Interiors Monthly July 2010

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Interiors Monthly

Interiors monthly

July 2010

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first for furniture and flooring

Redwood Bay Bringing the US to the UK

Traditional Carpets Pattern sells

Matisse from G Plan Cabinets July 2010

Leading a series of classic collections CARPET

FURNITURE

RUGS

BEDS

L A M I N AT E

UPHOLSTERY

VINYL

ACCESSORIES

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Affordable after sales care to keep your customers happy.

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Andrew Kidd EDITOR

Mr 20% had little choice George Osborne will be remembered for the decision to increase VAT, but at least he delayed it until 2011.

Just as Geoffrey Howe is remembered for raising VAT from 12.5% on ‘luxury goods’ and 8% on most other things (those were the days) to a combined rate of 15% in 1979, and Norman Lamont less so, for putting VAT up to its current rate in his 1991 decision to pay for a £140 cut in the poll tax, the present Chancellor will be known for boosting it to 20%, regardless of the success or failure of his policies in the next few years.

But we all expected an increase, and generally the amount, given the state of the the UK’s finances.

Would you have done any different? While no retailer welcomes higher prices in fear of putting off consumers, the big worry was that the VAT rise would be introduced far sooner than the 4 January 2011 Osborne has

monthly

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

July 2010

Interiors

Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden T: 01732 783 561 E: tboden@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

first for furniture and flooring

Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod Bird T: 01565 659 414 E: jbird@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Redwood Bay

Bringing the US to the UK

Traditional Carpets Pattern sells

Matisse from G Plan Cabinets Leading a series of classic collections CARPET

FURNITURE

RUGS

BEDS

L A M I N AT E

UPHOLSTERY

VINYL

ACCESSORIES

plumped for, risking the economy going back into recession.

Stores will have to pass on the rise and suppliers will be squeezed further, so price points such as £399 and £29.99 per square metre can stay. But they also need to make a profit, so expect arguments over pricing in the coming months.

And while one man was making his debut raising money, another was making his charitable stage exit. David Langford has played a huge part in raising more than £400,000 for the Furnishing Industry Trust through the Big Shots clay pigeon shooting event for the past 16 years. Without his efforts many people would be a lot worse off.

David, we salute you.

The rescheduling of the National Floor Show to become part of the Interiors exhibition in January is a good move, especially if the claimed level of retailer interest is right (see p10). But it does beg the question why it wasn’t done before, rather than the events of the past nine months.

Two good shows at differing times of the year should stimulate the industry. Best wishes to both the NFS and the Harrogate Flooring Show.

The new Matisse collection from G Plan Cabinets leads the way to a series of new classic collections.

See them all on stand C41 at The Manchester Furniture Show.

Tel: 0141 300 7300

Flooring and accessories advertising: Joanne Miller T: 01732 783 561 E: jmiller@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Sales executive: Ben Watkins T: 01732 783 561 E: bwatkins@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

China sales agent: Jane Dai T: 00 86 755 8292 5229 E: jane@newbuddy.net Published by Interiors Media Limited Unit 11, Riverside Business Centre, Riverside House, Riverlawn Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1EP T: 01732 783 561 F: 01732 783 562 E: enquiries@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Registered in England no. 6397722 Printed by Headley Brothers Design by TSS DIGITAL © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Kavern by www.davidfoxdesign.com DESIGN

Come and see our exciting new range of Sleepluxe pocket encapsulated mattresses at The Manchester Furniture Show 2010 on Stand B35 Visit KomfiÕs stand to see their fabulous range of products for all price points.

On display youÕll find the upgraded Sleepsmart range, through to the expanded and improved Komfi bed collection including the stunning new ÒdesignerÓ Kavern bed, and much, much more.

