This year, Cotswolds-based furniture maker and longstanding The House Directory member Lorfords Contemporary celebrates its 10-year anniversary. In this blog, we speak to Managing Director Nasia de la Haye about what the company does, how the brand has developed, their team and their ongoing commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability.

How and when was Lorfords Antiques founded, and by whom?

Lorfords Antiques was founded by Toby Lorford in 2003 in Tetbury. Toby grew up surrounded by the trade – his father was an antiquarian books dealer – so antiques were always part of his world. What began with sourcing decorative pieces from across Europe has grown into the Tetbury shop and two hangars near Beverston, which are now home to stock from over 60 specialist dealers. It’s a destination that many designers return to time and again.

Lorfords Contemporary was launched 10 years ago this year – what was the catalyst for the move towards creating new pieces?

Lorfords Contemporary really began with a conversation. A long-standing client – the renowned chef Marco Pierre White – asked Toby to recreate a series of antique designs for a hotel in Hong Kong. These needed to be constructed from modern materials that would stand up to heavy use, while still feeling luxurious. Toby asked me to lead the project, and from there we built a studio focused on reinterpreting classic forms and developing original designs. The response from the design community was immediate, and it’s grown very organically since.

What kind of furniture do you make?

Upholstery sits at the heart of what we do, but the collection goes well beyond that. We reinterpret antique and vintage forms using traditional methods and natural materials, as well as designing original sofas, chairs, beds, ottomans and headboards. Whatever the piece, the aim is always the same – to create something timeless, deeply comfortable and quietly characterful.

Who are Lorfords Contemporary’s main customers?

Much of our work comes from the interior design trade, and we’re fortunate to collaborate with some of the industry’s most respected names including Rita Konig, Todhunter Earle, Christian Bense, Sean Symmington, Turner Pocock, Sims Hilditch, Salvesen Graham and Studio Indigo to name just a few. We work closely with teams to develop standard and fully bespoke pieces, tailoring materials and finishes to their individual projects. Alongside trade, we also work with private clients – increasingly from the US – who are drawn to British craftsmanship and who love our made-to-order approach, and we’ve built our reputation by providing consistent quality and reliability.

Where are the pieces made?

All of our pieces are made in our Cotswold workshop just outside Stroud, where a team of ten craftspeople produce everything by hand. We’re committed to British craft and sustainable, natural materials. We have no production lines and no factories – just skilled hands that use time-honoured techniques, which are combined with technological advancements. Each piece is hand crafted by our master upholsterers and is overseen by one member of the team from start to finish, meaning we can 100% control the quality and the result. We encourage clients and designers to visit – it’s a wonderful way to understand the craftsmanship behind each piece.

Could you give us an overview of the team that make the furniture?

It’s a mix of highly experienced upholsterers and trainees, which creates a really positive culture, and we pride ourselves in maintaining a diverse team across all skill levels, genders and ethnic backgrounds. Between them, our six upholsterers have over 100 years of combined experience, while our four trainees are at various stages of their development with two nearing the completion of their training, after which they will become junior upholsterers.

Andy Witcher, our most senior upholsterer, has been with us for eight years and has played a vital role in developing the collection, as well as providing expertise when it comes to creating bespoke designs. Senior upholsterers Amy and Lizzie have also been with us for many years and are instrumental in mentoring newer team members, including Helen, who joined us three years ago after a career in NHS nursing – skills that have proven unexpectedly useful when sewing machines disagree with fingers.

A common misconception is that upholstery requires formal training through paid programmes. In fact, only one of our trainees has come via this route. We find our most successful upholsterers are those with patience, artistic vision and strong technical aptitude, with a natural respect for heritage and craftsmanship. As working studios differ greatly from classroom environments, training our team ‘the Lorfords way’ from the very beginning is essential to us.

Can you give us some examples of the techniques used to make the pieces?

