A deep understanding of timber is at the root of our business; from long standing relationships with suppliers to an intricate knowledge of different species, their strengths and their qualities.
Collaborative design supports us in producing furniture that stands the test of time, beautiful in both its aesthetics and its integrity.
Designed by Magnus Long
Barricane Side Table
Bruton Modular Daybed Designed by SmithMatthias
Bruton Sofa
Designed by SmithMatthias
Designed by Magnus Long
Barricane Side Table
Celebrating nature and functionality, we welcome Bruton to our collections.
Designed in collaboration with SmithMatthias, Bruton is a modular sofa bringing a softer, more domestic design language to our contract collections.
A gentle, organic profile contrasted by crisp, clean lines creates a flexible, highly adaptable furniture system. Designed for comfort without sacrificing on sustainability, Bruton’s upholstery and filling are made from consciously selected natural materials, including wool, coconut coir, springs and feather, which meet contract fire standards.
Bruton Modular Sofa Designed by SmithMatthias
Bruton Modular Sofa
Designed by SmithMatthias
Barricane Coffee Table
Designed by Magnus Long
Lighting: Chelsom
Take a Seat with SmithMatthias
Exploring tailored comfort in the contract space
Designing for comfort in the contract industry has its discomforts. Ours is a business where the beauty of creativity has to be scrutinised under the lens of pragmatism - fire regulations, certifications, testing, durability and endurance are only a few of the things we have to bear in mind when we create. Client fabric choices need to wear well, our structures need to endure the impact of knocks, nudges and repeated use, our styles need to remain timeless, while reflecting our clients’ needs and trends.
So when we invite collaborators into our circle, our briefs must balance our internal scrutiny with the openness to let a different vision in - from designers who are used to creating with less parameters and more freedom. To create our latest piece, our brief aimed to explore the constantly evolving need of our clients to bridge
the gap between the domestic and the professional space. With more contract projects demanding this duality, our ambition was to co-create a collection with a softer, more domestic visual language that brought a new sensitivity to hard working commercial spaces. Today, we Take a Seat with SmithMatthias, the Liverpool-based studio founded by Jack Smith and
Gemma Matthias collaborating with us to bring this vision to life through our latest project; Bruton, a perfectly poised modular sofa collection.
We started by asking how they felt about the collaboration - bringing their soft and organic aesthetic to a unique contract furniture space. “With every collaboration, we’re very mindful that it
tired after being used a few times. The materials were very important to us, they allowed us to incorporate our vision for the sofa’s sustainability without a lot of compromise.” But creating a modular
is a process of the coming together of our studio style, our DNA and the company we’re working with. We have to be flexible and fluid. But one of the really exciting things about working with Morgan is their attention to Craftsmanship and their connection with timber. We really enjoyed working within that space.”
When talking about how they encapsulated their vision, SmithMatthias were single-minded in their approach “We talked about the idea of tailored comfort a lot, we wanted something that felt soft and domestic, but crisp and timeless, something that wasn’t fashion-led or that looked
sofa that is soft, modern, timeless and sustainable within the contract sphere demands ambition and dexterity
“Getting the idea of tailored comfort just right was very important to us. Morgan were amazing, very warm and patient, letting us try countless versions of the perfect filling combination until we reached a feeling that was just right - we used pocket springs, latex rubberised coconut coir, wool and feather to achieve the right amount of support and softness. We obsessed over details that no one will probably ever notice, but Morgan gave us the space to work like that, it was a supportive and collaborative creative journey.”
“There is a softness to the way we see Bruton, it has a very organic feel but also an elegance that we hope we’ve captured. It’s a place that created a very special aesthetic in our subconscious.”
“Nature is important in every aspect of our life, we both grew up in the countryside and nature means a lot to us.”
Beautiful in every detail, but conscious of its sustainability responsibilities, Bruton is the first collection in our catalogue to use sustainable fire-rated materials “When companies talk about sustainability, we often feel like there is a bit of catching up to do. But Morgan have put a lot of the work in, to help us achieve the right comfort levels, the right look and the sustainability certifications.”
