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At RB12 we don’t just sell furniture and accessories, we spec, design, and install a range of products from some of Europe’s finest suppliers.
Barausse Doors
Arretal Kitchens
Novamobili
Cinquanta3
Nidi
Rexa
Buster & Punch
From The Anvil
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When furnishing your home, investing in high-end furniture will allow you to create your own unique space where you feel truly comfortable. The furniture landscape has changed immensely over the past few decades, and 2022 has certainly made everyone think about how they invest their money into something with longevity.
The furniture industry has now emerged from the era of flat pack furniture pieces and evolved. Recently, there has been a huge shift in how we shop for home furnishings as consumers have realised the power of investing in high-end furniture.
Buyers now value paying more for quality pieces to take pride of place in their home for years. High-end furniture is made to a higher quality, made in limited quantities, and, often, with more sustainable materials.
However, is high-end furniture worth the investment? Let’s explore why good quality furniture is expensive and the importance of luxury furniture.
Many factors come into play when creating and designing high-end furniture. Good quality furniture is usually expensive because every minute detail is perfected per piece. There are many variables to consider, from the very first sketch and outline to the types of materials used and how they’re sustainably sourced.
At RB12, we’re delighted to be able to guide you through each aspect involved in this process as we work closely with the world’s most renowned furniture design houses.
Costs of high-end furniture will vary depending on materials and the manufacturing process. Unless a furniture designer specifies that they’re using the latest technology – such as 3D printing and digital cutting – when creating a piece, it’s more often than not handmade and hand-finished.
Due to being made by hand, high-end furniture pieces are made in small batches and limited quantities. What’s more, each piece will tell a story.
Crafting furniture by hand takes expertise, skill, and a vast amount of time. When you factor in the cost of materials, craftsmanship, and the experience of the artisans building and upholstering by hand, the price rises rapidly.
For example, Armadillo specialises in the heritage of craftsmanship. Armadillo rugs are created, spun, woven, and dyed by hand in India to preserve the traditional rug-making techniques unique to the area. Fairtrade practices are observed and implemented to pay fair wages while ensuring no forced labour.
Design houses will often invest in the local communities where their furniture is made, and Armadillo is no exception.
Their Armadillo Foundation supports the local community around the artisan furniture makers, with money being put towards solar panels, education, medical facilities, and the necessities needed in daily life.
After the COP26 and the elevated awareness about climate change, sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
From where materials are sourced to whether they can be recycled, investing in high-end furniture will ensure transparency in the manufacturing process. Luxury furniture designers often invest in sustainably sourced materials certified by the appropriate organisations and governing bodies to ensure their origins.
High-end designers take care to incorporate sustainably sourced natural materials into their furniture. Wood, for example, can be sourced sustainably in small batches from controlled forests and can be recycled in the future.
Many furniture designers use solid wood from forest plantations certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), dedicated to sustainable forest management.
Our trio of Italian designers from The Battistella Company has really innovated a sustainable approach to sourcing wood with an ‘upcycling’ stance. Cinquant by Cinquanta3, Nidi and Novamobili belong under the Battistella Company umbrella, and these luxury Italian furniture designers only use recycled wood. Each dining table, chair, and side table made by Cinquanta3, Nidi and Novamobili is created from sustainable, recycled wood without the felling of trees!
Leather is also a huge issue in the furniture industry. Real leather is easier to maintain and care for at home. Unfortunately, cheap, mass-produced leather goods are often coated in dangerous chemicals for manufacturers and artisans.
As well as sustainable materials, high-end furniture is usually created without harmful chemicals. Bolia takes great care to craft the highest quality furniture without harming the environment or the craftsman dedicated to creating each beautiful piece. All of the materials used, such as leather, are OEKO-tech certified and transparently sourced to trace their origins easily.
High-end furniture is often made in small batches and of better quality, plus they’re also originals. Handmade and artisan products are each crafted to be unique. No piece is the same, so you know you’re buying limited edition furniture that no one else has.
