The Art of Design Issue 20 2016 | Page 86

Built To Last Since 1895, Wesley Barrell have been handcrafting beautiful bespoke upholstery in Oxfordshire. Our collection of upholstered sofas and armchairs demonstrate a commitment to the highest levels of craftsmanship, great British design and the best quality materials that truly respect the company's rich heritage. As bespoke furniture makers we do not hold stock of preassembled frames, instead each sofa is built from start to finish for each individual customer. Flexibility to specify the style, size, seat depth and tailoring options ensures that every sofa is unique and perfectly suited to the customer’s preferences and taste. Although the aesthetics of a sofa are undoubtedly important it is easy to be misled by appearance when looking around a furniture showroom, but price, and therefore quality is determined by construction. Below are a number of essential sofa components to consider before you invest in that all important centrepiece of your living space. Firstly, the frame. A well designed frame is the most important element of a good quality sofa or armchair. It Choose from our infinite range of fabrics from leading fabric suppliers and our own in-house collections. Neat fabric pleats emphasise the Cokethorpe’s curved, roll top arms and the skill of our upholsterers. not only dictates the shape and form but determines durability. Our skilled carpenters take pride in making our frames from sustainable seasoned soft and hard woods (FCS sourced) that combined, give strength and flex ibility. We couldn’t be more confident in the materials that we use and therefore each of our sofas comes with a 25 year frame guarantee. Springing – Traditional coil springs are fitted to the seat base to the give the comfortable feel of a fully coil sprung sofa. Coil springs ensure excellent support by distributing weight evenly thereby reducing wear and tear. Our springs come with a 10 year guarantee. Padding – Wesley Barrell use a mix of padding materials, natural layers of hair, wool felt and cotton to give long lasting resilience. Natural padding materials allow air to circulate for A choice of tailored options such as buttoning and piping allow you to achieve a personalised and individual look. The classic deep buttoned Cokethorpe in Wesley Barrell Somerford Velvet and Mulberry, Ancient Tartan. warmth in winter and keep you cooler in the summer. Foam is also used to give firmer seat cushions and provide additional padding where larger arms or a back profile are a feature. Upholstery – It’s a painstaking process fixing and tying the springs, building up the layers of padding and upholstering the covering fabrics. However the attention to detail, artisan techniques and handfinishing give Wesley Barrell’s timeless, classic sofa and armchair designs the highly tailored look for which we are renowned for. Customers may view the Wesley Barrell upholstery collection in 12 showrooms nationwide. Visit www.wesley-barrell.co.uk or call 01993 776682 for details. For over 120 years, traditional carpentry skills have been employed to handcraft beautiful upholstery that stands the test of time.