Wanting to further explore what ‘the right look’ felt like, we delved into the aesthetics behind Bruton - discussing how the beauty of the Somerset location influenced the design vision and process “Bruton is one of those places that fills us with a lot of joy and we liked the idea of bringing that into the design, to create a sofa that felt generous while having this kind of lightness to it as well. The walk through the Hauser & Wirth gardens is always inspirational, being surrounded by undulating flower beds, full of echinacea. Their petals have such beautiful organic shapes, they inspired the design of the sofa legs. Contract furniture tends to be designed with a lot of straight lines for efficiency, but we wanted to explore a softer look that questioned the negative spaces
as well as what we see. So the legs are petal shaped and they change depending on where you look at the sofa. There is a softness to the way we see Bruton, it has
a very organic feel but also an elegance that we hope we’ve captured. It’s a place that created a very special aesthetic in our subconscious.”
With a brief that invited a less ‘conventional’ exploration of contract design, we talked about how SmithMatthias interpreted the challenge “The brief challenged us in ways that we wanted to be challenged - to create a piece that had a timber base, that was foam free, that pushed the machine and manual craftsmanship to elevate a domestic aesthetic that would remain timeless. Being able to push craftsmanship, to explore timber construction, for example in the way the legs look from different angles or how we decided to leave a very subtle gap where the arms connect to the backrest and the legs connect to the base - it was challenging, but also exciting.
The result is a clean, almost Japanese sort of aesthetic that’s very subtle, with details that we care about, that not everyone will see. We wanted to add soul through Craftsmanship, through our choice of materials and small touches, like the way the fabric is folded. We think about these things because it’s a responsibility we’ve been given, to create the best thing that we can.”
With every collaboration, we invite partners that help elevate what we do, but who we also feel a connection with - both aesthetically and in spirit. In Bruton, SmithMatthias and Morgan have created a functional, timeless piece that gives our clients an organic, soft but hardworking collection, founded in a love of craft and nature.
“Nature is important in every aspect of our life, we both grew up in the countryside and nature means a lot to us. Our rural background has shaped the way we want to work and look after things”As founder Jack Smith elaborates “I started off cabinet making, using locally sourced wood - it’s the kind of thing that gets ingrained in you. But we also have a fascination with furniture, we’ve visited Milan every year, for years… we travel, we love art and design. It’s an interesting marriage of these two aspects that make us who we are.”
Discover Bruton online at morganfurniture.co.uk
Bruton Modular Sofa
Designed by SmithMatthias
Right: Barricane Occasional Tables
Designed by Magnus Long
We are guided by a deep care for processes, relationships and nature with the ambition to create a future that leaves behind only the considered pieces we create, rather than their landfill and waste.
Bruton Modular Sofa
Designed by SmithMatthias
Barricane Coffee Table Designed by Magnus Long
Our first collaboration with designer Magnus Long brings sculptural design to our dining chair collections. With a construction that explores the technicality of woodwork and tradition of caning, Barricane combines craft and technical excellence, to create a piece that embraces comfort and ergonomics through beautiful and tactile, nature-inspired design.
The Barricane tables continue this theme, blending machined precision with handcrafted refinement to showcase the beauty of timber. Designed to be used individually or clustered together, they offer a versatile and sculptural presence in any space.
Below: Barricane Coffee Table
Designed by Magnus Long
Left: City Dining Table
Designed by Morgan Studio
Left: Barricane Dining Chair
Designed by Magnus Long
Barricane Side Table Designed by Magnus Long
Bruton Sofa Designed by SmithMatthias
Take a Seat with Magnus Long
Musings, thoughts and visual wanderings exploring our collection Barricane, designed by Magnus Long.
A successful creative collaboration doesn’t just rely on the individual merits of those who come together on a project. We believe collaboration finds its most beautiful and powerful expression when both sides bring something different to the table, free of egos, united by a quiet, relentless resilience to create something unique.
Today we profile designer Magnus Long. Musings, thoughts and visual wanderings exploring our work together creating the latest dining chair collection, Barricane.
Magnus Long is driven by longevity, a believer in the power of Design to live a long and meaningful life, being passed down and brought forward, lacking in transience and instead imbued with a deep sense of purpose and engagement. To hold this vision in
his work and his process he sees every piece as more than just furniture.
