Maker & Son: Furniture Design That Puts Comfort First

Launching a brand into the luxury furniture design and homewares landscape has never been more difficult. As we become more educated about the impact of materials and manufacturing processes on our world we have inevitably started to ask much more of the design world before handing over our hard earned cash. With social media and digital platforms putting the commercial world at our fingertips, the progeny and sustainability of products have stepped into the forefront of our decision making. So it is only the strongest brands, and those providing absolute transparency to fulfill customer expectation, that ultimately prevail.

Maker & Son entered the tumultuous furniture design landscape less than a year ago, however, the brand is in good stead with founders Alex Willcock and Felix Conran at the helm. No strangers to the high end design market – Alex helped pioneer the Country Road homewares brand in Australia whilst Felix is a third-generation designer and grandson of the legendary Sir Terence Conran – they both had scores of experience (over 30 years!) behind them and no doubt a clear idea of what they wanted of the brand and its products from conception. 

The Maker & Son Sofa is setting new standards for comfort in furniture design.

The Maker & Son Song armchair contains 100% natural materials and is supported by a hardwood frame.

The concept behind Maker & Son has culminated in the design and manufacture of sofa’s and armchairs that the duo describes as “the most comfortable chair in the world.” 

People who sit in our chairs and sofas often describe feelings of instantaneous relaxation, peace and a deep level of calm. They feel enveloped and safe – their bodies perfectly supported like never before and their minds somehow released and transported to a place of serenity. This might seem an unusual or far-fetched way to describe the experience someone has when they sit in one of our chairs. There is however a distinctive shared experience that seems to transform both the physical and mental experiences of the people that sit in them.

Willcock and Conran have cleverly flipped many of the furniture design industry’s prevalent manufacturing and commercial processes to achieve this lofty claim (which is supported by a staggering amount of testimonials). Rather than designing their products around price margins, they have designed them around comfort. Knowing their furniture was to sit at the luxury end of the market meant there was a certain expectation on price. Maker & Son have worked within this ideology by selling directly to their customers. Foregoing the retail mark up, and relying on their experience to expertly market the furniture by educating their customers on the benefits of using superior 100% natural materials, local handmade manufacturing processes and by working on the overwhelming level of comfort their customers experience from their products. They have successfully sent the message that the comfort and longevity of their furniture come before price. 

Maker & Son make furniture that is designed to last a lifetime using natural materials that promote longevity and unparalleled comfort.

The Maker & Son office

Willcock and Conran have embraced digital platforms and relied solely on the strength of the products and brand by marketing entirely through digital platforms and selling via Instagram. This endeavor means a relevant and timely strategy that allows them to direct funds away from costly advertising avenues and bricks and mortar space, and filter that capital back into the products themselves. Customers can even digitally preview what the furniture will look like in their own home via the Maker & Son app. Elevating the buying process beyond even what a showroom can offer.

So the Maker & Son story is multifaceted really. It is about beautifully designed furniture of unparalleled comfort, but it is also about evolving business models that better function in today’s digital world. It is about a pioneering brand that is putting comfort before price and incorporating a transparency into their processes that meets modern day expectations. Maker & Son effortlessly tap directly into their customers’ psyche and the need we collectively have to justify our retail purchases – especially at the luxury end of the furniture design market. It certainly doesn’t help either that their sofa’s and armchairs are extremely easy on the eye and have an aesthetic that would fit into any interior. 

Maker & Son are handmade locally in Melbourne and can be contacted for further information on 0452 549 371.

Images courtesy of Maker & Son.

Words by Tiffany Jade.