Crafting a Legacy at James ² Bespoke Furniture
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At James ², we —brothers Josh and Sam— take pride in how far we’ve come since starting this business five years ago. What started as a handcrafting furniture hobby in our basements and back gardens has grown into a leading bespoke furniture brand that is grounded in family values and a deep dedication to our community. Due to our company values, we are excited to announce our partnership with SME Local CIC, a community-focused company based in Croydon, offering digital marketing and advertising, technology and web solutions to drive local growth and strengthen business-community connections.
Continue reading to learn more about the creation of James ², our furniture creation process, our guiding values, and our new collaboration with SME Local CIC.
Our New Partnership
As a small business, we are committed to continuously growing and expanding our reach, especially in the digital realm so that we can better showcase our products on a local and global scale. We recently met Craig Constantinides, CEO of SME Local CIC, at our local Business Networking International (BNI) meeting. We were impressed by SME Local CIC upon hearing about their work and their focus on supporting local businesses, which resonated with our similar values at James².
As Josh confirms, “We like what they [SME Local CIC] do with the community. So, we approached them, and they seem like great blokes!”
Through working with SME Local CIC, we aim to enhance James ²’s digital presence, making our handcrafted, sustainable furniture accessible to a wider audience while staying true to our community-focused mission.
Humble Beginnings
The idea behind creating custom furniture began with a table which Josh had purchased with his wife.
We reached out to a skilled welding friend to create legs for the table, and he ended up providing us with the necessary tools and knowledge to complete the project independently.
James ² began in our garden sheds and basements with a simple idea: to transform reclaimed wood and rustic materials into unique pieces of art.
Despite coming from different career backgrounds, as a lift engineer and as a trained electrician, we discovered that we could combine our skills to craft unique pieces of furniture.
“It started as a hobby,” recalls Josh. “It was just a bit of fun trying to earn a bit more money on the side.”
But what began as a personal project quickly transformed into a full-fledged business thanks to social media interest.
As Josh explains, “We started getting quite a lot of followers on Instagram, and that's when we started to think that maybe we could do something with it.”
Today, we’ve transitioned from a garden shed to a fully functional workshop, and our products are now in high demand throughout the UK. We take pride in our journey, from our modest beginnings to our current success, and we look forward to what the future has in store as we keep expanding.
Our Family Legacy
James ² is more than just a business; it represents a family legacy.
As Sam says, "We're a family-run business – we’re brothers. Our dad was also involved, and that’s how we grew the business."
We’ve enjoyed spending time together through our work and appreciate the way James ² has brought our family together.
As Sam explains, “It’s nice to spend time together because as you grow up, you don't really see much of your family. It’s nice seeing our mum and everyone closer-knit now.”
The importance of family is deeply ingrained in our business practices, influencing our work ethic, client relationships, and unwavering dedication to quality craftsmanship.
This dedication to our craft and values has enabled us to grow sustainably over the years. Looking ahead, our aim is to leave behind a legacy of craftsmanship and environmental stewardship.
“We hope people will use our products for years to come and that we inspire others to pursue their passions,” Josh says.
Both of us also have daughters. Through James ², we hope to make our small contribution in making the world a better place for them.
At James ², we’re not just making bespoke furniture; we’re building a legacy rooted in family, community, and sustainability.
Client Collaboration
At James ², our designs are not just products; they are collaborations between us and our customers. Our process from consultation to finished product is designed to ensure that each client's vision is fully realised.
“It starts with understanding the client's needs and getting a rough sketch or dimensions,” Josh describes. “We then create a design for them to visualise, making tweaks until it’s perfect.”
Many of our custom furniture ideas stem directly from clients who share their inspirations with us. As Josh explains, "If they [our clients] have an idea, they’ll sketch it up at times then we’ll put it on the website.”
On a larger scale however, our unique furniture design ideas are sparked from things we see while out and about.
“Just seeing ideas in bars or in artwork [makes us think] about how we can incorporate it into our business, while putting a twist on it to make it with the sustainable woods that we use,” explains Sam.
We’ve also expanded our range over the years, initially focusing on dining tables but now offering a wide variety of bespoke furniture for different rooms. We now create shelving units, vanities, beds and even outdoor furniture pieces to meet the diverse needs of our clients.
This dedication to customer satisfaction is evident in every project we undertake, from bespoke furniture to innovative event props like our mini golf course and cocktail trailer.
At James ² we take great pride in personally delivering all our local customer designs to our clients ourselves, as far as possible. We get to see the customer satisfaction, such as a smile on their face, and those types of things go a long way.
Sustainability is at the Core
From the very beginning, we’ve focused on using reclaimed wood and recycled materials, not just for the environmental benefits, but because it aligns with our company values at James ². As Sam says, "We've tried to use as much reclaimed wood as we can rather than it going to landfill because it just gets burned and thrown away.”
We source many of our materials from local companies, including reclaimed scaffolding boards and old joists.
As Sam explains, “The reclaimed wood centre in Croydon has old joists, floorboards, scaffold boards, pallets and ply sheets that would have been discarded, and so we buy them [those materials] and reuse them.”
As part of our commitment to contributing to a greener and healthier planet, we are also partnered with Ecologi, an organisation that focuses on reforestation and carbon offset projects around the world. With every purchase, we have been working diligently to plant 10 trees, contributing to a greener and healthier planet.
James ²’s Favourite Projects
Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working on some incredible projects. One that stands out was our work for a coffee and flower shop in Mayfair called Mozart Concierge. "We created this bespoke shelving unit...it was all their designs, but we made it a reality," says Sam. This project, like many others, allowed us to flex our creative muscles while staying true to the client’s vision.
Each project is a testament to our commitment to quality, innovation, and craftsmanship.
At James ², we are dedicated to creating bespoke, sustainable furniture that reflects the values of craftsmanship, family, and community. We know that our partnership with SME Local CIC will allow us to further these values, expanding our reach while maintaining our commitment to supporting local businesses and communities.
We invite you to explore our custom offerings by visiting our website and discover how we can bring your vision to life, all while supporting a business that cares about the environment and the community. Together, we can create something truly special.
