Furniture News #369 by Gearing Media Group Ltd

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Farley 01424 776101 paul@gearingmediagroup.com Twitter @FurnitureNewsED

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I’VE NEVER SEEN THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT CAUGHT SO SPECTACULARLY OFF GUARD I haven’t seen any baby-kissing yet, but the candidates are definitely out there, braving the floodwaters, lacing up boxing gloves and donning hard hats as election day nears. It’s easily the most intense and opportunistic campaign I’ve ever witnessed – alliances form and dissolve quicker than a game of Risk, and manifesto pledges stack up like a bidding war, with overtones of hope and fear in equal measure. The nation’s immediate fate will be decided on December 12th, and I’ve never seen the political establishment caught so spectacularly off guard. As distractions go, it’s up there with Brexit’s best. But life (and business) goes on – and, alarmingly, this is just the latest in a long line of challenges facing the UK’s furniture retailers and suppliers (if Brexit’s taken your eye off the ball, discover what prominent members of the trade think about the rest of the picture in my article on p74). So, if (and it’s a big ‘if’) the election result delivers a more concrete plan for our future, are you ready to seize the opportunities? In this month’s issue, Bensons’ James Hollas offers his take on the product trends defining the bedroom sector (p18), and we further explore consumer

demand for eclecticism in an excerpt from our Connect trade directory (p60). And, with exhibition season fast approaching, we present a bonanza of previews from p26, including our first look at the January Furniture Show. With an eye on evolving technologies, EKM’s Rachel Smith suggests how independent retailers can engage multichannel buyers (p78), while FIRA’s Bruce Lovell discusses manufacturing’s Industry 4.0 (p81). But while everyone benefits from knowing what’s in store, we can also learn a great deal from what has gone before. For our lead story, design luminary Sir Terence Conran pulls up a chair (of his own making) to share his career highs and lows, inspirations and ideals (p12). The founder of Habitat and several notable furnituremaking enterprises – including Content by Terence Conran, which returns to next month’s January Furniture Show – Terence recounts experiences from a lifetime of furniture design, manufacturing and retail. On Brexit, he says: “I have survived six or seven recessions during my lifetime but have never known a log jam quite like this.” Perhaps it’s time to get back to the campaign trail after all. Over to you, Government …

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No part of this publication may be reproduced without the specific prior written agreement of the Publisher and may not be stored on any type of retrieval system. Furniture News/ Gearing Media Group Ltd accepts no responsibility for variations in colour reproduction. Special colours (Pantone etc) can be catered for with prior arrangement. Some elements of the editorial content in this publication are submitted by the trade, however, all efforts are made to ensure that the editorial remains true to fact and unbiased. Monies may have been accepted to offset the costs of colour reproduction. Gearing Media Group Ltd reserves the right to alter without prior notice any content other than customers’ advertisements. No correspondence will be entered into regarding altered or adjusted editorial content. The editor’s decision is final. All material submitted for inclusion in Furniture News is done so entirely at the owner’s risk and no responsibility is accepted for the safekeeping or return thereof. Advertiser information is reproduced in good faith and Gearing Media Group accepts no responsibility in respect of adverts appearing in the magazine, and the magazines expressed do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s views. The Publisher accepts no liability for any loss arising from an advertisement’s late or non-appearance.

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Paul Farley 01424 776101

Editor-in-chief paul@gearingmediagroup.com

@FurnitureNewsED

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WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET

CONTENTS

INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS

Ap a r tm en t

Living

Get the look with Gallery Direct’s Forden collection

7 NEWS 12 INSIGHT 12 Terence Conran / 16 Taskers 18 Bensons for Beds / 20 Retail Barometer

NATURAL HABITAT Chronicling Conran BENSONS’ WAY CHALLENGING TIMES BEDROOM / DINING / TRADE SERVICES SHOWTIME / JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

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#369 December 2019 www.furniturenews.net

20/11/2019 12:18

GALLERY DIRECT (COVER)

24 EVENTS 24 Brussels Furniture Fair / 26 Showtime 38 January Furniture Show (Prelim) 56 Autumn Furniture Show

60 PRODUCTS

CONTRIBUTORS 76

60 Mix and Match / 62 Wave Chair 64 Bedroom / 68 Dining / 70 Trade Services

68 OPINION 74 Challenging Times / 76 Not-so-smart Design? 78 Digital Opportunity / 81 Industry 4.0 82 Feedback

Artem Vasiliev, chairman, IAFP, and head of development and business affairs, Mebelny Biznes

Rachel Smith, digital marketing executive, EKM

Bruce Lovell, consultant, FIRA International

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WE’D DESIGNED FIRST-RATE FURNITURE FOR A MODERN GENERATION

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NEWS

READ MORE ONLINE AT FURNITURENEWS.NET

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C A R B U RY CO L L E C T I O N The perfect collection to give you that cool, space conscious apartment living vibe. Our Carbury collection is made using solid Oak and Oak veneers designed to create the look of stylish modern living.

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INSIGHT

NATURAL HABITAT The founder of Habitat, industry icon Terence Conran has led a rich life in furniture design. At 88, he remains busy developing contemporary lines for Benchmark, The Conran Shop, and Content by Terence Conran.

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Who was your inspiration? As a student at the Central School of Arts and Crafts a young sculptor called Eduardo Paolozzi came to teach. He was a wonderfully rugged man, and from the first moment I met him he had a profound influence on my approach to art and design and, most importantly, life. He taught me about textiles, pattern and art, and I taught him how to weld – a fair trade, I think. We shared a workshop, renting a small space in Roman Road, Bethnal Green, acquired some simple tools and basic welding equipment and set about making things. Materials and equipment were scarce in those frugal post-war years, so we scrounged old bits of metal from building sites and textiles from stalls on Petticoat Lane. I used welded reinforced rods to make frames for chairs or the base of a bed, pine flooring boards were made into shelving units, and my wobbly trestle table had an old door as the top. I used coloured felt to make cushions and printed curtains in a very Paolozzi-like pattern. We became lifelong friends. What was you career high point? Creating Habitat, and the thrill of seeing all our hard work and enterprise a decade earlier coming to fruition, was very special. We’d overcome so much frustration at the established order who didn’t believe in any of the ideals and beliefs that we were so passionate about. By the early 60s we’d designed first-rate furniture for a modern generation, but the retailers just wouldn’t accept it or display it properly –

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Matador chair and Balance shelving

How did you enter the trade? I suppose in my heart I have always considered myself a furnituremaker – even as a 10-year-old I was making furniture, so it all happened fairly organically. I remember around 1947 I had a small room in Warwick Gardens but I absolutely detested the furniture and wanted to make my own, so I established a small workshop. That allowed me to do smaller pieces of work for other people, and it built from there. Establishing bigger premises, eventually employing staff, taking on machinery … before you know it, you’re running your own furniture business. Looking back, I’m rather proud of my early furniture and it seems relatively fresh today.

so we opened our own shop instead. I suppose the high point would have been when we floated the business and we really knew we’d made it. Our little baby had grown up and there were stores not only all round Britain, but all over the world, too. We’d created a highly profitable, popular and successful global brand. … and low point? The way I first lost control of Habitat and then became removed from the business altogether was easily the saddest and most depressing time of my life. As we created a retail giant in Storehouse, it became too big to control or allow me the day-to-day personal involvement that gave me so much pleasure. It was a political log jam. I hadn’t designed any furniture for nearenough a decade. While losing Habitat felt like the death of a much-loved family member, the money I had made from it allowed me to start a bright and exciting new chapter in my life and create a restaurant group, focus on The Conran Shop and get designing again. … and the turning point? I suppose it is the time when you take on staff – that was a very important time

WE’D DESIGNED FIRST-RATE FURNITURE FOR A MODERN GENERATION, BUT THE RETAILERS JUST WOULDN’T ACCEPT IT OR DISPLAY IT PROPERLY – SO WE OPENED OUR OWN SHOP

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INSIGHT

Glove chair

I have survived six or seven recessions during my lifetime but have never known a log jam quite like this. I am a proud British patriot as well as considering myself European, but it is not a great time to be doing business here, and I genuinely fear for future generations.

in my life, because you suddenly have responsibility for other people and not just yourself. Finding work to keep my men busy, paying wages and paying tax, too – it forced me to define my objectives and target the sort of customers I was aiming to sell my furniture to, which meant creating the sort of furniture they might buy. That was when I started to grow up fast and take things more seriously. Describe a typical working day That is the beauty of my line of work – one day is rarely similar to another. I do find the mornings are best for my creative work as that is when my mind is at its sharpest, before I get bogged down in meetings or with paperwork and suchlike. But being a designer working in so many different fields each day throws up so many new and unexpected challenges that life really is a thrill. I’m very lucky in that sense because it rarely feels like what I do is a job - most things I do I would happily do for pleasure. If you had to start over, which career might you pursue? I think I’d enjoy working with nature,

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either as a farmer or gardener. My walled kitchen garden has been one of my great pleasures. A few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a significant amount of land around my home in the country, and have employed a small and passionate team to bring the area to life. We’ve already had tremendous success with the rivers and streams, rejuvenating a three-mile stretch and bringing back all manner of fish that had been lost. We’re planting trees and wildflowers to encourage butterflies, moths and dragonflies and create an abundance of wildlife. Nature has always been one of my great inspirations – perhaps I could have forged a career working closely with it. What is the most important issue affecting your business right now? Without doubt, that would be Brexit. It has paralysed the country in almost every way imaginable and created a complete fug around the industry and Britain’s economy. What is more, it is difficult to see where the end lies or what the future of the country and our industry might look like if anything ever does get resolved.

Which company do you look up to? Many, many years ago I was hopelessly jealous of Robin Day and his work with Hillie. His work was much more refined and sophisticated, and I dreamed of what I could achieve with a large and sophisticated manufacturing company behind me. Throw in the Cheyne Walk address and glamorous wife … Robin was where we all wanted to be, and this shaped my own early ambitions. I think ercol have adapted well to remain contemporary but keep their strong, traditional identity, while Russell Pinch has created an extraordinary modern furniture company alongside Oona. Overseas, I remain hugely impressed with Knoll, and we do so much great work with them through The Conran Shop. They have the same spirit of boldness and adventure that entranced me as a young student when I read about the work of George Nelson, Oliver Girard, Florence Knoll, Eero and Eliel Saarinen, Harry Bertoia and Mies van der Rohe in a West Coast magazine called Arts and Architecture. Some of the collaborations and pieces we have developed together have been absolutely first class. What would you most like to change about yourself? My age! That would also help with the cripplingly painful bad back I struggle with. I have always been a hands-on, sleeves-rolled-up sort of designer. That was a key point in my learning – when I began to understand that a designer has to get their hands dirty when making things, understanding materials and processes, how to use their tools and understanding the way machines work. At 88, it is hard to be that sort of designer, and although I have a bright and brilliant young team around me, I do feel a great frustration. What do you enjoy most about working in the trade? Seeing your work through from the very start of a project to the end has always given me immense pleasure. From that

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INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 15 very first seed of an idea, the creative spark, sketching it out and then working through the problems, solving issues and sending it into production. Then seeing your work on the shopfloor or in a magazine clipping, knowing it is out there in peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homes, giving them comfort and satisfaction.

