Pike & the interiors industry

Research Portfolio Pike Textiles Harriet Dunn N0314365 FASH30001

1

2

Fig 1. Schwer, 2014

Industry Analysis

3

4

5

| Abigail Ahern |

Best Interior Blogs

| Bodie and Fou |

| Bright Bazaar |

6

| Decor8 |

| Emma’s Designblogg |

| My Friend’s House |

| Lonny |

7

| The Selby |

8

Taken from Paste Magazine, 2014

9

Fig 2. Interior of Ozarks cabin, 1936

Magazines | Showroom | Television | Websites | Celebrities

Consumer Inspiration “Tiny is nothing new, and historically, it’s rarely been a choice.”

10

“People go to show homes, they come back and go ‘oh i’ve seen this’ ... they’ll just do that on a Sunday afternoon cos they’ve got nothing else to do and they just like to go and see...”

All About Discovery Biggest Opportunities Decor

Babies

Wedding

Cartwright, 2013

Recipe

Fashion

70 MILLION Active users 11

Key Players

12

13

1. | Helen Pashgian: Light Invisible | March 30 - June 29 2014

Cultural Calendar

2. | Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol | January 31 - May 17 2014 3. | Kaz Oshiro: Chasing Ghosts | January 24 - June 6 2014 4. | Mexican Textiles: Frida Kahlo and the Art of the Rebozo | June 6 - August 30 2014

4.

1.

5.

5. | Paolo Scheggi | December 11 - February 8 2014 6. | 20th Century Knitwear: Coco Chanel to Vivienne Westwood | September 19 2014 January 17 2015

2.

6.

7. | Adeline de Monseignat | November 2014 14

3.

7.

Best Interior Apps When researching apps that are currently available for customers to use, it quickly becamse apparent that the majority of them have been created for practicality - and not as sources of inspiration.

“Apps and services are being set up to assist people as customers in a community.�

Berry, 2012

15

Interiors in conversation

Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration?

Do you find the pattern book an W effective form of visualising to sampl the client potential designs?

“Yes, especially if a designer has access “I always enjoy looking though pattern to lots of different books, the ones that are the most pattern books from different companies colourful and well composed are my and markets.” favourites, I tend to skip over the text.”

16

“And t why t

What do you think of the Do you find the pattern book an Is there a specific way le books you have in-store? effective form of visualising to customers look through a book? the client potential designs?

the pattern books, I have no idea they would only do some in the small version.”

“For fabrics you can’t beat the real thing “Actually there’s three types of at some stage but we don’t necessarily customer. So you have the fabric need pattern books in the first stage.” obsessives and they go through 6 hours or more through every single book all week. Then we have the pickers which look through a couple of samples at a 17 time.”

Retail Observations

18

19

20

Fig 2. Interior of Ozarks cabin, 1936

The Pattern Book 21

The pattern book claims to...

22

23

24

“It’s quite overwhelming, all the fabrics next to each other can be too much.”

Consumer survey, 2014 See appendix for full results

25

“Duralee Fabrics is one of my favorite pattern books. It was quite easy as they are separated by colors and like patterns.”

Consumer survey, 2014 See appendix for full results

26

27

28

Pike Brand Analysis 29

High Market

Mid Market

Perceptual Map

Low Market

We wanted to plot Pike’s customers in relation to market sector, in order to gain context about and develop a better understanding of each brand.

30

Curve of innovation technology trends within interiors Technology and apps have yet to be universally incorporated within interior design brands.

Apps that are currently on the market include the DFS Room Planner and myPANTONE however there is a significant gap in the market for brands to develop technology that could be used to aid the consumer decision process and sit alongside their sample books.

31

32

33

“Rather than passive end - users, consumers are becoming makers themselves.�

Lohan, 2014

34

The Consumer 35

The Understated Neutralist Small Touches | Understated | BlasĂŠ | Sentiment | Neutral

36

37

The Considered Comfort Seeker Impress | Statement | Considered | Comfort | Safe

38

39

The Confident Minimalist Confident | Luxury | Minimalistic | Key Pieces | Muted

40

41

The Savvy Player Affordable | Small Pleasures | Quirky | Playful | Savvy

42

43

The Global Innovator Assertive | Innovators | Global | Mix & Match | Loud

44

45

The Brash Attention Seeker Kitsch | Ironic | Attention Grabbing | Gaudy | Brash

46

47

The Understated Neutralist:

The Considered Comfort Seeker:

The Confident Minimalist:

| Requires guidance | | Stays within their comfort zone |

| Traditional taste | | Sticks to safe & clean styles |

| Comfortable with negative space | | Has a decisive style | | Enjoys understated pieces |

48

The Consumer Confidence Scale

The Savvy Player:

The Global Innovator:

The Brash Attention Seeker:

| Likes affordable pieces | | Plays with quirky styles | | Confident with colour |

| Enjoys a mix of styles | | Confident with their taset | | Not afraid to be loud |

| Confident & decisive | | Not scared to experiment | | Likes to be gaudy and brash in their home |

49

50

“This instant gratification means we don’t take the time to enjoy what we buy.

Consumers are starting to value experiences over possessions.”

51

Lohan, 2014

52

Neuromarketing is currently enabling researchers to develop a scientific approach to the study of consumer purchasing and behaviour decisions.

53

54

“Touch - one of the primary methods by which we determine whether something exists or not – is becoming increasingly important as we move through the digital world.”

Arthur, 2014

55

56

57

“The relationship between humans and machines is evolving into something new and this is changing the face ofconsumerism, how we work and what we do for a living.�

Lohan, 2014

58

Technology

59

60

61

Translate to Interiors Clockwise from top left: The Cisco Remote Expert: | Anywhere, any device, over video. Stay in touch with a sales associate | Google Glass: | Will allow consumers to visualise pieces in rooms and measure digitally | Haptic: | Feel through technology | QX Shelf: | Connects online and offline | Augmented Reality: | Allows consumers to visualise designs and rooms digitally |

62

Connected Assistant: | In-store touchscreens let consumers read content, shop and alert a sales associate if required.

63

Corning, 2013

64

65

66

Fig 3. PANTONE速 VIEW, 2014

Out of Sector

67

68

69

70

71

72

Fig 4. Interiors, 2014

Opportunities & Recommendations

73

74

75

76

Fig 5. Turquoise interior, 2014

References & Appendix 77

References: Arthur, R and Hughes, A, 2014. Top Tech Picks: Retail’s Big Show 2014. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Retail_and_VM/Retail_Strategy/Retail_Conferences/2014/January/top-tech-picks-retails-big-show-2014.html [Accessed on 17/1/2013].

Berry, 2012. Retail best practice: creating a relationship. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/HBL/Retail/2012/December/retail_best-practicecreatingarelationship.html [Accessed January 2014] Cartwright, 2013. Owner of Elizabeth Interiors. Interview with Emma Jennings, Rakhee Shah and Harriet Dunn. Nottingham. November 2014.

Corning, 2013. A Day made of Glass. [Online] Available at: http://www.corning.com/ADayMadeofGlass/index.aspx [Accessed on 17/1/2014] InteriorDesignLiving, 2013. Future interior design and technology – is it possible? [Online] Available at: http://www.interiordesignliving.com/2013/01/future-interior-design-and-technology.html [Accessed 19/11/2014]

Lieberman, M. 2013. Neuromarketing: ‘Out of the box’, but in line with inbound. [Online] Available at: http://www.square2marketing.com/blog/bid/147321/Neuromarketing-Out-Of-The-Box-But-In-Line-With-Inbound [Accessed on 16/1/2014] Lohan, S, 2014. A/W 15/16 Consumer Forecast. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Think_Tank/Consumer_Forecast/Autumn_Winter_2015_16/a_w_15_16_consumer_forecast.html [Accessed on 17/1/2013].

Paste Magazine, 2014 [Online] Available at: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/01/10-interior-design-trends-for-2014.html [Accessed January 2014] Rumsey, A, 2014. Technology Integration: 2014 Priorities. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Business_Strategy/Thought_Leadership/Conference_Reports/2014/January/technology-integration--cio-priorities.html [Accessed on 29/1/2014].