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CONTENTS

INTERIORS MONTHLY JULY 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS 8 10 12

VAT rise delayed until 2011 Langford passes on FIT baton NFS moves to January alongside Interiors

FEATURES 22

Redwood Bay Bringing US style to the UK

30

Traditional Carpets Why patterns are still in vogue

34

Carpet Why images matter

40

Upholstery Keeping it simple; Sell the dream

47

Wood and laminate supplement New area for Quick-Step; Keeping it in the family; Why choice matters

56

Living and dining Singapore on a roll

60

Beds and bedroom Why sofabeds are cool again

64

Trend Watch Introducing our new feature

68 76 80

Show guide: The Manchester Furniture Show Show preview: Harrogate Flooring Show Show review: ICFF

REGULARS 3 13 14 54 84 86

Comment Opinion New products Environment Entertainment Final polish

NEXT ISSUE Interiors Monthly 2010 Awards revealed The Manchester Furniture Show review Harrogate Flooring Show guide

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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NEWS

Verdict says VAT rise will have little impact on retail The increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% on 4 January 2011 will have a ‘minimal’ impact on retail and price rises for furniture and flooring will be ‘disguised among promotions,’ according to retail analyst Verdict Research.

Commenting on the main tax rise of George Osborne’s Emergency Budget, Verdict says: ‘The main outcome will be to reduce volumes but the effect will be minimal given that consumers’ shopping habits are already changing.

‘Consumers are already cutting back on spending and when purchasing discretionary items, are taking a more cautious approach, considering the benefits of the purchase. The VAT increase will only serve to inflate this trend and ensure that value for money remains top of consumers’ minds when shopping.’

Verdict does not expect the VAT rise to have ‘a great deal of effect’ on furniture and flooring. ‘With deep discounting in this sector remaining, most rises will be disguised among the promotions, and as consumer spending is already constrained there will be little appetite for major purchases. This will be particularly so given the housing market, the sector’s main stimulus, remains stagnant and the Emergency Budget will do little to change this.’

It warned that non-specialists such as supermarkets and value retailers will increase market share in the homewares sector as prices rise and ‘more discretionary purchases, particularly items bought for aesthetic purposes, will be the worst impacted with a higher level of caution exercised by consumers.’

Supermarkets will see market share grow

Delivery driver ‘licked woman’s face’ Stores to close A furniture delivery driver who licked a customer’s face and stuck his tongue in her ear after helping her assemble the flatpacked bed he delivered, has received a nine month suspended sentence.

Northampton Crown Court was told that Victor Rollasons, 56, was employed

by Furniture Direct when he delivered the bed to the 29-year-old woman last September.

After offering to help he tried to kiss her. Rebecca Wade, prosecuting said: ‘She reacted and turned her face away so his lips brushed the side of her face leaving saliva as he hugged her closer.’

The woman, who cannot be named,

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got him to leave, but as he did so he licked the right side of her face and stuck his tongue in her ear. As he walked away, she reported him as having ‘a funny smirk on his face as he winked at her’.

Judge Charles Wide QC also made Rollasons, who was dismissed by Furniture Direct, the subject of a sixmonth 7pm to 6am home curfew.

‘Women alone at home must feel completely confident they are not going to be assaulted by someone making a delivery,’ he said.

Rollasons denied sexual assault but was convicted and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.

The remaining 10 department stores owned by Vergo Retail were set to close as Interiors Monthly went to press.

Administrator MCR has only sold one – Robbs of Hexham to Beales for £250,000 – and has already closed nine.

Vergo expanded rapidly last year buying Plymouth and South West Co-operative Society’s Derrys department Store in Plymouth and four Homemaker stores in Devon and Cornwall, and East of England Co-operative Society’s department stores in Norwich, Ipswich, Great Yarmouth, Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester, plus six specialist home stores and one jewellery store.

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NEWS

Hilco rings the changes at Habitat Habitat has seen a major management change, seven months after it was bought by Hilco for €3.

Phil Wrigley, former chief executive and chairman of clothing chain New Look, has been named chairman.

Mark Saunders, chief executive, has left.

John Freise, Hilco UK head of retail operations, takes on the role of Habitat interim chief executive until a replacement is found.

Wrigley has repeated Saunders’ call at the time of the Hilco takeover for the chain to get closer to its customers, and says that it suffered under its previous owner, Ikea founders the Kamprad family.

‘Habitat is a great brand with a

unique history and I think it will do better if it reconnects with its customers and doesn’t worry too much about parent companies or what’s happening in other markets,’ says Wrigley.

