Proud to Present: a rural inspired brand for Ella Jenkins

Ella Jenkins Designs is a boutique designer upholstery business, specialising in the restoration of vintage and antique furniture. Ella creates the most incredible one of a kind pieces from her idyllic studio in rural Lincolnshire. Her signature style is embodied by her Picture Chairs; antique chairs gently and thoughtfully restored with artistry, a precision eye for detail and skilled craftsmanship.

Growing up surrounded by a creative, talented family, using her hands to make and restore is in Ella’s DNA. A love of classic furniture and sustainability is the cornerstone of what you do, and wherever possible she recycles, reuses and reconstructs, offering a fresh lease of life to something which has so much yet to give. The pieces Ella creates are made to last – something to be passed down to the next generation. Her style is timeless, subtle and beautiful, yet with enough quirk and character to be distinctive.

Ella Jenkins’ signature style blends art and upholstery to create pieces of unique character and exceptional quality. Every piece of furniture which is lucky enough to find itself in her workshop is of high quality, and is lovingly restored by Ella to become something treasured by their next owner as they enter the next chapter of their lives.

Throughout all that Ella does, she tells stories. The story of the previous life of the item she’s restoring, and the story of their time with her, keeping her clients informed throughout the journey to keep them involved and make them feel an important part of the process. Often, the designs she creates tell a story too – one inspired by nature. She weave tales through the discoveries she makes, and embroiders new ones with needle and thread, adding depth with texture and fabric.

Colour Psychology season personality

The season which best represents Ella Jenkins designs is Autumn with a subordinate influence of Summer. Autumn reflects her brand the best; autumnal personalities are warm, sociable and relaxed characters with a strong work ethic and insatiable appetite for nostalgia. Charmed by the abundance and richness of the natural world, they find their inspiration in the changing seasons where their busy minds find peace. They’re captivated by originality and love anything quirky and unexpected. Meanwhile, Summer has a softer side. Observant, artistic and obsessed by the finer details which others may miss, quality is key to the summer personality. There’s an elegance and timelessness to all that they touch; they bring an effortless style and sophistication to the table. They are perfectionists at heart – ‘that’ll do’ doesn’t exist within their vocabulary – and can be trusted to get the job done to the highest standard they are capable of. There’s a gentle grace, romance and traditional side to the summer personality which brings with it a sense of the aspirational, and hints at something to be treasured.

The brand

This brand is inspired by natural tones and textures. With a definite sense of being established (without being dated), typography includes beautiful serifs which are plentiful throughout along with san serifs for contrast. To liven things up, a hand lettered script in ‘Olive & Co’ brings with it personality, energy and flair whilst simultaneously softening the mood and creating a sense of things being done by hand.

Central to Ella’s brand is Elliot the hare - an embodiment of the English countryside. Elliot is seen here in a variety of poses as he scampers, sits and stands to attention. He’ll add character so any piece of marketing, weaving consistency throughout all of her work.

I’m incredibly proud of the pattern we created - Derek’s illustrations of British flora has been carefully layered onto a watercolour background created by Dan to produce a completely original design that’ll look as stunning on Ella’s marketing materials as it would printed on textiles.

During our work together, Ella commissioned a photoshoot with Holly Cook, who produced some gorgeous photos of Ella at work. So often we hear of business owners feeling shy and reluctant about showing their faces, but it really does make all the difference - people love to see the person who’s behind a business and it really does help to build emotional connection. We love the contrast of a messy workspace with the pristine, perfect finish of the final piece tells the story of the journey that each piece goes on.

This has been a truly wonderful project to work on, and our last to deliver of the year. Can’t wait to see it out in the wild in 2020!