Contemporary Limited-Edition & Bespoke Luxury Furniture

Our workshop is at the very heart of our business where our expertise and craftsmanship fuse together to create our unique in-house products.
Find out more...
Sussex Chairs made in oak with a white oil finish, woven cane and leather..
Find out more...
Ellipse coffee table made in ash with a white oil finish and glass top.
Find out more...
Squaring the Circle jewellery box made in elm and maple.
Find out more...
Showroom Table for Bella Figura, Chelsea Harbour, London.
Ripples ‘Splash’ coffee table shown in blue bird’s-eye maple.
Find out more...

Crafting innovative furniture for inspiring people

We design and make luxury, contemporary limited-edition and bespoke furniture to provide you with quality, originality and choice. All our furniture is designed and made to the highest standards in our studio and workshop in Bosham, West Sussex. We create contemporary products with a unique signature style for those who enjoy and appreciate accomplished design and excellent craftsmanship, and who are looking for something truly individual.

Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.

What we do:

Shop >

Shop >

Shop >
Discover and explore our handcrafted furniture and accessories.
Browse our extensive ‘Made & Ready’ and ‘Made to Order’ items in our online shop. Or view our portfolio to inspire you for your own bespoke furniture project.

Bespoke >
Find out everything you need to know about commissioning our furniture.
Ideal for those who want something truly individual. Collaborate with Edward to achieve your own luxury bespoke design.

Courses >
Learn more about our specially crafted courses.
Come and join Edward and his team to hone and learn new skills in our well-equipped professional workshop.

Who we work for:

A montage of interiors showing Edward's furniture

We work for private clients to design and make beautiful furniture for their own homes, as well as interior designers, super yacht companies and architects on a wide and varied range of projects. We have also worked on the occasional public art commission and collaborated with artists.

We are always happy to discuss any project with you.

“We work and collaborate with you to bring your projects and ideas alive.”

Find out more about…

Our promise and philosophy >

Edward Johnson >

What our clients say >

Edward’s maker’s mark >

Sustainability & environment >

Aftercare & Oiling Service >

Seasoned Collection >

Subscribe to our quarterly news > Latest from our blog...

12th January 2022

What is steam bending? Steam bending is a traditional technique that was once widely used in the production of weapons, tools and vessels, and is now still used in the manufacture of furniture, crafting of musical instruments such as violins, and in boatbuilding. It can be a beguiling and magical experience to witness solid timber being manipulated and curved into various forms. The method is to expose the timber to steam to make it pliable. The heat and moisture from the steam gradually soften the timber’s fibres enough for it to be bent when still warm and retain the shape once it has cooled. The timber is placed in a steam box for a set amount of time depending on the thickness and type of wood. Sometimes the timing needs to be calculated by trial and error to get it exactly right, however, the general rule of thumb is to allow one hour per inch of timber thickness. Once the timber is ready it gets manually pulled around a former as quickly as possible. In the sample illustrated below we use a reinforcing metal band to the outside to prevent ‘blowout’. The timber is then clamped into position then left to cool and dry. Steaming bending timber in the workshop Do you use steam bending to make your furniture? For those who are familiar with our work will know that, more often than not, it involves many curved elements. We frequently get asked if we steam bend our timber, especially with regards to our Freeform technique and design style. The answer to this question is yes, on occasion we do, although it is important to note that we use more than one technique to make our curved furniture. Another construction technique we use frequently to make our curved elements is the process of laminating which is one of Ed’s specialities (and how our Freeform Collection is made). However, there are circumstances when we do use steam bending to produce certain results, and it all comes down to each design, and what technique would best suit what we are wanting to achieve. Two good examples from our portfolio that incorporate steam bending are our Sussex Chair and Sussex Mirror which both form part of our Sussex Collection. Sussex Chair and Sussex Mirror Steam bending vs laminating. There are both benefits and disadvantages to using steam bending over the laminating process. Steam bending can be a lot quicker once you have worked out the timings: there is far less material waste, no need to wait for glue to dry, and tighter curves can be achieved. However, on the downside it can take a lot of strength to bend it depending on size, you need to work the timber very quickly, and sometimes the timber is prone to splitting and blowout when bent or removed from the mould. It is good to note that some species of timber are also more suitable than others for the purposes of steam bending. Like most things, when choosing which technique to use it is all about having the knowledge and experience to be able achieve the desired outcome with the best results. Edward and his team demonstrating steam bending at Goodwood Revival Would you be interested to learn more about steam bending? If the answer is yes, you may like to consider participating in one of our new 5-day masterclass workshops. Come and join Edward Johnson and his experienced team and make your own Sussex Mirror in our well-equipped workshop and studio. You will learn about steam bending, spoke-shaving, shaping, sanding, refining, and oiling, with the advantage of taking home your own Sussex Mirror at the end of the week. Find out more... <back to news

