Interiors Monthly

monthly

October 2014

Interiors first for flooring, furniture and accessories

Local stars

Best of British

In the aisles The Flooring Show

Tuftex Boutique Carpet protection – that’s guaranteed CARPET

FURNITURE

RUGS

BEDS

L A M I N AT E

UPHOLSTERY

VINYL

ACCESSORIES

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Andrew Kidd EDITOR

The Wilding effect Since the tail end of 2011, being a shareholder in Victoria Carpets has been one of the most interesting ownerships in the UK interiors sector Go back just a few years and life as a Victoria shareholder was fairly quiet, with most probably content to follow the longestablished management’s strategy and collect the dividends.

Then of course came the change in management in 2012. Shareholders now find themselves with an executive chairman who owns half the company, special dividends, ownership of Westex – and now Abingdon (see p6).

How many people expected Geoff Wilding to have transformed Victoria as much as he has, with two major takeovers (funded by borrowing and the Business Growth Fund for Abingdon) in less than a year? Importantly, as

Interiors

Editor: Andrew Kidd

October 2014

monthly

first for flooring, furniture and accessories

Local stars

Best of British

In the aisles

was the case with Westex, Abingdon’s senior management team is staying put.

What are the odds of another buy in six months?

This is the BGF’s third interiors investment in recent months, after deals with Furniture Village and Smallbone of Devizes and Mark Wilkinson Furniture owner Canburg. After years of companies grumbling about the difficulty in attracting external funding, has the BGF become a Dragon’s Den with serious money for established companies?

Office for National Statistics figures (see p8) confirm anecdotal suggestions that many of you enjoyed a good August (and I mean sales, not two weeks on the beach). Sales jumped by over a fifth, the largest rise since ONS began measuring furniture and lighting sales in 1988.

But before we get too carried away, it has to be noted that ONS says part of the scale of the increase was due to the dearth of sales in August 2013.

The loudest cheer of the night at The Bed Show Awards was for Peter Keen’s Lifetime Achievement Award (see p47) and he shares some of his thoughts on his many years in the industry with us this month (see p48).

T: 01273 930 029 E: akidd@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden T: 01732 441 130 E: tboden@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Tuftex Boutique has six new, modern and fresh colourway, all available in multi-width. www.carpetyourlife.com

Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod Bird T: 01565 631 397 E: jbird@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Carpet, flooring, lighting and accessories advertising: Joanne Paull T: 01732 441 130 E: jpaull@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

The Flooring Show

Tuftex Boutique Carpet protection – that’s guaranteed CARPET

FURNITURE

RUGS

BEDS

L A M I N AT E

UPHOLSTERY

VINYL

ACCESSORIES

Published by Interiors Media Limited Minerva House, Kinnings Row, Bordyke, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1NP T: 01732 441 130 F: 01732 362 919 E: enquiries@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Registered in England no. 6397722 Print: Knockout Print Design by TSS DIGITAL © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Sitting Pretty Factories 2 & 3, Dunsil Road, Brookhill Industrial Estate, Pinxton, Nottinghamshire NG16 6LE Tel: 01773 811610 Email: sales@spchairs.com www.spchairs.co.uk

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CONTENTS

Solid Profits,

Not Hollow Promises!

"It does exactly what it sets out to do. In delivering a massive boost to cash flow, and also in our case a terrific clearance of slow moving stock in a very professional manner."

Breck Stockton Stocktons of Manchester, 29th September 2014

INTERIORS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS

The Sale was a huge success and achieved a 30% increase on your sales estimate......It enabled us to clear our floors and warehouses of redundant stock to enable us to reposition ourselves as New Malden s premier home department store.

Deborah McMinn Tudor Williams, 3rd September 2014

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Victoria to buy Abingdon in £12m deal

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Manufacturer fined after explosion

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Dreams looks to new sectors

FEATURES 22

Best of British GBF relaunched; Timeless style; Major investment; Fashion follower; Quality is all; Let yourself be surrounded

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Beds and bedroom The right profile; A royal appointment; Art from nature;

This is the fifth time in our history that we have run this type of sale and I can honestly say that it has been the best, most professional and profitable of them all.

Edward Dark Challicoms of Clevedon, 30th June 2014

The Bed Show award winners; A lifetime of involvement

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LVT Locked in; Transforming the Good Housekeeping Institute

54

Wool Week Interiors takes centre stage

62

Upholstery Maralunga turns 40

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Contact us for details and receive a special, 100th anniversary commemorative gift. Plus, if you hold a Lynch Sale during 2014 you ll become eligible for our Grand Prize of a trip for two to Ireland!

Software A busy year; Flexibility is key

70

Preview MoOD

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Review The Flooring Show stands

REGULARS

Contact Gareth Price Tel: +44 (0) 7974 209761 www.LynchSales.co.uk Copyright 2014 Lynch Brothers Licensing Corporation

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Warranties

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New products

NEXT ISSUE The Bed Show review The Flooring Show review London Design Festival review www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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NEWS

Victoria to buy Abingdon with help from BGF Victoria Carpets is to buy rival Abingdon Flooring for up to £12.1m, adding the Stainfree, Wilton Royal and Distinctive Flooring brands to its portfolio.

It is its second major deal in less than a year after paying £16m for Westex last November.

Barclays is providing funding for the deal alongside a £10m loan from the Business Growth Fund, which invested £6m in Furniture Village in August.

Victoria will pay £7.655m in cash and up to a further £4.5m if Abingdon meets profit targets over the next three years. In the year to 31 March Abingdon had a pre-tax profit of £2.2m, up 62.9%, on sales of £75.1m, a rise of 6.8%.

Abingdon will operate independently and its senior management team will remain with the manufacturer.

BGF’s investment sees its regional director for the Midlands Gavin Petken join the Victoria board and an option of 5% of Victoria’s shares. The option can come into place in three years if there is a change of ownership at Victoria or if Geoff Wilding, Victoria’s executive chairman’s shareholding drops from 50% to below 30%.

Sales down Laminate and hard flooring distributor Westco suffered a fall in sales of almost a third in its past financial year. Turnover has almost halved in two years.

Turnover dropped from £26.72m to £18.41m as pre-tax profits fell from £896,000 to £329,000 in the year to 31 January.

The previous year turnover had fallen from £34.22m and pre-tax profits had dropped from £1.899m.

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Abingdon Flooring at The Flooring Show

Victoria will pay 10% interest on BGF’s investment, with no capital repayments for the first five years with payment then spread over three years.

‘The acquisition of Abingdon Flooring represents the second significant step forward for Victoria, following the acquisition of Westex last year. By integrating Abingdon into the group, we anticipate accelerating Victoria’s growth by enhancing its combined offering and reach across the UK,’ says Wilding.

‘Overall, when added to our existing operations the two acquisitions have together substantially increased the scale, breadth and reach of Victoria’s offering and are expected to be immediately earnings enhancing. Our focus is on integrating the business and delivering the synergies and growth we have identified.’

Contract Unilin has confirmed that its Pergo laminate brand will focus on the contract market in the UK. Unilin bought the creator of laminate flooring in 2012. Sister brand Quick-Step will continue to focus on the residential market.

AIS awards for Bennetts and Glasswells Glasswells and Bennetts have been named as AIS’ Retailers of the Year.

Glasswells won the large retailer category ahead of Sterling and Stockers.

Banbury retailer Bennetts beat Eyres of Chesterfield and Beadle Crome Interiors, Reading, in the smaller retailer category.

The retailer awards were decided by the buying group’s suppliers.

Alstons won the Upholstery Supplier of the Year, ahead of Duresta and Himolla.

Harrison Beds scooped Bed Supplier of the Year. Hypnos was runner-up and Tempur third. Rauch was Cabinet Supplier of the Year, with Unique Furniture and Andrena runners up. The awards were decided by AIS members.

The Gold Stand Award was given to 29 companies.

A rise for Ikea Sales at Ikea have increased by 3% to €28.7bn in the past year, and growth would have been almost double that without currency fluctuations.

Like for like sales rose by 3.6% adjusted for currency changes and total sales by 5.9% adjusted for currency changes in the year to 31 August.

‘I am happy to see an increased growth in all our sales channels; in existing stores, in the opening of new stores and online,’ says Peter Agnefjäll, Ikea Group ceo.

‘Our sales development shows that people all over the world appreciate our great home furnishing products.’

NEWS

HSE hits Brintons with £10,000 fine for explosion Brintons Carpets and one of its maintenance contractors have been ordered to pay fines totalling £23,000 plus costs after a worker avoided serious injury when a dye vessel exploded and its quarter of a tonne lid was thrown 6m into the air.

Telford Magistrates’ Court was told that Brintons’ Halesfield, Telford, plant has four stock dye vessels, each described as industrial pressure cookers, that are pressurised while in use. During a production run on 4 June last year, one of the vessels exploded.

The lid, which weighed about 250kg, was torn off its locking mechanism and hinges and hit the roof of the factory 6m above. One worker was standing a few feet from where the lid landed. Such was the force of the collision that it left a dent in one of the factory roof girders.

The Health and Safety Executive found the explosion was caused by a failure of the vessel’s regulator and pressure relief valve.

HSE found that Brintons had not ensured suitable and sufficient maintenance of the vessel’s safety devices was being carried out. The statutory periodic thorough examination had also not been completed for three years.

Allianz Engineering Inspection Services carried out periodic thorough examinations on the other pressure equipment on site, but the HSE found that the four stock dye vats had been overlooked for a number of years.

Both companies pleaded guilty to breaching the Pressures Systems Safety Regulations 2000. Brintons was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,174 while Allianz was fined £13,000 with costs of £1,111.

Speaking after the September hearing, Lyn Mizen, HSE inspector, said: ‘If a piece of pressure equipment fails and bursts violently apart, the results can be devastating to people in the vicinity. It was a matter of pure luck that no one was seriously injured in this incident.

‘There are clear standards set out in the regulations and strict inspection regimes whereby the user has a duty to ensure that equipment, and its safety devices, are properly maintained. This is backed up by the periodic thorough examinations by competent persons to ensure this is happening and is appropriate and suitable.

‘Sadly in this case the user of the pressure system and their competent person both failed in their duties,’ said Mizen.

Interfloor’s in step: Interfloor’s Duralay Silentfloor Gold underlay is being used to support the dance floor for the BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing. ’We’re obviously delighted that Duralay has been chosen for this highly prestigious show... but we don’t want to make a song and dance out of it,’ says Gary Cowley, Interfloor sales director.

Record August Furniture and lighting sales jumped by more than a fifth in August, the highest increase since the Office for National Statistics began tracking sales.

ONS says the value of sales rose by 22.4% and the volume of sales by 23.4% ‘The increase in both the quantity bought and the amount spent was the highest on record since the series began in January 1988.’ ONS cautioned that part of the reason for the dramatic increase was the low level of sales in August 2013.

More join JFS A further 23 companies have signed up for next year’s January Furniture Show: SITS, Tamarisk Designs, Womack, Blue Poppy Art, BOS Interiors, Clivedon, DB Mirrors, Express Sofas, Febland, Foshan Jinxianhua Hardware Products, Furlong Flooring, ISM Networks, Mindy Browne, Kyoto Furniture, Staingard, Wintech, Worth Furnishings, Your China Mattress, Lovelane, Zolano, Mark Harris Commercials, Red Mud and Oakinsen.

Lord Harris cuts holding in Carpetright Carpetright chairman Lord Harris has sold almost £13m worth of shares in the flooring and beds retailer.

The sale, mainly to Phoenix Asset Management, sees the Harris family reduce its holding from 19% to 15%, and has prompted speculation that the family was preparing to end its links with the retailer.

After the sale was announced shares dropped by 6.75p to £4.4325. A year ago Carpetright’s share price was £6.91.

