For local dad Marcus Bryan, the idea for The Urban Home was born out of lockdown and was something he had wanted to pursue for a while. Now he is creating a unique and stylish range of contemporary, high-end furniture and home accessories using FSC-certified suppliers and a very sustainable building material.
Marcus had worked for some 30 years in the building industry, including over 15 years based in London and a year in Brisbane, Australia, before he and his family returned to his roots in Bath.
After finding a workshop in a rural location just outside of the city, Marcus’ creativity came into full force. The concept for his furniture and home accessories is a simple one – to create contemporary, high-end pieces from quality birch ply, and finished beautifully in furniture linoleum or wood veneer.
The linoleum comes in an eclectic range of 24 colours – from the subtle and sophisticated Pebble and Pistachio and delicate tones of Powder and Pebble, through to the richer Conifer and Smokey Blue, to the popping brightness of Orange Blast and Spring Green, popular choices for children’s rooms.
All of the birch ply is sourced from FSC-certified suppliers and is a very sustainable building material. The furniture linoleum is all natural and is made of linseed oil, wood flour, natural colour pigments, tree rosins and limestone, and is 100% biodegradable and non-toxic.
His current products include birch ply and linoleum desks with hairpin legs, coffee and bedside tables, floating shelves and oak shaker peg coat rails – where the customer can select the size and colour online. He has recently added to his product range with smaller handcrafted pieces including pretty tea-light holders in a multitude of colours, heart tea lights and beautiful, spherical make-up brush holders.
“I like to innovate and come up with new ideas for different products,” Marcus said. “For me, it’s about creating something which the customer will love and which I hope will bring them joy.
“The products are modern and each one is handcrafted. I take a lot of pride in producing each piece. Client satisfaction is really key. The orders I get vary from homeowners through to businesses looking for a fresh and modern look, and I’m very happy to discuss individual requirements.
“I think the appeal is broad because there are so many different colour finishes which can really transform the feel of each piece.”
When he’s not creating products in his workshop, Marcus likes to spend time with his family and running. Although he has many Bath Half Marathons under his belt, he says his personal best is something he’s still aiming to improve!
You can contact Marcus directly on email hidden; JavaScript is required and 07412 767300 / 01225 970030.
You can browse the products and order from the Urban Home at www.theurbanhome.co.uk and on Instagram @theurbanhomebath