Interiors Monthly June 2022

JUNE 2022

Excellence Design Guild Mark

Flanders Flooring Days

Riva

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Luxurious deep pile carpet in a modern palette of plain shades.

Made from 100% Excellon - a polypropylene fibre renowned for its hardwearing properties.

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Far too much excitement Made shareholders will be hoping for calmer waters if they are to have any hope of seeing a return Adrian Evans, Made’s outgoing cfo described his five years at the etailer as ‘such an interesting and exciting time’. Over that time frame, certainly, but for shareholders who got on board in last year’s flotation there has been far too much excitement.

Since the £775m IPO those shareholders – who bought into the idea that online was the new king and supply chains were unbreakable – have seen about three-quarters of their investment wiped out. Having expected 25%-35% growth as recently in March, come May it was flat sales at best and down 15% at worst. The sales target for 2025 has gone out of the window and margins for this year will be back to where they were in 2019. And the hope for adjusted profitability, that’s been pushed back a year. That wasn’t in the prospectus.

Everyone has been speculating when the huge sales growth retailers have enjoyed in the wake of lockdown would come to an end: it seems that April was that month. Both furniture and flooring saw of sales drop by more than 20% compared with March. Yes, it’s not good news, but things have to be put into context: the value of furniture sales was still ahead of April 2019 and flooring sales were almost double that of two years ago.

Manufacturers in both sectors have indicated a drop-off in orders in recent weeks and it would be amazing if that hadn’t happened, given the worries over the cost of living, consumers’ desire to enjoy a foreign holiday and the fact they’ve only had their sofa and living room LVT for 12 months so won’t be replacing them quite yet.

Our thoughts are with the Francis, Sharrock and Barnes families and friends. To lose a loved one so suddenly and at such an early age is truly horrible.

Thanks to those of you who have already voted in the Interiors Monthly Awards. For those that haven’t, you still have time and we’ve made it even easier to do so: simply visit our website, where you can vote for who you think is the best in the business.

INTERIORS MONTHLY JUNE 2022

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS 4

20% off: sales see major fall

6

Made warns of profits delay

10

Dave Francis dies

FEATURES 12

Awards

14

New products

18

Service

22

Experiences Happy days – for now, Sales secrets

26

Sustainability Triple challenge

28

Design Design Guild Mark winners

34

Beds and bedroom More awards, partnerships, upsell, local matters

42

Upholstery A legend reborn

44

LVT Glamour, For everyone

52

Review Flanders Flooring Days, Proposte, January Furniture Show, INDX Beds & Bedroom Welfare How FMC can help you when you need it

86

Editor: Andrew Kidd

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

JUNE 2022

Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden

M: 07976 122 150 E: tboden@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Riva: a luxurious deep pile carpet in a modern palette of plain shades.

Visit: www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Excellence Design Guild Mark

Flanders Flooring Days

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

Carpet, flooring advertising: Joanne Paull M: 07817 624 922 E: jpaull@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Representative in India: Amarjeet Singh Gianni Riva

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Luxurious deep pile carpet in a modern palette of plain shades.

Made from 100% Excellon - a polypropylene fibre renowned for its hardwearing properties.

T: 0091 98390 35458 E: as_gianni@yahoo.co.in Published by Interiors Media Limited 167 Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 4LP T: 01732 441 134 E: enquiries@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Registered in England no. 6397722 Print: Knockout Print Design by Truprint Media © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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NEWS

Royal seal of approval Ulster Carpets has been granted a Royal Warrant by the Queen.

‘To receive the Royal Warrant in Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year is a real honour,’ says Nick Coburn, Ulster group md.

‘This achievement has taken several years of dedicated work by our staff and it further underpins the huge success and progression of Ulster Carpets, particularly as we look forward to celebrating our 85th anniversary next year.’

Right: Nick Coburn, Ulster group md, with Joyce McIvor, Ulster contract sales director for UK and Ireland

20% off: furniture and flooring sales see major fall in April Furniture and flooring both suffered a drop in sales of more than a fifth in April.

The value of furniture and lighting retail sales in England, Scotland and Wales fell by 20.05%, according to the Office for National Statistics. Sales dropped from £1.584bn in March to £1.266bn.

However, despite the decline it was still the 29th best month since records began in January 1986.

Sales were 8.55% higher than April 2021, up 415% on April 2020 and 12.88% higher than April 2019.

Despite the fall flooring sales were almost double pre-pandemic levels.

The value of retail flooring sales fell by 20.59% as sales dropped from £289.34m in March to £229.749m.

However, despite the decline it was still the Sales remain healthy compared to pre-pandemic levels 35th best month since January 1986.

Sales were 31.75% higher than April 2021, up 687% on April 2020 and 99.1% higher than April 2019.

The figures are ONS’ first estimate of sales and are subject to revision and do not take inflation into account.

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

Flooring inflation climbs again Flooring saw annual price inflation pick up again in April.

The ONS says the annual rate rose from 7.4% to 9%. In April 2021 the rate was 6.5%, and last month’s figure was the second highest in the past year, behind September 2021’s 9.6%.

The rate for carpets and rugs jumped from 5.6% to 6.5% while other floorcoverings dropped from 17.9% to 15.5%, the second successive fall.

…while furniture inflation drops back Furniture saw annual price inflation drop for the first time in over a year in April.

The ONS says the annual rate dropped from 17.2% to 16.5%.

This is the first drop since April 2021, when the rate was 5.7%.

Furniture and furnishings also saw a drop for the first time in at least a year, from 16.8% to 16.3%. In April 2021 the rate was 5.6%.

Garden furniture inflation jumped from 11% to 32.8%.

The inflation rate for lighting was static at 12.4%.

Household textiles saw a drop in the annual rate from 7.1% to 4.2% as price rises in furnishing fabrics, curtains and bed linen eased, but table and bathroom linen saw rises increase.

NEWS

Made gets new finance boss as it warns of profits delay Etailer Made has replaced its finance boss after warning that profitability has been delayed for at least a year and sales may see a double-digit drop – rather than the recently forecast 25%-35% growth.

The company has recruited Patrick Lewis, former John Lewis cfo from 27 June. He will succeed Adrian Evans, who will remain with the company until 16 September ‘to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities, before pursuing other opportunities’.

‘I am pleased to have been part of the management team at Made during such an interesting and exciting time,’ says Evans, who joined in 2017.

‘Adrian’s calm professionalism and dedication were enormously important to the growth of the company, and he has played a key role in shaping strategy, driving growth and helping the company transition to a public company,’ says Susanne Given, Made chair.

News of his departure came after the company warned shareholders – who have seen the value of shares plummet by about three-quarters since last year’s £775m floatation – that its best estimate for sales for 2022 was they would be flat and at worst drop by 15%. In March it was predicting turnover growth of 25%-35%.

It also warned that it would lose at least £15m and up to £35m on an EBITDA basis this year.

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‘Spot freight rates continue to normalise in line with previous expectations, but lower sales mean the benefit will be reflected in gross margin later in 2022 than previously anticipated. We still expect 2022 exit rate gross margin to be around pre-pandemic levels and business shape will be set for the new operating environment. These actions will position the business to deliver positive adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow in 2023,’ it says.

It insisted that it would outperform the online furniture and home market by about 20% but would not meet its 2025 sales target of £1.2bn.

It says uncited ‘third-party data’ suggested ‘that the online furniture and home market is down around 30%-40% so far this year. In contrast, Made’s gross sales were down only 10% in Q1 versus Q1 2021 (and up 64% versus 2019).’

‘There is no escaping the tough trading environment at the moment. However, we are laser-focused on executing our strategy and are delivering strong progress across each of our strategic pillars. Our customers are at the heart of our business and we’re seeing a really positive reaction to our improved proposition, with average lead times consistently at the targeted three to four weeks for the last two months.

Made continues to outperform the online furniture and home market and I am confident the company will emerge in a very strong position,’ insists Nicola Thompson, Made ceo.

Copying case settled

Lifetime achievement for Harrison

Etailers VidaXL Marketplace and HBI Commerce have settled out of court after Core Products claimed its Augusta range had been copied.

Core’s solicitors, Taylors, issued proceedings in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court on behalf of the company, which claimed for an injunction to restrain the defendants from infringing its design rights and unregistered community design rights for Augusta, delivery up of infringing stock, recall of infringing stock from commerce channels and payment of compensation and costs.

‘Core Products is justifiably proud of its heritage of designing and developing furniture tailored to UK flat-packed furniture-buying consumers. The integrity of our products should be protected. The settlement reflects this,’ says the company.

Peter Harrison, Furniture Village chief executive has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Furniture Makers’ Company, recognising his 50-year career.

‘I am thrilled and honoured to receive such an acclamation purely for doing a job I enjoy, alongside people I admire, in an industry I love,’ he says.

Harrison started his career in 1965 at the age of 19 when he got his first job as a management trainee at UDS (later Allders). He spent 20 years at the chain, rising to become a main board director.

He joined the board of the Gillows Group in the mid-1980s where he met David Imrie, and together they founded Furniture Village, opening their first store in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1989.

‘We are delighted to be able to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Peter Harrison to honour his outstanding

Interiors Monthly June 2022

Alderman and Sheriff Alison Gowman, representing the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor, and Master Tony Attard presenting Peter Harrison (right) with the Lifetime Achievement Award

contribution to the furnishing industry.

As a corporate member Peter has long been a generous supporter of the company, besides other sporting and medical foundations,’ says Tony Attard, The Furniture Makers’ Company newly installed Master.

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NEWS

Dave Francis The funeral of Dave Francis, Kellars sales director and former Hadfields commercial director took place on 24 May, with more than 250 people attending.

He died suddenly on 28 April, aged 54. He is survived by his wife Julie, daughter Elizabeth and father Bob, who also worked in the flooring industry.

‘I first met Dave in 1989 when interviewing him for the Yorkshire sales representative position at Rolfe & West in Manchester. Even as a young man setting out on his career he had great stature and maturity. He quickly became a key member of the business, an extremely good salesman and established fantastic customer relationships,’ says Tony Brewer, Likewise ceo and former Headlam chief executive.

‘When starting Headlam we recruited Dave to run Hadfields in Stockport with John Clark. His stature developed and he became a natural leader.

‘If Dave had not been a flooring salesman and leader of people, he could have had a very successful career in after-dinner speaking! I'm not sure about his goal-keeping

skills but he had a great personality with brilliant recollection and memory, particularly when speaking in public.

‘He was 100% someone you would want on the same team and by your side, to face the challenges of business or life in general. A real character with an infectious laugh, Dave will be genuinely missed by all that knew him.’

‘He was a great man of the flooring industry. When he joined Kellars they were in the Conference League and he took them to the Premier League, but was aiming for the Champions League,’ says Duncan Buchanan, former Balta UK sales director.

‘Dave was a born winner: he didn’t know what coming second meant. He was a lover of all sports, including horse racing, and I spent many days with him at racecourses across the country: not making money but just having a great time.

‘He was loved by many people and our families had many trips together and so to be taken from us at such an early age is heartbreaking.’

Dave Sharrock Peter Barnes

people

Dave Sharrock, commercial director at Bury flooring wholesaler Cappa Sharrock has died at the age of 49.

