A wisely bought sofa or chair should last a lifetime. At least that is the ethos at Beaumont & Fletcher, which has been making traditionally handcrafted furniture at its English workshop for over three decades.
‘I have never thought of sofas as disposable items of furniture. To me, they are investment pieces, which should go on to become future heirlooms and be enjoyed by generations to come,’ comments owner and Creative Director, Jana Durisova.
‘A sofa can be reimagined in so many different ways during its lifetime,’ she continues. ‘Just because your style changes shouldn’t mean a well-chosen piece of furniture no longer has its place – it can easily be given a new lease of life and new look with a different fabric to suit your evolving tastes.’
Since the Chelsea-based interiors company opened its doors more than 30 years ago, the emphasis has always been on quality. Each piece of Beaumont & Fletcher furniture is handcrafted from start to finish, using the highest quality materials.
Every artisan who works on their upholstered furniture expertly blends materials, scale and finish to give both form and function, with an unwavering commitment to quality and longevity.
The all-important frame is skilfully built from seasoned beechwood, which is glued, screwed and dowelled together for strength, ensuring a lifetime of use, and the legs are integral to the frame itself. English webbing is nailed to the product’s frame before steel coil springs are individually tied by hand for lasting tension and comfort. The sprung frame is then traditionally upholstered with cotton, lambswool and horsehair, while pillows and cushions are filled with the finest feather and down.
Beaumont & Fletcher pays little attention to fleeting trends and fads. Instead, it focuses on creating timeless pieces of furniture that sit effortlessly in traditional and contemporary homes alike. As well as its beautiful collection of furniture, they also create the most stunning couture fabrics and hand embroidered cushions, inspired by nature, history and art, which grace properties around the world, and even the occasional film set. And it has an enviable reputation for its lights and mirrors, which are hand-carved in small Italian workshops.
Though the business continues to thrive, the last few years haven’t been without challenges. ‘There was a great deal of uncertainty when we first went into lockdown,’ says Jana, ‘but despite inevitable delays due to supply chain disruption we continued to deliver for each of our clients. I’m hugely proud of that.’
‘We have a brilliant team who were able to work from home and quickly adapted to the new norm. The real heroes, however, were based in the workshop and continued to make our furniture despite the barriers they faced. Fortunately, each piece is upholstered by just one person from start to finish so social distancing wasn’t too much of an issue.’
Meticulous crafting, hand finishing, stitching and attention to detail, ensure each and every Beaumont & Fletcher sofa or chair is of unparalleled quality. But, as Jana points out, they are also created for maximum comfort and support: ‘luxury is only luxury if it is comfortable’.