I HAVE SURVIVED SIX OR SEVEN RECESSIONS DURING MY LIFETIME BUT HAVE NEVER KNOWN A LOG JAM QUITE LIKE THIS

Can you leave us with an industry anecdote? Oh, I have a lifetime of anecdotes after a very long career in design, furniture and retail. An early one that sticks in my mind was in the mid-50s as a member of the Royal Society of Industrial Artists, which had strict rules that members should not compete with one another. I desperately needed more work, so produced a simple newsletter to send to potential clients telling them what work we had done and suggesting how our services might benefit them. I received an irate phone call from the secretary of the society, as there had been complaints about our newsletter from other members. He suggested a club in Pall Mall if I wanted more work. I was appalled by this and continued to produce my letters, and I was thrown out of the society. Can you imagine a company today not being allowed to promote themselves commercially in the marketplace? They would be out of business before they even began

CHRONICLING

CONRAN Terence has been involved in the design world since 1947, when he started out as a student at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, studying textile design. He opened his first furnituremaking workshop in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East End with Eduardo Paolozzi in 1949, and between 1949 and 1951 worked for architect Dennis Lennon on myriad projects, including the Festival of Britain. In 1955 Terence launched his own company, Conran Fabrics, and in 1956 he created the Conran Design Group. In 1962 he moved his furnituremaking business to a factory in Thetford, Norfolk, taking nearly 80 staff from London with him and launching Summa, his first purely domestic range of flat-pack furniture.

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In 1964 he opened his first shop, Habitat, which grew into a global business, with stores around the world. He opened the first Conran Shop in 1973, which also has stores around the world. In 1986, Terence set up a new furnituremaking business called Benchmark Furniture in the grounds of his Berkshire home, and in 1989 he founded the Design Museum in London in an old banana warehouse in Butlers Wharf. The museum has now moved to new premises in Kensington. In 2003 Terence set up Content by Terence Conran, a modern furniture business that makes designs for contemporary living.

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INSIGHT

BY STICKING TO OUR CORE VALUES, WE DO NOT HAVE TO OVERSELL TO OUR CUSTOMERS

TASK MASTER Three words that describe your business Old-fashioned values. The last trade show you visited Manchester Furniture Show. Your most praiseworthy supplier Alexander & James is currently our top supplier. It offers a great range of upholstery, fantastic build quality and value for money. What’s more, it’s always on-trend. Your best-performing product Our top products are from Alexander & James. Your personal favourite We have some new ranges in from Collins & Hayes, which we think represent fabulous quality and style. Your approach to staff training As our staff are based at a single site, we have the luxury of providing bespoke training to everyone based on their current strengths and skills, and the areas they want to develop. We believe in investing our time and resources into supporting each member of staff to allow them to progress within their role and within the company.

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The most significant change you’ve made in your business recently The most significant change to the business was our full showroom refurbishment in 2016. It included the installation of a lighting department and an amazing selection of accessories, giving customers the opportunity to create their own fabulous home environment from the world’s leading furniture suppliers, all under one roof.

Name: Ivor Lefton Position: MD Business: Taskers of Accrington sells leading lounge, dining and bedroom furniture brands, plus carpets and flooring from its flagship showroom in Accrington, Lancashire, and its website. www.taskers.com

The tastes that best reflect your audience We really do have an extremely broad customer base, which we are able to cater to with our 40,000ft2 showroom. The technology you’ve introduced most recently A fully integrated PoS, accounts, and stock system, including the ability for salespeople to input orders straight onto an iPad while they are with the customer. Our website is also fully transactional, allowing customers to choose their own fabrics, options and extras. Your number-one selling tip By sticking to our core values, we do not have to oversell to our customers – they find us, and return time after time

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TimberA

5-G25

www.timberartdesignuk.com 01978 660768 / sales@timberartdesignuk.com 108 Abbey Road South, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham, LL13 9RF

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INSIGHT

I ALWAYS LIKE IT WHEN ONE OF OUR COMPETITORS MIMICS OUR DESIGNS, AS IT SHOWS HOW INSPIRING WE ARE AS A BRAND

BENSONS’ WAY www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk What do leading national bed retailers look for in the bedroom? Furniture News speaks to James Hollas, bedframes and bedroom furniture buyer at Bensons for Beds.

James Hollas has been in furniture buying for over 25 years, and boasts extensive experience of sourcing from mainland Europe and the Far East. Alongside over three years at Bensons, his resume includes four years as cabinet and online buyer at DFS, where he was responsible for the purchasing of all non-sofa products and launched the brand’s online offer and direct home delivery service. Prior to that, he worked in buying with Walmsley’s and Morley’s. Following the launch of new lines and Bensons’ Sleep Diet – a profiling plan which matches customers with their ideal bed – James spoke to Furniture News about inspiration, trends and changing consumer outlook …

Lyon

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READ MORE AT WWW.FURNITURENEWS.NET 19 Atlas

What’s Bensons’ design process? Designs can come from anywhere! They can be my idea, an idea from a designer we employ, or a supplier’s idea. We used a designer to create the Lyon bedframe, for instance, and the Legend TV bedframe design was inspired by one of our suppliers.

Consumers are after more sustainable bed stories - what are your thoughts on how this will affect product trends? I don’t see the ‘green story’ as anything but a permanent trend. It’s at the heart of what we do and who we are. Customers will (rightly) become more demanding about environmental issues, and will also become more interested in background detail. They will want to know exactly how it works, and will question companies who simply try and tick boxes with their sustainability practices. It’s important for companies to look at every element of their business when it comes to sustainability, and they should be as transparent as possible about practices, to instil trust in customers. Can you see any other overarching trends impacting the bedroom sector? Two continuously growing trends are increased storage and multifunctionality. As living spaces get smaller, everyone needs to maximise these two aspects when thinking about what furniture they buy. Our Alexis ottoman bed frame is a prime example of a bed which offers generous hidden storage space without compromising on comfort and design. We’re also seeing a growing demand for choice and customisation, as more customers want to make their furniture

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Alexis

And sourcing? Which shows/media inspire you? I go to as many shows as my schedule allows. I particularly like Cologne in January and Shanghai in September. On top of that, company visits are crucial, and we’re trying to work with fewer suppliers so we can really bolster working relationships. For inspiration, I read a lot of the interiors magazines (including Furniture News, of course!) as well as browsing Instagram and Pinterest. I also like to talk to anyone I know about what they’re buying and why they’re buying it – I’m slightly obsessed with the buying process!

bespoke to their own style and needs. One of our bestselling frames is Your Bed Your Way, which gives customers 54 choice combinations including bases, sizes, head-end styles and colours. We’re planning to double the Your Bed Your Way offer by introducing an electric ottoman base, superking sizes across all options and a brand new headboard option. This means there will be 108 choice combinations, allowing even more customers to build their dream bedroom space. Customers need to feel involved in their purchases, rather than simply taking what’s on offer – and those looking for value are no exception. Style-wise, the trend for eclecticism is also still strong, as many customers choose to curate their own look from different sources. How are you differentiating your offer? We are always trying to stay one step ahead of the competition with innovative designs and pioneering technology.

I always like it when one of our competitors mimics our designs, as it shows how inspiring we are as a brand. How else is customer demand changing? Customers are becoming more demanding when it comes to product quality, lead times (they want it ASAP) and product design, and I relish these challenges. I think the customer is becoming more sophisticated and wanting more is a natural progression, so it’s up to us to keep up with these demands to cater to their ever-changing needs. In terms of value-driven customers, there’s often a race to find the lowestpriced products possible, but it’s up to us retailers to educate about the benefits of higher-quality products. In the end, customers can be convinced to pay for a higher quality product – our job is to explain to them the differences and the true meaning of value

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INSIGHT

What’s selling, and where? Each month, Furniture News’ marketing team surveys a sample of our retailer readership to see how product categories are performing from month to month. This month, we look at how November fared against October.

A FURNITURE NEWS EXCLUSIVE

RETAIL

BAROMETER OV

B USIN L L A E ER

November proved a truly mixed bag for our sample, with a fairly equal split between those on a high, those in the doldrums, and those not noticing any change to retail’s traditional patterns. Sofas (including recliners and sofabeds) were the star category, while beds, accessories and carpet performed well for many. Brexit’s inexorable march continues to dampen retailers’ mood, with many attributing their woes directly to political developments

UP 33%

DOWN 33%

STABLE 33%

SALES ARE UP AND DOWN AT PRESENT BEDS

BEDROOM CABINET

UPHOLSTERY

18% 34% 26% 48%

43% 22% 26% 35%

STRONGEST: UPHOLSTERY

32% 34% 26% 34%

WEAKEST: BEDROOM CABINET LIVING ROOM CABINET

BUSINESS WAS STEADY IN THE NORTH, BUT HEAVILY POLARISED IN THE SOUTH 94% SAID TRADE WAS BETTER (47%) OR WORSE (47%) FN369_Pages.indd 20

LIVING ROOM CABINET

DINING

FURNISHINGS

ACCESSORIES

20% 33% 26% 48%

25% 34% 26% 40%

33% 26% 26% 41%

38% 38% 26% 24%

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As our clients know very well (and will tell you), the original target with £223,000 of sales on above sales results are not exceptional for a Greenwood the first day alone. Virtually every item of COMPETITION Check your competition to find out what Sale. They are–standard. You could enjoy such clearance stock sold & we have gained lotsrecordThe most extensive range available breaking sales results too – with high margin maintained. they are offering. Avoid all-out price wars. Be sure to out-do of new customers. Your Event Manager,

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VISIT OUR EXHIBITORS IN HALL 4 AT THE JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW TO VIEW THEIR 2020 COLLECTIONS ON STANDS E10 & E25