He previously worked at Hadfields and A&A Carpets before co-founding Cappa Sharrock in 2016.

His wife Connie has set up a Just Giving page in his memory in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

‘Dave’s dad, Lou, died of MND, and he was always scared the same would happen to him. I am glad it didn’t. but much less glad that he did he get his dad’s dicky ticker. I don’t know what I am going to do without him. Dave loved life, he lived it well and has left me and the boys utterly devastated but incredibly grateful that we had him,’ she says.

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Edward Tadros, Ercol chairman since 1993, is to be succeeded by his son Henry (pictured with his father) on 1 July. Edward joined the company in 1973 and will remain a director.

ScS has recruited Dean Weston to the new role of flooring director. He was most recently md of Nobia-owned Commodore Design and has previously held management roles at Bathstore, KütchenArte and Allied Carpets.

Interiors Monthly June 2022

Peter Barnes, Ipswich flooring and bed retailer died on 30 April, aged 67 after suffering a stroke in August 2020 and contracting Covid in January 2021.

After leaving school he became a carpet fitter at the family business, Barnes of Ipswich, which was originally set up by his grandfather George in 1939, before his father Tom took over the reins.

Peter took on the business following his father’s death in 1987 and later set up the bed manufacturer and retailer The Bed Factory on the outskirts of the Suffolk town.

Although he officially retired when he was 60, he continued to work part-time for two years.

‘As a young girl I idolised him like I’m sure many little girls do. We didn’t always see eye to eye and certainly through my teenage years I know I caused numerous sleepless nights,’ says his daughter Chloe, who runs The Bed Factory.

‘But fortunately, thanks to the business, we had time to completely change our relationship; he once again became my teacher, my role model and my inspiration. A massive part of him will live on in me always. Although I am heartbroken I am so pleased he is now free from pain and a lifestyle for the past 20 months that he’d have despised.’

He is survived by his third wife Wendy, three daughters, three step-children, 12 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.

‘He never lost his memory or his sense of humour, and could remember everything [after the stroke], but he caught Covid in January 2021 and never really recovered from it,’ says Wendy.

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AWARDS

Who gets your vote?

RETAILERS TO COMPLETE ONLY Best Customer Service (Furniture) Best UK Furniture Manufacturer Best Overseas Furniture Manufacturer Best Furniture Buying Group Best Accessory Supplier Best Lighting Manufacturer Best Mattress Protection Provider Best Bed Manufacturer (Upmarket) Best Bed Manufacturer (Mid-market) Best Bed Manufacturer (Value) Best Bed Manufacturer (Adjustable) Best Mattress In A Box Supplier Best Bedroom Manufacturer Best Dining Room Manufacturer Best Living Room Manufacturer Best Children’s Furniture Manufacturer Best Fabric Upholstery Manufacturer Best Fabric Upholstery Manufacturer (Luxury) Best Leather Upholstery Manufacturer Best Leather Upholstery Manufacturer (Luxury) Best Recliner Manufacturer

Best Solid/Engineered Wood Manufacturer Best Underlay Manufacturer Best Flooring Accessory Supplier Best Vinyl Manufacturer Best Luxury Vinyl Supplier Best Rigid Floor Manufacturer Best Flooring Website Best Flooring Wholesaler Best Software Supplier (Furniture) Best Software Supplier (Flooring) Best Finance Provider Best Business Support (Furniture) Best Business Support (Flooring) Best Marketing Support (Furniture) Best Marketing Support (Flooring) Best Exhibition Innovation of the Year Best Warranty Provider Best Product Protection Provider (Furniture) Best Product Protection Provider (Flooring) Best New Supplier Product of the Year

Best Home Entertainment Supplier Best Flatpack Furniture Supplier Best Furniture Wholesaler

SUPPLIERS TO COMPLETE ONLY Best Flooring Retailer (1-3 stores)

Best Fabric/Soft Furnishings Manufacturer

Best Flooring Retailer (4+ stores)

Best Furniture Website

Best Furniture Retailer (1-3 stores)

Best Customer Service (Flooring)

Best Furniture Retailer (4+ stores)

Best UK Flooring Manufacturer

Best Online Retailer

Best Overseas Flooring Manufacturer Best Flooring Buying Group

Email your nominations to: akidd@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Best Carpet Manufacturer

Name: ...........................................................................................................

Best Rug Supplier

Company: ....................................................................................................

Best Laminate Manufacturer

Position:.......................................................................................................

Tel: ..................................... Email: ...............................................................

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

NEW PRODUCTS

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1 Franchi Umberto Marmi’s Spheric is a single-seater armchair in Grigio Collemandina marble and rosewood, with a round and welcoming shape. Its sinuous, comforting design expresses the constant striving for balance between density and lightness.

Visit: www.fum.it 2 Il Bronzetto’s Soundlight is a new generation of lamps that are a source of both light and sound. A hemisphere almost 1m in diameter, Soundlight is made of brass and entirely covered in gold leaf.

The surface of the lamp emits audio frequencies and serves as an amplifier, creating an original three-dimensional and omnidirectional sound performance.

Visit: www.ilbronzetto.com

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

3 The new Stainfree Finesse and Stainfree Caress expand the Stainfree family of bleach-cleanable carpets from Abingdon Flooring. Finesse and Caress offer a 1/10th gauge quality in a well-rounded spectrum of shared colourways, from subtle beiges to cool greys and bold brights. The palette provides versatility and the perfect colour to all sorts of interior styles and predicted colour trends.

Visit: www.abingdonflooring.co.uk 4 Alias’s Tech Wood collection is enriched with a new finish: heat-treated ash. This wood, after complete drying, undergoes a heat treatment that brings it to a temperature of about 200degC and a final humidity of about 5%. After processing,

the material takes on a brown colour and excellent dimensional stability, which makes it much more versatile and sustainable than teak.

Visit: www.alias.design 5 BerryAlloc has refreshed its three HPF collections, so that Original, Grand Avenue and Grand Majestic are ready for the world’s busiest homes and toughest businesses. Featuring an AC6 scratchresistant wear layer for the highest protection in class, they come with a thick, super-strong protection layer that withstands serious impact, and a robust water-resistant top layer to protect from spills.  Visit: www.berryalloc.com

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NEW PRODUCTS

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6 ADP recently completed an installation project for Lifestyle Floors at an independent flooring retailer in Thurso. ADP project-managed the logistics and installation of the carpet display units for Lifestyle Floors, which prides itself on offering

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contemporary flooring in an array of colours. With years of experience across several sectors, ADP delivers new retail installations across single and multiple locations, with minimum disruption to trading, including outside store hours.

Visit: www.adp-distribution.co.uk 7 Venetian Dust expands Louis de Poortere’s well-established Atlantic Collection in a stylish rug design that celebrates the ethereal beauty of classic Venice palettes. Using unparalleled craftsmanship, the endearing charm of a treasured, time-worn antiquity has been replicated by incorporating gentle strata detail and delicate variations in colour.

Visit: www.louisdepoortere.com

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8 The performance of Floorwise’s Diamond Gripper comes from 20% more pins than basic grippers, and with additional nails for extra stability it’s a combination that doesn’t let go easily. The Diamond long-pin option has the hold for even the deepest Saxony pile. The grip is so good that Diamond Gripper takes power-stretched installations in its stride.

Visit: www.floorwise.co.uk 9 Negating the worry for homeowners of choosing a bona fide product installer, the Academy of Excellence in Flooring – the UK’s only training centre to provide access to a lifetime manufacturer-backed warranty on workmanship – cuts through an unregulated industry and provides legitimate credentials for flooring professionals.

Visit: www.quick-step-academy.co.uk 10 The DreamClick installation system on BerryAlloc’s Pure vinyl collection features a 360deg interlocking system that’s up to twice as quick to install as other click systems and versatile too. The four-sided locking system supports a variety of laying patterns without the need for different planks or tiles.

Visit: www.berryalloc.com

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

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WILD THING YOU MAKE MY HEART SING...

Wild Silk Rustic charm with a unique “dirt defying” fleck that helps to disguise spills and dirt.

Get in Touch sales@abingdonflooring.co.uk www.abingdonflooring.co.uk 01274 655 694

SERVICE

Richard Renouf

Chequing up

An old dog can teach a new trick Sometimes an inspection is all that’s although we only had the customer’s needed and I never hear any more once word for that as they wouldn’t let anyone my report has been circulated. But it’s back in. That seemed a little suspicious. not uncommon for a consumer or retailer Throughout this whole period the to ask for further advice. It could be that retailer had made a series of offers. Most my report is being challenged and I am of the options given to the customer asked to clarify or justify my conclusions. were a combination of proposed works Or, as in a case that has recently been and compensation. That’s not a word concluded, there were a series of that would normally be used when questions about how the issues could dealing with a complaint, especially in be resolved. a court claim as the law only allows a It was the retailer who asked me to customer to claim damages – that inspect the customer’s engineered means direct costs actually incurred wood flooring. There was no doubt it (could they show a receipt?). ‘Distress was not satisfactory because it creaked and inconvenience’ are considered terribly. Enough to wake the customer’s unfortunate but not something for young baby if they were walking around which recompense would be claimable. after her bedtime. The cause was easy The negotiation process went on far to pinpoint: the flooring was over a wide longer than the apparent urgency of area which included original concrete the situation ought to have required. and a new extension, but the builders The customer was dragging the situation had not laid the screed to a good out and the retailer reached the point standard so the flooring was dipping where they had made some very significantly where it was bridging the many hollows in the surface. My findings were not disputed, but the retailer and the customer agreed to ask for my recommendations as to how the creaking could be resolved.

My first suggestion was to uplift the flooring and have the builders back to do the subfloor properly. But the customer felt that would be too invasive.

We discussed using a different type of flooring that would at least follow the subfloor surface and provide silence, even if it didn’t look perfect and would be in breach of the manufacturer’s instructions (and the British Standard).

We experimented on a small area to see if a lubricant (apparently made for just this sort of situation) would lower the volume or even eradicate the creak altogether. It worked a treat… for no more than 12 hours, The creaking floor would wake the baby

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

generous offers but no longer wanted to be involved in any remedial work and just wanted to resolve things once and for all. The customer service officer called me in desperation, and she sent over relevant email exchanges so I could understand the offers and the responses.

The offers were far more generous than the customer could ever have hoped to achieve through a court claim, but the retailer did not want to have the costs of such a claim to prove this fact.

A plan floated to the front of my mind.

It is incredibly easy for customers to say ‘no’ by email, and to keep doing so in the hope that the offer will increase and then increase some more. The retailer was not willing to go any further, but simply transferring the money to the customers’ account was likely to make things worse: accusations of misusing bank details, even in the customers’ favour, would not make for good publicity. But how many customers could resist the urge to bank a cheque they received in the post rather than return it and try for more? Especially when accompanied by a well-worded letter of apology, making clear that the retailer had decided to send the cheque to avoid any further delays to the customer. ‘But don’t say anything about “full and final settlement”, or that cashing the cheque would be the end of things. It is implicit in sending the cheque and it’s best not to alert the customer to the idea of not accepting it,” I told her.

It wasn’t the end of the calls I received about this, but the next call from the customer service officer was the last one: the cheque had been cashed. The case was closed.

