The 1960's style sofa we make is quite funky and retro. The look can depend on what fabric you choose, but they are great for small spaces and can seat two with plenty of space.

These 1960's style sofas are not easy for Mark to make. There are over thirty pieces of timber involved to make this frame due to the angles and shape. Getting the angles in the right position can be tricky and time consuming, but worth the pain in the end!

A beech frame means these 1960's style sofas are made to last. The seat is webbed and has a foam cushion for extra support and comfort. 

Fabric choices are endless. Traditional or retro, you can choose which means a unique sofa in your home.

We deliver nationwide so take a look for fabric inspiration, or if you have a fabric in mind, please do get in touch to discuss options.

We sometimes find chairs which we fall in love with. The design, shape and style just shouts at us. When we first saw this pair of Ole Wanscher chairs, we knew nothing about them but had to buy them. We are always thirsty for knowledge about any furniture we buy. Its lovely to know who the designer or maker is and its fascinating researching these designers and craftsmen.

Ole Wanscher was a designer we knew nothing about but the more we read about him, the more we wanted to know. 

Ole Wanscher was a Danish furniture designer born in 1903. He was known to be one of the greatest Scandinavian designers from the 20th Century. He was one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Design movement, at a time when Scandinavian Design achieved worldwide popularity. He studied at the Danish School of Art & design and was influenced by Professor Kaare Klint. After completing his studies, the two worked together, setting up an office specializing in furniture design.

When we first opened 20 years ago, Edwardian sofas were popular. This was due to the fact they were small, comfortable and good for posture. The problem we sometimes had was that when the frames were stripped, the rails could be warped, full of wood worm or just broken beyond repair. Although its great to re-use old frames, they often have a life span which comes to an end. I think if a sofa has lasted 100 years then that's pretty good going! Sometimes it just isn't economically viable to replace rails and there is still no guarantee than once rails are replaced, the frame isn't wobbly!  Any wood we haven't used goes to a local artist who creates interesting pieces to sell, so the timber isn't wasted.

With this in mind and the fact they were a popular style, Mark decided to copy this style of sofa.  A beech hardwood frame, traditional coil sprung seat and feather cushions on top for comfort. The original Edwardian sofas didn't have cushions, just a sprung and stuffed seat. In the 21st century, most customers would find this too hard which is why we make feather cushions so its more forgiving. There is still the support with the traditional sprung seat. These sofas also have a higher seat which is good if you need a sofa that bit higher than some of the modern squishy sofas.

The fact they are small means they are perfect for home owners who live in a cottage, or smaller home. The proportions are correct for this type of property, and with slim arms, you can have a sofa which seats two quite easily.

We have a huge choice of fabrics so you can be assured that you won't have the exact same sofa as anyone else (unless you have two)

Stylish, practical and elegant.

If you've been searching for something to sit at the end of your bed, or a seat to sit in a window, then our long benches could be just the thing. Handmade by Mark so they can be made to fit your space. Five feet for the end of a bed is a great length and with the height the same as a standard dining chair, they are perfect for sitting on. 

One thing to think about when choosing fabric is because most upholstery fabrics are 137 cm wide, this is not wide enough go go along the width of the bench. We run the fabric up the length of the bench. Joins in the fabric just do not work.  A plain wool is often perfect or a check as there is often not a right or wrong way. If you choose velvet, the pile would be running the wrong way. This is fine if you are happy with this but with a fabric like velvet, it often looks a different colour when its the wrong way. This all needs to be checked before hand and its our job to guide you through the process.

Our long benches are timber frames so they are heavy which means they are made to last.

We deliver nationwide so please do get in touch if you would like advice or free fabric samples.

End of bed seating

Reducing furniture waste is becoming a big concern in the UK. 670,000 tonnes of furniture and 310,000 tonnes of textiles are sent to landfill every year by householders. A truly eye watering amount. Less than 1 in 10 consider having their furnishings repaired so they last longer.

