The Heart Back

We’re often asked about the story behind some of our Swing Seat designs, and we recently wrote about the Kyokusen.  So here we are explaining the story behind one of our best sellers, the Heart Back.

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary in 2014, we decided to mark this momentous occasion with a new addition to our range, The Heart Back and we were delighted that it was listed as a Finalist for The RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year 2014.

The first designs for this new piece were initially created by Martin’s daughter, the artist Lucy Young. We then looked to and involved Paul Reeves, the leading Arts & Crafts Movement Expert who is happy to advise us as he is the brother of Sitting Spiritually, who works closely with Martin.  Paul had also assisted us with the design of the RHS Centenary Bench.

Paul’s expertise led us to be inspired by the work of two of the leading designers of the movement, CFA Voysey and George Walton, (a contemporary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh), to create a seat back which references them, but crucially acknowledges present day design sensibilities.

The form of the Hearts was debated at length, until we chose the shape of an elongated Heart very similar to one designed by CFA Voysey and used as an escutcheon (see illustration below).

The Heart Back is available across all our ranges as a two, three and four seater in Tranquillity, Serenity, Kyokusen & Harmony. It comes as a swing seat, garden bench or Rockabye.  The Heart Back is Endorsed by the RHS.

The Heart in the top rail comes as standard, but customers can choose whether to have all the Hearts in the back slats, or none at all.

The Heart Back features subtle detailing of arms, referenced from The Abingdon Chair by George Walton and also has a front pelmet, to harmonise with the beautiful seat back.

Since its introduction in 2014, The Heart Back has gone on to become one of our best sellers.