Jana Spence: The Emerging Furniture Designer Revitalising Craftsmanship

Words: Luke Brown

Photography: Joshua Spence

Jana Spence is in demand.

As we meet over coffee in East London, she sits across from me, her creative mind working at full speed. We first crossed paths a few months ago at Mayfair Design Week, where she showcased a stunning collaborative table she created with none other than Antonia Claudie - one of our other cover stars (we certainly know how to curate!).

Jana took charge of the furniture design, building the table, while Antonia contributed the exquisite silk textile that draped between the table legs.

High-Profile Projects and Early Recognition

Jana wears: Ballantyne - Blazer, £723, ballantyne.it; Ballantyne - Trousers, £423, ballantyne.it

Our encounter that evening left no doubt in my mind about Jana’s exceptional talent, and as we chat now, her schedule is already packed. She is currently immersed in a project with four other designers, helping on a complete redesign of Emma Willis’ flagship store on Jermyn Street.

“Apart from the sofas, we’re creating two tables and a variety of side tables,” she shares, her excitement palpable at the potential of the project.

Curious about how she landed the opportunity, she reveals that Emma Willis specifically requested alumni from The King’s Foundation for the project - a perfect match, as Jana is a proud graduate, having spent time at the Snowdon School of Furniture after completing her studies in Furniture Design at Nottingham Trent University in 2022.

Revitalising an Industry Through Craftsmanship

Jana wears: IWC Schaffhausen - Watch, £5,100, iwc.com; Ballantyne - Blazer, £849, ballantyne.it; Ballantyne - Trousers, £455, ballantyne.it

Jana is part of a new wave of exciting furniture designers revitalising an industry many believed was fading. In an era of mass-produced, cheap furniture, the notion of truly bespoke, handmade pieces often seemed reserved for seasoned veterans. But times are changing.

A resurgence of traditional craftsmanship is gaining momentum, and Jana is at the forefront of this shift. “There’s a new generation of designers across creative fields drawn to old-school techniques like woodworking that produce beautiful products,” she says confidently.

“The industry has an ageing workforce, and while new talent is emerging, if we don’t inspire young people in schools, we’ll lose so much vital knowledge...”

While design and craft are at the core of her work, Jana’s focus also extends to the next generation. “I’m passionate about bringing my skills to education alongside my design practice,” she says. “The industry has an ageing workforce, and while new talent is emerging, if we don’t inspire young people in schools, we’ll lose so much vital knowledge!”

Her commitment to nurturing future talent is evident in her words. “I’m young, I’m Black and a woman - I don’t see too many people like me in this space - I want to be visible, go into schools, show what’s possible”. It’s strange, then, that there isn’t more emerging talent in the field.

Materials and Multi-Material Projects

Jana wears: Ballantyne - Blazer, £679, ballantyne.it; Ballantyne - Trousers, £306, ballantyne.it; IWC Schaffhausen - Watch, £4,500, iwc.com; E. B. Meyrowitz - Sunglasses, £1,350, ebmeyrowitz.com

Primarily working with wood, her pieces are refined, sleek, undeniably stylish, yet detailed with panache and creativity. The craftsmanship is sublime. From an outsider’s view - producing those results must be incredibly satisfying and fulfilling, especially with something as beautiful as wood.

As she describes, “wood is so timeless - understated but rich in quality”. That said, she is not restricted by timber, as “I do love combining materials. Multi-material projects are where I believe the most exciting designs emerge”. On this, she refers to a modular wardrobe she recently finished, accented with metal brackets and laser cut details alongside the wooden drawers.

"I just wanted to learn and be immersed in how to work with metal, wood and fabrics, to weld, as well as carpentry, wood-working and upholstery - all types of design and production..."

Her passion for a multi-material approach was fostered during her degree. Restricted by the lack of hands-on learning within the degree, Jana used her vision for her work to seek out opportunities shadowing those working with materials she envisioned for her own projects. “I would message people on Instagram to see if I could visit their workshops".

"I just wanted to learn and be immersed in how to work with metal, wood and fabrics, to weld, as well as carpentry, wood-working and upholstery - all types of design and production”. The thirst for learning manufacturing methods, Jana believes has benefitted her design work now, as she understands the properties of different materials, knows their limitations and benefits. “I know how far things can be pushed,” she explains, sipping her tea.

