Our Story
Richard Taylor Designs was founded following a lifelong passion for design, craftsmanship and things Italian
Having built a reputation restoring and decorating period properties and classic yachts, Richard launched the collection in 1990
Following a career in luxury hospitality, a combination of luck and coincidence led to Richard’s involvement in the restoration of a Regency house and garden in Bermuda. The combination of this project and managing the renovation of two classic yacht interiors led to a full time business focusing on design, decorative lighting and furniture.
Two worlds collided when a passion for Italy led to the 1988 purchase and restoration of an ancient, dilapidated house in Umbria.
Richard built a network of gifted craftsmen working in wrought iron, brass, ceramic and glass and began commissioning fixtures and furniture to his designs.
This process quickly grew to become a striking collection of decorative lighting and furniture that he introduced to the UK market in 1990.
Richard Taylor Designs' early collection
Shortly afterwards, the growing collection was expanded by a range of 1930s style lighting. The inspiration for this came while Richard was restoring and redecorating a classic 1929 built motor yacht. He discovered an original damaged and corroded nickel and crystal lamp in the bilges.
Once restored and reproduced it was featured by The World of Interiors and other design magazines. It attracted world-wide interest, becoming a modern classic prompting countless copies.
Exceptional and innovative, playful & timeless
Today, Richard Taylor Designs is well known for its original range of high-quality decorative lighting, furniture, mirrors and accessories. The collection comprises a wide range of traditional and contemporary designs realised in various metals, ceramics and glass.
Each piece is distinguished by being well-proportioned and always hand-made by skilled craftsmen in Italy and the UK. Traditional techniques, often passed on from generation to generation, are used to ensure an authentic and well-finished product.
The company still works with some of the craftspeople first discovered during the house restoration and our success has been instrumental in protecting jobs, preserving skills and developing new technologies.
We are proud to work with the leading designers and specifiers in the UK, Europe, USA and worldwide. Many of our these have worked with us continuously since our early days.
Naive Chandelier at a workshop in Florence
Where it all started
Richard Taylor Designs' Collection at Decorex
The collection in 2006
15-Arm Rivoli Chandelier
Brass workshop in Florence
Hand-forged Branch Console Table
Metal fabrication workshop in early 2000s
Ceramic Hare mould
Glass blowing workshop in Italy
Adam Wall Lights for large order
Verona Table Lamps
15-Arm Oak Branch Chandelier in metal fabrication workshop
The collection in 2006
Brass workshop in Florence
Landmark designs
Over the years, certain products stand out as key moments in our history. These are three of those special collaborations.
Adam Wall Light
Featured in an advertisement for Anna French in House & Garden, November 1992. The Adam Wall Light enjoyed great success and was selected for the apartments at Claridges Hotel in London.
Oak Branch Chandelier
Our Oak Branch Chandelier range is the result of a stay at a friend’s villa outside Florence, where the gardener was pruning oak trees. Some branches were gathered, destined for a vase. However, inspiration struck and they ended up on the floor of a workshop. With the aid of a piece of chalk, the first Oak Branch Chandelier was created.
Collaboration with Spediti
Richard connected with a great blacksmith named Piero Spediti who worked into his early 90s creating numerous exquisite objects for us in his small workshop in Tuscany. He sadly died in 2018, yet still inspires the collection today.