SOFAS & STUFF | The Long View

THE LONG VIEW

The Long View

We believe in the value of making beautiful, timeless classics; drawing inspiration from the past but also from lived experience.

We absorb, we consider, we feel, we listen and we create in response to all of these.

It is not a short journey, but it is a meaningful and fulfilling one.

It’s an experience that comes from, and goes straight to, the heart.

The longest road out is the shortest road home.

Three generations of expertise

Sofas & Stuff is a family-owned and run furniture and fabric company. Three generations of the Cussins family have taken this path: experience, expertise and enthusiasm passing from father to son, not once, but twice over the last 70 years.

The family’s history in furniture began with Manny Cussins when he took over his father’s shop in Hull. By 1960 Manny had acquired the noted firm of English furniture manufacturers and retailers Waring & Gillow, adding another furniture company, Maple & Co, to the business in 1980. That same year, Andrew began his career in furniture, joining the company as an apprentice. He went on to establish Sofa Workshop in 1985, a business considered to be the first high street retailer to offer customisable quality sofas

direct to the public, which was later sold in 2002 after furnishing three quarters of a million homes in the UK.

The Sofas & Stuff story began in 2009 when Andrew noticed a gap in the market for bespoke, handmade, British sofas and beds. He developed his creative vision with a plan to sell handcrafted pieces online and from quirky and characterful locations, starting with just four employees in Fittleworth, West Sussex, where the flagship store and Head Office are still based today.

There is a tangible appreciation of the family’s roots and an impetus to continue to thrive and grow. Andrew is now joined in this family business by his youngest son, George.

Alwinton chaise in Floral Linen Lela Mystery

Timeless furniture

Our approach to furniture and fabric design is framed by the long view. New designs are introduced, not in response to passing trends, but because of their intrinsic beauty, comfort and utility. We are endlessly inspired by nature, informed by art and heritage, and committed to craft, quality and durability.

All of our sofas, chairs and beds are handmade to order here in Britain. Not only is this more sustainable, as it avoids us creating more than is needed, but it enables us to offer a truly bespoke service. Which means we can offer you more choice. It is this level of choice and customisation that sets us apart.

Fabrics weave a story

Fine quality fabrics lie at the very heart of Sofas & Stuff. You’ll sense it as soon as you walk into one of our showrooms in the profusion of colours, textures and patterns on display. You’ll discover it further in the wealth of fabric books at your fingertips.

Our remarkable range includes collections created by, or exclusively for us, such as our Cloth designs, our exclusive linens, and our collaborations with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). These sit alongside collections from celebrated British and international fabric houses, such as Colefax & Fowler, Linwood and Sanderson, giving you the most exceptional level of choice.

Sourced from the best mills in Britain and beyond, our fabrics are durable as well as desirable.

Floral linens

Incredibly soft and inspired by the beauty of flowers, our exclusive Floral Linens bring forever blooms into the heart of your home, whether you are looking for something bold and eye-catching, soft and blousy, or a subtle floral as delicate as a scent on a breeze in spring.

“The earth laughs in flowers.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Snape chair in Floral Linen Shangri La Spice

Big Softie straight arm corner sofa in Linara Coconut

Comfort, reflected through your own style

Buying a sofa is one of the most important investments you can make in your home and family life.

We all know the pleasure that comes from taking a moment (maybe even an hour or two) to settle down in comfort on our sofa. The value of time spent with our head in a good book, watching a film, or simply appreciating the details of the day. This is time well spent, an investment in well-being. And when you think about the enjoyment that comes from sharing your sofa with friends and family, (including any four-legged companions who might share our homes), it’s clear that choosing the right sofa is worth the time and investment.

We are well placed to help you navigate this exciting journey. Our showroom design consultants bring a wealth of experience to their role, developing expertise and their eye for design over many years. We understand that great service is about listening to you, appreciating your individual needs, and offering creative solutions to design something that fits the bill entirely.

Your order will then pass into the hands of our makers. From frame-making, pattern-matching, sewing and upholstery, our artisans’ skills and attention to detail are second to none. This is furniture that is built to last, which is why we’re proud to offer a lifetime construction guarantee on all our bespoke British pieces. You can look forward to receiving a made-to-order piece, designed to suit your lifestyle, that will enhance your home, delight and give you comfort for many years to come.

