FAQs

General

Where are you based?

In London, England. Our workshop, showroom, studio, mill, and lab are East of Greenwich, south of the Thames. Our woodland, is in Kent, England.

Who are the Sebastian Cox team?

Our studio, workshop and mill is busy with designers, makers and environmentalists; led by husband and wife partnership, Sebastian and Brogan Cox. We think of Sebastian Cox as a family business. Meet the team.

Do you organise workshops?

Yes, we hold box and stool making workshops sharing an introduction to timber technology and demonstrating how to use traditional hand tools.

Do you organise guided tours?

Yes, we offer guided tours as part of our Open House, on the final Friday of every month. We can also organise individual tours depending on our diary, so please get in touch to book an appointment.

How do you source your wood?

We source the majority of our wood from two family-run timber yards in the South of England who source most of their stock within 100 miles of their businesses. George, our Craftsman, visits the yard, rifles through boards and hand-picks the timber we need for whichever projects are in the workshop or studio. We work closely with the teams at both yards to find the perfect material for the job.

Can you make furniture using wood provided by customers?

We work with clients to make the most of fallen trees or trees that need to be cut, sometimes from difficult to access places like communal gardens in the middle of the city. We mill the tree, cutting it into boards of wood, season the wood, kiln it and design and make bespoke pieces of furniture with it. We take care of every stage of the process ourselves and it gives us great pleasure to essentially, continue the life of these trees. We help our clients turn the trees they’ve become attached to into something new that is just as beautiful; bringing them into their homes. Please visit the Milling FAQ section for more information.

How do you source your coppiced wood?

We harvest coppiced chestnut and hazel ourselves in Kent as part of a woodland management plan to boost biodiversity in our woodland (and because it’s a completely renewable source of material). Spending time working in the woods, usually with our friends and family, raising a sweat beneath the trees, is an absolute joy. We’ve worked hard over the years to develop our own ways of taking this very raw and sometimes unpredictable material and processing it to produce the most useful and consistent components that we can; wasting as little material as possible. Please visit the Coppicing FAQ section for more information.

Can I order a wood sample?

We offer wood samples on a receive and return basis. We charge a small delivery fee for this service. Should you wish to keep your sample, please get in touch with us to organise.

What impact does my piece of Sebastian Cox design have on the environment?

For every product on our shop, we have calculated it’s environmental impact using our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is the best way to tangibly measure the environmental impact of our work. Through this assessment, we can give Sebastian Cox products a carbon value, as well as dimensions and a price.

Can I receive a discount on multiple orders?

Savings can be made when multiples of the same item are ordered; a set of dining chairs for example. While we have some smaller items in stock most of the furniture which leaves our workshop is made to order and there is efficiency in batch production. Savings may be possible and can be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the item. Please contact us to enquire further studio@sebastiancox.co.uk,

I would like to enquire about a Sebastian Cox kitchen from deVOL, who can I speak to?

The Sebastian Cox Kitchen is produced by the wonderful team at deVOL. As such, they are best placed to handle your enquiry: enquiries@devolkitchens.co.uk. The creation of the Sebastian Cox Kitchen, in partnership with deVOL, serves to put English beech back into the heart of the home and a potentially high volume market; using as much of this brilliant resource as possible.

Can I customise a piece from one of your collections?

Yes, we welcome custom dimensions. While we have some smaller items in stock most of the furniture which leaves our workshop is made to order. This means we can customise our collections to make something you’ll love forever.

Commissioning bespoke design

I would like to commission a bespoke piece of furniture for my own home, is this possible?

Certainly. We are well practised in taking the vision of our client and delivering furniture which brings it to life. It gives us great pleasure to do so. Find out more about how this process works.

What wood species do you offer?

We work with a hugely varied selection of native wood, each one unique in its working properties, look and feel. View our British wood species online or arrange an appointment to see them in person.

Do you offer different wood finishes?

Sometimes the natural finish of wood isn’t quite right for an interior design scheme. We use a selection of richly coloured finishes to enhance the natural character of our beautiful material. Please click here to view some examples.

What material can my commission be made from?

