Materials
The materials we use are chosen for longevity, beauty, and how well they take a painted finish. Nothing fashionable, nothing that won't last. Every piece we make is built to be handed down.
Timber
Our primary timber for painted furniture. Tulipwood — also known as American tulip poplar — is a fine-grained hardwood with exceptional stability. It takes paint beautifully, holds its shape through seasonal movement, and machines cleanly for crisp shaker detail. It is our first choice for all fitted furniture and the majority of our freestanding pieces.
For pieces where the natural grain is part of the design, we work in European oak. Hard, characterful, and deeply beautiful in a natural or oiled finish. We use oak for shelving, drawer linings, and occasional pieces where a client wants something left in its natural state rather than painted.
Paint
Every painted piece leaves our workshop finished by hand in multiple coats, flatted between each application. The result is a smooth, durable finish that ages gracefully and can be touched up if needed years down the line. We work primarily with Mylands of London, with Farrow & Ball available on request.
Founded in 1884, Mylands is one of Britain's oldest and most respected paint houses. Their range of eggshell and full gloss paints is our first choice for all painted furniture — the pigmentation is exceptional, the durability outstanding, and the colour range is perfectly calibrated for period interiors.
We hold Mylands colour cards in our workshop and can order sample pots before your project begins. The full Mylands range runs to over 200 colours, from the palest off-whites to deep, inky tones.
Browse the Mylands range →If you have a room already painted in Farrow & Ball and want your furniture to match, we're happy to work in their range. Their estate eggshell is well suited to furniture and provides an excellent depth of colour, particularly in their mid-tone and darker shades.
Simply let us know your chosen colour when we discuss your commission and we'll ensure an exact match throughout.
Browse the Farrow & Ball range →Not sure?
Choosing a paint colour is one of the most important decisions in a commission. We're happy to spend time on it. During your site visit, we'll bring colour cards, talk through the light in your room at different times of day, and help you narrow it down. We can also arrange sample pots so you can live with a colour before committing.