Bibliography: Books: McCandless, D. (2012). Information is Beautiful. London: Collins.

Hess, J. and Pasztorek, S. (2010). Graphic Design for Fashion. London: Laurence King Publishing.

Graves, P. 2010. Consumer.ology: The marketing research myth, the truth about consumers and the psychology of shopping. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing Websites: Ahmed, W. 2013. Top 30 Interior Design Blogs you should follow [Online] Available at: http://www.techattend.com/best-interior-design-blogs/ [Accessed on 29/10/2013] Arthur, R and Hughes, A, 2014. Top Tech Picks: Retail’s Big Show 2014. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Retail_and_VM/Retail_Strategy/Retail_Conferences/2014/January/top-tech-picks-retails-big-show-2014.html [Accessed on 17/1/2013].

Baldwin, C, 2009. Possible Changes in the Interior Design Industry Structure as we know it [Online]. Available at: http://www.donghiadigest.com/ideas-for-designers/changes-in-the-design-industry-structure-as-we-know-it/ [Accessed on 19/11/2013].

Bemz [Online]. Available at: http://www.bemz.com/en/ [Accessed on 4/11/2013].

Boodro, M. 2014. Big in 2014: the trends that will define the year ahead. [Online] Available at: http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/2014-design-trends-decor#slide-1 [Accessed on: 5/1/2014] Cath Kidston [Online]. Available at: http://www.cathkidston.com/ [Accessed on 2/11/2013].

Clarissa Hulse [Online]. Available at: http://clarissahulse.com/ [Accessed on 2/11/2013].

78

Corning, 2013. A Day made of Glass. [Online] Available at: http://www.corning.com/ADayMadeofGlass/index.aspx [Accessed on 17/1/2014] Crewe, S, 2012. The Directory of the 100 Leading Interior Designers. [Online]. Available at: http://cnda.condenast.co.uk/static/hg/100designers.pdf [Accessed on 14/11/2013].

DenyDesigns, 2012. Unknown. [Online] Available at: http://denydesigns.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2.jpg [Accessed 17/12/2013] Drew, P. 2013. Best Augmented Reality Apps. [Online] Available at: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-augmented-reality-apps/ [Accessed 11/11/2014] Edelson, Z. 2013. Is Google Glass going to change architecture forever? [Online] Available at: http://architizer.com/blog/is-google-glass-going-to-change-architecture-forever/ [Accessed on 12/12/2013] Elle Décor [Online]. Available at: http://www.elledecor.com/ [Accessed on 14/11/2013].

Ernesto Artillo [Online]. Available at: www.ernestoartillo.com [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Ethan Allen [Online]. Available at: http://www.ethanallen.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-ethanallen-us-Site/en_US/StyleQuiz-Start [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Fitzpatrick, M, 2013. IKEA’s 3D Furniture App: First Look. [Online]. Available at: http://www.tele¬graph.co.uk/property/interiorsandshopping/10247596/Ikeas-3D-furniture-app-first-look.html [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Graham-Rowe, Duncan. 2009. Micro projectors set to be big. [Online] Available at: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/413625/micro-projectors-set-to-be-big/ [Accessed on 23/11/2013] HomeBuildLife, WGSN [Online]. Available at: http://homebuildlife.tumblr.com/ [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Home Designing [Online]. Available at: http://www.home-designing.com/category/technology-at-home [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Interior Collective [Online]. Available at: http://interiorcollective.com/ask-an-expert [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

InteriorDesignLiving, 2013. Future interior design and technology – is it possible? [Online] Available at: http://www.interiordesignliving.com/2013/01/future-interior-design-and-technology.html [Accessed 19/11/2014] Lara, C, 2013. 13 Home and Décor Trends to Watch for in 2013. [Online]. Available at: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/5787296/list/13-Home-Design-and-Decor-Trends-to-Watch-for-in-2013 [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Lieberman, M. 2013. Neuromarketing: ‘Out of the box’, but in line with inbound. [Online] Available at: http://www.square2marketing.com/blog/bid/147321/Neuromarketing-Out-Of-The-Box-But-In-Line-With-Inbound [Accessed on 16/1/2014] Lohan, S, 2014. A/W 15/16 Consumer Forecast. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Think_Tank/Consumer_Forecast/Autumn_Winter_2015_16/a_w_15_16_consumer_forecast.html [Accessed on 17/1/2013].

Lonny [Online]. Available at: http://www.lonny.com/ [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Mason, N. Buying for the Home Online – February 2013 [Mintel Online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/637949/#atom0 [Accessed on 13/11/2013] McGinn, J and Kasper, J, 2014. 2014 Global Exhibition Calendar [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Art_and_Culture/Events/2013/December/2014-global-exhibition-calendar_travel_and_ arts.html#overview [Accessed on 5/1/2014].

MommyMusings, 2013. The history of interior design. [Online] Available at: http://www.mommymusings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/historydesign.jpg [Accessed on 2/11/2013] Orla Kiely [Online]. Available at: http://www.orlakiely.com/uk/ [Accessed on 2/11/2013].

Reeves, P. 2013. How 3D printing is disrupting mainstream manufacturing processes. [Online] Available at: http://freshome.com/2012/11/06/how-3d-printing-is-disrupting-mainstream-manufacturing-processes/ [Accessed on 25/1/2014] 79

Rumsey, A, 2014. Technology Integration: 2014 Priorities. [Online]. Available at: http://www.wgsn.com.ezproxy.ntu.ac.uk/content/report/Business_Strategy/Thought_Leadership/Conference_Reports/2014/January/technology-integration--cio-priorities.html [Accessed on 29/1/2014].

SBID [Online]. Available at: http://www.sbid.org/2013/08/the-history-of-interior-design/ [Accessed on 19/11/2013].

Selvedge [Online]. Available at: http://www.selvedge.org/blog/ [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

Selling Interior Design [Online]. Available at: http://sellinginteriordesign.com/tag/changes/ [Accessed on 19/11/2013].

Terrys Fabrics [Online]. Available at: http://www.terrysfabrics.co.uk/infographic/history-interior-design/ [Accessed on 19/11/2013].

Thakkar, M, 2013. Your home is a reflection of your personality [Online]. Available at: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-05/home-garden/29751320_1_interior-design-luxury-homes-furnishings [Accessed on 23/1/2013].

User Generated Content: Dan Hopwood’s Seminar on ‘The Future of Interior Design,’ 2013. [user generated content Youtube]. Medi¬ateltd. 21/6/2013. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT-kgaN-F_M [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

How to be Successful Interior Designer, 2013. [user generated content Youtube]. StyleDesignCollege, 20/10/2013. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj4aadMoOvk [Accessed on 24/10/2013].

List of illustrations: All moodboards are my own creation unless otherwise referenced.

Fig 1. Line Thit Klein Stylist Nathalie Schwer, 2014 [Digital image] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/487655465873027723/ [Accessed January 2014] Fig 2. Interior of Ozarks cabin, 1936 [Digital image] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/226376318741447587/ [Accessed January 2014] Fig 3. PANTONE® VIEW, 2014. [Digital image] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/365424957235801550/ [Accessed January 2014] Fig 4. Interiors, 2014 [Digital image] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/527484175077770852/ [Accessed January 2014] Fig 5. Turquoise interior, 2014 [Digital image] Available at: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/513410426241889328/ [Accessed January 2014]

80

Interviews: Alix Massieux - Textile designer: 1. When did your love for interiors and textiles begin?

A fews year ago, i was still studying fashion then i did a great placement in a trend company that made me discover textile.Then i studied textile at Central St martins and i realized textile was everywhere. As a designer with a fashion background i noticed that you could make beautiful fabric not only for a fashion application but also for upholstery. So you could get fabrics that are as precious as in fashion but with slightlydifferent constraint.

2. Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration? Do you find them overwhelming or easy to navigate through?

They do help me sometimes to figure different kind of composition. instead of making the same type of combination with my motif.

