A very Canadian idea

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This article was published 20/04/2021 (1630 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new enterprise supporting local artisans has a distinctly Canadian feel.

Gordon Chesterfield is a new online furniture and décor store that showcases a selection of eclectic products — including chairs, tables, clocks, and ceramics — that are made locally in Winnipeg.

The business is a collaborative effort between St. Boniface resident James Culleton; Leif Norman, who lives in the Centennial neighbourhood; Niakwa Place resident Chris Pancoe; and St. James-based furniture maker Art Upholstery.

Culleton told The Lance recently that the number of contributors will continue to grow, and several other artisans have already been lined up to add their creative contributions to Gordon Chesterfield’s catalogue.

“We’re hoping to have new collections every spring and fall,” Culleton, who is an award-winning furniture designer, said.

“Everything we sell is made by local artisans and craftspeople. We want to help them, and it’s important that we support each other, right?”

Culleton said the seeds for the new business were effectively sewn two years ago when he and Norman attended a furniture show in Las Vegas.

He said many of Gordon Chesterfield’s products can be customized to the specifications of the client, which he hopes will be one of the strengths of the business. The name of the business, and the concept behind it, is a Canadian one.

“We started thinking about what’s the most Canadian name, and when you think of Canadian icons such as Downie and Lightfoot, we had to go with Gordon. The Chesterfield part is symbolic of a time in history when sofas started to get a little comfortable. To us, Chesterfield’s denote comfort. When we pictured Gordon as a person, we thought he might be wearing a lumber shirt — or, he could be smoking a pipe and drinking scotch. Our idea is to build who Gordon is, so we could eventually have an umbrella brand such as James Culleton designing for Gordon Chesterfield,” Culleton said.

Culleton, who is also an artist and musician, said the business has evolved naturally during the pandemic, as everyone has had to adapt to health restrictions and safety protocols. And although it’s been a learning curve at times, he’s looking forward to seeing the brand grow.

“What can you do? You’re not doing to start a bricks and mortar store right now. But, how many good plans have been launched in the dead of winter in Winnipeg? We just thought we can do this. There are certainly lots of little details you realize along the way as you’re setting things up, but it’s been fun,” he said.  

Culleton added that reupholstering furniture can give clients the chance to reinvent things and artisans the opportunity to breathe new life into pieces.

“It’s like reinvention, in a way. You can change the colour of a chair, for example, or add a floral pattern to make it brighter and better,” he said.

“If you have a piece you love, and you change the covering, it can light up the whole room.”  

Go online at www.gordonchesterfield.ca or visit @gordonchesterfield on Instagram.