Maybe you’ve spotted a vintage Windsor Chair in your local antique shop or are bidding on a second-hand sideboard online. Whatever the case, if you want to know how to identify ercol furniture then you’ve come to the right place.
Today, ercol is renowned for crafting timeless furniture that’s at home in both modern and traditional homes. However, the design house also has a long and prestigious history. It was established in 1920 by designer Lucian R. Ercolani. Despite his Italian roots, Ercolani launched ercol in High Wycombe, the heart of English furniture making. His goal was to create relevant and honest furniture. 100 years later and the brand has always remained true to these values.
Over the years, ercol has designed and crafted countless different pieces of furniture. From lounge chairs to display cabinets, the ercol archives are full of timeless classics. With so many designs on the market, it can be hard to be 100% sure a piece of furniture is a genuine ercol.
To make matters worse, ercol’s prestige and heritage mean the name is so well known it’s become part of our language. That means ercol is often used to describe chairs that are in the same style but aren’t original. The same goes for some of their most famous designs, like the Windsor Chair. Unfortunately, that can make shopping for genuine ercol furniture tricky on resale sites and even with established retailers.
Luckily, there are some useful tips on how to identify ercol furniture that will make your decision making a little bit easier.
Consider The Piece
It’s important to know that copying ercol furniture isn’t a big business. As ercol has been manufacturing its designs for years, there are plenty of vintage pieces around. Vintage pieces often sell for reasonable prices and the quality of modern ercol furniture is hard to replicate on a budget. That leaves little profit in forgeries. You will find plenty of ercol-inspired chairs on the market but if the name ercol isn’t attached then it definitely isn’t real. The price point will often be a lot lower too.
So, consider the furniture you’re eyeing up. If it’s presented as an ercol and isn’t one of their most popular designs or if it’s showing a fair amount of age, that’s a good sign. Since the market for creating fake ercol furniture is small and barely existed 50 years ago, the odds are it’s authentic. If it has ercol branding like labels or stickers, then that’s an even better sign.
Are There Any Labels?
Finding an original ercol label on a piece of furniture is a sure-fire way of guaranteeing its authenticity. Since ercol is a heritage brand, there are countless labels and logos associated with it. However, there are a few key pointers you can look out for.
For vintage pieces, look out for small blue labels, labels printed on metallic paper or gold roundels. Modern pieces are more likely to have a metal roundel fitted into their base. Their logo has also changed over time. However, for vintage pieces you can expect to see a lion sitting above the name ercol and for modern pieces the logo is simply the name written out in lower case.
Of course, if the furniture has another brand’s label attached to it, then the jig is up. It seems the piece you’re looking at was probably inspired by ercol but isn’t authentic.
Is It Up To Scratch?
It can be hard to identify ercol furniture if you can’t recognise wood types on sight and aren’t clued in on joinery. Luckily, we’re here to help.
One great way to spot a fake Windsor Chair is to check out the sticks that make up the backrest. Every authentic Windsor Chair ever made will have round sticks. So, if the chair you’re looking at has squared or oval sticks then give it a pass as it’s probably not real.
When looking at an ercol chair, keep your eye out for how the legs or sticks meet the base. Many ercol chairs use a technique called wedge joinery. This technique is pretty easy to spot, simply look out for small circles with a different wood grain to the rest of the seat. They’ll be where the legs meet the seat and make for an added design touch too. For furniture that isn’t a chair, you can expect to see the same expert level of craftsmanship.
If The Price Is Right
In many ways, price can be a useful identifier when trying to spot genuine ercol furniture. However, pricing can also confuse since one of the great things about buying vintage ercol furniture is that it needn’t cost the world. You can normally find reasonably priced vintage ercol furniture on resale sites like eBay, Vinterior and etsy. That makes pricing a tricky way to identify genuine ercol furniture.
Luckily, it’s a little easier for modern pieces or the most sought-after vintage ercol designs. Coveted pieces like vintage Butterfly or Windsor Chairs can fetch a sizeable sum when in good condition.
