Rowen & Wren pieces loved by interior designers
One of our favourite British furniture shops, Rowen & Wren sits at that sweet spot between high street and designer; handcrafted with care from high quality materials, while remaining relatively affordable. Interior designers, creatives and tastemakers clearly agree, because we often see the brand's signature plush upholstery, rustic yet refined wooden accessories, or handwoven rugs inside the houses we feature. These pieces might be part of clever, eclectic scheme with other high street furniture, or curated alongside carefully selected designer pieces. Sometimes, they're reupholstered in custom fabrics, allowing the owner to put their own distinctive stamp on the furniture. In short, there's plenty of inspiration to glean from these stylish rooms, with ideas galore for how to incorporate the accessible Rowen & Wren products into your own home.
The brand was founded in 2011 by Lucy Uren and Graeme Purdy, whose aim is to design pieces with a focus on heritage and handmade qualities - contemporary pieces that have an essence of being treasured antiques - ‘timeless future heirlooms’ as the website puts it.
Interior designer-approved pieces from Rowen & Wren
In this Clapham project by interior design studio Palmer & Stone, the classic Rémy armchair in a rich velvet is tucked into the corner of one of the bedrooms, creating a cosy spot to curl up with a book. ‘This is the most comfortable chair ever’, says studio founder Laura Parkinson.
Meanwhile, in Kristin Perers' Georgian vicarage in Hackney, decorated to feel like a country house, a charming pair of Edwin table lamps have been placed either side of the four poster bed, placed atop stacks of books. The lampshade is the Nora, a dainty pleated design made from screen-printed cotton, which adds to the pretty, crafty feel of the room.
For some more upholstery inspiration, look to Jo Rodgers' rental cottage in the South Downs, where she opted for an ottoman, armchair and sofa all from Rowen & Wren. The armchair appears to be the traditional Abington style in a cosy neutral wool. It comes with a coordinating bolster cushion, or you can opt for a printed one, as Jo has with a plump striped number.
Interior designers love jute rugs, and with good reason. They're hardwearing, practical and neutral so are very easy to incorporate into schemes. They're available in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with plain or patterned options. Rowen & Wren make some of our favourites, including the round one selected by Christian Bense for his London flat, which adds depth and texture to the floor, and grounds the dining table and chairs.
Another Rowen & Wren piece can be found in the bathroom of Christian's flat. The Bilton Bathroom Shelf provides streamlined storage for small items. Placed as Christian has done, it avoids clutter on the sink, while keeping essential items within easy reach. The glass insert on the shelf creates a floating effect, inkeeping with the light and pared-back effect.
Yet another cosy Rowen & Wren chair can be spotted in the eclectic sitting room of the Hampstead house above, coordinated with other high street picks - the printed ottoman and the rug are from OKA. This one is the stately Finley, with a slightly more formal, angular silhouette than the Rémy or the Abington. Its gently scrolled arms and back and slightly elongated, turned legs on castors make it an incredibly elegant presence in any sitting room.
A beautiful example of customising a high street piece to tailor it to your space, Sarah Corbett-Winder has covered Rowen & Wren's Latham bench in a Ralph Lauren check that integrates perfectly with the dramatic moody blue scheme of the bedroom in her north London house.
A traditional plate rack might not be the first storage solution you might think of adding to your kitchen, but it's a lovely way to display your very best crockery, and is especially well-suited to classic country style kitchens. See Victoria Barker's kitchen in the Cotswolds for inspiration, where this wall rack from Rowen & Wren slots in nicely to showcase a selection of pretty painted plates and mugs.
Lucy Williams opted for Rowen & Wren hardware on the smart custom designed vanity unit in her bathroom. Sadly the ring handles are no longer available, but the brand still stocks a great selection of cabinet handles, from smart brass knobs to long and elegant aged bronze pull handles. Even if you don't have the option of a fully custom cabinet like Lucy, switching out the handles on any chest of drawers, wardrobe or cupboard is an easy and affordable way to give it a new lease of life.