Visit: www.richard-renouf.com Richard Renouf is an independent furnishings consultant

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EXPERIENCES

Happy days – for now Customers are beginning to be more selective and trusting us more than builders, says our correspendent THE RETAILER Fludes Carpets We’re approaching the anniversary of when we returned to work without restrictions. So when it comes to gauging business, we are truly comparing on a like-with-like basis. Having said that, May, June and July 2021 were very good trading results, which will take some beating this year.

The early part of last year was full of

selective in their choices, and expectations of a quick turnaround from estimate to fitting date are greater than ever (mainly because some people are no longer working from home). Prices are now being carefully examined and challenged when the estimate is with the customer.

However, once we have had an in-depth conversation about the quote, we

want to get burnt with the LVT going wrong due to sub-floor problems, so we went to great lengths to check the floor and discuss the reasons why the sub-floor had to be carefully prepared and the product acclimatised.

The customer looked at us wide-eyed.

‘My builder did not explain that to me,’ he said. ‘I was told that it could be laid

enthusiasm, and customers seemingly could not wait to flash the cash and buy new flooring. It was a spending frenzy which unfortunately had to end sometime, and now we are back to some new kind of normality.

Customers are beginning to be more

generally get to the happy compromise when both the customer and we are satisfied with the outcome.

We have recently issued a quote for carpet and LVT that came to £14,000. It was £3,000 more than the other quote the customer received. But we did not

straight on the existing tiled floor. He sent me to you so that I could check which product I wanted.’ A week later he came back and placed the order. He did not ask for a cheaper price, he told us that he had more faith in us than a builder. This kind of thing seems to be occurring more frequently these days.

The two big issues now causing problems are price and availability. It almost feels that manufacturers are deliberately increasing prices, either to annoy retailers or to make more money.

Yet I am certain that neither is the case.

They are also experiencing price rises and a shortage of raw materials to make our carpets. Supplies shipped from the Far East are both expensive and unreliable.

One look at the global news, and particularly the way in which raw materials and fuel costs have shot up, provides the real reason for price rises.

Finally, last year’s results. Like-for-like sales are well up. Our average sale per customer is higher. Wool sales are higher and our LVT sales are much higher. Happy days for now!

In all, our thoughts are that customers have wanted better products and to deal with independent flooring companies.

How will the big negative factors – a higher cost of living, a squeeze of our disposable income, and people’s desire to go on holiday – affect us?

Roll on another spending frenzy.

Andy Laird, Fludes Carpets md

The customer had less faith in his builder

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

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EXPERIENCES

The sales secrets

Some skills seem to be unknown to shopfloor staff THE SALESMAN Andrew Adamson My wife, the boss, wanted to replace a lamp table. She wanted cherry or light mahogany, with a glass insert: apparently I’m a little clumsy and messy.

I toured and scoured the shops. I was offered light oak, no glass, light oak no glass flat packed. I finally found just what she wanted. No, a ‘salesperson’ informed me, they didn’t have anything like that.

They were in fact standing three feet from exactly what I wanted.

When the boss wanted a bedroom suite,

or even a Cross. And possibly the most important: spotlessly clean hands and fingernails. First impressions are vital and formed in a nanosecond, and as is so often said, you only get one chance to make a good one.

Second is product knowledge. A salesperson should know all the products on the floor, literally from the beginning – where they are made and the people who make them. For lounge furniture the salesperson needs to know how many

skill – is get to know your prospect. Where they live, what they do for a living, children and ages, their social life… just get to know them. It really is easy enough: chat to them and they will always tell you.

Then it is possible to select a product that will make them happy. Remember, they do not care how much you know, they want to know how much you care.

If your advertising draws people into your store and you manage to increase footfall, most of these people

a couple of wardrobes, bedside cabinets and a tallboy, I found what she wanted and asked what the delivery time was.

The answer truly shocked me: ‘I don’t know, we don’t sell much of that.’ Three stores gave a similar response. None of them are still in business. Funny, that.

There are basics in face-to-face retail selling; you could call them secrets. The secrets of success.

Firstly, appearance. Look smart – clean clothes, trousers pressed with sharp creases, a clean, well-ironed shirt with a silk tie. Shoes should be fairly conventional and polished to a high shine. Never use cheap biros; invest in a Waterman, a Parker

springs per seat, what the cushion fillings are and the durability of the covers, what and how the frames are made. The same applies to cabinet furniture: how a table extends – some can be a little difficult and require practice. If the salesperson fumbles when demonstrating, what does the prospect think?

It goes without saying that the seller should know how to care for the item being purchased. It is a huge benefit to all salespeople to have this knowledge.

The final free secret (others have a price) that I shall share with you – and it must be one hell of a secret because I have rarely seen or heard a salesperson use this vital

will walk out again without buying. Fact.

Your salespeople will sell to between 10% and 20%. That’s people you employ to sell. They do not sell: people buy – usually because they like the colour or the style. They are not salespeople, they are order takers.

The problem is, and it is a major problem for owners, do you know how many people came into your stores yesterday? These are facts, indisputable facts. Times are hard. So get to know your prospect, and show them how much you care Andrew Adamson is a retired furniture salesman

The better you know your prospect, the more likely you are to match them with their ideal product

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

Please make a note for your diary

● Over 60 exhibitors ● FREE parking ● FREE lunch ● NAEC, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire

www.theautumnfurnitureshow.co.uk

SUSTAINABILITY

Benchmark is making use of trees felled after catching ash dieback for Migo Migo

Triple challenge Benchmark has turned to a little used wood and discarded ash Benchmark’s new Victoria collection of modular office furniture and the Migo stool, by Pascal Hien, are a combined response to three key challenges facing the furniture industry: the changing

Victoria

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

nature of the workplace; the urgent need to prioritise sustainability and carbon efficiency in furniture manufacture; and a critical breakdown in hardwood supply lines across Europe.

With many European timber varieties increasingly hard to source in the current geopolitical climate, Benchmark has risen to the challenge by choosing to manufacture these new designs in two lesser-used sustainable, practical, affordable and beautiful wood species.

Working with longstanding collaborator the American Hardwood Export Council, Benchmark chose to construct the collection from American red oak (Quercus rubra). This sustainable, renewable timber makes up around 40% of North America’s hardwood forests but is hugely underused, meaning that opting for red oak in preference to more conventional hardwoods actively benefits forest biodiversity.

Having invested in Life Cycle Assessments, Benchmark is able to provide the full carbon footprint for each piece in the collection, all of which are designed and made with longevity and circularity in mind. In addition, it offers a lifetime repair service and take-back scheme on all solid timber furniture.

Visit: www.benchmarkfurniture.com

Stay in touch @floorwisehq

Get F597 at distributors across the UK & Ireland: +44 (0)1509 673974

DESIGN

Cream of the crop This year’s Design Guild Mark winners are revealed Innovation of materials and creativity remained at the forefront of British design with 23 entries receiving the coveted Design Guild Mark this year.

The Design Guild Mark is awarded

by The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, to drive excellence and raise the profile

of British design and innovation. It recognises the highest standards in the design of furnishings in volume production across three categories: Furniture, 2D Design and Lighting Design. The award is open to designers working in Britain and British designers working abroad.

Each category has its own jury of renowned design experts who assess

submissions against criteria including: Are the materials appropriate? Are they from sustainable sources? Does the piece/collection show new thinking?

Does it solve a problem?

Three designs, Fourfold, Swell and Hotaru, received the Jonathan Hindle Prize for their outstanding qualities.

Visit: www.furnituremakers.org.uk

TEXTILES, WALLCOVERINGS, SURFACES, CARPETS AND FLOORCOVERINGS

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All Tomorrow’s Futures textured linen blend, designed by Charlotte Raffo and Alexis Snell for The Monkey Puzzle Tree. Upholstery and soft furnishings textile created in collaboration with linocut artist Alexis Snell, a specially commissioned crepe textured weave in a linen cotton blend interacts with the screen print to give an irregular hand-made feel to the design.

Swell, designed by Jones & Partners for The Collective Agency. Swell is a lightweight, horizontally seamless acoustic wall-cladding solution with a unique height of 2.7m, made from eco-material EchoPanel. Offering acoustic and environmental properties, Swell is reminiscent of a wave.

Quest, designed by Jane Marks-Yewdall for Camira. Using recycled marine waste in partnership with the Sequal Initiative, it has a casually elegant aesthetic and evocative colour palette.

Northward Bound carpet tiles, designed by the Milliken Design Team for Milliken Industrials. Kerry Cottam’s design is a high-performance, carbon-neutral, luxurious carpet tile collection that uses fewer raw materials, thus reducing embodied carbon.

Interiors Monthly June 2022

DESIGN LIGHTING

Joseph Collection, designed by Michael Young for EOQ. The soft Asian silhouette belies the reassuring strength of an object crafted from a solid block of aluminium. Each piece is extruded into shape, then softened with CNC cutting, before being milled on a lathe to open up the core and allow the light to diffuse through the fins.

Hotaru, designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Ozeki Lantern Company. In collaboration with twentytwentyone, Barber and Osgerby have created an elegant range of lighting drawing on the heritage of Japanese lantern-making.

Evedal, designed by Aaron Probyn for Ikea. The objective was to design a lighting collection that the end-user would have a true emotional connection with and therefore want to keep for a lifetime and pass on to a future generation. Evedal is crafted from brass, marble, mouth-blown glass and solid timber.

Melina, designed by Yasuyuki Sakurai and Risa Sano for Hand & Eye Studio.

A collection of cluster pendant lights and wall/ceiling lights. The lamp with a mouth-blown clear or opal glass shade in matt etched finish has a dimpled base that acts as a focal point on the otherwise smooth surface. The dimple becomes thinner closer to the light source, making it shine brighter.

Full Stop, designed by Derek Treadwell for Innermost. Full Stop is a small bulkhead fitting with the impression of a light source cast in solid glass.

Care has been taken to, as far as possible, design replaceable, single material components that are easy to disassemble and recyclable at end of life.



www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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DESIGN FURNITURE

Smalto Low Table, designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Knoll.

A series of low tables made from enamel steel with an accent on modernity, the design process was an exercise in purity and simplicity.

Your Move, designed by Jon Christie for Flip the Script Furniture.

Inspired by Nathaniel Cooke’s classic Howard Staunton chess set, each table requires nine hours of hand turning.

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Heritage, designed by Dylan Freeth for Ercol. Lucian Ercolani’s 333 chair is the starting point for a range of Windsor seating including chair, armchair, love seat and bar stool.

Fourfold, designed by Barry Jenkins for Ocee International. The overall frame geometry, leg shape and extruded beam all contribute towards a product that is simple and safe to use and compact when stored.

Buddy, designed by Chris Fowler for Bisley. Designed for sit/stand workstations, Buddy is fixed to the underside of the desktop and so moves vertically with the working height, ensuring the user can quickly access their belongings.

Bowater Collection – Cable Shop Stool (kit), designed by Jan Hendzel for Jan Hendzel Studio. Part of the multi-award-winning Bowater collection, the Cable Shop Stool is now available as a complete make-at-home kit.

Interiors Monthly June 2022

DESIGN

Kaya, designed by Morgan Studio for Morgan. Simplicity is key, using only the upholstery needed and multiple frame sections rather than a single, larger component.