Contact Brendan Brett 07734 265 599 brendan@theukagency.co.uk

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EVENTS

AGAINST THE GRAIN The 82nd Brussels Furniture Fair, which took place over four days last month, recorded visitor growth from every territory apart from Great Britain and Ireland, reports general manager, Lieven Van den Heede. www.furniturefairbrussels.be

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Following last year’s decline and unfavourable market conditions, visitor numbers increased by +3.57% this year, and the international component climbed to more than 65%, comprising visitors from some 52 countries – 18 of them outside Europe. “This is a highly encouraging result, given that sales in the furniture trade in Belgium and in the majority of our neighbouring countries were pretty disappointing this year,” says Lieven. “It was only from Great Britain and Ireland that there were 30 fewer visitors [-5.64% YoY]. The protracted regulatory questions around Brexit are just part of the explanation – we also know that two flights on which a number of buyers

were due to travel were cancelled.” At the same time, there was a marked uptick in interest from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The show presented 274 exhibitors from 18 nations, and went to great lengths to ensure an even better look and feel than that of previous editions. “Year upon year, the upgrade of the fair is clearly visible, and the same was true this year,” continues Lieven. “Once again, our ongoing efforts to constantly lift up the fair a step higher have resonated with exhibitors, who spared no expense to bring their own stands up to the same high level.” Lieven says that the vast majority of exhibitors were pleased with the show’s performance. Meanwhile, the event’s Balthazars awards programme aims to stimulate innovation, and this year’s winners – announced at the show by former Miss Belgium, Virginie Claes – rose to the challenge. They were: Mintjens Sleepline, for Rialto (Best of Belgium); Himolla, for Signa (Best International); Rom, for Vegas (Love at First Sight); and Otium Care, for Multi (Innovation). Next year’s show will take place from 8-11th November

21/11/2019 12:00

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

HEIMTEXTIL The 50th international trade fair for home and contract textiles will present the world’s largest range of interior textile products, plus a unique take on the hottest trends. www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

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Around 3000 international exhibitors will present innovations across a range of product sectors in Frankfurt next month. More than 250 companies will offer sustainably produced textiles, and will star in the show’s biggest Green Directory to date. Progressive solutions can also be found in the new Future Materials Library, part of the Trend Space, where visitors will be encouraged to explore the nature and production methods of the latest materials. With a focus on recycled fabrics and cultivated textiles, The Green Village will function as a hub for any questions relating to environmental issues – here, the United Nations will present its Sustainable Development Goals for the first time. Those interested in design (and reuse) will appreciate the Trend Space, designed by Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and featuring a wealth of material innovations, colour trends and designs. Themed Where I Belong, the section comprises numerous interactive elements. Across the show floor, this year’s Heimtextil will present an extended

Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main 7-10th January 2020

range of textile manufacturing and processing machines, plus the latest in digital printing, software and corresponding accessories. The show is also seeing significant growth in its Decorative & Furniture Fabrics segment – 40 new exhibitors will join the large selection of fabrics, leather and imitation leather. Over 400 international producers will present new collections in halls 4 and 6, while Design Dialog will highlight furnishing industry trends through lectures and displays. Meanwhile, Interior.Architecture. Hospitality will offer contract furnishing opportunities, hall 8 will feature Window & Interior Decoration, while suppliers of pillows, blankets and plaids will exhibit in hall 9 under the title Beautiful Living, together with lifestyle-oriented accessories. Heimtextil also puts sleep prominently on the agenda in Smart Bedding, with mattresses, bedding, sleep systems and associated technology from 140 major players on show, plus Sleep! The Future Forum, where visitors can look forward to insightful discussions with sleep experts

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70295-014_HT_Trend_Furniture_News_222x303 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • es: 13.09.2019

DU: 01.11.2019

England

WHERE I BELONG

#WhereIBelong heimtextil-trends.com

@heimtextil

7. –10.1. 2020 Visit the Trend Space at Heimtextil // Hall 3.0

info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

Cranmore Park Exhibition Centre, Solihull 17-18th January (AIS members only) and 19-20th January 2020 (general trade)

THE AIS FURNITURE SHOW

The AIS Furniture Show promises innovation and inspiration as it focuses on new products, improvements to its aesthetic, and delivering the optimal sourcing experience for independent furniture retailers as it enters a new decade. www.thefurniture-show.co.uk

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The show promises a broad spectrum of over 40 established and up-andcoming suppliers from across the globe – and this January will see it launch eight new suppliers, exclusively appearing at The AIS Furniture Show. These include Corium, sister company of HTL. Manufacturing in Northern Italy using traditional craftsmanship, Corium combines natural materials such as leather with stainless steel, and draws its design inspiration from the heritage of Tuscany. Upholstery supplier, Stella, will also be exhibiting for the first time. Launching as a newcomer to the UK, the Poland-based supplier offers commercially designed fabric product, which incorporates motion technology. Following an absence from the market, Willis & Gambier has chosen to relaunch its full collection at the show. With four collections to complement any home, the brand caters to all styles.

AIS has identified that outdoor living is becoming a key element of modern life, and sees this as an additional area of opportunity for the independent sector. The show welcomes Signature Weave, launching for the first time at AIS with a comprehensive collection of garden furniture. Alongside these, the show’s exclusive ranges will provide AIS members with significant advantages over other buyers, says show organiser Julian Cox, AIS’ director of furniture: “Established brands Parker Knoll, G Plan, Alstons and Duresta amongst others, offer AIS members exclusive furniture ranges, creating a USP for retailers but also enhanced profit margin opportunities. We have started to progress this strategy on cabinet furniture too, with new ranges having been developed specifically under the Stag & Ducal brands which are exclusive to AIS members.” In addition to the new suppliers, visitors can also expect to see new product innovations, existing bestsellers and products offered in new fabrics and finishes, or incorporating new designs from tried-and-trusted brands. Julian continues: “Our members (and the wider audience) can expect to see a selection of exciting new ranges from established upholstery favourites including Himolla, La-Z-Boy and Premier, HTL, and Primavera. In addition to the AIS exclusive ranges there will also be some innovative product from Classic, Disselkamp, Venjakob and TCH, amongst others.” The 2020 show is set to be bigger and better than last year’s, which attracted over 850 visitors. Admission is free, and complementary on-site parking, exhibition guides, lunch and refreshments are also offered to all buyers and exhibitors

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The AIS Furniture Show 17-20 January 2020 [17 & 18 January AIS Members only]

Exclusively for the Independent Retailer

Organised by buyers with a wealth of experience in the independent sector, The AIS Furniture Show presents a streamlined and focused exhibitor line up from a meaningful and commercial mix of brands.

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

www.springfair.com With only three months to go, Spring Fair has reiterated its clear focus on the latest and greatest interior products, with a dedicated and fit-for-purpose layout for the 2020 edition.

SPRING

FAIR

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NEC, Birmingham 2nd-6th February, 2020

For the first time, Spring Fair’s Home & Living offer will combine the Living Accents & Décor, Floral, Cook & Dine and The Summerhouse sectors. The new layout reflects the increasing importance retail buyers are putting on furniture in order to deliver sales and profits, states organiser Hyve Group. As a one-stop shop for everything that retailers, interior designers, contract buyers, hospitality professionals and architects will need to stay fresh and ontrend in 2020, Spring Fair promises to help visitors navigate the newest interior design pieces. Following the re-edit of Autumn Fair, which created a renewed look and feel, Spring Fair will now boast two distinct sourcing destinations as part of a new show layout – Gifts and Home & Living. At the show, Spring Fair’s dedicated colour trend partner, Colour Hive, will highlight the colours that will bring vitality and warmth to homes, offices, bars and restaurants in 2020 and

beyond. Colour Hive’s trends installation will be hosted in hall 6, and will help visitors understand how trend stories develop into finished products. The show’s Home & Living offering will span halls 6, 19 and 20, providing visitors with “the largest continuous collection of Home & Living across Europe”. Visitors from the interior design and homeware retail industries will be able to find the latest home decor, furniture, textiles and soft furnishings across the show’s Living Accents & Décor, Cook & Dine and The Summerhouse show sectors – including new ranges and staples from the likes of Light & Living, One World, Pharmore and Minster Furniture, plus favourites Coach House, Hill Interiors, Libra and Parlane. Hyve Group has also announced a new offering for sister show Autumn Fair in 2020, adding The Furniture Collection to its Living Accents & Décor show sector, following continued investment

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SF20 AD - F

Discover From innovative home accessories to contemporary statement furniture pieces, Spring Fair brings together the most inspiring and exciting brands. Discover more at: springfair.com

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR (MIFF)

Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) and Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) 6-9th March 2020

Next year’s MIFF is already generating a buzz among its exhibitors, who will be the first to present their products to global buyers when the show kicks off the 2020 Asian exhibition season. www.miff.com.my

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Over 600 suppliers from Malaysia and at least a dozen more exporting countries (including China) will stock up the 100,000m2 trading floor to welcome a highly diverse visitor base. With visitors from as many as 140 countries and regions, MIFF offers numerous opportunities for exhibitors seeking to grow their export footprint. The show has emerged as the gateway to South-east Asia’s increasingly affluent, young consumers, and a route to new markets in other parts of the world. “The MIFF brand and experience is very compelling,” says MIFF’s general manager, Karen Goi. “It has proven again and again how relevant it is in global furniture commerce. “The trade show has taken a huge step forward after its expansion and design transformation in 2018. The product showcases and quality of design has become much, much better. Modern-day buyers are very discerning and well-informed, and so are exhibitors. They like the value, the

business opportunities and experience here because we keep pushing the boundaries to make it better every time.” This year, MIFF featured 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, with over 20,000 attendees including over 6000 international buyers, and achieved record orders of US $1.01b. MIFF 2020 will maintain the Design Connects People tagline for the third year, to encourage companies to bring ever-more innovative products and generate even more business. Muar, Malaysia’s official Furniture City, will factor strongly, with some 200 manufacturers taking up booths within and without the Muar Hall. Other highlights include: MIFF Office, South-east Asia’s largest office furniture showroom; Millennials@ Design, a segment targeting Generation Y consumers, managed by awardwinning young designers from the MIFF Furniture Design Competition; and MIFF Timber Mart, a trading platform for wood and wood-related materials

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

EXPORT FURNITURE EXHIBITION (EFE)

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Malaysia 9-12th March, 2020

With its exhibitors among the first to greet buyers on the Asian show circuit next year, EFE is promising to be bigger and better when it returns to the newly expanded KLCC in the heart of Malaysia’s capital. www.efe.my

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EFE 2020 will be +28% bigger in 2020, with over 400 suppliers from Malaysia and the surrounding regions occupying some 45,000m2 of trading floorspace. EFE’s exhibitors hope to welcome buyers from over 140 countries and regions. At the last edition, international buyers totalled 8639 (+10% YoY) while local visitors numbered 5198 (+15% YoY), and the event’s organiser says the stage is set for another successful event.

