Established in 2002, Featherstone Young is headed by Sarah Featherstone and Jeremy Young, who believe that good design is shaped by people. The wider team possesses a diverse range of expertise, which is harnessed through open project design ‘crits’ and a focus on creative thinking to ensure every project benefits from the practice’s maximum potential. Design quality is a fundamental tenant to all Featherstone Young’s work, which spans residential, educational, community, art and heritage commissions. The practice holds sense of place and local identity in high priority when it comes to a project’s context, making sure each of their buildings is distinct and responsive to its immediate surroundings. Environmental concerns are also taken into consideration, with Featherstone Young ranking social and environmental needs over economic profit.

@featherstoneyoung

Images: Stonecrop exterior by James Brittain (1) and Stonecrop interior by Brotherton-Lock (2); Waddington House by Brotherton-Lock (3-4); Haslemere by Rachael Smith (5-6); Jack Windmill by Brotherton-Lock (7-8); The Old Rectory by David Grandorge (9-10); and Ty Hedfan (11-12).

This small furniture design company was set up in 2008. Finch’s team of specialist crafts and trades people work closely with architects, interior designers and builders to create the perfect kitchen, wardrobe or freestanding furniture piece for their client’s space. The unique requirements of each project are taken into consideration, and matched with the design and skills required to deliver a bespoke result. A concern for environmental impact runs alongside Finch’s work, so carbon footprint, sustainability and waste are always taken into account too.

@finchlondon

Founded by Sadie Perry, MANTEL select one-off vintage and artisanal Mexican objects and lighting, and create collaboratively designed pieces for their well-curated online store. Second-hand items are recontextualised to give them new relevance within a contemporary interior. Each piece is uniquely distinct, and often offers a balance between both form and function; enhancing a home whilst fulfilling a purpose.

@shopmantel

House of Quinn create small-batch collections of quilts, textiles and unique objects for the home. The design practice was founded in 2016 by Julius Arthur, who grounds his process in simplicity and exploration to create abstract views of the places and things around us. Whether created by stitching, painting or printing, the items House of Quinn produces are anchored by their sense of function, becoming simple luxuries for the everyday. Julius Arthur is the author of Modern Quilting: A Contemporary Guide to Quilting by Hand (Hardie Grant, 2021).

@houseofquinn

Founded in 2014, the London-based daab design is a RIBA Chartered practice led by Anais Blehaut and Dennis Austin. Experienced and agile, the practice values collaboration, inclusiveness, craftsmanship and clear communication across their mixed scale of projects, which span city planning to residential homes. Whatever they undertake, a respect for context, heritage and detail is maintained throughout, with outcomes that endure due to their viability and sustainability.

@daabdesign

Image credits: Pine Nut Cabane (1-4) by Henry Woide; Guild (5-8) by Jim Stephenson; and Regency (9-10) by Grant Smith.

The Nottingham-based Mac Collins is an emerging British artist and designer, who recently won the 2021 London Design Festival Emerging Design Medal. Since graduating in Three-Dimensional Design from Northumbria University, Newcastle, in 2018, Mac has worked on a number of furniture pieces and objects, which draw on his Jamaican heritage for their inspiration. With an aesthetic and a narrative that reverberates, Mac’s creations are often cited as artefacts for their cultural relevance and considered quality.

@maccollins__

The AU was founded by UK-based interior stylist, Anna Unwin, as a curated resource of beautiful, one-off interior objects, lighting, textiles and furniture. The collection includes antique, mid-century and vintage items, each chosen due to their distinct design or idiosyncrasy. Some pieces are rare, some totally unique, and most are handcrafted using age-old skills that have passed through generations. All are sustainably sourced, balancing ethical and environmental considerations with Anna’s refined aesthetic.

As an interior stylist, Anna has worked for Aucoot Design Directory favourites Bauwerk Colour and House of Grey.

@anna.unwin

This award-winning architecture and interior design practice was founded in 2015 by Demian Erbar and Holger Mattes, who met whilst working at David Chipperfield Architects – one of the UK’s most internationally renowned architecture firms. Based in London, Erbar Mattes combine clarity and simplicity through their use of light, material and form to create inspirational spaces for their clients.

Most recently, Erbar Mattes has been shortlisted for the AJ Retrofit Awards 2022 for Blockmakers Arms, and won ‘Best House’ and ‘Best Use of Materials’ awards for Harvey Road from the Haringey Design Awards 2018 and New London Architecture Don’t Move, Improve! 2017 respectively.

@erbarmattes

Image credits: Blockmakers Arms (1-2) by Simon Menges; Blockmakers Arms (3-4) by Ståle Eriksen; Harvey Road (5-9) by Ståle Eriksen; House in Wimbledon (10); Crouch End House (11-12); House in West Sussex (13-14).

Having honed his distinct style through his studies at Central Saint Martins and the Royal Collage of Art, Lewis Kemmenoe now designs furniture and functional objects from his West London-based studio. Lewis’ work imbues a sense of playfulness, which often combines simple geometric shapes in complex ways to create elegant and refined home furnishings. Pattern and grain are celebrated through the considered use of a range of woods, and contrasts are created with colour, concrete and formica to give Lewis’ work a modern, utilitarian edge.

@lewiskemmenoe

Greg Cox is a furniture maker based in East London. Having trained as an artist to gain an MA in Fine Art with a sculpture specialism, Greg went on to combine his creative intuition with his work history in set building to design and make bespoke fitted furniture, wardrobes and kitchens. Greg works through a three-phase process; design, production and installation. And, all of his work is produced in his Leyton workshop, minimising disruption on site. He finishes each project with high-end Blum hardware and integrated door-activated LED lighting.

@madebygregcox

Led by Creative Director, Angus Buchanan, and Managing Director, Charlotte Buchanan, Buchanan Studio creates distinct, considered spaces for both the commercial and residential sectors. Angus’ extensive work history with luxury global brands combines with Charlotte’s experience in corporate partnership branding to imbue all the studio’s work with an unrivalled sense of artistry and focus. Buchanan Studio is built around three key pillars – creativity, imagination and originality – and brings authentic enthusiasm and conceptual innovation to each undertaking. In 2001, the studio stepped into the product market, with the launch of their much-admired Studio Chair. More product is in the pipeline.

@buchanan.studio

Founded in 2016 by Matt Loader and Iain Monteith, this Glasgow-based architectural practice put their focus on ‘meaningful design’, orientating their process around space, place and people. Loader Monteith take a collaborative approach, working with clients in an authentically personal way to ensure that a project’s full potential is reached.

The team of six find inspiration in Scotland’s wild landscapes, energetic cities and charming villages, wherever they may be working in the world. Sustainability is a paramount concern for this RIBA Chartered firm, and so restoration takes prominence where it can in every project; Loader Monteith is specialist conservation accredited.

@loadermonteith

Image credits: The Maker’s House (1-4) and Carpenter’s House by Dapple Photography (5-6); The Rower’s House by Emanuelis Stasaitis (7-8); High Sunderland (9-10) and Kingsborough Gardens by Dapple Photography (11-14); and Strone of Glenbanchor by Nigel Rigden (15-16).