3. Do you think that consumers without as much knowledge as yourself would find pattern books inspiringor overwhelming?

I realize that people who don’t have a bit of art culture don’t have sensibility to that king of thing. they just see picture. They can’t figure the purpose of them or how you can transform them and use them as print because they don’t have the knowledge.

4. What other sources do you use to help you gain inspiration?

Exhibition. it’s very inspiring to see what people are exhibiting today, it tells a lot about the global mood. but travels definitely inspired me a lot; building, sculpture, colors etc..

5. How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

I am more into fashion even though i like interior.So i might make tiny collection for interior to match my collection for fashion.

Do you currently use technology to help with the design process?The only technology i use is photoshop ti help me resize,recolor picture or shape.

6. Do you think there is room for more innovative technology within the design and buying process in the future?

There is always a room for progress especially in the design process because it’s a continuing work of innovation even though you can use vintage print for instance.But it’s alway very interesting to see what new quality we can add to our creation to make them alway for appealing or innovative.

81

Carlo Volpi - Textile deisgner: 1. When did your love for interiors and textiles begin?

I’d say I got involved in Textiles almost by accident, Iwanted to do a sewing class to learn how to make my own outfits to go clubbing and ended up studying on a foundation course in Textiles for fashion. It was during this course that I realised I was more interested in Textiles rather than fashion.

2. Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration? Do you find them overwhelming or easy to navigate through?

As far as knitting goes, I like stitch patterns books, they are a quick way to suggest fabric ideas or structures. I think they are a good starting point to then develop your own stitches. Having said that, I never use patterns for garments, as a designer I preferto design my own rather than following somebody else’s.

3. Do you think that consumers without as much knowledge as yourself would find pattern books inspiring or overwhelming?

I teach a hand knitting class and I find that 99% of my students want to learn how to knit specific items from a pattern. Yes, they do find patterns overwhelming but as soon they learn to read them, they progress very quickly.

4. What other sources do you use to help you gain inspiration?

I’m not a sketchbook person but I have a really goodmemory so I will always remember an image I like or asentence somebody said that particularly resonated with me. I use my eyes and ears to eat information and my brain to process it, but I think everything happens very subconsciously...I only know it happens when I see how my work changes depending on who or what I see...

5. How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

My ideal home needs to be very simple, with very little furniture and really, really clean... Everything in itis functional rather than decorative but it must look very cosy...I almost feel guilty for saying this, but I quite like Ikea :-/ 6. Do you currently use technology to help with the design process?

Yes, I’m not a big fan on computers but I use photoshop and sometimes illustrator. I do love Procreate, which is a fantastic ipad drawing app that I use for sketching, Touch and Go knitting, another app that helps with knitting calculations, and idesign, a much simpler version of Illustrator.

7. Do you think there is room for more innovative technology within the design and buying process in the future? yes, definitely, I think that even though knitting machinery has evolved considerably only the biggest companies can reap the benefits of such progress. Shima Seiki have an incredible software for designing and manufacturing garments, whilst small designers like me are still using machinery that was made in the 80’s, using the same processes of those years. I hope in the future there will be a demand of such software for a domestic use as that will revolutionise the designprocess as much as photoshop has for printing.

82

Carolyn Parker - Interior designer: 1. Have you noticed any changes in the interior design process within the last decade?

The process hasn’t changed in principal but the technology has greatly affected the way we execute the process.

2. Have you noticed a difference in the way the consumer is involved in the interior design process?

The consumer is much more involved but I think that’s good in a lot of ways.

3. Have you used any technology to help with the designprocess and when interacting with your clients?

What has worked and what hasn’t?We still do not use cad and computer aided drawings but the internet for sourcing emails for communication and the convenience of I pads and I phones have had a massive impact.

4. Do you often find that your clients need complete guidance or do they know roughly what they want when they speak to you?

I think most clients know what they like and we help themmake it work and we procure for them.

5. Do you find the pattern book an effective form of visualising to the client potential designs?

For fabrics you can’t beat the real thing at some stage butwe don’t necessarily need pattern books in the first stage.

6. Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration?

I like pattern books but I get inspiration from all areas.

7.How do your clients interact with the pattern book? Do they find it overwhelming or inspiring? Do they need guidance?

I think they find pattern books overwhelming.

8. How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

I see it the same.

9. Do you think there is a future for interactive technology within the consumer buying process of interiors and textiles?

Yes fabric houses have brilliant web sites which are easy to source from but I think there will always be a need for cuttings.

83

Diane Marsland - Interior designer: 1. Have you noticed any changes in the interior design process within the last decade?

No, but that is not to say that there have not been any changes. Over the last few years I have been more involved in painting murals and surface pattern rather than working on interior schemes so my focus has been more on a more bespoke decoration side of interiors.

2. Have you noticed a difference in the way the consumer is involved in the interior design process?

Yes, Definitely. Consumers are more aware and interested in the design process, perhaps due to more information in the media, interest in home improvement, TV programmes etc. It is more of an extension of their personalities, like fashion as opposed to just furnishing the home for comfort or practicality.

3. Have you used any technology to help with the design process and when interacting with your clients?

What has worked and what hasn’t?No, because of the very nature of my work which triesto approach the design process in a more artisanal andtraditional way. I suppose that it is my U.S.P so using technology would give conflicting messages to my clients.

4. Do you often find that your clients need complete guidance or do they know roughly what theywant when they speak to you?

In my experience clients roughly fall into 3 categories.1) Ones who know exactly what they want. They are very design savvy and they just want the designer (me) to source products, designs, and possibly providealternatives to their selections and/or collate all of thisin a cohesive way, to do the costings and provide the project management and be the practical “man on the job” so to speak. (can be very challenging clients to work for but sometimes can make the job easy)2) Clients who “do not have a clue” give you a budgetand let you do everything. Sounds great and one would think you have a free rein but along the way after presenting various options, the client may want to get involved and as a designer you may find that you are going down various roads experimenting withtheir new found interest. If you get a client like this then you need to provide less choice otherwise it becomes difficult and the designer can invest too much time on the project and not necessary get the commission.

Also at risk of exposing concepts for someone else to do.

3) My favourite client is one who knows roughly whatthey want... is a little design savvy but is unsure as to how to achieve it. They are open to new or unusual ideas but have an overall realistic vision to the outcome of the project. The first question I would ask any potential client is what is the vision and expectation of the end result they want for the budget they have.For example I went to a clients home. He had seen an amazing window treatment in a magazine, which was a bay window. It had a padded shaped, trimmed pelmet in velvet. 9 silk interlined, trimmed Roman Blinds and full width and 3m drop curtains. I told himthis was very expensive. He said that is OK he was budgeting for £500.00. The project would have cost atleast £9,000... the fabric he selected was £50pm...one blind may have been £200 ...etc, etc.

5. Do you find the pattern book an effective form of visualising to the client potential designs?

Sometimes, but I think that most clients have a problem visualising from a pattern book. This is probably an area where technology can provide the visualisation tool for them to finally selecta product like a wallpaper, drapes and bedwear. However, you may have a customer who changes their mind when they see the design actually in situ. As a designer you must provide the client with all thatyou can for the selection process to be achieved with ease and one that they are completely comfortable with before the work begins.

6. Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration?

Yes, especially if a designer has access to lots of different pattern books from different companies and markets. Can prove expensive though because these books are cost84 ly and some companies do not provide images online because of copyright problems.

7. How do your clients interact with the pattern book? Do they find it overwhelming or inspiring? Do they need guidance?

In my experience it is best to discuss a clients requirements in the first meeting and after viewing their home. Then I would select various pattern books and put together several themes with a few books/designs in each theme. Perhaps 4 themes to begin with per room. Then I would present these themes and take it from there. Too much choice can be overwhelming.Depending on the success of this second meeting and shortlisting it down to two themes then the next stage may involve actually working up a design board with samples, visuals etc. This would depend on what the budget is. I would not offer this service to someone who only wants a wallpaper idea or curtains only. When the final selection is agreed then I would followup with a work and payment schedule, expecting a deposit at this stage.