Since its inception, EFE has provided local manufacturers with valuable export opportunities. Malaysia has always been known for its solid wood and office furniture, and has a competitive edge in the international market. With KLCC’s expansion, EFE is now able to occupy a larger space, and will introduce The Office Furniture Hall, as well as revisiting woodworking machinery and components, with an eye on the progression towards Industry 4.0. Across the event, a comprehensive range of furniture and accessories for every part of the home – plus gardens and hotel lounges – will be on display. Creativity and innovation will be rewarded throughout, as the Malaysian Furniture Creativity (MFC) Awards return to promote Malaysian products internationally and encourage business growth, while enabling aspiring Malaysian designers to demonstrate their talents. EFE describes itself as a trade platform by the industry, for the industry, and promises to be a rewarding experience for visiting buyers

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Strategic partner:

Shanghai Nag Exhibition Co., Ltd

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EVENTS SHOWTIME

www.vifafair.com Vietnam, a leading light in woodbased furniture production and export, will present some 500 Vietnamese and overseas exhibitors across 35,760m2 of fairgrounds, when the Vietnam International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair (VIFA EXPO) returns this March.

VIFA EXPO VIFA EXPO is Vietnam’s biggest furniture export show, and a leading ASEAN event. According to organiser HAWA, the country’s furniture exports account for about 6% of the global market share, serving markets including the US and EU, Japan, China and Korea, plus new destinations including Canada, Russia and India.

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Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) 11-14th March 2020

In the first nine months of 2019, the value of Vietnam’s timber, wood product and non-timber forest product exports was estimated at US $7.93b – up +18% YoY. The country is striving to reach $11b in total, then $13b in 2020, and an ambitious $20b by 2025. The key to Vietnam’s success lies in its manufacturers’ flexibility, plus access to sustainable imported and local plantation materials. Vietnam’s wood industry has built a strong foundation of production capacity, technological innovation and administration, and the design, standard and production flexibility of its products has evolved at every turn. With strong governmental support and progress in environmental legislation, the industry is ready to go further still. By signing the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Agreements (FLEGT) VPA with the EU whilst implementing new laws around forestry plus FTA agreements including CPTPP and the EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Vietnam’s furniture exports are only set to go further on the global stage

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

www.januaryfurnitureshow.com The UK’s largest furniture and interiors trade show, January Furniture Show runs from 19th-22nd January at Birmingham’s NEC, and promises more than 500 exhibitors, from long-established brands to market newcomers. Furniture News presents a preliminary look at some of the new products on show, ahead of next month’s comprehensive preview …

UNDER ONE ROOF On show will be everything from grand sofas to simple mirrors, with collections in living, dining and bedroom furniture, as well as flooring, soft furnishings and decorative accessories – plus service solutions including IT systems, logistics providers and practical care products.

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Attracting some 22,000 retail and contract buyers from the furniture, hotel and leisure, and interior design industries in the UK and beyond, the show brings manufacturers, suppliers, furniture service providers and buyers together under one roof. The best of UK furniture manufacturing, with many well-known brands among the regular exhibitors at the show, will be present in hall 1. Many of these– including Alstons, Buoyant, Collins & Hayes, Duresta, Ercol, Sealy, Sherborne and Westbridge – are members of the BFM (British Furniture Manufacturers Association). Hall 2 will again see renowned international brands from China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands present their latest designs, many of which are made specifically for the UK market. Ego Italiano, Gwinner, Sits and Rom will be among those present.

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

Seagreen, Gallery

The event has worked hard in recent years to deliver a greater depth of product in specific areas. After a successful introduction at the last edition, BEDS@JFS, for example, returns in 2020 with over 20 brands’ beds, mattresses and sleeping accessories. Requests for more beds at the show was a recurring theme from visitors prior to 2019, and the new sector proved popular with visitors, helping reaffirm JFS’ identity as the industry’s allencompassing event, providing buyers with a unique opportunity to select everything needed to ‘sell the room’. Taking centre stage in hall 5, BEDS@ JFS will feature the likes of Dreamworks Beds, Hestia and Sealy, Millbrook Beds and Loren Williams – which has produced high-end mattresses from its base near Edinburgh for more than 50 years. As well as its double-decker stand in hall 3, Gallery Direct will exhibit at BEDS@JFS for the first time, where it will present a new collection of mattresses for retail and contract, plus sofabeds. Then there is the Silentnight Group, the UK’s largest manufacturer of beds and mattresses, which anchors the segment. After a successful debut in 2019, Silentnight’s three brands – Sealy, Rest Assured and Silentnight – will present new and bestselling models. Other exhibitors include Birlea, Breasley, Deep Sleep, Furmanac, Highgate Beds, Highgrove Beds, Kayflex, Mlily, Slumbernights and Vogue Beds.

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Beds and bedroom furniture will be present across the show. In hall 1, for example, Whitemeadow’s bed studio will be full of new contemporary designs, while Levitas will present its eyecatching ‘floating’ models. Nautilus, Highgate Beds

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BEDS

Sell the Room Everything you need: BEDS | LIVING | DINING

UPHOLSTERY | CABINET | INTERIOR ACCESSORIES

LIGHTING | FLOORING | FABRICS | SOFT FURNISHINGS

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

Tp24 Beds are not the only products represented by a dedicated show sector in 2020. After its successful debut this year, LIGHT@JFS will see the event embrace a host of illuminating solutions. Similar to beds, requests for lighting at January Furniture Show was a recurring theme from visitors prior to 2019. LIGHT@JFS was introduced this year in association with the LIA (Lighting Industry Association), and offered retail, contract and design buyers numerous sourcing opportunities. Lighting brands including Searchlight, Franklite, Girard Sudron, Impex Russell, Tp24, Firstlight Products, Inspired Lighting and Där Lighting will return with their latest ranges of general, accent and task lighting. They will be joined by new exhibitors including Gingko, WOFI and MacMaster Designs. The lighting on offer will cover every aspect of internal lighting, from simple table lamps to complex light installations, giving buyers choices in styles from industrial to elegant. The colourful lights and lamps on display will include table, desk- and floorstanding lamps, wall and ceiling lights, chandeliers and spotlights. Commenting on the return of LIGHT@ JFS, event director Cleere Scamell says: “One of our principal aims is to provide the whole of the UK furniture and interiors industry with a platform to show their products to the widest possible audience. With a long list of prestigious exhibitors and over 22,000 visitors, JFS is the industry event. Lighting is pivotal in interior design schemes, and it is therefore crucial that lighting plays an important part at JFS. “We were delighted with the response to LIGHT@JFS this year. Constantly busy, it was full of traditional, contemporary and inventive lighting of all kinds. We are equally as delighted to see so many returning companies and new lighting exhibitors in the line-up for 2020.” Alongside the various product sectors represented, the show will see the return of The Furniture Awards, which are awarded to the suppliers of the best new products in Living & Dining Cabinet, Bedroom Cabinet, Upholstery, Accents, and Mattresses & Divans each year. The winners are chosen by a panel of

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WOFI Searchlight

industry experts, chaired by Furniture News’ Paul Farley. January Furniture Show boasts in excess of 50,000 new products each year, with models and collections for every sector of the market, at every price point, from volume to high-end. Visit the show website to see the full exhibitor list and register for free entry – and read on for more details of the products lined up for launch, ahead of Furniture News’ big preview in next month’s issue

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Sell the Room Everything you need: LIGHTING | INTERIOR ACCESSORIES LIVING | DINING | UPHOLSTERY | CABINET

BEDS | FLOORING | FABRICS | SOFT FURNISHINGS

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

FEATURES AND Stand 2-D30 www.hydeline.co.uk As Hydeline undergoes a brand refresh, new models and game-changing reclining technologies are on the cards when the upholstery specialist unveils its stand – now in hall 2 – at the show.

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Boston

FABRICS Since its UK launch, Hydeline has been at the forefront of innovative reclining technologies, and this position is unchanged as the company enters 2020. The January Furniture Show will see the launch of a number of reclining models which will incorporate leadingedge smart technology and a brand new-to-market safety feature. In addition, next-generation spacesaving technology will be introduced. Complementing the successful Comfort Plus headrest – now the standard in terms of power reclining sales, states the business – the new additions will ensure Hydeline remains at the vanguard of this sector in the UK. Due to the company’s expertise in seating design, Hydeline’s sofas are some of the most comfortable on the

market – and to help retailers promote this strength, a suite of innovative PoS and marketing materials will be featured on the stand. Having exhibited in hall 5 in the past, the company’s growing reputation is reflected in the move to the Premium Design hall, where the stand will also reflect the brand’s evolution through a fresh look and feel. On-trend fabric cover options will also be on show on a number of models, in line with a renewed focus on this area next year. A natural progression from extensive leather selections, for fabric Hydeline’s designers have selected a comprehensive range of current commercial covers, which will ensure retailers can maximise return from floor displays in the year ahead

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

Pasha Dakota

LEBUS UPHOLSTERY Stand 5-E10 www.lebus.co.uk Lebus Upholstery is looking forward to returning to the January Furniture Show, where it invites customers old and new to see its new range, crafted by the company’s dedicated design and development team over the last few months. Since the last show, the Pasha and Dakota ranges have proved “hugely successful”, says a spokesperson, and Lebus believes its new models will deliver similar levels of success. Lebus Dakota Advert artwork 188 x 128 (Sofa) Nov 2019 copy.pdf

Comfort

Style

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09:17

Sophistication

We look forward to seeing you at The January Furniture Show 2020 19th - 22nd January at the NEC Birmingham Lebus Upholstery Ltd, Queensway Ind Est, Dunlop Way, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, DN16 3RN, United Kingdom

For more information contact: 1/2 page landscape.indd 1

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t. 01724 407 751

e. sales@lebus.co.uk 13/11/2019 10:24

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Bluebon

wholesale quality furniture

Naturally Bluebone Our 2020 collections focus on the imperfect beauty of natural textures, hues and shapes Bringing the outdoors in â&#x20AC;Ś HALL 3 M10, M20