After all, ercol furniture is made to last and often any patina that comes from age only improves it. For vintage pieces it’s highly unlikely they’re fake if their quality is sound, and the labels are right. For modern ercol designs that are being sold as brand new, a super low price can be a red flag. If the price is wildly different from the price on ercol’s website, then give it a miss.
Interested in buying an original? Check out our authentic ercol furniture.
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Tips & advice
Grey sofas are an incredibly popular choice for many people. Not only do they look elegant, timeless and sophisticated, they also come in many different shades. Plus, a grey sofa is a great option for houses with pets or young children because any spillages and crumbs are less noticeable.
The biggest benefit is that a grey sofa is a completely blank canvas, so you can express your personality through cushions and throws. When it comes to choosing what colour cushions go with a grey sofa, you have plenty of options. It will pair well with most shades of pink, red, green, blue, yellow and purple, as well as many more.
Stay away from grey cushions as too much of the same colour can make the sofa feel flat and dull. Read on to find some of our favourite cushion colour combinations with a grey sofa.
Brighten a grey sofa with bold colours
Brightly coloured cushions bring playfulness to rooms with plenty of subdued colours and a grey sofa. The best part is that this look couldn’t be easier to achieve. From reds and blues to yellows and greens, most bright colours will work with your grey sofa. Simply choose a combination of colours that speaks to your style and that go well together.
Mix and match in different sizes and colour but keep the cushion texture the same to create a cohesive display. Adding in more texture as well as different sizes and colours could lead to quite a chaotic look.
Calming Grey Sofa With Beige Cushions
If your living room is the place you go to unwind, relax and be tranquil, you might want to keep the colours fairly pared back. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your design. Decorating your grey sofa with natural-coloured cushions will lend an air of calm and sophistication to your living room.
Bring in pattern and texture to add more depth to the cushions and your grey sofa will look great. We suggest looking for cushions in natural materials like linen and cotton.
Blue Cushions With a Grey Sofa
Blue is one of the colour cushions that goes incredibly well with a grey sofa. It’s a pairing that can look incredibly sleek and put together when done right.
In this example the cushion features hints of blue in the pattern which is a great way to tie blue into the room without going overboard. However, if you’re after a bolder look then you could choose a pattern with more blue in it or even a block colour.
If you’re creating a cluster on your grey sofa then we suggest choosing different shades of blue for each cushion. This will make it look more refined and elegant.
Grey Sofas With Jewel-Toned Cushions
If you’re looking to elevate your grey sofa and lend it a more luxurious aesthetic, why not accessorise with jewel-toned cushions? That means colours like amethyst, emerald, ruby and sapphire. These bold, beautiful colours will bring warmth and comfort to your sofa, whatever shade of grey it is.
Using jewel-toned cushions is also a great way to bring colour to your space without painting walls or investing in new furniture. Despite being particularly on trend at the moment, jewel colours are incredibly timeless hues, meaning they’ll have a place in your home for years to come. For an even more opulent look, use materials like velvet, fur and silk in jewel tones.
These materials have been celebrated as premium fabrics for centuries and it’s still the case today. If your sofa has finely textured upholstery, then these premium fabrics are perfect for your cushions. Mix and match using both colour and texture to give your sofa a luxurious depth.
Yellow cushions on a grey sofa
A grey sofa can feel quite overwhelming in a darker or more shaded room. Pairing your grey sofa with yellow cushions is a great way to brighten it up. This works particularly well if your cushion has some sort of pattern or texture to it. Too many block colours and fabrics in the same weave can make the scheme feel a bit flat and boring.
Yellow also works well with blue tones. So, if you want to create a cluster of pillows in different colours then yellow and blue makes a great choice. If natural hues are more your jam, then opt for light yellow cushions instead. The beauty of a grey sofa is that most shades of yellow will go well with it. Looking for some new cushions for your grey sofa?
Check out our collection of premium cushions.