From leather, to willow and linen; we love to pair beautiful wood with other natural materials. Our previous bespoke pieces include cast bronze, Danish cord, willow, upholstery, brass rings, glass, cleft chestnut, metal, stone, jesmonite and mirror. We happily use wood with shakes, knots, ripple and waney edges and unless specified at the point of enquiry these character features may appear in your final commission.

I would like a textural character in my piece, is this something you offer?

Aside from natural grain and character, wood can offer richly textured surfaces depending on how it’s worked. These include adzed surface texture, chestnut shakes, CNC cut ripples, waney edged characterful wood, adzed English lime, band sawn surface texture, kerf panels, and weave. Please click here to view some samples.

Do you have any examples of recent commissions?

We present our most recent commissions here and are very happy to share further examples, more relevant to your own commission. Please get in touch to see more ideas.

How much will a commission cost and am I able to see the design before committing?

The cost of a bespoke commission varies hugely depending on the complexity of the design and the materials it’s made from. We supply complimentary initial drawings with pleasure. A single revision to these drawings can be made in line with client feedback at no charge. Subsequent drawings and/or renders are chargeable at 10% of the total project cost should the commission for any reason not be made. Technical drawings are produced for the workshop once the initial drawing has been signed off and a deposit paid. All designs, whether they are produced or not, remain the intellectual property of Sebastian Cox Ltd.

Can I order a wood sample?

We offer wood samples on a receive and return basis. We charge a small delivery fee for this service. Should you wish to keep your sample, please get in touch with us to organise.

We are a commercial client looking to collaborate on a project. Is this something you offer?

Yes, we’re proud to have worked with a diverse mixture of brands to bring unique ideas to life. From Burberry to Seedlip and Historic Royal Palaces. We love wood and are endlessly fascinated by what it can do. Through material experimentation, we discover interesting forms and textures to create new and exciting work in collaboration with brands. You can see examples of our collaborations here. We would love to hear from you studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.

We are an architecture/interior design studio looking to collaborate. Is this something you have experience in?

Yes, we’re proud to have worked with internationally renowned interior designers and architects who love responsible, beautiful and expertly made furniture. You can see examples of our contract commissions here. We would love to hear from you studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.

Payment

I have seen you offer interest-free payment options through Klarna, how does this work?

When purchasing through our website you have the option to pay for your piece of Sebastian Cox design in three payments. The first payment is taken at the point of purchase, the second payment is automatically made 30 days subsequently and the third and final payment is automatically made 60 days after the point of purchase.

When will my piece arrive after I have paid the deposit?

Our standard lead time is 12 weeks from receipt of a deposit payment. If you need your commission to be delivered by a particular date please state this clearly at the point of enquiry and we will be happy to help. Lead times are quoted in good faith based on the best available information at the point of enquiry. We will notify you by email and/or telephone of any delays at the earliest opportunity.

How do I pay for my commission once I am happy with the Sebastian Cox design?

Once a design and material palette is agreed upon we will ask for a 50% deposit to secure the production slot in the workshop and then the remaining 50% when the piece is ready to leave the workshop.

Shipping

What are my delivery options?

We offer two delivery options:

White glove
Our trusted delivery team of professional art handlers will deliver and install the commission into the required room or space, removing any packing materials.

Economy
A local courier service will make a ‘kerbside’ delivery of the commission. Access information should be made clear at the point of enquiry.

Do you offer international shipping?

We happily ship our work internationally. The delivery address and access information should be made clear at the point of enquiry so the cost can be included in our quotations and invoices. Import duty is additional to the cost of delivery and will be invoiced once delivery has been made.

How much will delivery cost?

The delivery address should be made clear at the point of enquiry. All prices listed exclude delivery or overseas crating where necessary. This will be calculated once your order has been received, based on the delivery address and level of service you require.

Guide prices for UK delivery are as follows:

South west: £395
South east: £150
East of England: £185
East midlands: £185
West midlands: £185
Wales: £310
York: £300
North west: £310
North east: £300

Do you offer site visits to ensure a smooth delivery?

For a fee, we happily conduct site visits to gather the access information needed for smooth delivery. Sebastian Cox Ltd accepts no responsibility for incorrect access information shared with us.

How will my item be shipped?