Investing in luxury furniture pieces that you can enjoy for years to come is ultimately greener and better for the planet. Even contemporary innovations like modular furniture can be created sustainably. Modular creations by Cinquanta3 are not only made of sustainable materials like recycled wood but can also be customised to suit your space and storage needs.
When investing in high-end furniture, it’s vital to carefully choose the key pieces you need at home. Essentials at the heart of home life will be a perfect start, so let’s discover the main high-end furniture trends and staples you should consider.
The sofa takes centre stage in the living room, from family movie nights to lazy Saturday mornings and a catch-up coffee with friends. This vital furnishing completes the living space and should be made to the highest quality standards to keep you comfortable for years to come.
We highly recommend Bolia sofas as they use natural materials like New Zealand sheep wool that is sustainably sourced with animal welfare considerations. Notably, Bolia’s ‘Bergo’ fabric is also made from recycled plastic bottles manufactured without heavy metals.
A good night’s sleep is essential so you can feel at your best during the day. Beds, on average, should last between 7 to 10 years, so it’s important to choose a sustainable option that you can recycle after use. With beds by Novamobili and Cinquanta3, you won’t lose sleep over your carbon footprint. These Italian powerhouses use recycled wood that’s free from harsh chemicals.
Dining sets are a necessary investment for generations. It’s the headquarters of all family discussions, board game nights, and holiday dinners, so it needs to hold up well. Miniforms tables are modern and sustainable without losing that rustic charm. Each table is crafted sustainably using oak from reforested areas. While Expormim’s bold dining chairs will complement any table as they are made from eco-friendly rattan.
With the rise of remote and home working during the covid-19 pandemic, the home office has become a necessity. A quality desk with careful storage consideration is ideal for setting up your working day when you’re out of the office. We highly recommend Miniforms furniture for desks with a minimalist approach to design with maximum sustainability using recycled materials.
Wardrobe and storage units not only look sleek, but they also keep all your belongings organised and clutter-free. Cinquanta3 walk-in wardrobe designs are open to being customised to fit your space. Each piece is curated with recycled wood and made to the highest quality.
Novamobili is also another option for a green manufacturing process. Each piece of furniture is coated with a matte water-based lacquer, while the brand as a whole uses environmentally compatible materials.
A rug will make a statement in your lounge or hallway. Not only are they decorative, but rugs and runners also help to break up an open plan living area and can keep the heat in your home. Each Gan design is as unique as the story behind its manufacturing process. Each Gan rug is sustainably handmade with natural materials like wool and jute for better insulation. What’s more, Gan is devoted to supporting the local communities of the artisans who make these stunning rugs.
We’re extremely proud to bring you high-end furniture that’s sustainable. Our work with the best design houses, artisans, and furniture designers ensures that your home is made to reflect your style as well as your ethics.
Discover luxurious high-end furniture here and invest in sustainable furnishings available at RB12 online.
At RB12 we curate, we don’t just stock. Every brand we carry is chosen for its design integrity, craftsmanship and longevity — pieces made to be lived with, not replaced.
We favour makers who combine timeless aesthetics with intelligent engineering, offer meaningful customisation, and uphold responsible sourcing and production. Reliability matters as much as beauty, so we partner with manufacturers who deliver consistent quality, clear lead times and strong aftercare.
The result is a considered edit of European and global names — iconic houses alongside exceptional emerging studios — that complement one another across style, scale and budget.
When you shop our brands, you’re buying into standards we stand behind: enduring materials, refined detailing, and a service experience that takes you from fabric books to white-glove delivery with confidence.
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A home is not just a place—it’s a statement of who you are. For those who appreciate design, every piece of furniture tells a part of your unique story. At RB12, London’s home to refined home aesthetics, we bring you a curated selection of designer wall-mounted TV units.
