CLAIRE LANGLEY IN CONVERSATION
Based in Hallidays Yard in Stamford, Claire Langley works from a 3,500 square foot warehouse and adjoining shop where antique character and modern refinement sit comfortably together. With nearly four decades of experience in restoration, reupholstery and bespoke design, she brings a deeply informed understanding of furniture, proportion and form.
Rooted in traditional British craftsmanship and sustained by long standing relationships with skilled makers, her workshop is defined by exacting standards and lasting quality.
On restoration, refinement and the enduring value of traditional craftsmanship, we speak with Claire Langley.
How would you describe your work?
Our work is a blend of sourcing, restoring, and creating. From antique furniture and decorative garden pieces to bespoke commissions, at the heart of what we do is a commitment to well-made, characterful furniture.
Claire Langley Antiques footstool No 1 in oak. The inspiration for this footstool was taken from a tightly turned bobbin Regency stool, which Claire has hung onto for years.
What’s your signature product?
Our bespoke footstool collection is front and centre right now. We’ve just launched 12 new designs, all built with solid beech frames, a variety of hand-turned leg styles, and brass castors. Upholstered using traditional techniques they reflect a deep respect for craftsmanship. Every footstool is fully customisable and made to any size you like. The options are endless and the result completely personal.
How did it all begin?
I trained as a restorer in Brighton and London before setting up my own restoration business in Cambridge. In 1993, I moved to Stamford and opened my first of three shops a year later. I still get excited by a beautiful old piece or a new commission.
Master upholsterer Alan Watson at work in the Claire Langley workshop, restoring an antique chair by hand.
What’s your favourite part of the process… and the biggest challenge?
The thrill of sourcing. I love setting off in my van, not knowing what I’ll come home with. The biggest challenge is finding skilled craftspeople to carry out the restoration, especially traditional upholsterers, with too few young people entering the profession.
Where do you work from?
Just across the courtyard from the shop, our 3,500-square-foot warehouse houses both our restoration workshop and a trove of period and decorative antiques. Open to the public and trade, it’s a very eclectic space. The shop itself is more curated, showcasing antiques, bespoke seating, lighting, planters, and pieces from local makers.
The Claire Langley Antiques showroom and shop in Stamford.
What inspires you?
Good design. I take a lot of inspiration from period interiors, particularly the pared-back elegance of Georgian style, which is reflected in the simplicity of our bespoke work. I’m also inspired by peers in the industry who’ve shaped my approach over the years.
How do you hope people use your pieces?
My wish is for our furniture is used and enjoyed every day, not kept for best. These are pieces designed to be lived with, well-loved, and eventually passed on.
What’s next?
We’re expanding our bespoke seating and collaborating with local craftspeople. Everything we make is available to order or adapt, and we’re always happy to talk about new ideas. Our new garden room brings together our love for outdoor living and decorative antiques. It’s exciting to keep exploring how the shop can grow while staying true to what we do best.
Claire’s eye for antiques and decorative pieces has been honed over a thirty year career, shaped by decades of handling, restoring and living with exceptional furniture.
Contact
T. +44 (0)1780 769333 | +44 (0)7752 919172
Follow. @clairelangley_
Shop
Claire Langley Hallidays Yard, Radcliffe Road Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1ED
Monday & Tuesday: by appointment
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am - 4pm
CLAIRE LANGLEY ANTIQUES
Claire Langley Antiques is one of the region’s finest makers and dealers in traditionally upholstered seating, bespoke furniture and carefully restored antiques. With over 30 years’ experience gained from training and restoration work in Brighton, London and Cambridge, Claire’s deep understanding of design and craftsmanship informs everything the business does.
Working from workshops and a warehouse in Stamford, alongside a large shop curated with decorative pieces chosen by Claire’s exceptional eye, Claire Langley Antiques brings together practical craftsmanship and a deep understanding of proportion, fabric and finish. Each commission, whether a careful restoration or a custom made design, is rooted in traditional methods and made to be lived with and loved for generations.
At the heart of the operation are longstanding relationships with some of England’s most skilled craftspeople, from upholsterers and wood turners to finishers and restorers, each selected by Claire for their rare expertise and consistently high standard of work.
Services
Traditionally upholstered and restored antique furniture
Bespoke chairs, sofas and footstools made to order
Commissioned pieces upholstered to specification
A Stamford shop curating antiques, lighting and decorative pieces for home and garden
MATTHEW COX
Matthew Cox designs and makes furniture and lighting intended to be as essential and beautiful in one hundred years as it is today. Guided by a belief in materially and aesthetically sustainable design, the studio encourages thoughtful buying through pieces created with longevity, sensitive manufacture and careful aftercare at their core. Drawing on Matthew’s experience with antique furniture, each design reflects a deep understanding of materials, surfaces and how objects evolve over time.
Every piece is handmade, learning from the past to shape the future. Central to the studio’s thinking is a “100 Year Plan”, a commitment to support every piece well into the future. The framework supports a long lasting future for every piece, shaping how it is designed, made, maintained and ultimately repurposed, with the aim of extending its life for at least one hundred years. Matthew Cox became a certified B Corporation in 2024, achieving one of the highest B Corp scores for a furniture and lighting company in the UK and reinforcing a commitment to reducing demand on the planet’s resources through considered design and production.
Services
Furniture collections including tables, seating and storage
Lighting and mirrors
Bespoke furniture and lighting commissions
Re MC aftercare service
Antiques selected by Matthew Cox
SUMMERFIELD + SCOTT
Summerfield + Scott is a rural workshop dedicated to the careful restoration of antique and vintage furniture, reviving well-made pieces through traditional craft and thoughtful repair. Every object is worked on by hand, preserving character while ensuring it can be lived with for generations to come.
At the heart of the Northamptonshire studio’s work sits The Rush Project, which champions the heritage craft of rush weaving and promotes rush as a renewable, locally sourced material for furniture making and restoration. Rooted in centuries of tradition across the East Midlands and Britain, the project preserves rare skills while giving rush new relevance in contemporary design. By supporting both craftsmanship and the ecosystems that sustain it, Summerfield + Scott is helping secure the future of a British heritage industry once central to rural life.
Alongside restoration, the studio curates a small, considered collection of interiors pieces, bringing together restored furniture, decorative objects, original art and handmade ceramics.
As seen in Country Life, The World of Interiors, The Telegraph, The English Home.
Services
Traditional rush seating restoration and hand-woven rush chairs
Full antique and vintage furniture restoration including structural repairs and finishing
Veneer, inlay and detailed wood conservation work
Sourcing and sale of restored furniture pieces
Curated decorative objects, original art and handmade ceramics
Bespoke restoration projects and private workshop appointments
