Design and craftsmanship are in Amanda Wells’ DNA. Her grandfather was Campbell Reid of the Edinburgh-based company Whytock & Reid, who were renowned interior designers, cabinet makers and restorers with a history dating all the way back to 1850, while Amanda’s mother is a keen seamstress. “My mum bought me a sewing machine for my birthday and showed me the ropes,” she says, and the seeds were sown for a career in the interiors industry that eventually led Amanda to launch her own business: Amanda Wells.
Now living in East Lothian with husband Ed and their two children, Amanda is known for her beautiful lampshades – including a stunning handmade rattan collection that we’re more than a little smitten with at Paton & Co HQ – along with lamp bases and accessories. We caught up with Amanda recently to talk interiors, design inspiration, and life on the coast.
Thanks for chatting with us Amanda. Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in interiors – what led you to a career in interiors?
I grew up and went to school in Scotland. I was very lucky to live on a farm and loved horses, spending most of my childhood riding in East Lothian, the Borders and Northumberland, and competing in Pony Club events.
I went to university in Kent where I studied Equine Business Management and worked for a number of years in the race horse industry. After a move to Oxfordshire to be near my boyfriend Ed (now my husband), my career shifted as there were not many racehorses in that area – more petrol – and I got a job for a MotoGP team (Formula One on motorcycles).
When I got this job I moved into my first home with Ed. It was part of an old vicarage and was absolutely freezing, so it became apparent that cosy furnishings were required, only as these were a luxury I couldn’t afford, I was determined to make them myself. My mum is a keen seamstress who has made many curtains and dresses over the years, and she bought me a sewing machine for my birthday and showed me the ropes.
The passion for making sparked a love and interest, and that’s when I decided to pursue a career in the interiors industry. I completed an accredited course by the Association of Master Upholsters and Soft Furnishers, gaining distinction, then went on to work for Aspraes Ltd, where I was part of a team making high end furnishings for interior designers all over the world. The arrival of our first child 10 years ago saw me starting up on my own supplying furnishings to my own customers throughout the south east of England.
In 2021, before a move to East Lothian, I completed a 5-day course in traditional and modern lampshade making. I re-branded my business and launched Amanda Wells (https://amandawells.co.uk), specialising in hand-crafted lampshades, selling my own collections of lampshades and lighting products, and providing a commission service for those looking for something unique to them.
How did returning to Scotland impact on you creatively?
My move north back to my roots sparked a real focus for the future, thinking about the direction I really wanted to take my business. Although I loved to make soft furnishings, this alone was not satisfying me creatively and I needed that to change. The addition of lampshade making skills has enabled me more scope for creativity.
I had often dreamed of creating my own collections and products, and love a beautifully crafted lampshade. Adding interest to a room with a crafted shade, particularly one that tells a story in the thoughtfully sourced materials/trimmings it’s made from, adds great value, I believe. I have always had a keen interest in textiles and am drawn to beautiful colours and contrast in my designs.
How has your business evolved since you launched in 2012?
My husband is now a partner in my business and we have plans to build a family business for the future. We have recently just launched our website with an online store (https://amandawells.co.uk/collections/lampshades). I work on commission pieces tailored to clients’ needs as well as my online collections. The business has much scope for the future in terms of how it could develop and where we would like to take it – i.e. workshops, apprenticeships’ schemes, providing local employment, and developing product lines through careful sourcing.
How would you describe your design style, and who are your design influences?
My designs are full of colour and contrast. I love to use natural materials wherever possible. I also encourage utilising textiles that would otherwise sit around in cupboards unused and unloved. I particularly love a fabric that tells a story and has sentimental value. I recently did a commission for a client: a pair of gathered shades made from a shari she had picked up whilst in India years ago. She had been meaning to utilise it but had never got around to it – until I chatted to her at a fair. The result was stunning!
My favourite designers that inspire me include fabric and wallpaper designer Ottoline de Vries. I love her unique and contemporary style; her designs and colour combinations are glorious! Also Tom Raffield for his clever use of wood; his designs are simplistic and super-stylish. I could fill my whole house with them. And, of course, Liberty , for I could trawl through their collections of fabrics forever and not get bored. My mum used to make smock dresses from Liberty fabric so her influence here has clearly rubbed off.
Can you tell us a little bit about where you live and how this location inspires your design work now?
I live with my husband and our two kids 10 minutes from the sea, right in the heart of East Lothian, so we can access all the local beaches just 10-20 minutes’ drive away. We all love the beach; whether it’s paddle boarding, surfing, walking or swimming, we try and get our beach fix whenever we can. I’m excited that it’s spring time and the season for this has begun again!
