University News Last updated 09 February 2012
Two furniture designers who have made a name for themselves by targeting the very top of the market are set to be jointly honoured at Birmingham City University’s forthcoming graduation ceremonies.
Simon Vinton and Matthew Armstrong both graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in Furniture Design from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) in 1999 and are being honoured as Alumni of the Year in the Enterprise and Innovation category.
They established Armstrong Vinton Furniture together 10 years ago, shortly after graduating, with the support of The Prince’s Trust which provided them with a loan and an expert mentor in Bruce Enders, formerly of American industrial conglomerate General Electric. The company makes bespoke high-end furniture, turning over just over £1 million last year, and has reportedly made furniture for Madonna and Prince Edward.
The next stage was building a customer base and, while they had to be flexible in their early years, the long-term intention was always to target the exclusive end of the market. They have built their reputation largely through word of mouth and personal recommendations, with most of their work now coming through architects and interior designers who are looking for something special for their latest project – although they do also get requests from individuals looking for a particular item for their home.
Business success in first decade
Over its first 10 years, the business has now grown to employ 18 people, and the duo have ambitious plans for the future, with future proposals to launch their own range of furniture to go alongside the bespoke projects.
The designers have recently been commissioned to design and manufacture a table for University College London Hospitals for a new building the hospital which forms part of one of the most innovative projects in health service in this country - the development of Europe's leading integrated Cancer Centre. Simon and Matthew’s table will be the centre piece in the main atrium of the prestigious new building, with the design being based on the double helix of a DNA strand.
Simon said: “The course at BIAD was a good foundation for what we’re doing now – it taught us the whole process from design to production as well as working with different materials.”
Matthew added: “We have doubled in size in the past 18 months and we have recently undertaken a major investment programme to make sure we have the latest technology and machinery. Ultimately, our aim is to become known as the foremost designers and manufacturers of high end bespoke furniture in the country."