Our wall-mounted TV units are not just elements of furniture; they’re the perfect harmony of style and purpose, brought to life by world-class manufacturers like Novamobili and Cinquanta3. From lacquered finishes to eco-wood veneers and melamines, these units offer a versatile palette of aesthetics that cater to the tastemaker in you.
Influenced by European and Scandinavian design movements, our TV units are a testament to minimalist elegance, reflecting the contemporary and discerning tastes of our clientele.
RB12 offers a comprehensive design and installation service tailored to fit your unique narrative. Our team of design consultants work with you to curate your vision, helping you select the perfect wall-mounted TV unit from our catalogue. Once you’ve found your match, our dedicated team takes care of delivery and installation, ensuring your new piece is seamlessly integrated into your home.
At RB12, we believe that a luxury experience doesn’t stop at the purchase. Every full-priced item we curate for you comes with complimentary delivery, affirming our commitment to a seamless customer journey. Crafted by experts, each unit delivers longevity and durability, ensuring your piece continues to tell your story for years to come.
Choosing an RB12 piece goes beyond a simple purchase; it’s a statement about embracing design, quality, and sophistication. Located in the vibrant heart of London Victoria at 230 Vauxhall Bridge Road, RB12 is your gateway to creating a home that reflects the modern and discerning lifestyle you lead.
Explore our curated selection of wall-mounted TV units and discover a piece that complements your space, enriches your lifestyle, and tells your story.
Although the world is beginning to step towards where we were before, unfortunately, the pandemic is still at the forefront of daily news and is affecting us all. At RB12, we understand that Covid-19 is still a huge issue that isn’t going away fast, so we wanted to take a look and delve into how the pandemic is affecting the furniture industry.
As people have felt the need to spend more and more time at home, it has never been more important to be comfortable and feel good within your own home. With covid-19 there have been many challenges. Production has been slowed at times due to illness and absenteeism; and there have been shortages in materials such as timber and fabrics, which has impacted delivery times for customers.
Many suppliers of quality furniture source their materials from all over the world, be it fabric, timber or foam. This left them vulnerable to supply delays or even cancellations when the pandemic led to widespread lockdowns. Even as factories re-opened, staff numbers were severed as employers battled the continuing effects of Covid, such as social distancing rules and employee illness.
Ironically at the same time, demand has never been higher. As government guidance (and common sense) dictated that we spend more time at our homes, this birthed a necessity to invest in suitable work stations (desks, lamps and office chairs) and improve our existing living areas – making them comfier and more stylish in order to make the ‘new normal’ more bearable. This brought an economic boost to the furniture industry but put huge strain on a depleted workforce and supply chain.
Shopping has changed significantly. The tradition of visiting your nearest furniture studio or retailer and spending an afternoon sitting on every sofa, has been replaced with scrolling online to find the best deal across a huge selection of suppliers (resulting in a 12% increase in first time online buyers). This has made the furniture market much more competitive in terms of price and service, and has emphasised the growing importance of having a strong online presence and investment in digital solutions and automation.
The pandemic has brought our society together in a way none of us have witnessed before, and with that brings an unprecedented and shared desire to do what we can for each other and the world at large. This, coupled with the indefinite time-frame of the stay-at-home guidance, has made the average consumer more eco-conscious in their purchase decisions. If a piece of furniture is going to be in use every day, it is important that it stands the test of time. This means high-quality and responsibly-sourced materials are at the forefront of the buyer’s mind. In essence the trend has swerved to people investing in top quality products rather than second-rate, cheaper options that tend to break, get thrown away and add to the planets waste and over-consumption issue.
RB12 want to reassure you that we’re always working, adapting, and investing in new processes to address disruptions, keep our employees and customers safe and of course to deliver superior furniture that will stand the test of time in both design and quality. We have wonderful working relationships with all our suppliers, so will be able to find out the most accurate and current information about your furniture.
If you would like to find out more about RB12 and our approach throughout the pandemic, contact us here, pop by the showroom or give us a call on +44 (0) 2071 352 246 – we are on the other side ready to answer any of your questions.