“Furniture design has a human scale to it because we know what it is to live with it around us. It has character, and it talks to us, and furniture speaks to each other, and we try to create harmony in the conversation.”
And like family members and those closest to us, Magnus believes every
piece he creates must have something to say, a clear point of interest. Barricane, Long muses, “speaks of durability and lightness” a design conversation that talks to the strength of its construction and the delicate
challenges and we worked together to find that elegant solution each time.”
translucency of the cane work, a dialogue of duplicity, exploring both the complexity of its creation and the simplicity of its aesthetic.
“I always look for elegant solutions in my work – where the clarity of the form belies other complexities. For Barricane I wanted the design to have a very clear and simple silhouette, playing with translucency within a clear, welcoming frame. The forms and curves are complex, with several intersecting lines and fixing points. I don’t think we ever really made a compromise to the purity of the design because Morgan constantly handled the
The ambition to bring together technology and craftsmanship to create something sculptural brought challenges to the fore. But with a humble, collaborative relationship and spirit, the setbacks were met with positivity and enthusiastic resilience.
“I know it’s been rewarding for Morgan’s production team too because the design has presented them with technical challenges which they have always responded to positively. That’s not always common, and when you listen to the chat on the shop floor, it’s really connected and positive, which is a cultural thing and it’s been a joy to work with them.” Combining this emotional openness to collaborate with the self-sufficiency of our technology
“I think about the subject of creativity a lot and for me creativity begins with and is ‘play’ as a source of nourishment and engagement.”
“I wanted the design to have a very clear and simple silhouette, playing with translucency within a clear, welcoming frame.”
and engineering has fostered a relationship of trust, honesty and possibility. With creative partnerships often being long processes with multiple voices needing to be heard, the strength of our unity has come from having the space and ability to talk, experiment and listen.
“One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most on this project has been the design conversation of let’s push things harder, let’s see where we can take this to. All of the design team have done that. There’s no arrogance. It’s just about doing things better. Without the ego. Without the need for recognition.”
Both sides bring experience and humility to the table, knowing where each other’s strengths lie, and being able to draw energy from the mutual desire to create something special.
“I’m often quite apprehensive before launching a new design because you can be caught up in the detail by the end point, but the outcome has been immediately rewarding because throughout the project I’ve been in a position to trust and respect
the opinions of the design talent within Morgan.” A visit to the factory floor revealed our caning production, a material that had long been a source of interest and excitement for Magnus.
“I had been looking for a way to work with split cane for many years, due to its translucency, strength and the fact that it is wholly natural material so when I visited Morgan’s factory, the opportunity was immediate.”
Magnus explored how its tactility could become central to Barricane’s design by introducing a radio weave design and bringing a modern take to this heritage material. “It’s not a material often used in chair design. It has this lovely point between craft and modernity”. The design centres around a very circular, almost sun-like backrest, giving light and lightness through caning, which Magnus describes as “an incredible material with incredible heritage and story.” Fascinated not only by its strength and tactile nature, the designer was also inspired by Morgan’s cane-weaving craft being passed on within the factory.
“Ricky, the craftsman who makes the cane work, told me how much he loves the process and explained that someone taught him. I hope this project means there is more opportunity for him to train a new generation. There’s a part of me that hopes that in some small way this project is supporting a craft and a skill that then gets paid forward. I love the idea of contributing to sustainability in craft. I wanted to challenge the notion that mesh must be synthetic by creating a chair that gives support and comfort, using natural materials that can be repaired, which is what Morgan have been doing for years. Caning work by UK furniture brands is now uncommon, and aside from its natural beauty, it is also a clear point of differentiation for Morgan.”