Eva, designed by Phidias Leonida for Nurus. Designed for working from home, Eva is easy to pack up and move while providing a stable work surface.

The Somerset Four Poster and The Tetbury, designed by Garry Smith for The Cornish Bed Company. The four-poster bedstead suggests elegance at its finest, with sweeping, curved brass top rails for that extra layer of class.

There are no bolts or welds on the Somerset (pictured). Tetbury’s fortifying design and shapely frame maintain its timeless enchantments.

The Davenport Bureau, designed by David Irwin for Another Country.

The Davenport is designed to provide a separation between work and home life, serving as a dedicated space for work that can be easily tidied away at the end of the day.

Ports, designed by Tom Lloyd and Luke Pearson for Bene. Ports is a multifunctional hub, like a modern high-performance port. Office zones that were once separate are merged into a multifunctional space that facilitates collaboration while also supporting focused individual work.

Sepal and Saranac, designed by Mark Gabbertas for Gloster Furniture. The Sepal tables take inspiration from water lilies, while the Saranac upholstery uses an approach that seduces the user rather than shouts at them.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Industry leading sustainable underlay production As part of the Vita Group – who have been awarded a Silver EcoVadis sustainability rating – all Ball & Young PU underlays are made from recycled material and are recyclable at the end of their life. They have also passed stringent indoor air quality tests and feature ‘Ultrafresh’ for anti-microbial protection.

Cloud 9 underlays have excellent heat and sound insulation properties, saving energy and money. With over 25 years of sustainability and innovation consumers can rest assured they’ve made the greener choice.

It’s in our DNA.

Scan the QR code to see our sustainability story.

01536 200502 / bysales@ballandyoung.com / www.underlay.com

2021

The Vita Group has a Silver EcoVadis sustainability rating

BEDS AND BEDROOM

More, more, more There are new Bed Industry Awards up for grabs The Bed Industry Awards are returning for 2022, with more retailer awards and new categories for manufacturers and suppliers. Renowned as a pinnacle of excellence in the trade, the awards honour the brightest and best enterprises in the bed market, showcasing the very best in inspiration, design and innovation from retailers, bed manufacturers and suppliers. The awards are free to enter, and all entries are submitted online.

The award for Outstanding Bed Store/ Bed Department of the Year will be granted to an independent bed retailer or a national retailer’s individual store that has gone the extra mile for its business, to make an impact inside and out. Entrants are encouraged to think about what they do differently to satisfy customers and how they offer the best in-store experience.

The Best Marketing Campaign award is open to NBF Retail Champions and national and online retailers with at least 50% of their UK and Irish product offer sourced from NBF members.

The NBF Small Retail Champion of the Year (open to retailers with up to four stores) and NBF Large Retail Champion of the Year (open to retailers with 5-20 branches) recognise independent bed retailers that are signed up to the NBF’s Retail Champions Scheme, which supports businesses whose product offer is at least 50% NBF-approved brands (Retail Champions) and 100% NBF-approved brands (Premier Retail Champions).

The National Bed Retailer of the Year award is open to retailers with more than 20 stores and the Online Bed Retailer of the Year award to companies where at

The winners of the expanded awards will be revealed at the gala dinner in September

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

least 80% of sales are via the Internet.

The Bed Manufacturer of the Year and Component Supplier of the Year awards are returning. As well as recognising excellent innovative design in the Bed Product of the Year and Component Product of the Year awards, the NBF wants to highlight the efforts and achievements of the company itself, with sustainability remaining a key part of the criteria, in line with the NBF’s green agenda.

A new award shines a spotlight on an individual’s achievements within their business: the NBF Sales Agent/Rep of the Year. Nominations can come from a bed retailer for a manufacturer’s agent/ rep, a bed manufacturer for a component supplier’s agent/rep or come from the sales agent/rep’s own company.

Winners will be announced at the NBF Bed Industry Awards ceremony and gala dinner on 20 September and a shortlist of all the retailer awards will be published before The Bed Show at Telford International Centre. Entry is open via The Bed Show website.

Visit: www.bedshow.co.uk

The bed industry awards are back for 2022... and are bigger than ever!

Enter your company for a prestigious NBF Award today NBF Member Awards

Retailer Awards

Bed Product of the Year

NBF Small Retail Champion of the Year

Component Product of the Year

NBF Large Retail Champion of the Year

Bed Manufacturer of the Year

National Bed Retailer of the Year

Component Supplier of the Year NBF Sales Agent/Rep of the Year

Online Bed Retailer of the Year Best Marketing Campaign Outstanding Bed Store/ Bed Department of the Year

Enter now at bedshow.co.uk/awards @TheBedFed

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Return to Telford

The show will host the major players in the industry

The Bed Show will return in September Recognised as the biggest and best event in the UK bed sector, The Bed Show returns for 2022, with free registration now open online.

Organised by the National Bed Federation (NBF), The Bed Show will take place on 20-21 September and is the bed industry’s go-to event, as the latest products and innovations are revealed ready for the autumn buying season.

The exhibition celebrates the coming together of the very best in British and Irish bed manufacturing, component suppliers and retail customers.

‘This year it feels like we will finally be getting back to a more “normal” show, and I know all our exhibitors are working on exciting new product and marketing developments to launch at Telford,’ says Jessica Alexander, NBF executive director.

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

‘If you’re in the beds market, join the many visitors who will make their way to see names such as Airsprung, Breasley, Duvalay, Harrison Spinks, Millbrook, Relyon, Sealy, Shire Beds, Sweet Dreams and Vispring, alongside lots of smaller niche players and a selection of key component suppliers.

‘Our Suppliers Innovation Zone returns after its successful introduction last year, plus we are planning some exciting new features for our Business Hub. As we always say, if the UK bed industry is your sphere of activity, where else would you be in the third week of September but at The Bed Show.’

The zone will feature the latest developments that could soon become the new ‘must-have’ technology in mattresses and other bed products.

‘Attending the show gives us the opportunity to meet customers both old and new,’ says Chris Francis, Enkev UK UK sales manager. ‘You never know who will attend or the opportunities that may step onto the stand. As a supplier exhibitor it’s also the showcase for product development we’ve undertaken with our NBF brand partners. It’s often the first chance for us to see the finished products we’ve been working towards.’

There will be plenty of catering facilities across the three show halls, with complimentary vouchers for visitors and exhibitors. Ample free parking is available on site and entry to The Bed Show is also free of charge. Visitors wishing to bring young children are encouraged to do so on the Wednesday.

Visit: www.bedshow.co.uk

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Handy offers a wide range of Scaat/B&B’s narrow woven tape

Continuity Developing long-term partnerships has proved successful Bedding and upholstery component supplier Handy offers a wide range of more than 1,300 components and has provided specialist services to the sector for over 30 years.

Key to its success is building strong relationships with its clients and maintaining strong supplier relations with brands at the forefront of sector innovation. More than 90% of current material purchases by Handy are placed with suppliers that it has worked with for over 20 years, and these partnerships have helped to ensure a focus on high quality products, reliability and service excellence.

One of these is Scaat/B&B, an Italian supplier of narrow woven fabric that has driven change in the UK bedding market.

‘We have been working with Stefano Tono and his creative production team at Scaat/B&B since 1996. Historically our core markets chose to tape-edge their mattress production in tape that had been sliced from full-width rolls of mattress ticking. This was labour intensive, expensive and required the tape itself to be double-folded due to the raw edges. Working with Scaat/B&B we were able to introduce its range of dedicated narrow woven tapes to the UK market,’ says Nick Harland-Smith, Handy md.

‘This created a sea change within our markets as our customers were able to move away from their slower and costlier double-folded tape and instead incorporate our dedicated single-folded product. This led to faster production, straighter tape-edge lines and far less material wastage.

‘Fire retardancy is a critical factor for mattresses produced within the UK. Most of our competitors typically source tape edge from the Far East. This receives a post-weaving chemical treatment of polyvinyl acetate latex to stiffen the tape to make winding easier, which may give a questionable flame-retardancy (FR) pass. Alternatively, the tape may receive a dedicated FR post-weaving chemical treatment using brominates or phosphorus. The waste from these chemical treatments has ultimately to be disposed of and we will have to end up lying next to these chemicals should we purchase a mattress manufactured using this tape.

‘We have avoided going down this post-weaving chemical treatment process mindful that these chemicals can harm the general environment and potentially ourselves. Instead to achieve the required FR performance demanded by our customers, we took on the greater challenge of making finite adjustments

to the looms, which enabled us to combine costlier, but safer, dedicated FR yarn into the weaving process.

Consequently, not even one metre of the total fire-retardant production receives any post-production chemical treatment.

We are very proud of this fact.

‘With over 200 looms in an 8,500sqm facility, our Italian partners can produce over 500,000m of product and consume over four tonnes of yarn per day.

Alongside these sophisticated narrow weaving facilities, they also maintain in-house digital transfer printing production as well as laser cutting and engraving services.

‘This allows us to provide highdefinition printing in multiple colours on the tape following the weaving process.

This is of particular interest to our customers as this enables them to brand individual products while being able to deliver high volume,’ he says.

‘We have worked with the Handy team for over 25 years. It has been an exciting and fruitful relationship with shared ideas leading to a broadening of our product range and consistent sales growth in our respective companies. We consider the UK market and Handy an integral part of our future development,’ says Stefano Tono, Scaat/B&B owner.

Visit: www.handyltd.co.uk

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

People are more mindful of the hygiene of their frequently used household items The mattress protectors have a 10-year guarantee

Upsell Generate extra profits as shoppers look to take better care of their mattresses The pandemic saw record online sales for beds and mattresses, with consumers focusing on both comfort and longevity.

‘The diverse Guardsman mattress and pillow protector ranges tick both boxes, all whilst adding value for your customer and giving a boost in profitability,’ says David Evans, Guardsman sales director.

Following rigorous testing by Shirley Technologies, each of the mattress protector ranges – Classic, Natural and Luxury – has achieved a 10-year guarantee. Each underwent intensive performance assessments to test its stability and performance, facing repeated machine washes and drying on varying cycles and at varying temperatures.

‘These tests have enabled us to comfortably say that all ranges can sustain regular washing without it impacting performance, allowing us to offer this

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

impressive guarantee,’ says Evans.

‘With more and more consumers investing in high-end, ergonomic mattresses, the need to protect them from staining and the build-up of bacteria and bodily fluids is of paramount importance.

‘Following the pandemic, a much wider consumer audience has become aware and more mindful of the hygiene of frequently used household items.

This, coupled with a significant increase in environmental consciousness, means that consumers are looking to make more sustainable purchases as well as taking better care of their furniture items, either to use them for longer or to be in a position to re-sell them in the future.’

Each range comes in a variety of sizes, from single to super king, and all boast waterproof technology, with the unique

membrane allowing heat and moisture out, but prevent staining and damage to the mattress.

‘The protectors are highly effective in preventing dust mites and bacteria from breeding inside the mattress – a common cause of asthma, eczema and rhinitis.

‘Our ranges have features to suit each consumer, from a luxury reversible protector that accommodates warmer and colder seasons, to 100% organic, silky smooth, natural Lyocell fibres, proven to improve wellbeing whilst you sleep and so soft the protector can be used without a sheet.