Contemporary Craft Show

17th November 2021

Rother College, Midhurst: 4th and Sunday 5th December 2021. Once again, we are delighted to be exhibiting in the forthcoming Contemporary Craft Show with the Sussex Guild at Rother College, Midhurst on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th December 2021. Sussex Chair made in ash We will be exhibiting a selection of items from our ‘Made & Ready’ and ‘Eco’ collections. You will also be able to see work from over fifty-five members of The Sussex Guild including fine examples of batik, ceramics, furniture, glass, jewellery, leatherwork, knitwear, patchwork, pewter, silversmithing, textiles, textile art and woodwork. Venue: Midhurst Rother College (formerly Midhurst Grammar School), North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9DTDates: Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th December 2021, 10am - 5pmAdmission: £3.00, students and children free.Your admission ticket allows you to return throughout the two days. Free Parking. Left: Ed, Edd & Eddy nest of tables. Right: Cube jewellery box About the Sussex Guild “The Sussex Guild is a group of professional designers and makers of fine contemporary and traditional craftwork, whose members live and work in Sussex and the adjoining counties of Kent, Surrey and Hampshire. The members have been selected for their high degree of skill and creativity. The Guild aims to inspire and encourage public appreciation of fine craftsmanship by organising shows and exhibitions in a wide variety of venues. Visitors to these events enjoy learning about the crafts they see on display for they can discuss with the makers themselves the design process, the techniques, tools and materials used.” < back to news

Sistine Chapel Book Display Cabinet

8th November 2021

This Sistine Chapel Book Display Cabinet, made to commission, is a little more unusual than most. It has been specifically designed and made to display and store a truly extraordinary set of three books. These stunning ‘Sistine Chapel’ volumes have been published as a collector’s limited edition by Callaway, after a five-year collaboration with the Vatican Museums, and the Italian art publisher Scripta Maneant of Bologna, Italy. Each page is produced at 1:1 life-scale and shows every centimetre of the Sistine Chapel, containing the work of Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Perugino amongst others. Book shown open with the extending arm supporting the third gatefold page. Each volume is large (61cm x 43cm), so our challenge was to design a cabinet that could elegantly display one book at a time, whilst also providing storage to protect them from dust and sunlight when not in use. The design of the cabinet needed to be robust, but simultaneously ‘light’ in aesthetics as not to overwhelm, with the true focus on the artwork. The cabinet is made from European burr walnut, that has been book-matched to create the symmetrical pattern. This sits alongside American walnut used for the legs, stand and drawers. The cabinet houses three separate drawers that are flock lined and are ‘push to open’, so no need for any protruding handles. One of the main aims was to make the cabinet as comfortable and ergonomic as possible for the user whilst viewing or turning the pages. The stand itself is very upright, enabling the pages to be displayed almost as a painting on the wall and visible from across the room: with the idea of displaying a new page every day. Left: Testing the display unit with one of the books in the workshop. Right: The cabinet fully installed, the side profile showing the diagonal line through the legs and stand. The cabinet itself is wall mounted with two legs to the front, which, from the side, align through diagonally with the uprights of the stand: each beautifully curved as a mirror image. The cradle part of the book stand is made from kiln-formed glass with a bespoke pattern that is inspired by the windows of the Sistine Chapel. The stand has a built-in extension arm complete with magnet that is designed to hold the gatefold pages of the book when fully open. Restrained page holders are made from a combination of walnut and fibreglass, and the cabinet is completed with patinated brass detailing and fixings with a lacquered finish. Sistine Chapel Book Display Cabinet: MADE TO ORDER < back to news