8. How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

I see myself as a decorative artist specialising in handpainted murals and a designer for bespoke textiles/wallpapers for private residential and perhaps small boutique hotels. Although I would also like to create a limited edition collection of products for the home, cushions, wallpapers, table linens and other textiles, to sell to small independent shops and online.

9.Do you think there is a future for interactive technology within the consumer buying process of interiors and textiles?

Yes, especially for putting together interior schemes to enable the customer to actually visualise the finished room including room/furniture layouts, colours and patterns.

Hannah Hope - Johnson - Textile designer: 1. When did your love for interiors and textiles begin?

My parents for years use to subscribe the ‘House & Garden’ magazines. It was full of beautiful glossy images of stunning homes and interiors. Through that idiscovered Vogue, which introduced me to fashion textiles and patterns, i then got Vogue for my birthday and Christmas I must have been about 12 or 13.

2.Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration? Do you find them overwhelming or easy tonavigate through?

I always enjoy looking though pattern books, the ones that are the most colourful and well composed are my favourites, I tend to skip over the text, unless i am reading it to find a particular piece of information, either about an artist or a technique.

3.Do you think that consumers without as much knowledge as yourself would find pattern books inspiring or overwhelming?

If they are very colourful and interactive then i think most people could enjoy them. But if there are too many technical terms or reams of in-depth information i think that would be off putting.

4.What other sources do you use to help you gain inspiration?

Mostly from nature, plants, flowers and birds but also a lot from architecture and building structures. I also look whats happening on the catwalks and on the high-street too.

5.How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

85 Well in a few ways- Designing prints for the interior market- Enjoying interior magazines and online blogs- Visiting interior and textile trade shows, exhibitions and museums.

6.Do you currently use technology to help with the design process?

Yes i use Photoshop and Illustrator often. And alsothe internet to look at blogs and further my research.

7.Do you think there is room for more innovative technology within the design and buying process in the future?

Yes i do, i think CAD software will become fast andeasier to navigate....hopefully.I also think there should be a better and quicker way of sending large design files to printers, clients and customers.

Anna Shah - Interior customer 1. How old were you when you first decorated your house?

I was 24 in London…

2. Did you have an interior designer or did you do it yourself?

Nana did it for me and Rohit Mama and Nita Mami 3. Why didn’t you do it?

I’m not a DIY person 4. Yeah but what about in terms of interior like wallpaper?

What choosing it? I didn’t have a choice at the time so they chose it.

5. But when you did have a choice like in Nottingham?

I had a decorator…

6. Did you give them an idea of what you wanted or?

I gave them an idea and they helped me…

7. Did you consider other people’s opinions while decorating the house, so like did you think about what other people might think?

No – it was just my opinion 8. Did you use pattern books for inspiration, you know like those sample books?

I did… There were too many to choose from. Sample books confuse you because they’ve got one thing in one book and something else in another, they’re too different or there’s too much matching and it’s too samey.

9. What would make the process easier for you?

To be honest, I don’t know… Because I just go and look at something and if I like it I buy it

86

10. Did you plan the house before you did it up or?

No, just instinct – as and when…

11. Did dad have any involvement in the house or was it just you?

No it was me final choice, except one room – our room! Yeah he picked the curtains and they were horrible. Too flowery.

12. When Nana and Nani did their house, how did that all come together? Was it just Nana deciding or…

Nana deciding, buying the cheapest wallpaper, which is still hanging there!

13. Would you have a limit on how much you would spend on the house or would you just go for it?

No I’d go for it 14. How did you get inspiration for your house?

I just go into a shop, see what I like and buy it and somehow it goes with the house.

15. Do the people in the shop help you?

No, I don’t ask Hopewell’s - Ian, Sales associate: Sometimes we don’t see the customer and they fly in for a few weeks a year. There is a full house being built in Grantham at the moment and we haven’t seen the customers for that yetThe last lady I spoke to is currently in St Lucia. She is in St Lucia at the moment and placed an order.

Would you say there needs to be a way to improve how the consumer interacts with book? As currently there are so many samples and they can be quite overwhelming?

‘Yes well we catch everyone that comes into the show room because this is so overwhelming and people just glaze over. They walk up the stairs and we ask if we can help. You ask them three questions, because they know what they want. It’s like if you go shopping for clothes. They come in and go and as we know most streets and properties around Nottingham we know who lives there, what they do and what market level they are. We identify what that customer is about and we point them to the right position. When you have been in the business as long as I have it tends to be obvious what kind of person they are when they walk up the staircase. They don’t have to be well dressed to be a big spender. It’s the way they walk etc.’

So they come for the service mainly?‘ They have to come to us and we sort them out. That is what people come to this show room for.

I can imagine it can be quite overwhelming for a consumer?

‘97% is irrelevant to each consumer and it really is quite nice when you start explaining to people how it actually works. If we go to any book of, say, Harlequin, open it up and flick through. If they don’t like any of the colours then forget Harlequin because all the87colours go through all the ranges.’

So each brand has it’s own colour section?

‘That’s exactly what it is. Apart from the Americans that really do cause me a lot of trouble! So if you want a wall of paper and its going to cost you three of four thousand pounds so people choke. If you show them a fifty quid roll of wall paper and they choke then you can’t show them a three thousand roll of wallpaper. It is also really difficult to get samples because it has to be big enough so thecustomer can see the pattern but small enough so the customer cancarry it. So our samples will go from the sublime to the ridiculous. Take this one here, this is a german one. Here is an entire drop and it’s pretty pointless but it shows you that the pattern is only on edge. How would you do that on a different sample? It isn’t possible. A picture perhaps? It’s difficult to see’ Do you think the customer would want to see how it looks like on a sofa for example?

‘You have to be careful because you could give them a preconception of what it looks like. We have a lot of people say ‘Can you show me the interiors you’ve done?’ and I say ‘No’. Why? I’ve never done the same interior here in twenty eight years. So why should I start now? But it is really dependant on the person. So it is really difficult to show them something and if you can take people upstairs for a sofa, they are more than likely going to choose the one on show because they can see it. But then you would end up only selling old grey sofas then. So we choose it slightly differently because everybody knows everybody. So if you are a surgeon, all the surgeons go out for dinner. Every single one in Nottingham. They know everybody. So what you can’t do is give everyone the same thing. Because when they all go round to dinner and we’ve done all their interiors and they are all the same, it looks bad. And you don’t know they are a surgeon until three or four weeks down the line. So you do have to be really selective. A few good people in a showroom is better than a pattern book. We sell things that don’t exist. You can’t go ‘This pair of curtains I’d like to put in your house’ or ‘These roman blinds’ or ‘These type of window treatments’ so we do three dimensional packaging and imaging.’

Do you think they are quite interested in the inspiration behind the patterns or are they not too interested in that?

‘Most people go ‘Oh I can’t stand that!’ or ‘That’s brilliant!’ So not really. To be perfectly honest with you, most people at Harlequin go off to the pub get plastered and then think of the range. Or somebody has been on holiday and it becomes ‘Floridiana’ because they have been to Florida. Or they have been to ‘The Algarvia’ or wherever. So that’s where most of the stuff comes from. And most of the people who come into this shop have already got degrees, so they are thinkers and lateral thinkers and I’ll have a go and they’ll be persuaded.’

So do you think there is room for more technology is the buying process or do you think it is all down to the service that’s given to them by one to one?

‘It depends. It depends where you are on the market. Bottom end definitely. They want to be on the internet trying to find it for a penny cheaper. But that’s what that market is about and we aren’t in that.’

So it all depends on the consumer?

‘Yes. So we are in the last 5%. Driving the Rolls Royce, driving the Ferrari.’

And they all want it done for them?

‘They’ll come in and say ‘Can you help me, I need some help. I’d like to do all of that’ Which is what that is about.’

It is quite similar to fashion isn’t it?

‘They’ve got time. They come in for ideas. Something that isn’t pre-conceived and something they know that no body else is gonna get. They want somebody that knows absolutely possibly everything about everything. So for example this department is just fabrics but we also need to know about different types of lighting, building recs, all the kind of stuff. And if you start being actually really good at it then they rely on you. And they 88 go ‘fantastic!’ Ten minute job. So you are looking at the last 5% in this shop, so we have a different look at somebody who is lower down.’

