The Arts Club at 40 Dover Street in London’s Mayfair district operates as a private members’ sanctuary that embeds contemporary art directly into its 18th-century Georgian townhouse architecture, combining historical literary heritage with modern design studios like Dimorestudio and Giuseppe Porcelli, Veranda reported.
Rather than confining creativity to a white-cube gallery space, the five-story venue weaves rotating exhibitions, studio visits, and permanent collections through its lounges, restaurants, and eight hotel rooms. Members and guests encounter works naturally between the Drawing Room, the Ante Room, and the private cigar lounge where aficionados store private collections.
That mission traces directly back to the club’s founding in 1863. Figures like Charles Dickens, Auguste Rodin, and James Whistler once used the institution as a meeting ground for literature, science, and the arts.
Meher Waney, director of membership and business development, points out that this historical lineage gives the address its distinct profile within London's crowded private club market. The institution continues to place culture at the center of its identity through artist talks, panel discussions, and live music.
The Mayfair townhouse moved to its current Dover Street address between 1894 and 1896, having first opened at 17 Hanover Square. Today, the building houses distinct spaces shaped by prominent contemporary interior architects.
Design and Architecture Across Five Floors
Guests checking into the club’s eight hotel rooms find spaces outfitted with black-and-white photography, mirrored headboards, spacious wardrobes, and desks equipped with a button to summon a personal butler. Just steps away from shopping on Savile Row and St. James’s Palace, visitors also gain access to Lanserhof at The Arts Club, which provides a gym, exercise classes, and wellness services like IV infusions and massage therapies.
Throughout the building, different rooms present striking aesthetic contrasts. The Condo Salon, designed by Italian architect Giuseppe Porcelli, features bespoke furniture and silk wallcoverings from makers such as Pierre Frey, Jim Thompson, and Pictalab.
Downstairs, the basement lounge known as Leo’s was completed in 2017 by Milanese design studio Dimorestudio. The interior draws inspiration from 1950s and ’60s French Riviera nightclubs, incorporating green Guatemalan marble, brass detailing, velvet upholstery, and hand-painted chinoiserie pendant lanterns.
Meanwhile, the first-floor lounge takes the name Ofelia to honor founding member Sir John Everett Millais and his famous portrait of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Designed by Porcelli, the room features marble-clad walls, dark wood paneling on a curved ceiling, and back-to-back velvet settees.
| Space / Room | Designer / Architect | Key Aesthetic Features |
|---|---|---|
| Leo’s Lounge | Dimorestudio | Green Guatemalan marble, brass, velvet, 1950s/60s French Riviera style |
| Ofelia Lounge | Giuseppe Porcelli | Marble-clad walls, dark wood paneling, back-to-back velvet settees |
| Condo Salon | Giuseppe Porcelli | Bespoke furniture, silk wallcoverings from Pierre Frey and Pictalab |
Vivien Zhang and Nour Malas Display Rotating Art Shows
The club maintains an active exhibition schedule by presenting roughly three shows each year across the Ante Room and Drawing Room. These displays remain open to the wider public by appointment, allowing non-members to experience the rotating curation.
London-based artist Vivien Zhang currently presents her exhibition “Second Order” in the Ante Room until January 24, 2027. Zhang’s work incorporates visual elements from cartography, physics, and the botanical world.
In the Drawing Room, New York-based artist Nour Malas exhibits her solo show “Living Multiplicity,” which explores her upbringing across France, Dubai, and Syria. Malas works directly onto the canvas without preliminary sketching, permitting each painting to develop its own organic shape.
Waney notes that the club deliberately seeks out artists on the cusp of significant recognition. Past early-career exhibitions have featured names such as Theaster Gates, Shara Hughes, and Hugo McCloud before they achieved broader acclaim.
Looking ahead to January 2027, the club plans to launch “The New Curiosity Shop,” an exhibition designed to pay homage to its long-standing tradition where literature and art walk hand in hand.
