D&s Bamford Makers

David and Sara Bamford's fascination with carpets and textiles began during their frequent travels to India and the Middle East in the 1970s. In the early 80's, Sara began her carpet restoration business by training with two of the UK's most experienced restaurateurs. Among the clients of their restoration service was the National Trust, where the idea of producing reproductions to replace old but valuable carpets first emerged. During this time, David engaged in painstaking research into renovating these rugs. He went to Turkey to start creating the first woven copies. In the mid-1980s, he persuaded the National Trust to opt for a complete replacement rather than a simple repair and refurbishment programme. Since that time, Bamford carpets have graced many prestigious sites such as Castle Howard, Stanage Park, Goodwood House, Hinton Ampner, Oakly Park, Ragley House, Osbourne House, Batemans, The Albertina Palace in Vienna, The Bank of England, and even 10 Downing Street. Although the first reweaving work began in Turkey, David undertook a trip to Bulgaria in 1995 to explore weaving opportunities in that country. It was there that he discovered a traditional carpet weaving industry in trouble after the fall of communism. He then came up with the idea of preserving and reviving at least part of this struggling industry. Currently, David employs more than thirty full-time weavers in a modern, eco-friendly and warm workshop in Bulgaria, which is helping to revitalize the carpet industry in the region.