COMMENT | HEIRLOOM PIECES| WORDS BY JOHN LAW | BRISTOL LIFE, ISSUE 387
Interior designer and hotelier Kit Kemp once said that every room tells a story, and never has this sentiment resonated more. We have recently seen a real enthusiasm from clients to be that bit bolder and more open to schemes that reflect their own personality, rather than getting too hung up on the latest design must-dos.
This can be quite liberating, cathartic even, especially if the approach is married with a sense of realism and self-reflection. If you love colour, for example, embrace it. If you are drawn to a more clinical look but – and here comes the self-reflection – are chaotic by nature, try leaning towards a cosier, comfortable vibe that will be more accepting of that very chaos. Equally, if you get pleasure from collecting finds from your travels, perhaps consider a warm, neutral canvas on your walls, adorning them instead with those precious finds – rather than competing, they will instead add their own colours, textures and patterns to your home.
What will pull these schemes together is the introduction of what we’d describe in the studio as heirloom pieces. Timeless, well-made Items that will stay with us through the years. The price of these pieces, whether a bespoke armchair or handmade side table, will undoubtedly reflect the love, passion and craftmanship put into its creation but they will also very likely be enjoyed that much longer, and cherished that bit more.
As designers, we are keen to advocate this approach; to leave behind the disposable remnants of short-lived trends and regular renovation. We prefer instead to combine traditional pieces with their contemporary counterparts, giving a scheme a long-lasting, timeless feel. As we become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of our purchases, it’s equally important to avoid overlooking existing pieces of furniture in favour of the new, the fresh, the clean. We always look to retain such items where we can or to introduce antique pieces to give that greater sense of authenticity.
Fortunately, Bristol has a wealth of makers and collectors that make this task that bit easier for us all. From established, family-run makers of bespoke furniture, to the ever-evolving treasure troves of the city’s antiques dealers. Here is a hand-picked selection of just a few Bristol-based business that are well placed to help you find pieces that not only stand the test of time, but will effortlessly hold their own within any design scheme.
Konk Furniture began as the brainchild of architecture graduate Alex Ratcliffe, who decided he didn’t want to be an architect after all, turning instead to designing and making furniture by hand. A decade on, the Bristol-based workshop has grown into one of the region’s leading bespoke furniture makers, with a skilled team creating sustainable pieces for residential and commercial clients alike. Leaning towards a mid-century aesthetic, each piece is built on a firm rejection of throwaway culture — furniture that’s solid, hardwearing, and ages with character.
Rag & Bone began, fittingly, as a chance meeting of two collectors — Arthur Hodder, who’d been dealing at antique fairs and running a small shop on Chandos Road in Redland, and Mollie Riach, a regular customer turned business partner. Together they built something deliberately unstuffy: an eclectic mix of decorative antiques and vintage furniture, homewares, mid-century design, industrial lighting and original artwork, all pulled together into a distinctly modern aesthetic. Sourced from across Europe and beyond, the finds range from French rustic farm tables to Arts and Crafts rocking chairs and battered wicker baskets. Now trading online with regular stock drops, Rag & Bone remains, at heart, a home for the rare, the romantic, and the slightly eccentric.
Tucked among the independent shopfronts of Gloucester Road sits House of Møbel, a slice of mid-century Scandinavia in the heart of Bristol. Founded by Daisy Macleod, the shop deals in original teak dining tables, chests of drawers, and iconic sofas and armchairs. Every piece arrives imported from Scandinavia before being restored right here in Bristol. The style, as Macleod puts it, is minimal, timeless and serene, with a dose of hygge thrown in for good measure. There’s an undeniable philosophy underpinning this aesthetic: a belief that furniture made well can last a lifetime, be restored, and last another, offering a sustainable, investment-minded alternative to buying new.
Working with built reclaimed and found natural materials such as hardwood and metal, founder Joe Lyster merges a minimal aesthetic with warm tones and earthy textures from his Bristol workshop. He will often weave in traditional Japanese Shibori dyeing techniques alongside the metalwork of these unique lighting pieces, and the results are, as he sees it, a quiet challenge to our disposable, throwaway culture. Still a small, family-run outfit, Lumo now sells bespoke, small production runs through its online store and select stockists — proof that the most compelling design stories are often the ones made from what everyone else might throw away.
Established in Bristol by designer-maker Andy King and business partner Rob Webbon, the duo combines their engineering and sustainability backgrounds to great effect. The studio has built its name on contemporary furniture in a carefully selected palette of natural hardwoods, referencing art deco, Danish modern and Japanese aesthetics. The results now reach homes and businesses not just across the UK but in France, Canada and Australasia, proof that Bristol style travels well.