The enduring appeal of linen

In earlier centuries, the linen cupboard lay at the heart of the home, the quantity and condition of its contents a key marker of the quality of the household that resided there. Times are different, but this characterful and durable fabric still deserves a central place in your home.

Linen’s soft, almost silky texture evolves over time. Few other fabrics share this quality of improving with age. Like your favourite linen shirt, a sofa upholstered in a linen fabric will gracefully mature, staying in beautiful condition for many years to come.

The yarns used to create the linens in our exclusive and signature collections make a journey from field to fabric characterised by expert skill, sustainable practices, and a maker’s passion. People and nature working together.

And why is this important to us, and to you? Because nature isn’t just beautiful, it has the capacity to change how we feel.

When choosing furniture that will dwell in your home and delight your heart for years to come, the understanding that this beautiful, tactile fabric is one of the world’s most durable and sustainably produced fibres gives a reassuring sense of continuity, of time and place.

Aldingbourne chair in Grain Sack Stripe Linen Red

Exbury 3 seater sofa in Baldersby Woven Linen Stripe Blue

Linen’s soft, almost silky texture evolves over time. Few other fabrics share this quality of improving with age.

Orford 3 seater sofa in RHS Collection Large Knot Garden Gold

A world of inspiration…

Inspiration surrounds us. Art and literature, history, the natural world. Part of the design adventure is the spirit of enquiry.

“Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last.”

Samuel Johnson

Nature’s influence

“We want our homes to be places of sanctuary, of safety, of calmness and what better way to do this, than by bringing the beauty of nature in, and onto our sofas.”

Andrew Cussins

Bringing the outside in

We are constantly invigorated by the natural world and the design inspiration to be found there. This interest led us to collaborate with the RHS on a fabric collection which seamlessly blends the natural world into interior spaces, with fine linens, mellow colours and delicate designs.

The collection is inspired by the RHS Lindley Collections, which houses one of the world’s finest collections of botanical drawings, paintings, and literature.

The RHS seeks to enrich everyone’s life through plants, making the UK a greener and more beautiful place. We appreciate the enormous social and cultural value of these aims, and know from conversations with staff and customers how much gardening and plants enrich their lives. We are honoured to bring elements of the RHS archive to life in an exclusive fabric collection which reflects our nation’s rich horticultural history and ongoing love of plants, gardens, and gardening.

Alwinton 3 seater sofa in RHS Collection William Hooker Design

“The first purpose of a garden is to be a place of quiet beauty such as will give delight to the eye and repose and refreshment to the mind.”

Gertrude Jekyll

Family and an independent spirit

Filling landfill sites with inexpensive furniture that may only have lasted three years may bring short term gains for the purchaser but, we have to recognise, is immensely damaging to the planet.

In our home, we have two sofas that are over 30 years old, one of which can be seen here with George and I sitting enjoying a chat. They may have been four times the price of a throwaway sofa, but they have lasted ten times as long. They represent enormous value. More than this, they have become great family favourites; a silent but treasured participant in life’s little moments. They are littered (at times, quite literally) with memories, the stuff of life: of events that occurred, of stories heard, from the hilarious to the tearful, and everything

between. This is what makes homes full of character. The combination of layers of things you adore and the memories of your life.

Being a family-led business, working with my wife Julia, our son George and two nephews, gives us independence and flexibility, and enables us to be agile and responsive.

Everyone’s life and experience of family is different, we understand and celebrate that fact. Indeed, it’s why we are so committed to offering such a wide degree of choice, so that the furniture you buy is perfect for your lifestyle.

Andrew Cussins, Founder and CEO

“Home is where one starts from”

T. S. Eliot

Sustainability

What does sustainability mean to us?

We understand how imperative it is, but also its complexity. At its heart, though, is a commitment to producing furniture that ‘treads lightly’ within our environment. As a business, we are making strides towards lightening our impact, through consideration of everything that we do.

By striving to create furniture that will dwell in a home, or several homes, for many years, we actively seek to diminish the pull of a ‘throwaway’ mentality. Beautiful, considered designs are key to this. A lovely piece of furniture, chosen with care and consideration, and built with longevity in mind, will be valued and treasured.