A collaboration is a process. The coming together of people, opinions and visions that culminate in one single, solidified expression. The journey can be enriching or depleting depending on the force of the communal intent. Our partnership with Magnus, the design and development of Barricane, has been a journey of joy, courage and determination. The result is a collection that positively challenged our technical ability, while delivering a piece that invites emotional connectivity. Elegance has dictated the design outcome, but also the way in which we collaborate. “Morgan is a family company and has been very welcoming with a collaborative spirit throughout. Real value is placed on integrity and honesty, and I’ve
never had to hold back saying what I’m thinking, and neither have they. It’s always an open conversation, and that needs trust in judgement to work best. Those qualities are important to the way I like to work and ultimately, we agree that it needs to be right, and they always came back with a constructive and positive reply to any challenges or points of tension.”
The coming together of creative minds is an invitation to invent, to build, to make mistakes and make progress together. It is also an invitation to be open in conversation, guided by a creative language with its own rhythms, sounds and expressions. The result of our creative dialogue with Magnus has been Barricane, an elegant collection that speaks of delicate profiles and strong lines, of translucency, comfort and sturdiness, of encouragement, craftsmanship and technology. Creativity at its most refreshing and rewarding. “I think about the subject of creativity a lot and for me creativity begins with and is ‘play’ as a source of nourishment and engagement. I was lucky enough to never have been told to stop playing, but creativity is a universal human quality that permits an openness to questions and ideas.”
Discover Barricane online at morganfurniture.co.uk
With the independence and flexibility to manufacture every client order in our factory in Hampshire, we not only have total control over the wood we use, we can also ensure the least waste possible on every project.
Below: Oslo Console Table Designed by Morgan Studio
Left: Hampton Side Table Designed by Katerina Zachariades
Left: Kaya Lounge Chair Designed by Morgan Studio
Rakino Dining Chair
Designed by Tim Rundle
Lighting: twentytwentyone
Rakino Dining Chair and Table Designed by Tim Rundle
Rakino Dining Chair and Twin Pedestal Dining Table
Designed by Tim Rundle
Rakino Dining Chair and Twin Pedestal Dining Table
Designed by Tim Rundle
Take a Seat with Tim Rundle
Discovering the stories behind the thoughtful design of our latest Rakino additions.
Join us for another edition of ‘Take a Seat with’, offering a peek through our factory doors to find out about the stories and processes behind our collections. To celebrate the launch of the newest pieces of our much loved Rakino collection, including a range of elegant dining tables and an evolution of the collection’s original dining chair, now with a structural timber back frame, we are pleased to take some time to sit with Tim Rundle, Rakino’s designer, Morgan’s Creative Consultant and longstanding creative partner.
We start our conversation by going back in time, uncovering the inspiration behind the original Rakino range. “Morgan’s manufacturing processes and techniques were the starting point for me. Their skill and knowledge in timber frame construction presented an
opportunity to push things creatively. There’s a certain aesthetic that I’m drawn to, this idea of parts that feel completely separate, contrasting with elements that flow seamlessly into each other, it was something Morgan’s manufacturing capabilities allowed me to explore.”
The designer’s vision is clearly translated in Rakino – with its soft shell resting almost weightlessly within a clean, architectural frame of flowing joints, elements which are carefully
connected through intricate CNC machinery work and hand finishing techniques. “The finished piece was a frame that looked entirely handmade, but represented a perfect balance of machining and hand finishing, it’s an incredibly
to Rakino’s design language that allows each piece in the collection to sit comfortably in commercial and hospitality environments, as well as domestic landscapes.
effective use of knowledge and skill… had a piece like Rakino been created entirely by hand, it just wouldn’t have been cost effective.” And while there is a certain romance in the idea of ‘hand craft’, Tim is sharply aware of the restrictions of contract furniture design “There has to be a production efficiency and cost effectiveness due to the nature of the contract industry. Furniture is created in volume and has to go through a lot of testing to ensure durability, stability and be hard wearing.”
Hard wearing, durable and stable as it might be, there is a quiet elegance
“Every piece I design should fit into a home or a commercial space. When I design furniture, I never think of it as something in isolation, in my head it always sits in a particular kind of place rather than a white room… It is something that completes an architectural space. For me, furniture is how we interact with architecture, a connection between humans and buildings.”
But as an industrial designer, Tim’s interest in furniture goes beyond the aesthetic, his visits to our factory during prototype production fuelled by a passion for process.
“The
finished piece was a frame that looked entirely handmade, but represented a perfect balance of machining and hand finishing.”