Would you say that they come in and want all of it matching,or do they pick from different sections?

‘Most of them have absolutely no idea what they want apart from they do. And it’s my job then to just pick out bits that they actually think. You can ask them just three or four questions and youknow them inside out.’

And I guess they start opening up when most of them start talking?

‘Yes so people like me, I’m about four million years old and have been doing interiors forever. So they know once I start talking that I’m not trying to con anybody or trying to walk all over anybody.And its trust. Its got to be all about trust. So our guys won’t look on the internet to save a couple of quid, we do them the best possible price, best possible service and the best possible make. Everything is made here.’

And they’ll come back?

‘If there’s a problem with anything then I’ll drag them in. And if something goes wrong then I’ll put my hands up and say ‘sorry.’ That’s the way it is.

They pay the money and they get the service.’

I think we need to refine our consumer don’t we. Because at the moment we were looking at ages maybe 20-30 but then there is a whole spectrum of consumers within that.

‘If you are looking at ages then I’ve got 18-22 millionaires, I’vegot 18-50 year olds who have go no money, I’ve got Mums and Dadswith their Sons and Daughters who have taken over the business and their Sons and Daughters are still buying their house. So it is really difficult to pitch it on age groups especially. People get inheritance now. They don’t through their money about. They’ve been to university, they are quite worldly. They’ve been to every single country on the earth before they are 25.

And they are really really spot on. I think it is probably to do with your market where your banding and money are. There are still low, middle and upper classes. And during the recession I had all my customers say ‘Right we aren’t doing that anymore we are going away!’ And when they feel a bit happier they all come back.’

So you would say you have a lot of loyal customers that for years come here?

‘Always. Once people start to get to know that it isn’t just a retail shop then the word gets out. But it is a difficult balance because you can’t offer it to everybody. So it’s that little bit at the top. It’s a really difficult one for you guys.’

It is because Pike has specifically said that we need to incorporate technology. But from what you are saying it is mainly about the experience?

‘I mean the stuff from Crosus(?) we had where they actually brought in these three dimensional things where you could put fabrics on them, was quite a good idea until you actually sat down and suddenly looked at your watch and had been with the same customer for 4 hours and that’s just not enough for 2 metres of fabric. But if you could do it online then even better. But then you aren’t feeling it.’

Could you order samples online maybe?

‘Yeah but how big?’

Do the consumers care about the presentation of the book itself? Because it’s quite plain, are they bothered? If their samples arrive in the post then does it matter how they are presented?

‘Yes it does. All the samples that we ever send out need all theliterature on it. Where its from, what it’s about etc. But you have to be careful about the presentation of books. You do tend to find somemistakes. Some of them have bad taste. For example this silver89one is full of foil. That’s the nearest to what we get to showing what’s inside the book and it’s an American. Everybody else in the UK just want plain and that you can see the fabric inside. That’s what you are selling, not the book.’

Is there a specific way a consumer looks through a book? Do they ever get to the end?

‘Actually there’s three types of customer. So you have the fabric obsessives and they go through 6 hours or more through every single book all week. Then we have the pickers which look through a couple of samples at a time. You have to catch them.’

How do companies decide what sample goes at the top of the book?

‘It’s always the best seller. Your best design goes on the top. And that gets put into your literature. It’s the front page of your literature. Harlequin are the best at it. You put your best product at the front and it goes onto your brouchures. They come out onto the internet before the books so customers come in looking for the specific samples so we can generate a bit of interest. And then you can promote it in all the same face fabric. So somebody comes in and goes ‘I was looking in Homes and Gardens and in the back of that there was... OH There it is!’ So it is nothing to do with anything other than the fact it is your best seller on the front. And sometimes the companies get it wrong. ‘ Sue Fisher - Interior designer: 1.Have you noticed any changes in the interior design process within the last decade?

The advent of ID shows on TV, increase in number of ID publications, and plethora of ID sites and blogs etc on the internetmeans that almost everyone is a good deal more design savvy than they used to be. When I first started out in the 80s, there werefar fewer interior designers, over the 3 decades since it is now a very much overpopulated field. This has not actually altered thedesign process, but clients think they know more now, and second guess a lot moreAlso, getting the client to commit to a design has changed. Before widespread email use and digital drawings, I would prepare a set of hand drawn plans, send copies to the client and wait for them to be signed and returned before issuing orders or site instructions.Now,I email a digital set over, and invariably the client will come back wanting to see various alterations, we will go back and forth sometimes for days, and generally, we end up back with my originals. The digital age actually makes more work, and people are less decisive as theywant to see every single option.

2.Have you noticed a difference in the way the consumer is involved in the interior design process?

See above, and yes, the client is generally more involvedthan they used to be due to information available on the net. Specificallyin sourcing and specifying goods.

3.Have you used any technology to help with the design process and when interacting with your clients?

What has worked and what hasn’t?I use Vectorworks to do my drawings, photoshop to put together mood boards and present images and visuals for presentations, I still tend to do my estimates by hand, then type them, although I know a lot of companies will use Excel type programmes for this. I do not do CGI’s myself, but if required, commission them forclients. I use my IPad in presentations. I do scheduling on a spread sheet, and sourcing from the internet.Pinterest has become an invaluable tool in bookmarkingpossible items as I trawl for products for a specific project. So yes, pretty much everything that I used to do by hand 10 years ago is now done using my iMac or another device.

4.Do you often find that your clients need complete guidance or do they know roughly what they want when they speak to you?

This varies from client to client. Some people engage a professional because they have neither the time nor the talent to do the job, they give a general brief and a budget and let the professional do what they do with minimal input . I like these clients the best! There are a lot of the other type of client however who like to micromanage and second guess every minute detail.

90

5.Do you find the pattern book an effective form of visualising to the client potential designs?

Do you mean a regular fabric or wall covering pattern book? Yes, even in the digital age, there is still nothing better than seeing and feeling the actual materials. I have a large fabric and wall paperlibrary, and they are absolutely invaluable in the design process. computer images are rarely true to colour and you do not get any impression of texture or feel, or how the fabric will drape or upholster. I always use actual samples of the materials to be used in my presentations as well as digital images.

6.Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration?

Yes, see above 7.How do your clients interact with the pattern book? Do they find it overwhelming or inspiring? Do they need guidance?

My clients do not browse pattern books in my office, I will take project appropriate books to them in the initial stages of a scheme to narrow choices down before finalising any scheme, I often take a client to Chelsea Harbour to have a general look at current collections to get an idea of the sort of things they like at the very start of any project.

8.How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

Not sure I understand this question. I interact with interiors all day, everyday, and have to keep up with available technology in orderto provide my clients with the most current ways of preparing and presenting ideas. Having said all that, a good old fashioned hand drawn perspective is still a good way to communicate an idea, and I keep still practice with the odd perspective now and then.

9.Do you think there is a future for interactive technology within the consumer buying process of interiors and textiles?

Certainly, the tools a lot of companies now have to select fabrics and products on their websites are very useful, but specifically with fabrics, wall coverings, specialist finishes etc, technology will never replace seeing and touching the actual product. I NEVER includeanything in my schemes without actual samples or seeing it in the flesh.

Suzanne Tucker - Interior designer: 1. Have you noticed any changes in the interior design process within the last decade?

Not fundamentallybut I do find clients are very savvy regarding sourcing on the internet. You have to be completely open as they can easily check.

2. Have you noticed a difference in the way the consumer is involved in the interior design process?

Yes some are, it’s theones with moretimeespecially as there is so much on TV and in magazines and on the internet.

3. Have you used any technology to help with the design process and when interacting with your clients? What has worked and what hasn’t?

I don’t use much technology apart from the internet for sourcing and the computer for drawing up plans.

4. Do you often find that your clients need complete guidance or do they know roughly what theywant when they speak to you?

Some do and some don’t....

