I visited the showroom of Fleming & Howland recently, as I’d heard that their new collections of sofas and chairs were something of a departure for them. Fleming & Howland have been making high quality leather furniture since 1780, when the founder Solomon Howland – originally a shoemaker and cordwainer – decided to turn his hand to making chairs. Passed down through subsequent generations of the Howland family, their traditions of craftsmanship continued throughout the 19th century, as they specialised in the covering of chair frames for various London fashion houses.
By the middle of the 20th century, however, modern production methods took over, and many of the older, traditional techniques became obsolete. The furniture-making heritage of the Howland family was in danger of vanishing altogether, when fifth generation John Howland took on his nephew, John Fleming, as his young apprentice.
The family’s hand-crafted traditions and original skills were revived and used alongside the best modern upholstery methods, leading to the Fleming & Howland brand becoming synonymous with the the very highest quality leather sofas and chairs. Indeed, the company is probably better known abroad than in the UK, with its traditional British styles being firm favourites with loyal customers in Europe and further afield. In 2009 they were granted the ‘Chesterfields’ trademark due to their acknowledged heritage – the only company to be awarded this registered trademark.
But back to the present; Fleming & Howland have given their classic styles a thoroughly modern, and extremely colourful, twist with the launch this year of their first fabric collections. The Tailored Collection of chairs and sofas are built exclusively to order; available in an unlimited range of fabrics and leathers, these bespoke pieces also have a wide range of cushion filling options. This means that, unlike a lot of sofas and chairs that look amazing but really aren’t that comfortable, or don’t meet your requirements, these can be tailored to your exact specifications – so important for major investment pieces like this.
The Oxford Tub Chair, above and below: bright, pop colours and the finest of silk leathers contrast with traditional shapes to give these chairs a refined and fresh playfulness.
Wool upholstery, seen above and below, transforms the classic Chesterfield – so extremely handsome in leather, but not exactly what I’d describe as cosy – into a warm and luxurious sofa that I’d be more than happy to snuggle up on for the evening. 
Fleming & Howland worked with British mills to create its own range of wool fabrics to complement its new designs such as the Havelock Ellis, above right, a traditional deep buttoned library chair given an updated look with vibrant red wool.
These 100% wool fabrics are created by individually dyeing the fibres and then blending the shades to give a unique depth of colour; tartan, tweed and paisley designs are also available for those wanting to make a real statement.
For the Linen Collection, a durable, strong and smooth fabric woven from 50% linen and 50% cotton was developed, manufactured in UK mills. The range has an emphasis on stylish simplicity and its muted, sophisticated palette of colours was inspired by the natural properties of the fabric.
Linen is bang on trend for upholstery right now, but can be tricky; the lovely, relaxed, rumpled appearance it imparts can so easily end up looking downright dishevelled – not necessarily the look we’re aiming for. A tighter style of upholstery, as seen here, combines contemporary linen texture with a neater, more tailored silhouette – and of course, all that gorgeous buttoning. These new sofas, inspired by the vast Fleming & Howland archives, were designed especially to complement the new linen fabric.
Above: the Bradwell’s clean and elegant look is a result of the pullover cushion which offers a slightly firmer seat. Scatter cushions can be made to order in matching or contrasting colours.
Below: with its high back and arms, the Kingston is a contemporary take on a classic Chesterfield with sloping arms to give it a modern look.
Sumptuous cotton velvet, below, has a subtle sheen and a slightly aged appearance. It’s available in a plain or crushed finish with over 40 shades to choose from – how inviting does this sofa look? It brings to mind diving into a bowl of pistachio ice-cream …
For more details of all their furniture collections, prices and to buy online, visit fleminghowland.com. Bespoke fabrics available on request.
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