“...For me, furniture is how we interact with architecture, a connection between humans and buildings.”
“Manufacturing excites me. Understanding how things are made, the materials, the production techniques, watching machines creating shapes, watching components being assembled, ideas come together.” His fascination is clear, “being in industrial environments, seeing naked frames, there is so much beauty in it.” This fascination and beauty were clearly captured in Rakinos’s new pieces, as he worked with our Morgan Studio and factory teams to update the collection.
“The timber back model has a carver chair typology, it felt like a natural evolution of Rakino’s design language and frame, it allowed us to celebrate the details of the timber in a different way to the upholstered dining chair – In a way it is the purest version in the collection.”
With a design language of subtle blended junctions and elegant profiles, Rakino’s evolution developed seamlessly to include a new timber back dining chair and two new dining table options, bringing more flexibility to the collection to meet the contract industry’s ever evolving
demands “There has been a huge shift in the industry, a change in how people experience commercial spaces, places like hotel lobbies aren’t just waiting spaces any more, they are informal living spaces… there’s a need for things to feel softer.”
Tim’s excitement for manufacturing is also matched by our communal ‘fixation with comfort’.“We go through numerous prototypes, shifting things by millimetres here and there until we reach what we think is the right shape. The process with Morgan is so quick, because of their manufacturing in-house, we could make a change, go for lunch and then come back and the new version is there, ready in the factory.”
As Morgan’s Creative Consultant, this connection to our brand, our beliefs and way of doing things allows us to create a relationship of trust that translates beyond single collections “We know each other really well, there is trust and I feel relaxed.” His role allows us to learn not only from his expertise, but also his experiences outside our industry bubble.
“The creative consultancy role with Morgan allows me to stand outside in a way and bring in a broader perspective. I formulate briefs, work on strategy, oversee other external designers’ work, plan shoots, brief photographers… It’s great, we’ve worked together for a long time. As a company they are really passionate about what they do and you can feel that everyone that works there shares that passion.”
His passion for the industrial and engineering side of things and our flexibility to provide in-house manufacturing have allowed us to create elegant collections together, including Bilbao as well as Rakino “I like the closeness to manufacturing, having the visibility to understand the issues, the challenges, being able to take a piece right through to production.”
Moving to New Zealand has allowed Tim to take a step back, in ways that have enabled him to move forwards.
“Being in New Zealand there isn’t the constant bombardment of the new, leading to design fatigue. I have a clearer head space to step back and absorb inspiration more mindfully, I can filter things, ask myself, do I really like that? Creatively I feel more productive, I am able to be inspired by other industries, but also influenced by Nature, out here I feel like there is a simpler, calmer, more honest aesthetic.”
relationship with Tim grows stronger, following the launch of the new Rakino pieces, there are already new projects in the pipeline “Morgan’s skill and craft, sustainability values and use of technology enable a manufacturing process that champions responsibility, they truly are a circular economy company. As an industrial designer, I design for disassembly and for repair… These are industrial design principles that I share with Morgan, knowing that the furniture we create is done the right way, being able to be repaired and live on.”
Discover Rakino online at morganfurniture.co.uk
Despite the move to the other side of the world, our collaborative
Bilbao Sofa
Designed by Tim Rundle
Right: Bilbao Lounge Chair
Designed by Tim Rundle
Lighting: Tom Dixon
From sketch to delivery, sapling to seat, we believe in being close to our furniture’s life cycle. When we collaborate with our clients to create a space, we understand the need for aesthetic flexibility and future proofing.
Lighting: Tom Dixon
Porto Bar Stool
Designed by Morgan Studio
Goodwood Lounge Chair
Designed by Katerina Zachariades
info@morganfurniture.co.uk
Havana Lounge Chair
Designed by Katerina Zachariades
Barricane Coffee Table
Designed by Magnus Long
Morgan London
4 Garrett Street
London
EC1Y 0TY
Hampshire Factory
Clovelly Road
Southbourne
Hampshire PO10 8PQ
@morganfurniture
@morganseating
Take a Seat - Discover more online at morganfurniture.co.uk