‘I don’t know the complete history, but it is sometimes the case that companies that are absolutely focused on one brand can find it difficult to adapt to and accommodate something that is completely different.’

Before stepping down as executive chairman of New Look in March 2009, and non-executive chairman at Christmas, Wrigley was previously a director of BHS, Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams.

Michael Powell

Powell takes up the reins at FIRA Michael Powell has been appointed as the new chairman of the FIRA Council. A mechanical engineer by training, he was previously Blum UK md.

He says he hopes to build on the legacy left by retiring chairman, Ken Fullalove.

‘I believe there are great opportunities for FIRA to increase its profile with consumers and become instrumental in decisions concerning purchases of furniture. In turn this will make it more important for the industry to belong to FIRA,’ says Powell.

David Langford (seated, centre) receives a standing ovation for his work at FIT’s Big Shots events

Langford stands down as Big Shots organiser David Langford received a standing ovation from participants at the Furnishing Industry Trust’s Big Shots clay pigeon shooting event when he announced he was to stand down from organising the charity’s largest fundraising event.

The day at the Holland & Holland grounds at Northwood, Middlesex on 10 June – sponsored by The Clare

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Family Trust and The Bed Show – raised at least £15,000. During the past 16 years it has raised more than £400,000.

‘It was fantastic to see such a good level of support in what is undoubtedly a tough economic climate,’ says Charles Kerrigan, FIT chief executive.

Langford says he will continue to support the event and assist whoever takes over.

Model collection Former model turned designer and presenter Caprice Bourret was commissioned by Littlewoods to create a bedlinen collection.

Described as luxurious, yet accessible and affordable, it was launched on 1 July.

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NEWS

NFS rescheduled to run alongside Interiors event The National Floor Show has been moved from September to January, running alongside the Interiors exhibition at the NEC. At last year’s NFS in Harrogate, organiser UBM announced it was moving the event to the NEC in June. After complaints from exhibitors over what they saw as a lack of consultation, the show was moved to the September dates.

However, by then David Wildman, who sold NFS to UBM, had set up the rival Harrogate Flooring Show, due to be held at NFS’s former venue, Harrogate International Centre, from 5-7 September.

Exhibitors have complained of falling visitor numbers at NFS in recent years and the move to the NEC was intended to attract more retailers from the southern half of the UK. Andrew Vaughan, UBM portfolio director says: ‘Due to tough economic and industry conditions, and in

consultation with the marketplace, we have decided to reposition NFS within our portfolio’s flagship event. As experienced exhibition organisers, our focus has always been to deliver return on investment for our exhibitors, so we have decided to offer flooring companies the opportunity to exhibit at the UK’s largest trade interiors show.’

He says more than 7,000 of Interiors’ 25,000 visitors are specifically interested in rugs and floorcoverings. NFS will take place in Hall 2.

Wildman says he is relieved that UBM’s decision had removed uncertainty in the marketplace for both visitors and manufacturers.

Associated Weavers and Azco are among the companies that have already switched from NFS to HFS, increasing exhibitor numbers to 86 as Interiors Monthly went to press.

Natuzzi is back in the black

Natuzzi says trends have diversified

Upholstery giant Natuzzi returned to profit in the first quarter of the year, turning a pre-tax loss of €8.8m into a profit of €1.3m in the quarter to 31 March.

Upholstery sales rose by 14.9% to €111.3m, with total sales 13.6% higher at €126.4m.

Gross margin jumped from 25.5% to 38.5% due to an improved sales mix, cost cutting and reduced raw material prices thanks to a favourable euro/US dollar exchange rate, although its shipping

costs jumped by more than €2m.

‘In the first quarter of 2010 we finally recorded a net sales improvement.

However, the economic crisis and the worsening market conditions are not yet over,’ says Pasquale Natuzzi, Natuzzi executive chairman.

He explained that the group order flows for the first months of 2010, compared to the last months of 2009, confirm a slowdown, even with diversified trends among the various brands and geographic areas.

Allied abandons plans to join Fun on the Floor Carpet promotion campaign Fun on the Floor says its £2m consumer advertising campaign is unaffected

by Allied Carpets’ decision not to join the group of manufacturers and Carpetright.