For centuries marble has been a key feature in opulent interiors. Not only does marble create a sense of grandeur, it’s also incredibly practical and durable. So, it’s no wonder that you may want to decorate your home with marble.
Our curated article shows you how to incorporate the must-have material into your design scheme.
Make marble the centrepiece
Choosing marble for a dining table, kitchen worktop or floor is a great way to make a statement with the material. It brings a timeless elegance to a room and can make it feel incredibly luxurious when used correctly. Marble’s durable nature makes it a worthwhile investment for everyday family life.
In many Italian homes, locally sourced white Carrara features prominently on worktops, counters and coffee tables. That’s because it’s a robust, durable material that stays cool and will look beautiful for years to come. This dining table has a curved white marble table to come.
This dining table has a curved white marble tabletop that looks elegant in both modern and traditional rooms. Paired here with dark wooden floors and furniture, it brings a little more light and texture to the space. By keeping the accessories within the same colour scheme, the marble is encouraged to take centre stage as the star of the show.
Make light use of marble
Unlike other more brittle types of stone, marble can be carved very thinly while keeping a solid shape. Lighting designers have taken advantage of these natural properties and use marble to create decorative diffusions of light. Arrange a series of marble pendant lights in a cluster to make a statement or choose a marble lamp base for a more subtle infusion.
Marble is also often used to bring a more polished edge to rustic or industrial interiors. Here, Tom Dixon’s Stone Pendant Light brings opulence and warmth to a concrete interior. Paired with polished brass accents, the light elevates the room even more.
Invest in key marble pieces
Let’s face it, decorating your home with solid marble furniture, walls or surfaces can be a big investment. If you want to inject a luxurious marble aesthetic into your home without breaking the bank, we suggest investing in some key pieces.
Marble has been ‘on trend’ for decades, so you can rest assured that your investment furniture won’t go out of style anytime soon. Marble coffee tables are a great option because they stand out as an elegant centrepiece in the living room.
Whilst this table’s modern form wouldn’t look out of place in a cutting-edge, minimalist scheme, it works just as well in a homely sitting room. Pair it with some modern soft furnishings, colourful accessories and it will lend an added depth to your room.
Pair marble with woods
In a room dominated by wood, you might be at a loss for what materials to pair it with. Luckily, marble could be the answer. Marble’s natural veined pattern adds an elegant contrast to a room setting dominated by solid woods.
Where wood can offer a more rustic, traditional appeal, the addition of marble balances it out and brings a sophisticated, polished edge. White marble and walnut make a particularly sophisticated combination, however light woods also compliment the natural material.
If you’re looking to make a real statement, we suggest considering a darker marble with dark wood. The result can be incredibly striking.
Marble also looks stunning when accenting a piece of wooden furniture. This white marble and walnut console table exudes sophistication and elegance. Plus, it cleverly pulls together the white walls and dark herringbone floors.
Accessorise with marble
If you’re looking for a more subtle injection of marble into your interior design scheme, marble accessories could be the answer. From trays and coasters to bowls and vases, marble accessories will bring that luxurious edge into your space without breaking the bank.
Marble is also a great choice when used for serving dishes and offers many years’ service compared to wooden chopping and charcuterie boards. Seduced by its functionality and style, more and more designers are returning to marble to create accessories. They’re carving the ancient material into contemporary shapes and introducing modern solutions.
For example, Vitra’s L’Oiseau shown here. This special edition accessory was reimagined in marble and brings a luxurious edge to Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s charming design.
Check out our collection of furniture to find the perfect marble design for your home.
Creating a bedroom that encourages good sleep and mindful practices is a great way to start every day right. Instead of hitting the snooze button over and over again, a well-styled bedroom will help feel ready for the day.
It’s surprisingly easy to transform your bedroom into a more mindful space. So, here are some of our top tips.
Natural textures
One of the best things you can do to create a calming, mindful bedroom is to invest in natural bed linen. So, that means choosing materials like cotton and linen instead of synthetic fabrics. That’s because materials like polyester and acrylic can be scratchy, unbreathable and lead to poor sleep.