‘The five-star customer-rated mattress and pillow protector ranges can be stocked alongside our Bed or Adjustable Bed Protection Plans or sold alone as a value-add, upsell product,’ says Evans.

Tel: 01235 444 700

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Think local

Sleepeezee has turned to a family-owned farm for its wool Sleepeezee has linked up with Romney Marsh Wools as its new supplier of premium, locally sourced wool.

All Sleepeezee mattresses containing wool will now use Romney Marsh wool.

Established in 2018, Romney Marsh Wools is owned and run by Kristina and Paul Boulden on their family farm on the Romney Marsh, Kent.

‘For us, Sleepeezee was a perfect collaboration as it is a local business with traditional family values at its heart.

We share the belief in the welfare of the planet and our people, in sourcing materials from sustainable suppliers, and ensuring that no waste from our process goes to landfill. We strive for quality and value in everything we do, and sustainability is at the forefront of both businesses,’ says Kristina Boulden.

As a sixth-generation farm, the Bouldens have about 1,200 Romney ewes in their flock with 150 Merino ewes.

Romney Marsh Wools’ products are made by the very best British makers, experts in their field. Aside from supporting local businesses like Sleepeezee, Romney Marsh Wools sells a range of homeware, clothing and toiletry products as well as raw wool, topped fleece and yarn.

The collaboration centres around sustainability and supporting local businesses. Recognised as a pedigree

Supreme 2400 from Sleepeezee’s Campaign for Wool collection

breed in England since 1896, Romney sheep provide wool that is natural, sustainable and a demi-lustre of excellent quality and staple. Romney wool is extremely breathable and warm due to its crimped fibres. It is also resistant to moisture and assists with keeping mattresses dry, stopping the development of mildew, mould and unwanted odours. Alongside this, wool is naturally fire-resistant thanks to its high water and nitrogen content, is

Wool Superb 2800: all Sleepeezee beds that use wool will now use wool from Romney Marsh Wools

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

free from toxic chemicals and is easy to clean. Romney wool is extremely sustainable and durable due to the resistant strength of the fibres, which can be bent back on themselves over 20,000 times without breaking.

‘As a carbon-neutral company since 2017, Sleepeezee strives for sustainability in all that we do. From offsetting our carbon emissions to planting trees in our community, we have offset a total of 1,643 tonnes of CO2 from within our factory since 2017. We also aim to sustainably source materials that align with our business values and customers’ needs, which is why investing in locally sourced Romney wool is so important,’ says Steve Warren, Sleepeezee md.

Romney Marsh Wools supports Sleepeezee’s sustainability goals as a product and a business. Romney wool’s biodegradability does not contribute to waste pollution, unlike synthetic materials that can take years to break down.

‘Our wool is locally sourced, produced and distributed, which results in it having low embodied energy due to limited transport miles. We don’t use synthetic dyes or damaging products on our wool and, wherever possible, we re-use and recycle all our packaging and waste cardboard,’ says Kristina Boulden.

Visit: www.sleepeezee.com

So good, Jessica put her name on it

LE AVE THE REST TO US

UPHOLSTERY

Le Bambole reborn

Above: Le Bambole reimagined Opposite: the controversial 1972 shoot

Fifty years after their initial creation, these icons of Italian style are evolving, thanks to new design choices that make them even more comfortable and increasingly sustainable

In 1972, B&B Italia (known as C&B at the time) presented Le Bambole to the world, a collection of revolutionary upholstered furniture items designed

by Mario Bellini. Cosy softness, plush roundness, gentle harmony and playful informality are the keynotes for armchairs, sofas and beds that mark a point of no return, thanks to their aesthetics, production technology and unprecedented marketing campaign.

Le Bambole was presented as a series of large cushions arranged almost randomly, in line with the changes in lifestyle at the beginning of the 1970s.

Inside, the metal frame ensured solidity, while generous polyurethane padding – the company’s trademark from the outset – made it possible to enjoy the embrace of each Bambola. The upholstery was also designed to be flexible and supportive, in keeping with the structure.

The advertising campaign at launch made history in communication and

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

design. Le Bambole was the subject of a shoot by Oliviero Toscani, who photographed Donna Jordan, a model known for her work at Andy Warhol’s Factory. Jordan dances and laughs topless, relaxed and happy, next to or nestled in Le Bambole.

The 1960s and 1970s had seen Italy enact laws that were designed to improve the lives of women (even if

Mario Bellini

they were more honoured in the breach than in the observance). So Toscani’s images were a shock. They were revealed for the first time in the corridors of the 1972 Salone del Mobile and were immediately censored.

A constant presence in the B&B Italia catalogue for 50 years, Le Bambole has evolved to become even more contemporary, the revamped version

UPHOLSTERY

recapturing the original curves.

‘I am delighted to revisit this family because it confirms to me that it is anything but old: on the contrary, it is enjoying a second life, a rebirth done in a big way, with enthusiasm, with decoration and original flourishes. We have recovered its charm, sumptuous form and softness,’ says Bellini.

The range has been defined and enhanced, starting with the basic elements: the Bambola armchair, Bibambola two-seater sofa and Bamboletto double bed. The threeseater sofa has been updated for today’s needs, with a deeper seat that

has earned it the name Granbambola.

The renewal of this collection brings with it Sila, a new sablé fabric available in eight colours. ‘The variation in this fabric, in contact with your hands, your arms, your body, empathises with your skin and is very pleasant,’ says Bellini.

Manila is a dreamy, whimsical floral print characterised by classic roses, a contrast that gives each Bambola a totally individual style. The limited edition fabric is available on a white or black base.

Le Bambole can also be upholstered in Kasia leather, an extremely soft and naturally marked full-grain leather.

Visit: www.bebitalia.com

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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LVT

Karndean Designflooring, Knight Tile collection, Glacial Marble SM-ST27

Passport to luxury

Karndean Designflooring, Knight Tile collection, Glacial Marble SM-ST27 and Midnight Marble SM-ST28

Marble is the stone of choice for those looking for instant glamour ‘Nothing shouts quality and opulence like marble. A luxurious stone throughout the ages, marble has never been more popular and is a big trend for 2022,’ says Stella Coyle, Karndean Designflooring national retail sales manager.

‘The latest designer homes are oozing glamour and sophistication thanks to the introduction of marble, either in small touches such as kitchen worksurfaces or wall to wall for eye-catching impact.

With its clean colours and characterful, distinctive veining, marble flooring is currently making a splash in bathrooms, kitchens and sitting rooms.

‘But, however lovely it looks, real marble has some serious downsides.

Apart from an eye-watering price tag, this is a surface that will chip and stain and needs careful cleaning and sealing or it will soon look tired and scruffy.

For all the stunning beauty of a marble floor without any of the hassle, why not look to Karndean Designflooring’s collection of authentic marble designs?’

Traditionally in the UK we have used marble flooring in high-end kitchens and sumptuous spa bathrooms, but there is no reason the lavish look of marble flooring cannot be brought to other

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

rooms, says Coyle. Create a boutique hotel style in your bedroom or give your living room an über-chic atmosphere that will be instantly relaxing. In hallways, marble flooring will create classic elegance without the worry.

‘Use our pale white marble designs to achieve a cool tropical feel to accompany an all-white scheme or a bold colour palette, or combine with a dark marble for a statement floor that stands out from the crowd. If your customers are seeking a new take on a contemporary trend, our latest herringbone marble floor designs

could be just the thing,’ says Coyle.

Realistically replicating the beauty of Carrara marble from the Apuan Mountains in Italy, Karndean Designflooring’s new Knight Tile range presents three new marble designs, from the palest Frosted Marble to Glacial Marble and the drama of Midnight Marble. With full-sized and herringbone options, the designs allow customers to express their individuality with a striking bespoke floor that is sure to make a lasting impression.

Visit: www.karndean.com

Celebrating

The Queen’s Jubilee

NEW Habberley Ridge, Rainy Day

myvictoria.co.uk

NEW DESIGNS

GLUEDOWN AND RIGID CORE

What’s your game plan with new homeowners?

Knight Tile is your next move.

The Karndean Knight Tile range just got better. With more designs, more colour options and more ways to install, it’s the best move your customers can make.

NEW Knight Tile shown in Dutch Limed Oak SM-KP154

KARNDEAN.COM/NEXTMOVE

LVT

Tapestry Universal 55 in Feather Grey

For everyone The new collection allows shoppers to trade up or down Consumer demand for LVT shows no sign of slowing and the refreshed product offer from Victoria Design Floors is making sure it has something for everyone.

The revised collection brings together the Universal and Distinctive products under the Victoria Design Floors banner.

By merging the ranges there is now a distinct ‘good, better, best’ story which provides a 0.3mm, 0.55mm and 0.7mm offer. In the current economic climate people still want the look, but they might not be able to spend as much as they originally wanted. This new offer gives the consumer not only plenty to choose from but also the ability to trade up or down, allowing them to get the floor they want at a price point they are comfortable with.

New easy-to-read labels, colour coding and product categorisation have been added to help both the consumer and the retailer. All products, except for parquets and Tapestry, are available in both dryback and click formats for the first time, including the new Universal 55 Herringbone. This is a small collection of six woods and two stone mid-sized 5in x 30in planks.

New to the market for this summer is the new Tapestry stand. Nine product boards show off a wide selection of designs that can be achieved. Made up

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of 20 different patterned mosaic-style tiles, Tapestry comes in boxes of 32 9in x 9in tiles from which various designs can be made. As well as being used on their own, they can also be mixed and matched with complementary 9in x 9in

Tapestry stand

and 18in x 18in tiles to help create unique floors for your customers.

They can also be paired with the Landscape planks should customers want to mix planks and stones.

Tel: 01562 749 300

Rug

r Borde

Tapestry

Island

20 individually designed 9” x 9” mosaic style tiles come together to create the Tapestry collection.

Offered in 6 colour ways, use them alone, with the matching plain tiles or with one of the Landscape 9” planks to create something truly outstanding.

To find out more contact the sales office on 01562 749300.

Tapestry Stands now available to order

VICTORIA Design Floors myvictoria.co.uk

TM

CABINET

Diversify

Clockwise from top left: Augusta driftwood bedroom collection; Harvard home office and casual living collection; Texas in antique waxed pine finish; Dunkeld bedroom collection

Retailers are looking to add value priced products Demand for flat-packed furniture delivered direct to consumers’ homes boomed during lockdown and is now coming even more into its own, as it offers cash-strapped shoppers more furniture for their money.

Core Products reported an increase in retailers looking to diversify their product offering to include more value priced products at the January Furniture Show.

With the disparity in cost between oak and pine growing ever wider, the demand for Core’s pine ranges has increased, with additions to established ranges such as Corona and Augusta along with the new Texas casual living collection in a choice of antique or grey waxed finishes.

Core has been selling pine products since 1986 and was a founder member of the world’s leading forestry

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

Capri White bedroom collection

replenishment programme, a legacy it continues with direct involvement in replenishment programmes. An example of this is the 842 trees that will be planted in Brazil this month

thanks to the visitors to Core’s JFS stand and the company’s commitment to completely offset its attendance at the show.

