Our Story

 

Chaplins is the story of two generations,
bound by a love for beautifully-made things. 

 

Our Story


Chaplins is the story of two generations, bound by a love for beautifully-made things. 

 

A quest for quality...

Exquisite designs can be hard to find. Indeed, for many years aesthetes were expected to hotfoot it to Milan. Or else traipse around the cobbled streets of Copenhagen in search of new avenues of style. 

At Chaplins, we believe that you shouldn’t have to cross borders to discover more of the designs you like. It's why we’ve spent the last 30 years forging a new Silk Road of style: a network of over 180 brands and ateliers that bring the best in modern living to you. 

Together, they stake a claim for the artisan in a world flooded with flatpack, while providing thoughtful responses to one of life's weightiest questions: how can I live better with those I love most?

1993


James Chaplin opens the door on a brave new emporium of style. A place for people who still believe in the hand of the artisan. And who want to be surprised and delighted by the possibilites of home.

1996


Business is booming. Over on the continent, word spreads about a new retailer dedicated to bringing fine design to the UK. James Chaplin decides to move to a larger space to welcome more styles into the fold. 

1998


Demand outstrips even James' expectations and construction work begins on the space we know and love today. A 25,000 sq ft luxury lifestyle studio dedicated to showcasing the very best in contemporary design.

2000


James Chaplin makes the decision to open a further three showrooms in the heart of London's West End. Each has a distinctive look and feel, determined to cater to the multiple ways we now wish to work and play.

2005


After 12 years at the helm, James Chaplin hands the reins over to his son, Simon Chaplin. Having grown up with beautiful design, he has bold plans and superb instincts, pioneering a plethora of new brands in the UK.

2006


Simon floats the idea of a one-stop shop for the very first time. An all-star showroom complete with unforgettable styles and a world-class interior planning department to boot. A new era of service begins.  

So what is good design, anyway?


“Good design creates relationships — between people, perspectives and place. But when done well, it can also tell a story about what we value or who we’d like to become. In a world with increasingly finite resources, we think there’s something to be said for buying once and buying well. For investing in things that bring you delight. And that can be passed on and loved by future generations.

And while such an approach might not be for everyone, it is for us. It's why when you shop at Chaplins, you don't just help keep traditional methods of making alive, you invest in something that will tangibly shape how you experience the minutia of everyday. And it’s in this cornucopia of simple pleasures, that we choose to locate our definition of luxury."

— Simon Chaplin


The Story So Far

1993


James Chaplin opens the door on a new emporium of style. A place for people who still believe in the hand of the artisan. And who want to be surprised and delighted by the possibilities of home.

1996


Business is booming. Over on the continent, word spreads about a new retailer dedicated to bringing fine design to the UK. The Chaplins family decides to move to a larger space in order to welcome more styles into the fold. 

1998


Demand outstrips even James' expectations and construction work begins on the space we know and love today. A 25,000 sq ft luxury lifestyle studio dedicated to showcasing the very best in contemporary design.

2000


James Chaplin makes the decision to open a further three showrooms in the heart of London's West End. Each has a distinctive look and feel, determined to cater to the multiple ways we now wish to work and play.

2005


After 12 years at the helm, James Chaplin hands the reins over to his son, Simon Chaplin. Having grown up with beautiful design, he has bold plans and superb instincts, pioneering a plethora of new brands in the UK.

2006


Simon floats the idea of a one-stop shop for the very first time. An all-star showroom complete with unforgettable styles and a world-class interior planning department to boot. A new era of service begins. 

2007


The creation of a state-of-the-art warehouse and logistics team marks the start of a journey to bring every process in-house. A move designed to guarantee meticulous customer service from start to finish.

2010


In collaboration with new Creative Director, Ludovic Aublanc, Chaplins begins to unveil exquisite shop-in-shops. Beautiful studios in which to experience styles once only shown within the confines of Italy.

2012


To keep up with growing demand, an ambitious trade department is opened in Chelsea's Design Centre, dedicated to bringing the Chaplins look to larger high-end projects across the globe.

2016


Chaplins launches their first e-commerce website; an online portal in which to discover, shop and be inspired.  In doing so, the Chaplins collection goes global, connecting aesthetes and bon vivants the world over.

2018


The trade department outgrows its Chelsea Design Centre lodgings and returns to the 25,000 sq. ft. luxury lifestyle showroom in Hatch End. The dream of a one-stop shop is complete.

2022


The idea of home as a sanctuary feels more important than ever in this new decade. To meet the moment Chaplins launches a rich new digital experience, designed to bring you closer to the styles that matter.

2007


The creation of a state of the art warehouse and logistics team marks the start of the journey to bring every process in-house. A move that guarantees meticulous' customer service from start to finish.

2010


In collaboration with new Creative Director, Ludovic Aublanc, Chaplins begins to unveil exquisite shop-in-shops. Beautiful studios in which to experience styles once only shown within the confines of Italy.

2012


To keep up with growing demand, an ambitious trade department is opened in Chelsea's Design Centre, dedicated to bringing the Chaplins look to larger high-end projects across the globe.

2016


Chaplins launches their first e-commerce site; an online portal in which to discover, shop and be inspired.  In doing so, the Chaplins collection goes global, connecting aesthetes and bon vivants the world over.

2018


The trade department outgrows its Chelsea Design Centre lodgings and returns to the 25,000 sq. ft. luxury lifestyle showroom in Hatch End. The dream of a one-stop shop is complete.

2023


The idea of home as a sanctuary feels more important than ever in this new decade. To meet the moment Chaplins launches a rich new digital experience, designed to bring you closer to the styles that matter.

Things that shouldn't go together, but do...

Things that shouldn't go together, but do...

For years, interior designers have laboured under a set of hard and fast rules. Like not matching navy with blue. Or being frugal with the use of pattern. And while we understand the desire to walk the straight and narrow, we also believe that nothing great ever came from playing it safe.

It's why in our showroom you won't find just one stylistic path, but a host of bold and brilliant ideas; each of which does away with tired interior adages to create rooms that are every bit as idiosyncratic as you.

A new manifesto for living...

A new manifesto for living...

In today’s busy world, what are the rituals we make time for? How do we celebrate the people around us? And where does work stop and relaxation begin?

Such probing forms part of the framework of slow living. A phenomenon that is less about winding down. And more about working out what we can’t live without.

It’s an idea that we’re deeply interested in Chaplins. And one that forms the basis of every interior design consultation we undertake.