I'm wondering why? When our shop first opened more than 20 years ago, we were selling antique furniture. Antiques were thought to be only for the rich, but we wanted to bring quality restored antiques into anyone homes and we wanted them to be affordable. As the years have gone by, we were having some rather horrid comments about our furniture being second hand. This had never really happened when we first opened, but some people just could not grasp the concept of old furniture being restored and re-upholstered to be used in the 21st century. The only thing second hand would be the frame. Antique furniture was upholstered using natural materials, so no toxic foam or man made fabrics. Very sustainable. If a piece of furniture lasted 100 years, then restored and re-upholstered, it has another 100 years life span. Antique furniture fell out of fashion, so we started making a range of our own furniture, based on traditional frames, natural materials, the furniture antique of the future.

We also started to sell mid century and Danish furniture as that what the market demanded. Many mid century and Danish furniture is beautifully designed and made, with some beautiful wood grain. It is all upholstered using foam. Now foam from the 1950's and 1960's is toxic which is why we have to legally re-upholster it. We recycle any metal springs, but quite often the foam has degraded so much, it just crumbles away. This has to go into our bin. Although we then re-upholster using foam, the foam now is much better than foam from the 1950s. It also lasts. If a mid century chair has lasted 50 years, then it has another 50 years life span. Upholstery doesn't last forever but hardwood teak, beech and oak can last for 100's of years. What you also have when buying restored is a piece of furniture which is unique. 

I do believe that many shoppers buy new because of their lack of understanding what re-upholstery actually means. To be honest, much of the modern mass produced furniture isn't made to be re-upholstered. That's not what the manufacturers want. If you look at a lot of cushions, there is only matching fabric on one side so not reversible. This means you cannot turn the cushions so they are likely to wear out quicker. Many cushions are not piped. Piping makes cushions sit better and look neater. This all adds time and cost to a piece of furniture which means a higher price. You do get what you pay for as the saying goes. Retailers want you to replace every 5 to 10 years and make some furniture so cheaply that it is cheaper to throw away and buy new. Its a cycle that many get into, but if you spend more and buy quality, it will last longer and therefore be better for the environment.

Only you can make that decision if you want a better future for our children and grandchildren.

When customers want to visit our workshop it can be a bit worrying. Not everyone has the imagination and vision to see what can be done beyond the grubby, and often pretty disgusting fabric! For those who have the vision, a truly unique sofa could be yours.

This Danish sofa was seen by a couple who had not lived in the area for long. They wanted something different. We had a few sofas for them to choose from but they loved the shape of this 1950's Danish sofa. The next step was choosing fabric which can be difficult if you're not sure what you are looking for. They looked through lots of samples, narrowed down a few choices, which they then had fabric samples sent to them. We like customers to have fabric samples so they can see what the colour looks like in their home. Fabrics often look different colours in different lights so its always good practice to make sure they are seen where the piece of furniture is going to sit.

We were delighted when the customers chose this pink velvet from the Omega collection which is from Linwood Fabric. There is a huge array of colours, bright and muted and its a very hard wearing, stain repellent velvet.

Mark stripped the sofa back to the frame, repaired where it needed repairing and re-upholstered it so it complies with UK fire regulations. The pink velvet top cover was moulded and stitched into shape, legs stained and polished and you can now see the transformation.

We were pleased with the result but most importantly the customers loved it. A very unique sofa which you'll probably not see anything like this again.

I'm trying to improve my before and after photographs so you can see what can be done if you have the imagination and that is what you need, imagination.

These Danish arm chairs have always been popular, probably because the are small but also comfortable. Perfect for everyday use, and most comfortable with a good book.

Much of our unrestored Danish furniture doesn't get into the shop. Customers can see our stock on the website, then visit our workshop, and if they have the imagination they can choose the fabric and finish. This means you have a truly unique piece of furniture in your home. Now I know its not always easy to see past the often grubby old fabric, but if you look at a Danish sofa or chair, you can see the shape. They often have a lovely grain in the wood. Whoever made the chair or sofa had taken time to choose the timber and think about where it would look at it best.

They are often not huge pieces of furniture either which is what we specialise in. Small sofas and chairs are not always easy to find. If you have a small space, or indeed you are not six foot tall and want something comfortable and supportive to sit it, Danish chairs and Danish sofas are well worth considering.