Visit: www.coreproducts.co.uk

AWARD WINNING FLATPACKED FURNITURE A BIG CARBON OFFSET THANK YOU

to all who participated in our tree planting initiative at the January Furniture Show.

Over 800 trees will be planted in recognition of your visits to our stand ensuring our attendance was completely carbon offset.

2021

BEST FLAT PACKED FURNITURE SUPPLIER

01738 630 555 | sales@coreproducts.co.uk

www.coreproducts.co.uk

REVIEW

Innovation

IVC Group was part of the inaugural Flanders Flooring Days

Bringing together 10 of west Flanders’ most significant flooring companies, Flanders Flooring Days on 2-5 May gave visitors a unique chance to gather insight into the innovation driving the flooring industry.

For IVC Group, it was an opportunity to explore how its in-house design, product innovation, manufacturing

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

flexibility and service come together to build unique collections.

Marking 25 years of successful business and revealing its plans for continued growth, IVC Group welcomed visitors to the landmark Flooring Development Centre for the inaugural Flanders Flooring Days. With a striking multi-purpose interior designed by Glenn Sestig

Architects, the centre in Waregem has been home to the manufacturer for three years.

IVC Group began in 1997 manufacturing sheet vinyl, which remains a key part of its solutions today. Alongside presenting innovations and new designs for 2022 that capture the latest interior trends, the manufacturer encouraged visitors

REVIEW

Visitors to the Flooring Development Centre received updates

to think again about the floor’s easy installation, unique comfort and ease of living. It also unveiled its status as the first flooring company to begin using Social Plastic from Plastic Bank.

The company says the average kitchen or bathroom fitted with textile-backed vinyl will be using 100 recycled PET bottles, of which 10 will be Social Plastic.

Using the non-Social Plastic Luxatex textile backing on ranges allows faster installation as no glue is needed, in most conditions. The backing helps create floors for quick refurbishment projects

and instant room makeovers, soaking up imperfections for a floor that lies flat and level under most conditions. The Luxatex backing also helps to battle noise, reducing impact sound by 19dB. The company’s LVT is a unique chance to enjoy the in-house design and manufacturing capabilities of IVC Group in collections made to provide retailers with the best quality and service.

Using the latest flooring technologies in flex and rigid categories, IVC Group presented a broad range of qualities and designs.

The event also saw the group exhibit the latest products from Moduleo.

Constantly researching trends for designs that deliver a contemporary range of luxury vinyl floors for the home, Moduleo presented the newest development to its LayRed collection: herringbone floors.

The latest innovation makes popular herringbone patterns simple to install without the need for A and B planks, while guaranteeing the design, comfort, strength and ease of maintenance of the collection.

Visit: www.ivcgroup.com

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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REVIEW

Visitors watched a product presentation at the Ronse showroom

Next steps

Vivendi is being rebranded

Associated Weavers shared new additions, new branding and future plans Associated Weavers expanded its carpet offer and previewed a made-to-measure rug offer and new branding.

Indus and Dorado were relaunched as part of the polyester Gaia collection and recoloured. All four Gaia ranges now have the ECO-Fusion backing made from 100% recycled PET bottles. Using polyester provides high-quality colour fastness and a rich lustre and the carpet is bleach-cleanable.

Dorado is the heaviest ranges with a weight of 1,900g per sqm and is available in 14 shades, including six new ones.

Indus has a weight of 1,400g per sqm and 14 colours, including six new ones.

Next year will see the introduction of Sarno and Mekong.

The Sedna collection saw Oshun introduced in a 2,205g weight and 12 colours. Invictus saw the addition of Aurelius, a 2,500g weight, and Tiberius, a 1,800g weight, both in 12 colours.

The made-to-measure rug collection will feature a small selection of shapes, choice of carpet and backing allowing shoppers to create a design to their taste.

The rugs will be delivered direct to the consumer in a handful of weeks.

The Vivendi collection – debuted in 2018 – will have the tagline ‘The best a home can get’.

Vitality and Karma, at 2,300g per sqm the collection’s heaviest carpets, were shown, while Soul and Vibes have been recoloured, both with four new shades.

The full rebranding will be introduced at The Flooring Show in September.

Grace and Mood will appear in 2023.

Visit: www.carpetyourlife.com

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The showroom marked Flanders Flooring Days

BRILLIANT CARPET WITH A NATURAL TOUCH Brilliant colours • Silky touch • Easy maintenance • Excellent colour fastness

SHARE YOUR #associatedweavers @associatedweavers www.gaia-carpet.co.uk

A UK brand since 1964

REVIEW

New beginning Balta plans to return to its strengths Following Victoria Group’s purchase of Balta’s carpet operations, Balta will continue to operate as an independent brand and this with a firm focus on the UK and Republic of Ireland markets, with new launches, re-introduction of leading carpet makes and excellent service.

Balta’s product development and range architecture will be focused on the UK and Ireland and Balta will continue to promote and sell the ITC-manufactured

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nylon ranges such as Satino and Eternity, securing continuity for its customers.

The company will be tapping into the group’s delivery network, further improving service levels and offering 24 to 72-hour delivery times.

‘Great product and service will be at the heart of our drive to maximise the exposure with our customer base again.

What we were doing, we will do more of and do it better,’ says Filip Poelman,

Balta sales and marketing director.

‘There will be plenty of new launches in September, building on the brand’s historical strengths of twists, Saxonies and wool. We will bring back the Woolmaster and Made in Heaven brands, and we will be introducing a carpet with 100% recycled pile and backing.’

Balta will be exhibiting at The Flooring Show in September.

Visit: www.balta-carpets.com

JUNE LAUNCH

Kingsdale Twist

www.balta-carpets.com

REVIEW

Hamilton

Come and create

Talamanca Oak

Beauflor is urging us to be creative

Beauflor is set to allow just about any idea to become a vinyl floor as it opens a London showroom and doubles its digital printing capacity at its Slovenia factory.

The showroom, due to open in early June, will be in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, and will promote its create offering of digitally printed floors.

Customers can choose from a huge selection of designs, which can be customised – by changing colours or

adding logos, for example – for the perfect floor design or can provide their own image. The company also offers a floorplan service for custom designs.

Designs can also be made over multiple rolls for large projects. Once a design has been selected, samples are delivered within 10 days and the completed floor in four to eight weeks.

Beauflor also showed innovation with its core collection, with new designs for Blacktex; a revamped

Aquarium and Banana Leaves are part of the create offer

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

Silvertex collection with a new backing and 0.3mm wear layer; Tex-Style has been updated with a third of the collection now made up of new designs, and the new Elite range has tile and large plank designs.

It has also updated its marketing materials, with residential and contract ranges now split as Beauflor Home and Beauflor Pro, with brochures featuring more roomset photography.

Visit: www.beauflor.co.uk

UNLEASH YOUR CREA TIVITY Our London showroom is now open!

Time To Get Inspired!

Visit us at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, London N1 0QH

Keep an eye on our social media channels for the latest news!

Contact us via www.beauflor.com or get in touch with your sales representative to arrange an appointment. We look forward to seeing you very soon!

www.beauflor.com

REVIEW

XL-END Egmont 50

Think big

Essentials Texas Oak H54

COREtec has opted for size as it rolls out Essentials to the UK The star of COREtec Floors’ introductions and previews was XL-END, as the company looked to target the parquet market at a time when timber supplies are disrupted because of the war in Ukraine.

‘When you think of a luxury floor the chances are you’ll think of the warm look of parquet flooring. and especially of stunning long planks. Using such planks enables you to give a sense of space to rooms. Luxury also means having time and peace of mind,’ says Thibault Lanchon, COREtec Floors quality manager.

The planks are 2.1m x 228mm and are 15mm thick, with an extra-thick core layer and a bottom cork layer.

‘You also get luxury protection at the surface: the 0.8mm wear layer is 60% thicker than with the other COREtec collections,‘ says Lanchon.

‘All our floors are based on a click system. They combine the best of

Essentials display stand

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vinyl with an extremely stable core underneath, which makes your floor fully waterproof. So, no problem laying the planks in your bathroom. The cork layer allows you to compensate for unevenness in the existing floor. There is no need for a separate underlay whatsoever. This also applies if you install XL-END on a new screed. You can lay the planks on that new floor as soon as you are allowed to walk on it, and

enjoy luxury straight away.’

The company also announced plans for a UK consumer advertising campaign for the Essentials collection from September and an Essentials display stand. The range has 62 finishes in a variety of plank and tile sizes, including herringbone planks in 910mm x 230mm, and several planks are available with bevels on the length sides.

Visit: www.coretecfloors.com

Essentials Texas Oak M54

FLOORS THAT MAKE A GRAND IMPRESSION

Extra long

planks that create an everlasting luxury

Follow us for more inspiration @coretecfloors.eu

XL-END - Montclair - 50 LVREXL 2557

REVIEW

Genius Heathertwist Elite

New looks

Lano has been busy updating several collections Lano highlighted the latest updates to a number of its ranges.

Fairfield Creations has seen the introduction of two new shades and a new stripe colour, while Pembridge Heathers – a popular housebuild quality where volumes in the existing colours were already high - saw two new shades.

The tenth gauge Genius using Lano’s Eccelena soft yarn saw seven colours

Startwist Elite

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

replaced and seven retained while Star Twist Edition – a 32oz twist in combination of colours from Star Twist and Heather Twist – saw 10 new colours added and five existing colours retained.

Heather Twist Supreme and Elite saw nine shades retained and seven more heathered colours added.

Star Twist Supreme and Elite saw seven new colours added along with

Fairfield Creations

improvements in the yarn finish with more vibrancy and sheen.

Lano is also revamping its nylon offer in the X collection, with new colours in Satine, Evita, Traviata and Euphoria.

The collection’s artwork has also been refreshed: it is no longer in black, and is much softer, more romantic and design-led.

Visit: www.lano.com

The easiest to clean carpet on the planet.

Tougher on stains, softer on the environment.

Permanent stain protection Eco-friendly fibres Superior softness Exceptional strength

For more information, please visit

www.lano.com

REVIEW

Celebration

More than 600 people gathered to acclaim FFD To celebrate the success of the first Flanders Flooring Days, more than 600 customers and staff of the 10 participating companies – Associated Weavers, Balta, Beaulieu International Group, COREtec, ITC, IVC Group, Lano, Modulyss, Ragolle and Unilin – gathered at the Kortrijk Xpo exhibition centre on the evening of 4 May for Flanders

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

Flooring Night. They were treated to the finest Flanders food and drink, music and entertainment.

At the centre of the event was an artwork created by fifth-grade students at the Design & Art School Kortrijk, using materials provided by the 10 participating companies as they looked to stimulate creativity in the

region. The students had just a day and a half to complete the project and were free to use the materials how they liked. The result was a gigantic mobile made from the rugs, carpet and flooring.

The 10 companies donated €2,500 to the school and €22,500 to the Ukraine 12-12 charity fund.

Visit: www.flandersflooringdays.com

IMAGES: DONATELLA SIMONETTI

REVIEW

Natural world

Visitors were given a general preview in the Exhibitor Forum

Sustainability rose up the agenda

The 29th edition of Proposte saw 69 exhibitors present new collections from 26-28 April at Villa Erba on the banks of Lake Como, and visitors were given a general preview of the materials, designs and colours in the Exhibitor Forum installation.

