We try to find the connection between the art of the idea (or the idea of the art) and the raw material of the universe. Whether we’re making one rug or a series of espresso cups the end result is a synthesis of art and matter: simple really.

art meets manufacturing: almost all of our designs are made in England. A small percentage are produced in Europe. This gives us a closer relationship with producers who, in their respective fields, have been experts for decades. We believe in choosing the best people to produce and this focus on design and simple quality doesn’t always equal ‘cheapest’.

art meets matter is simple, innovative and incredibly small: like the best micro-organism – smaller even than most of our customers (no, really). Provide us with enough heat, light, and food (and occasionally money!) and we’ll carry on exploring any design direction which takes our fancy: explorations unfettered by forecasting, already out-of-date trends and the latest ‘in-thing’. Many of our initiatives are unexpected but once they exist often strike the ‘obvious’ chord we all share lurking in the collective unconscious.

many people ask where our ideas come from? They come from playful, open explorations of anything. We don’t have obscure, abstract theories of our work. We don’t believe in a design elite. We don’t believe that form always follows function (or vice versa). But if you want to hint as to how we think this is guided by three attitudes expressed in Japanese culture as: suki, wabi and sabi.

• suki = subtle elegance – the attraction or fascination exerted by the unfamiliar
• wabi = tranquil simplicity – or appreciation of the commonplace.
• sabi = the patina of age – things lingering on the brink of demise.

all art meets matter designs play with these three ideas. art meets matter is not an ivory tower: none of our ideas exist in isolation. They stand or fall on you ordering from us or one of our retailers. Whether we make a one-off or one thousand we don’t like waste. Everything we design and make has an audience: small and intimate or large and universal.

art meets mastery: we don’t really believe in artificial boundaries in our work. Enthused by an idea we believe we can create anything from a board game to a deckchair to wallpaper. What counts is care in design, appropriate manufacturing and at least one customer!

art meets matter is organic: like the best fruit and veg – we aim to create the best quality in whatever we make – because we believe this really makes a difference. Like organic food, the difference shows in the end – as the saying goes garbage in garbage out!

art meets merchandise: if you’re still reading at this point and all the above sounds a bit ‘new-age’ or ‘alternative’ – that’s because it is. However, we’re very serious about commerce. We believe that the energy we put into our design gets converted into the energy we conveniently call ‘currency’ – money to you and me. In short, we’re happy to exchange our design objects in return for your money.

art meets motivation: whatever the reason for talking to us you’ll soon discover how small we are. You may speak to Tony (try to get a word in edgeways) or Angela (developing ideas for interiors and illustrating for children). Perhaps, in the future you may speak to the next generation of art meets matter people: Joe (just started at St. Martins School of Art), Hattie (soon to be managing our online blog and community) or Noah (Factum product tester and proto-inventor). Whoever you deal with we hope you’ll be met with courtesy and enthusiastic creativity.

As Virginia Woolf said in A Sketch of the Past “it is a constant idea of mine, that behind the cotton wool (of daily reality) is hidden a pattern; that we – I mean all human beings – are connected with this; that the whole world is a work of art; that we are parts of the work of art.”

So, there it is then.

What about the designs?