What Based Upon does

Based Upon is a London-based bespoke art and design studio founded in 2004, producing sculptural furniture, large-scale artworks, and artist-designed luxury pianos for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, luxury hospitality, high-end real estate developers, and premium brand collaborations. The studio's core output spans three categories: commissioned artworks and installations (e.g., The Last Supper, A Grain of Rice, From Where Does This Paradise Spring), sculptural furniture (Twist Table series and related pieces) crafted from proprietary Tramazite composite, bronze, patinated metal, and liquid metal finishes, and a Piano Collection comprising the Twist/D (from £150,000 ex-VAT), The Baby (edition of five), The Manhattan (one-of-one), The London, and the self-playing Digi-Baby. The underlying technology centres on proprietary materials and processes — notably Tramazite, liquid metal application, and bespoke patination/oxidation techniques that produce deliberately aged, weathered finishes — alongside 3D scanning for documentation purposes.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time bespoke commissions and limited-edition hardware sales, priced individually by project scope with a 50% deposit at order confirmation and balance due before collection. Distribution is direct via the Greenwich, London gallery (by appointment), telephone and email enquiry channels, and a strategic partnership with Steinway & Sons UK for piano distribution. Customer segments split between UHNW private collectors and enterprise accounts in luxury automotive (Rolls Royce), luxury hospitality (Taj Hotels), and prime real estate (Lancer Square, Kensington), with marketing driven by editorial coverage (Wallpaper*), the company's own journal and films platform, and referrals within the luxury collector community. Geographic footprint extends across the UK, USA (New York commission), India (Taj The Trees, Mumbai), and the Middle East (Art Dubai).

Name

Based Upon

Legal name

Based Upon Ltd

Website

https://basedupon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Based Upon is a London-based bespoke art and design studio founded in 2004, creating sculptural furniture, luxury artist-designed pianos, and large-scale artworks using proprietary Tramazite material and patination techniques for ultra-high-net-worth collectors, luxury hospitality, and premium brand partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Sculptural Art & Furniture

NAICS

Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151)

SIC

Household Furniture (2510), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Fabrication & Scenic/Set Build (Custom Builds, Installations) (BPAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Bespoke art commissions
• Sculptural furniture design
• Luxury piano design
• Art installations
• Proprietary material finishes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Artwork Commissions: Highly bespoke commissioned artworks created for private clients, including sculptures, furniture, and installations. These are one-of-a-kind or limited edition pieces priced at luxury market rates.
2. Luxury Piano Sales: Sale of artist-designed luxury pianos including The Baby (edition of 5), Twist/D, The Manhattan, The London, and Digi-Baby. Twist/D prices start from £150,000 excluding VAT.
3. Designer Furniture and Home Objects: Sale of sculptural furniture pieces including Twist tables, dining tables, consoles, screens, and coffee tables crafted from materials including bronze, resin, polyurethane foam, glass fibre, and liquid metal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Based Upon is a London-based studio that designs and produces bespoke sculptural artworks, limited-edition luxury furniture, and artist-designed pianos for ultra-high-net-worth clients, luxury brands, and hospitality venues. Each piece is hand-finished using proprietary materials such as Tramazite and specialised liquid metal, patination, and bronze casting processes to create one-of-a-kind or strictly limited-edition objects.

Product overview

Based Upon is a bespoke art studio and design company creating large-scale sculptural artworks, artistic furniture, and artist-designed luxury pianos. The company operates across several product lines: bespoke commissioned artworks (The Last Supper, Breath series, We Are Here, A Grain of Rice, Fragmented Crack series, and others) for private and commercial spaces; sculptural furniture pieces such as the Twist Table series; and a Piano Collection comprising four artist-designed pianos (Twist/D, The Baby, The Manhattan, The London, and Digi-Baby) that integrate sculptural form with piano functionality. All products utilize Based Upon's proprietary Tramazite material alongside bronze, liquid metal, patina, and other signature materials. The company also produces commercial installations for hotels and public spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studio Based Upon: A studio division of Based Upon focused on bespoke design projects.

