Elbourne transforms secondhand furniture into pieces of practical art.

Describing herself as ‘a sort of weaver’, Elbourne worked in menswear after graduating with a textiles degree in 2000, before moving back into making in 2015, salvaging furniture frames and adding new seats. ‘I like blocks and geometry, uninterrupted areas that traditional weaving didn’t lend itself to,’ she explains. Based in Margate, Elbourne works from a shared studio, an environment that fosters artistic freedom. ‘I’m inspired by painting more than furniture,’ she says. ‘I like minimal artists, such as Donald Judd and Ellsworth Kelly. But my pieces are functional rather than art objects – although quite a few people don’t want to sit on them. I work to suit the frame that I’ve got, which at the moment includes a lot of mid-century pieces,’ she says. Elbourne also hopes to work with a furniture maker to create a collection from scratch. After exhibiting in the British Craft Pavilion at London Design Fair, Elbourne’s working on an interior design project and new products. On winning, she says: ‘I’m delighted and a little stunned; it’s humbling and encouraging.’ (@j.elbourne; cumulodesign.co.uk).