Running the Business and Delegation

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With all her knowledge and expertise at such a fresh-faced age, Jana has plenty of projects in the works and is no stranger to the challenges of running a business. “It’s been tough - a steep learning curve! You create the piece, then document it, market it, manage social media, all while trying to maintain creativity,” she reflects.

It’s a tricky balance, but experience is the only currency that helps. “I’m taking on accessible commissions through referrals, while working on higher-profile projects like Emma Willis. This lets me create quality pieces across different budgets”. Jana also hints at the possibility of partnering with other designers to help manage production while she focuses on bespoke design.

"It was a huge help, allowing her to design beyond what others thought possible - the multi-faceted understanding she cultivated ensuring she could continually push the boundaries and bring on the necessary help where needed..."

Delegation was already on her radar when at university. Her ideas around multi-material projects led to one of her tutors telling a cautionary tale about trying to become an expert in all fields - “you don’t have to master everything - just understand it well enough to direct others” she was sensibly advised.

It was a huge help, allowing her to design beyond what others thought possible - the multi-faceted understanding she cultivated ensuring she could continually push the boundaries and bring on the necessary help where needed.

Design Process and Philosophy

Jana wears: Sunspel - Shirt, £225, sunspel.com

And when it comes to creation, Jana has a multi-step process that brings her vision to life. Identity, she states, is at the heart of all her pieces. “Who I am, what matters to me, what inspires me, all play a part in those early conceptual moments,” she explains, “I often visit art galleries more than studying furniture - I don’t want to be heavily influenced by what is already out there”.

Shapes, forms and textures are paramount, and when this is coupled with the brief, “function begins to combine with the concept”. From there, she explains, everything breaks down into a logical process: “What jigs will help me build this? What materials can handle the curves? Can I make this replicable without losing the soul of the design?” Each question guides the build, aligning function with craft.

"It’s not about playing it safe, but also not being constrained by wild concepts that never make it past the drawing board..."

It is this delicate balance between being creatively driven and logically focused that helps her work. “I have big creative visions, but my brain also works through the logistics. I will get a really abstract idea - sometimes in prayer or in dreams - and then I try to work out how to engineer the concept”.

This back-and-forth allows her designs to truly come to life - an approach shaped by the way she was trained. It’s not about playing it safe, but also not being constrained by wild concepts that never make it past the drawing board. It’s a balance between ambition and practicality, creativity, and craft.

Early Inspiration

Jana wears: IWC Schaffhausen - Watch, £5,100, iwc.com; Ballantyne - Blazer, £849, ballantyne.it

Her current trajectory was not always on this path. Initially pulled in by an interest to textiles, in her formative GCSE and A-Level years, it was not until a conversation with one of her uncles, an upholsterer, that furniture design entered the radar.

“Fashion didn’t really interest me, and so I shadowed my uncle for a few days - he was working with designers, upholstering custom pieces - it suddenly clicked. I began to imagine making frames for the upholstery, and I fell in love with this new creative world,” she reminisces.

Mentorship and Expanding Influence

Jana wears: Sunspel - Shirt, £225, sunspel.com; Ballantyne - Trousers, £455, ballantyne.it

As we fast forward the conversation back to the future, her momentum is picking up speed. Alongside her Emma Willis work, and other bespoke projects, she is also being mentored by creative designer Andu Masebo.

His extensive work with metal is of great interest to Jana, alongside “reclaiming lesser-used grades of wood - ones with “undesirable traits” - and making them desirable”.

His guidance has already proved invaluable - opening doors to new designers, event invitations, and a string of fruitful opportunities that have all stemmed from his mentorship.

Looking Ahead to the Future

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A designer in demand finishes her drink, we exchange pleasantries, and she’s off - likely back to the workshop, where wood shavings scatter the floor and sketches crowd the walls. Or perhaps to an art gallery, to take in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, once a source of inspiration.

Jana is as dynamic as she is creative, and with each project that rolls out of the workshop, her influence expands, her name travels further, and she continues to help lead the revival of true craftsmanship.

Discover Jana Spence's Work