The Magic of Reclaimed Furniture | Salvation Furniture Interview
Preloved member Richard Ginger runs Salvation Furniture with business partner, Andrew Whittaker. Based in Suffolk, the pair take reclaimed wood and combine it with steel frames to 'remake furniture with soul'.
With reclaimed and upcycled furniture quickly becoming sought after items for our homes, we thought we would gain some insight into the driving force behind this wonderfully unique company, and caught up with co-founder Richard.
What inspired you to start this company?
I’ve always loved rooting around auction houses, car boot sales and websites like Preloved, looking for old, unique and unusual things. And my business partner, Andrew, is the same. I particularly like getting my hands on a nice piece of furniture to paint up and give a new lease of life. After we filled our houses with all these things, we started to think about a business opportunity where we could combine these elements and Salvation was born.
Where do you find your materials to create your pieces of furniture?
We get our reclaimed wood from a range of places, such as local reclamation yards, building yards and on websites like Preloved.
Where do you find inspiration for the names of your furniture?
The names for our furniture come from a variety of ideas and places. Some are named after our children, such as the Bruno's Bench, which is Andrew’s son, and my daughter has Lily’s Hall Table! Our Deben Dining table is named after the River Deben in Suffolk where we’re based, while the Kanteen table just sounds like the kind of table you’d like to gather around for a slap-up feast with friends!
Do you have a favourite type of furniture that you create?
I like the look of our tables. It’s the combination of the timeworn reclaimed wood, that has an inherent tactile quality and visual appeal, and the sleek steel frames which have a modernist slightly Scandinavian look. I think the frames look great when they are given a funky colour coating. The tables fit well in any setting, from urban homes to country cottages by mixing the old and new.
What makes your furniture better than a newer piece of furniture on the market?
Every piece of furniture we make is a genuine one-off. No two of the reclaimed wood tops are the same and they have a warmth and character that new wood can’t replicate. There’s also the sustainable element to what we do, by taking old timber that has come to the end of its working days and giving it a new lease of life. Lastly, because we make furniture to order, it means that customers can have the exact dimensions they want, rather than having to settle for a standard size that might be either too big or small.
Do you have any future projects or aspirations on the horizon you would like to tell us about? Perhaps a new piece of furniture?
Yes, we have lots of plans for other types of furniture made using reclaimed wood, and we’re currently working on some top secret designs, so watch this space!
Lastly, why do you thinking reclaiming furniture is important?
Reclaiming wood and furniture is a great way to stop materials that still have a useful life being chucked into landfill. The wood we use also comes up beautifully with some sanding down and elbow grease, and has real character hidden beneath the grime gained over the years. Reclaiming furniture by sanding it down, repainting or varnishing also lets your imagination run wild with designs and patterns that result in something individual that no-one else will have in their home.
