Innes is a third generation family run business that was founded in the pretty town of Hessle, in East Yorkshire, 75 years ago.
The company has a rich history of design, as well as an eye for style and innovation. Many of their most popular pieces were designed when founder Donald Innes was just starting the company and are still as relevant today as they were back then. By working with world renowned brands and having a commitment to delivering outstanding customer service, Innes have created an international presence that has stood the test of time.
From Donald, and subsequently Ivor's roots in photography, the whole team at Innes have developed a keen eye for attention to detail, and it was the next generation at Innes that pushed the company into being the interiors retailer that it is today.
David Innes wasn’t going to be a photographer, with an interest in design and unable to find what he wanted locally when looking to furnish his new home, David filled a gap in the market and started to source pieces to furnish the ground floor at the studios in Hessle. This furniture began to sell really well locally and the furniture side of the business was born. “We started with Knoll as our furniture brand and Flos as our lighting brand and then quickly added more designer brands as the demand was there. We also started to sell further and further across the UK and we realised there was a real passion for this type of furniture. We now ship items across Europe and the rest of the World and represent numerous brands."
Today the Innes gallery houses a wide selection of Bauhaus classics, Scandinavian and European contemporary design by brands such as Knoll, Vitra, Fritz Hansen, Carl Hansen, Flos, Foscarini, B&B Italia and Hay. Complimenting the furniture and lighting you will find a beautiful range of carefully selected gifts and accessories from leading global design houses. There is also a wide selection of Innes art prints on display, which are all created and printed in-house and can be adapted to compliment clients interiors. Alongside sit the original Donald Innes Heritage prints from the 1950’s and 60’s.
This love of good design and the deep roots in photography has crafted the company's core values into what they are today.
“ We wanted to create a brand that not only offered the very best in designer pieces that would last a lifetime, but we also wanted to create an ethos that the customer really matters. We help them along the journey of purchasing these pieces and if needed we can hold their hand all the way from choosing the piece that they may have saved a lifetime for, to helping them choose the right type of fabric for their needs. Enjoying the moment our team delivers that piece and seeing their face’s light up with joy that they have bought something to cherish and to pass on to their loved ones”.
The anniversary coincides with the recent refurbishment of the gallery showroom, where its iconic brands are beautifully displayed. Today David and the whole team offer great advice and experience in assisting their clients in creating inspired modern interiors.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, some customised pieces have been commissioned in order to commemorate the past 75 years.
A Fablewood Little Oak Elephant - Special Innes 75th Anniversary Edition in Oak. These lovely wooden elephants have been customised with a special Innes 75th Anniversary cover and have our 75th logo embossed into the wood.
The elephants are made by Fablewood from Denmark. An environmentally responsible business that has set up initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint. Five new trees are planted for every animal sold.
Why choose an elephant? Elephants have been a great creative source for many designers, in particular the Eames. They are family oriented, trustworthy and strong. And also have a playful side.
Also we commissioned our very own leather mats. These can be used as a mouse mat or as a general place mat. They have been made for us by our friends Man Gun Bear in Hampshire. This vintage antique tan leather pad is very soft and supple from very first use.
The grain on each hide will vary, ensuring all items are totally unique. They come supplied in black envelope and are debossed with the Innes 75th anniversary logo.
We finally managed to get our special Anniversary signs installed, after an accident in the summer where a bus crashed into our grade 2 listed building. It's taken quite a few months to get the building work completed, but are nearly there.