The Danish sofa or Danish chair is stripped back to the frame, which means every piece of upholstery is removed. The frame is re-glued and repaired if required, legs sanded, stained and polished to the customers requirements. The frame is then upholstered so it complies with the UK fire regulations, and the final cover of the customers choice to finish. Hand stitched piping is often done to finish a piece off with studs or braid as requested or required. A completed Danish sofa or Danish chair ready for another lifetime of use. When you have quality frames, and use quality fillings and fabrics, this is what you have, a Danish sofa or Danish chair which will last.

I'm not always very good at showing before and after photos as I often forget to take after photos, but this small Danish mid century sofa really shows what can be done if you have the imagination.

Much of our unrestored Danish furniture doesn't get into the shop. Customers can see our stock on the website, then visit our workshop, and if they have the imagination they can choose the fabric and finish. This means you have a truly unique piece of furniture in your home. Now I know its not always easy to see past the often grubby old fabric, but if you look at a Danish sofa or chair, you can see the shape. This is what we love about much of the Danish chairs and Danish sofas we have, their shapes. They are often not huge pieces of furniture either which is what we specialise in. Small sofas and chairs are not always easy to find. If you have a small space, or indeed you are not six foot tall and want something comfortable and supportive to sit it, Danish chairs and Danish sofas are well worth considering.

The Danish sofa or Danish chair is stripped back to the frame, which means every piece of upholstery is removed. The frame is re-glued and repaired if required, legs sanded, stained and polished to the customers requirements. The frame is then upholstered so it complies with the UK fire regulations, and the final cover of the customers choice to finish. Hand stitched piping is often done to finish a piece off with studs or braid as requested or required. A completed Danish sofa or Danish chair ready for another lifetime of use. When you have quality frames, and use quality fillings and fabrics, this is what you have, a Danish sofa or Danish chair which will last.

The photographs below show what is possible if you have the imagination. If you'd like to see our currently availability then please take a look, or get in touch if you would like us to source something for you.

Danish chairs 

You probably know we make a range of our own sofas and chairs, so when we are making pieces for the shop, its always difficult to decide on what fabric to upholster them in. The pieces are for sale and we also take orders from these sofas and chairs in the shop. 

Our latest love seat has been upholstered in a purple velvet. Now we know this is not a fashionable colour, but quite frankly we don't follow fashion trends. We are known for colour and something different. The purple velvet is just so rich which is probably why the Victorians loved it so much.  The velvet love seat is upholstered in a colour called deep purple and is from the Omega range from Linwood Fabric. Omega velvet is a sumptuous collection of richly-coloured velvets, produced by one of Italy’s leading mills. Made from polyester, Omega is particularly hard-wearing and durable but is designed to look and feel like more expensive cotton velvet. This stain resistant velvet offers a colourful new spin on an enduring classic. This velvet is perfect for families due to the 100,000 rub test. No need to worry the children will wear it out and with over 100 colours available, there is the perfect colour to satisfy everyone's interior needs.

We just love this fabric on the love seats we make. Cosy and soft if you want to snuggle up in, particularly as the nights are drawing in. We have the fabric books available for you to see in our shop, so please call in and we can arrange free fabric samples.

Purple velvet love seat

Covid 19 and lockdowns have made running a business so difficult over the last 18 months. We can now see a light at the end of a tunnel, but what has been amazing is the support of both local customers and visitors. We have been here for 20 years and I think this year I have seen more visitors than ever. What is also great is that they are enjoying the Shropshire experience and are spending in our local shops. All very welcome and needed to help all of us recover from this dreadful pandemic.

A lovely couple from Essex had just arrived on holiday as we were changing stock around in the shop when they came in at 7 pm. We were more than happy for them to have a look, so we chatted and they promised to come back the next day. They did come back and fell for our handmade 1920's style sofa. As it wouldn't fit into their car, we agreed delivery for when they returned home. We headed off to Essex at 5.45 yesterday morning, very little traffic and arrived three and a half hour later. They had the perfect space waiting for it and were happy for me to take photographs. 

If you are looking for a handmade sofa, then please have a look at what we can make for you. Shopping independently and with small businesses does not send us into space, but helps provides for our families. Thank you.