Products and services

• Bespoke Artworks Large-scale bespoke sculptural artworks and installations commissioned for private collections, public spaces, and commercial settings. Crafted using proprietary materials and processes unique to Based Upon.
• Bespoke Furniture and Design Sculptural furniture pieces combining artistic form with functional design, crafted using signature materials including liquid metal, bronze, patina, Tramazite, and Jesmonite.
• Twist / D Designer Piano Autonomous designer piano featuring the signature Twist sculptural form, digital piano voices (Steinway & Sons and Bechstein), environmental reverb settings, analog controls, and 88-key grand piano action with ivory touch.
• The Baby Piano Limited edition of five baby grand pianos featuring Based Upon's signature Twist sculptural form, now residing in notable private collections worldwide.
• The Manhattan Piano One-of-one commissioned Steinway Model M SPIRIO reimagined for a New York-based client, featuring brass and liquid metal design elements with painted lacquer layers depicting the Manhattan night sky.
• The London Piano Collaboration with Steinway & Sons featuring brass cast London Plane tree leaves forming the music desk, with London skyline depicted on the hinge. Available for commission via Steinway & Sons UK.
• Digi-Baby Piano Self-playing electronic piano evolved from Based Upon's signature Twist sculpture, featuring a tri-oval top crafted in Tramazite material and electronic piano capabilities.
• Commercial Art Installations Large-scale art installations for commercial spaces including hotels, residential developments, and public areas, integrating bespoke sculpture with environmental and lighting elements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Twist/D features 8 Steinway & Sons and 4 Bechstein piano voices with 256-note polyphony
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Taj HotelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023From Where Does This Paradise Spring (2023) - a major commission for Taj The Trees hotel in Mumbai, featuring floor-to-ceiling lobby sculpture, integrated lighting, and room-specific films depicting the Vikhroli Mangroves ecosystem.
• Steinway & SonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased Upon has an ongoing collaborative relationship with Steinway & Sons, creating artist-designed luxury pianos. Projects include The Manhattan (one-of-one commission for New York client) and The London (available via Steinway & Sons UK). Based Upon respects and preserves the instrument's acoustic integrity while reimagining the visual form.
• Rolls RoyceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Moment in Time - a bespoke artwork commission for Rolls Royce Phantom, featuring brushed aluminium design that captures 'speed with silence, absence of vibration, the mysterious harnessing of great energy.'
• Lancer Square, KensingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic art installation for the courtyard of the Lancer Square development, featuring three sculptures inspired by local heritage and Alice in Wonderland/Peter Pan connections to Kensington Gardens.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Linley: London-based bespoke luxury furniture and design house founded in 1985, creating one-off and limited-edition pieces for UHNW clients. Most directly comparable to Based Upon in category, geography, business model, and target customer.
• Silverlining: UK-based maker of bespoke luxury furniture, lighting, and interiors with a strong focus on craftsmanship and one-off commissions. Comparable to Based Upon in bespoke model, material innovation, and UHNW client base.
• Steinway & Sons: Iconic luxury piano maker and Based Upon's distribution/creative partner. Both occupy the ultra-luxury piano segment and have collaborated on The Manhattan and The London; they share end customers (collectors, luxury hospitality, UHNW individuals).
• Vincenzo De Cotiis: Italian artist-designer creating one-of-a-kind sculptural furniture, lighting, and interiors from resin, bronze, and patinated materials. Closely comparable to Based Upon's Tramazite/liquid-metal sculptural furniture aesthetic and bespoke commission model.
• Hervé Van der Straeten: French sculptor-designer producing limited-edition and bespoke luxury furniture, mirrors, and lighting for collectors and luxury interiors. Comparable in artistic furniture category, scarcity model, and collector-grade positioning.
• Fazioli: Italian maker of ultra-premium bespoke grand pianos positioned as collector-grade instruments. Comparable to Based Upon's piano division in luxury piano segment, customisation depth, and UHNW collector clientele.

Emerging players

• Damien Hirst Studio: High-end fine art studio producing limited-edition and unique sculptural works for global collectors. Overlaps with Based Upon's bespoke artwork and luxury brand collaboration segment, though at a different scale and art-market orientation.
• Lasvit: Czech luxury lighting and glass installation company serving luxury hotels, residences, and cruise ships globally. Comparable in bespoke craftsmanship, luxury hospitality client base, and large-scale installation capability to Based Upon's commercial installation work.
• Established & Sons: UK-based design company producing limited-edition designer furniture and objects in collaboration with leading designers. Comparable to Based Upon in luxury design furniture category and limited-edition model, though with a wider portfolio and broader designer base.

Broad incumbents

• Lalique: French heritage luxury house producing limited-edition crystal art, furniture, and decorative objects. Shares Based Upon's ultra-luxury positioning, proprietary material tradition, and collector-grade product philosophy, though at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/basedupon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/based-upon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Based Upon