91

5. Do you find the pattern book an effective form of visualising to the client potential designs?

Yes 6. Do you find pattern books a good source of inspiration? yes 7. How do your clients interact with the pattern book? Do they find it overwhelming or inspiring? Do they need guidance?

Yes clients like to see and feelswatchesand yes itcan be overwhelming and it can take them a while to make choices even with guidance.

8. How do you see yourself interacting with interiors in the future?

Possibly.

9. Do you think there is a future for interactive technology within the consumer buying process of interiors and textiles?

Yes in partfor a conceptbut there is no substitute for seeing and feeling the product.

Elizabeth Cartwright - Elizabeth’s Interiors: And a sample was a bit, all you got really was that, you didn’t get any of that, which I can understand a bit cos there would be alot of wastage but again that doesn’t help when someone wants to take that home because again nobody, welltheres not many people, that come in and look at a fabric and say ‘yeah I want that’ they say ‘ooooh, ill have to ask my husband, or my auntie, or my nan or’ you know ‘I’ve got to think about this’ so then you say well do you want the sample, but you can’t be, I mean most and I of the sample I get are reasonable sizes but depending on the pattern, you don’t always get a full idea. And the pattern books, I have no idea why they would only do some in the small version.

Especially when the pattern is so much bigger.

Yeh, ‘ive got no idea. I can’t answer that one.

Do you have a mixture of consumers who generally know exactly what they want, No, no. You’ve got people that, they don’t know what they want but they know what they don’t like.

Okay, So they say ‘ooh I really don’t know what I want but no I don’t like that one, no I don’t like that one and no I don’t like that one’ and I think well so and they say ‘I really don’t know what I want’ well you must have some idea cos everything ive shown you, you don’t like. So no it’s, you know ive been doing it for 18 years andI still have, you know... I don’t push people into decisions because I don’t think itsworth the stress for me to go home and think were they really happy.

Yeah

92

Most customers ive fitted curtains for I come away and I know they’re happy. Theres a couple that I think theyre never gonna be happy. They’ve chosen the fabric and ive not pushed them at all, id rather lose the sale than push and go ‘yeh yeh yeh it’ll look lovely, it’ll look lovely’ I just always say ‘well you’ve gotta live with it not me’ and sometimes I think you know I don’t know whether theyre happy or not but.

Do they like describe the room and everything to you so you have an idea?

Oh yeah the famous thing is ‘my window’s like that, could you give me a quote’ not really no and then I say get some measurements and actually the window don’t, its like that you know. So without sounding sort of patronising to the, sort of, human race um people sometimes you think ‘oh behave’ let’s be realistic, what size is your window Actually Yeah. And then I think sometimes, they would like to think their window was that big because its not gonna be as much as it would be when their window was actually that big.

Yeah. Who would you say are sort of, the key players within interiors in terms of like fabrics and...

Clarke and Clarke.

Clarke and Clarke? Are they like...

They’re global techs, they’re part of another big, massive and they do wallpaper as well. Prestigious is another large, but I mean Harlequin I haven’t got an account with Harlequin, they likes of Harlequin and Sanderson are sort of up market and there’s customers as Romo are as well, which is based in Ashfield, there’s customers that like to say ‘oh I’ve got a Romo fabric’, or you know....

So are they quite high end in terms of....

Yes. So when people say ‘oh I go to Hopewells’ they haven’t told you what they’re buying, they might be going Hopewells to have a cup of coffee. But ‘Oh I go in Hopewells’ Just to say ‘Hopewells’ name dropping.

Yeah, But Clarke and Clarke, this is Clarke and Clarke, and I mean I haven’t got a massive range of suppliers because I have to buy the books, Expensive, Oh yeah! Um you know I can’t stock...

93

Who are your favourites, Clarke?

Clarke and Clarke at the moment, uh Prestigious are good, I’ve had an account with Prestigious for 18 years, umm, you know Clarke and Clarke is my favourite at the moment, cos they do quite a diverse range, you know.

Do you think there’s room for technology, then?

When you say technology, what do you mean exactly?

Like as in, I think what Pike want us to do is, the pattern books needs to somehow become online maybe, but then feel is so important, Oh yeah, yeah. You see what, what you could, you know they do the CAD design the whatever, I’m not really up to technology, Yeah, So I don’t even know what the proper terminology is but, you could, like if you goto have a kitchen fitted, you know they’ll do you a little picture in 3D but it’s black and white, most of the time and to my mind you know, It’s quite time consuming as well to put it all together, Well it is, yeah, but I think, I don’t know that technology would make anyone make their mind up anymore, if they’re unsure. I think the only thing that’s gonna do that is if you make the curtains, you hang them up and they say ‘yes I love them or no I don’t’ They have to actually see it, Yeah, yeah. And touch and feel because again, and its the same with the stuff in the shop you know people buy stuff online and you don’t know really what its likeuntil you get it out the box. And you could be delighted or you could be mega gutted, that oh actually its not as nice as I thought.

Do you think in the pattern books there needs to be more like advice or guides within, like ‘oh this might go with this’ or ‘you could try this if you like this’ sort of thing?

Yeah, I mean I think photographs of it made up and using the different ones, youknow the checks and the spots and the stripes is, has got to be good.

Yeah, Because that, that does encourage people, if you suggest you know putting, like they used to say ‘red and green should never be seen’ but now you can put anything, it’s like purple and orange together, and it’s, you know, the sort of wildest colours, the better really,94but photographs, I think proper photographs would be better than any sort of technology,

Yeah. Do you think they find it quite overwhelming that there’s so much fabric?

Oh yeah, And then, they need you to sort of help them out, Yeah, Like do they ever get to the end of the book?

Umm, no they don’t, I’ve never had anyone that looked through one entire book because they’ll say for example I want blues, and in the book you’ve got your blues, your neutrals your blacks, so they’ll tend to look at that block, um unless they’ve got a lot of time on their hands and they just think ‘oh I’ll have a look at absolutely everything’, um but luckily I haven’t had any customers that want to look through every book. I mean I wouldn’t know how many designs there are in a book but there’s gotta be, you know, 40, 50 some of them in some of them in all different colour ways, um so you would like to think that someone is gonna come in and say ‘right my carpet is beige or grey or black or blue, I want to work round that’ or ‘my favourite colour is’ so you can at least narrow it down to somedegree rather than ‘what colour do you like?’ ‘Ooh I don’t know’ well great.

Do you get like many younger people at all coming in for interiors, sort of 24...

Um, I think the misleading thing nowadays is these makeovers in bloody 24 hours cos they go Yeah, and also the price range as well you know they think ‘oh she’s made them curtains up on the tele in ten minutes and you’re charging £400’ you know and you think ‘well that’s not real life, really’ um so I think a lot of people are completely and utterly thrown by ‘oh I can do the house up after dinner’ and it’d be done....

Be a quick job,... by 10 o clock at night, you know, um they don’t see the work, they don’t see all the tradesmen hiding behind the garden gate that are suddenly gonna appear, Yeah, the amount of effort that goes into, So I think that is very misleading nowadays, very, very misleading.

Yeah, most people just want it straight away.

Yeah and you can’t always have it straight away, you know

95

Do you find that lots of customers come in and say they’ve seen something in a magazine that they like a lot, so a lot of inspiration comes from like Home and Garden or, Mmm, yes and also people go to show homes, they come back and go ‘oh i’ve seen this’ you know and its not, theyre not looking for houses they’ll just do that on a Sunday afternoon cos they’ve got nothing else to do and they just like to go and see...

Have a look around Yeah, so a lot of people do that, really. I might sound quite cynical really but.

No, you’re honest, that’s what we want. Cos I think interiors is about a lifestyle now as well, its more than just..

Yeah, you see once upon a time people used to spend hundreds of pounds on settees and carpets but go and buy a pair of ready made’s for about 15 quid, which were a load of crap, but whereas now, and this is what I try to say to them,you know, that the curtains are actually, in my opinion one of the focal points of a room, Yeah Its not like ‘oh beautiful carpet, fantastic sette, oh curtains’ don’t even notice thecurtains. So I think, you know that has got to be an equal chunk of money spent on the curtains to complete that room so.