The provenance of our products also plays an important role. Our furniture is manufactured in Britain in our own factory. This allows us to keep a close eye on quality and gives us more control over our production and our materials. We are working to ensure all of our materials and components are made from sustainable resources. Our wooden frames, for instance, are made from FSC certified timber.

We work hard to offer our customers more environmentally conscious choices, from eco fabrics manufactured entirely from recycled materials, to cushion filling fibre made from recycled plastics which is helping to lessen the pollution of our rivers and seas.

Being a UK-based business serving, predominantly, UK customers, the environmental impact of shipping and delivery is kept to a minimum. We have our own logistics division for deliveries which helps us manage journeys in a more sustainable way.

Handmade in our Preston factory

Our furniture is handmade in our own factory in Preston, Lancashire, a town with historic links with cotton and textile production. This is vital for the provenance of what we produce, giving us control over quality and choice over supply chains.

Our high-quality frames are made with solid beech or birch wood, kiln-dried to stop it warping, then glued, screwed and dowelled. This strong foundation means we can use serpentine springs which, secured together to spread the weight load, bring durability and give a really comfy feel.

Having our own manufacturing home also gives us scope to support heritage crafts within upholstery. Our makers have huge experience built up over many years. We want to support the transmission of this skill and knowledge to younger people eager to learn this craft and are actively working to improve training in, and access to, this skill set through apprenticeships.

Inspiration from the V&A archives

Our collaborative partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance is part of our curiosity for the world, and stems from a shared love of fine art, textiles and interiors.

The new Drawn from Nature collection presents a heartwarming mix of flora and fauna based on wallcoverings, textiles and illustrations from the world-renowned V&A archives. A feast of historical botanicals and wonderful woodblock prints from the Arts and Crafts era are reimagined in contemporary colourways to bring nature indoors.

These fabrics join our first collaborative collection with the V&A, the Brompton Collection, which features designs from textile patterns from the 16th to the 19th centuries - elegant stripes, exotic birds and floral chintzes - alongside botanical illustrations.

These exclusive and captivating fabrics are printed in Lancashire on a brushed cotton linen union which is both soft to the touch, yet robust enough to deal with the demands of 21st century living.

Helmsley 3 seater sofa in V&A Drawn from Nature Collection Bird and Rabbit Dark Green

Midhurst 2 seater sofa in V&A Collection Botanical Collage All Over

Linton 3 seater sofa in V&A Drawn from Nature Collection Willow Navy

Craft heritage

As we increasingly strive towards a more sustainable and fulfilling way of living and furnishing homes, William Morris’s entreaty to ‘have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’ seems as relevant today as it ever was.

Every piece of furniture we make reflects the importance we place on timeless design and the exceptional skill of our makers. The carefully considered shape of a sofa back, the neat finish of a piped cushion edge, the elegant taper of a turned leg - the beauty is in the detail.

Our attention to detail extends beyond furniture design and manufacture to the fabrics we offer. Just as our sofa frames and cushion interiors are made with longevity in mind, so our fabrics are designed to stand the test of time. Furnishing a home, in our view, is less about trends, and more about choosing evergreen pieces that reflect a personal style.

Versatile velvets

Velvet evokes a sense of luxury. The subtle sheen, the unmistakable texture and silky soft fingertip feel, make velvet one of the most desirable fabrics for the home. Delightfully tactile and remarkably hardwearing, velvet fabrics offer endless possibilities for interior design. It can be used to create impact, especially with jewel-bright colours; or accentuate a mood of softness through muted shades and pastel tones.

A pure silk or cotton laid velvet may not be robust enough for all lifestyles, but there are many family- and pet-friendly velvets, with enhanced durability and stain-resistant properties, that can take their place.

This is where a visit to one of our showrooms can be invaluable. Whether it’s your first foray into buying furniture, or you’re an experienced interior designer, our design team will open up a world of possibilities, working with you to choose the perfect style, colour and fabric to suit your individual needs. We see no reason for you to compromise: the choice is there for you.

