FEATURE
Partnership – Stephanie Zielke, pictured here with husband James, says the newly renamed Oak Connexions perfectly complements their existing business Wood Connexions.
From little acorns, mighty oak trees grow
WORDS: SARAH WALKER PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH
Led by women with vision, Oak Connexions is branching out to redefine luxury interiors for the modern home
From the roots of Only Oak Furniture, something truly exciting is growing. Oak Connexions now unites furniture, homeware and flooring within one bold vision, led by a dynamic, female-led team determined to redefine interiors.
The brand is already creating a buzz with its upcoming exquisite luxury line launching in 2026, promising customers high-end, beautifully curated pieces that will elevate every home.
When husband-and-wife duo Stephanie and James Zielke acquired Only Oak Furniture, they saw huge potential. Drawing on their experience running Wood Connexions, they set out to create a business that combines commercial strength with creativity and a people-first approach.
“ It was a scary and risky strategy,” admits Stephanie.“ We took time to understand how we could use our flooring expertise and apply it to furniture and interiors. Now that risk is paying off in the most exciting way.”
Team – at the back, director James Zielke, front, director Stephanie Zielke, sales and procurement manager Claire Smith and e-commerce co-ordinator Jayne Dawson.
After 18 months of transformation, Only Oak Furniture has been rebranded as Oak Connexions. The new name complements Wood Connexions perfectly and signals a fresh era of growth, collaboration and creativity.
At the heart of this transformation are three women whose partnership is shaping the business.
Stephanie brings her creative vision and passion for interiors. Claire Smith, sales and procurement manager, has been instrumental in maintaining strong customer relationships while building new structures for e-commerce, logistics and supplier partnerships. Together with Jayne Dawson, who has revolutionised the company’ s online presence, they form a powerhouse team driving Oak Connexions forward.
“ Claire’ s customer service skills are exceptional,” Stephanie says.“ Her attention to detail, loyalty and care for our customers have been the foundation we’ ve built everything else upon.”
Now based in a modern warehouse on Orde Wingate Way in Stockton, surrounded by high-end interiors businesses such as Lusso, Oak Connexions is attracting attention with its refreshed brand identity and stunning online presence.
Driving this digital transformation is Jayne, the online guru behind the brand’ s e-commerce success.
“ It’ s amazing to see the transformation from where we were to where we are now,” says Jayne.“ It took a lot of time, dedication and creativity, but the results are incredibly rewarding.”
Working with marketing expert Outrank, Jayne has helped create a seamless, visually stunning online experience that draws customers in and makes shopping
Blossoming- the input of highly skilled and experienced staff including Claire Smith and Jayne Dawson has been integral to the successful restructuring.
with Oak Connexions a pleasure.
Looking ahead, Oak Connexions is entering an exhilarating new chapter. The team has partnered with exclusive, carefully selected suppliers as it prepares to launch the exquisite luxury interiors line, offering customers stunning, high-quality pieces that perfectly complement existing collections.
This new line promises to transform how customers furnish and style their homes, with sophisticated designs and attention to detail at the forefront.
“ We’ ve taken the time to do this properly,” says Stephanie.“ Now we have a brand that’ s built to last – one that reflects who we are and where we’ re going.”
Claire says:“ We’ re proud to be part of a business that’ s female-led, creative and deeply customer-focused. Oak Connexions isn’ t just a rebrand – it’ s a rebirth.”
Jayne adds:“ The upcoming luxury line is the most exciting project we’ ve worked on. It reflects the vision, creativity and dedication of our team, and we can’ t wait to share it with our customers next year.”
With strong women at the helm, a clear creative vision, deep roots in quality and care and a luxury line on the horizon, Oak Connexions is ready to grow.
This mighty oak is only just beginning to flourish.
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