Porta Romana began life in 1988 in a tiny London workshop. From the beginning, the ambition was to create beautiful and inspiring pieces that would be loved. Good fortune came in finding skilled British craftspeople to create those quirky and original designs. The Porta Romana style and design language has continuously evolved over the following quarter century to become a leading global brand, and a critical ingredient in the world’s most beautiful houses, yachts, hotels and film sets. Porta Romana still work with many of their original artisans, and continue to seek out the next artistic talent, to help breathe fresh life into the collections.

The company value two concepts above all others, design and craftsmanship. It takes very special Makers to turn Porta Romana’s designs into reality and they work with the most exceptional people across many disciplines. In the workshop every technician starts as an apprentice, despite many being practicing artists and Arts Graduates. Nevertheless, they start at the beginning, priming and sanding. Slowly, slowly the training builds and the language of the finishes is learnt.  A new finish can take weeks to develop, sampling the layers up and down from darkness to light and then back again, a little more brightness here, a little more subtlety there.  If you can see how it’s done, it’s not a Porta Romana finish.

With each new collection comes the challenge of creating new finishes. From convincingly aged plaster, to perfecting the patina of a mussel shell, each new finish must work in harmony with the design. Their glass blowers are pushed to attempt stunning, original and technically challenging pieces, metal workers strive endlessly to come up with solutions to the many design problems, and work to exacting standards; resuscitating old techniques and developing new ones.

From sculptors to ceramicists, from lacquering to glazing, every expert hand and eye is focused on the crafting of something beautiful and enduring. That is their belief, and the hallmark of each unique Porta Romana piece. The Porta Romana brand has become synonymous with beautiful design made to the highest of standards. Only when these criteria are met, will the final piece be branded with the Porta Romana Makers Mark, as proof of its heritage.

Porta Romana