The Scoop: Interview With British Designer and Entrepreneur Andrew Corrie

(Photo : Design & Trend - Meg Busacca)

The British entrepreneur with a successful investment banking career on his resume became a partner for OCHRE, a luxury European furniture and lighting company, thus leading him to found Canvas Home. Designer, husband, father and art advocate Andrew Corrie doesn't just stop at creating beautiful things for people's homes — he aims to create a more beautiful world.

Corrie established the home furnishing brand Canvas Home which features handmade housewares of ceramics, glass, linens and furniture. With a focus on authentic design and materials, the company aims to help artisans in communities around the world by giving 10% of its profits to organizations that support, as well as provide opportunities for them.

Canvas Home offers a variety of unique items for every consumer lifestyle, producing goods that are both consistent in style and quality. The brand allows for individuals to shop for their products online or at their flagship store in Soho.

Corrie designs everyday products with a fresh aesthetic, resulting in special pieces that can be used no matter the style of home, ultimately enhancing households worldwide.

MB: Where did Canvas Home begin? What was the 'sign' that propelled you to build the company? 

AC: Canvas Home was a result of a few different dynamics, the first being that I became a partner in the furniture and lighting business OCHRE. When we opened a showroom in Soho and in order to take advantage of the great foot traffic in the neighborhood, we started selling home accessories — ceramics, glass, and textiles. Largely, these all came from amazing designers that had crossed our paths at one point or another during European trade shows. Bit by bit, the accessories took on a life of their own and slowly our focus shifted to designing them ourselves.

We found some amazing makers in the U.S. and tapped into our already familiar European sources. During that time I was asked to join the board of Aid to Artisans, a fantastic non-profit that creates economic opportunities for artists in developing countries. That gave me another source of inspiration and access to amazing craftspeople. 

MB: What was Canvas Home inspired from? What was and still is the vision behind the brand? 

AC: At about the same time that Canvas Home was finding its footing, my wife and I started having kids and moving houses, which created ample design opportunities. We loved making things for specific needs, and a lot of what we create for Canvas has been to fill a need in our own home.

This might be one of the reasons that Canvas products fit well into city, country and beach environments. The products are meant to be a collection of practical, functional, yet sophisticated items that can be used in multiple environments.

Increasingly, we enjoy making things for the "new" family room — the center of the home, which is now becoming an incorporation of the kitchen, dining room, and living room. Most of our energy is put into things that enhance the dining and entertaining experience.

MB: Who is your client? What is it about your collection of products that intrigue people? 

AC: Our customers want understated sophistication coupled with amazing quality and craftsmanship. She (or he) is anyone who appreciates the subtleties of handmade goods. They probably don't have a separate dining room anymore, and certainly don't have an expensive set of crockery or cutlery for high days and holidays. They want something beautiful that can be enjoyed all the time and can move beyond the basics. 

MB: How would you describe the difference between Canvas Home and retailers, or e-commerce sites offering lifestyle products for homes?

AC: There are a lot of amazing resources for houseware out there. I don't think that we are the only people making lovely things, but we certainly offer a very consistent and stylish selection of handmade pieces. So if you are shopping for a country house or a city flat, or your home by the sea, you know you will find something that will fit that environment.

MB: What is something you would want individuals to know about Canvas Home that they perhaps do not know?

AC: We are proud to give 10% of our profits to organizations that help artisans in developing countries. We also sponsor the Aid to Artisans Small Grants Program, where awards of $1,500 or less are given to a number of communities in developing countries that have a project aimed at enhancing the economic opportunities for their people.

Last year, for example, we funded eight projects including Haiti Projects, who make heirloom-quality house linens and night gowns. Hands of Hope Artisan Carvers Self-Help Group in Kenya, makes jewelry and giftware from soap stone. And the Lupane Women's Centre in Zimbabwe has grown from a group of 14 basket weavers in 2005, to over 300 today.

MB: What has been the most difficult road block to overcome as you've built this company? 

AC: As we have grown, we've had to understand the process that every maker goes through. Our customers are sophisticated and knowledgeable and while they enjoy the unique aspects of handmade goods, they also need to be able to rely on our quality and functionality. Some of our smaller makers are great at producing small quantities, but a large order would set everyone up for failure. So we have learned never to give a vendor more than they can reliably make. We are lucky because we have a store and a web business so we can order smaller quantities and still present beautiful pieces. 

MB: What can new and old customers expect from Canvas Home in the future?

AC: We plan to keep our staple products, while introducing an array of new artisanal items for dining and entertaining, as well as furnishings. We are always on the hunt for new and exquisite things from unfound parts of the word to introduce to our customers. In this way we keep their homes interesting, unique and forever evolving.