Grassington 2.5 seater sofa in Super Soft Velvet Honey

Sudbury 3 seater sofa in Omega Velvet Cognac

Working with wool

Soft and pliable to the touch, woollen fabrics convey a sense of homely comfort often rooted in our earliest childhood experiences, associated with cosy blankets and the hug of a warming jumper.

Wool, too, immediately connects us to the natural world. As long as they have grass to graze on, sheep will produce a new fleece every year. Wool is 100% natural and renewable and, at the end of its useful life, will biodegrade into the soil, releasing its valuable nutrients into the ground. The processing of woollen fibre and fabrics, too, has significantly less impact on the environment than many synthetic materials.

Yet, the appeal of wool goes further than sentiment and good intentions. Its unique characteristics bring practical

benefits too. Wool fibres are flexible and tough - their spring-like structure giving it a natural resilience to wrinkling, sagging and tearing, making it ideal for upholstery and entirely in keeping with our desire to create furniture that will look good and last for many years.

Wool is inherently stain-resistant. Natural oils protect the fibres from dust and dirt and make it easier to clean spills. For the same reason, wool is more resistant to fading than some other fabrics and is naturally flame-retardant.

It is also a great insulator, retaining warmth in your home, just as it does for sheep in the fields. Naturally breathable, wool absorbs and releases moisture, helping to keep you cosy in the winter and cool in the warmer months.

Lyndhurst chair in Glen Coe

Textiles with texture

Texture helps to give your home character and depth, and fabrics will play a key part in this. Cloth 22, the latest collection to be added to our exclusive Cloth range, designed in-house by Andrew Cussins, brings this to the fore.

The lure of the open air, in particular the vast and varied landscapes of the North American National Parks have inspired this collection. The collection showcases the natural fibres of linen and wool, woven in a series of tight and looser weaves, many with characterful slubs in the yarn. These fabrics feature an evocative natural palette of jade green, lapis blue, smoky quartz and rich amber, and have a wonderfully organic feel.

Cloth 22 - a celebration of natural materials and the sensory enjoyment - visual and tactile - of texture in textiles.

Find out more about our fabrics at sofasandstuff.com

Holt 2 seater sofa in Cloth 22 Grand Teton Jade and Cloth 22 Cedar Breaks Jade

From sofas to slumber

Comfort can be seen before it is felt. A beautifully upholstered bed, for instance, carries the promise of relaxation and repose the moment you open the door of the bedroom.

Textiles play a key part in creating this multisensory comfort. A cloth lampshade positioned next to an exquisitely upholstered headboard. A knitted blanket or woven throw at the end of the bed. Different fabrics to mark the shifting seasons, playing with texture as well as colour.

The magic is in the detail: extending the upholstery to the base of the bed frame, subtly rounded edges and softened contours, deep buttoning or subtle piping. It is the small things that make the difference.

Rouen king bed in Soho Vintage Rose

Bermondsey king bed in RHS Collection William Hooker Design and Whitewell Meringue

Hearth, home, heart

Home: the place where we can close the door onto the outside world, relax and be our true selves. Always special whatever the season, but in the autumn and winter months the cosseting quality of our homes becomes even more significant.

Your place, your space. It’s not simply a place to live, but a space to fill with meaningful things - practical, beautiful, comfortable. Our homes are, in many ways, a representation of ourselves.

The door to our home opens outward too. It is also the place into which we welcome people, to share some of the uniqueness of our personal space. So why not take the opportunity to pepper your personality throughout, with furniture and fabric that reflects your style, way of life and family.

“The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Maya Angelou

Hampton 3 seater sofa in Super Soft Velvet Highland Green

Tailored to you

Sofas & Stuff was created around a simple idea: to give customers exactly what they want. No more half-way houses where you have to settle on a fabric that isn’t quite what you are looking for.

We take pride in our expert eye for detail, not only in our approach to design and manufacture but equally in our personal and attentive customer service. When you come to Sofas & Stuff you have our undivided attention. From deciding what fabric or model is right for you and your family, to pulling together a compelling and characterful palette of colours, we’ll help you bring your ideas to life.

Brochure UK Shoot

Photography: Sarah Weal

Stylist: Heidi Francis

Recycled Paper Stock Printed