5 'Uplifting' Design Haunts to Visit in London That'll Make 'Blue Monday' Feel Less Depressing

There are plenty of reasons why Blue Monday, infamously known as the most depressing day of the year, may feel scary to brave. If you are anything like me — i.e., an overly enthusiastic gift-giver — now, a little over two weeks into 2026, you are likely running low on funds, experiencing daily, weather-induced mood swings, and looking at your just-set New Year's resolutions as a distant, unattainable mirage.

But rest assured: not knowing what to do with yourself when Blue Monday hits next week, January 19th, won't add to the dread if you stick with me just long enough to get to the end of this listicle.

To help you make Blue Monday a little less glum and, instead, bring some joy and excitement into the day, I have pulled some of my latest obsessions, including freshly unveiled fashion boutiques, ongoing art and design exhibitions, unmissable food hotspots, and collector-worthy book stores, into an uplifting itinerary that will have you explore London far and wide, all while preserving your right to stay warm, indoors, and inspired.

So that, whether ticking its stops off in time for the end of Blue Monday or saving these addresses for another (gray) day, you'll have no excuse but to immerse yourself in five of the coolest creative haunts the British capital boasts today, from London restaurants and cafes, to exhibitions and shops, all with dopamine-boosting decor.

1. Search for Designer Fashion, Furniture, and Curiosities at Rejina Pyo's New Notting Hill Store

Where: 86 Golborne Rd, London W10 5PS

I first came across the new Rejina Pyo Notting Hill flagship while flipping through the pages of my favorite newspaper a few weeks back. Its crafty, art and tile-clad interiors charmed me to the point that I was convinced to pitch it as the focus of the inaugural carousel for Worth a Detour, a new social media series spotlighting London establishments and neighborhoods we think every Livingetc reader should have down in their books.

Once a 19th-century grocery shop, the new Rejina Pyo location is the definitive spot to try the London-based designer's bold, sculptural pieces on, be it a two-piece set or one of her retro-inspired leather bags. Luckily for all painting and furniture lovers, it also houses a rotating selection of artworks, as well as a curation of one-off vintage and modern decor pieces, including some truly outstanding, large-scale lamps. And let's be honest: nothing's more therapeutic than a good old shopping session, let alone if falling on Blue Monday.

Discover more about Rejina Pyo.

2. Stop by the Vibrant FINK'S, Clissold Park's New Cinematic Cafe, for Pastels, Cake and Hot Drinks

Where: Stoke Newington Church St, London N16 9HJ

FINK'S, the Jess Blackstone and Mat Appleton-founded bakery, deli, and cafe, has recently set up shop inside the Grade II-listed Clissold House at Clissold Park, in Stock Newington, and its pastel-tinted, Wes Anderson-esque rooms are Blue Monday-healing to the core. Designed by Blackstone in collaboration with local designer Miles Dean, it unfolds as a colorful journey in three acts.

First comes the ochre and terracotta-tinted Kiosk, your reliable stop for grab-and-go. Next, you'll find all signature baked goods — including the FINK'S-famous Princess cake, alongside pastries and cookies — and sandwiches in The Pink Room, decked with stripy curtains and amusing furniture in salmon rose, red, pea green, and baby blue. Finally, guests wanting to enjoy the setting and scenery just a little bit longer are welcomed in The Dining Room, where head chef Matilde Romeo cooks up a moreish, seasonal a-la-carté menu.

Book your table at FINK'S at Clissold House.

3. Pick Up a New Read at Climax Books

Where: 8a Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EJ

Readers still searching for ways to spice Blue Monday up will find the ultimate creative hideaway amid the busy shelves of Isabella Burley's Climax Books, literally. Stocking rare magazines and artist monographs, alongside a truly captivating collection of ephemera, erotica, and art sourced from across the globe with a focus on queerness and subculture, this increasingly talked-about Farringdon hotspot is a temple for lovers of photography and fashion.

The passion project-turned-dream job of Burley, who was the youngest-ever editor-in-chief to take the helm at London's youth culture publication Dazed at 24, and later served as Acne Studios' CMO, Climax Books is the place to visit to get your hands on 1st Editions of your long-coveted art books, or stock up on cheeky merchandise — from keychains, caps, and comfy hoodies to stickers and water bottles — like the ever-so-iconic Climax Books latex totes.