We take extraordinary care to crate and pack our work in a way which prevents any damage in transit. Upon delivery of your goods, it is your responsibility to inspect each item and any damaged goods should not be signed for. Should your product not arrive in perfect condition please contact us within 48 hours with a photograph of the item and a member of the team will advise on the best solution including return or repair options. After this time Sebastian Cox cannot be held responsible for goods that are no longer in our care.

Aftercare

Will my piece of furniture handle daily wear-and-tear?

The joy of working with wood is that it is a material that can handle wear and tear if treated correctly. We believe in the importance of a finish that has longevity and therefore never over-finish any of our work. A beautiful wooden surface shouldn’t look glossy or glassy. Wood is made of plant fibres and we spend a lot of time taming it, making it smooth and warm to the touch so that it feels like wood; not plastic or glass.

How do I look after my piece of Sebastian Cox furniture?

You can clean your furniture more thoroughly with warm soapy water or a spray cleaner by Osmo. A liquid wax cleaner by Osmo can also be applied annually to keep the wood finish up to strength. We’d always advise trying something like this on a patch of wood on the underside of the piece to see how it looks first.

Is a protective finish applied to the wood?

We use sympathetic oils made by Osmo that offer hard-wearing protection while keeping the wood looking like wood. Our finishes are derived from natural oils and waxes that are kind to our material (not coating it in a layer of plastic as some spray finishes do) soaking into the surface and keeping out dirt while still allowing the wood to breathe. These finishes provide good resistance to spillages wiped away relatively quickly with a damp cloth.

I have damaged my piece, is there anything I can do to repair it?

We can advise on the best way to treat any damage beyond normal wear and tear. Since everything that leaves our workshop is made from solid wood, never veneer, it can always be re-sanded and re-finished. This is a service we have happily offered some clients, a number of years after their initial commission.

My item is going to be kept in a humid environment, will this be okay?

Wood is a natural material which can change across its dimension depending on moisture, as a result of changing temperatures and humidity. We work with wood which has been dried to the correct moisture content but sometimes warpage, shrinkage and dimensions changes can still occur, especially when the furniture is shipped to climates different to that in which it was made. We cannot accept returns based on climactic differences; addressing issues of moisture will usually resolve the issue.

Returns

Where do I return my item?

To return an item please notify us in writing, either by email or post to Sebastian Cox Ltd, TB16, Thames Side Studios, Harrington Way, SE18 5NR. We will do our best to respond within 48 hours to confirm your refund. Any item not in its original condition, damaged or returned more than 30 days after delivery will only qualify for a partial refund.

Do you replace damaged items?

We only replace items which are damaged. We use high-quality British wood with beautiful variations in grain, colour, knots and other character markings. We do not accept returns or refunds based on natural variations in our material.

How do I return an item if I am unsatisfied or changed my mind?

We hope you love your piece of Sebastian Cox design. If you would like to return any items we are happy to provide a refund or exchange for goods still in their original packaging and a fully re-saleable condition within 14 days.

What happens after 14 days?

If 14 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately, we can’t offer you a refund or exchange.

Will my delivery be refunded?

If you request a refund which is approved we will credit the cost of your item excluding the cost of delivery.

My product has arrived damaged, what can I do?

Your tree our mill

Can you make furniture using wood from my tree?

Yes, we work with clients to make the most of fallen trees or trees that need to be cut.. We mill the tree, cutting it into boards of wood, season the wood, kiln it and design and make bespoke pieces of furniture with it. We take care of every stage of the process ourselves and it gives us great pleasure to essentially, continue the life of trees. We help our clients turn the trees they’ve become attached to into something new that is just as beautiful; bringing them into their homes.

How can I tell if my felled tree can be used?

Most trees can be used for something. Please contact us to let us know about the tree you have felled. How long is the bough or trunk you’d like us to mill? What is the diameter of the wood? And, if you know, what is the species of your tree? It’s also good to know how easily we can access the tree.

How do you turn my tree into boards?

We use our portable chainsaw mill to slice your tree along its length, into boards of wood that our workshop can use. We have all the equipment and qualifications we need and bring this all with us on the day of milling.

What happens after the tree is milled?

