Corinne Webb is shaping the future of furniture. Her home furnishings brand, Frame and Cover, solely uses sustainable materials such as coconut fibre, sheep’s wool and hessian and FSC-certified wood. Webb’s commitment to the environment whilst creating bold statement furniture is disrupting the furniture-making world that hadn’t otherwise changed for decades.
Designing and selling my own furniture and fabric was a way to nurture my creative soul and make ethical decisions about manufacturing, such as not using foam within any of my pieces.
Starting Frame & Cover
IDEALIST: Can you tell us how Frame and Cover began?
It was quite an organic path that lead from being a fabric designer within a large company to retraining as an upholsterer, learning about every component within the construction of a chair. Being conscious about the environment, I was aware that many companies didn’t share this fundamental principle and I knew I wanted to be able to change certain elements. Designing and selling my own furniture and fabric was a way to nurture my creative soul and make ethical decisions about manufacturing, such as not using foam within any of my pieces.
IDEALIST: How has Frame and Cover grown?
Having just celebrated the first year since launching at Design Junction in 2016, Frame and Cover is continually evolving like any other start up business. I’ve built a growing body of work whilst sharing the message on the importance of sustainable furniture in our homes.
Product Designs
IDEALIST: Describe your products in terms of style, process and materials.
Frame and Cover create modern, bold and liveable home furnishings using entirely sustainable methods. All the pieces are bespoke and crafted to order using traditional upholstery techniques.
IDEALIST: You are passionate about sustainable home furnishings, does this resonate with your customers?
The market for sustainable products is growing and consumers are much more aware of where and how products and materials are sourced. It has opened up many conversations about the importance of using fully recyclable materials rather than foam, polyester and wadding that have dominated the market since the 1950s.
Inspiring Source
IDEALIST: Where do you look for inspiration?
The fabric designs come from a variety of sources. I have found inspiration through travelling and the culture, designs and traditions from other countries have informed my fabric designs. I am fascinated by the ancient craft traditions of the other countries, for example, the back strap weaving of South America. So I think they have unconsciously fed into my designs. The last Riviera collection was inspired looking at the world from above and zooming inwards to the creatures and plants that inhabit it. Inspiration for some of my designs has come from a vintage wallpaper found in an antiques market and the skin of a parrot fish seen in an aquarium.
IDEALIST: Where are your pieces made?
I believe in supporting British businesses as much as possible; the chairs are made in the Midlands, the cushions in Liverpool and the fabric in Lancashire.
I adore Lucienne’s designs and loved the way she brought good design and made it accessible to all.
Heroes
IDEALIST: Who are your design heroes?
I respect the careers of Lucienne and Robin Day. I adore Lucienne’s designs and loved the way she brought good design and made it accessible to all. It really opened up doing up homes for everyone. Vivienne Westwood is another design hero, she’s a woman of conviction and an innovator with strong ethics. Finally, Ray and Charles Eames for experimenting with design and new materials resulting in great design at affordable prices. I admire anyone who is a disrupter helping to forge new directions within design.
Future Projects
IDEALIST: What are the future plans for Frame and Cover?
I’m designing a new model of dining chair and footstool to add to the current range of chairs and I’m working on a new printed fabric and some semi-plain fabrics too. I’d also love to work with more interior designers, collaborate with others and work on custom projects in the future.
You can check out Frame and Cover and social media handle @frameandcover.
You May Also Like
- Modern Heroes – Impression Originale
- Patch: Revolutionising Our Approach to Plants
- Meet the Maker : Ana Kerin of KANA London
All photos courtesy of Frame & Cover.