The Craftsmanship behind G Plan

What makes G Plan so special? Our unfaltering British craftsmanship and our rich heritage of making furniture that is loved for generations. Since 1898, we have been crafting furniture that turns houses into homes. Ebenezer Gomme began handcrafting beautiful furniture and cabinetry in his humble workshop, under the brand name E Gomme. Over 10 years later, Ebenezer set up his first factory, which grew to employ 300 people by 1922, prompting the opening of a second factory 5 years later. E Gomme continued on successfully, despite the death of Ebenezer in 1931. In 1941, however, the furniture industry saw a dramatic change. Panic fell upon the industry due to the raw materials shortages that struck the country during World War II; bombings of homes and the establishment of new households meant that there was more demand than there was furniture. Due to this, the government decided to take action and set up the Utility Furniture Scheme, which restricted the types of wood furniture could be crafted from, the designs and who could purchase them. The E. Gomme brand was a manufacturer that participated in this scheme.

In 1953, with the intent of reinvigorating Britain’s furniture industry, Ebenezer’s grandson Donald launched the G Plan brand.  And with it, a post-war furniture revolution! G Plan furniture injected something into British homes that was desperately missing: colour and style. Soon, the G Plan brand was soaring, crafting iconic mid-century pieces that are still beloved today. He took the then-radical step of selling sofas without matching chairs. Over the years, G Plan has created some of the most enduring and iconic furniture of the 20th century, something that we still aim for with every piece we design today. Another thing that has not changed is that we still, and always will be, British-made.

Today, our furniture is crafted in the very heart of the South-West, tucked away in beautiful Wiltshire. Our sofas are expertly assembled and upholstered all in the very same place; our HQ is even on the same site! Setting the tone for British furniture making, we have continued to grow and develop and today we are still one of the UK’s biggest upholstery manufacturers. Every G Plan sofa and armchair is crafted in the UK by skilled craftspeople.   We want your furniture to stay looking beautiful for years to come, so we go to great lengths to source high-quality fabrics and premium leathers that we know will stand the test of time. Every sofa and chair is also super comfy and is designed to envelop and support you every time you sit down.

Each of our sofas starts its journey in our Wood Mill, where our experienced operatives cut and assemble every G Plan frame. We are so confident in the skills of our operatives that we offer a 25-year frame guarantee for each of our beautiful pieces. The pieces are screwed, glued and doweled before they head out of the Wood Mill and to our Upholsterers.

Our Upholsterers work in a line structure, with two Upholsterers working on each piece of furniture. This allows for efficiency, whilst also upholding the personal care we believe is so integral to our product. One will work on the main body of the Sofa, while the other works on the arms. The first stage of upholstery is attaching the baselining to the frame. This is done very precisely using staples. This helps bring shape to your Sofa and acts as an additional layer between you and the frame. Foam has a tendency to wear away quickly if it’s attached directly to wood; this layer also adds some resistance. Then the upholsterers add card; this may seem unusual, but it’s an important part of enhancing your sofa’s shape.

One of the reasons our sofas are sublimely comfortable is the springs. Individually added to the back and seats, they create a heavenly lounging experience. To keep our lines as crisp as possible, a row of foam is also attached to the edge of the frame, just on top of the springs. This foam is thicker than the Sofa foam we will use later and is much firmer to the touch. Then comes the webbing, which stops any bowing.

For the arms, it’s time for foam! Our premium foam cushions your Sofa, so it feels comfortable and soft to rest your arms on. Our foam is of the best quality, ensuring your Sofa stays soft and squishy for as long as possible. Because of the previous layers of card and Fabric, the wear against the wooden frame will be minimised as well.

At this stage, both the body and the arms will begin to be covered with the Fabric of your choice. Made by our talented Sewing Machinists, the Fabric is carefully fitted onto the frame in pieces, making the overall result more polished. This step might sound simple, but the resistance of the foam against the Fabric can be quite temperamental. To help, our upholsterers use a special silicone spray over the foam to make the Fabric easier to slide on over the foam.

Once both the arms and body are covered, it’s time for the exciting part – attaching everything together! This is the stage where your Sofa truly comes to life. Using screws and expert design knowledge, one of our team members will attach the arms to the body. Then, they will ensure that the Fabric is coherent and seamless between the parts. With staples, our upholsterer will make sure the Fabric is perfectly attached to the bottom of your Sofa, too. The final two steps are simple but important: attaching the legs or glides to your sofa and the cushions. After a few plumps and spruces, your Sofa heads for a thorough inspection before it’s packaged up ready to arrive in your home.

We hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about the craftsmanship that is poured into each G Plan sofa. Keep an eye on our Be Inspired page for more content like this.