Plenty of bed linen is made using these synthetic fabrics, so always check the label before buying. In contrast, natural materials like linen and cotton can seriously enhance your slumber. They’re both breathable, sumptuously soft and better for the planet.
Bringing more of these natural materials into your bedroom will help create a mindful ambience. Plus, they look as good as they feel. At winter, we suggest layering up with a toasty quilted bedspread layered on top of your cotton bed linen.
And you needn’t stop at your bedding either. Use natural textures and materials in your rugs, curtains and upholstery for a truly comforting bedroom.
Calming colours
The right colour can make or break a bedroom, you’ll want it to feel calm, revitalising and atmospheric. When choosing colours for your mindful bedroom we suggest sticking to muted, warm tones and avoiding bright hues like red or gloomy dark greys and browns.
Our personal favourite bedroom colour is blue, and there’s serious science behind why it’s a great choice. In fact, the brain can recognise more shades of blue than any other colour. Plus, when the brain senses blue, it isn’t stimulated by it, encouraging it to create more sleepy hormones. Bring shades of blue into your room through the curtains, accent chairs, rugs and bed linen.
Toned-down shades of green and yellow also make brilliant calming bedroom colours. However, if bright colours are your thing and you feel comfortable nodding off surrounded by them, then keep it bold. If it works, it works.
A natural flourish
Bring the outdoors in by adding some specially chosen house plants to your bedroom. In the same way that forest bathing helps to calm and reenergise the mind, adding plants to your bedroom will help create a mindful, calming ambience. Plus, plants look great and will add an extra design flourish to your bedroom.
One of the biggest benefits of having plants in your bedroom is that they help to purify the air. That means they pull toxins from the air, trap them and release oxygen, helping you to have a mindful rest. But remember, not all plants are known for air purifying, so choose carefully.
Warm lighting
The right lighting will do wonders for creating a mindful bedroom. After all, the last thing you need before nodding off is a harsh white light in your eyes. Atmospheric, warming lighting will help create a relaxing, inviting bedroom. Luckily this is an easy fix. Light bulbs come in warm and white hues. So, simply switch your white bulbs out for warm ones and your bedroom will feel more relaxing instantly.
Or, if you’re currently redesigning your home, now might be the right time to ask the electrician for dimmer switches. Dimmer switches mean you can control the ambience of the room without changing bulbs. So, they’re perfect for all occasions.
If you’re looking for a grander solution than new light bulbs but something easier than dimmer switches, then new lighting may be in order. When choosing your lighting, opt for shades made using frosted glass. These will diffuse the light and create a more subtle glow, perfect for bedtime.
No mobiles before bed
If you’re investing in warm lighting and comfortable bedding, then you’re on track to create a truly mindful bedroom. However, an hour spent scrolling on your phone in bed could undo all your good work. Not only will their bright blue light trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime, but the constant stimulation will keep you wide awake. We recommend turning your bedroom into a no phone zone.
This could mean the whole room, or it could mean leaving your phone on the opposite side of the bedroom to avoid temptation. Avoiding television in the run up to bedtime will also help to improve your sleep and help you drift off faster.
Avoid clutter
Looking to sleep better and wake up feeling mindful? Then a tidy, clutter-free room should set you on the right path. In fact, studies have shown that it takes people with messier bedrooms longer to fall asleep. This means tiredness the following day and less energy to tidy up too. So, ditch the chair that’s piled high with clothes, pick your socks off the floor and neaten up that bedside table.
A great way to achieve a tidy bedroom this is through hidden storage. Whether that’s an ottoman bed with storage space underneath, shelves with opaque doors or cleverly designed wardrobes. Together, these innovative storage solutions will help you create a clutter-free, mindful bedroom. Want to create your own mindful bedroom?
Check out our Bedroom edit.