1920's style sofas 

1960's style sofas

Our 13 year old son has been talking to his Dad today about rainforests. He loves geography. At school they had been discussing the destruction of the rainforests and to plant trees for the use of palm oil. He was telling his Dad they were talking about mahogany and teak which have been cut down and how its having a huge effect on the world and global warming. He asked Dad if he used mahogany or other hardwoods. Mark sat and explained. Yes he uses mahogany, teak and rosewood, but these are hardwoods that were cut down many many years ago before anyone had even heard of global warming. Some of the hardwoods were cut down well over a hundred years ago. Mark was not ashamed of using these woods and explained that we have been reusing hardwood timber for many years. One of the reasons why it has lasted it because its hardwood, slowing growing and had been around for probably hundreds of years before it was cut down. Mark also explained that he does not feel guilty when making new sofas and chairs. The reason for this is we use hardwood beech, a timber which is specifically grown in Europe for the use in making furniture. This beech will last for probably a hundred years so rather than have cheap disposable furniture, this type of furniture is actually better for the environment. Mark also went on to explain that the UK was once covered in oak trees before we cut them all down to make ships and other things needed to expand our Empire. We are now asking some of the poorest countries not to chop down their forests when they are doing this to provide for their citizens. As we are now much more aware of what we have done to the planet over the last two hundred years, we need to help other countries, educate them and give them an alternative to clearing the rainforest. 

As our son said, we all need to do our part and he now wants me to check that our light bulbs are energy saving. I think he's on the right track but as a country and world, we all need to do our part for the sake of our children and grand children.

If you'd like to see more of our beech handmade furniture the click here

If you'd like to see more of our furniture for restoration click here 

When we first opened 20 years ago, Edwardian chairs were popular. This was due to the fact they were small, comfortable and good for posture. The problem we sometimes had was that when the frames were stripped, the rails could be warped, full of wood worm or just broken beyond repair. Although its great to re-use old frames, they often have a life span and do come to end end. I think if a chair has lasted 100 years then that's pretty good going! Its sometimes just isn't economically viable to replace rails and there is still no guarantee than once rails are replaced, the frame isn't wobbly!  Any wood we haven't used goes to a local artist who creates interesting pieces to sell, so the timber isn't wasted.

With this in mind and the fact they were a popular style, Mark decided to copy this style of chair. In fact we still have the original which we keep for reference. A beech hardwood frame, traditional coil sprung seat and a feather cushion on top for comfort. The original chairs didn't have a cushion on, just a sprung and stuffed seat. In the 21st century, most customers would find this too hard which is why we make a feather cushion so its more forgiving. There is still the support with the traditional sprung seat. These chairs also have a higher seat which is good if you need a chair that bit higher than some of the modern squishy chairs.

Over the years, we've made and upholstered these chairs in lots of different colours and fabrics. That's the beauty of what we do. A unique chair just for you.

If you would like to see more click here

I was very excited and happy to have a request featured on SCALA Radio today. Its been a week of celebrations, Mark's birthday on Sunday, our eldest sons birthday this Sunday and its our 20th business anniversary this week too. With this in mind, I thought I'd drop Mark Forrest an email to see if I could have a request. Today he called me and we had a great chat. He asked me about our business so you can imagine I was thrilled to give ourselves a plug. We talked about how we must be doing something right to still be here after 20 years and I told him that Mark was currently making sofas at our workshop. 

Our boys had bought Mark the  Midge Ure Orchestrated CD which we had heard on SCALA Radio a couple of weeks ago. Well I can tell you now its an amazing CD (yes we still listen to CD's) As 1980's teenagers, Ultravox were huge, but I have to admit that I much prefer the orchestrated version. Maybe its my age but I think Midge Ure's voice has improved with age. If you've not heard it then do have a listen. It gives me goose bumps.

You can hear me on SCALA at 12.30 which is 2.5 hours into the show. SCALA Radio 

Bouclé  fabric appears to be the fabric everyone loves in 2021. It is on trend and everywhere. I think we were trendy before bouclé became trendy as its a fabric we've been using for years. We love the texture and range of colours which are available.