Although the Harris family made no comment on the sale,

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

John Stevenson, retail analyst at Peel Hunt, Carpetright’s house broker, says: ‘From the chairman’s perspective, there are certain times of the year when he’s allowed to trade shares. He hasn’t sold any for a long period of time and he remains chairman of the business – this isn’t a cut and run.’

Lord Harris had said he would leave the business when a new chairman was appointed but then changed his mind and announced that he may stay on the board once a successor has been found.

A Class Act. With Elegance & Opulence enjoying fantastic successs in the marketplace, Dolce Moda now joins them in the e Carefree Prestige range from Regency Carpets.

Breathing new life into the luxury carpet market, this stylishly modern, ultra soft touch saxony is available across 12 neutral colours.

With 2-ply twist in Carefree polypropylene, Dolce Moda is hs. stain resistant and bleach cleanable in both 4m & 5m widths. www.carefreeprestige.co.uk

To take advantage of this great range contact us today.

T H E F U R LO N G F LO O R I N G P O R T F O L I O

Wool Collection

www.furlongooring.co.uk

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Sales: Preston - 01772 696 787

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Dartford - 01322 628 707

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Wales - 0845 520 0800

Look for the Butterfly

Time for a smarter saxony Here’s a distinctive new saxony that’s getting noticed for its smart appearance, savvy colours and solid performance. StainAway Ultra is the latest addition to our StainAway collection and makes this well-trusted range a real winner in the saxony sector. It benefits from being a 44oz polypropylene carpet that has a finely textured luxurious finish.

But it’s the eye-catching colours that puts StainAway Ultra further ahead of its rivals – alongside the range of beiges, we have sophisticated on-trend greys and silvers plus an exciting off-white vanilla. StainAway Ultra is available in 2, 3, 4 and 5 metres on ActionBac with a 15 year StainAway warranty and 15 year wear guarantee.

Increased cut length sales

Associated Weavers Sales: 01422 431100 Email: salesuk@awe.be

Multi-width gives you the retailer the option to offer the consumer the chance to save money on an Associated Weavers carpet. The availability of the majority of our carpets in 2m , 2.5m , 3m , 4m and 5m widths has been one of the reasons our cut length business has considerably increased over recent years. That added to the multitude of stylish and fashionable carpets on offer are ensuring that Associated Weavers are the retailers and consumers choice. Take a closer look at our collections in your shop.

Loyalty is at the heart of our strategy Customer loyalty is something Associated Weavers consider to be important in their overall business plan.

Buying groups are at the centre of the AW retail network representing more than 50% of AW direct retail customers. Unlike other manufacturers Associated Weavers has always had the policy to support a smaller group of retailers giving them the comfort that their investment in us is worthwhile.

StainAway Ultra The Saxony Of Choice This Autumn

“

With the handle, finish and on trend colour bank. StainAway Ultra is the

saxony of choice this autumn.

”

Gavin Pugh National Account Sales Manager Associated Weavers

NEWS

Dreams eyes new sectors Beds and bedroom furniture retailer Dreams is looking to expand into other product sectors as it looks to make best use of unwanted store space.

Mike Logue, Dreams chief executive, says most of its 160 branches are too large and confuse shoppers by having too many beds on show.

He plans a ‘more selective’ product offer.

Seven branches relocated since last year’s administration have been almost halved in size from 13,000sqft to 7,000sqft

without affecting sales: some have seen sales rise.

With average store size now 9,000sqft, the chain is examining how to use the extra space.

Upholstery, sofabeds and carpets are being considered, following the lead of sister chain ScS. Like for like sales rose by 5.7% in the first nine months of the financial year for the chain which expects to have an EBITDA profit of £5.5m in the year to 24 December.

Dreams has not been in the black since 2011.

BrightHouse under scrutiny by MPs BrightHouse, the market leader in the rent to buy furniture and electricals sector, is to be investigated by a group of MPs. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Debt and Personal Finance will look at the ‘very high’ cost of buying from BrightHouse and its rivals and whether consumers need better protection.

‘Rent to own outlets have become an increasingly common sight on our high

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streets in recent years. But despite this, there is little general understanding of how they operate and how they differ from conventional shops,’ says Yvonne Fovargue MP, who chairs the group.

‘Our inquiry will look in detail at the products and services they offer and will ask whether customers are getting a good deal.’

The group, which is not a select committee, will issue its findings in mid-December.

Interiors Monthly October 2014

The Wool Room is looking to boost distribution

Retail expansion on the cards for The Wool Room Bedding supplier The Wool Room is seeking to expand its retail distribution after gaining the Allergy UK Seal of Approval.

The company sells its 100% wool collection, including bedding, mattress toppers, cushions and throws, through its three stores, online and 12 other retailers.

‘We are really excited to have received this approval from a respected organisation. Natural made products are always a better

choice for those suffering from allergies and we firmly believe that wool can create a better living environment for everyone, helping them get a healthy night’s sleep,’ says Chris Tattersall, The Wool Room md.

‘The Wool Room is now the only woollen bedding solution to have received the Allergy UK Seal of Approval and we are now actively seeking other retail outlets to sell our unique range of wool bedding.’

Chief praises Beales’ progress The ceo of department and home store chain Beales has extolled the virtues of the high street and its progress in transforming itself.

The chain saw like for like sales rise by 1.7% in the 19 weeks to 13 September.

‘The business has made significant strides in taking the Beales brand back to its core values of a local high street department

store, offering value for money branded and ownbrand product for the person and the home, and ensuring the best customer experience every time,’ says Michael Hitchcock, Beales ceo.

The chain has exited the TV/audio market, abandoned ‘mega’ promotions and added 350,000 shoppers to its loyalty scheme.

www.modulo.be | 120657

Brussels Furniture Fair Sun. 2 ´ Wed. 5 Nov. 2014 Brussels Expo Heysel 9am - 7pm www.furniturefairbrussels.be |

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Nov wide range of new collections

2014

WARRANTIES

Your questions answered Helen Kershaw, Guardsman head of marketing, answers your questions on product protection

Q A

While some of my customers understand the value of protecting their expensive purchases, those buying lower-middle and lower end products are reluctant to take out a warranty. How do I overcome this?

At the lower-middle and lower end of the market some customers may be unsure whether the additional cost of a protection plan is something they want. But these are potentially the people who can ill afford for their furniture to get damaged. The key driver for buying protection plans is peace of mind and when the benefits of an expert repair service and replacement if a repair isn’t possible are properly explained to the consumer, most see the value and will purchase the cover. There will always be a proportion of consumers who either don’t value a plan or who will simply replace their furniture if damaged. Fortunately, Guardsman’s consumer insight indicates these are the minority and a structured questioning process, as trained in by our account managers, can assist your retail staff in identifying the various consumer groups and help improve your conversion rates at all levels.

Q

Last year I took over a business in a nearby town as the owner was retiring. Recently one of his old customers made a claim just a few weeks before his warranty was due to expire. I visited his home and had some suspicions that he had deliberately caused the damage so he could have the sofa replaced, but nothing I felt I could challenge him on. I asked the former owner if he’d ever had a similar case. He told me this was at least the third time a claim had been made in the final weeks of this customer’s warranty.

Is there anything I can do about this? I’m now worried that I’ll have to start paying more for warranties.

A

YOUR 2015 SUCCESS STRATEGY 5 ESSENTIAL WAYS TO MAXIMISE YOUR SALES AND PROFIT ● ADVERTISING – Most advertising does not work very well, so if yours isn’t, stop wasting your money now. Don’t blame the media, blame the message. Re-design your advertising campaigns using a benefits-orientated-style. Call Greenwood for effective copywriting know-how. ● PRODUCTS – Be ruthless with your precious retail space.

If a product or collection is not pulling its weight after being given a fair chance to shine, then clear it and replace it with a better performing line. Test and measure the selling potential of all your products in a Greenwood Sale. ● SELLING SKILLS – Get good at selling. Most retailers don’t bother with a proper sales process or sales training for big ticket lines. The successful ones do. Invest time and money in quality sales know-how. Call Greenwood to arrange an effective sales training course. ● COMPETITION – Check your competition to find out what they are offering. Avoid all-out price wars. Be sure to out-do your competition on the most relevant beneficial points including choice, quality, value and service. Call Greenwood to mystery shop your competitors. ● PROMOTION – Promote your business effectively, just like every good retailer from Aldi to Harrod’s. Consider using a ‘Greenwood’ Sales Promotion to increase sales, turn stock into cash and win future market share, while protecting your profit at the same time. Call Greenwood!

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01565 650101 or, send an e mail enquiry, and we’ll gladly call you to discuss the exciting possibilities we can offer you, without obligation.

We are now booking events right across the UK and Ireland from January 2015 on a first come first served basis.

As an insurance product the terms and conditions of any protection plan clearly state that the administrator and underwriter have a duty to investigate any claim suspected of being fraudulent and that prosecutions will be made if this is the case. It is important that retailers, plan providers and insurance companies work together to prevent fraud and keep costs low for all parties, including consumers. If this specific incident refers to a Guardsman Protection Plan or a scheme administered by us, please contact us immediately with the details and we will willingly launch a full investigation.

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NEW PRODUCTS

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1 In a striking gold, a new box from Floorwise is hard to miss and if you spot one be sure to grab it, there’s magic inside in the shape of 12 new-look cans of F599 Heavy Duty Spray Adhesive.

The glue is suitable for bonding a range of floorcoverings.

Tel: 01509 673 974 2 Retailers signed up to the Crown Floors Loyalty Club can enjoy double points on Roseland and Dunnotar Castle, earning 80 points for every sqm sold. Both come in 4m and 5m widths and offer a spectrum of tones from natural shades through to ontrend pastel blue and grey.

Visit: www.crown floorsloyalty club.co.uk 3 Woven from 100% pure New Zealand wool, Louis de Poortere’s Superbirds brings two textures in the chunky loop pile

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

of Comfort and the cut pile of Velvet, each offering a deep and luxurious texture. With a weight of 3kg per sqm, Superbirds is available in a 4.57m width and two tonal brown shades as standard, with bespoke colours available from orders of just 10 linear metres.

Visit: www.louis depoortere.com 4 The Academy for Excellence in Flooring Powered by QuickStep & Pergo has introduced oneday courses covering moisture testing, site preparation, measuring and quoting, stair installation, installation of click LVTs and sanding and finishing.

Visit: www.quick-stepacademy.co.uk 5 Lano Carpet’s Fairfield Creations collection, made from 100% Lanoset polypropylene, has been expanded from 12 to 22 styles, with the addition of eight plain shades and two stripe colourways. The plains have 4m and 5m width options and 4m for the stripes with a repeat pattern of 25cm.

Tel: 00 800 5266 5266

Above and

beyond

Meet exhibitors from more than 60 countries. Discover the latest innovations in textile interior design. Experience the coming trends more intensively than ever before. Take direct advantage of inspirations for your company. These opportunities are available only at the world’s largest trade fair for home and contract textiles.

For further details and tickets visit heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com info@uk.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83

14 – 17. 1. 2015 Heimtextil Theme Park “Experience” – Trends 2015/2016.

A new departure in Hall 4.0

NEW PRODUCTS

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7 6 Inspired by sections from iconic buildings such as the Gherkin, the Shard and the British Museum’s Great Court, these cushions from Jan Constantine’s Architectural Patchwork or ‘Archipatch’ collection are made in black linen with cream wool embroidered patches. The collection also includes the Hexagon, the Classic Cube and the Harlequin designs.

Visit: www.janconstantine.com 7 Artisanti’s Tennessee reclaimed oak three-drawer chest combines smooth lines and knots and a dappled blonde colouring unique to each piece.

Detailing includes round metal ring handles, individual drawer metal locks, carved grooves and angled top corners.

