The Whimsical World of David Carter

 David Carter is not a man who can be easily described, though many have tried. The World of Interiors called his work “a masterly invention... a carefree, unholy mixture of styles for which taste is the only reference.” House Beautiful hailed it as “bold, romantic and fantastical.” And Fleur Britten, writing in The Sunday Times Style Magazine, captured his essence perfectly: “Off the page, David is how you might imagine a Lewis Carroll character brought to life… I can only imagine that David’s mind is spent entirely in dream.”

A Life Lived Beautifully
For nearly two decades, Carter has been one of Britain’s most distinctive creative forces, an interior designer, hotelier, event impresario, and, as Le Cool once described him, “London’s most prodigious dandy.” His reputation for wit and refinement has made him a fixture on Architectural Digest’s list of the world’s most influential designers, earning him two nominations for the prestigious Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award.

Yet it was his East London home, a stately Queen Anne townhouse transformed into an eccentric, candlelit haven, that made Carter an international phenomenon. In 2009, he opened it to guests as 40 Winks, the world’s first “micro boutique hotel.” Designed not for scale but for soul, it offered just two rooms and an experience described by German Vogue as “the most beautiful small hotel in the world.”

What began as a labour of love soon became a global sensation. The world’s leading fashion and design magazines, from Vogue and Elle Decor to Tatler and The Guardian, featured 40 Winks, each enchanted by its magical, immersive atmosphere. “It’s like slipping down Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole,” wrote Tatler. “Witty and whimsical.”

The Art of Storytelling
But 40 Winks was never just a place to stay. It was a stage. Carter hosted candlelit Bedtime Story Nights, where guests arrived in pyjamas to hear writers and actors perform in his parlour.  These were gatherings of creativity and conversation – a celebration of art, imagination, and human connection.

Visitors spoke of Carter’s warmth and eccentric charm, as well as his ability to make a home feel enchanted yet never intimidating. As one guest wrote, “It’s part theatrical, part gothic, part Lewis Carroll… a fairy tale of a hotel where the ordinary becomes extraordinary.”

40 Winks at Clevedon Salerooms
Furniture, artworks, and objects that defined Carter’s singular aesthetic are now coming to auction, and "40 Winks - An Eye for Design" offers a glimpse into his world: a curated selection of the curious, the beautiful, and the unexpected.

For Clevedon Salerooms, it is a privilege to present this collection. 40 Winks was more than a home; it was an idea, an experiment in beauty and joy. To see some of its contents gathered here, ready to begin new stories in new homes, feels both poignant and exciting.

Join Us This December
The Winter Specialist Sale takes place on Thursday 4 December at Clevedon Salerooms. The catalogue will be available online from mid-November. To register your interest, or to receive sale updates, please visit www.clevedonsalerooms.com or contact the team directly.

Step into the world of 40 Winks and perhaps take a little piece of its magic home.