How we layer our materials to meet regulations without using any foams or other toxic materials is one of the techniques we have worked hard to perfect over time. Unlike foam-based methods, natural materials behave unpredictably and depend heavily on the expertise of the maker.  For example, we use high-quality jute webbing and FSC-certified beech frames to form the foundation. Coil springs are lashed onto the webbing and hand-tied with hemp twine. Achieving the correct tension is a skill that takes years to master, as it determines both comfort and longevity. Springs are then covered with a layer of hessian, then loose horsehair is teased and stitched into place, while edges are hand-stitched with twine. This is the most time-consuming stage, often taking several days to complete, and avoiding lumpiness requires expert craftsmanship. Once the shape is perfected, a second layer of hair is added, followed by British wool sheets, hessian-backed coir fibres, and naturally fire resistant Woolguard. French feather and down cushions are fitted to the backs and arms, and the upholstery fabric is fitted to the frame and base. Finally, loose seat cushions are filled with a 50/50 blend of French feather and down.

You also provide a bespoke service – what do you make and for whom?

Bespoke work is a big part of the studio and something we genuinely enjoy – it keeps the process both creative and technically rewarding. We always say, if it’s upholstered, we can make it! We make everything from sofas and armchairs to beds, banquettes, ottomans, valances, loose covers and more, tailoring proportions, finishes and upholstery to suit individual spaces. Projects range from private homes and hotels such as Thyme at Southroup, to more unusual requests such as bespoke dog beds and oversized corner sofas for cinema rooms. 

If someone wanted to commission a bespoke piece, what would be the process?

We’ve worked hard over the years to ensure the process is simple and streamlined. Every project begins with a design conversation with me to clarify the brief. We source inspiration images, which are followed by drawings with dimensions and guidance on fabrics and finishes. Proportions and details are refined collaboratively before the piece is made in our workshop. If needed, we test the bespoke frame on site. Clients are always welcome to visit during production, to see the piece taking shape. 

What are the advantages of having a bespoke piece made?

Bespoke is a solution for a challenging space or layout, or to create something that sits perfectly within a scheme. It allows you to specify the perfect scale, the right level of comfort and the ideal finish, as well as to create something very personal and unique. It’s also an investment in quality, and the piece will last both structurally and aesthetically for many years to come.

Can you tell us about your commitment to sustainability?

My training was in California, which has some of the highest standards in sustainable design, and therefore sustainability has become integral to the way we operate our business. Avoiding the green washing we see in the industry and remaining honest and truthful, we are committed to improving our clients homes indoor air quality. To mark our 10th anniversary, we are proud that we have formally developed manufacturing methods which are fully compliant with UK fire regulations without environmentally harmful chemical treatments or hidden toxins, and these are being rolled out across the collection. We are also removing aerosol glues entirely from our upholstery. The most sustainable piece of furniture is the one you never need to replace, and these innovations represent an important step forward, reflecting our commitment to cleaner indoor air quality, and low-impact British manufacturing.

Do you offer apprenticeships?

We do. Our in-house training programme supports the next generation of upholsterers, with trainees employed full-time and mentored by our experienced team. They follow a 4-year training program, and with the support of our production manager, they progress through training bands to ensure they are confident with the Lorfords Contemporary standard. 

What does the next chapter look like for Lorfords Contemporary?

Our tenth year feels like a real moment for us, as we continue to work with designers and creatives who’ve been part of the Lorfords Contemporary story from the beginning. Changing our approach to materiality and rolling that out across the range – including with most recent launch, the Willow sofa in collaboration with Haines – is something we’re very excited about. We also have great partnerships ahead, including a new four-poster with Turner Pocock that I’m besotted with, and a debut sofa collection with Penny Morrison, who was one of our earliest clients and has been one of our biggest supporters over the years. Alongside growing the collection, our next step is becoming B-Corp certified, something that I’m excited to implement and that we will be working towards this year.  

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We hope you have enjoyed this insight into the people and processes behind Lorfords Contemporary, a brand synonymous with craft, heritage and innovation. For more stories and inspiration from our makers and designers, explore our archive of blogs here.