Visit: www.artisanti.com 8 Elstead Lighting launched 100 table and floor lamps in its latest 208-page portables catalogue at Decorex, featuring a selection of retro, classic and contemporary portables including 10

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

designer mirrors. Pictured is the Stiffel Cincinnati table lamp with Burnished Brass finish and Oyster silk box-pleat shade.

Visit: www.elsteadlighting.com 9 Sweetpea & Willow’s Augustine sideboard is deceptive. The drawers on the front are actually cupboard doors, with a shelf inside to store all your goodies. Intricately carved and handmade from solid wood, this is a beautiful piece and a sound investment for the home.

Visit: www.sweetpeaandwillow.com 10 A boutique colourbank has been added to Associated Weavers’ successful Tuftex Twist. Tuftex Boutique has six more modern and fresh colourways, all available in multiwidth which means no waste. With the 10-year Stainaway warranty and 10-year wear warranty, it will ensure Tuftex’s popularity will rise in the marketplace.

Visit: www.carpetyourlife.com

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Take a look in the mirror of the world market.

Explore every facet of the international consumer goods industry and a unique product spectrum for core and supplementary assortments. In the Living area you’ll find countless ideas for interior design, furnishing and decoration in all styles and trends. This is the fair that identifies your key success factors.

Information and tickets at advance sale prices at ambiente.messefrankfurt.com Tel. +44 (0) 14 83 48 39 83 info@uk.messefrankfurt.com

13 – 17. 2. 2015

try

Partner coun

NEW PRODUCTS

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11 VW+BS took inspiration from the petals of a flower to create the Trellis pendant lamp with a translucent veneer shade, which when viewed at certain angles creates a moiré-like effect.

Visit: www.vwbs.co.uk 12 TCC Whitestone’s Origin chair plays with the contrast of its visually light, yet edgy base and the plain and fluid surfaces of the seat. Two shells of smoothly bent plywood, comfortably upholstered, create the seat, back and armrests. The legs are made with lacquered steel creating a visual counterpoint to the warmth of leather and wood.

Visit: www.tccwhitestone.com 13 Cavendish’s Barnsbury is one of the first four designs since production was moved to Collins & Hayes. It is available in a large four-seater sofa measuring 2.45m, three-seater, two-seater and armchair.

Tel: 01424 723 919 14 Kobe’s Mystic collection mixes contemporary and classic interior design fabrics inspired by the mysterious Gothic style period. The collection features rich velvets, innovative 3D jacquards, lace looks and printed burnouts, suitable for window decoration, upholstery and contract wall coverings. Designed to capture the essence of the Gothic period, heavily embroidered fabrics are contrasted against a sheer palette of blush pinks and neutral tones.

Visit: www.en.kobe.eu 15 Sitting Pretty’s Tuxford has three size options, is available as a manual, single motor and dual motor lift recliner, or as a static two and three-seater sofa.

Tel: 01773 811 610

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

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THE SPRING FLOORCOVERINGS EXHIBITION BRIGHTON 3rd - 5th MARCH 2015

THE SURE WAY TO MISS SUCCESS IS TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY To be part of “WHAT THE WORLD WALKS ON TOMORROW” At The Hilton Brighton Metropole Contact

NORCRO Exhibitions Ltd sales@norcroexhibitions.com +44 1590 677730 www.norcroexhibitions.com

BEST OF BRITISH

The POS has been updated

GBF reborn

The BFM is relaunching the IT IS Great British Furniture campaign

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Launched seven years ago, the BFM’s IT IS Great British Furniture campaign achieved its greatest success in 2012 when the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee enhanced support for British manufacturers. This helped to initiate a dramatic rise in furniture manufacturers and retailers signing up to promote their products through the GBF Campaign.

Members have also successfully used the campaign overseas, both at exhibitions and in showrooms to promote their furniture. At its peak, the campaign was being promoted in about 1,000 retail outlets and reached as far as Argentina. It is to be used by five member companies at iSaloni Moscow this month. The aim is to focus on promoting and increasing awareness of British-made furniture to help elevate its key factors to consumers, retailers and international audiences.

While patriotism was at a high point in 2012, the benefits are still being felt and with this in mind the BFM is relaunching the campaign.

‘Not only are we looking to build on previous success, we are looking to increase participation of the campaign further by opening it up to the contract and office markets, as well as the domestic market. Numbers are already increasing with GBF manufacturers’

participation rising from 12 to 43 and the number of retail companies participating now totalling more than 60,’ says Jackie Bazeley, BFM md.

With the relaunch comes a new focus to update and improve the POS and marketing materials. Participants will have access to the newly designed toolkit which provides banners for the Internet as well as ready to print logos and graphics that can be used on all printed materials. The toolkit also provides the new swing tags, which now have a bespoke option with a company’s name printed on to the tag.

‘The main purpose of the toolkit is to help the participating companies to differentiate themselves among other competitors with retailers, and particularly, consumers. The BFM also has an agreement with CPS labels to offer BFM members a 10% discount on orders,’ says Bazeley.

The GBF campaign is now free to BFM members and retailers. However, a manufacturer must be a BFM member

BEST OF BRITISH

Vale-Bridgecraft, Burgess Beds, Westbridge and Furmanac are among the manufacturers involved in the campaign

and produce at least 75% of products in the UK. Companies may only advertise GBF on UK-manufactured products and not on any imported products. The BFM is strict on this to ensure the profile and reputation of the campaign and GBF is not tarnished.

Retailers can participate providing they stock a sufficient number of products from GBF manufacturing members. For both manufacturers and retailers alike the package includes the opportunity to have their company logo uploaded on to the GBF website on the relevant retailers and manufacturer directory. For retailers this links to their website and for manufacturers to the introductory entry on the BFM website.

‘If we are to compete with imports and increase UK furniture manufacturing and export activity, we have to shout about the high quality of UK furniture and campaigns such as the GBF allow us to do this. I speak to people who ask if there is still furniture manufacturing taking place in this country,’ says Bazeley.

‘I reply by saying yes, in fact the manufacturing quality in Britain is second to none and we need to support these companies. We have to build on the successes of the campaign and continue to put Great British Furniture on the map, both here and overseas.’

Visit: www.greatbritishfurniture.co.uk

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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BEST OF BRITISH

Above: Glenmoy Douglas Left: Boho Collection: Bloomsbury Summer Breeze Below: Open Spaces: Capri Parma

Timeless

Whether traditional, retro or modern, Ulster Carpets has something to suit Now in its 75th year of business, Ulster Carpets is proud to offer the finest axminster and wilton carpets, all manufactured and designed in the UK. The Kidderminster design team researches the latest trends and styles to ensure the offering has a broad appeal.

From traditional axminster patterned ranges such as Glenavy, luxurious plains like Ulster Velvet, to the new, vintage inspired Boho Collection, there is an Ulster carpet to suit all tastes.

Boho Collection is an ode to all things retro, and each of the five designs offer their own quirky personality, brought together by the soft pastel shades of the heritage colour palette. Choose between the leaf pattern of Rhapsody, the statement zigzag of Tribe or the sophisticated houndstooth of Chic. The distinctive chevrons of Hemingway add character to any stairway, while Bloomsbury brings a little bit of the outdoors in with its seed-head design.

Boho Collection coordinates with the plains of Heritage Twist enabling

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

consumers to make a statement within the home.

Design does not however come at the expense of strength and durability. The 80% wool/20% nylon mix means the collection withstands wear and tear in the home and will last as long as the iconic designs which inspired it.

From soft furnishings to paint charts, the trend for greys and muted neutral tones is everywhere and the new Open Spaces 100% wool tufted ranges are Ulster’s floorcovering answer. The tonal, high-low loop of Monaco, creates a subtle yet cosmopolitan stripe effect, while the coordinating plains of Panama allow for a flowing interior scheme. The colour palette of smoky greys and soft neutral tones also complement the fashionable stripe of Capri. Organic background colourways are brought to life by a multi-tonal stripe; choose from

charcoal greys, fresh greens, dusty pinks, cool blues and shimmering silvers reminiscent of the Italian island after which it is named.

Ulster still designs and manufactures traditional axminster carpets which are true to their British heritage. For example, the longstanding Glenmoy range has seen the addition of two traditional Scottish plaids, Douglas and Robertson, complementing the existing tartans of Beige Chisholm, Royal Stewart and Blackwatch.

The charcoal and grey tones of Douglas create a simple yet striking design similar to the tartans worn by the ancient clan. The pale blue, moss green and red of Robertson, evoke thoughts of wild Scottish highlands and cosy fires.

Like the Scottish tartans themselves, the Glenmoy plaids are not only beautiful, but exude integrity and practicality. The 80% wool/20% nylon combination is suitable for heavy residential wear and the timeless plaid designs have the unique ability to add character and warmth to both contemporary and traditional homes.

Visit: www.ulstercarpets.com

Our British furniture manufacturers are committed to providing the highest levels of comfort, safety and quality to their customers - just three of the traits that make out Great British furniture ‘great’.

IT IS furniture for any age, style, budget or taste. IT IS for the traditional, contemporary, classical or modern home and office and contract markets. IT IS desired and admired the world over.

ASK if IT IS British or look out for the label

BEST OF BRITISH The two factories can produce 1,000 suites a week which has put production schedules back on track Opposite page Townley Inset David Winter

Plan and deliver To cope with a bulging order book Furnico has opened a second factory Upholstery company Furnico has been an established name in the UK furniture market for more than 30 years. Operating from its factory and head office in Colne, Lancashire, the firm is proud to be known as a 100% British manufacturer.

Because of a growth in demand over the past 12 months, Furnico has invested more than £500,000 and opened a second factory in nearby Nelson during the summer, increasing its output by up to a third.

‘This was a huge step for us to take, but we had got to the point where our order books were full and our lead times were longer than we wanted them to be,’

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says David Winter, Furnico joint-md.

‘Since opening the second factory, we are delighted to say that our lead times are back to our target of four to six weeks.

We’d once again like to thank our retailers for their patience during what has been a very busy period for us,’ he says.

Furnico began training its new workforce of 50 staff over the summer, creating test products.

The factory officially opened in August, straight after the firm’s summer break, and has quickly been able to absorb the backlog of orders and keep up with increased demand.

A combination of factors led to

Furnico’s order books filling up earlier in the year and Winter believes much of this was down to the firm’s reputation for quality and service.

After undergoing a complex process to introduce a lean manufacturing system at its Colne factory – a process which began in 2011 and took 18 months to complete – Furnico was able to benefit from a more cost-effective production process resulting in a better quality product and fewer aftersales service issues.

‘This really cemented our standing in the marketplace and our customer base grew. We also released new models, created by our in-house design team,

BEST OF BRITISH which have been very popular,’ he says.

He reckons there is a definite trend for fabric upholstery, so the company has tailored its products to three distinct customer groups: motion and static models aimed at the over 50s; models for families combining durability with attractive designs; and fashion-focused consumers.

‘Our British heritage also helps us stand out, as shoppers are now, more than ever, proud to be buying British.

What’s more, retailers can be confident of guarantees and benefits when ordering any Furnico product. As well as having a 10-year limited warranty as standard, each suite also comes with free of charge service backup, offering a straightforward solution for retailers faced with any service issues,’ he explains.

High quality materials are used, such as Reflex foam and Encore filling, plus it offers thousands of fabric options, giving customers ultimate flexibility to tailor their upholstery to their taste.

To nurture its high street customers, the Furnico Independent Sofas subbrand, headed by Darren Hargreaves, was created this year. The benefits of providing exclusive designs to independents brought a further increase in orders.

‘We have worked hard as a business to ensure the quality and commercial

popularity of our products. And we are very proud to say that we did not stop there. It is fantastic to have full order books, but the extended lead times which resulted did not meet with the high service standards that we want to offer our customers.

