Star Maker: Emma Best

Micaela Sharp meets Emma Best, whose standout hand-painted furniture designs are inspired by decorative folk art

I find Emma’s designs so beautiful! Her use of colour and whimsical details transform plain furniture into heirloom pieces. I love the distressing she adds – just enough to add patina but not too much to cross over into shabby chic. Emma has carved out her own unique style and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her.

When did you realise you were a creative soul?

I was lucky enough to grow up in a creative household. My dad was a graphic designer and let me have access to all his old art materials. My mum used to go to countless craft fairs selling lots of lovely handmade creations, including some painted furniture. Their little stall was called Happytat and was a great influence on me. I’ve always painted anything I can get my hands on – its borderline addictive behaviour!

Tell us about your designs

I produce hand-painted, one-off furniture pieces. All made with reclaimed furniture, eco paints and a lot of love and patience! Each piece is decorated with unique modern folk-art detailing. I like to constantly change colours and styles, so it remains interesting.

My little business, like many women’s, was born from trying to work around raising our kids. We’ve just welcomed baby number three into our tribe, so work’s slowing down a little for now but I love that flexibility. I started working from home and now I’m based with three other lovely creative women in a shared studio.

What part of the process do you enjoy the most?

This is a difficult one. Sometimes just landing on a design in my mind gets me so excited to get started! I always think I’ll like the detailing the most, but I can get carried away with those elements and become impatient. With quite a few pieces my favourite step is the very last one – adding the wax finish. It has the ability to completely transform a piece – hopefully for the better! But that’s the gamble, adding a dark or black wax can be daunting over hand-painted details which have taken a week to complete.

What’s the best feedback you’ve received?

Anyone taking the time to say something positive about my creations is so heartwarming. My work is something that I’ve spent a lot of time and love on and I’m so grateful for everyone’s support. Annie Sloan is also very generous with her enthusiasm for everyone using her wonderful products and the first time she reached out to me was such a buzz!

Why is sustainability so important to your business?

I wouldn’t be in a business that didn’t have sustainability at its core. I find throwaway culture very disturbing. I love bringing old and sometimes dumped items back to life, particularly when they are made to last, unlike some popular cheap modern furniture. Using British paint brands is also important to me, as is avoiding toxic substances.

When looking at your journey so far, is there anything you would do differently?

As much as I love being a creative person, it’s not always the most practical trait to possess! I’m highly disorganised, impulsive, with little-to-no business sense. There are lots of ways in which I could expand and grow my business, but I need to donate a little less time to the paintbrush and a little more to the keyboard. I should’ve completed a website a long time ago and even invested in a decent camera!

What’s next for you?

A website… and a decent camera! I’m also starting to make the move towards murals. I love painting BIG and amazingly people are actually willing to allow me into their homes wielding my paints and brushes! We’ve also just bought our first home so I have a lot of blank spaces to play with while on maternity leave – fortunately my partner is very tolerant of my impulsive decorative choices! I’m in the middle of creating some smaller artworks to sell as prints in a local shop and online. I’m excited to see how it will all evolve!