Sofas and carpets are both big investments, so you’ll want to get them just right. Luckily, one of the best things about having a grey sofa is that it’s versatile. That means it will look great alongside most colour carpets or flooring.
Plus, you can switch it up with accessories whenever you fancy. But with so many carpets out there and sofa upholstery in countless shades of grey, it can all seem a bit overwhelming. To help you out, we’ve whittled down the options to highlight the best colour carpets to go with a grey sofa.
Grey sofas go with neutral carpets
For an understated and versatile living room design, we suggest pairing your grey sofa with a beige carpet. Neutral beige, cream and off-white tones will match the tone of your grey sofa perfectly and creates the perfect base for a versatile room.
On the surface, a neutral carpet and a minimalist grey sofa can seem a bit bland. However, they are both costly investments and you don’t want to choose something you’ll hate in a year. Luckily that’s where accessories come in handy. You can bring pops of colour to your room through cushions, throws, decorative accessories and accent chairs.
So, having a minimalist carpet needn’t make your living space a colour-free space. Having a neutral carpet is also a great tip for smaller living spaces. That’s because lighter tones like beige or cream help to brighten your room and make it seem bigger. So, if you’re worried a grey sofa will darken your compact living room, perhaps consider a cream or beige carpet.
Grey sofas go with wooden floors and an accent rug
Not strictly a carpet, but still a floor covering worth considering, wooden floors complement grey sofas perfectly. They help to bring warmth and timeless style to most rooms and can stop the grey feeling too dull.
For a little more comfort underfoot, add a rug to the living space. Not only will a rug keep your toes warm on cooler nights, but it also helps to pull the room together. Pair it perfectly by choosing a rug with tones of grey that tie it back to your sofa.
An accent colour like blue, pink or green running through it will help to create a truly premium room design. Plus, a rug is far easier to switch up than a carpet. So, there’s no need to redo the entire floor if you fancy a change in a few years’ time.
Grey sofas go with grey carpets
Pairing a grey sofa with a grey carpet might feel like a bit of an overload, but it works surprisingly well. For example, if the room has a striking view, then keeping the sofa and carpet grey will help direct the gaze towards it. Even without a view, a grey sofa and carpet is a timeless combination.
The key thing to remember is to mix up the tones of grey as well as the textures. For example, you could pair your dark grey sofa with a light grey carpet. Or you could choose a deeper grey sofa and a concrete-coloured carpet. This helps to create a slight contrast and breaks up the grey.
When it comes to textures, we suggest finding a carpet with a different texture to the sofa. For example, a carpet with a chunkier texture will look best with a sofa with tight, clean weave.
If you are pairing a grey sofa with a carpet in a similar colour, then accessories will come in useful again. Introduce tones of green and blue to the space to give it more depth, whilst staying true to your grey colour scheme.
Grey sofas go with pink carpets
Pink and grey are a dream duo in many respects and look great together in a living room. In fact, we’re obsessed with this grey sofa and pink carpet combination. Investing in a pink carpet may be a bold choice for some people, but natural blush colours are surprisingly versatile. Pink goes well with many shades of grey, green and blue, so you can really get creative with it.
Instead of matching all your accessories to the carpet, choosing different hues of pink will look more premium. That means choosing throws, cushions and lampshades in different shades of pink and ideally different textures.
Looking for a grey sofa? Discover our premium grey sofas here.
Moving home, restyling your space or simply looking to invest in a new design piece are all reasons you might be looking to buy a new sofa. Read on if you’re looking to upgrade your sofa, are worried about its structural integrity or just can’t tell if you need a new one.
Plus, discover some of the ways you can recycle your old sofa. How Long Should a Sofa Last? There’s no hard and fast rule with how long a sofa should last, but a well-made sofa will typically last at least 15 years. You may notice the sofa deteriorating after it passes the seven-year mark, but it still has plenty of good years left in it.
That isn’t to say all sofas will last this amount of time. A cheaply made sofa will probably need replacing sooner, whereas a premium sofa could last a lifetime. In fact, we offer a lifetime guarantee on all our sofa frames, that’s how confident we are in their quality.
