How This Northumbrian Interiors Brand Has Achieved Global Success
Family-run luxury homeware brand Addison Ross came from humble beginnings in rural Northumberland. Founder David Ross tells us more about their multi-decade global success
And so, Addison Ross was founded in 1978, and now creates high-quality marquetry and veneer photo frames and much-coveted colourful lacquered homeware. David currently runs the business alongside wife Sarah and son Harry. ‘I opened a gallery in the borders, and then on Eaton Terrace with my brother, Tim, which set the ball in motion for our frame business. Sarah came on board in 1991, and after many prosperous years in business-to-business, we decided to take the leap into direct-to-consumer, which is when our now-signature lacquer products were born.’
Although the family now live in London, the business remains very much based in the Cheviot Hills. ‘Wooler is the original hub of our business. We couldn’t do what we do without the hardworking women in the warehouse there,’ says David. ‘It feels nostalgic driving up North, and visiting the team in person is always a highlight for us. We couldn’t imagine Addison Ross without our Wooler contingent.’
Harry joined the business in 2020, and they’ve been building their team ever since. ‘With the Wooler and London teams now working so collaboratively, it gives us the opportunity to spend more time designing and branching into new product categories,’ David explains.
Known for their bold colours and quirky designs, Addison Ross have had many successes over the years, including a million-pound order from Marks & Spencer and being spotted in a royal residence. ‘Seeing the picture of The Queen and Prince Philip in one of our enamel frames on her desk during the annual Christmas speech in 2021 was an incredibly proud moment,’ David recalls. ‘We were doing a food shop and noticed the picture on the front of every newspaper. It was so surreal!
‘After that, seeing our products featured in global newspapers and being stocked in famous department stores have been “pinch me” moments,’ he continues. ‘Also, seeing tastemakers who we’ve been fans of for aeons endorsing our creations is such a wonderful feeling. We do believe this is only the beginning though, so our “we’ve made it” moment is still to come.’
Despite this, they’ve also faced adversity. ‘Storm Arwen in 2021 created a huge challenge for us,’ admits David. ‘We were on holiday and Harry had just joined the business. Our warehouse had lost power, so he printed off all of the orders down south and drove up to help the team. There was no lighting or heating and the storm had hit during Black Friday, our busiest time of year. The amazing team turned up for work in their thermals and head torches and made sure all of the orders were sent out so no one was disappointed for Christmas.’
He offers some sage words of advice to aspiring business owners, though he confesses that they’re still learning, too. ‘Staying on top of tech is key and profits are not income – make sure to reinvest. We are still learning to pace ourselves. We wake up in the night with ideas that we need to jot down, but we are now trying to live in the moment more and enjoy each stage as it comes.’
Next up for the business is to expand the product line with exciting new releases. ‘There is so much to come. We have exciting plans for tapping into an entirely new product category and we can’t wait reveal the newness over this next year.’
A book you’d recommend?
The Company I Keep by Leonard Lauder.
Best place to eat locally?
The Perfect Shot on Wooler High Street.
Any words to live by?
Everything will fall into place if you take it one step at a time.
What item couldn’t you live without?
A notebook, for when we suddenly have an idea that we want to sketch for safekeeping.
Best snack for a long journey?
A Greggs sausage roll has become a tradition.