‘It was a very pleasing moment when our second factory officially opened, as not only are we creating jobs in our local area, but it means our production schedules are back on track,’ he adds.

‘Most importantly, it means we will not be faced with the same extended lead times in the future, as we now have the capacity to produce up to 1,000 suites per week between the two factories.’

Furnico, tel: 01282 869 888

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Gives you ose ot cleanduayp tmhishaps! every

e m i t e r o m

To ďŹ nd your nearest independent retail store

www.stainfreeforlife.com

Simply soak up with a paper towel!

The Stainfree Classic Collection 20 new fashion colours to give your customer choice, multi-widths to save them money and a 3 weight ‘good, better, best’ offering guaranteed to enrich any room in their home.

Easy on the eye and easy on the pocket, Classic Décor is the perfect starting point for any home.

Without doubt this is the most popular ever quality Stainfree Twist.

An ultra-heavyweight Stainfree that is guaranteed to keep its good looks for longer!

www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

BEST OF BRITISH

Above: 15 colours have been added to V&A Twist

Tempting the palette Ryalux offers the latest trends Ryalux leads the way in carpet colour fashion, with an extensive recolouring of several of its ranges.

This year has seen the launch of its Ryafine Velvet range, featuring 12 contemporary interiors fashion colours, as well as 15 colours being added to its iconic V&A Twist range. Now, two more ranges are being recoloured.

Ultimate Twist, Ryalux’s premium two-ply twist range will now feature 104 standard colours. It will also continue to be available in any colour using its dye colour matching service, as well as being available in any width to 7m. Ultimate Twist now features stain protection and mothproof treatment Desert Tones, available in three designs, will feature six new shades, increasing the colour palette to 12 for the 100% New Zealand wool three-ply loop pile.

‘We have always been at the forefront of offering real colour choice, and our new colour palettes continue this tradition. As consumers have become more knowledgeable about interiors colour trends, we wanted to ensure our ranges offered colours that allowed them to match and coordinate with the very latest colour fashions. With the introduction of greiges, taupes, and putty colours, we bring a sophisticated twist to the standard beige colour, which consumers are now looking for,’ says Darren Longden, Ryalux commercial director.

Visit: www.ryalux.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Below: Desert Tones has six new colours Bottom: Ultimate Twist features 104 standard colours

The Ultimate Collection are beautiful, premium quality carpets from Ryalux Choose from a wide selection of twist, velvet, saxony & shag pile qualities All Ultimate qualities are: Made from the finest New Zealand wool Made from 2 ply yarn Ryaguard® Stain Protected Ryaprotect® Mothproof Treated (with warranty) Choose from our extensive standard colour palettes or match to your ideal colour using our free special dye colour matching service All qualities available in any width to 7 metres, enabling you to create a seamless finish, even for the largest of rooms, all without costly waste Whether you order a standard colour, or a special dye, the price you pay is the same No minimum order quantity (min order value of 10m2) FREE COLOUR MATCHING SERVICE BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED POM TO SHOW YOU HOW YOUR IDEAL COLOUR WILL LOOK

TWIST

VELVET

SAXONY

SHAG PILE

For more information please contact your local Ryalux representative, or Sales on T: 0161 762 3030 (option 1) E: sales@ryalux.co.uk or visit our website www.ryalux.com

The Campaign for Wool Interiors Collection An Exhibition at Southwark Cathedral, London

5th - 12th October 2014 ADMISSION FREE

Photography by Chris Everard

Join us to Celebrate Wool Interiors...

The courtyard setting of London’s iconic Southwark Cathedral will be home for one week and one day to this year’s most beautiful wool moment.

As part of the fifth anniversary of the Campaign for Wool - Patron HRH The Prince of Wales - a stunning collection of over fifty beautiful wool items for interiors and lifestyle has been curated from the textile industry and retail brands.

Featuring fabrics, furnishings, flooring and art from the High Street, Designer, Bespoke and Commercial sectors, the exhibition will also display a small collective of student and innovation led work to demonstrate emerging wool talent.

All items are available for sale during Wool Week.

Live Naturally... Choose Wool The Campaign for Wool was initiated by HRH The Prince of Wales to highlight the natural, sustainable story of wool and improve understanding of the fibre’s many attributes. From small beginnings, it now operates internationally and is supported by sheep farmers, manufacturing partners, major brands, retailers and consumers. It is funded by the world’s leading wool organisations which work conscientiously to support the ethos of wool as the superior natural fibre for fashion, interiors and the built environment.

Find out more www.campaignforwool.org info@campaignforwool.org @campaignforwool #ChooseWool

BEST OF BRITISH

Above: Imagination Rugs’ Harry Left: Royal Borough Below: Simply Natural

Heritage of quality Innovation and design are at the heart of British-made Axminster Carpets An iconic British brand since 1755 when Thomas Whitty made carpets using what became known as the Axminster method of weaving, Axminster Carpets continues to design and manufacture solely in the UK. The company uses mainly British wool, spinning and dyeing the wool in the UK and manufacturing its whole range in the UK, mostly at its headquarters in Axminster, Devon.

This heritage and tradition of high quality carpet manufacture is combined with cutting edge design to produce beautiful, British axminster carpets suitable for modern living in homes, royal households and luxury hotels worldwide.

Product design and development sits

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

at the heart of the business with a number of recent innovations including children’s range, Imagination Rugs.

Designed to evoke memories from childhood, the collection takes wildlife and nature themes to produce designs including Sheep Sharing, Baby Bunting and By the Seaside. The 12 rugs are 100% wool and woven using traditional methods to the same high standards as the carpets.

A further innovation in carpet is the Royal Borough Wilton Collection, which has received a great response from interior experts, according to the company. Featuring geometric, trellis and herringbone patterns, these carpets make a statement on the floor while blending with any interior style.

While Royal Borough provides innovative pattern design, the ever popular Devonia and Simply Natural ranges offer even more choice of colours inspired by current interior design trends for greys.

For those customers wanting a more personal, bespoke design service, Axminster Carpets’ Ready to Weave collections offer high levels of customisation with a rapid production turnaround of just four weeks.

With a royal warrant, Axminster Carpets supplies royal households, so whatever the level of requirement, it says it can provide the highest quality service and design when producing British carpet.

Axminster Carpets, tel: 01297 33533

Axminster Carpets™ feel for any interior décor.

BEST OF BRITISH Left: The Diamond 4000 Pocket Memory Wool mattress Below: All mattresses in the Diamond Collection feature the Mirapocket spring system

Pride Silentnight’s top priority is quality

Silentnight is proud of its UK manufacturing credentials. From testing and manufacture, to delivery and recycling, Silentnight puts exceptional British craftsmanship at the heart of all products. As a champion of British manufacturing, the company’s top priority is product quality. It is committed to ensuring all its beds and mattresses meet stringent UK regulations for retailers’ and consumers’ peace of mind.

Established for more than 30 years, the Silentnight factory in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, holds the largest and most advanced on-site testing laboratory in the UK, which is central to the company’s quality offering. Each mattress range is put through rigorous testing to ensure it exceeds British standards.

To communicate its manufacturing processes, on the Silentnight website there is a video showing a behind the scenes look into its factory and on-site testing facilities. From the materials used and the beds and mattresses being expertly assembled by the factory’s trained workforce, to the rigorous testing procedure in the laboratory, the video gives consumers an insight into the traditional craftsmanship that’s involved in making a Silentnight bed.

Drawing on more than 60 years experience, Silentnight’s bed-making process is still relatively traditional and is carefully considered to provide the best

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sleep solutions. But, it embraces new technology and continuously invests in new product testing and development to ensure consumers receive quality UK products.

Its latest collection is no exception.

According to the company, the Diamond Collection is the most luxurious range of beds and mattresses it has made. The Mirapocket spring system features across all its core ranges, providing retailers with a multitude of options when it comes to finding customers the mattress to suit their needs.

With all products in the Diamond range traditionally hand-crafted in the UK and featuring natural fillings to create the ultimate in luxury, Silentnight has unveiled the Diamond 4000 Pocket Memory Wool mattress.

It features a triple layer 4000 Mirapocket advanced system for a deeper, more luxurious mattress offering ultimate support. The natural memory wool comfort filling provides superior comfort and has handles and air vents for maximum airflow.

‘Having been a trusted brand for over 60 years, Silentnight is incredibly proud of its British manufacturing credentials.

Each Silentnight bed and mattress is put through rigorous testing to ensure the brand consistently exceeds British manufacturing standards, which gives consumers the assurance of quality and firmly places Silentnight as the UK manufacturer of choice,’ adds Grace Moorhouse, Silentnight brand marketing manager.

Visit: www.silentnight.co.uk

SLEEP HAS NEVER FELT SO GOOD

The stunning Geltex mattress collection from Silentnight delivering triple benefits and the ultimate in support for a great night’s sleep.

Available with a choice of stylish base and headboards.

To find out more about our Geltex mattress collection contact your local area manager, our dedicated customer contact centre on 01282 851111 or visit silentnight.co.uk/Geltex

BEST OF BRITISH

Surround yourself

Ambience surroundsound bed

Sweet Dreams has added two TV-ready beds to its collection Fabric-upholstered bed frames have long been a British-made speciality from Lancashire manufacturer Sweet Dreams.

Last year, the company’s TV-ready beds were a hit, and this year the momentum has continued with two more surroundsound beds, Ambience and Verve.

Ambience with its clean lines attracted a lot of interest at The Bed Show last month. Verve features a glamorous

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buttoning detail and shines in crushed velvet – a new range in what is already a wide selection of fabrics.

Each of the two surround-sound beds features two USB ports, one on either side rail for maximum convenience, a Bluetooth port in the headboard, and speakers set in the footend.

By having the USB ports on the side rather than the headboard means there

are no trailing wires over pillows while a charging phone, iPod or tablet can be left on the floor or on a bedside cabinet overnight.

The new frames join the upholstered TV beds and the host of divans that are all crafted by Sweet Dreams in its Burnley factory. Delivery to store is within 10 days, or direct to home within 48 hours.

Sweet Dreams, tel: 01282 830 033

Rest assured it’s the bed your back would choose

Our new traditional pocket spring collection is designed for optimum back support and comfort. We’ve enhanced the range with the 2800 pocket sprung mattress for the ultimate in luxury.

We’re proud to say it’s been approved by The Good Housekeeping Institute too, testament that our beds provide the ultimate in quality.

To find out more call 01282 851 111 or visit www.rest-assured.co.uk

BEDS AND BEDROOM

The right profile Sealy’s latest introduction supports shoulders and hips

Renowned for developing innovative and technologically advanced mattresses and divans, Sealy UK has introduced a collection it hopes will radically change the industry: Profile beds.

The first to arrive in this specialist range is the Contour Support and Contour Reflexion. Ergonomic in concept, the Contour mattress is based on various anthropometric studies which detail and profile the proportions of the human anatomy.

Directional and variable zoning along its length from head to toe means the mattress doesn’t ever have to be turned, and it pays special attention to offering the right kind of support to shoulders and hips, which are the key pressure points to cause tossing and turning, in addition to an area of increased lumbar support to ensure the spine is kept at exactly the right alignment throughout the night. It is this key area of lumbar support that makes this bed so different.

When you lie down on it, you can feel the slightly convex zone that sits laterally across the mattress supporting the spine, whether you are lying on your side or your back. As a result the bed is a boon to anyone who feels the need for more support in bed, or anyone who

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occasionally or permanently suffers from back problems or wants to prevent one from deteriorating.

The Sealy testers who trialled the bed are apparently ecstatic at the benefits they got right from their first night’s sleep on it.

The Contour Reflexion model is a medium support model and the Contour Support has a slightly firmer feel.

