Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the artwork on the furniture hand-painted or stencilled?
Dragons of Walton Street sells the finest children’s hand painted furniture in the world, which really is hand painted for each individual client by our highly trained team of English artists at our beautiful studios in Sussex.
Q: Can I really have any design I like even if I cannot find it on the site?
Yes you can, (providing it does not contravene copyright law). Many of our clients simply send fabric and wallpaper swatches from their room scheme to which we work. We can transfer designs form such samples or suggest sympathetic designs, which will compliment other things in the room. We have a highly skilled and talented team who are experienced in interpreting and carrying out a diverse range of briefs, anything from fairy tales to family pets.
Q: How is the white furniture sprayed?
The white furniture pieces are sprayed in child-friendly water based paint that meets UK health and safety standards.
Q: What materials are used in the construction?
For stability, longevity and the decorative properties of our furniture, Dragons uses a combination of hardwood and MDF in our furniture construction. This allows maximum stability and durability of the final piece to be art worked by our in house team of artists to our client’s specification.
Hardwood – The Mechanical properties and availability of wood have made it a natural building material for structures, furniture and decorative objects since the beginning of time. Because wood is a natural product, it has all the properties of movement and moisture retention that would be expected in the living tree.
Typical hardwood trees include ash, elm, oak, maple, walnut, hickory, mahogany, and beech. Hardwoods have shorter fibres compared to softwoods. This higher level of wood density offers less movement and more structural strength when used in the construction of furniture than do soft woods.
Currently at Dragons, for reasons of availability and sustainability we use beech in our furniture frames and runners.
Medium Density Fibre Board (MDF) – MDF a wood composite made from mixed fine wood fibres in a resin which is bonded under heat and pressure. Because the natural glues and resins contained within wood are not effective for binding the fibres to provide structural strength, artificial bonding resins are used to produce boards that are temperature stable, dense, flat, have no knots or recognisable surface grain and can be easily cut, drilled, filed and joined without damaging the surface
MDF can also be painted with oil or water based paints and varnishes to produce a smooth quality board for decorative effects and motifs.
By combining these two types of materials, Dragons have been able to apply traditional woodworking construction methods to provide furniture for our clients that is craftsmen built and is designed to be passed down to the next generation.
Q: Why do I have to wait up to 12 weeks for my furniture?
All our furniture is hand built by craftsmen and not flat packed except where necessary for access. All items, once commissioned by the client are then hand painted according to their requirements. Lead times are from 2 to 12 weeks depending on the number of items ordered and the artwork required. A simple design on a personalised pencil box will only take 4 weeks but Flower Fairies artwork on an entire room suite will take up to 12 weeks. Your order with us really is bespoke and uniquely made for you. There will never be another quite like it. Our high standards for which we are famous are our first priority; we supply furniture that we hope you will enjoy for many years.
Q: How long will the furniture last?
Our clients choose furniture for their loved ones, which will pass from one generation to the next and thus become a treasured family heirloom.
Q: Does the furniture come flat-packed?
We do not regard ourselves as a company who supplies flat-packed furniture. However, for access, some items must be assembled on site. Pieces such as Wardrobes and Beds are supplied with instructions on how to assemble. You can also take advantage of our UAD service where, for a fee, our delivery team will unpack, assemble your furniture and dispose of the packing material.
Q: Can I have my furniture repainted and re-artworked
Handed down from generation to generation, our bespoke furniture is as much an heirloom as it is a gift. But every so often you may want to give it a new lease of life, whether passing it on to a new member of the family or a lifelong friend. After all, teenagers rarely share the same enthusiasm for Peter Rabbit as they did when they were five. So why not take advantage of our fabulous repainting service? Our expert artists will spruce up any piece of furniture originally bought from Dragons of Walton Street to ensure you get as much use out of it as possible. Please call us in our showroom on 020 7589 3795 to discuss the options.
Q: What is a paint finish?
For a 20 % surcharge, paint finish uses colour to create a textured or softened look to any piece of our furniture. Our master finishers apply a floated layer of paint onto your furniture piece to blend it beautifully into any chosen environment. There are different types of techniques used that can give brushed stippled, washed, or dragged colour finishes depending on the look you are wishing to achieve. If you would like to know more about available paint finishes or would like to order a piece of furniture with a paint finish please call our showroom (020 7589 3795) and talk to one of our experienced design/sales team who can offer advice and help on which colour and finish will best suit your chosen design.
Q: How should I begin to design my child’s room?
When designing a child’s room, it is easier to perhaps start with a textile, either the fabric chosen for curtains, other soft furnishings or even the carpet. You can then choose or request a design to suit the fabric. Our experienced design team are always available to help you, on request, to create a very special room for your child.
Q: How do I order fabric?
Fabric can be ordered by email, fax, telephone or from our website. We dispatch worldwide, usually the same day as cleared funds are received.
Q: What are your mattresses made of?
All our beds are supplied with top quality closed coil pocket sprung mattress as standard. All our cotbeds, cots and cribs are supplied with coroquilt mattresses with washable/spongeable covers. These are made from natural coconut fibres which are non allergic and allow baby’s temperature to be more easily regulated when compared to their polyfoam counterparts All these mattresses are included in the prices quoted in our standard price list. We also offer as an alternative, for an extra charge, entirely organic mattresses made exclusively in Devon from natural fibres. Sizes and availability on request.
Q: Do you offer a fully bespoke service?
We offer a design led fully bespoke service. This service is available for one special piece of any size or design to whole house interior design schemes. No job is too small or too large. Our dedicated team of designers would be glad to offer a design consultation either in person or over the telephone and would welcome your call on 00 44 207 589 3795.
Q: How do I clean my furniture?
We recommend that all our furniture is regularly dry dusted to prevent a build up of grime and occasionally washed over with a sponge and a gentle non-abrasive cleanser.
Q: Can I collect my furniture?
Of course you can collect any item that you can fit in your car, from our Knightsbridge showroom. Alternatively you can arrange van collection for larger orders from our Sussex manufacturing premises. Advice can be given in all cases and we would be glad to hear from you with these queries on sales@dragonsofwaltonstreet.com
Q: What guarantee do you offer?
We take great care in ensuring our craftsmen made and beautifully hand painted furniture stands the test of time. The same goes for our guarantee. If you have a problem with anything you have bought from us – regardless of when you bought it - please don’t hesitate to get in touch so that we can put it right free of charge.
