Awards Sponsor Q&A: Sofas & Stuff 2025

With over 40 years rooted in British bespoke furniture, Andrew Cussins, founder of Sofas & Stuff, shares with the British Institute of Interior Design how the business has evolved – from a family-run retailer to a respected manufacturer and now a true source of fabric-led inspiration for interiors.

Andrew, many know you for your background in custom made sofas, but your story starts earlier than Sofas & Stuff. Can you tell us how it all began?

Furniture runs in the family. My father built up the business of Maples, Waring & Gillow to 120 stores. After studying Medieval History and meeting my wife Julia, I joined the family business in 1980, ready to learn the trade. I’ve had several businesses over the years, including Sofa Workshop, which was one of the first high-street brands to offer customisable sofas direct to customers. Sofas & Stuff came a bit later in 2009 – it started with one showroom in a Sussex barn and has now grown to 25 locations across the UK, including our newest in Richmond, opening in August.

What was the thinking behind the brand when you started?

The guiding principle has always been about choice, not compromise. We want customers to create something personal, not just pick from pre-designed pieces. That means meaningful choices in size, finish, and especially fabrics that reflect their lifestyle. Interior designers appreciate this flexibility to tailor every detail to their client’s space.

In recent years, you’ve made some significant pivots – first to manufacturing, then into fabric design. What prompted that?

A few things. After the pandemic, industry lead times grew, and quality slipped. Unhappy with outsourcing, we opened our own workshop in Preston, Lancashire. That was a big move, but it means greater control over quality, consistency, and finish.

Around the same time, we started creating our own fabrics. We wanted to offer interior designers and other customers something you couldn’t find anywhere else. Now, more than 40% of our furniture is upholstered in our own designs. It’s become a major part of who we are – not just a sofa company, but a growing fabric house.

How would you describe your fabric collection today?

I’d say it’s expressive but versatile, ranging from small-scale prints and stripes to bold florals and velvets with rich heritage influences. Some are created entirely in-house; others come from collaborations with the V&A and RHS, reimagining or rescaling archival patterns.

You’ve recently launched your largest ever range of new exclusive fabrics. What can designers expect?

Our latest introduction is the largest and most versatile, with a broad colour palette across designs that complement each other and our existing exclusive fabrics – making it easier to create coordinated schemes Within the new collections, you’ll find small-scale prints like Sussex Stripe and Sussex Parquet, alongside ‘almost plain’ velvets printed with subtle tonal shifts for added depth.

We’ve framed this launch as ‘Fabrication’, celebrating the craft behind everything we produce, from the furniture itself to the exclusive fabrics we design. This autumn, we’re bringing the theatre of our Fabrication campaign to Decorex. 

What does fabric mean to you personally – as someone from a furniture background?

Fabric sets the atmosphere. You can’t underestimate the emotional pull of texture, colour, and print. We partner with British mills, printing only what’s needed – no deadstock, no warehousing. That gives us both creative control and sustainability benefits.

Do you see Sofas & Stuff becoming a destination for fabrics in its own right?

We already are, I think. Designers are increasingly coming to us for fabric by the metre. We’ve made it easier to browse and specify our exclusive fabrics – whether you’re looking for high-traffic, upholstery weight or lighter fabrics for curtains or blinds.

You’ve mentioned architecture, nature, and art as creative inspirations. How do those come through in your exclusive fabric range?

All over the place! One design might be based on a Mughal painting from the V&A archives; another, which we’ve named Padua Pavement, pictured above, from the geometry of the paving outside the Scrovegni Chapel. There’s inspiration in everything – you just have to be curious.

Finally, what would you like BIID members to take away from this evolution?

That we’re here as a partner – not just a supplier. Whether you’re specifying fabric and furniture for a large-scale project, or commissioning a single bespoke piece, we’re set up to support from start to finish. 

And I suppose what’s most important is that we care deeply about what we make. These pieces are meant to last, to be lived with, and to make people smile. That’s why we do it.

Discover Sofa & Stuff's fabric collection, here.