Past a see-through, matte pink front door, the store absorbs visitors in a succession of chrome bookcases, mirrored walls, and eye-catching posters, zines, collectibles, and tomes. Composed of just a few, straight, essential lines, the interior scheme of Climax Books is as minimalist as it is aspirational, and strips it back to the basics to bring its offerings to the fore. 'Cause Books Are Exciting, in case you didn't know.

Discover more about Climax Books.

4. Catch Contemporary Art From the MENA Region in "The View from Here" at Leighton House

Where: 12 Holland Park Rd, London W14 8LZ

I am yet to take my first trip to Leighton House in Holland Park, the surreal, opulent former home and studio of Victorian artist Frederic Leighton, which I discovered randomly while researching a piece on some of the best National Trust houses et similia to visit while taking a cultural day trip from London. Marking its 100th anniversary, 2026, it seems, makes the perfect moment to remedy having not yet seen it, especially as the now museum celebrates the recurrence with a dedicated cultural programming spanning object design, historical and contemporary craftsmanship, as well as photography.

To avoid spoiling your first impression of Leighton House, I have decided to omit any pictures of its opulent, palatial inside, falling no short of the atmospheres of One Thousand and One Nights. I'll limit myself to saying that traveling to the site this Blue Monday will take you way further away than the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where the residence is located, with its intricately ornate rooms delivering a striking fusion of Victorian grandeur and Arab, Egyptian, as well as ancient Roman architecture. This continuum between the West and the East of the world, past and present, is also explored in The View from Here: Contemporary Art from the Middle East and North Africa, a group exhibition of rising visual talents who reconcile the two in their practice, open at Leighton House until March 1.

Plan your visit to Leighton House.

5. Round Off Blue Monday With a Heartwarming Dinner at the Newly Unveiled, Artsy Tom's Pasta

Where: Hackney Downs Studios, 17 Amhurst Terrace, Lower Clapton, London E8 2BT

As an Italian-born-and-bred journalist and lifestyle editor, I very rarely head out to enjoy a plate of pasta, as when you come from Il Bel Paese, certain pleasures are best enjoyed at home. Still, there are few things I regret more recently than having missed out on the grand relaunch of Tom's Pasta, the House of Dré-redesigned, artful experimentation ground of Hackney chef Tom Haydon, which has been active in the neighborhood since 2021.

Needless to say, this isn't your usual, red-sauce restaurant. Part bistro (at least in its looks), largely thanks to its dynamic gallery walls, part 1970s decor, due to its earthy hues mixed with a brushed steel touch, and 100% East London cool, Tom's Pasta is the kind of hangout I predict will be huge in the coming months. Famed for its beef shin lasagne, it's a no-brainer for an easy, unpretentious night out (or in, if you prefer getting its staples delivered at home), though I am sure the eatery's sleek, bohemian rebrand will drive just as many curious diners in as Haydon's maccheroni have done in the past. Still, ask me, and you'll know the answer: there's only one meal that's going to save me from the nothingness of Blue Monday — and it instantly flies me back to Italy.

Book your table at Tom's Pasta.

When Is Blue Monday?

No, you're not the only one to still be wondering: when is Blue Monday? Nor are you the only person who wishes January were over already. This year, Blue Monday is set to fall, as it does every year, on the third Monday of the month, which, for 2026, will be Monday, January 19th.

What Is Blue Monday?

Blue Monday is, in short, the most depressing day of the year, or so they say. This is down to a variety of related factors, from the post-Christmas, financial brokenness and the anxiety stemming from having to keep up with your New Year's resolutions to the grayness and gloominess of January weather.

But worry not, as the Livingetc team is here to uplift you even on the most dreadful of days, whether distilling interior design inspiration that'll transform your domestic spaces into a safe, comforting haven or keeping you up to date on the unmissable design exhibitions currently on show and the hottest travel moments to know.

In Paris for Blue Monday? Test your luck for a last-minute seat in one of the cinematic and newly reimagined screening rooms of the City of Light's Élysées Lincoln. Spoiler: a 1969 art-house movie theater is reborn.