The Hilco owned chain’s membership was due to be confirmed in late April, but it has decided that membership ‘does not fit with their objectives for this year,’ according to FotF. ‘However, everything is proceeding to

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plan with the campaign.’

Consumer advertising will run in home interest magazines and national newspapers from September to December. This will be backed by online advertising and search engine keywords and search optimisation.

In its third consecutive year, the FoTF campaign is backed by Llano, Abingdon, Associated Weavers, Balta, Brockway, Carpetright, Cormar, Domo, Headlam, and Terza.

It is business as usual for FoTF

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NEWS

Michael Northcroft

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Furniture by Michael Northcroft md and designer

Where has all the British design gone?

As more and more products are made in the Far East, fewer of the items we buy are designed in our own country. High street stores have less opportunity to source British design, which although renowned throughout much of the world is, sadly, becoming less and less visible.

The images and marketing literature that bombard us can represent good European design, but so much is the visual heritage of China, the Philippines and Thailand. The more I talk to those producing furniture in those countries, the more I realise their cultural heritage does not naturally lead them to the ideas and shapes of the products we sell in UK stores. Many furniture producers in the Far East do not even like what they make for us, which surprised me.

Many of us reflect on the imagery we see on holidays to bring international experiences into our homes. But like that local drink we enjoyed, it never tastes the same at home. Our cultural dynamic is our own and we should be able to reflect this in the style and taste in our homes.

Interpreting the design and style of the UK is increasingly hard to achieve. Where do we go to define ourselves with the objects we surround ourselves with in our homes? There are good examples of British architecture and design, but you need to look hard to seek them out.

Perhaps I am now working in an unusual field, being a modern British designer, particularly as my designs are backed by significant production capability. Good design should be able to satisfy demand and many niche designers, with limited output, cannot have their designs in more than a few exclusive homes. Furniture exclusively for the rich is not an ethos I’m comfortable with.

We manufacture everything in London; the creation based on the shapes and images founded in our own psyche, living here in the UK. Interpreting our aspirations, how we want to live. Our climate, our ethic.

As our economy adjusts to the new realities, the lower level of sterling against the US dollar that many lower cost economies trade in will bring opportunities. It is now possible for the work of design entrepreneurs to become more relevant. For their work to become available to a broad cross-section of those who want to have beautiful design that is not just a reflection of far flung holiday experiences.

There are good examples of British design but you need to look hard

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NEW PRODUCTS

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1 Winsor’s Neo is a collection of solid oak and veneer dining, bedroom and living room furniture. Exposed tenons make a strong design statement and sculpted vertical channels cleverly house the wooden handles. The high specification includes traditional joints and dovetailed drawers while soft-close runners complete the quality feel.

Email sales@winsor.co.uk 2 Prestigious Textiles’ Lombok collection of fabrics for window dressing and decor accessories draws from a series of contemporary floral concepts. At the heart of Lombok lies four dramatic printed polyesters – Java, Timor, Brunei and Penang – where huge flowers and flowing foliage appear to be hand-painted over a lustrous backdrop.

Tel: 01274 688 448 3 Axminster Carpets has expanded its contemporary Princetown collection with 14 styles, including the Mondrian pattern in three tonal colour

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variations. Mondrian’s staccato wide stripe combines with the collection’s signature berber fleck for a carpet for contemporary homes. The 100% pure new wool Mondrian is joined by Matisse, also in three colourways, and Picasso in eight shades.

Tel: 01297 630 650 4 Simple and elegant, the Andromeda bed from Elan Beds is fit for every bedroom. With curved legs and a carefully-crafted headend it offers good looks and exceptional comfort, while the warming colour of the honey pine provides a traditional feel.

Tel: 01455 850 150 5 Edel Telenzo Carpets has launched a luxurious addition to its wool ranges, the Alpine Collection, of which Chamonix is the star. In 100% two-ply New Zealand wool, Chamonix has a thick, deep pile, in four modern classic neutral shades: Rock (charcoal); Bird (dark brown); Edelweiss (taupe, pictured) and Mont Blanc (cream).