With their high loft, micro-quilted panels, the beds also feature the dynamic response textile Adaptive that reacts to temperature and moisture. Hydro-functional polymers change shape, boosting evaporation and helping to maintain a constant temperature, even through the sheets.

Visit: www.sealy.co.uk

Top: Profile was debuted at The Bed Show Above: The mattresses have a convex zone Left: The high loft ticking includes Adaptive Below: There is no need to turn the mattress

Thanks to all the customers who made the trip to Telford and for their continued support.

No Turn. No Rotate.

No wonder the Sealy Profile was the star of the Bed Show!

For more information on this groundbreaking bed, contact our Sales Hotline on 016973 20342.

www.sealy.co.uk

BEDS AND BEDROOM

A royal appointment Hypnos will be exhibiting at The Autumn Furniture Show Leading luxury bed manufacturer and royal warrant holder, Hypnos, which has been hand-crafting made-to-measure beds in the UK for more than a century, will be exhibiting at The Autumn Furniture Show.

Running from 7–9 October at the International Centre, Telford, and organised by buying groups Minerva Furnishers Guild and SMG, the event will showcase a range of furniture and flooring products. The first day of the show is reserved for members, with days two and three open to all retailers.

Combining traditional skills with constant innovation, and using only the

finest natural and sustainable materials, Hypnos will showcase some of its most popular designs. It will also show its latest collection fresh from The Bed Show.

Hypnos’ experts will be on hand to chat to retailers about its new collection, the comfort and design benefits of each, as well as the company’s long-standing commitment to innovation, the environment and quality.

Its royal warrant is a mark of excellence and helps to proudly distinguish Hypnos as a company with a reputation for outstanding service and the very best in British quality.

‘We are really looking forward to

showcasing our luxurious new collection of beds at The Autumn Furniture Show.

The event enables retailers to see the beds up close and personal and to try them out for themselves, allowing them to experience the incredible comfort of the beds first hand and see how stylish they are’, says Chris Ward, Hypnos marketing director.

‘We will continue to work closely with members of the Minerva Furnishers Guild and key retailers to help convert the growing demand for the Hypnos brand and to continue to create beds that we know our customers want,’ he adds.

Visit: www.hypnosbeds.com Left: Royal Comfort Eminence with Elizabeth headboard

Below: Baroness Supreme

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Best of British The pursuit of perfection – beautiful handcrafted pocket spring beds, with a Royal Seal of Approval and an unrivalled 10 year guarantee. Hypnos provides retailers with exquisitely tailored beds; sublime comfort; a choice of design options; a commitment to sustainability; a strong consumer brand and excellent support.

Don’t miss out try the gorgeous new Regency and Pillow Top Collections today!

T: +44 (0) 1844 348200 | E: sleep@hypnosbeds.com | www.hypnosbeds.com Hypnos is proud to be Carbon Neutral, complying with BS PAS 2060 Standard.

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Wood takes centre-stage for the Nox wardrobe

Art from nature Wood is at the heart of the Austrian company’s designs

The intelligently designed interior

Team 7’s Nox turns nature into an artist with wild woods forming the face of the wardrobe. Knots and striking grains combine to create an individual picture.

Nox‘s strong statement is underlined by the traditional woodwork – treated only with pure natural oil – featuring an interplay of sharp corners and rounded edges. Lively and calm, archaic and modern – Nox draws a strength from the combination of contradictions, giving the range its aesthetic.

In the centre of Jacob Strobel’s design statement is the large centre-sliding door which creates an effective impression of depth with its thickness and the protruding front. A softly rounded, linear cutaway serves as a handle. The door can be

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easily moved in both directions despite its large volume and positions itself quietly in the centre when closing.

The elemental strength of the natural wood used for Nox is in contrast to the coloured glass covering the left and right doors.

Two wooden panels with fine linear design create emphasis and simultaneously serve as handles. They mirror the cutaway in the central door and contribute to the harmonic overall impression of the design.

A LED illuminates the interior and optimally lit, Nox discloses an intelligently designed, convenient interior layout with functional details such as drawers and trouser rails.

Visit: www.team7.at

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Outstanding innovation The cream of the bed industry was recognised at The Bed Show Awards

Furniture Village was named Multiple Retailer of the Year.The judges of the retailer and supplier awards (Bernard Eaton, Greenwood Retail md; Richard de Melim, Furnishing Report editor; Paul Farley, Furniture News editor; Andrew Kidd, Interiors Monthly editor and Chris Peck, Cabinet Maker editor) decided that bravely revitalising and reinventing its bed offering and its leading approach to retailing made it the winner.

A close second was Bensons for Beds, which demonstrated a business that continues to build on its successful model and places emphasis on sales training.

Now in its fourth year The Bed Show Awards are designed to recognise the companies considered as best in class over the previous 12 months.

‘The awards once again showcase the outstanding level of innovation and enterprise that the industry is capable of.

This year the competition was stronger than ever and the quality of entries improves yearon-year, giving the judges an ever harder task. We are thrilled to recognise such a fantastic set of companies,’ says Stuart Hibbert, NBF president.

The awards were presented by Hibbert and the evening’s host, radio presenter Jeremy Vine.

The Bed Etailer of the Year award went to Loaf. While its product range is small, the company demonstrates the next phase of online retailing, a more relaxed, more ethical approach, selling high value product and producing spectacular growth.

The judges said it had a compelling story about its professional performance over the qualifying period, demonstrating quality at every level and excellent search engine results.

Mattress Online was runner-up.

Competition was strong for the Independent Retailer of the Year category. Surrey Beds stood out for all round effort and quality. Its owner, Jerry Cheshire, known as the beducator, has been embracing online sales and marketing, offering sleep consultations, developing its own You Tube channel and coping with three months of major roadworks right outside the store to achieve very respectable overall year-on-year sales growth.

Peter Betteridge was runner-up after investing in marketing sponsorships with local suppliers, a commitment to green policies and a new approach to in-house marketing.

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

Lifetime accolade for Peter Keen The National Bed Federation presented Peter Keen, Hypnos chairman and former NBF president, with the Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to the bed industry.

Keen has been at the helm of his family’s manufacturing business for more 30 years and as NBF president from 2006-2009 he laid the foundations for the association that it is today with the Bed Show Code of Practice and the new Sleep Council Sales Academy.

J De Walleg won Bed Component Supplier of the Year for innovation that saves mattress manufacturers time and money and enjoying significant export growth in the past year.

Bekaert Textiles was runner-up in recognition of its research into cradle to cradle production and some potentially ground-breaking technology in its development of biodegradable mattress covers.

Bed Manufacturer of the Year was Hypnos after seeing strong sales and significantly increasing exports in the qualifying period, while taking an innovative approach to further developing brand awareness and proving itself a worthy benchmark for the higher-end of the market.

Runners-up were Silentnight and Sweet Dreams, in a competitive category. Silentnight was praised for its highly professional targeted marketing to meet the needs of every type of customer, individualising and differentiating the offer and working hard to meet the challenge of being a market leader. The judges felt Sweet Dreams also deserved recognition for its investment in UK manufacturing and a strong year-on-year performance, as it branches into new retail markets.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

Legend in the industry

Keen is known for his integrity and humour

Peter Keen is only the fourth person to be given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the NBF Peter Keen, Hypnos chairman, has spent his working life in the bed industry and decades in charge of the family-owned bed manufacturer.

‘I got into the industry by mistake – it was my father’s fault – he died peacefully in bed without telling me when I was about 32, and he left me with this small family business in High Wycombe with a turnover of £100,000 a year. Over the years my team and myself have turned this family business into one turning over close to £40m this year,’ he says.

But this isn’t the only change he has seen over the years ‘I think the fire regulations for mattresses was probably the biggest change in the industry in my time, as it did two things: secure protection for the consumer as well as protecting the bed industry from imports. The biggest change over recent years has been the vertical integration between retailers and manufacturers supplying the consumer mostly by foreign owned investors. The important thing is that the consumer

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wants to talk to knowledgeable sales staff and the whole partnership between us and independent retailers is vital, as is quality and service.’

He reckons the bed industry won’t change that much in the next decade, with plenty of good retailers and independent groups doing a really good job in providing the British population with a good night’s sleep.

‘The only change will come from the consumer in their buying habits as the youngsters take over and how they shop in the digital world and how they research the market,’ he comments.

Keen says the thing he is most professionally proud of is maintaining the Hypnos royal warrant for mattresses within the Keen family, and having been National Bed Federation president three times, president of the Windsor Royal Warrant Holders Association and Master of the Furniture Makers.

‘Personally I take pride in the tremendous relationships I have with our independent retailers and some groups,

which is fundamental to our success and I am most proud for having a fantastic family, some of which are growing up within the business.

‘I was so proud the other evening to get two awards: Bed Manufacturer of the Year and – completely out of the blue, the Lifetime Achievement – so I am now alongside historical characters John Cotton [John Cotton chairman], Peter Spinks [Harrison Spinks chairman] and Mike Clare [former Dreams owner].’

But Keen hasn’t followed Spinks in buying a helicopter. ‘This is the biggest regret of my life! I have flown a friend’s helicopter which was amazing fun, although we did have to make a quick surprise landing as we had strayed into the flight landing of Buckingham Palace by accident,’ he says During his time as NBF president Keen was instrumental in how the association operates today, making manufacturers and suppliers equal members; implementing a new management structure and establishing The Bed Show which has enabled it to develop the Code of Practice and the Sleep Council Sales Academy.

And his plans for the future?

‘You ask me if I am taking a back seat – the answer is definitely no, although Sarah and James [his daughter and son who are the fifth generation of Keens to be involved in the company] say hopefully soon.’

Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award, Stuart Hibbert, NBF president, said: ‘Many of us have been on the receiving end of his unique sense of humour and his uncanny skill to wind people up, not least his long-suffering family and colleagues. But his integrity is without question and behind the jokes and disingenuous comments is a very sharp and observant mind.’

So we asked for a joke to end on. ‘A French bed maker jumped off a bridge in Paris: he was inseine.’

Visit: www.hypnosbeds.com

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LVT

Locked in Polyflor’s latest range doesn’t need adhesive Polyflor has expanded its Camaro LVT collection with Camaro Loc, interlocking planks and tiles that do not need adhesive thanks to its unique locking system, significantly reducing installation time.

To support the correct installation methods for interlocking LVT flooring such as Camaro Loc, the company has also developed Vinyl Loc Underlay. This prevents planks becoming damaged due to uneven subfloors, acts as a shock-absorber when walked upon, and reduces impact noise by 19dB. Camaro Loc has 15 wood and stone designs suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces and is guaranteed for 10 years against normal wear and tear in the recommended environments. It features recreated surface embosses and a micro-bevel effect on all four sides of the planks and tiles, adding a depth and detailing to the floor. With a 4mm gauge and a 0.3mm wear layer, it is suitable for use in heavy domestic as well as light commercial areas.

Polyflor’s marketing support package for Camaro Loc includes photography showcasing it in a variety of locations and interior styles. A 48-page brochure, shadecards and a retail display sample are available.

‘It was essential that Camaro Loc is supported with the sort of package our customers would expect from a range launched under the respected Camaro brand. Drawing from many years of vinyl flooring expertise and considerable investment, the Camaro Loc collection presents a technically superior range in the rapidly developing interlocking vinyl flooring market,’ says Tom Rollo, Polyflor marketing manager.

It has BRE A+ and Indoor Air Comfort Gold ratings and is 100% recyclable via the Recofloor recycling scheme and contains an average recycled content of 40%.

Visit: www.polyflor.com

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Above left: White Limed Oak Above: Bunny Light Below: Grey Flagstone

Polyflor at Home has been developed to inspire you by offering exciting and authentic design ideas to suit any style of home interior.