In the late 1940s, Florence Knoll requested that Eero Saarinen design a chair that she could “really curl up in,” she likely didn’t realize the industrial designer would interpret her description down to the upholstery fabric too. The result of her request, Saarinen’s Womb Chair, premiered in 1948 in Knoll's Classic Bouclé, a nubby textile made from a yarn of, fittingly, curled yarns.

Velvet fabric, luxurious, plush and lovely to feel. Remember that velvet has a pile. It will crush, mark and leave finger prints all over it. This is what it is supposed to do and does not mean that it is not hard wearing. If you want a fabric which will look perfect at all times then velvet is not for you. Its like having a deep pile carpet. It get squashed when stood on and velvet works in the same way. 

Velvet is not an easy fabric to work with. Fabric has to be stretched, pulled and moulded into place. When working with velvet it is impossible not to mark it. When a piece is ready to be delivered, it is brushed and sometimes steamed gently so the marks vanish and it looks almost perfect when delivered. Don't you think velvet looks much better after being used for sometime? New velvet will eventually has that lived in look. 

Velvet looks different colours depending on which way you look at it. It has a nap or pile so one way can often look completely different if you turn it upside down. Don't make the mistake of having a fabric sample the wrong way so always check if you are unsure. The pile runs down a sofa or chair.

Velvet is made in a range of yarns. 100% man made polyester to 100% cotton. Its all down to preference and price as there can be a big difference in price per metre. Velvet is also available is so many colours, you would struggle to find a colour which wasn't available.

It is suggest that velvet first originated from China in the 13th century and arrived in Europe via the silk roads. Probably made of silk, it was only for the very rich or royalty. Fortunately, modern manufacturing means that velvet is now available for everyone to buy. If you are unsure which is the right velvet for your home, then we are always happy to advise. We have a range of velvets including a washable velvet which would be unthinkable a few years ago. Please do get in touch to find out more.

One of our favourite fabrics from Pierre Frey is the Colette collection. It is woven in one of their Northern France Living Heritage Mills, and looks beautiful on the 1920's style sofas we make. 

Tone-on-tone fabric with a tiny feather pattern available in a variety of colours.  A high-quality chenille fabric thread is used for the weft. In addition to its soft, comfortable feel and outstanding resistance, the chenille thread reacts to weaving by coiling and adds a wealth of highlights to the colours available in this collection. A cotton and viscose mix makes this a hard wearing fabric. Luxury at an affordable price without the advantage of not having to worry if it will wear out.

Pierre Frey have some amazing fabrics at some eye watering prices, which for most us, are out of reach, but this is one of their fabrics which is timeless and worth spending your hard earned cash on.

An inventive family business with a strong sense of eclecticism by combining craftsmanship and modernity, Pierre Frey was  founded in 1935. Maison Pierre Frey creates and produces fabrics by taking inspiration from classical and contemporary art, or from faraway ethnic groups, always interpreting it in a very French style.

Why in this day and age of smaller homes and small rooms are sofas from many of the national retailers so huge? I do giggle to myself every time I see that sofa advert with Owen Wilson sat on a huge sofa in front of a window which looks out to sea (I had to google him as I didn't know who he was) . How many of you have that view and a home that size which would fit that sofa? We can all dream but that aside, there is nothing worse than having to sit on a sofa or chair which is not comfortable.

Many sofas and chairs are very deep which is fine if you are six foot tall or have long legs, but for most of us, they can be just too deep. We have lots of customers who say they cannot find a sofa or chair so their feet touch the floor. If this has been a problem for you, then you could consider one of our traditional hand made sofas. Because they are based on older traditional designs, they are smaller and not so deep. Because we make the frames ourselves, we can alter them to suit your needs. Because we make them ourselves, we have 1000's of fabric to choose from. Because we are a family run business, you can speak to us, come and see us and even see your sofa frame.

If it sounds complicated, its really not. If it sounds expensive our prices are comparable to high street chains, but if you are comparing, make sure its like for like. We do not use chipboard, our frames are beech. We do not use serpentine springs, but a traditional coil sprung seat. This means your sofa is made to last. We don't make furniture to throw away in five years time.