I love to be inspired by colours in nature with such varied landscapes from the Lammermuir Hills down to the sea, and everything in between. We are so lucky to have seasons in the UK, where the colours are ever changing throughout the year. I recently had a trip to visit family in Kenya, and it was unforgettable. It really made me appreciate how lucky we are to have seasons in the UK. In Kenya, being close to the equator you do have the much needed rainy season at this time of year, but the sunrise and sunset are roughly at the same time all year round – 6.30am sunrise and 6.30pm sunset – so the landscapes are less varied in colour changes through the year.
What does a working day look like for you?
My day starts at 5.45am. No one else gets up this early so it’s my 45 minutes of me-time where I usually try and do a yoga workout/stretching….. or just drink tea on my own if I’m not feeling it!
We have primary school age children so my husband and I tag-team morning school drops while the other gets cracking with their day. Although we both work together we go to separate work places: I go to my workshop and Ed has a desk in a fantastic co-working space in North Berwick called The Lighthouse.
I spend my days liaising with clients for commissions, design work and making. My husband is the real engine and does everything else – website, client correspondence, marketing, legal, accounting and more! We do meet regularly (Ed loves a meeting!) as naturally many of these tasks need both of us.
Whoever did the school drop tends to crack on and work later, while the other does school pick-ups and ferries the kids round to various clubs that they do after school. We do like to have days with no clubs to make sure it’s not too full on, and, quite frankly, it’s completely exhausting!
We try to have meals together at about 6.30 – but that usually never happens as there’s always too much to do, and I’m not sure how families manage to do that with all the good will in the world!
Once the kids are in bed, we try and have some downtime watching TV and planning things to look forward to, and generally trying not to talk about work. Our favourite TV programme at the moment is Race Across The World on the BBC – it’s a good one to watch with the kids.
What are your favourite places to explore and walk in East Lothian?
Our favourite thing to do together when exploring is to cover the ground as much as possible and ride the John Muir way on our bikes. A favourite ride goes from Dunbar to Gullane. Just remember when you’re at the sandy hilly bit through the woods, and when you’re showing your 9-year-old son how to tackle the hill, that you’re over 40 and bikes don’t work that well at high speed on sand! Oops!
It’s always a nice treat to go to The Old Clubhouse in Gullane afterwards for a well-earned pint, Fanta for the kids, and a few bags of dry roasted peanuts and salt and vinegar crisps.
Are there any local businesses that you’d like to highlight in your area?
Aside from the already mentioned The Lighthouse co-working space, I love to shop for gifts at Village Green, which is newly located at The Mart in East Linton. Natalie is the owner there and she selects gorgeous and varied products made by makers from all around the local area.
Night Owl Books in East Linton is a gorgeous book shop too; Rebecca is brilliant at recommending a good read whatever your interests. She is really helpful finding reads for my kids as they are not the keenest of readers, but they’ve loved everything she’s suggested so far. It’s a great feeling when your kids have their nose in a book!
While you’re there, East Linton Butcher is well worth popping into for their prize-winning sausages! And while we’re on food, curry lovers need to know about Spice Pots founded by Mel Auld. Mel’s recipes are easy to make, designed for time-poor people, and they are super-delicious. Her website has tons of great recipes; her Spice Pots make great gifts too.
I’d also like to recommend Hannah from Hanem Interiors – she is completely wonderful! I love her style and ethos. Hannah works sensitively with customers’ budgets and she reuses customers’ existing furniture/textiles wherever possible in a highly stylish way. Her clever use of space and use of colour is inspiring. I will certainly be using her when I buy my dream home!
What are you working on at the moment, and do you have any plans for the coming months that you’d like to share?
My newly released Rattan Scalloped Tiffany lampshades are keeping me busy currently. They come in 3 sizes and 3 colourways. This collection has also gone international to Singapore where we are in partnership with a store called Mrs Bennet. These are being sold on a made-to-order basis.
I am looking to introduce more shapes to my rattan collection soon too.
I have returned from Kenya with some fabric I purchased in Mombasa, and have some ideas for some lovely child’s bedroom lampshades.
Do you have favourite pieces from your lighting collection?
I love my hessian empire shades These come in varied colourways, but I am often asked to make these to complement clients existing space/decor. I love the natural look of the shade when the lamp is off, then, when switched on, the patterns and colours silhouette through.
Finally, if you were to describe your dream home, what would it look like?
Think lots of natural light, economical, and energy efficient. I love a mix of light and dark materials on the exterior of a home – although I live in an old cottage now, I’d love a modern home in time. The mix of old and new would be the ultimate. Clutter-free too, of course, but I’d better have a few words with my Steptoe husband and hoarding magpie children! Also, a home that’s close to the high school, so that the kids can walk to school, and not far from the beach.
Explore Amanda’s lighting range on her site and follow on Instagram.
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