About Us

For over twenty years Haviland Designs has become renowned for a unique and original approach to framing and artwork, helping create imaginative interiors for clients ranging from private individuals to international hotel groups.

Led by founder Marcus Wells, our team of skilled craftsmen share a passion for art and interior design, producing original, novel and interesting ideas for frames and artwork that you won’t see anywhere else.

We are known for using unusual, quirky, witty and alternative materials. Leather, suede, shagreen, mirror-finish stainless steel, rusty iron with rivets, reclaimed floorboards, machine parts, recycled mobile ‘phones… the list goes on.

Approach

Our work is project based: working with interior designers from concept to installation, responding to a brief, we source, commission and create all types of artwork. And we design and manufacture all styles of frames and mirrors.

We organize and supervise the export packing, shipping and installation of our artworks sculptures and mirrors worldwide.

Clients

Our clients range from private individuals who are seeking a piece of artwork or a mirror for their drawing room to an international hotel company wishing to furnish one of their hotels with artwork, sculptures and mirrors for their public areas and guest bedrooms. No project is too small or too big. We welcome the opportunity to supply a single mirror or a complete artwork and mirror package for a hotel.

Frames

Our methods are traditional and our frames are of museum quality. Depending on the budget, we can produce either simple standard frames or unique bespoke frames. We analyse the artwork and design a frame to complement it, to enhance it and show it off to its absolute best.

Choosing The Right Frame

“I always approach choosing and designing a frame by thinking about what will make the artwork look as good as possible. Pictures always have clues in them - a colour, a detail, a texture - which spark ideas. My personal ethos is to never feel restricted by anything; anything is possible with thought and hard work.”

“If an artwork is purely decorative - for instance these linen toile de jouy tea towels - we can really go to town…we made frames with a funky zigzag pattern in bright contrasting colours (pink & green; blue & orange) which really pack a punch.”

“However if the painting is important in its own right, we need to design a frame that will complement the painting rather than overpower it - for instance the antique gesso frame that we made for this Lucy Kemp Welch painting. I think it shows the painting off to its best but also sits comfortably in the room; it is traditional with a modern twist. Ultimately the frames have to complement the pictures.”