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Lighting

Ready for spring

Alias continues to reimagine indoor comfort outside

Above left: AluZen Soft Above: Slim

With its latest outdoor collection Alias has continued to transform its indoor designs so they can be used outdoors.

PearsonLloyd’s 2011 upholstery collection Eleven has been updated to become Ten System. In the outdoor version the back cushion becomes a single element that is attached to the rear legs of the sofa. This allows it to be unhooked, folded and stored in seasons when the sofa is not in use. The sofas are equipped with special covers to protect them in case of rain – the fabric prevents water from entering, allowing the cover to dry quickly – while the frame is made of treated metal for outdoor use. In addition to the upholstery, Ten System also includes coffee tables that reflect the design of the legs. The tops are made of pressed and glazed ceramic material.

Ludovica and Roberto Palomba have reinterpreted the rigorous, geometric lines of their AluZen modular sofa with a view to comfort and relaxation, giving life to AluZen Soft. The back, seat and arms of the sofa all coalesce into a single enveloping shape that appears to reach down to the floor but in fact never reaches it. New coffee tables feature tops made from heat-treated ash slats, with drainage channels for water, or in the Laminan ceramic material.

PearsonLloyd’s polypropylene and fibreglass Slim chair also has an outdoor version, with the metal frame treated for outdoor use and powder-coated, adding to the wide range of finishes and colours that make up the family.

An exception to the purely outdoor designs is the Baem table, created by Andrea Sanguineti, Alias design director. Baem is made of a single piece of cedar wood, supported by a metal frame and four inclined legs which fold back on themselves to support the ends of the 3m top; and by a central vertebra with ribs providing support in between. A circular version of the table has five legs connected to rings that support various segments of wood that form the design of the round top, leaving a central empty space. Visit: www.alias.design

Baem

Ten System

, 23-26 January, NEC January Furniture Show

The return

JFS will be back at the NEC next month

Baker Furniture (above left) and Staut (above) will be among the exhibitors

Firmly established as the largest furniture and interiors event in the UK calendar, the January Furniture Show will return to the NEC in January. As the show’s first live return after more than a year, JFS promises to reconnect the industry and provide a much needed buying opportunity. More than 400 exhibitors will occupy halls 1, 2, 4 and 5.

‘Our main focus is to unite brands and buyers, and we cannot wait to be back at the NEC in January to do just that. We’re working hard behind the scenes to bring the best version of January Furniture Show to date, where a new look and updated layout will be just part of the improvements,’ says Russell Rule, January Furniture Show event director.

‘The 2022 show promises thousands of new launches, catering to every style and budget – this is an event that really cannot be missed.’

More than 50 international brands will be taking part including Akante, ALF, Alrank, AIMMP, B4 Living, Babi, Bambi Industria, Camel Group, Conciaria, EgoItaliano, FIMA, Forte, Furninova, Gala, Genesis Fine Arts, Grafu Baldai, Incanto italia/Digio’ Leather by Sofitalia, Jaipur Living, Kuka Home, Mini Divani, New Trend Concepts, San Martino, SITS, Staud, Stone Italia, Tajoma, VIDA and UAB Lyra Group.

‘Not to forget our homegrown favourites. As a proud British event the superb British quality cannot be left out. JFS is the UK’s premier furniture and interiors event and is the best place to see the greatest concentration of the best of British. A full mix of prestigious British companies in upholstery, beds, cabinet and accessories will be showing at JFS in 2022 and we are proud to provide the optimum arena for them to display their ingenuity, creativity and desirable furniture,’ says Rule.

‘Breasley UK, Buoyant Upholstery, Devonshire Living, Parker Knoll, Tetrad, Westbridge Furniture Designs, Whitemeadow and lots more key British names will be on show, alongside new brands to discover to keep your product offer fresh and exciting for your customers.

‘The show continues to develop and caters for retail buyers, interior designers and specifiers wishing to purchase at volume, mid and high-end levels of the market. Not only bringing the whole UK furniture and interiors industry together, it also gives buyers an unequalled opportunity to see incoming furnishing trends and select the best of the new. We are introducing some exciting new ideas for 2022: attendees will have access to the latest trend insights and expert advice, with practical business advice for small businesses from a host of keynote presentations, masterclasses, panel discussions and case studies in a seminar programme launching in January.