HALL 19 C30

www.bluebone.co.uk

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

Kristensen Kristensen

AT YOUR SERVICE After bringing five notable furniture brands to the 2019 edition, Brendan Brett’s supply collective, The UK Agency, is returning to the show with three stands and more than 10 companies. Stands 4-E10, 4-E25 and 4-C30 www.theukagency.co.uk

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“The more people I employ, the more brands I have to carry,” jokes Brendan, whose personal service and international reach has seen The UK Agency amass a growing number of stockists. The show will see The UK Agency present solutions for every part of the home, enabling prospective clients to strike up enough orders to completely ‘sell the room’ from just one source. Prospective sofa buyers will find: a completely fresh offer from Lithuania’s Grafu Baldai; a new range of “very commercially priced” fabric models from Portuguese leather specialist Suffa, featuring exclusive fabrics by Cristina Marrone; fabric-upholstered corner groups and sofas from Turkey’s Sardunya, which adds a sumptuous modern edge to contemporary styles; and Çaglayan, another Turkish manufacturer, which specialises in

sleek, contemporary, Italian-style models. Buyers seeking dining chairs and tables will certainly appreciate the offering: Kristensen Kristensen returns with more handcrafted and finished Danish designs; Portugal’s X8 Chairs will bring an array of design-driven models for domestic and commercial settings, again with fabrics by Cristina Marrone; TKY Interiors brings affordable wood and veneer dining tables with a Scandi look from Turkey; and Turkish dining chair manufacturer Iskemle will offer a competitive container programme of wooden and upholstered models, in partnership with TKY. Offering a broader cabinet proposition will be: contemporary dining specialist Arc, which boasts a versatile programme of non-scratch, ceramic, real wood and veneered dining tables, available in incremental sizes; and Ronfe, a Portuguese company offering reproductions of classic French furniture, crafted in MDF with veneers and solids, and in a huge collection of colours. For bedroom buyers, UK supplier Midnight Flowers will present an exclusive new range of high-spec upholstered bedsteads. The fabrics employed will mirror the new lampshades appearing across The UK Agency’s Danalight portfolio, while accessory hunters will also find RH45, a UK picture company offering registered prints and original images, with a range of attractive frames. Having acquired the UK businesses for Danalight, RH45 and TKY this year, The UK Agency is better placed than ever to serve its retail customers. “Our key principles are service and exclusivity,” says Brendan. “We promise our customers continuity of supply, even if the staff associated with a company changes. We anticipate potential interruptions rather than reacting to them, so both parties can proceed with peace of mind. And, rather than supplying our stockists’ competitors down the road, we make sure our customers are given the opportunity to engage with our entire portfolio from the outset. “We’ve got our stockists’ backs, 110%. And you’re personally invited to enjoy our free refreshments and hospitality at the show, while viewing the most extensive range of design-led furniture on the floor”

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Buoyan

We’re Exhibiting at We’re Exhibiting We’re Exhibiting We’re Exhibiting atatat The January Furniture Show 2020 The January Furniture Show 2020 The January Furniture Show 2020 The January Furniture Show 2020 We’re Exhibiting at The January Furniture Show 2020

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The biggest furniture exhibition theisyear The biggest furniture exhibition of theofyear onlyis only a month and we’re looking forward a month away away and we’re looking forward to to ROKO kicking off 2020 in style by showcasing ourthe year is only kicking off 2020 in style by showcasing our The biggest furniture exhibition of The biggest furniture exhibition of year is only stunning designs! stunning designs!away and we’re looking the a month forward to

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a month awaythere! and we’re looking forward to can’tto wait toyou seethere! you can’t wait see kicking off 2020 in style by showcasing our latest Get over to Stand F30 in Hall 5 to see our Get overstunning to Stand F30 in Hall 5 to see our latest designs! models, additions, accent pieces and fabrics. We

models, additions, accent pieces and fabrics. We can’t wait to see you there! can’t wait seetoyou there! Getto over Stand F30 in Hall 5 to see our latest models, additions, accent pieces and fabrics. We can’t wait to see you there!

www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk Telephone - 01282 691631 Telephone - 01282 691631

www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk Telephone - 01282 691631 Telephone - 01282 691631 Telephone - 01282 691631

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IN THE UK MADE INMADE THE UK

MADE IN THE UK MADE IN THE UK MADE IN THE UK

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

SWEET DREAMS www.sweetdreamsuk.com Sweet Dreams will present examples from 11 British-made divan ranges, plus adjustable beds, bedframes and children’s beds. The Hand Crafted collection of divans, comprising three beds, offers handcrafted side stitch to the mattress’ borders, elevating the beds to a quality not previously associated with mid-market products. The quilting quality is testament to new Dueffe quilting machinery at Sweet Dreams, while natural fillings such as silk and cashmere help reinforce the luxury theme. The beds are offered in three sizes and the bases come with Sweet Dreams’ usual options, plus a low option on platform top bases. Sweet Dreams’ ready-assembled bedroom cabinet ranges, which have gained traction in recent years, will complement the beds in the upstairs collection, while a large proportion of

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The British-made Pixton chaise

stand space will reflect the downstairs collection, featuring dining and living room furniture, particularly upholstery. Sweet Dreams manufactures its own sofas and chairs, and these are proving popular with retailers. One of the successes from Manchester Furniture Show, the compact fabric Pixton chaise, (available left- or right-facing and as a standard sofa) will return, while several of the company’s imported recliners – also strong sellers – will be on display.

Luxury Cashmere & Silk 2000 divan from the Hand Crafted collection

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EVENTS JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW

KETTLE INTERIORS Stand 4-C35 www.kettleinteriorsagencies.com The supplier will have three stands at next month’s show, each hosting its product brands – including the new Signature by Kettle Interiors. Stand C35 will feature Essentials by Kettle Interiors, the supplier’s valuedriven collections, which offer clean

and simple styling for modern and starter homes. On stand D20, retailers will find the tried-and-trusted ranges of Kettle Interiors’ collections, which offer broad appeal with good build and finish, and are ideal for family homes. Visitors can see the newest premium products on stand C24, which will be home to Signature by Kettle Interiors – style-led, statement collections which promise exceptional build quality plus finishing touches.

GAO Dining, Essentials by Kettle Interiors

CORE PRODUCTS

BUOYANT UPHOLSTERY

Stand 4-A40 www.coreproducts.co.uk

Stand 5-F30 www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk

Core Products will introduce a host of products for 2020. Following on from the success of its popular Corona Grey collection, the supplier will introduce a wood and glass casual living version, specially designed to suit modern compact homes. Featuring real dovetail drawers and wood construction, its grey wax coating is complemented with colourco-ordinated bonded glass tops to give a practical, hardwearing and easyto-clean finish – and it is just one of an extensive array of products to be launched at the show.

Buoyant Upholstery is once again working hard to ensure another successful show. The sofamaker promises the launch of new and exciting models, exquisite fabrics and stylish accent pieces at the 2020 event, and says that visitors will not want to miss the opportunity to see one of the show’s biggest and best stands. Malo

Ben Fowler’s Chamfer Collection

MARQUE FURNITURE Stand 1-A45 www.marquefurniture.co.uk Marque Furniture, a small collective of skilled furniture designers who have learned their trade as craftsmen, joiners and cabinetmakers, will launch its first direct-to-market collection at the show. Based in Sussex, Marque Furniture’s ethos is based on the philosophy of the arts and crafts movement – that objects should be both useful and beautiful. At its helm is Ben Fowler, who designed Marks & Spencer’s

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bestselling Sonoma range as well as products for John Lewis and Ercol, alongside some extraordinary one-off commissions. Other members of the design team are: Simon Pengelly, who was responsible for Habitat’s Radius range, among others; John Weaver, who brings almost 40 years’ experience as a designer and an interest in mid-century design; ex-Habitat Mark Gilbey; Nell Beal, whose lauded work is imaginative and decorative yet utilitarian; and Marque co-founder Jakob Reilly, who runs a family firm specialising in timber products that trades with the likes of M&S and Ercol.

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All Celebrity ZipSPEED ranges have been reengineered to include Mammoth Medical Gradeâ&#x201E;˘ Foam Seating Technology as standard. Zero VAT rated for those eligible. Terms and conditions apply. *Fabric models only. Includes fixed chairs and settees

Tel: +44(0) 1623 440626

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www.celebrity-furniture.co.uk

info@celebrity-furniture.co.uk

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EVENTS

PARTY TIME

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www.theautumnfurnitureshow.co.uk On the first evening of this year’s Autumn Furniture Show (1st October), around 200 exhibitors and members of the Minerva Furniture Group gathered at Chesford Grange Hotel near Kenilworth. Entertainment came courtesy of Stringfever – a string quartet with electric instruments and beatboxing – plus an interactive musical comedy act. The dinner also saw Finnish homewares supplier Pentik awarded the fair’s Best Stand Award, which was presented by Minerva’s chairman, Martin Lukehurst.

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Just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes we all make do. Why put up with aches and pains that can spoil our day?

Mammoth’s Move adjustable beds and mattresses contain Medical Grade™ sleep technologies speciﬁcally designed to do your customers good.

The New MOVE Collection

The MOVE® adjustable mattress and bed collection promotes the very best that Mammoth has to offer with motion technologies to effortlessly ease away the aches and pains of the day. For those who love to relax and wind down in the ultimate sleep environment. The Move collection has been speciﬁcally designed with experts help: - Ease back pain - Alleviate sleep apnoea & snoring - Improve circulation - Improve sleep - Enhance lifestyle

Offer your customers more with the Mammoth Move collection.

Fast-Track Available Ask about our fast-track options for your guaranteed delivery within 7-14 days.

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To receive our free ‘Top Ten’ Move Health Beneﬁts datasheet, simply visit and download at:

mammothcomfort.co.uk/movebeneﬁts Contact sales@mammothuk.com or your local agent for pricing or to arrange an appointment.

