinkets from India—are the detailed mosaics outside, you notice them as soon as you arrive, pathways have been transformed into colorful faces and patterns, and walls are studded with slogans.
 |
| One of the colourful mosaic pathways |
It’s such an amazing place, hidden in London, and well worth seeking out. With limited tours available since the museum is only open on Saturdays, it’s best to keep an eye on the House of Dreams website where you can book tickets directly.
Post a Comment