‘With an exhibitor list of more than 400, JFS is a one-stop shop for all the latest collections in furniture and accessories. And with the introduction of seminar content and panels to enhance the experience, it is not to be missed.’ Visit: www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

The show will return to the NEC

, 23-26 January, NEC January Furniture Show

Winning hand

The bestselling Monaco

New models and updates to the bestselling range will be on show

Award-winning German bedroom manufacturer Wiemann is to unveil new ranges and present the latest updates to its bestselling collections at the show.

Visitors will be the first to see the additions to the Wiemann catalogue. The company will also exhibit its leading premium range, Monaco, which has proved a hit during 2021, plus other collections. All Wiemann products are known for their excellent design, quality and value and are backed with its five-star customer support service.

‘Our JFS display will demonstrate how Wiemann offers a total bedroom solution for all. As well as our new products, which we are hugely excited about launching at the NEC, buyers will be able to see for themselves why our Monaco range has continued to top our bestseller lists,’ says Simon Hewitt, md of Litmus Furniture, Wiemann’s sole agent for the UK and Ireland.

The 2022 version of Monaco promises more of the same popular features, with tweaks to ensure the range stays up to date.

‘We are, of course, delighted with the ongoing success of our Monaco range in the UK and Ireland. Our customers love Monaco, particularly the choice of options within the range, from door and drawer combinations to full bedroom accessories. The signature clever corner storage is better than ever. Monaco looks amazing, it’s practical and offers intelligent use of any space,’ says Kai Schwenke, Wiemann export sales manager for the UK and Ireland.

Monaco is available in four collections: Monaco 1000, Monaco 2000, Monaco 3000 and Monaco 4000. All feature a range of doors and carcases, with a new finish due to be revealed at the JFS. Door options include the original bifold range (now 2000), plus hinged (1000) and sliding (3000) doors, with all the variations including Monaco’s walk-in corner units. Meanwhile, the list of complementary furniture has been greatly expanded under the 4000 label to include bookcases, furniture chests, beds and bedsides.

‘We can’t wait to be back at the NEC in January and we wish the show every success. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone on the stand,’ says Hewitt. Visit: www.wiemannuk.co.uk

, 23-26 January, NEC January Furniture Show

Langham

Forging ahead

Montero table and Hadid chairs

Julian Bowen has reaped the benefits of an aggressive investment programme

2021 has seen an acceleration in growth for Julian Bowen. The East Midlandsbased company, multiple winner of Interiors Monthly Awards for Best Furniture Wholesaler and Best Customer Service, has reaped the benefits of an aggressive investment programme focused upon delivering an everimproving customer proposition and experience which has seen extensive investment with a 28,000sqft warehouse adding 20% more storage capacity with an even greater addition in the amount of stock held to ensure high levels of availability. In addition to its focus on product, Julian Bowen is keen to improve every aspect of its customers’ experience.

It is the company’s aim to provide the best quality furniture at the best possible prices. This is supported by a heavily invested supply chain incorporating an experienced in-house buying and design team, domestic and international quality control teams who work in close partnership with a select group of leading manufacturers. Together they have forged an impressive new product development capability in recent years which has created a platform for significant growth in the business. The firm’s current development pipeline is the largest ever with exciting new products to be launched across all key categories of children’s furniture, bedroom, living and dining and upholstery.

Julian Bowen intends to make a big impact at the January Furniture Show 2022 showcasing a diverse range of new furniture developed by the company’s design team. This will build upon established strengths in dining and bedroom with new ranges of oak with a rattan feature panel, painted furniture and an extensive selection of contemporary dining and occasional ranges. Brushed gold, smoked glass and soft sumptuous velvet dining chairs in a wide range of colours will be a key feature of the show. The company is an acknowledged leader in children’s furniture and this remains a key focus with some innovative, modern and highly functional new designs including the Mars bunk bed which combines multiple storage options while the Maine bunk bed in Dove Grey, Anthracite, and Surf White coordinates with the hugely successful Maine bedroom collection. The Jake Slide bed, a clever contemporary children’s low sleeper with feature slide, is a practical but fun addition to its extensive children’s collections.