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Central Furniture Manufacturing Ltd For a Full Colour Brochure please call 0121 766 8110

Valencia Range Walnut

Mulliner Works, 154 Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham, B8 1BY Tel Fax Email Web

: : : :

0121 766 8110 0121 766 7450 info@centralfurnituremfg.co.uk www.centralfurnituremfg.co.uk

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Central Furniture Manufacturing Ltd For a Full Colour Brochure please call 0121 766 8110

Valencia Range

Light Oak

Mulliner Works, 154 Bordesley Green Road, Birmingham, B8 1BY Tel Fax Email Web

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: : : :

0121 766 8110 0121 766 7450 info@centralfurnituremfg.co.uk www.centralfurnituremfg.co.uk

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PRODUCTS

MIX AND MATCH Evolution in the UK furniture market may be slow, but trend barometers are signalling a gradual move away from ranged furniture as consumers become increasingly confident about making their own styling choices, and opt for more eclectic and individual schemes. “People are asking more of their homes,” says Cornelia de Ruiter, CEO and co-founder of interior design consultancy Homewings. “Scandinavian simplicity is still strong, but it will be joined by a want for understated opulence with rich velvets, brass accents and different stone finishes.” Phillippa Prinsloo, partner and head of design at John Lewis & Partners’ Home division, describes this movement as ‘maximalism’. As the opposite of minimalism, maximalism’s refrain is ‘more is more’, rather than ‘less is more’. It is about putting a personal stamp on living environments, and reflects a desire to stand out from the crowd, rather than follow it. In a report published last March, the retailer noted changing attitudes towards the living room, and a swing towards individualism. Shoppers were buying more abstract art (up +97% YoY), while sales of designer statement lights were up +28% over the past five years. Two thirds (62%) of customers surveyed for the report said a living room should reflect their personality (rising to 72% for those living alone), while 30% had bought brass, copper, velvet or marble living room pieces. Phillippa states: “While we shoppers are getting lots of inspiration from social media, we’re not just following the crowd. Of our customers planning on decorating their living spaces this year, 48% of those asked are more likely to be bolder, using colour and pattern to stamp their mark, expressing their own sense of style.” The eclectic is also emerging in new trends which marry existing movements.

What’s hot, and what’s not? In the latest edition of Connect – The Furniture Trade Directory, Furniture News investigates the industry’s product selection and development process, and identifies the trends dominating the market. In this excerpt, Connect engages the eclectic, writes Paul Farley …

TREND BAROMETERS ARE SIGNALLING A GRADUAL MOVE AWAY FROM RANGED FURNITURE

The Furniture Trade Directory w w w .g mg c o n n e c t .c o m S EC ON D ED I TI ON

St James’ Range, Corndell

Take Japandi, a hybrid of Japanese and Scandinavian styles, which combines modern rustic with traditional sophistication (plus elements of the cosy Hygge trend). “I am excited to see how Japandi works,” says Harveys’ head of buying, Kellie Oliver, “as I think this look and feel can be perfect for the young professional, as well as family living.” Designer Rob Scarlett, owner of Rob Scarlett Furniture & Print, feels the market’s response to this trend is divided. “There’s furniture people, and then there’s lifestyle brands, like Loaf, Swoon and Made.com, which aren’t selling ranged furniture, but are still becoming mainstream,” he says. Trend forecaster Caroline Till, a director at FranklinTill Studio, explains: “I think people are getting more confident with colour and buying a mix of products. Gone are the days when people buy a full set – they’re now creating more eclectic looks, and becoming more confident in trading up and trading down. “I think people ‘magpie’ quite a lot – the smaller items can be more interchangeable, giving people a sense of change in their homes. I think it’s scary that people feel pressured to change their homes completely, and I really don’t think we should perpetuate that norm”

For more trend guidance, the second edition of Connect – The Furniture Trade Directory is available to anyone taking out a year’s subscription to Furniture News (just £95 for UK readers). For details, see the sidebar on p3, or visit bit.ly/fn-subs. INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS

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KettleD

G R A B H E A D L I N E S W I T H T H E U N B E ATA B L E VA L U E F O R M O N E Y O F E S S E N T I A L S BY K E T T L E I N T E R I O R S

Designed with modern and starter homes in mind with proportions that fit and clean simple styling; Essentials by Kettle Interiors is perfect for both online and instore delivers an unrivalled combination of value, choice and commercial-focused design See Essentials by Kettle Interiors in Hall 4 on Stand C35

Order in the UK from Kettle Interiors 01536 444960 kettleinteriorsagencies.com

Wholesale

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Order in Ireland from Decor Furniture 028 3844 6000 decorfurintureltd.com

Stockist

Container

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PRODUCTS

Uros Mihajlovic’s

WAVE CHAIR

Inspired by the work of Conor Coghlan and Charles and Ray Eames, Uros envisaged a chair whose profile evoked the flow of waves, and would suit a range of modern interiors.Due to difficulties in sourcing skills and materials from Serbia, the chair’s production took almost two years – Uros plans to unveil it at this year’s Belgrade Furniture Fair. www.behance.net/uros_mihajlovic

“ The Wave Chair is different from most recliners because, like Charles and Ray Eames’ reclining chair, it’s made of a combination of six exceptional materials – elm, maple, fibreglass reinforced polyester, duraluminum, leather, and Verowhite plastic. Duraluminum is a lightweight alloy used in aircraft construction, so, due to its workability and weight, was the right choice for making Wave Chair’s axles”

“ The combination of elm and maple produces a contrast that exudes elegance, and, unlike other types of wood, their weight is low. Their elasticity and durability means they’ve proven to be the right choice for the Wave Chair’s legs, which have slight oscillations when the model is used”

“Polyester is most commonly used in the nautical industry for crafting, and in many other areas where it’s necessary to produce complex form in a limited series. It is resistant to shock, heat, UV radiation and the like, and has proved an excellent material for the seat – which is static, with a slight dose of elasticity, and which, because of its final weight, gives the chair exceptional stability (the chair can also be disassembled into just a few basic parts, for easy portability)”

“ Due to its smooth surface and natural radiance, napa leather has proven to be a great choice for covering and decorating details such as handrails and leg clips. This achieved a balance and contrast between the dark tone of the elm and the white of the other elements”

TRAINING: Uros worked at London’s Techump as the chief industrial designer for mobile phone accessories from 2016-17, and this year he graduated with a Masters Degree from the Faculty of Arts and Design in Belgrade, where he majored in Industrial Design.

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E N J O Y S T Y L E Q U A L I T Y & B R O A D A P P E A L F O R F A M I LY H O M E S W I T H K E T T L E I N T E R I O R S

Our tried and trusted formula, sees Kettle Interiors collections continue to bring quality and style perfect for family homes. With broad appeal and excellent build quality, Kettle Interiors ranges are ideal for creating beautiful shop floor displays. See Kettle Interiors in Hall 4 on Stand D20

Order in the UK from Kettle Interiors 01536 444960 kettleinteriorsagencies.com

Wholesale

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Order in Ireland from Decor Furniture 028 3844 6000 decorfurintureltd.com

Stockist

Container

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PRODUCTS BEDROOM

MAMMOTH www.mammothcomfort.com

The range comes with options including an infra-red wireless handset which can be used anywhere in the room, and a massage system for added comfort. A range of sizes are available, along with deep divans and Mammoth headboards to complement the collection.

Become a NBF Retail Supporter and together we can put rogue traders to bed.

Email: simon@bedfed.org.uk for further information 1/2 page landscape.indd 1 24237•NBF Trade Ads Furniture News 1/2 Page.indd 1

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MEMBERS D

The NBF is ﬁghting back – investigating dubious products and businesses and reporting our ﬁndings to trading standards.

TO STOCK UD Available for B RO bed retailers sourcing at least 50% EP N SA FE • S EEP SOU of their beds L from NBF members SL

Rogue traders continue to steal business from legitimate bed manufacturers and retailers. They dupe people into buying products that are simply not what they claim to be.

FREE point of sale pack S ED

Let’s Put Rogue Traders to Bed

Mammoth has launched its adjustable Move range, completing its 2020 retail collection. Following the introduction of its Rise and Shine mattresses last year, Mammoth has developed Move to appeal across the generations. With a growing ageing population, there is increased demand for adjustable beds, and Mammoth says that Move helps alleviate aches and pains, enabling older people or those with mobility issues to be more independent, comfortable and rested.

PACK INCLUDES: Window vinyl, in-store vinyls, pyramid display boards, USB stick with new videos and downloadable artwork

bedfed.org.uk 12/06/2019 24/04/2018 10:18 13:59

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LET STYLE TAKE THE LEAD AND TAKE HOMES TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH SIGNATURE BY KETTLE INTERIORS

Signature by Kettle Interiors is our exciting new brand for 2020. Bringing style-led, statement pieces paired with exceptional build quality and finishing touches, Signature lets style take the lead. Create stunning shop floor displays that will stop customers in their tracks with Signature by Kettle Interiors. See Signature by Kettle Interiors in Hall 4 on Stand C24

Order in the UK from Kettle Interiors 01536 444960 kettleinteriorsagencies.com

Wholesale

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Order in Ireland from Decor Furniture 028 3844 6000 decorfurintureltd.com

Stockist

Container

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PRODUCTS BEDROOM

WIEMANN www.wiemannuk.co.uk

e r m s e m y I o u r lfes w ruo ni ldro o f s l epe

Loft, the contemporary collection from award-winning German bedroom manufacturer Wiemann, provides an extensive selection of versatile wardrobe options. Consumers can choose from single 50cm units, right up to 4m, eightdoor arrangements with bi-fold doors.

Cupboards are available in full length or with three base drawers. The range also offers a spacious corner unit, packed with storage and hanging space. The VIP collection features smart grey and white striped interiors and internal shelf fittings which include a swivel shelf – perfect for TVs – plus plenty of smart wire storage accessories. There is also the usual range of bedside and larger chests of drawers, a bedframe in various sizes, and additional light fittings for beds, bedsides and wardrobes. Loft comes in a choice of dark rustic oak or pebble grey carcass colours, while door and drawer fronts come in these finishes plus white or pebble grey, white or magnolia glass as well as mirrors. From 2020 it will also be available in a new finish, Bianco Oak (pictured).

Brands of distinction

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A suite of brands with great floor appeal Our bed collections are designed with their own bespoke offering. Hamilton & James our premium brand endorses natural fillings of wool, cotton, silk and cashmere. Modern Living featuring memory foam, pocket sprung and open coil mattress. And for contemporary living the Pennine Bed range of Ultra Edge mattresses, offering all round support. All supported with a range of hand-upholstered divan and headboards furnished with the latest on-trend fabrics and colourways. Request a visit to our showroom in Huddersfield. 01484 427 373 | deluxe-beds.co.uk orders@deluxe-beds.co.uk

Manual handling • Proven in UK warehouses 'Designed •• Reduce • Reduce Stock damage Increase Efficiency to work… • Increase organisation sdnarb peels tseggib s’KU eht fo emoH Built to last' AS SEEN IN… MOST WAREHOUSES

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Tel. 0161 702 7002 // Email. sales@steelyproducts.co.uk // Web. steelyproducts.co.uk

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Immerse yourself in our world of sleep

’ll be i We

Hall 5 Stand G80

Sunday 19 Jan – Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 January Furniture Show, Birmingham NEC

The January Furniture Show is back and so are we! Join us for a sneak peek of some of our new products, chat with our experts, and test out over 45 different mattresses and incredible sleep solutions.