And how much do people like mix, I mean do they buy curtains in the same fabric and then make a cushion in the same fabric or?

Yeah, I mean very often they do, if theres fabric, I mean some people like, some people hate cushions um and again cushions are a very personal thing, you couldhave loads of cushions on your bed and you have to take em all off before you get into bed and throw overs and all that but some people are very insistent ‘yes I want cushions cos that completes the look’ Yeah, it ties it together, Yes. Would you say it depends on the age or where they’ve come from or?

I think its an age thing as well, um the younger people like lots of cushions and things, um some older people do but, other, men are not into cushions they think‘what do you want a cushion for?’

‘I just need one to sleep on’ 96

Yeah, yeah, but um but they do they like sort of you know it all complementing you know the scheme, but. Its very difficult to know what people want. I don’t necessarily, I mean you know, when you suggest a roman blind to someone they go ‘ooh but they’re a bit modern’ roman blinds have been around for, years, hundreds of years, you look at any book and they’ve got roman blinds in you know, Victorian houses and these great big stately homes and all interlined curtains in front of them, um the only curtain I think, um that was a complete and utter dreadful design um and I don’t think will ever come back are tab-top curtains, because.

Which ones are they?

They are with the little loop that goes over the pole so when you pull em you’re sort of dragging on the top and, and also depending on how they’re fitted you can either, see light coming through the gaps, um and they was just an awful, awful design. Dreadful design, dreadful because the fabric is actually on the pole so unlike when you got eyelets that you swish along or curtains on a ring that you swish along the actual fabric is on the pole and you’re dragging it. Awful, awful. Dreadful design, so I don’t know who was responsible for that. But um so, yeah, you will never understand what people want really, because half the time they don’t really know what they want and until you get to the bottom of that, you don’t know what you can do to advance their choice.

So do you think a service that could help people find out what they want is needed?

Um I think its needed but I don’t know how you would go about it because its a personal thing isn’t it, you go into, I go into houses and some I just ‘ah this is justabsolutely gorgeous’ in others I think ‘oh god’, you know it really needs something doing to it, um its like, I mean not so much that you get net curtains now but ive put up beautiful curtains up and they still insist on keeping their net curtains, and I think ‘why?’ ‘why would you want them gross things at the window?’ and so people like having the same nets or the same blinds on the downstairs and the upstairs cos they like it the same, you know some people are not willing to change, you know.

We have been to Hopewells, and cos he’s deals with the upper 5% as he called them so its nice to have a different side.

What was his response? Did he sort of think technology could help?

Ummm. No he didn’t no. He was all about the service wasn’t he he said that he could provide, he said his customers sort of don’t want to do anything about like,they just want his service to do it all for them, they’re not bothered. And we kind of did mention like do customers want to know about the sort of inspiration that came behind the designs and stuff and he goes well most of the time their eitheron holiday or they’re at the pub and they just come up with these things. So like its not as well thought about.

Well you see what I do, which is not, I uh think about this almost daily, I give quotes and I break down what you’re paying for fabrics, what you pay for lining, what you’re paying, cos they say ‘how much is it gonna be for window like that?’ and I say ‘well let me just say if its eyelet curtains its £35 per width so you have one width of fabric its £35, you have a curt- a pair of curtains for two thats £70 for the labour including putting the eyelets in then your fabric and your lining. The likes of John Lewis’ and no doubt Hopewells are exactly the same, they don’t think that you need to know what the break down is, they will just give you the total, which is whatever your name is, Gothschild and you will be happy to pay it,but I think thats wrong. Because not only, it can work in your favour, it could work that people go ‘oh actually well’ and I say to them may labour will only change if your style changes, if you choose a fabric, this is £58 a meter, if you choose a fabric that is £12 a meter you’ll bring your quote down, so that gives, I, that is the most honest advice, I shoot myself in the foot a lot of the time doing that because when people don’t appreciate the work involved in making curtains and I say you know ‘its £150 to make the curtains’ they go ‘how much’ 97 well thatswhat it is, you know, ummm ‘well ohhh didn’t think it was

gonna be that much’ and then I think ‘well I am entitled to’ you know this is my, my work, you know and then you compare things, how much do you go and spend, you know of a weekend, how much do you go to Eden Hall for a pamper day, how much is that gonna be. For one day, you curtains are gonna last for 20 years. So its trying to...

It’s kind of irrational Yeh, it is, it is and also blokes ‘how much’ and I find that really irritating whereas if I said ‘well your quotes £425’ if they said ‘well how is that made up’ and I said ‘well you don’t need to know’ I think that’s an insult actually to them, because it almost looks like you’re hiding something.

Yeah definitely.

You know, um, but as I say sometimes I think, I should be like John Lewis, just say‘that’s it’ you know.

Yeah you’d imagine them doing that Oh yeah, I know they’ve done it because I done some work uh and they’d got a quote from John Lewis’ and I’ve said ‘well ask them to break it down’ and they said to them ‘no we don’t do that’ Oh really?

Yeah ‘we don’t do that’. So, you know.

And people just accept it?

Yeah they do cos its John Lewis’ but if I said it they wouldn’t accept it, because again the smaller, you know I’ve got a beautiful shop that’s costing me an arm and a leg and yet people think ‘oh she can’ you know they’ll say ‘oh how much would you take for that’ you wouldn’t go in John Lewis’ into the, into any department and say ‘I like that quilt how much would you take for that’ they’d go‘excuse me madam, or sir’ the price ticket is on there and thats it, but with people, independents they think ‘yeah she’ll be alright’ most of the time I am which really pisses me off actually, well because I think ‘no’ you know I should say ‘no that’s it’ you know. But um, so, I don’t know the answer to you know the technology thing, I don’t, I can’t see it working, but pictures, definitely, um as many as possible to at least give people confidence to say ‘actually that really does look nice’ because again I’m always aware that I don’t wanna come across as a hard sales person which I don’t think I could ever do that but I wouldn’t wantanyone to say ‘oh she’s a bit’ you know ‘she’s bound to say it’s gonna look nice’ but you know I mean I’ve made curtains from books I’ve bought and the fabric’s been bloody awful to work with so I don’t show that book, I’ve paid for it I should think ‘ah well, you know I’ve paid for the book I’ve gotta get my money’s worth’ but I will say ‘it doesn’t hang as well as I would’ve liked it to’ so I can’t be any more honest with my customers than I am but, you know.

That’s the difference though isn’t it with like bigger brands and nice independentstores,Yeah mmmm, but then again you know your Hopewells customers, they’ll look at me euurgh you know, they like to be perhaps told ‘this is what you want madam, leave it to me’ Yeah that’s what he said,

98

But I, I unfortunately haven’t got any of them customers because it think I approach them different from the start.

Well and they just don’t care about price either do they.

No, no.

So, it’s completely different, Yeah, and I need customers like that I’ve wanted customers like that for the last 18 years but I haven’t found any yet, but uh you know it’s a shame really. But then again the fact that I’ve got, you know customers from years and years and years ago come back, um most of them are absolutely wonderful and I’ve had some very good friends from them so that in itself is proof that, you know, I’m not out to rip anybody off and I can’t do anymore than I do, I do far more than I charge for a lot of the time um and um one day you know I think it might, it might pay off financially cos at the moment I’m just chasing my tail most of the time, you know as most people are, but small businesses are just suffering more I don’t know if its changing sort of with our generation cos I don’t know if like we would rather come somewhere like this or, Well there’s a lot of talk about keep independents going, but then I don’t know if its just talk, you know um because I think people say that when it suits them when they think they’re gonna be sounding, you know um, you know right and good and proper ‘we gotta keep these independent stores’ but they go ‘oh I shoulda come to you to get my Christmas shopping I went into town instead’ ‘oh well, okay then’, but um I don’t know but the independent stores give more personal attention than the big ones, without a doubt, you know John Lewis’ you’ve got lots of people in there lots of staff but the woman wouldn’t stand with you for half an hour going through all the fabric books, she’d say ‘well you look at those and then come over and tell me what ones you like’ and I know that because customers have told me. They haven’t got time have they, they can’t devote their time, half an hour, to talk to one woman without actually knowing are we gonna get this sale And most people just don’t know what...