A freshly cut tree is ‘wet’ so before we can use your boards of wood to make furniture, they need to dry. This can happen naturally and slowly or with the help of a kiln; either where it fell or in our mill in London.

What can you make from my tree?

Our team will take you through the design process for the piece of furniture your tree will become. We can advise how much usable wood your tree will yield. Dining tables are popular choices because they celebrate the milled tree in its simplest form.

Do you need a lot of space to mill a tree?

Our mill is portable which means we can access small gardens or hard-to-reach pieces of land and mill single trees; something tree surgeons and timber yards often aren't able to do. We need enough space to walk around the entire tree, giving it 1m clearance and somewhere to dispose of the sawdust once we’ve milled it.

Environmental impact

What are your environmental beliefs?

Britain is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet. Our business exist to change this, championing woodlands and wild lands rich in biodiversity and soaking up CO2. We believe that what we harvest, make and buy can be part of the solution if we ask, ‘what resources does nature want to give us?’. We worship photosynthesis and recognise wood as solid CO2. Learn more.

What is your environmental ambition?

Our mission is to store 100 tonnes of CO2 each year in adored objects in people’s homes, community spaces and workplaces, while the woodlands regenerate and recapture. Through advocacy and action, we want to double the area of woodland and wild land by 2040 and show how its resources can be used. Learn more.

What environmental issues are you addressing?

We act as an example that businesses can be forces for positive change. We are for-profit, but act in the interest of addressing three pressing subjects: the decline of biodiversity, climate breakdown, and our wasteful material culture. If the first two remain unsolved they threaten the existence of all life on this planet, including our own species. Learn more.

Do you measure your carbon footprint?

We measure the environmental impact of our business and every product our customers can buy. As we work, we measure the carbon emitted using our own life cycle calculators which we share with other interested businesses. We compare this with the CO2 sequestered in the wood of our furniture to determine the environmental impact of our work. By doing so, we intend to evolve and improve the way we work to make sure we’re regenerative designers and makers. Learn more.

How will you make your business carbon negative?

It is our aim to make our business so carbon negative it offsets our core staff’s personal carbon footprints. In 2019 we produced furniture which stores approximately 46 tonnes of CO2 in the wood it’s made from. The average person in the UK in 2019 emitted around 5.4 tonnes of CO2 per person. Our 12 staff lead low-impact lifestyles so it is possible that our organisation could reach this goal through a programme of personal carbon assessment and business efficiency. Learn more.

Manifesto

What is the manifesto?

Modern Life from Wilder Land is a nature-first manifesto of land use, which proposes a system of food, fuel, fibre and forestry to bring the UK back from its current nature-deprived status. From this manifesto, we have gone on to create sculpture to provoke conversation and host dinners to propose a wilder food system. We are advocates of rewilding projects and devoted lovers of nature, offering educational coppicing days in our woodland to engage our clients or friends of the business with the benefit of biodiverse woodlands. Order a copy.

How can I purchase a copy of the manifesto?

You can purchase your copy through our shop.

What encouraged you to write a manifesto and is there a plan to develop it further?

One of the biggest ethical questions we can ask ourselves is how we use our land. Land provides the services we need to survive; it grows our food, provides the fuel and materials we use for our homes, whilst soaking up the carbon we emit. We felt compelled to write a document that proposes how we divide our land to fulfil our human needs while leaving room for wildlife to thrive. It was never our intention that this document would influence government. We aim to inspire consumers to ask questions about the things they buy and encourage landowners to leave more room for wildlife.

I want to write to my local authority to encourage them to change their strategy for mowing parks, verges and public spaces. What could I say?

Sometimes to affect positive change we need to make our voices heard. We have written a letter which you can use as a template to write to your own council.

Coppicing

What is coppicing?

Coppicing is a traditional means of woodland management and is effectively pruning a broadleaf tree at ground level, usually done during the winter. A first cut will see several new stems sprouting in the spring ultimately producing several young trees instead of one. Learn more here.

Why do you coppice?

The basics principles of coppicing are that you harvest trees from a small area of a woodland during the winter, and the trees regrow from their stumps rapidly in the spring. Cutting the trees not only gives useful, fast-grown wood but also lets light in through the opened canopy causing an explosion in life from wildflowers, insects and birds. Learn more here.

