Handmade or hand-selected, we're proud to support exquisite craftsmanship and specialist skills. Join us as we sit down with artisans, curators, and designers in our Meet The Designer series.
Specialists in hand aged zinc and brass finishes, Quirky Interiors create beautiful, stand-alone pieces that are as practical as they are stylish. Based in Hertfordshire the family-run business source luxe industrial furniture, and as the name implies - quirky vintage accessories.
What is Quirky Interiors? And what do you specialise in?
Quirky Interiors is the business we set up around 10 years ago when I decided to move out of the antique shop I had in London and instead start working on making and creating my own pieces, as well as using vintage and antique furniture and adding my own unique twist.
Over the years we have grown and now work for both commercial and private clients, we have evolved into new areas becoming specialists in aged zinc and our more recent work is focusing on our aged brass and copper finishes.
What do you look for when sourcing unique pieces for your website? And what is most popular with your customers?
I only buy and sell things that I love myself. As soon as I stop loving something I no longer want to make or sell it! I think this has been important for the business as customers can tell when someone is genuinely passionate about what they are making.
We often have very creative clients who we love to work with. More and more of which are looking at using brass and copper in their home. Metal splashbacks for kitchens have become very popular for us.
Do you have any tips for caring for antique pieces and vintage furniture?
If ever you aren't sure don’t rush! Always ask someone who knows or the person you bought the item from. But I am a believer that furniture and interiors are for living in not just looking at!
Photography (main and left) by Debbie Treloar.
Can you explain to our readers your process when creating your signature zinc and brass finishes? What inspired you to begin this?
I can’t give my secrets away! We spend an awful lot of time and before we put a product out a lot of trial and error is gone through to get our finishes just right. I’m always trying to improve our finishes and I won’t stop until it’s just right- that’s why I’m always at work!
I was as inspired 10 years ago by the original antique French zinc tops I would come across when I was out buying. I loved them and wanted to see how I could recreate the look on a table I had made for my own home. It took a lot of effort but now we have got it just right and can age it according to how the client wants it to look.
How can these finishes be incorporated into the home?
Small areas like a splashback above a basin, a side table, kitchen tap or riff-raff sign can be just enough for some people. Others have commissioned whole kitchen islands in brass or large verdigris copper front doors!
Quirky Interiors have created some really unique pieces for commercial projects both home and away. Are there any you are currently working on?
We are currently working on a large project for Cafè Nero and a few well-known bars in London. I think the favourite was the original Oast House project in Manchester as it was our first big project and at the time was so unique and different - we were given a lot of creative freedom which was I loved.
Also being asked to make a large wall of brass tiles for Hans Blomquist’s IKEA Sweden shoot was great as I have loved his work for years (top).
