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Inspiration Behind The Brand: Swyft

Inspiration Behind The Brand: Swyft

Swyft is what happens when you put a team of designers, craftsmen and a few fluffy marketing bods together in a room on a Friday afternoon. The London start-up has produced a range of sofas that fit through any doorway or up any staircase and can be assembled by one person without the need for any tools. ufurnish.com Co-Founder and CEO, Deirdre McGettrick, virtually sat down with Keiran Hewkin, Co-Founder of Swyft to learn more about the inspiration behind their brand. 

Q1.  Swyft is such an innovative and creative business, could you provide us with an overview of the business and your ethos for our followers at ufurnish.com?  

We created Swyft because we felt there was a better way to create furniture. We’ve started with Sofas, and when you think about it the experience of buying one isn’t great. You’ve often got to wait weeks for delivery, they are hard to get into your home and hard to get out if you move. We wanted to change this. We wanted to create a sofa that looked amazing, was comfortable, was stylish, but able to be delivered in 24 hours and one that comes in a box, that can be put together in minutes.

Q2. Swyft’s growth and journey has been rapid, what was your inspiration for starting the business and how have you built it to what it is today

We started trading in January 2020, but it has taken a few years to get to the stage we are at now, with our manufacturing capability and our retail proposition.

It was launched to answer one question: do people want good quality furniture, faster? From actually getting started on the design work to launching our first three models it has been less than 15 months.

It’s no secret that there has been a furniture boom with everyone at home, and this is a positive for any new design business. Despite this, we won’t compromise our quality or our delivery promise, and so we won’t start selling our capacity ahead of time. If we can’t make enough and in time, we’ll take that pain, and not our customers.

Q3. You produce a great range of stunning products, what do you think people will love most about the products you offer?

Well apart from how our sofas look, we think people will love our delivery times. Everyone has been conditioned by Amazon to expect everything tomorrow, and that’s something that is usually not possible in the furniture industry. We are tapping into that expectation and want to let customers have beautiful furniture fast. Five years ago, it would have just meant poor quality, but now customers understand that there is such a thing as fast quality, and Swyft delivers that.

Q4. Sustainability is a big part of your business and you outline how important it is for Swyft through your website and communications. Could you outline for our community members the ways in which Swyft is making a positive environmental impact today?

We want to have as small an impact as possible on the environment.  We are partnered with the World Land Trust to plant a tree for every sofa we produce.  We only use FSC certified wood and we use a special plastic which bio degrades due to the way it’s made.  Most of our packaging is cardboard, the packaging has been designed to be self-locking so no glues or staples are used in its construction, better facilitating recycling. All protective infills are made from cardboard, rather than polystyrene, but in order to protect the cushions and fabric during transit we have had to use recycled plastic.

Q5.  Interior Design and Styling is a big part of what you offer at Swyft, could you share some of your opinions on any trends and what excites you about helping people create their perfect home?

We look at three things when we’re planning a room.  1. How much space do you have, what you want to include in the room. 2 the colour, generally light colours make a room feel larger, dark colours make a room feel smaller.  Colour can be introduced through key pieces, such as a sofa, but also through pillows, cushions, throws and artwork. 3. the height of items in the room, make sure they are balanced.

It's generally well known that light colours will make a room feel bigger and brighter. Dark colours tend to absorb light. However, don't be scared to experiment with colour through accessories and textiles. Colour can be introduced with pillows, cushions, throw and artwork.

Q6.  What 3 top tips would you give to someone thinking about mixing things up in their home?

Balance - To balance the room, start by adding the most important accessories, the big ones. A side table or coffee table. This is your base. A floor lamp, large plant and key piece of artwork should work and is a good route to take next. Adding interest points helps direct the eye and, as a result, balances the room. 
Ambiance - What mood or atmosphere do you want to create? The best and easiest way to create mood is through the use of lighting. Lighting can be a minefield, if a room is too light then no one will want to sit in there for too long, so it has to be done right for it to work. Using a mix of floor and side lamps is a good place to start. Low level lighting is always more relaxing than ceiling. Angle lights towards objects or add light to the lower levels to help create more interest (if that's what you are going for). 
Layering - Layering is the last stage of a room style. We use smaller accessories to add layers; use softer touches on the sofas: throws and cushions,  small plants and a selection of coffee table books. It’s that simple. 
We’d also try to style the room so it looks lived in. There is no point in perfectly matching your accessories and items, no one can relate to it. Remember: You need to live in your space. Mix match accessories, have fun with it and use layering as a way to add personality. 

Q7.  What’s next for Swyft, any big plans for the next 12 months?

We’re launching our beanbag, the Series 01, in March and our Sofabed the Model 04 in April. Our beanbag is made to be environmentally friendly, using foam off cuts from sofas, not only does it upcycle foams from sofa manufacturing but because it’s foam it’s going to be the comfiest bean bag you’ll have ever sat on. Our Model 04 Sofabed is a sofabed that comes in a box, looks so good you’d want it as your main sofa, and also comes with free 24 hour delivery.

Swyft offer a unique value proposition, a sofa that fits through any doorway or up a staircase, delivered the next day with minimal assembly required. To search and discover products from Swyft and many more amazing furniture retailers across the entire market, simply click here.

Deirdre Mc Gettrick

Created By

Deirdre Mc Gettrick

Deirdre Mc Gettrick is the co-founder and CEO of ufurnish.com. Deirdre created the business after struggling to furnish her own home. She brings insight and inspiration to every home furnishing opportunity.

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