ercol

ercol is a British furniture manufacturer founded in 1920 by Lucian Ercolani, producing solid-wood furniture from a Buckinghamshire factory using bent-beech techniques introduced with the iconic Windsor collection. The range covers dining chairs, dressers, sofas, sideboards and beds, with pieces from the 1950s continuing in production alongside contemporary designs.
  • Windsor Dining Chair Windsor Dining Chair
    3 Finish options
  • Teramo 3 Door Wardrobe Teramo 3 Door Wardrobe
  • Pebble Pair of Coffee Tables Pebble Pair of Coffee Tables Vintage Ash
  • Heritage Loveseat Heritage Loveseat Dead Matt Oak
  • All Purpose Chair All Purpose Chair Black Stained Ash
    2 Finish options
  • Teramo 5 Drawer Wide Chest Teramo 5 Drawer Wide Chest
  • Monza Bench Monza Bench
  • Teramo Sideboard Teramo Sideboard
  • Monza Shelving Unit Monza Shelving Unit
  • Romana Coffee Table Clear Matt Oak Romana Coffee Table Clear Matt Oak

    ercol furniture is made in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, at the factory the company has occupied since 2002. The UK base and factory continuity gives ercol a stronger manufacturing story than most mid-market furniture brands, with many production techniques unchanged across multiple generations of the Ercolani family.

    Yes, ercol continues to produce many of the classic mid-century pieces that defined the brand, including the Love Seat and the Studio Couch from the 1950s. These remain in production to original specifications, using the same bent-beech techniques introduced by Lucian Ercolani. This continuous production distinguishes ercol from brands that reissue retired designs on a limited basis.

    ercol works primarily in solid elm and beech, with oak used across specific ranges. The beech is steam-bent for the Windsor-chair techniques the brand is famous for. All timber is sourced from responsibly managed European forests, with FSC certification across the majority of the range. Solid-wood construction rather than veneered panels is a core part of the ercol proposition.

    ercol offers a repair and restoration service for older pieces, including refinishing, reupholstery and replacement of worn components like chair seats. This service reflects ercol's positioning as a heritage brand, with many customers owning pieces passed down through decades. Parts and repair advice are available directly from ercol or through the original retailer.