The influences of the natural world stood out, both in the extensive use of yarns made from vegetable fibres, with experimentation in the use of unusual types and blends, and in the colour palette, dominated by warm earth tones alongside greens and blues. Familiar off-white and neutrals are applied to new fibres and designs. Prints feature mainly animal and botanical motifs.

Bouclé and slub yarns are often used, giving heft and irregular textures to fabrics. Metallic yarns and laminated finishes are experimented with in both curtains and furnishings.

An increasing number of exhibitors paid special attention to sustainability, both from the production cycle standpoint and in the presentation of

products, characterised by the choice of recycled materials.

‘I would like to sincerely thank all the exhibitors who continue to show their faith in Proposte by presenting their exclusive collections at Villa Erba,’ says

Massimo Mosiello, Proposte director.

‘The trade show confirms its standing as an international showcase. This edition recorded 70% foreign visitors and 30% Italian visitors.’

Visit: www.propostefair.it

Post-show aperitifs were held in the Villa Erba park

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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REVIEW

Look

Back home

January Furniture Show returned to the NEC, a little later than originally planned Bentinck Furniture showcased the highbacked, dark-wooden legged Cosmos sofa range alongside Loft sofas and chaises with a love chair, foot stool and accent chair and the large modular Snug The return of the January Furniture Show proved to be a great success for Buoyant Upholstery, meeting with so many of its customers. As it had been just over two years since the last show, it was eager to display some of its new models, such as Fairfield, and existing models

La-Z-Boy clinched its NFL deal

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that had been refreshed with luxurious new fabrics.

Celebrity’s Canterbury is available as large, medium and small recliner, chair and fixed two and three-seater. It has the option of an adjustable headrest.

Birlington is a curved corner sofa while Camden is a 1970s-style chair.

Core Products will plant 842 trees in Brazil this month: one for every visitor to the stand who filled in a card, doubled by the company. Show introductions

Quito

included the Dunkeld bedroom with brushed-steel metal cup handles and contrasting hardwood tops in an antique wax finish and the industrial-look Texas dining and bedroom range.

Devonshire Pine expanded the colour options of Pebble and previewed two other designs.

Dormeo introduced DNA, allowing shoppers to customise the make-up of the mattress, mixing the foam springs to suit their individual needs. 

Thank you to all who came to see us at the January Furniture Show 2022!

Featured here is the Millie, which was well received at the Show!

To see our full range visit our website - www.lebus.co.uk

REVIEW Furniture Link recognised the move towards living in smaller spaces with storage beds, its new Jenson retro/ Scandi-style collection in clean, sleek oak and the addition of smaller tables – rectangular, square and oval – to its Manhattan range. Dining chairs saw new options including ochre, mustard and green. ‘People used to be wary of fabric but now they are updating their dining chairs in the latest colour every two or three years,’ says James McConnell, Furniture Link md.

Among Gala’s new designs was the modular Look, available in many different fabrics and configurations.

Highlights from Julian Bowen included Padstow, a contemporary rattan and occasional range; the Largo modular sofa with wool-effect fabric; the modular Arms seating unit; the Findlay mid-century dining table and the Minori glass table with brushed gold frame, which co-ordinates with the Victtoria cantilever chair.

Kathy Ireland Home made its UK debut, looking to replicate its huge success in the US. ’The concept is mainstream but unique; aspirational without the aspirational price point,’ says Adam Holmes, ceo of importer Homeworks Asia.

La-Z-Boy officially launched its association with the NFL in which it will become the official partner of three NFL games to be played in London in October for three years. Its new Durham model is a lift and rise no-entrapment chair with three motors, while Lawton offers a two-seater, three-seater, love seat, chair, and power and static recliner.

Otta features a storage ottoman with reversible top/tray and Anderson saw the introduction of phone charging.

Fairfield

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DNA

Exeter

Lebus’ Sunset features twin piping detail on the narrow arm, while Clive has wide arms and a high back. Lusso is a corner unit and St Tropez features curved arms and brushed gold legs. Sky sports mid-century arms while Millie has a country style and Medina combines curved arms, chrome legs and high back with a chaise option.

LPD extended its Zara dining bench offer and Laura now features a white boucle Ted pouffe, available in two sizes with a gold-effect base.

Sealy UK had an adjustable version

Millie

of Elevate, slated for production in 2023 and aiming to capitalise on the younger generation’s lockdown-born trend of streaming box sets in bed.

Staud made its JFS debut with the new Bodega and its core range Sinfonie Plus, which is available in more than 50million variations.

Vogue Beds updated its bed frame collection and revamped Helix.

Wiemann’s introductions included the VIP premium Quito and entrylevel Tampa.

Visit: www.januaryfurnitureshow.com



www.buoyant-upholstery.co.uk

‘We here at Buoyant Upholstery would like to say a huge thank you to all our customers, old and new, for attending our stand at the January Furniture Show in April.’

Ha rlow

REVIEW

Sitting comfortably Whitemeadow offered a variety of styles Whitemeadow showcased a plethora of new designs and fabrics.

Highlights included Manhattan, a large modular sofa including a generously sized love seat and the latest addition to the company’s

Artemis

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Statement collection, while Bellagio features tapered metal legs and is its narrowest plinth design.

Tierra is the new eco model, while the new Artemis bedframe includes an ottoman version.

Manhattan

The company also reintroduced leather designs for independents after demand from retailers, and an additional 40 new scatter cushions were introduced.

Visit: www.whitemeadow.com

Tierra

Home Care with Go to staingard.co.uk or call 01244 888 658 to learn more about how Staingard’s comprehensive furniture care products can enhance your consumer experience and your margins.

LEATHER CARE & REPAIR

FURNITURE CARE & REPAIR

www.staingard.co.uk co.uk

Sleep well, live well Mattressgard mattress and pillow protectors are perfect for all the family.

Display instore our complete bed care range for total customer peace of mind.

REVIEW

Farah

Breadth of styles

Pandora

Alpha Designs showed new designs and proven winners A family-run business creating handmade upholstery in the heart of the Midlands, Alpha Designs is a progressive UK manufacturer that strives to remain at the forefront of design and fabrics – which it once again demonstrated through its newest collections.

Alpha’s new models came hot on the heels of its successful autumn launch, which saw the manufacturer introduce the now-proven Audrey, Selsey, Ciara and Niamh models, all of which were Clementine

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

presented in vibrant new fabrics.

‘Our 2022 ranges, which have been designed and developed in partnership with a leading furniture designer, are set to further fuel Alpha Designs’ growth in the marketplace. The new ranges, which include motion furniture, offer a breadth of styles to complement our successful existing ranges, with total flexibility on fabrics across all models.

‘All in all, it is an enticing proposition from a company with a supportive,

can-do attitude,’ says Barry Webb, Alpha Designs sales director.

Tel: 07702 603 971 Merchant

Elegant upholstery, handmade in the UK by a family company with passion, dedication and care

Clementine

ALPHA DESIGNS UPHOLSTERY LIMITED T: 01902 492937 F: 01902 493700 E: sales@alpha-designs.co.uk Unit 1, Stag Industrial Estate, Oxford Street, Bilston, Wolverhampton WV14 7HZ

REVIEW

Winning ways

Shire Signature Collection

Shire left the NEC with another award

The Shire Bed Company has won three major awards since September.

It won the coveted Product of the Year award at the Bed Industry Awards, and followed that up with the Best of British category at the Furniture Awards 2022 at January Furniture Show.

And last month Fara Butt, Shire Bed Company sales and marketing director, won Business Woman of the Year at the Yorkshire Choice Awards.

The company also marks its silver jubilee this year. Shire Beds started out as a small cottage industry in 1997 and has grown to become one of the most successful bed-making businesses in West Yorkshire. It was originally the brainchild of Safdar Hussain, who had been in the bed manufacturing trade since the 1980s. Today, Shire is headed up by his daughter and son-in-law Fara and Sajid Butt and the company employs some 70 people.

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Shire has seen tremendous success in the mid-market since the launch of the Artisan collection in 2019 and the award-nominated Constable. It has been able to move into the higher end market through increasing the quality of offering whilst still keeping a close eye on costs. This is a challenge it has continued to meet in creating its award-winning Shire Signature Collection.

Shire Signature Collection is a range of handcrafted mattresses that contain natural fillings of wool, cotton, cashmere, silk and latex. The products are available in spring counts of 6,000, 8,000 and 10,000. The mattresses feature two or three rows of classic, handstitched borders, dependent on the spring count selected. The hand side stitching ensures the highest quality of finish and product longevity.

The quality offering in line with eco design principles has elevated the Shire Beds brand to a wider range of retailers. Being able to access high value retailers and move its traditional consumers upmarket is something Shire is proud to have achieved with the quality products of recent years.

The Dewsbury company’s ongoing commitment to investment in its

facilities, staff and machinery has ensured that Shire remains ahead of the game. In recent years, the business has invested more than £2.5m in expanding and upgrading its facilities, including new top-of-the range automated machinery to help speed up processes. The flow of the factory has also been re-engineered to improve output.

Achieving A-rated NBF audits and demonstrating compliance through SMETA and ISO audits offers customers confidence in the brand and shows the company’s focus on quality and continuous improvement. Future plans include delivering on environmental targets, and achieving FSC certification in May is a major step towards that.

‘We are incredibly proud of what the company has achieved over its 25 years.

Winning these awards is a huge affirmation of our products, and our brand in the furniture industry,’ says Fara Butt.

‘This is an incredibly challenging time for business and for our customers and we are responding by developing products that are award-winning and commercial. We feel honoured that the industry has recognised our efforts.’

Visit: www.shirebeds.co.uk

T

A

THE FURNITURE

AWARDS 2022

REVIEW Solace

New standard

Bellagio

Think Rugs enjoyed record orders ‘We were unsure as to the outcome we could expect with the show being in April but we ended up enjoying the best January Furniture Show, with more orders taken than ever. The show gave a great opportunity for us to show off our current product ranges and our new launches,’ says Sam Tippett, Think Rugs director.

‘Our launches for 2022/2023 include the 100% recycled polyester Solace

Hemp

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range made from recycled plastic bottles; our high-quality Bellagio range created with ultra-high density polypropylene and polyester yarn, and further additions to our sustainable and eco-friendly Jute and Hemp ranges, hand-made with 100% jute.

‘Our 2022 brochure sees the launch of 10 new ranges as well as many additions to our already incredibly popular ranges. New range launches

include Apollo, an abstract machinemade range woven with a combination of polypropylene and polyester, creating a wonderful two-tone feel and look, available in 70 different variations.

‘Other launches now available include new colourways and designs in our sought-after Royal Nomadic and Boho ranges as well as the new Aspen range. The popularity of these ranges continues to grow, with trends such as Recharged Wellness and Scandi Simplicity gaining more and more momentum and driving demand.

‘Our recently introduced Craft range has been greatly expanded to include 14 options in a variety of sizes. Taking inspiration from trends such as Metal Meets Rock and Brutal Force, Craft consists of metallic designs overlaid on marble backgrounds. This is a range and a style in its infancy that is already generating great impetus and pushing forward to become one of our most popular ranges.