If you are looking for a restored sofa, we do tend to buy small sofas. If you see a sofa on our website which has yet to be restored and re-upholstered, then you can choose the final fabric. You can visit our workshop and see the sofa in its original state. You do need some imagination, but having an old piece restored is much better for the environment than buying a sofa which is not going to last.

Before you dash off to the nearest retail park, then do consider speaking to us and coming to see us. We don't have a huge showroom, but what we will do is give you the best advice we can and help you find a comfortable sofa for you.

It looks like everyone is jumping on the environmentally friendly, sustainable living band wagon. Call me cynical, but when have the big manufactures cared about anything but profit? I now see that a large national "sales ends soon" company are offering a range of sofas which are made from sustainable wood (its actually quite difficult to buy wood which isn't from a sustainable source). They don't actually say what type of wood they are using, so sustainable it may be, long lasting doesn't mean the same thing. Their springs are made from recycled steel. They are still only zig zag springs which don't last and are one of the cheapest ways of putting springs in a sofa. Fabrics are made from recycled bottles. The fabric is still plastic, and whatever fabric you use, a huge amount of energy and chemicals is used to produce these fabrics. I love the idea of recycled fabric and using plastic is better than it going into landfill.

I'm all for saving the planet as much as we can, but I do believe you have to delve further into this matter. Where is your furniture made, UK or quite often the Far East. Lets face it, its much cheaper to have sofas mass produced in countries which don't have the same employment standards as we do in the UK. These are then shipped in containers from the other side of the world. Not very environmentally friendly. I often wonder how much these workers are paid to make this type of furniture. 

Wool is a better fabric to use in my opinion. Its a natural product and will compost without harm. Many wools are made in the UK, but the wool does come from the other side of the world due to the UK not having the correct sheep to produce enough wool needed for the demand. Not as green as we would like, but it is all compromise. If you are wanting to have a more sustainable lifestyle then small things do help. Not replacing furniture every five years because you want a change. When buying replacement, do you want new or restored? If you want new, buy new which will still be around in 30 years not 10 years. Each and everyone of us have to make these decisions if we want this planet to survive, but if we all try and make small changes, these can make a difference.

Shop locally, buy quality and as Vivienne Westwood once said, "Buy less, choose well, make it last" Handmade sofas

As lock down continues, so does our business. In November I had a call from a lady who had seen the 1960's chair we make on our website in the two tone lime green fabric. Unfortunately, the fabric was not longer available so it was decided that she would like a raspberry colour to bring a splash of colour into her living room.

I arranged fabric samples to be sent and she chose the fabric which is on the chair. The textured weave is a new fabric from Romo's Oxley collection, an upholstery weave with modern charm; an intriguing combination of bouclé, undulating chenille and knitted yarns, with a tactile quality and colourful appeal. This was for the seat cushion and the inside back, with contrast detail buttons in the plain fabric.  The arms and outside back are from the Linara collection, an exquisite cotton-linen blend, Linara has a beautiful brushed finish with an exceptionally soft, peach-skin feel that adds a luxurious quality to this versatile plain. Highly acclaimed, Linara is practical and durable and with 360 colours available, there is always a colour which suits most homes. Both are hard wearing fabrics.

Delivered to its new home to be used as a reading chair, these 1960's style are chairs are both comfortable, practical and perfect if you have a small space.

These 1960's style chairs are individually hand made. It takes 32 pieces of timber to make these frames. The angles are complicated and not easy to get right, but if you look at the shape, you can see its not a simple design. This was copied from an original 1960's arm chair which we adapted for the 21st century.

You can view more here 1960s chair

We were finally able to re-open our doors on Monday and its been a fantastic week. After 14 long weeks, its lovely to see so many customers, old and new, and to see Shrewsbury buzzing again. The weather has been kind (a little chilly) so many have been able to support the hospitality industry by eating and drinking outside. It feels like we have our freedom again, although we must remember this can change quickly if we do not continue to social distance.

Free parking is available in the council car parks for another week, so make the most of it whilst its on offer. Wyle Cop and the High Street is closed to through traffic from 11 am to 5 pm, so you can wonder around Shrewsbury at a safe distance.

If you've not ventured out yet, the please do come and see us. You have been missed.