A quick guide to G Plan furniture

urbn nest’s quick guide to what the term “G Plan” actually means and why vintage G Plan pieces are so sought after. 

What is G Plan?

G Plan is simply a brand of furniture. G Plan produced some of the most well known and popular British furniture designs of the postwar era. You’ll instantly recognise some of the pieces pictured in the article below which urbn nest have stocked.

A G Plan display unit recently sold by urbn nest

What did G Plan make?

G Plan made a large range of furniture pieces, including tables, chairs and sideboards, among many other things. Their heyday was the 1960s and 1970s, when the mid century modern style was really popular in the UK. 

urbn nest regularly stock G Plan pieces on our online shop. Tap here to see what we have in stock at the moment. 

We sell refurbished G Plan dining chairs like this, which look transformed with fresh new fabric

Is G Plan the same as mid century?

G Plan furniture pieces are so well known that it’s pretty commonplace for all furniture of a similar mid century style to be collectively referred to “G Plan style”, which really emphasises the timeless quality of their pieces and respect they command as a brand. 

A 1970s G Plan dining table with the "whale tail" legs, one of our favourite table designs

The truth is, many G Plan furniture pieces are what is classed as “mid century”. Many designs from this era share design characteristics, the most notable one being the golden teak woods used, simple shapes, and matching solid wood trims. It’s really easy to see the parallels as many designers took inspiration from existing Scandinavian inspired mid century designs which were hugely popular in the 1960s and 1970s. 

A wardrobe from G Plan's popular "Fresco" range we recently sold. You can see the solid afromisia trims and golden teak veneers used.

At urbn nest we sell many pieces by G Plan as well as other similar designs from this era. Check out our online shop to see more examples. 

How can I tell what was actually made by G Plan?

Like many other manufacturers, G Plan made several different ranges of furniture so it can sometimes be difficult to tell what pieces were made by what manufacturers. The easiest thing to look for is the glossy red G Plan label, usually found on the inside of the top drawer, inside cupboard door, inside of a front chair panel, or underneath a dining table. Earlier models were labelled as “E Gomme” before the G Plan rebrand of the 1960s. E-Gomme models will feature gold lettering embossed directly onto inner drawer and doors. 

A sideboard from G Plan's Fresco range which we added legs to

You can also tell by some of the design features, such as the handles of G Plan’s Fresco pieces or the angled veneers of the Sierra range.

A sideboard from G Plan's "Sierra" range, note the subtle differences from the "Fresco" range. This was one we refurbished and restyled for sale.

Some of the most popular G Plan chair models are the ladderback chairs and the high back chairs. 1960s and 1970s G Plan models tend to have lots of gentle curves to the wood, with solid afromosia teak trims to cabinets and tables. 

A set of ladderback dining chairs from the "Fresco" range recently reupholstered for our online shop

Earlier pieces branded “E Gomme” include the popular “Brandon” range which was finished in a range of wood veneers including oak, teak, tola and walnut. Another one to look out for is the "Librenza" range of the 1960s, featuring tola wood veneers with black frames.

A 1960s G Plan "Librenza" drop leaf dining table, refurbished in house

What makes G Plan furniture so sought after?

G Plan vintage & mid century furniture is always of really good design quality, with ergonomic curves, solid wood trims and neat, unfussy designs which stand the test of time. The build quality is some of the best we’ve come across as well. They're effortless to style alongside pretty much any interior decor theme. A definite urbn nest favourite! Read more here about how to style mid century furniture like G Plan pieces.

A G Plan saddle arm chair from the 1970s, pictured at Newcastle Quayside

It’s easy to see why G Plan vintage furniture is still so popular despite some of them first being made over 70 years ago. 

We always stock G Plan pieces in our online shop as they're always so popular, often being the first to sell! Tap here to see what we've currently got.

A late 1970s copper topped nest of tables by G Plan, with solid afromosia frames.

Is G Plan furniture worth more money?

There’s no definitive rule that G Plan furniture is worth more than other brands. At urbn nest, we always price fairly and dynamically based on a number of factors. We only stock quality pieces from brands such as G Plan, so the quality is often comparable with other stock items. 

That said, G Plan furniture does hold its value well and is always a good investment as it’ll rarely lose money if maintained in good condition. 

A G Plan Fresco sideboard sold by urbn nest in 2024

Does urbn nest buy G Plan furniture?

At urbn nest we buy all sorts of mid century furniture, including G Plan pieces. Please feel free to complete our online form here to tell us what you’re looking to rehome.

A G Plan Fresco dining table as seen at Middlesbrough's Transporter Bridge after being picked up from Teesside

Where can I buy G Plan furniture?

urbn nest sells loads of G Plan pieces each year, mainly through our online shop. Tap here to see our existing stock of G Plan furniture. 

A compact cocktail cabinet by G Plan as part of their "Fresco" range

Where can I see more mid century furniture similar to G Plan?

urbn nest specialises in mid century furniture. Tap here to see our current range of pieces in our online shop.