In the build up to his series of workshops at Heal’s, we caught up with Jay & Co to get the inside story of his fresh approach to furniture restoration.
Breathing new life into vintage furniture, Jay has garnered plenty of praise from the press and design fans alike not only for his quirky style but also the work he does to reach out to disadvantaged and disengaged groups in the community. We’re so delighted that he’s returning to our stores for a nationwide round of hands-on workshops, we decided to pop by Jay’s Wolverhampton studio to have a snoop around.
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Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you first become interested in making/repairing furniture?
Well, I’m six foot tall, born and bred in East London and I take a size 11 shoe. But on a more creative note, I first became interested in making/repairing furniture when there was a lack of money in my household. I had to make do with what I could find, and find a way of making stuff out of nothing.
What was the impetus for setting up Jay & Co? Where did the idea to combine furniture and social enterprise stem from?
It really all grew from my work in the charity sector. I wanted to educate young people in something other than sport or music which were basically the only activities on offer. Not everyone has a talent in these areas so for me it seemed easier and more productive to get young people to focus on business. With business you can sell a product and become a product, rather than waiting for your talent to be spotted.
What’s a typical day like at Jay & Co? Do you head to the studio or are you here, there and everywhere?
When I’m not filming, I will drive to the workshop where you can find me listening to classic FM and producing some work… On a day when I’m filming, I’ll be speaking to stylists and homeowners, making sure the finished product suits its environment and the colour scheme is correct. At the moment my day is a bit of a mixed bag, running around like a headless chicken!
However one thing that remains true to both days is that I send a “Thought of the day” out each morning. It reaches around 500 young people on social media which hopefully encourages and inspires them before they start their day.
Up-cycling has become a major trend in interior design, but has that concept of making something from nothing always been intrinsic to the project?
Yes, definitely. For me, upcycling has always been the main focus within the social enterprise, so much so that we didn’t actually call it upcycling to begin with, we called it sustainability. The aim being to stop furniture from going to a landfill site and to create a future for young people who might not be very successful in formal education. So to me, up cycling in it’s purist form, is about adding more value to a product.
As well as using pre-existing materials your designs always have a playful side. How would you describe your design style and what approach do you take to each piece?
My design style is what I call “happy furniture.” It brings a smile to your face, your living room, kitchen, bathroom or bedroom. To design a really beautiful piece I have to go back into a zone of being a child and tap into my playful side. I do this by playing music loudly and dancing in my workshop.
You’ve got some workshops coming up at Heal’s in the next few weeks that are part of a wider tour around the UK. What’s the reaction from people been like so far?
The reaction has been really positive and very humbling. Many have said they have enjoyed the amount of information and knowledge they have gained through my workshops. This has given me a great sense of joy because this is what the tour is all about: sharing skills and knowledge with like minded people. The support recieved from the venues (big boys and small included) and their eagerness to give their customers a brilliant experience has been phenomenal.
And finally, although I’m sure it would be hard to choose, what would you say is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is when a young person’s light bulb switches on. When they really understand how easy it is to achieve something and that anything is possible, even if they have been told all their lives that they are unable to achieve anything.
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Don’t miss Jay’s exclusive workshops at Heal’s stores across the country and make sure to keep track with his nationwide tour by searching for #JaysJourney.