Combining glamorous, contemporary aesthetics with the high quality of traditional antiques is not an easy feat to accomplish, yet Simpsons Mirrors achieves this effortlessly with each product that is made in its Brentwood workshop.
However, when you discover that Simpsons began in 1976 by stripping back and refinishing antique frames, it is not surprising that an appreciation for the time-honoured skills of furniture making runs deep throughout the company. “A lot of the members of staff in our workshop come from traditional furniture backgrounds,” explains Mary Smith, office manager. “They have experience in antique restoration, marquetry and traditional cabinet making and exhibit a tremendous amount of care [when creating] each and every piece.”
A request by Sir Terence Conran, in 1995, transformed the business, when he commissioned a leather mirror for The Conran Shop. “It was on the back of that, that our Saxon with Chrome mirror was born, and to date it has been the company’s best-selling product,” reveals Smith. Since then, Simpsons has continued to combine traditional techniques with contemporary designs on a range of products from mirrors through to complementary console tables, cocktail cabinets and lighting. “I think that’s what sets us apart,” says Smith, “not only do we manufacture everything in England, but we use techniques that have been passed down through generations. When people are paying a lot of money for something they want to know it has been built to last… and as our craftsmen are very particular, we know everything that goes out of the door is perfect.”
A new collection will be launched at Decorex in September that Smith reveals “has an art deco feel, with a lot of mirror and curves.” It is a collection we anticipate will fully encapsulate the glamour and tradition at which Simpsons excel.

The event was styled by John Bassam of John Bassam Studio and featured Simpsons’ Kampala Desk, Neptune Console Table in Ebony Macassar and the Ebony Macassar Lamp.

Nicholas Oakwell Couture – www.nicholasoakwellcouture.com
John Bassam Studio – www.JohnBassam.com

British Design and Manufacturing is core to Simpsons’ business.  We believe it is vitally important to have our manufacturing premises based in England so that we can ensure that quality, attention to detail and design are kept throughout the whole process.  Many of Simpsons’ workshop staff come from traditional furniture making backgrounds, so the same care and attention to detail used in these manufacturing methods is still used for making Simpsons’ beautiful contemporary pieces today.