A family-owned and family-run company, Sofas & Stuff blends contemporary creativity with the experience of three generations in furniture retail in their range of timeless, bespoke sofas, chairs and beds. Selling its bespoke pieces through 23 highly individual and characterful showrooms and online, the furniture is handmade to order in Sofas & Stuff’s own factory in Preston. Offering a level of choice and customisation that sets it apart, the company strives to create more sustainably, producing no more than what is needed through its truly bespoke service.
Fine quality fabrics lie at the heart of what we do. Sofas & Stuff pioneers with an exceptional level of choice and quality. Our remarkable fabric library includes exclusive collections designed in-house and in collaboration with two of Britain’s foremost heritage organisations, the V&A and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as well as collections from celebrated British and international fabric houses.
How would you describe your style?
"Our style, for both furniture and fabric, firmly reflects our British heritage. It is classic, timeless and enduring. New designs are introduced, not in response to passing trends, but because of their intrinsic beauty, comfort and utility. We are endlessly inspired by nature, informed by art and heritage, and committed to craft, quality and longevity."
Please describe a recently completed project or tell us about the bespoke service that you offer
"Our sofas, chairs and beds are handmade to order in Britain which means we can offer a huge degree of choice and customisation. Buying a sofa is a significant and meaningful investment in your home and family life. It’s also a highly personal decision as style and comfort mean different things to each of us. We are well-placed to help customers navigate this exciting journey. Our showroom design consultants bring a wealth of expertise and an eye for design. We understand that great service is about listening to individual customers, appreciating their needs, and offering creative solutions to design something that fits the bill entirely for both comfort and aesthetics.
We are constantly invigorated by the natural world and the design inspiration to be found there. This interest led us to collaborate with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) on a fabric collection which blends the natural world into interior spaces with fine linens, mellow colours and botanical designs.
Our second RHS fabric collection launched in Spring/Summer 2023. Drawing once more on the extensive archives of the RHS Lindley Collections, this collection focuses on two women artists in the field of horticulture, celebrating the enduring appeal of their artistic achievements. The rich and varied designs of Gertrude Jekyll lay at the heart of the collection. A featured artist in our first RHS collection, we continue our journey with Jekyll, exploring her floral sketches and beyond to designs which reveal her wider interest in culture, travel, and architecture.
Simplified representations of plants and flowers feature alongside tracings of architectural carvings and a geometric lattice design, creating a cohesive collection with variety and depth. Five sketches, sourced from Jekyll’s ‘Designs for Carving' scrapbook, dated 1866 -1911, form the basis of seven fabric designs. The final fabric design continues our reworking of naturalistic botanical paintings held in the RHS Lindley Collections that began with our first RHS collection in 2022. This time, the artwork of 19th-century painter, Caroline Maria Applebee, is showcased through a botanical collage fabric design composed from a set of her watercolour flower paintings."
See our furniture and fabric designs at one of our 23 showrooms, located across the country. Find your nearest showroom here.
1: Aldingbourne Chair in Grain Sack Stripe Linen Red; 2: Alwinton 3-seater sofa in Hovingham Woven Linen Stripe Blue; 3:Exbury-3-SeaterSofa in Ganton Woven Linen Stripe Red with Scatters in Carthorpe and Hovingham Woven Linen Stripe Red; 4:Hambledon corner sofa in Two Tone Plain Calico with scatters in Cloth 22 Weaves; 5:Helmsley 3 Seater Sofa in Mohair Fir with Seat and Back Cushions in RHS Collection Trailing Vine Olive and Small Trailing Vine Olive; 6: Kentwell 3 Seater 2 Hump Sofa in RHS Collection Caroline Maria Applebee Collage; 7:Rouen King Low End Bed in Kirkby Romo Soho Vintage Rose; 8: Snape Chair in RHS Collection Gertrude Jekyll Lattice Red
The List features design professionals, searchable by area, name and specialism. Membership starts at £395 per year, including a subscription to House & Garden (UK only)