    • How To Identify Ercol Furniture
      Buying Guides
      How To Identify Ercol Furniture
      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.
    • Our Five Most Cherished Ercol Designs
      BrandsProducts
      Our Five Most Cherished Ercol Designs
      Ercol emerged in the post war era with a passion for creating furniture that was both well-designed and well-made. Nearly 70 years later the brand’s design icons are still as stylish today as they were in the 1950s and its long-lasting reputation for creating pieces that stand the test of time is what sets it apart from other modern day furniture makers. A staple part of the Heal’s offering, ercol embodies everything that we love about good design: expert craftsmanship, quality materials, and a beautiful mid-century aesthetic that captures the optimism that Britain felt about its design potential at the time. We’ve picked five of our most beloved ercol furniture designs that we think cement ercol as one of the true furniture greats. Each piece boasts superb quality, a rich history, and ultimately, a beautiful design. The Butterfly Chair Starting out with a true icon, the Butterfly chair takes its name from its expertly sculpted back that is reminiscent of the insect’s wings. Elegant curves are paired with smartly tapered legs and, despite being designed in the late 1950s, it exemplifies a contemporary design that is almost Scandinavian in its simplicity. The Butterfly chair is made using Lucien Ercolani’s perfected technique of steam bending wood into elegant shapes. Back in the day, the method marked a milestone in the development of furniture making and highlighted Ercolani’s instinct of knowing how to bring out the intrinsic qualities of wood in terms of colour, texture and grain. Why do we love it? The Butterfly chair is a true design classic, becoming more sought after as the years go by. Its design, comfort and craftsmanship ensure it's a piece that can be passed down for generations to come. Originals Butterfly Chair by Ercol, £535 The Ercol Originals Loveseat Next on our list is the ercol Originals Love Seat - a large, outward shaped elm seat, moulded for comfort. In 1943 Lucian Ercolani was asked by the Board of Trade to adapt the classic Windsor chair into a production friendly design. Drawing upon his Scandinavian and Bauhaus influences, he developed the Windsor collection which combined traditional English settle and the Windsor chair aesthetic. An instantly recognisable ercol creation, the Love Seat features turned spindles, splayed legs and an organic shape to form an enlarged version of the famous ercol Windsor chair. Why do we love it? A truly versatile piece, it looks just as at home around a country kitchen table as it does in sleek, contemporary homes. The Originals Love Seat by Ercol, £800 The Romana Extending Dining Table This simple ercol dining table has all the hallmarks of a piece well-designed and well-made, and not only is it a practical addition for homes short on space but its curved edge detailing and slim legs are easy on the eye. In a time when small space living is becoming a reality for more of us, clever design becomes more important than ever. The Romana has a hidden contraption that boasts an extra panel creating a functional piece for modern dining spaces. Simply pull on one end of the table and the other will follow suit. A leaf is stored inside the mechanism which opens up and links the table together in seamless fashion. Why do we love it? This ercol dining table is one of those rare designs that never dates or shows its age ensuring stylish practicality for years to come. The Romana Extending Dining Table, £1,860 The Treviso Desk by Matthew Hilton for Ercol Ercol’s continued desire to develop design well into the 21st century saw the commissioning of Matthew Hilton who reinterpreted a number of classics using his take on contemporary design. Out of this partnership came the Treviso desk, a perfect blend of mid-century and contemporary design creating a modern day classic that has great form and function. The desk provides a deceivingly large amount of work space despite its slender shape and a hole at the back allows for computer or laptop wires to be neatly slotted through, bringing this mid-century design into the modern age. Why do we love it? Known for his clever material choices, Hilton made the desk available in walnut to offer a contrast to the pale wood that is typically used for ercol designs. However key features such as splayed legs and clean lines are maintained for an unmistakably ercol look. The Treviso Desk by Mathew Hilton for Ercol, £1,490 The Ercol Originals Room Divider More of a bookcase than a traditional room divider, it can be turned into a colourful focal point in a room or kept minimal with handpicked ornaments and decorations. Another perfect ercol design for space tight homes, the design is great for saving on lateral space by venturing upwards rather than outwards with plenty of display area. Why we love it? Trademark ercol details including spindle bars, hammer shaft joints and smooth carpentry along the solid elm and beech surfaces make it a classic piece that outlives interior design trends. The Originals Room Divider by Ercol, £2,350 To explore our collection of ercol furniture further, visit one of our stores or see the full range online.
    • Iconic Designer Brands At Heal’s
      Brands
      Iconic Designer Brands At Heal’s
      Here at Heal’s, we pride ourselves on being #WhereDesignLives. Over the next six weeks we're going to be shining a spotlight on an array of innovative and iconic brands at Heal's across our Instagram and online. For today’s post, we’d like to introduce you to our key brand partners and give you a little insight into the brands. Iconic Brands at Heal's Vitra Bringing together the best in iconic, contemporary design, Vitra believe that their thoughts and feelings are shaped by their surroundings. That is why they strive daily to improve interiors through the power of good design. Flos For fifty years Flos have been crafting objects of light and shedding brightness on generations of dreams. Their collection offers a range of modern lamps and chandeliers from some of the leading cutting-edge designers, and they continue to pioneer new styles. De La Espada De La Espada prides itself in putting the designer first, really appreciating and respecting the design process and valuing the modern artisan. Their furniture is where the creativity of some of the world’s leading designers meets the highest level of European craftsmanship. Porada Italian design house Porada use only the finest quality materials to produce furniture pieces that are works of art in their own right, such as the Infinity Table, Giolo mirror or their contemporary Walnut Chair. Knoll Knoll furniture is an institution of American design crafting pieces that are instantly recognisable yet always evolving. Fritz Hansen Standing on the shoulders of both iconic and contemporary designers, Fritz Hansen creates furniture, accessories and lighting designed to those who appreciate timeless designs and a product out of the ordinary. Whether you're looking for a Fritz Hansen chair or a modern Scandinavian dining table, you'll find it at Heal's. British Brands at Heal’s ercol Iconic British furniture brand ercol is known for its blend of quality craftsmanship and stylish design. Since 1920, this family business has produced luxuriously hand-crafted chairs and tables. ercol furniture is renowned across the globe thanks to its long-lasting quality. Case Working with world-renowned designers, Case is a vanguard of creativity and creates luxury wood furniture that is modern, with integrity and character. Innovative brands at Heal’s Tom Dixon Tom Dixon is one of Britain’s most acclaimed industrial designers, bringing wit, imagination and charm to everyday objects. Relentlessly innovative, incomparably creative and a true pioneer of design, where Tom Dixon innovates, others follow. Gazzda Bosnian design house Gazzda embraces its homeland’s fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, and the longstanding tradition of craftsmanship that accompanies them. The brand was created for a simple purpose; to make the world a bit more handsome and cosier than they found it, while creating furniture that will make you smile. ferm LIVING Founded in 2005 by designer Trine Andersen, ferm LIVING’s designs enhance the small and candid moments of everyday life. Based on a passion for authentic design and clear functionality, the Copenhagen-based design house is rooted in the Scandinavian design tradition and are constantly challenging themselves to shape the future. Amura Amura is a young brand rich in culture and passion, and eager to bring into your home the best of Italian craftmanship. Muuto With their name coming from the Finnish for 'new perspectives', Muuto handpicks leading contemporary designers who are strong interpreters of their philosophy. By expanding on their heritage with forward-looking materials, techniques and bold creative thinking, their ambition is to deliver new perspectives on Scandinavian design. Sustainable brands at Heal’s Kartell Continuing to break the mould in furniture and lighting, each Kartell piece is made in collaboration with prestigious international designers such as Philippe Starck and Ferruccio Laviani. Ongoing research and innovation in industrial processes have enabled the Bio Componibili cabinet to be produced with a biopolymer made from renewable raw materials, derived from non-GMO agricultural waste. Linie Design Committed to sustainable design, Linie Design rugs are produced using slow craftsmanship, without machinery, and transcend trends and the transience of time and so are passed on as a treasured heirlooms. SCP Furniture Founded in 1985, SCP is firmly established as one of the UK’s most innovative and internationally respected manufacturers and suppliers of contemporary furniture. True to its founding idea, SCP makes design products that are beautiful, functional, and made to last. Mater Named after the Latin word for mother, Copenhagen-based design studio Mater serves as a daily reminder of our connection with mother earth. Mater limits its impact on the planet by using techniques that support local crafting traditions and the environment. Riva 1920 Based on the scenic coast of Lombardy, Italy, Riva 1920 creates contemporary crafted furniture using only the finest solid wood timbers. Each element is subjected to detailed qualitative and functional compliance checks, guaranteeing an authentic and completely natural product. Gandia Blasco Gandia Blasco, based in Valencia, produces its rugs in India by artisan rug makers. Sustainability has always been a priority for GAN. From the beginning, it has been the principle that has permeated all the processes of the brand: from the manufacture of its products and the renewal of artisan techniques to the preference for natural materials. Artisan brands at Heal’s Artisan Bosnian manufacturer Artisan is steeped in heritage. Having emerged from the traditional woodworking shop Ćostović, over 50 years of experience is poured into each creation. A genuine passion and appreciation of wood is fused into the entire manufacturing process.