Sir Terence Conran has enjoyed a long, accolade-full career as a modern interior designer, furniture designer, restaurateur, retailer and writer. His early work was pivotal in bringing good design to the public consciousness and Conran is now an inspiration to designers around the world.
His career began in the 1950s. He left his studies at the Central School of Art and Design aged 19 to work for architect Dennis Lennon, designing set pieces for the Festival of Britain. A year later, Conran established his own design practice in Notting Hill and in 1952 opened his first restaurant.
Conran’s Adventures in Retail
Conran wanted to make modern interior designs available to everyone, and so he founded Habitat. The first shop opened in Chelsea in 1964; it was bright, colourful and sold products the British public didn’t know they needed. It was revolutionary and hugely successful, later inspiring the likes of IKEA.
I love Habitat’s designs and quality, and so do many of my clients. In this restructured bungalow, I used a few choice Habitat pieces to furnish the modern, minimalist space.
In 1973, Terence Conran opened the first Conran Shop. The furniture and quirky homewares sold here were more exclusive (and expensive) than those sold at Habitat, but equally colourful and cool. Conran’s retail empire was complete 10 years later when he co-founded Benchmark Furniture with Sean Sutcliffe. Benchmark Furniture’s combines traditional values and craftsmanship with contemporary, covetable designs.
Good Food and Good Design
As I’ve already mentioned, Conran opened his first restaurant in 1952; The Soup Kitchen. It was inspired by his recent travels to France, and it served French bread, cheese, rich espresso coffee and soup. Of course, being a Conran restaurant, modern interior design was also on the menu. The place looked as good as the food tasted – a rare treat in post-war Britain.
The Conran name is now attached to more than 30 restaurants around the world. Each restaurant has its own distinct identity, and each has been uniquely designed – no two are alike.
Design Books
In addition to launching two retail chains, opening 30+ restaurants, running a design practice and playing a major role in the regeneration of the Tower Bridge area, Conran somehow found time to write more than 30 books.
His books cover DIY, design, living in small spaces, eco interiors, garden and outdoor living, kitchen design, storage essentials and more. He is an inexhaustible source of design knowledge, which explains why he has sold more than 20 million copies of his publications worldwide.