The new fabric beds are designed to stand-out and include the recently launched Wilton, featuring a deep buttoned headboard finished in a highly tactile, high quality grey linen and including four storage drawers, and the Langham a beautiful example of a contemporary classic design that exudes luxuriousness with an exquisite, scalloped headboard featuring a plush teal velvet.

‘We continue to forge ahead with new product innovation, working more closely with our customers and this has resulted in much stronger business relationships building solid growth plans for the future. Customers can see that we aren’t resting on our laurels and are continually pushing ourselves to give them an ever-wider range to choose from with the quality and prices they are used to and value us for,’ says Emmett Lenaghan, Julian Bowen md.

‘I am really excited by our new product pipeline which we’re looking forward to showing to our customer base in the coming months. Across the whole business, the entire Julian Bowen team will keep challenging itself to improve in everything that we do.’ Visit: www.julian-bowen.co.uk

Sandringham

JULIAN BOWEN

WILTON BED

Progressive

Above: Niamh Below: Audrey

Alpha Designs will follow up on 2021 success

Alpha Designs is a progressive UK manufacturer at the forefront of design and fabric, which it once again will show by the presentation of new collections at the forthcoming JFS 2022.

These new models are following the successful launch in Autumn 2021 of the now proven Audrey, Selsey, Ciara and Niamh models which were presented in new vibrant fabrics.

These new 2022 ranges, which have been designed and developed with a leading furniture designer, will continue the growth of Alpha Designs in the marketplace – alongside its current successful commercial ranges – by offering a breadth of styles, with total flexibility on fabrics across all models, from a company with a ‘can do’ attitude, offering an enticing proposition. Tel: 01902 492 937

, 23-26 January, NEC January Furniture Show

Invest in new ideas

Mattress protectors can boost performance

‘Looking ahead to 2022, with the prospect of a full calendar year of trading, the January Furniture Show is the perfect time to invest into new ideas. Protect-A-Bed, the award-winning specialist in mattress protection, can help any retail store significantly grow sales. A visit to our show stand could pay dividends throughout the rest of 2022,’ says Paul Lake, Protect-A-Bed national sales manager.

‘We continuously build frameworks that are simple for retailers to implement in order to achieve extremely high sales within the category. Our in-store Platinum Club rewards programme has been designed to build, recognise and reward this success. Focus is key: lots of small improvements to the product range, the in-store selling approach or through a better in-store display, can compound to bring a significant improvement in performance. Which is how we know we can increase sales instantly for any retail partner within the mattress protector category.

‘The average person sweats up to a pint of fluid a night. With mattress fillings being highly absorbent, an unprotected mattress will absorb hundreds of pints of sweat in its first year of use alone. All of our mattress protectors use a Miracle Membrane, which is waterproof yet breathable and allows body heat to pass through easily. It also prevents any sweat entering the mattress. What’s more, the protectors are machine washable, meaning you can keep your sleep zone healthy and hygienic.’

Protect-A-Bed mattress protectors have a 10-15 year product guarantee and, when bought with a mattress, a 10-15 year anti-stain guarantee: Protect-A-Bed will have the mattress professionally cleaned to the customer’s satisfaction or buy the customer a new one if it fails and the mattress was bought with the protector.

‘It’s in both the store’s and the customer’s interest to purchase our mattress protectors. Our speciality is driving in-store performance, so linked mattress and mattress protector sales are extremely high. The customer benefits from a healthy and hygienic sleep zone while the store benefits from increased sales revenue. Every customer who walks through the door and buys a mattress, needs to buy a mattress protector. It’s in their interest to do so for many reasons,’ says Lake.

‘Our ability to upskill your team and increase your sales revenue by maximising every sales opportunity has been well documented. We can manage every step of the process for you and build a reward scheme through the Platinum Club. Visit our stand at the show to see our advanced Therapeutics range and TV display bays, and find out how we can significantly grow sales for your store.’ Visit: www.protectabed.co.uk

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