Appealing to Head and Heart

In 1888, William Morris gave a lecture in which he declared: ‘The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life, and in elevating them by the influence of the head, the hand, and the heart.’ It’s a view of craft that’s still relevant 140-odd years later, and one we fully endorse. It recognises and honours not just the practical aspects of handcrafted products, but also the intellectual and emotional connections between them and the people who choose them. 

Indeed, it goes to the very core of our products and the philosophy that inspires them. Although we make them at scale, our products retain that essential handcrafted character that comes from the human hand and eye - still the best and most accurate tools for certain jobs even today.

As such, they transcend their practical purpose, with a deeper meaning for our customers that can be on several levels. A lot of people first fall in love with our timeless mid-century designs; but in many cases, this is more than just an aesthetic sensibility. Our furniture often inspires cherished memories, with customers telling us they remember ercol furniture from their own childhood home - or, particularly among younger generations, the ercol dining table they sat round at their grandparents’ house on family occasions. 

The stories our products tell, or allow our customers to tell themselves, is a big part of their appeal, creating an emotional connection that goes far beyond mere sentimentality. In a world where ‘content’ is king and AI is increasingly making us doubt the evidence of our own eyes, people are drawn to products designed, shaped, assembled, inspected and finished by real people. They love the fact that in ercol furniture, they can see the time, skill and care that went into making it. What’s more, because the natural variations in the wood make every piece unique, they can feel it was truly made for them and their purposes alone, which is the very essence of craft.

There’s no doubt that our furniture is frequently a ‘heart’ choice, informed by nostalgia, a search for authenticity and human connection, an appreciation of truth and beauty, and a desire for objects with a story that can become part of the customer’s own. What our customers love, though, is the fact that there are plenty of solid, rational ‘head’ reasons to choose ercol, too. 

In particular, they point to our products’ visible and tangible quality. ‘Quality’ is one of those tricky words: we all know instinctively what it means, and recognise it when we see it, but it’s inherently subjective and thus almost impossible to define precisely. In the context of our products, it speaks to materials – solid wood, homegrown in Britain wherever possible – construction methods, functionality, durability, detailing, comfort, consistency and sustainability. 

Whether they’re led by emotion or utility, customers see and understand our furniture as more than just the physical object in front of them. It’s the sum of how it looks, feels, works and lasts – and the unique story behind it.