Introduce yourself to the Colonia and Camaro Luxury Vinyl Tile collections.

Full marketing support for both LVT ranges is available, including a next day samples service, brochures, presenters and retail display stands. Visit polyflorathome.com to view stunning imagery, or contact us by email on lvt@polyflor.com for further information.

COLONIA Nordic White Oak

POLYFLOR LTD. PO BOX 3 RADCLIFFE NEW RD WHITEFIELD MANCHESTER M45 7NR TEL: 0161 767 1122 FAX: 0161 767 1128 E-MAIL: INFO@POLYFLOR.COM WWW.POLYFLOR.COM

LVT

Full approval

Left: Karndean LooseLay, Pennsylvania LLT204 was used in the corridor

Karndean Designflooring transforms the Good Housekeeping Institute

Bottom left: In the demonstration area Karndean’s Van Gogh Distressed Oak VGW82T and Art Select Corris LM12 were selected Bottom right: The cookery school features Karndean’s Art Select Gallatin LM09 and Art Select Gallatin FreeLengths LM19

The Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) selected Karndean Designflooring to style its new facility in central London.

Karndean was charged with creating a unique and sophisticated floor design to complement the new-look GHI testing facility.

Designing and installing both the ground and lower ground levels, Karndean opted for a modern floor design showcasing its updated Art Select Stones and Woods, LooseLay Series Two and the Van Gogh collection.

The standout features include a curved parquet floor in a herringbone design against matching full-length planks in the entrance area, on-trend distressed oak in the dining room and new travertine stone designs in the cookery school.

Keeping in mind acoustic qualities, Karndean specified its LooseLay textile design in the lower ground testing facilities to help absorb sound and reduce noise levels for the GHI research team working in the office space.

‘Having worked with the Good Housekeeping brand for a number of years now, we were

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delighted to be selected as its official flooring partner to support it on this exciting new venture,’ says Paul Barratt, Karndean Designflooring md.

‘It was important for us to rise to the challenge and create a floor design to reflect the contemporary theme of the new building. With our endless design capabilities, we were able to offer the wow factor to grab the attention of future visitors,’ he says.

A multi-purpose venue, GHI combines innovation with functionality to position Good Housekeeping at the forefront of domestic innovation and allow the brand to expand its range and depth of testing dramatically, to encompass nursery, beauty and technology products.

With the GHI experts already moved into the new testing facility, the doors are set to open to the public as a cookery school and demonstration kitchen from this autumn.

‘It was always our main objective to partner with the most trusted and forward-thinking brands in the business.

Karndean Designflooring has not only provided us with a stunning floor, it has created a unique design to reflect our personal style and brand. With more than 1,000 visitors expected every week, we needed our floor surface to be durable, practical and maintain its beauty when put under pressure from high traffic,’ says Elizabeth Walker, GHI venue manager.

Visit: www.karndean.com

Just create Create stunning and perfectly matched feature spaces. Developed IURP WKH EHVW VHOOLQJ )DLUรฐHOG )DLUรฐHOG &UHDWLRQV IURP WKH (DV\ Care Collection by Lano Carpets combines four stripe designs ZLWK HLJKW PDWFKLQJ SODLQ FDUSHWV (DV\ WR LQVWDOO WKDQNV WR D FP VWULSH UHSHDW DQG ZLWK D \HDU VWDLQ UHVLVWDQFH ZDUUDQW\ )DLUรฐHOG Creations brings worry-free style to the home.

00800 5266 5266 marketing@lano.com www.lano.com

Wool Week 5-12 October

PREVIEW

Clockwise from top left: Tai Ping Carpets will produce the Edward Fields Desert Rose design; Assemblyroom; El Ultimo Grito; Alternative Flooring; Solva

Naturally diverse Interiors play a major role in the fifth Wool Week Wool Collection Interiors will comprise a curated selection of more than 50 wool interior pieces with some specially commissioned items on display at London’s Southwark Cathedral (10am – 7pm daily and 8pm on Thursday). Admission is free.

Bespoke items include Weftfaced reproducing the Tirra Lirra painting by Gillian Ayres in wool tapestry; Tai Ping Carpets’ Edward Fields Desert Rose design and Angela Wright installing a wool and art feature within the cathedral.

Retailers including John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Heal’s, The Conran Shop, Sofa.com, Anthropologie and SCP are taking part alongside the likes of rugs and flooring from Christopher Farr with El Ultimo Grito, Roger Oates, Edward Fields by Tai Ping, Jacaranda, Alternative Flooring, Axminster Carpets, Brintons, Kingsmead and Ulster Carpets.

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There will be furnishings, fabrics and throws from Designers Guild, Ludvig Svennson with Assembyroom, Modus Furniture with Sir Kenneth Grange, Hainsworth, Camira Fabrics with Allermuir, Osborne and Little, Ligne Roset, Christopher Farr with Kit Kemp, Mark Alexander, Bute, Melin Tregwynt, Tracy Kendall, Kvadrat, Bailey Hills, Wallace Sewell, Abraham Moon and Galvin Brothers, Ptolemy Mann and Rugmaker, Beatrice Larkin with Daylsford, Stansborough NZ and Damson and Slate.

One Wool, the Campaign for Wool’s international promotion to celebrate the beauty and diversity of real wool in interior products will launch an online gallery on 6 October. Featuring fabric, furnishings, floorings and art, the gallery will offer the biggest online library of wool interior items with products also on display at The Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, London.

Visit: www.campaignforwool.org

NEW

DESIGN & FUNCTION. LOCKED IN Drawing from our many years of vinyl flooring experience, the Camaro Loc collection of interlocking planks and tiles in a range of authentically reproduced designs, eliminates the need for adhesion to reduce installation time. Order your free samples today, plus a copy of our new exquisite 48 page brochure online at www.polyflor.com.

0161 767 2551

POLYFLOR LTD. PO BOX 3 RADCLIFFE NEW RD WHITEFIELD MANCHESTER M45 7NR TEL: 0161 767 1122 FAX: 0161 767 1128 E-MAIL: INFO@POLYFLOR.COM WWW.POLYFLOR.COM

LIVING AND DINING

Not feeling contained Concentrating on container operations brings benefits, but it hasn’t stopped Furniture Origins from diversifying into new markets and enhancing products Since September 2013 Furniture Origins has focused on its container business, following its decision that its wholesale operation would be better handled by its long-standing customer, Classic Furniture.

‘Concentrating on our container business, sales continue to be extremely strong, allowing Classic Furniture, who we have a long standing and very productive business relationship with, to concentrate on wholesaling our wide range of products,’ says Barry Webb, Furniture Origins sales director.

‘Now that our direct business is 100% containers, this has allowed us to be much more focused on our core objectives, and the company is going from strength to strength,’ says Webb.

With its multinational nature, the company operates across the globe in various countries, designing and manufacturing in the Far East to meet each individual requirement, with the UK as its largest market.

‘Furniture Origins has been importing furniture to the UK for more than a decade, much of which has gone under the radar. We have a loyal customer base of multiples and a very strong independent sector, which due to our size and strengths means that we can provide the correct products for all,’ explains Webb.

The company targets the mid-market, but due to market changes has recently launched some entry-level products.

‘We are also diversifying by offering new finishes to existing ranges, and introducing new pieces into current successful ranges, and therefore reacting to market trends as necessary giving us a breadth of products,’ adds Webb.

The Furniture Origins sales team handles both container and wholesale orders.

Furniture Origins, tel: 07702 603 971

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

Right: Lowa Dining Below: Reno Dining Bottom: Cadiz (RMKN) Dining

Featured ORD bedroom. For enquiries, please contact barry.webb@furnitureorigins.co.uk or call: 07702 603971

to your success

dedicated

UNDERLAY

Consumers can choose their underlay online

Power of six Interfloor is concentrating on six areas Interfloor’s focus on six underlay segments continues to help drive its growth, according to Gary Cowley, Interfloor sales director. ‘There is growing demand in six key segments which we define as: comfort, durability, underfloor heating, heat insulation, sound insulation and wood and laminate.

‘Consumers increasingly want outstanding levels of comfort, well above the standard levels of luxury as defined

by BS5808. A growing number of Tredaire underlays are up to 65% higher than the conventional standard for luxury. These products include Sensation, Colours Red and the new 160kg per cum PU Titanium. Together they offer unparalleled levels of underfoot comfort,’ he says.

Premium durability applies to those

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underlays offering 100% recovery from pressure indentations. Only crumb rubber underlays with densities over 400kg per cum provide this and are suitable for dining rooms and stairs.

‘Duralay System 10, Treadmore and Durafit are tried and tested solutions.

Underfloor heating underlays enable heat to pass through the flooring efficiently from below so tog values of less than 1.0 are required. Duralay pioneered this niche with its Heatflow range of low tog underlays from 0.3 to 0.8,’ he says.

Heat insulation underlays reflect the growing interest in products that help to keep living rooms insulated and minimise heating bills. Some of the latest Tredaire PU underlays have tog values between

2.4 and 3.1; up to 50% better than the traditional products. The highest tog underlays include Dreamwalk, Sensation and Softwalk.

Sound insulation underlays for carpets are useful in addressing noise reduction, particularly in flats to combat noisy neighbours. Some Tredaire PU foam and sponge rubber products have decibel ratings of over 40. These include Colours Red, Dreamwalk and Sensation.

Duralay was the first manufacturer to develop special noise reduction underlays for wood and laminate floors.

Offering up to 30% noise reduction, these high density 700kg per cum sponge rubber underlays include Silentfloor Gold and Timbermate Excel.

Visit: www.interfloor.com

Perfect performers and famous for bringing pure luxury, warmth and comfort to the home, Tredaire underlays are designed to keep carpets looking good and feeling fabulous for longer.

The Tredaire range features outstanding levels of comfort and performance so every carpet gives that ‘on air’ feeling. That’s why Tredaire is the UK’s biggest selling underlay brand - the market leader!

01706 238 810

interfloor.com

@interfloor1

UNDERLAY

Quietly doing its job Carpenter has underlay ranges for domestic, commercial and marine markets ‘Just because you can’t see underlay, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t there doing its job,’ says Helen Rowberry, national sales manager for Carpenter underlay.

‘There are a number of benefits of using PU underlay, one being its excellent acoustic properties – particularly important in multi-level buildings such as apartments, hotels, office blocks and even aboard ships.

Underlay can help to significantly reduce noise levels while also being an excellent heat insulator and offering flame retardancy benefits. It is also extremely lightweight, from a fitter’s point of view, making it incredibly easy to carry and install,’ she explains.

‘Whether users are looking for luxury or a hardwearing option, we have worked hard over the years to develop a wide range of products suitable for all applications.’

The company produces 14 ranges of PU underlay for the domestic, commercial and marine markets.

Magic Supreme is a 11mm 85kg per sqm underlay designed to meet increased demand for top quality products and value for money, along with Midas 12 – a 12mm version which was developed for ‘modern living.’

Carpenter’s specialist Extrastep underlay is for the marine market. This is a 6mm thick and 180kg per cum density product that has an IMO and heavy

contract rating suitable for the toughest contract locations.

Also for commercial use, Prostep is a 8mm 180kg per cum density that Carpenter says is the ultimate in heavy rated contract underlay, developed to compete with even the best crumb rubber products.

‘When it comes to carpet, it is far better to buy a slightly less expensive carpet

and install on quality underlay than the other way round. A good underlay can significantly prolong the life of a carpet while adding extra comfort underfoot for a luxurious feel, heat insulation and sound absorption. Our products have the added benefit of being made from recyclable foam and are fully recyclable at the end of their life,’ says Rowberry.