No they don’t, no, no

99

Nottingham Trent University School of Art and Design

Ethical Clearance Checklist for individual student projects

To be completed by the student for an individual project that involves the collection of primary data this includes images, drawings, photographs, questionnaires and interviews. Please complete this document following the guidance in the School of Art and Design Ethical Guidelines and Framework for Research and Practice Undertaken by Students.

Section A: About the research

Name: Programme of Study: Module Title and Reference Number:

Name of module leader/supervisor responsible for the management of the project Duration of project Project title

Harriet Dunn

Fashion Communication & Promotion

fcp3

Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Module Leader: Tim Rundle Ref. no: FASH30001

I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the

Tim Rundle

Half year

Live project - Pike Textiles

terms of the approval in the conduct of this project.

Have you had previous experience of or been trained in the methods employed to collect data, and/or discussed with your yes supervisor?

Have you been informed, given guidance, had issues outlined in relation to research ethics and consideration in relation to yes your project?

This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received no

Does your proposed study involve procedures which are likely to cause physical, psychological, social or emotional distress to yes participants or yourself?

Does your proposed study involve the use of hazardous materials, other than those currently covered by the School Health yes and Safety procedures?

from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed.

no

Should this statement prove to be untrue I recognise the right and duty of the board of

Section C: Methodology/Practice/Procedures

examiners to recommend what action should be taken in line with the University's regulations No

on assessment contained in its handbook.

no

Section D: Ethical checklist

Does your project involve observing/questioning/the use of people in any way?

Yes Please complete the remainder of the form No Go straight to Compliance with ethical principles and Declaration Does your study involve vulnerable participants as described in the Student Ethical Toolkit? yes no n/a Does your study involve observation and/or recording of identifiable participants without their knowledge? yes no n/a Will participants give informed consent freely and be fully informed of the study and of the use of any data collected? yes no n/a Will participants be informed of their right to withdraw from the study? yes no n/a Will all information on participants be treated as confidential and not identifiable unless agreed otherwise in advance yes no n/a and subject to legal requirements?

Will any recordings of participants be securely kept and not released for use by third parties? yes no n/a Will storage data comply with the Data Protection Act 1998? yes no n/a

If you have selected an answer shaded in grey, you must submit a full application to the Subject REC or modify the project. A full submission to the Subject PREC comprises of: this form, a project proposal, an additional statement of up to 500 words outlining the ethical issues raised by the project and the proposed approach to deal with these.

Compliance with Ethical Principles

If you have completed the checklist to the best of your knowledge without selecting an answer shaded in grey, the research is deemed to conform with the ethical checkpoints and you do not need to seek formal approval from the Subject PREC. Please sign the declaration below, and lodge the completed checklist with your supervisor.

I have read the Ethical Guidelines and Framework for Research and Practice Undertaken by Students. I confirm that the above named investigation complies with published codes of conduct, ethical principles and guidelines of professional bodies associated with the research discipline.

Harriet Dunn Harriet Dunn Name of student: ……………………………………………………………………………… Signature of student ……………………………………………………………………………….

100 02/02/2014 Signature of supervisor/module leader ……………………………………………..…………………………..………. Date ………………………………………………………………..

Form reviewed October 2011, final copy 14.10.11

ba

Declaration Form 2013/14

FASH30001

Section B: Training and experience

Declaration

School of Art & Design

Harriet Dunn

signed ....................................................................................................................

02/02/2014

date .......................................................................................................................

School of Art & Design

ba

fcp3

Tutorial Record Sheet 2013/14

School of Art & Design

Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date:

14/10/2013

Name :

Harriet Dunn

ba

Live Team Project

fcp3

Tutorial Record Sheet 2013/14 Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date:

17/10/2013

Name : Harriet Dunn

Live Team Project

Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

First session so N/A

Be prepared to talk about research gathered so far.

Look into Pike closer and consider who are their competitors, potential consumers etc.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

Learning issues to discuss in session:

Outline of module Requirements Introduction to topic and client Potential demographic

How have interior trends evolved?

What consumer are we going to target?

Be sure to consider other industries and consider what they do successfully - can this be translated into interiors?

Feedback from session:

Feedback from session:

Think how Generation Y will use technology differently to older generations Need to meet objectives Research should be very broad between now and interim presentation Think about how brands engage with current consumer

Have to get under the skin of fabric obsessives.

Look out for rituals, dialogues and add-ons that we can bring from other sectors.

Focus on our generation and no the older ‘matchy’ generation

Tasks for next session:

Tasks for next session:

Think about who Pike’s main competitors are Begin to think about presentation with group - what do we want to have achieved by then?

Develop research further

Continue to develop research and extend the work completed thus far.

Individually research interior trends that are shaping the industry currently,

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor)

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor)

Signed (student)

Harriet Dunn

Signed (student)

101

Harriet Dunn

fcp3 fcp3 fcp3

School of Art & Design School of Art & Design

ba

fcp3

Tutorial Record Sheet 2013/14

Live School of ArtProject & Design ba Team

Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1

Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

Ref. no: FASH30001 Date:

ba

31/10/2013

Name :

Live Team Project

Harriet Dunn

Name :

Tutorial Record Sheet 2013/14

Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Ref. no: Tutorial FASH30001 Record

Sheet 2013/14

Date: Module: Negotiated Project Stage 1 Name : Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: Name :

W/C 18/11/2013 Harriet Dunn

Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet

Live Team Project

Work Team to bring /Project prepare for session: Live Learning issues to discuss in session: Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

Research gathered this far.

Do we have any questions as group? If so compile list to ask during seminar.

Interim presentation!

Learning issues to discuss in session: Feedback from session:

Learning issues to discuss in session:

Talk aboutissues the problem in in the industry at the moment Learning to discuss session: Evolutionary relationship to interiors - Consumer psychology Presentation is a way of summarising what works best Why is there a unique sector of parameters which is not true of fashion or travel. WHat makes interiors Feedbackunique? from session: Interview head of textiles When Tasks we for find next research session: of WGSN - use our own research to back it up A lot more technology to pick up on!

Feedback from session: In 2014 who’s contributing to interiors now?

What does the pattern book claim to do? What is good about it?

Then state what is bad about it

How can we test every stage of the choosing process.

What strands within interiors should we be focusing on in particular?

Feedback from session:

Need to watch consumers interacting with the books.

Talk openly to designers about their thoughts on the books - how do they feel about having their work scaled down so much?

Look at best consumer practices, services and technologies.

Tasks for next session:

Look back on feedback interim group whatPrepared) do we need to improve on in Please indicate progressfrom to hand in (1presentation = Not readyas / 5a = Ready- and terms of portfolio content and next presentation in February?

1 2 3 4 5

Tasks for next session:

Tasks next session: Signedfor (Tutor)

Make a list of what fashion & food does and suggest how this can be crossed-over into interiors.

Think about Tripadvisor and the tourism sector also.

Signed (student) Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor)

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

Signed (student) Harriet Dunn Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor)

Harriet Dunn

Signed (student)

102

Retail observations:

Liberty’s:

House of Hackney:

103

Hillarys, Victoria Centre, Nottingham:

John Lewis:

Next:

104

Hopewells:

Elizabeth Interiors:

105

Survey results: Q2. How old are you?

Q1. Are you male or female?

18-­‐21 22-­‐25 Male

26-­‐30

Female

31-­‐35 35-­‐40 40+

Q3. Have you had experience interacting with a pattern book before?

Q4. If you have interacted with a pattern book before, how easy was it to make a decision based on the samples of fabric that was presented to you?

Yes No

106

Q5. Where was the pattern book that you looked through? i.e. in the John Lewis furnishing department etc.

Q6. From the sample in the book did you find that you could visualise what each sample would look like in your home or on your furnishings?

Yes No Some)mes N/A

Q7. Is there anything you personally would change about the book?

107

108