About us
A Family Affair
Beautiful furniture is easy to find. Beautiful fabrics are easy to find. Bringing them together is not.
Muse & Maker is a made-to-order furniture studio. We upholster our own designs in fabrics from fifteen design houses and make each piece by hand in Surrey.
Where it began
It started with a problem on every project.
I have worked as an interior designer for years, and the same thing kept happening. The fabric a client fell in love with lived in one world. The sofa it belonged on lived in another. Bringing the two together took a trade account, a workroom and a good deal of faith that it would look right at the end.
Muse & Maker is the answer I wanted for my own clients. Choose a piece. Choose a fabric from the houses designers actually use. See the two together before you commit, and then let us make it for you.
It is furniture as individual as the person ordering it. Not a sofa. Your sofa.
Clara Forstner
Founder
What we do
Three worlds that never used to meet.
01
The fabric
More than 120 fabrics from fifteen design houses, the ones interior designers reach for first. No trade account needed. Browse the fabric library.
02
The picture
See your piece in your fabric before you order, and have samples sent to your door so you can feel the fabric at home.
03
The making
Every piece is made by hand in a small workshop in Surrey, by upholsterers working in the tradition of British furniture making. Patterns are matched by eye, seams are finished by hand, and nothing leaves the bench until it has been checked inside and out. It is built with care, and built to be kept. Read how each piece is made.
A personal approach.
We are always happy to work on fully bespoke projects. That might be a piece made to a completely custom size, a new furniture design, or a fabric scheme sourced for a whole room.
Whatever you need help with, drop us an email at hello@muse-and-maker.com.
Let's make something together.
Start with a fabric you love or a piece you have in mind. Either way, you will see the two together before anything is made.
Questions, answered.
What is a made-to-order item?
A made-to-order piece is built for you after you order it. You choose the design and the fabric, and we make that one piece by hand. Nothing is mass produced or held in stock.
Where are your pieces made?
Every piece is made by hand in a small workshop in Surrey, just outside London, by upholsterers who use traditional techniques.
Why does made-to-order furniture take longer than ready-made?
Because nothing is made until you order it. Each piece is cut, built and upholstered by hand for you, which takes around ten to twelve weeks for sofas and beds and four to six weeks for cushions.
Can I customise the size or design of a piece?
Yes. We can change the dimensions of any piece to suit your room, and we take on fully bespoke designs. Email hello@muse-and-maker.com and tell us what you have in mind.
Can I use my own fabric?
Yes. Send us your chosen fabric and we will make your piece in it. Before we start, we check that the fabric is suitable for upholstery and meets durability and fire safety standards.
Can I see the fabric before I order?
Yes. You can order a sample of any fabric in our library and see it at home first. Online, every piece is shown in your chosen fabric before you commit.
Which fabric houses do you work with?
We work with fifteen design houses, including Colefax & Fowler, Pierre Frey, Romo, Mulberry, Yarn Collective, GP & J Baker, Casamance and Zinc Textile. If you are looking for a fabric from another house, we can source it for you.
Do you offer trade accounts for interior designers?
Yes. Our trade programme is for interior designers, architects and stylists, and includes trade pricing. Email trade@muse-and-maker.com to get started.