Tel: 01422 374 417

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NEW PRODUCTS

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8 6 The Memory Touch Pocket Collection from the Vogue Beds Group features no-turn mattresses with varying spring counts, from 800 in the Rapture (pictured) to the 2,000 posture pocket spring system that is unique to Vogue Beds.

Tel: 01455 841 257 7 A long-awaited addition to the bestselling Tube Collection of 100% wool striped carpets by Edel Telenzo, Bakerloo is a narrower multi-stripe option in three colourways: Marylebone, a mix of neutral browns, greys and beiges; Regents Park, which adds a hint of mulberry into the mix; and Baker Street (pictured), with a touch of fashionable plum.

Tel: 01422 374 417 8 Malabar Textures, one of Cormar Carpet’s longest running and bestselling ranges is being revamped, recoloured and repositioned. Its modern ribbed texture design replaces the straight loop option to sit alongside the bestselling weave design,

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while contemporary shades bring the twintexture range up to date along with newlook POS emphasising the wool heritage.

Tel: 01204 881 234 9 Axminster Carpets’ new website features an easy to navigate product directory for consumers, listing carpets by plains, textures, contemporary patterns, elegance patterns and classic patterns. This allows quick and easy location of styles they may have seen in magazines and in-store, as well as helping consumers to narrow down choices to go with a particular decor.

Tel: 01297 630 650 10 Capturing the shaggy texture of Evita, the diverse colour palette and velvet feel of Modena and the chunky loop of Mahdia as well as other on-trend ranges, Vorwerk Carpets’ Carpet Collection sample boxes are perfect for hands-on style purchases.

Tel: 020 7096 5090 or visit www.vorwerk-carpet.com

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NEW PRODUCTS

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11 & 12 Boas Furniture is focused on designing lifestyle collections and its design team develops simple and innovative products with clean lines and youthful themes. The company, which exhibited at Imm Cologne in January, has a 538,000sqft manufacturing facility in China.

Visit www.boasfurniture.com 13 Jalis is the magical word from the Orient for hospitality and relaxed communication with family or friends in any circumstances, for any living area.

Cushions side by side, stories one after another. This is how oases of wellbeing – and sofas from COR – come about.

Tel: 0796 739 9759 14 In Durlet’s Nestor sofa, the cosy dimensions of country style are applied to contemporary modular seating elements. Seats are available in three widths: 60cm, 120cm and 180cm, with a choice of backs in three widths.

Tel: 00 32 5131 4743

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15 Crucial Trading’s Masai takes dual fibre flooring to a new dimension. The juxtaposition of the rawness of sisal with the softness of wool creates flooring that has both contrast and synergy. It is bold yet understated, a statement of individuality and also a canvas for a smart interior design scheme.

Tel: 01562 743 747

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NEW PRODUCTS

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16 The moment you enter the room, Whitehead Designs’ Blenheim speaks to you.

Its deep comforting opulence whispers gently and invites you into a world where time can stand still and the stresses and strains of the world can be put on pause.

Tel: 0115 9725 056 17 Arflex’s Lips armchair has soft and winding shapes, designed by Carlo Colombo to highlight its femininity and elegance. It follows a comfortable curved shape, where the backrest and armrests are an integral part of the frame. It has a swivel base.

Tel: 00 39 0362 853 043 18 Arketipo’s Isola Wood occasional table contrasts metal with wood. The table top of

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Gordon Guillaumier’s design has been worked to give it veins and uneven colour shades to enhance the material’s natural look.

Email export@arketipo.com 19 Porro’s Shadow Light lamps have a chromed semi-dome inside studded with holes of various sizes, for a system of shadows and multiple reflections. When switched on the lamp projects dots throughout the room creating a cascade of little bubbles.

Email info@porro.com 20 Frag’s leather Darling chair by Nigel Coates has five different styles of legs: rod, a column base with sunburst, four-leg base, five-leg base with wheels and wood base.

Tel: 00 39 0432 671 375

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FURNITURE PROFILE

Journey of discovery Holidays to the US prompted the desire to set up furniture store Redwood Bay Many of us have bought products abroad and then wished we could buy them in the UK, but few people set up a company to get those prized items. But Adrian Beale and Christine Knight did.