Home of the UK’s biggest sleep brands

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PRODUCTS DINING

KETTLE INTERIORS www.kettleinteriorsagencies.com Launching at next month’s January Furniture Show, IB is a statement collection from Signature by Kettle Interiors, the premium brand offer from Kettle Interiors. Featuring a basket weave inlay on tabletops and cabinet fronts, the collection’s aged grey oak and oak veneers are finished with discreet top-mounted grip handles and angular legs in a light-grey gunmetal. Bringing together the traditional and modern, and featuring soft-close drawers and metal runners, this dining and occasional range brings a subtle, modern look to the home.

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FROM

Slat Back Rocking Chair Ref. 126

High Back Fiddle Granddad Chair Ref. 123

Hat & Coat Stand

Child’s Rush Seated Chair

QUALITY EUROPEAN HARDWOOD (BEECH AND OAK) CHAIRS All available from stock Large or small quantities

•

Finishing services available •

Discount for collection

Email or call us to request a brochure and price list Please visit our website to see our full ranges - WWW.MANDPCHAIRS.CO.UK All enquiries to: Mike Hodgson – mikehodgson@gmx.com • Call:

07802 648383 or Paul Hodgson – paul.holroyd.hodgson@gmail.com • Call: 07469 819520

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PRODUCTS TRADE SERVICES

SWOON FALLS FOR RHENUS’ CHARMS In 2017 the Rhenus Group entered the UK home delivery market through acquisition – and, thanks to its efficient operational procedures and consistent service, the logistics service provider has since gone from strength to strength. www.rhenus-home-delivery.co.uk

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Rhenus was recently awarded the two-man home delivery contract for design-led furniture brand, Swoon. Based in Southwark, on the south side of the Thames, Swoon sold its first Lille chair in 2012, and today sells over a thousand designs ranging from sofas to sideboards, sourced from over 20 suppliers. Swoon co-founder Debbie Williamson says: “When we started Swoon, we wanted to give home-lovers distinctive designs at affordable prices. Our team works tirelessly to design original pieces of furniture to help our customers build their own personal sanctuary – their home. “We think it is so important to give our customers an unparalleled buying journey, and part of that is for them to have a seamless delivery experience. Working with Rhenus has given us that opportunity. In the last three months they have helped us improve our KPIs

by reducing our delivery failure rate by over -50%. “Our experience with Rhenus has been a breath of fresh air – from the smooth and professional onboarding process, all the way through to the NPS feedback from our customers. This is the reason we have signed a long-term contract with them to be our sole carrier partner for all our two-man home deliveries.” This partnership has enabled Rhenus to integrate Swoon’s diverse product base, volume and multiple-day deliveries into its business, enabling the provider to offer its existing clients quicker lead times. The Rhenus Group is a global business with an annual turnover of €5.1b, sites in over 660 locations and more than 31,000 employees. “We see ourselves as invaluable partners to provide our customers with value-added services,” states Vinny Riley, MD of Rhenus Home Delivery UK. “We analyse highly complex logistics operations and optimise them using individual solutions that cover sourcing, production and distribution. “We also look ahead at what is happening in the industry – which helps with logistical operations – so we can make an important contribution for tomorrow. Not only do we run a two-man home delivery service, but we also find solutions for a wide variety of different sectors along the complete supply chain. These include multimodal transport operations, warehousing, customs clearance, and innovative, value-added services.” Rhenus operates a network of two-man home delivery teams across Europe.In the UK, it operates from four regional depots, and works with specialist delivery partners to ensure reach across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Services range from standard room-of-choice deliveries to basic installations, removal of packaging and disposal of old beds and furniture. Rhenus also specialises in partorder and multiple-supplier deliveries (order consolidation), and will hold all products until the complete order is ready for dispatch. With a modern IT infrastructure working alongside a variety of data transfer methods and inhouse systems, the logistics specialist also provides a track-and-trace system for customers, so that they can see an order’s live progress

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PRODUCTS TRADE SERVICES

THE FURNITURE MAKERS’ COMPANY www.furnituremakers.org.uk/one-step-at-a-time/ More than 50 companies have signed up to One Step at a Time, The Furniture Makers’ Company’s new campaign that aims to highlight the charity’s welfare support provision. The campaign, which launched in May, is challenging companies in the furnishing sector to raise awareness of the organisation’s occupational welfare support so every industry colleague knows where to turn in times of financial need. The organisation is aiming to sign up 100 companies by May 2020, and currently has 53 – visit the website to sign up for free, and help spread the word that the charity is there to help, no matter the size of the business. Since 1903, The Furniture Makers’ Company (in various forms) has supported those facing financial hardship

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OPINION

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! With Brexit postponed and a general election set to dominate this month’s headlines, Furniture News’ Paul Farley asks a range of industry leaders about the underlying threats facing the furniture industry, and hear how they’re facing them.

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Brexit may have been pushed back (again, perhaps for the last time?), but there’s no time for complacency. The ongoing negotiations for the nation’s future have put a serious drain on consumer confidence, leaving discretionary spend – and much of the furniture industry – in a financial straitjacket. Yet there are other issues contributing to this situation, many of which have been all too easy to gloss over by simply invoking the ‘B’ word. It may be the straw that broke many a camel’s back in the last three years, but there’s plenty more giving the nation’s retailers and suppliers the hump. Talking shop Times – and people – are changing. Shoppers are spending smarter, researching alternatives and asserting their rights to returns. In many cases they’ve tightened their belts, creating intense competition for their disposable income – rivalry from the likes of cars, holidays and nights out has never been more relevant. It’s not all bad – consumer confidence is nowhere near the troughs of the last recession, points out GfK – but there’s ongoing squeeze from the top to contend with, too. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) states that while retail accounts for 5% of the economy, it pays some 25% of its business rates. And, because these rates are based on physical space, their impact is felt disproportionately by bricks-and-mortar retailers. “Many household names on the UK high street have announced closures in the past 12 months,” says Mike Murray, director of Land of Beds, an independent retailer with a strong online presence. “This has been attributed to everything from competition from online retailers to the changing buying habits

of consumers, as well as the cost of town centre parking and challenging business rates.” Reflecting on how to respond to these pressures, Land of Beds recently shared its experiences of operating a multichannel business in a Parliamentary Review of retail. “We feel that continuing to assess and future-proof our infrastructure is the key to longevity,” says Mike, “as well as bringing our online and offline worlds closer together.” Online enterprises have their own headaches, explains Steve Adams, CEO of MattressOnline: “Our single biggest threat in the short-term is competitors focused on growth over profit,” he states. “We have the well-documented bed-in-a-box disruptors, which have swelled the cost of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and this is certainly curtailing our growth opportunities. “Then, on the opposite end, there are the likes of Wayfair with their scattergun approach to product listings. Their challenging margins risk devaluing the average transaction value (ATV) for all retailers. No doubt, waiting in the wings, we also have the threat of Amazon looking to expand their furniture market share!” Steve’s response is simple in theory, if not in execution. “We can’t compete with their budgets,” he says, “so we focus on good content, the right product mix, the best customer experience, and exceeding our customers’ expectations.” Breaking the chain But it’s not just consumer-facing businesses which are having to come to terms with change. Further up the chain, suppliers are under pressure to deliver higher-quality goods and services at lower margins, as shop prices increasingly fall prey to a discount culture. Dids Macdonald OBE, CEO of IP champion Anti Copying In Design (ACID), believes that the biggest threat to the industry’s integrity is design theft. Original design costs money, so many seek to cut costs by imitating the products which are already selling, she says: “One of the biggest threats globally is counterfeiting, piracy and knock-offs. “This accounts for 3.3% of world trade, according to the OECD. At ACID we are trying to influence this by working with Government/policymakers.

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INFORMING INDUSTRY, BUILDING BUSINESS 75 At a grassroots level, we’re trying to educate the need in the sector (which is the most copied in ACID’s history) to create a proactive IP strategy to prevent and deter copying – but equally, to put in place a strategy which will support growth through IP assets.” Meanwhile, Jan Turner, director of industry marketing specialist AKA PR, believes manufacturers’ biggest challenge is addressing consumer demand for more sustainable manufacturing practices, “as end-of-life concerns become more front-of-mind with consumers”. Gavin Boden, owner of GB Agencies, agrees that the green agenda will eventually be the chief priority, even if adhering to it proves costly at the outset. “Poor quality coming from underdeveloped countries will cause a lot of insecurity in the industry,” he says, “but we will also see a lot of change in the next 20 years because of the increasing green demands of the world. I do believe that, here in the UK, furniture production will flourish once again.” If British manufacturing is to recover, the national industry’s growing skills gap must first be redressed – and quickly, says Dids Macdonald, who also fulfils the role of master at The Furniture Makers’ Company, the sector’s dedicated charity. She says: “We have a proactive education and training programme – not only to raise awareness, but supported by a series of educational and training initiatives to work towards a futureready workforce. We play an active role in supporting the Furniture and Interiors Education, Skills and Training Alliance (FIESTA) to encourage nonlevy-paying employers to access a much wider selection of funded skills training through Skills Plus.” The livery company is just one of the associations lending its voice to the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), which lobbies Government to safeguard jobs, ensure export opportunities are maximised, and maintain consumer safety – while working towards that circular economy and sustainable future already described. Battle plans With or without Brexit, the landscape is treacherous, and manifold pressures can drive even the most focused business owner to distraction – and

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to prioritise short-term rewards over strategic growth. According to furniture designer Rob Scarlett, many enterprises he encounters suffer from a lack of investment and long-term thinking. “I try to advise,” he says, “but you can only lead a horse to water …” The outlook for those businesses unable to plan effectively is bleak indeed. Emma Leeke, MD of Leekes Retail, warns that the threat of recession hangs over us all, so businesses “need to be lean and continually review their cost base to make savings wherever possible”. Jessica Alexander, executive director of the National Bed Federation, whose key drivers are “doing the

right thing and having a level playing field to do it on”, has a more sanguine take, suggesting that good businesses will always thrive, whatever’s arrayed against them. “There are many winds of change in the air which will see the industry change so much in the next decade it will be almost unrecognisable from the one we see today,” she says, “but people will always need furniture – so one company’s threat is another’s opportunity”

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OPINION

PUTTING PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF SMART DESIGN Using technology in smart furniture design is all well and good, says Artem Vasiliev – but only if it’s executed with the user in mind …