How to Tell If You Need a New Sofa A creaking frame, tired upholstery and long-gone support will all have you hunting for a new sofa. However, there are plenty more reasons you might be looking for a replacement. Read on to discover some of them.
If your sofa doesn’t fit your home properly
When people move home, they tend to take their sofas with them. After all, the sofa was probably an investment, it suits their style and there’s plenty of memories associated with it. But for all the same reasons, many people cling onto their old sofa, even when it isn’t right for their space. Perhaps the old sofa is too large for your new living room.
Or a growing family could mean you need an even larger sofa. Maybe your old sofa is so deep it leaves little space to walk past it. Or perhaps you found yourself with one-too-many sofas and it’s time to whittle down your collection. Whatever the reason, if your old sofa isn’t cutting the mustard then it may be time to invest in a new one.
If your sofa doesn’t offer enough support
When you bought your sofa, it was probably ergonomically designed and offered brilliant padding and support. However, this tends to get worse over the years and can make your sofa uncomfortable. Not only is this bad for your body and posture, but a supportless sofa also makes for unpleasant sitting. If this is the case with your sofa, you might need a new one.
If you still like your sofa and its upholstery is in good condition, then you could always get it restuffed. Going to a specialist upholsterer is by far the best way to do this. Not only do they know their craft, but they’ll also know the best materials to use. You can always try refilling it yourself if your sofa has removable covers, but we’d definitely suggest finding a specialist.
If your interior design tastes have changed
Trends and tastes change over time, so it’s no wonder your sofa might feel outdated now. Perhaps it’s got a huge floral pattern that was fashionable in the 80s but not today. Or maybe you opted for a colour that was ‘in’ ten years ago that you can’t stand in 2021.
Either way, if you really don’t like your old sofa anymore, it’s probably time for a new one. When choosing your next sofa, we recommend taking your time to find one that you know you’ll love for years. Once you’ve found the perfect sofa, you could even sleep on the idea for a week or so, just to be sure.
Don’t just take your old sofa to the skip, there are plenty of second-hand shops or resale websites where it can find a new home. Just because it isn’t to your taste, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it.
If your sofa’s upholstery has seen better days
If your upholstery is looking a little worse for wear, that suggests you may need a new sofa. Sofas go through a lot; from kids bouncing on it to years and years of pets snuggling up with you. Repairing the odd fray or repadding it can help in the short term, but both could be signs your upholstery is on the way out. And potentially your sofa with it.
If you still love the silhouette and style of your sofa, then reupholstering it is a great option. We’d highly recommend enlisting the services of a specialist reupholstery company to take on the task. Sure, you can give it a go yourself, but since upholstery fabric can get quite pricey, any mistake you make could be pretty pricey.
Once you’ve invested in a new sofa or reupholstering your existing sofa, there are ways to keep it looking as good as new. For example, direct sunlight can fade your sofa’s upholstery and weaken the fabric’s structure. One way to prevent this is to move the sofa to a new position every year or so.
This helps to make sure the sofa gets an even amounts of sunlight. Spillages are also big concerns for upholstery. To prevent staining, spot clean each spillage as soon as possible. Then, a professional upholstery cleaning every few years will keep the sofa in good nick and help with any odours.
If your sofa won’t stop creaking
If you sit down on your sofa and hear it creaking or making popping noises, its structure might be damaged. If possible, take a look under the sofa to check everything looks ok. Or you could enlist the services of a furniture specialist to offer their professional opinion.
Unfortunately fixing a sofa’s structural damage can be a costly process so a new sofa might be on the cards. If you have a new sofa that’s already creaking, don’t panic. New furniture will often creak or squeak to begin with. That’s because it’s adjusting to use, the room’s temperature and the sofa’s suspension system. It should subside in a few weeks or so. Investing in a new sofa?
Check out our collection.
Need help removing your old sofa? We can help, in partnership with Clearabee and British Heart Foundation.
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