Hugo Egleston awarded Bespoke Guild Mark for Arches Desk

Hugo Egleston, a furniture maker from East Hampshire, has been awarded our prestigious Bespoke Guild Mark for the Arches Desk.

The winning piece was commissioned at the end of 2020 and made in 2021. It was designed to be positioned in a large room where it can be seen and admired from all sides. The desk is crafted from English walnut and was shaped, hollowed and rounded to make the arches that give rhythm, flow and interest to the overall design.

The Bespoke Guild Mark recognises excellence in design, materials, craftsmanship and function for exquisite pieces of furniture and fitted furniture made as single items or a limited run. It is awarded to beautifully crafted pieces of bespoke furniture and, since its launch in 1958, has been the apex of distinctions for UK designer-makers.

This is the third Bespoke Guild Mark that Hugo has been awarded in his career. The first was in 2008 for a pair of bedside tables crafted from English walnut with holly inlay. The second, more recently awarded in 2022, was for an inlaid revolving bookcase.

Commenting on the award, Hugo said: “My clients and I are delighted that quality of Arches Desk has been recognised with the award of a Bespoke Guild Mark, the pinnacle of prizes in my field. The proportions of the piece and its details were all very carefully worked out, are very precise and required much time and skill to create.”

Hugo, who is based in Alton, established his workshop in 1980 after training at the London College of Furniture, and then working for three years in the workshop of Sandy Mackilligin at Puttenham, Surrey.

Daniel Hopwood, Bespoke Guild Mark chairman, said: “Hugo Egleston’s Arches Desk is a delightful confirmation that a beautifully made classically proportioned item of furniture is as valued today as has been over the centuries.”