I SUDDENLY REALISED THAT THE INTERIOR ITSELF, HOWEVER PERFECTLY DESIGNED, IS NOT ENOUGH

BY ARTEM VASILIEV www.iafpalliance.com

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During a business trip earlier this year, I was staying in a very trendy boutique hotel. Everything there was designed to surprise a guest in quite an informal (yet stylish) way – the most fashionable materials and decors, concrete floor and ceiling, combined with some colourful occasional pieces that made the interior cosy and warm, a shower cabin in the middle of the room, and a toilet in the wardrobe(!) with the light turning on automatically when you open the door (exactly as it might work in a wardrobe) … One might say it was a funny and creative way to interpret micro-living and smart home global trends. To cut a long story short, the room’s interior was beyond any expectation. But somehow, from the very beginning when I was checking in, until my release from that cleverly arranged interior space, I felt that something important was missing. In that very special, unique hotel environment, I couldn’t feel completely comfortable. Was it down to how the staff approached me – I mean, their attitude, some coldness in communication? Perhaps. But why? Was I laughing too loudly? Well, I often do … Was my hair too long? In fact, it’s shorter than ever... Or maybe my passport gave away my nationality, and this was the cause of any neglect? Whatever it was, I suddenly realised that the interior itself, however perfectly designed, is not enough. It’s the people who work or live in such an interior that really matter. Ultimately, having an element of real human emotion behind those trendy interiors makes all the difference. Imagine that your office is fully equipped (if it isn’t already) with the latest technology and the most trendy, well-designed office furniture. Let’s say

it’s even furnished with products bearing your own trademark. The interior is wonderful, ergonomically designed, sophisticated, and so advanced! Then you invite a potential customer to negotiate in this office — but you refuse to shake their hand when they arrive. How likely is it that this negotiation concludes successfully? Design never exists independently of people, just as a business is never without the attitude of its staff – regardless of where we come from, or which culture we belong to (especially in such an international business). Because, in the end, in business, it’s real, human emotion that does all the work. Honestly, that idea of putting a motion sensor in the toilet, to control the light automatically, was a very poor design choice. Many people in this world (including me) prefer to keep the bathroom dark at night time so they don’t wake up, and the inability to control the sensor really hurt. It seems that, when it comes to interior design, the line between smart and stupid is very thin. However, fortunately, the same advice applies – the smarter approach is always placing people, not technologies, at the heart of your design

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OPINION

HOW INDEPENDENTS CAN

PUNCH ABOVE THEIR (DIGITAL) WEIGHT EKM.com’s Rachel Smith explains how independent retailers can make the most of digital opportunities to compete in today’s complex omnichannel buying environment.

THE FIRST FEELING A CUSTOMER ARRIVING AT THE SITE SHOULD EXPERIENCE IS INSPIRATION

BY RACHEL SMITH www.ekm.com

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Much has been written about how furniture buying has become an omnichannel process, with digital and online customer experiences and buying processes converging (possibly more than in any other industry). For many, buying furniture is now a multichannel process, and customers will often research online, then visit a store to touch the goods, before buying in-store or online. Blending digital and tactile might seem to provide advantages to the multiples, who can offer a consistent in-store experience nationwide, their digital and in-store experiences aligned – yet there are ways in which independents can fight back … Photographic inspiration Photo quality can’t be overemphasised. You can get to the technical details of goods deeper in your website, but the first feeling a customer arriving should experience is inspiration. With great photography, it’s arguably possible to hit higher than you can in-store. While products must be truthfully represented, great photos can provide a more inspirational experience than even the best roomset under standard store lighting. The first impact your online store should aim to make must always be more emotional than practical. Measure up Once you’ve got your customer’s emotional attention, it’s time to cater to their practical side. If they cannot actually come in-store to measure up for themselves, it’s important you provide them all the technical details they could need. But while you should never stint on the practical details, you don’t want to clutter the aesthetic impact of your customer’s online experience. Good website design should make accessing comprehensive technical details intuitive and easy, without compromising aesthetics.

Get physical In a digital world, seek ways to get physical wherever possible. Just because you don’t have stores throughout the country, it doesn’t mean you can’t provide a tangible experience for customers shopping online. Offering free fabric samples allows customers to make physical contact with goods they’re considering. Although there is a cost for you, it’s a lot cheaper than running stores nationally, and often provides a psychological way of moving a customer a stage further towards a sale. Localise digital If you’ve got a store, localising digital marketing is a smart move to entice more customers across the threshold. Get out into the world When marketing your products, think beyond your own website and store. Ways to get out in the world include loaning pieces to lifestyle magazines for roomsets. Do some research and reach out. Most will pay you a deposit and provide you with a photo credit. Reach out to housebuilders too. Many new-build home buyers decide on their furniture after visiting the show home. Customisation One area where independents can compete against multiples is their ability to customise. Make sure customers know customisation is possible – many are happy to pay a premium for it. Cash in on niche Celebrate your niche products. They are what make you unique, and are the very reason customers would come to a smaller independent over a multiple. Niche keywords are also easier to compete for when it comes to SEO. Make it personal Your niche can be yourself. Providing customers with an understanding about you, your methods and what makes you unique means they’ll feel a more personal connection with you. Be smart with influencers Influencers are a controversial subject in marketing. When reaching out to them, go for quality over quantity. An influencer strongly aligned with your brand values with a few dedicated followers is generally better than followership alone

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OPINION

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD Bruce Lovell, consultant at FIRA International and author of a new guide from the Furniture Industry Research Association, explains the beneﬁts Industry 4.0 can bring.

LABOUR HAS BECOME RELATIVELY CHEAP, WHICH HAS ENCOURAGED COMPANIES TO USE THIS RESOURCE, RATHER THAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT

However, the UK pattern since 2010 has not followed the usual trend. Since the onset of the recession, productivity growth in the UK has been particularly sluggish. If the pre-2007 trend had continued, productivity would now be +16% higher than it is. Wages and living standards would also be higher. Whilst high levels of employment can be seen as beneficial to the economy, a full job market won’t be able to provide more growth in the medium and long run, especially if the UK leaving the EU prevents access to a wider pool of employees. As a result, the only way to continuously expand the economy from the supply side is to foster an economy that is able to produce more, but by using the same, or lower, amounts of labour input. We are now experiencing the fourth industrial revolution, centred around the emergence of the internet. This is the first revolution rooted in technology (digitalisation) rather than a new type of energy, and takes what was started in the third, with the adoption of computers and automation, and enhances it with smart autonomous systems fuelled by data and machine learning. Increasing profit in industrial manufacturing can reach a ceiling when things like JIT, lean production and outsourcing production to lower-cost base countries becomes exhausted. In companies that have exploited these concepts, Industry 4.0 becomes a promising solution to progress further decreases in production costs, logistics costs and Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ). Other advantages connected with the concept include shorter New Product Development (NPD) processes and time to market, which can enable more complex custom manufacturing, without increasing mass production costs

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

BY BRUCE LOVELL www.ﬁra.co.uk/industry40

Recent media reports have highlighted the UK’s comparatively poor productivity performance and cited this as a hindrance to economic growth. This is particularly relevant as the UK plans to leave the EU, making manufacturing competitiveness even more critical. Experts have identified a number of drivers for the poor productivity. Many are throwbacks to the impact of the financial crisis that started in 2008. An uncertain financial climate has discouraged capital investment in systems and machinery. In addition, with free movement within the EU, labour has become relatively cheap, which has encouraged companies to use this resource, rather than capital investment, to achieve production levels. The UK furniture industry boasts proportionately higher employee numbers than many other sectors and, whilst this is important to Government in terms of helping to reduce unemployment, it also means that productivity per man hour will have a tendency to be low. Alongside this productivity scenario we are entering a new industrial revolution – commonly called Industry 4.0 – where technology can revolutionise production. Productivity within the UK economy, in its simplest form, is a process which converts work into the output of goods or services. In the past, productivity has always trended upwards over time, with more goods and services produced per hours worked, leading to an increase in wages – and, therefore, living standards. All economies historically have shown boom-and-bust cyclical fluctuations, and it is not unusual for productivity to fall, as it did in the slump of the financial crisis.

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OPINION

THIS MONTH, WE’RE ASKING … David Ashton (JYSK UK) Our ranges change and refresh every season. However, our garden furniture – particularly our garden lounge suites – are constant high performers thanks to their quality, durability, style and price

Kate Pilling (January/Manchester Furniture Show) Space!

Gavin Boden (GB Agencies) Leather recliner sofas (Woodstock from TCS) James Hudson (Gallery Direct) Our product range has grown and changed so much over the years it is hard to pin-point one bestselling product

Simon Ainge (Kettle Interiors) Mid-range, mid-colour oak dining

Mike Murray (Land of Beds) A fantastic mattress from Hypnos James Hollas (Bensons for Beds) Your Bed Your Way has been the most successful product that I’ve launched. The combination of 108 choices from one bed space has proved incredibly attractive to our customers. Offering designer-level choice at a commercial price has proved a game-changer for Bensons Rob Scarlett (Scarlett Furniture & Print) Either Brunel for Heal’s, or Shades for Nathan – probably the Nathan product, as it’s been going for nearly nine years now

Historically, what’s your BESTSELLING PRODUCT? Steve Adams (MattressOnline) A simple firm-ish open-coil mattress, supported by thousands of unbiased reviews

Jerry Cheshire (Surrey Beds) Harrison Spinks mattresses. Our entire marketing focus is on attracting a Harrison Spinks buyer

Steve Pickering (Sussex Beds) Mattresses are by far our bestselling product category. Historically, though, there are several specific product lines which stick in my mind as highvolume bestsellers – none of which are mattresses, and none of which we sell today. In 2004/5 we launched SleepingSolutions.co.uk, and during the first 12 months sold hundreds of Silentnight’s My First Bed. Prior to that, I remember importing containers of simple spindle pine bunk beds from Brazil. And finally, the Nestledown Java futon

Paul Galley (Antelope Design/ Symmetry CGI) CGI is growing fast – it’s now 60% of our workload

Tom Bourne (Select First) As an agency, we sell ourselves, but traditionally it’s been a combination of PR and brand work. However, in the last two years we’ve seen huge growth in social media, and, for some clients, it’s the mainstay of our relationship Thomas Small (TCS) Woodstock recliner sofa Clare Taylor (Breasley) Uno Pocket 1000 Peter Harding (Fairway Furniture) A great-value brown leather recliner sofa from Premier – still selling after nine years!

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