‘We are committed to the support of every one of our valued customers and will continue to strive to ensure that we provide the best possible service. We have committed ourselves to ensuring that our stock levels are constantly kept as high as possible and that our lead times are as short as possible. With Think Rugs you can be confident of a very high service level, which will be available now and in the future,’ says Tippett.

Tel: 01782 747 713

HALL 2, STAND 2-C50

REVIEW

Focus

Delivering for customers is key for Ordorite Ordorite Software used the show to explain its focus on innovation, development and service.

‘Steve Jobs [co-founder of Apple] said: “Do not try to do everything. Do one thing well.” He knew a thing or two about the technology business, that’s why we have taken this quote so much to heart,’ says Darren Lee, Ordorite Software business development director (UK).

‘As I look around Darren Lee the furniture retail technology sector in UK I see our competitors doing the exact opposite.

Rather than focusing on giving the absolute best to their customers in terms of innovation, development and service, I see them trying to force their way into other sectors where they don’t have the expertise or experience.

Suddenly everyone is an expert on omnichannel and payment providers, spreading themselves ever thinner.

‘I get it. It’s about leveraging the client base, monetising everything that can be monetised. But at what cost to the client?

‘We don’t want to build websites; instead we have developed stable, reliable integrations with all of the major web platforms used in our industry. We don’t want to sell payment services; instead we’ve built an integration that can connect you with many of the main payment providers. We don’t want to

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sell credit services, so we built an integration with Hitachi Finance, with more providers on the way. We don’t want to sell delivery services, which is why we have integrated with delivery partners so you can easily use most external couriers.

‘As a business, our team has many years of furniture retail experience, which helps when it comes to understanding the industry and adding new features.

But what we’re really good at is listening.

We listen to our existing and prospective clients. They guide our road map.

‘At Ordorite we do that “one thing well”, with over 15,000 hours of annual development activity, and a POS and

back-office system that is powerful and feature-rich. With a rolling development roadmap, we have been able to give our clients industry-beating functionality.

Features that enable you to map your customers’ journey so they can be automatically informed when their goods arrive to your store or warehouse, then allow them to pay the balance online and book their delivery having only been offered slots relevant to their postcode.

‘There are pop-ups at point of sale to prompt add-on sales such as warranties or footstools, product specific terms and conditions, and digital signatures to be truly paper-free. Container building, route planning, product kitting and a suite of apps for handheld scanning and stock-taking are all part of a full warehouse management system.

‘We know we are not perfect, but we are going to keep trying to do that one thing well,’ says Lee. Visit: www.ordorite.com

THE COMPLETE FURNITURE RETAIL SOFTWARE SOLUTION

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GLOBAL

FURNITURE

ALLIANCE

The Furniture Show Review It’s been a month since the return of The Furniture Show at the NEC in Birmingham, and what a show it was! GFA were excited to be back after a long 2 years, with lots of new product to showcase. We were thrilled with how well it was received - so much so it was our most successful show to date! There was a mix of product on offer, from new Scandinavian inspired swivel recliners to newly developed fixed sofa sets. For more information on GFA’s new range please vivit www.gfa.uk.com.

Mia 3 Seater in Oat Fabric

Nordic in Navy Leather/Match

Boden in Lead Fabric

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Blakely 3 Seater in Salt ‘n’ Pepper

Iowa in Charcoal Leather/Match

Paddington in Deep Sea Fabric

Evie in Sky and Blush Fabric

Michigan in Elephant Fabric

E:

SALES@GFA.UK.COM

W:

WWW.GFA.UK.COM

REVIEW

Ready to go Gallery Direct highlighted its stock availability Gallery Direct’s stand at the January Furniture Show proved to be incredibly popular with customers. Exhibiting a huge selection of products across all its categories, the stand featured a number of roomsets, focusing on key trends to give customers ideas of how to put together coordinated looks. There were also category areas, featuring outdoor living, textiles, accessories, lighting and wall décor, designed to showcase a wide selection of category-specific products together.

One of Gallery’s key messages was that it has almost all of its stock lines, including the new outdoor collection, in stock in the UK ready for quick delivery. And on the made-to-order side, including mattresses, divans and upholstery, it is offering lead times of

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around four to six weeks thanks to its manufacturing team and holding components at its Wiltshire factory.

Gallery’s ethos is ‘leading by design’, regularly bringing stylish new quality products to market. At the January Furniture Show, this approach was rewarded when the company won the Furniture Awards’ Design Innovation category. Key to helping secure this win was its Design Series Projects, Packed-Flat and Sofa in a Box, which received a special mention in the judges’ comments.

Packed-Flat offers design and quality without the price tag. It features an extensive collection of furniture ranges, with varied styles to suit different interiors. Sofa in a Box offers a range of sofas, armchairs and a sofa bed,

hand-made at the Westbury factory and held in stock. Both collections are designed for easy delivery to any room in any property.

Products from both Design Series Projects were on display at the show, along with other furniture and made-to-order upholstery. Gallery also launched its new collection of House Sofas, which are hand-made at Westbury but offer lower price points than other ranges, to widen its audience reach.

Gallery’s next event is the Harrogate Home & Gift Show from 17-20 July, while appointments can be made to visit one of the company’s showrooms at the head office in Sittingbourne or the new northern distribution centre near Chesterfield.

Visit: www.gallerydirect.co.uk

THE

Michigan DUAL

BATTERY

OPERATED

SWIVEL

RECLINER

Shadow FABRIC

The Michigan is designed for ultimate relaxation - from the deep, supportive comfort of moulded foam cushioning, to the inbuilt dual battery operation. The high back and adjustable headrest give you all the support you need as you put your feet up in smooth, sleek style. This beautifully crafted chair has elegantly curved arms and a stylish star shaped base in a black or brushed chrome finish.

Available in Elephant and Shadow Fabric and Charcoal, Tan and Husky Leather/Match.

In Stock Now! Charcoal LEATHER/MATCH

Tan LEATHER/MATCH

E:

T: 01291 645080 | F: 01291 645099 SALES@GFA.UK.COM | W: WWW.GFA.UK.COM

Elephant FABRIC

REVIEW

Great start

Above left: Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill was the headline Retail Insights speaker Above: Emma attracted new retail partners

The first INDX Beds & Bedroom has been hailed a success The debut INDX Beds & Bedroom on 24-27 April saw upbeat retailers displaying a strong appetite to buy.

Supported by suppliers including Emma, Gainsborough, GNG Group, Harrison Spinks, Healthbeds, Highgrove, Hypnos, Julian Bowen, Kaydian, Kaymed, Limelight Beds, MA Living, Millbrook, Relyon, Rest Assured, Sealy, Silentnight, Sleepeezee, Sweet Dreams and Tempur, the show has been heralded a success by the industry, and exhibitors have been quick to praise the format of the show and the business written there.

‘INDX Beds & Bedroom has been a fantastic opportunity for us to present all our ranges to a wide selection of customers in a professional setting with great facilities,’ says David Wescomb,

Retailers were keen to buy

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Relyon Beds brand director.

‘We had a fantastic couple of days at INDX Beds & Bedroom and we signed up some serious new retail partners, with others pending,’ says Neil Robinson, Emma The Sleep Company sales director – UK & Ireland.

Organised by buying group AIS, the show saw a series of keynote speaker sessions entitled Retail Insights, which offered a retail and industry-focused exploration of the business of sleep.

Tackling topics including sustainability, circularity and the importance of sleep, the Retail Insights were led by a selection of industry experts, headlined by Sleepeezee ambassador Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and were popular with visitors and exhibitors alike.

‘We had a great show. We thoroughly enjoyed it and thought the guest speakers were a great concept,’ says Maria Jones, Land of Beds head of sales and buying.

‘The new guest speaker sessions were also well attended: it really shows our industry’s passion for momentum and development. It’s been great to see so many of our customers and retail partners at INDX Beds & Bedroom and it’s been great to be able to talk about new product and new developments.,’ says Richard Gretton, Hypnos sustainable development director.

INDX Furniture will take place from 30 August to 1 September, with the first day being exclusive to AIS members.

Visit: www.indxshows.co.uk

Univ rsal

Field Sales Manager - North

RECRUITMENT If you are looking to recruit staff for your furniture or flooring stores, looking for sales staff or reps for your manufacturing outlet, then INTERIORS MONTHLY offers a great package!

Our online package is just £175. Your advert will appear in our jobs section on the website until the position is filled or you ask us to remove. Our weekly newsletter, which is mailed every Thursday to 7000 industry professionals, also includes a list of these latest jobs.

If you have both online and quarter page recruitment advert in our magazine, the cost will only be £250!

Costs for larger recruitment adverts are available upon request.

Please contact Jarrod on E: jbird@interiorsmonthly.co.uk T: 01565 631 397

Due to expansion, we are looking for an enthusiastic, results driven individual to strengthen our UK sales force in the North (Sheffield upwards).

Victoria Carpets & Design Floors house an extensive portfolio of both carpet and hard flooring (LVT) solutions spanning over 125 years The ideal candidate must be able to demonstrate: •

Experience of working within the flooring industry.

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A managerial background with experience of developing, coaching and motivating a team.

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Key customer account management.

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Strong communication, numerical and analytical skills.

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Great organisational skills and digitally competent.

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Drive and professionalism to deliver on the targets set for your area.

Benefits of the role include a competitive basic salary, uncapped bonus, company car, phone, tablet and expenses.

Applicants should send a CV and a covering letter to Debbie Turvey at debbie.turvey@myvictoria.co.uk

WELFARE

Here for you

Martin West (left) and Brian Ahern, BFM vice-chairman at the BGNFS

The Furniture Makers’ Company is trying to raise awareness among the flooring industry As the charity for the furnishing industry, The Furniture Makers’ Company has been supporting the welfare of people working in the furnishing industry since 1903. However, it has struggled, partially due to its name, to gain awareness with the flooring trade for the welfare support

it can offer to employees past and present in all furnishing industries.

Martin West, former Balta and Kingsmead executive is leading a campaign for the charity, hoping to increase its profile within the flooring industry, with the intention of

CHARLOTTE’S STORY Being made redundant is a frightening and often devastating experience. When Charlotte was made redundant from a manufacturer’s retail outlet just after Christmas in 2021, she was facing a rough start to the new year. Fortunately it didn’t take her long to find employment, but her new job was not full-time and she knew she would have a shortfall in her income.

With the same household monthly outgoings, it did not take long before Charlotte was struggling and in financial crisis.

After receiving a recommendation from her former employer, Charlotte got in touch with FMC to see if she’d qualify for assistance. After assessing Charlotte’s situation, it was able to provide her with a one-off grant to help cover her bills and outgoings.

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Interiors Monthly June 2022

increasing awareness among those in need of welfare support and people wishing to support and fund-raise within their own industry.

Every day, people are having to cope with financial hardship due to the impact of bereavement, relationship or family breakdown, illness, reduced work hours, an unexpected loss of income or redundancy. But they don’t have to deal with this alone. FMC helps those in the furnishing industry who are dealing with financial hardship by providing grants and useful advice, and has a friendly team on hand to support you.

Last month it exhibited at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show to raise awareness among retailers and manufacturers.

If you know someone who could benefit from the charity’s help, encourage them to get in touch.

Tel: 020 7256 5558 Visit: www.furnituremakers.org.uk/welfare

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