You’re Invited! Dining with Cultural Inspirations: Sam Samuels, Managing Director, Furniture Fusion

Imagine hosting a dinner party where every detail – from the enchanting venue to the eclectic guest list – reflects the passions and inspirations that have shaped your creative life and work. In this joyful feature, we step into the mind of Sam Samuels, Managing Director, Furniture Fusion, to explore his ultimate dinner party with the people who have influenced him as a creative.

My Party Set Up

Dream dinner party guests are something I’ve discussed with friends over the years but have never really taken it further and thought about the full line-up, what we’d eat and where we’d be – it’s been an intriguing and enjoyable task. I started my career in the music industry, and it’s what I planned to pursue before life got in the way – so I’ve decided that this very special soirée should reflect what is essentially my passion. Music has shaped everything I’ve done since then, and in particular the creativity of it as an art form – I try to bring it into whatever we do as a company, from putting together a newsletter to designing an installation for an exhibition or event.

Venue

I’m taking full creative licence with this and taking us all to the middle of Ibiza and a classic finca. There’s a large round wooden table, with very comfortable chairs (we’ll want to take our time over this dinner), some shade to keep us all cool as the sun sets. The finca is set in a natural, rustic setting, with olive trees, oleander bushes bringing splashes of pink and purple and jasmine would be in bloom. I love jasmine – it’s such a romantic plant and as the temperature drops the flowers open up further and fi ll the air with that beautiful fragrance.

Menu

It’s got to be a Spanish menu – making the most of the incredible Balearic produce and perfectly-suited to our setting. We’ll be serving a variety of tapas and pintxos – delicious combinations of ingredients skewered onto great bread. I was in San Sebastián last year and we loved trawling the old city, stopping off pintxos bars for a bite or two and a glass of wine to accompany each. We were also lucky enough to go to one of the city’s many Michelin-starred restaurants for a 10 course tasting menu – it was lovely but the pintxos and tapas were more me. My dream dinner party would recreate that informal, convivial feel, with lots of great food served at a relaxed pace, to be enjoyed as the evening and conversation unfold.

Entertainment

With six of my heroes around the table, I’m hoping that conversation will be paramount at this dinner party, so I’d enjoy spending time curating a special playlist as the background sounds to our chat. It might be fun to add a little extra element and I’ve always loved magic, so we’ll also have David Blaine and Steven Frayne (formerly Dynamo) on hand to perform some tricks at close quarters.

My Guest List

Bob Dylan

I have written and spoken about Bob Dylan’s influence in popular culture and how he really immersed himself in the process of developing his sound, his look and influences. He was utterly absorbed in the cultural landscape and this is what made his own creative output something special. I’d invite Bob Dylan because he’s the original voice of defiance and poetic depth in popular music. His lyrics read like protest poems, and his refusal to conform – whether going electric or refusing to accept a label – perfectly embodies the spirit of an artist who walks his own path.

David Bowie

Much more than just a musician, David Bowie was a true polymath – a lover of design, architecture, fashion and photography. I’m inspired by his ability to find inspiration everywhere, valuing creativity and challenging the status quo. I’ve just finished watching two documentaries, 1971 on Apple TV and the new Adam Curtis BBC documentary Shifty, and was struck that both ended with David Bowie predicting the future – I’d love to hear his take on where we are now and where technology could take us in the years ahead.

Paul McCartney

How could I not include a Beatle? My love of music stems from almost everything they performed and most of their music still sounds so great today – but which Beatle to pick? McCartney’s melodies shaped the soundtrack of modern music, but his curiosity and experimentation – especially in his post-Beatles work – make him more than just a pop legend. He brings heart, craft, and longevity to the idea of musical trailblazing.

Paul McCartney’s song writing is where my love of music truly began. The Beatles’ songs weren’t just part of the cultural landscape—they were a revelation. Tracks like Eleanor Rigby, Blackbird, or Let It Be still sound fresh, inventive, and emotionally resonant today. McCartney managed to fuse simplicity with genius, joy with melancholy, always pushing musical boundaries while staying universally relatable. Inviting him would be like honouring the roots of my own musical journey, and having him at the table would be like welcoming the point of origin of so much that I value in art and sound.

Nina Simone

Simone didn’t just sing; she bled truth into her music. A classically-trained pianist turned civil rights icon, she fused art and activism like no one else. I’d want her voice – musically and intellectually – at the table to challenge and inspire us all.

Sylvia Plath

Reading Plath in school lit a fire in me for poetry. Her writing is raw, brave, and unflinchingly personal. I’d invite her because her work taught me how words could wound, heal, and illuminate. She represents the moment I truly discovered the power of the written word.

Joshua Homme

Joshua Homme is a rock chameleon – desert rock, stoner rock, whatever label you try to give him, he’ll twist it into something unique. His music with Queens of the Stone Age is gritty, seductive, and often darkly philosophical. One lyric that’s always stuck with me is: “I want something good to die for, to make it beautiful to live.” It’s raw, poetic, and speaks to the kind of reckless yearning that great art – and great conversation – is built on. Add to that his razor-sharp wit and effortlessly dry humour, and you’ve got someone who’d not only keep the energy of the dinner party electric, but also ground it in real, soul-searching artistry.

Sam Samuels, Managing Director, Furniture Fusion

Sam Samuels is the founder and Managing Director of Furniture Fusion, a thriving design-led furniture company specialising in the hospitality sector. With over 20 years’ experience in the contract furniture industry, Sam has spearheaded a diverse portfolio of projects across the UK and internationally, ranging from boutique hotels to cutting-edge restaurant interiors.

Driven by a passion for design and innovation, Sam leads a talented and growing team committed to creating bespoke furniture solutions that combine form, function, and flair. His work is rooted in a deep understanding of hospitality environments and a relentless pursuit of quality and creativity and he believes that great design should inspire, endure, and tread lightly on the planet.

Sam’s long-term ambition is to launch a signature furniture range that reflects his commitment to sustainable design—pieces that not only elevate guest experiences with their aesthetic appeal but are also responsibly produced using eco-conscious materials.

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