Carpenter, tel: 01457 861 141

Carpenter has 14 PU underlay ranges that can all be recycled

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HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Watching brief Schnepel encourages bespoke concepts ELF in white and pasadena

Schnepel is an expert in high quality contemporary home entertainment furniture. The family-owned German business was founded in 1969 and now has sales of more than €22m.

Although a relative newcomer to the UK, the Schnepel name is rapidly becoming a recognised brand for interior designers and retailers looking to offer high quality and individuality for their customers’ media furniture needs.

The company offers hand-built media furniture in a variety of sizes, designs and finishes from high-gloss, wood, concrete and slate. All furniture is manufactured to order and customers can mix and match within their chosen design. All designs are available in both open and closed format, offering the choice either to display or conceal the equipment.

Models come in standard width cabinets between 92.5cm and 2.74m, with a choice of finishes and cabinet handle designs, options for part or full fabric fronts which allow for fully-concealed audio and IR function, static or colour-changing lighting strips and even an integral, automated TV lift capable of lifting and concealing a 55in screen on demand.

Products can accommodate the largest new-generation soundbars, through to giant TV screens. Optional TV brackets are available in both manual and remote controlled. All designs are prepared with interconnecting cabinet routeing for interconnecting and concealing cabling, with rear integral power sockets as standard.

A recently-formed brand initiative with Panasonic and Bang & Olufsen has inspired the company to work on new design ideas.

But the design possibilities do not end there – it works with its clients to offer something outside of the box, and encourage bespoke concepts: Extra depth? Extra drawers? Special colour or finish? Schnepel can help create something special.

Four ranges are available: Elf, VariC, X-Line and S1, with retail prices for models in standard dimensions starting at £239, £249, £549 and £899 respectively.

Contact: info@demagio.com

S1 in white and oak

VariC in anthracite

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

61

UPHOLSTERY Maralunga 40 has a more modern and youthful appearance – two positions, two possible uses

From 1974 to eternity (almost) Cassina’s Maralunga is 40 this year

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

To coincide with Paris Design Week, last month saw Cassina’s Paris showroom host an installation celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of its most iconic sofa designs: Maralunga by Vico Magistretti.

It traced the history of the design, new interpretations and how today’s young designers would interpret the original design brief.

While Abba was winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo and Erno Rubik was inventing the twists and turns of the world’s most famous cube, Magistretti was completing one of his most renowned models and acclaimed winner of a Compasso d’Oro award.

Cassina co-founder Cesare Cassina, punched a prototype of Maralunga with his fist when it was shown to him by the Milanese designer, as the piece failed to completely meet his demand for extreme comfort. The consequent breaking of the sofa’s back was just the enlightenment Magistretti needed. The clumsy movement showed him what would make this traditional element more innovative and replied to Cassina ‘right, great, it looks perfect to me like that’.

Maralunga’s concealed

UPHOLSTERY

Jin Eum with the model of her design (left) and the prototype (above)

Qiyun Deng with the model of her design (right) and the prototype (below)

innovation in the way its headrest could be moved to give a low or high back – developed from a simple bicycle chain – combines with its reassuring appearance and the extreme simplicity of its soft padding.

‘My intention with Maralunga was to design an object that represented a whole range of interior architecture with a familiar feel. Somewhere warm, comfortable and cosy, where one can feel totally at ease in the new-found embrace of those old, comfy, protective reading armchairs pulled up to a fireplace or window,’ said Vico Magistretti, who died just short of his 86th birthday in 2006.

‘Two positions, two possible uses, two different ways to create your own personal space inside a room,’ he declared.

To mark the anniversary Cassina

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created the Maralunga 40 version, upholstered in fabric or leather with distinctive stitching, a simple yet refined pinch around the edges, which gives it an even more modern and youthful appearance. It has also introduced 40 limited edition numbered versions in silver.

Designers of the future, in the form of 20 international students on the Master Product Design course of ECAL, the design university in Lausanne, Switzerland, were set the challenge of designing the sofa of the future, starting from the Maralunga chassis. The brief was simple: comfort first and foremost.

The students got their initial inspiration for the project during a visit to the Cassina factory in Meda where they got a feel for the history of the brand and observed production techniques.

Following this visit, various workshops with Alexis Georgacopoulos, ECAL director, and designer Tomas Kral, were organised, as well as two meetings with the Cassina research centre, which resulted in 20 integrated projects.

Chinese student Qiyun Deng and Korean student Jin Eum were chosen as the winners, with both women’s prototypes on display.

But it will be 2024 when major celebrations will be in order when, according to Magistretti himself, Maralunga will satisfy all of the requirements to become a true eternal design.

‘There are so very few eternal pieces: furniture becomes “eternal” if it manages to survive at least 50 years. At that point it is forever,’ he said in 1993.

Visit: www.cassina.com

re

s

ta ile r

O P fu rn H E itu O N re U & fl S oo E rin g All

THE

AUTUMN FURNI TUR E SHOW 2014

A Minerva Furnish Furnishers Guild event featuring a flooring showcase from SMG

An event for ALL furniture & flooring retailers!

W H E N & W H E R E?

The International Centre, Telford Wednesday 8th October Thursday 9th October

9:00 - 17:00 9:00 - 16:00

Visit www.theautumnfurnitureshow.co.uk to register your place!

An event from Proudly sponsored by

Supported by

SOFTWARE

Boost for business Computers for Flooring has enjoyed its own success and helped others to do so It has been a busy year for Computers for Flooring, with the expansion of the team and a recent move to a larger three storey premises in the heart of Cardiff.

The company also plans to soon open a training centre within its offices for customers to learn how to maximise profits and improve efficiency using its management software Carman.

The company enjoyed its most successful trade show to date recently at The Flooring Show, with a Porsche Carrera GT3 type 991 on the stand and the opportunity to win a track day attracting much attention.

One of the highlights of the year has been the recent achievement of one of Computers for Flooring’s customers, Martin Phillips Carpets, which was named Best Flooring Retailer (3-plus Stores) in the Interiors Monthly Awards 2014. This accolade has been directly attributed to the Carman software by Donald Mercer, Martin Phillips Carpets md.

This year Computers for Flooring developed and launched an Enterprise Resource Planning system for large, multi-site companies holding large quantities of stock, and Martin Phillips was one of the first users of this system.

Mercer says Carman helped streamline the business and allowed it to focus on growth, resulting in repeated year on year rises in profits.

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‘The analysis tools within the system highlight exactly where the emphasis needs to be and tells us what is and isn’t working for us in the stores,’ he explains.

‘We now have a professional business model that is replicated throughout our seven locations, giving complete visibility and providing crucial management data for making key decisions.

‘Our staff are completely confident in using the software due to the comprehensive training they received and the user-friendly design. The support from the team at Computers for Flooring is superb, constantly trying to improve the software and user experience,’ he adds.

Visit: www.c4f.co

Computers for Flooring at The Flooring Show last month

introducing

graphite

carpet underlay

When what you really really want is a strong selling good all-round domestic underlay which delivers a healthy margin Graphite is the way to go!.

One Solution

Estimating / Planning Quotes / Invoices Estimator’s & Fitter’s Diaries Customer Relationship Management Cloud based, use anywhere Low Monthly Payments Free Trial

Mayne Computer Technology, Unit 13b, Brindley Court, Lymedale Business Park, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 9QA Phone 01782 562522 www.maynetechnology.co.uk • sales@maynetechnology.co.uk www.measuresquare.co.uk • info@lasermeasure.co.uk

Graphite is a fine, robust, utility underlay representing superb value for money and which is already a firm favourite with many Retailers and Distributors throughout UK and Ireland.

FULLY RECYCLABLE SIMPLE, QUICK AND EASY TO LAY DESIGNED FOR GENERAL DOMESTIC USE EXCELLENT SOUND REDUCTION PERFORMANCE LIGHTWEIGHT ROLLS EXCEED H&S EXPECTATIONS IDEAL FOR USE WITH UNDERFLOOR HEATING SYSTEMS

Graphite is part of the Novostrat range of polyethylene foam based underlays for wood, laminate and carpeted floors.

Underlays for every application - from the highest performance to utility – and to suit every budget.

tel: 00353 61-339287 www.novostrat.com info@novostrat.com

SOFTWARE

The CRM module of Mayne Mosaic handles the customer interface

Run everything from a tablet with Retailsystem.com software Retailers increasingly want to quote in the home, according to MasterPiece

Flexible friends Software for businesses on the go The ability to use software on tablets, computers and phones in and out of the store is essential for furniture and flooring retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers.

Mayne Computer Technology’s Mayne Mosaic is an easy-to-use cloud based system for flooring and furniture retailers. The point of sale module enables entering of enquiries and orders quickly and efficiently, checking and allocating stock, or raising a purchase order to the supplier for non-stock and direct delivery orders.

For flooring retailers, the system integrates with the Measure Square system for fast and accurate estimating and planning. Both Mosaic and Measure Square can be accessed anywhere with Internet access from computer or iPad, enabling estimates and plans to be produced at the customer’s home.

The Mosaic CRM module handles the customer interface from initial enquiry to delivery and fitting and incorporates

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

actions, reminders and follow-ups. The integrated Estimators and Fitters diaries can be linked to Google Calendar.

As the system is modular, it allows users to choose the modules they require, and add to them as the requirements of the business change.

Mayne Mosaic also has modules for carpet and floorcovering manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

Charles Pearson, MasterPiece System md, says: ‘It was clear at The Flooring Show that retailers are increasingly aware of the advantages of putting the measure straight on to a tablet screen with MasterPiece, when in the customer’s home.

‘As well as avoiding double entry, the professionalism makes a great impression on the customer. The ability to quote in the home and make revisions to bring the customer to the point of acceptance is another important feature.

For the estimator, the great advantage is that evenings are not spent writing up

estimates to avoid a backlog of customers who are awaiting their estimate.’

Additional capabilities can be added to MasterPiece, such as accurate tile planning, including Karndean Designflooring and Amtico product sets.

Retailers with a commercial arm can benefit from tracing round PDF/CAD floorplans, which speeds up the take-off of measurements.

According to Stephen Smith, Retailsystem.com md, there’s a buzz around the industry about the potential complexity involved when integrating an ecommerce website and a retail management system.

‘Some say this is fearfully expensive, fraught with problems, only suitable for ad hoc promotions or, at best, limited in what it can do for the business. This is not the case,’ he says.

He agrees that technologically ecommerce website integration with the real world side of the retail business can be complicated, which is why companies should get experts to do it.

‘Once it’s been set up for you it couldn’t be simpler; you could even run it all from an iPad or a smart phone if you’re out and about,’ he says.

‘And as for what it can do for your business: consider real time price promotions targeted to customer demographics; online shopping baskets linked directly to the retail accountancy system; the ability to monitor stock levels and lead times, also in real time. Give your customers the facility to browse, interrogate and purchase high-ticket items in the middle of the night if they want to,’ he adds.

Visit: www.masterpiece-system.com www.maynetechnology.co.uk www.retailsystem.com

ACCESSORIES

Softly does it Gallery Direct has revealed a major expansion of its soft furnishings offer

Above: Parisian House Left: Jayne Zalega Below: Gallery Home Right: Kilburn & Scott

Gallery Direct has introduced three brands as part of a ÂŁ1.5m investment in expanding its soft furnishings offer. The push is being spearheaded by Jayne Zalega, Gallery Direct business development director, who joined the company in January.

Some 250 items are to be added to its catalogue including a much wider selection of cushions and throws, as well as draught excluders, quilts and Egyptian cotton bedlinen.

Kilburn & Scott is a rustic and natural brand which features a range of tactile fabrics from bespoke yarn-dyed checks to 100% New Zealand wool Italian made throws. Within the range is a collection of wildlife inspired cushion designs exclusively commissioned from an artist and photographer. All bedlinen is 100% cotton and many of the cushions are feather filled.

