In Mind Your Business, we speak with business leaders and thinkers who inspire their respective companies and industries. Here, we feature Leighton Clarke, chief executive officer of Space Furniture
Step into Space Furniture’s showroom and you’ll be greeted by an eclectic collection of contemporary home furnishing spanning prestigious brands such as Baxter, B&B Italia and Kartell. The selection is wide, but the pieces share a common characteristic: timelessness.
Perhaps a core virtue instilled from his previous profession as a watchmaker, Leighton Clarke, CEO of Space Furniture, is a staunch advocate for timeless design. Having contributed to two of the retailer’s three decades in business, Clarke has led a project towards carbon neutrality by working with eco-friendly manufacturers and designers.
As a former watchmaker, have you noticed any similarities or differences between the appreciation of luxury timepieces and home furnishing?
The experience of being a watchmaker translates into the world of interior furnishings through the shared key values of high attention to detail and patience. Within the interior business, our team’s ability to discern and proactively meet clients’ needs is closely tied to our attention to detail, ensuring that each project reflects the same level of passion and care as in watchmaking.
What constitutes good home design?
Good home design is an interior that reflects the client and how they want to live. This is different for every client, which is why we love what we do and maintain long-term relationships with our customers.
What trends are you currently observing in home design?
We don’t believe in trends. There are, however, macro forces that you see coming from Milan Design week each year. We review what we see and interpret what that will mean for the next five to 10 years.
What does Space Furniture look for when curating brands and products?
Furniture must tell a story and provide functionality. Some of the most eclectic and magical interiors I’ve experienced are ones that not only speak to the unique product, but also tell a story of the person’s life.
Which is more important for Space Furniture: being a tastemaker or meeting the demands of customers’ preferences?
Our primary objective is to create homes that reflect our clients.We don’t have a signature look. We spend a lot of time with clients to understand who they are, what they need, what existing pieces of furniture they have or love. From there, we draw from an extensive catalogue of products to create an interior tailored to their needs.
Space Furniture celebrated your 30th anniversary last year. What would you attribute the company’s longevity to?
Our success hinges on our commitment to curating timeless designs from world-class brands. We have never been afraid to try new things and explore new ideas. Remembering that there is always another way to look at something is part of our DNA.
This story first appeared in the July 2024 issue. Purchase it as a print or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here
