Wesley-Barrell Website – 25th July, 2002

Wesley-Barrell has taken the actor, Richard E. Grant, as its inspiration for the Celebrity Sofa Design Walk at this year’s House & Garden Fair.

Grant first captured global attention as the character Withnail in the 1987 cult classic, Withnail and I, and has since appeared in a eclectic range of films including Spice World, How To Get Ahead In Advertising and The Age of Innocence. He embraced the role of Sir Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel, to great effect in recent productions for television. His most recent appearance on the big screen was as George, the First Footman, in Robert Altman’s Gosford Park.

The walk aims to show how leading designers and manufacturers have found inspiration through their chosen celebrity. Each design is a one-off, exclusively made for the House & Garden Fair.

Grant’s association with fascinating and flamboyant roles was the catalyst for a witty and dramatic interpretation of a Wesley-Barrell classic. The upholstery is a combination of suede and velvet with elaborate detailing – something that the hedonist in him is sure to appreciate.

As Marketing Director, Juliette Barrell, explains: “Having taken Richard as our muse, it was inevitable that we would be as much influenced by the characters he has played as by the man himself. There is a wealth of inspiration in the decadent flamboyance of Withnail or the louche elegance of Sir Percy.

However, we were also inspired by Richard’s dark, Byronic looks and expressive personality. We knew that the sofa we designed should have classical roots – as he does as an actor – but be reinterpreted in a relaxed, bohemian way. After much deliberation, we fell upon the idea of the elegance of a chaise longue combined with the intimacy of a love seat – a place for him to settle down to read scripts, enjoy private moments with his family or simply day-dream the day away”

You can view the Richard E Grant sofa from 27th – 30th June on the Sofa Design Walk at this years House & Garden Fair in Olympia, London.

Below: The Grant Chaise from Wesley-Barrell’s press release.

To read an REG Temple exclusive review of the Grant Chaise click here.