How does coppicing boost biodiversity?

Developing a rotational system within an area of trees creates a mosaic of different ages and heights of trees, as well as different light levels reaching various parts of the woodland. Having lots of different environments services a great number of different creatures. Learn more here.

Which Sebastian Cox products are made using coppiced wood?

Hazel is the original stimulus for the creation of the Sebastian Cox studio and workshop in 2010 and today inspires our Underwood collection, made from hazel normally sourced from the Cox family woodland. Other woodlands where we have sourced coppiced hazel is Plumpton Wood, part of the wonderful Plump-ton College estate. View our Underwood collection here.

Craft and design

You describe your ethos as ‘traditional as radical’. What does this mean?

Traditional as radical is how we describe using the past to design and make the future. It was the title of Sebastian’s MA where he used coppicing, an ancient means of woodland management, to create contemporary designed objects with the aim of changing the way people choose materials for their homes. Today, we don’t leave the historical, traditional or ancient behind because we want to move forwards. We actively use it in order to make radical changes in our material culture.

Do you see your work as craft?

Our work is recognised as being significant in the revival of craft and slow movements which have emerged over the last two decades. We stand as an example of how the quality of life derived from surrounding ourselves with things that are intended to stand the test of time, is preferable to our fast-paced, wasteful consumer society.

Is there a place for digital technology in craft?

Yes, in the Sebastian Cox workshop, traditional techniques are complemented by digital technology. Digital means of manufacture can save you time, allowing you to use traditional techniques and hand tools in other areas to much greater effect. We also use digital means of making to help us reduce our waste. Our Offcut collection is incredibly popular and makes use of the pieces of timber which aren't big enough to be used in furniture. We couldn’t make these pieces without digital tools and that material would be wasted.

What would you attribute the rising popularity of ‘craft’ to?

I think the heightened interest in ‘new craftsmanship’ is a result of the greater appreciation people have for the time and skill that it takes to make beautiful things. I think people are developing a deeper connection with materials and their provenance too and these are values that lie at the very heart of many crafts.

How would you describe good design?

Good design should be as democratic as possible, economic with materials and labour and honest in its construction; an understandable piece design is a beautiful one.

Could your craft be considered in danger?

Furniture making as a trade is considered a healthy and viable industry by The Heritage Crafts Association and we do the utmost to ensure the stability of the industry for generations to come. The making techniques we use in some of our work, like swilling, are listed as critically endangered on The Heritage Crafts Associations ‘Red List of Endangered Crafts’.

Careers and education

I want to join your team, how can I get in touch?

We occasionally have job openings which we advertise through our Instagram account. Please send through a CV and portfolio to studio@sebastiancox.co.uk and we will do our best to get back to you where possible.

Do you offer work experience?

Yes, we offer paid work experience placements when we have extra work that needs extra hands. We usually post opportunities on social media and review the CVs and portfolios we receive over the years; we keep them all for future reference. It’s always worth getting in touch so send your CV and portfolio to studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.

Do you offer apprenticeships?

Yes, our first apprentice is now a graduated designer-maker and our second apprentice is part-way through her training in collaboration with the Building Crafts Colleges ‘Bench Joinery Apprenticeship’ programme. We believe that apprenticeships are a fantastic route to employment, particularly in the creative and practical industries. We usually post opportunities on social media and review the CVs and portfolios we receive over the years; we keep them all for future reference. It’s always worth getting in touch so send your CV and portfolio to studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.

What do you suggest to those who want to work as a furniture designer/maker?

It's essential you identify something about your offering that's different, and build your story around that. The way you deliver that message should be very clear. And don't forget to research the people who are behind the brands and businesses you admire and respect within the industry. You never know who you might be speaking to and they could be a very useful contact in the future.

Would you talk at my university, college or school?

Yes, we often deliver seminars at universities and talks at schools or colleges. Please get in touch with any relevant invitations at studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.

Can I bring my students to your workshop for a tour?

Yes, we welcome guests into the workshop wherever we can and are happy to provide a tour of our studio and workshop for your class. Please get in touch with any relevant enquiry at studio@sebastiancox.co.uk.