George Smith’s story began in 1985 when it opened as a re-upholstery business specialising in Howard sofas and kilims. Since then, it has grown to become one of the leading British upholstery manufacturers, with a flagship showroom on the King’s Road and a tailored collection of handmade indoor and outdoor furniture and upholstery fabrics that can be found in top hotels and members clubs (such as Soho House), as well as private residences around the world. The collection comprises more than 200 designs of sofas, chairs, chaises and stools, in a variety of classic designs to suit both contemporary and traditional interiors.
Living in an ever changing world means that we need to be adaptable and flexible, whilst remaining authentic and true to our values
Over the years George Smith has collaborated with a raft of talented designers on capsule collections. These include Ilse Crawford’s range of tactile, simple pieces whose honed dimensions were the result of rigorous research into ensuring that they supported the changing sedentary habits of modern living, and low-level seating for bars and homes by &Objects, designed for Annabel’s in Mayfair with entertaining in mind. This year, the company has launched a new website, which offers customers the opportunity to digitally select their own customisable features for a piece of furniture (bespoke designs can also be commissioned from scratch).
This year, George Smith has undertaken a senior living project for Inspir in New York (there is another in the pipeline for London’s Chelsea), where furniture for the communal areas of the residence has been tailored to suit the unique comfort requirements of older residents. Specific adjustments to seat depth, arm height and pitch were made to increase mobility and comfort for all. The overall traditional aesthetic of the furniture, combined with the luxurious natural fabrics, personifies the warmth of a welcoming home.
Applying the same high standards of craftsmanship to this project as to everything it makes, each George Smith piece was meticulously handmade by the team of master joiners and upholsterers in the north of England, using traditional techniques handed down through the generations and sustainable, natural materials. ‘The George Smith team is truly fantastic, full of energy and dedicated to providing the best service; I consider myself lucky to work on incredible global luxury projects alongside our team of master craftsmen,’ says Amanda Barrett, Sales Director at George Smith. ‘Living in an ever changing world means that we need to be adaptable and flexible, whilst remaining authentic and true to our values.’
As interior designers Stephenson Wright testify, George Smith sofas aren’t just stylish, they are exceedingly comfortable, too. ‘When we were asked to furnish our client’s grand hall with Chesterfield sofas there was a natural leader in the right brand for the job. It’s easy to relax when you know that your client will be able to lounge for hours in a deeply comfortable sofa.’
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