Kilburn & Scott also features a festive range, with chunky 100% cotton cable knits, Fair Isle patterns and felt applique cushions.

Parisian House offers sophisticated indulgence with a range of timeless classics in a soft colour palette. It features a range of 200 thread count 100% cotton sateen prints and 300 thread count Egyptian cotton. The textured chenille cushions range has a shimmer effect and features detailing such as buttons, contrast beading and piping.

Gallery Home features statement pieces in modern designs and vibrant colours. Fabrics range from viscose velvets to Egyptian cotton bedlinen. The exclusive Isabella Watercolour Floral collection features feather-filled cushions as well as bedlinen and draught excluders.

Gallery Direct, tel: 01795 439 159

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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MoOD Brussels

REVIEW

WINNER Contract: MüllerZell The judges said: ‘Extremely light and transparent window coverings Calm and Quiet satisfies the demand which resonates more and more in the contract world, for those fine but sound absorbing materials.’

Finalists: Microfibres Europe and Edmund Bell & Co.

WINNER Yarn: Turkuaz Tekstil The judges said: ‘Polypropylene yarn is incorporated in this fabric with a look of cord or jute. This robust yarn looks very natural, partly because of the implementation in two and three colours.’

Finalists: Vlnap and Flli Baroni.

WINNER Innovation: Dussk The judges said: ‘During the day it shows a clear design because of the incidence of light from the back. At night it looks like a uni-fabric. The innovation is not particularly related to the technique (there is a mix of density) but is rather a creative process and a very simple change that leads to a new product. Innovation does not always have to be complex.’

Finalists: Monteiro Ribas-Revestimentos, Müller Zell, Microfibres Europe and Flocart.

A winning theme Europe’s finest fabric and wallcoverings companies vied for the prestigious Blue Drop awards at Meet only Original Designs, visit: www.moodbrussels.com

WINNER Upholstery: Tavelmo The judges said: ‘Tavelmo has succeeded to create a kind of pelt similar to fur. The ultimate softness obtained with the naturally antibacterial bamboo fibre is unrivalled. Even the discolouration is perfect. Tavelmo informed us this was the result of intense research. The three illustrated steps already show a tiny part of the process.’

Finalists: Monteiro and Bayart Vanoutryve.

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

WINNER Wall Covering: Omexco The judges said: ‘A wall covering made from wood sticks and coloured paper strips, it has a very good looking effect which is both classy and non-conformist. The wall covering is also suited for use in the contract market.’

Finalists: Elvin Tekstil San and Flocart.

WINNER Window Covering: Universal Textile Mills The judges said: ‘Bamboo demonstrates the rare perfection obtained with normal, but creatively applied bindings on a flat loom, resulting in a 3D effect. Each link in the design process has been approached with care: the design, the material, the drawing and even the after-treatment was well dosed and balanced.’

Finalists: Bruvatex and B&T Textilia.

Long Point Long Eaton

REVIEW

Making introductions A selection of what was on show at Long Eaton

Celebrity’s Pembroke

Alston’s Carnaby

Origin Red’s casual dining Skano’s modular units

Alstons unveiled its updated sofabed collection, with Carnaby at a lower entry point and a coordinated swivel chair.

In the Harrington Mill showroom space it will share with Collins & Hayes and Gainsborough Sofabeds, Cavendish showed the first four designs since production was moved to Collins & Hayes. Barnsbury has a 2.45m four-seater sofa, three and two-seater and armchair.

The contemporary Loft includes a corner unit, sofabed and chaise, while Bloomsbury has more traditional styling.

Kingston has mini-arms above the main arms.

Celebrity showed off Pembroke, a more contemporary, wingless design available in three sizes of chair with a

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choice of five actions and two and threeseater sofa and its Which? Best Buy POS. David Gundry’s large Madison sofa has scroll arms and a wave back while its fabric collection was updated.

Parker Knoll added to its LifeStyle collection with Montana featuring a high back and wooden plinth in a large twoseater sofa, two-seater, chair and footstool; the statement Sophie wing armchair; and deep seat and high back Boston in a three-seater, two-seater and chair, with manual and power recliner options. It also updated its fabrics.

Origin Red’s focus was on casual dining, with an extending 90cm x 90cm table with black glass top; small dropleaf kitchen table; expanding compact

kitchen/dining table and a double glass panel dining table with a choice of chairs.

Skano highlighted its modular wall units and coordinating furniture, with the emphasis on lighter finishes.

Vintage Sofa Company made its show debut with a collection of upholstery that allows customers to mix and match leather, fabric and details between models. Sister company Carlton unveiled a 3.5m rustic dining table.

Wade Upholstery introduced deep pile velvet digitally printed scatter cushions with Impressionist designs, while Barnaby made its show debut alongside Welbeck House’s Franky.

Visit: www.longeatonguild.co.uk

REVIEW

The WoolSafe Organisation was busy informing retailers of the WOW (Wool Owners Warranty) scheme which encourages home owners to choose wool carpets in complete confidence that they will enjoy the benefits of a free consultation and stain removal from a WoolSafe approved service provider.

It also highlighted its website and its Carpet Stain Cleaning Guide app.

Tel: 01943 850 817

BARRIER TEAM Abingdon introduced Aqua Pro-Tec, a protective barrier that makes any liquid sit on top of the carpet and not soak in, giving home owners time to clean up the spill. It is available in Stainfree Classic Décor, Twist and Supreme in 20 colours. It will be rolled out to other Stainfree ranges in the New Year.

Tel: 01274 655 694

The Flooring Show Harrogate

CLEAN SWEEP

Glad they came Harrogate saw more than 150 exhibitors, here’s what some of them had to say

POWER STAND LUXURIOUS TOUCH Cloud 9 Caviar & Champagne, as featured on the TV programme 60 Minute Makeover is the latest underlay range from Ball & Young. With several hundred visitors to the stand it had a superb response attracting new business and meeting old friends from the different segments of the flooring industry.

Visit: www.underlay.com

Crown Floors’ stand was a hive of activity, with retailers keen to see the brand’s new compact lecterns showcasing some of its latest and most popular collections. Adding the power of the brand to stores of all sizes, these lecterns proved a huge hit while several introductions for 2014 satisfied the demand for on-trend carpets.

Tel: 0800 0773 301

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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The Flooring Show Harrogate

REVIEW EXPANDED PORTFOLIO Cormar Carpets unveiled the latest additions to its portfolio of successful carpet collections: 100% polypropylene Primo Excellence in two weights and a softer texture; Sensation with six new contemporary colours; and easy clean, Apollo Plus, with an increased pile weight and extended stain warranty from five to 10 years.

Visit: www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

PRINTS AMONG FLOORING For CPS Labels, the show this year was a great experience and opportunity to promote its specialised print products to the flooring industry. For a carpet label, swing tag, brochure or POS product CPS is your link to print.

Tel: 0292 086 0899

DELIVERED The reaction to the launch of Green Tree Distribution’s Elesgo range has been staggering, with a lot of interest gained from both new and existing customers. There was also positive feedback to a laminate collection that will be introduced later this year with a heavy embossed texture and on-trend decors.

Visit: www.greentreedistribution.co.uk

STICK DOWN Plastivan introduced a second line of LVT flooring under the Viligno brand. Besides the 4mm version with Uniclic system, the floors are now available in a 2.5mm version to glue down. The collection is the same as the click version and consists of seven authentic wood designs and three contemporary tile structures.

Visit: www.viligno.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

REVIEW Six new ranges featured on the Clean Easy area of Kingsmead Carpets’ stand. This included Distinction using the second generation Wolltec yarn and Dignity in Everlon Supersoft yarn. Grandeur is a three-ply saxony blending three mono colours to create a contrast fleck effect in a hard wearing construction.

Visit: www.kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk

CHEERS FOR WOOL Kingsmead Carpets’ stand was a celebration of wool carpets, with both twist and loop pile heavily featured in many shapes and guises. Launches included Haddington in plains and heathers, a collection with tones towards greys and stones.

Mineral in a 100% wool loop trended the same colours.

Visit: www.kingsmeadcarpets.co.uk

The Flooring Show Harrogate

DISTINCTIVE

GREEN AND EASY Lano Carpets revealed an update to the look of the SmartStrand collection, helping to communicate the many benefits of this enticing and environmentally aware collection, while one its most popular collections, Fairfield Creations, received new colours.

This coordinated stripes and plain collection takes full advantage of Lano’s Easy Care yarn.

Visit: www.lano.com

THINKING BIG The show was buzzing on the biggest ever Mercado stand in hall M. Some great new ranges from its Trouble Free collection were embraced by visitors to the stand along with new LVT and laminate product launches.

Tel: 0113 380 2900

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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The Flooring Show Harrogate

REVIEW

SAFE MOVEMENT Stroolmount returned to The Flooring Show with its extensive range of flooring and furniture protectors, moving pads and repair kits which attracted interest from visitors throughout the exhibition.

Visit: www.finchys.com

IN THE PINK Standing out from the crowd with its vibrant pink and green branding Kersaint Cobb launched sumptuous Silk Touch, stylish Fjør and unveiled in-store unit Shades which presents its vast collection of carpets and naturals by tonal palette designed to make purchasing flooring an easier and enjoyable experience.

Visit: www.kersaintcobb.co.uk

SKILL TIME The Academy for Excellence in Flooring continued to emphasise the numerous benefits of becoming a Quick-Step Master Installer for professionals working in the domestic market, while also revealing details of its new Pergo Master Pro Installer qualification, geared to the specific needs of flooring installers working in commercial environments.

Tel: 0161 877 6955

GOOD VINTAGE Ulster Carpets’ stand was hard to miss with the eye-catching, contemporary photography adding a wow factor. On display was the new Boho Collection: a range of vintage inspired designs in beautiful pastel shades and the new additions to the bestselling Open Spaces Collection; Monaco, Panama and Capri.

Visit: www.ulstercarpets.com

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

.

Professional sales agents required We are a newly established wood flooring distributor based in Harlow Essex with manufacturing background in Asia.

American Walnut various sizes Herringbone & Mosaic Parquet Budget Oak 3-Ply 3-Strip & 1-Strip 8 products stock Innovative finishes on Solid and Multiply Engineered Oak Sales administrator & Area sales agent recruited.

Tel: 01279 439 660 Mobile:07808088666 Website: maxzara.co.uk Email: info@maxzara.co.uk

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The Flooring Show Harrogate

REVIEW

Ready to attach Spotnails provides a fastening service to the flooring industry Spotnails is the UK’s leading supplier of nailing, stapling and pinning tools and fasteners to the flooring trade. It is a member of the National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers and the Flooring Industry Training Association, and has many stockists across the UK selling its flooring product range.

Trading in the UK since 1952, it is the longest-established privately owned British company manufacturing and supplying pneumatic tools and collated fastenings staples, hog rings,

Spotnails’ stand displayed its products including the Maestri stud tool

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Interiors Monthly October 2014

clips and screws. ‘We provide a complete fastening service to several of the major furniture and bedding manufacturers,’ says Jason Quaife, Spotnails national sales manager.

It has recently worked with Silentnight Group to develop a new tool for attaching springs to bases.

‘Our stable of tools is extensive, with staplers including high-speed automatic tools and pliers. As well as the renowned Spotnails and Omer brands we can supply industrial tools for Hog Ringing

and Hartco/Vertex style clips,’ he says.

Spotnails is a member of the National Bed Federation and the Power Fastenings Association. Kevin Stephen, Spotnails md, is a former chairman of the PFA, representing the UK on ISO and European standards.

An ISO9001 accredited company, Spotnails has a manufacturing base with full servicing and repair facilities at its Caerphilly headquarters and a national sales team.

Spotnails, tel: 029 2086 0222

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