After several holidays to the east coast of America, they were peeved at not being able to get products from Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Crate & Barrel in the UK. Most people would have accepted the situation, but not Beale and Knight.

They gave up their jobs and began importing the products and in November 2006 Redwood Bay was created.

‘We thought it can’t just be us who have seen things we want to have back home. We started with about a quarter of the stock that we really needed, taking furniture from home to put in the shop, for example – I’ve still never got the dining table back. We had a fantastic start, so thought this is viable,’ explains Beale.

‘Our customers tell us the furniture they want isn’t there.

There is a massive group of 30-plus consumers who tell us they are not being catered for.’

After a time, Redwood’s supplier moved production to

Redwood Bay began after several trips to the US and the furniture it sells is made in Turkey

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FURNITURE PROFILE

The company is exhibiting at the Manchester Furniture Show

the Far East, so Beale approached the Turkish company that made the ranges, allowing a unique collection to be developed for Redwood.

‘We all wanted the same look. I didn’t want just any old range of furniture. I wanted the offer to be well made without the price tag you might expect for that quality. The market seems to be very expensive and quality, or not expensive but not well made. By creating our own range we could make more and be in control,’ he says.

Redwood’s collection focuses on living room, dining and kitchen.

‘We want designs to work regardless of the setting – a lot of people have fallen into the trap of becoming niche markets. It’s very important not to have a range that is niche. We’re not reinventing the wheel – it’s traditional designs that have been cleaned up. We needed the designs not to look out of date in two to three years – it’s not fashion furniture. We want it to fit into as many homes as possible. Only if it sells do you know if you’ve got it right,’ says Beale.

Redwood was also importing food from the US, and

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Customer to investor Noreen Finnamore began buying accessories from Redwood, but her relationship with the business has deepened.

‘I needed a chest of drawers and couldn’t find one that was the right design and quality. I thought it was crazy there were all these furniture stores but I couldn’t find what I wanted,’ she recalls.

Then she met Beale and Knight who were passionate about their business and was interested in how they were faring.

‘We became friends. I loved what they were trying to do and said if they ever wanted another investor I wanted to be part of it. And I have.’

Beale says: ‘We realised Noreen could bring different skills and business development. We’ve found we trade off each other and all have the same passion for the business.’

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FURNITURE PROFILE

selling it alongside the furniture at its four storey Upper Borough Walls, Bath store. In May it split the operations after it relocated to the nearby new Milsom Place development. The furniture store is moving next door to the food store this month, allowing it to increase its presence.

Beale can’t wait to move into the new unit and recreate the ambience of the previous store where staff are banned from asking ‘Can I help you?’.

‘You have to create an atmosphere. In the previous store we created an atmosphere where people would stay for 30 to 60 minutes. It should be an experience and fun,’ he says.

Redwood has recently launched a wholesale operation, selling the collection under the Atlantic Homes brand. This has brought a change to the original business model of combined

furniture and food stores, with now four parts to the company: furniture retail, food retail, food wholesale and furniture wholesale.

‘The plan was to have a triangle of stores in Bath, the London area and the York area. I didn’t want to swamp the country with loads of stores or lose the exclusivity. Obviously the model has changed as there is the potential to have more of the food stores – which would reinforce the brand for the fewer out-oftown stores – but not standard retail parks. The locations have to be tight for our demographic.’

And what is that demographic?

‘Our average customer is those who are prepared to pay a few pounds more to get quality and value. People who say: ‘I want the one that’s worth the money’.

Furniture and food were previously sold in one store, but now they are in separate stores

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Lebus Upholstery

designed for todays lifestyle Lebus Up Midland hostery Hotel M anches ly - 21st Ju

18th Ju

ly 2010

Tel: 01724 407 751 www.lebusupholstery.co.uk

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FLOORING PROFILE

Quality fits the bill Birmingham retailer Traditional Carpets supplies quality products and fitting

Nigel Alley (top) bought the business in 2005 and provides traditional service values

Nigel Alley, Traditional Carpets owner, is not a man who does cheap. That’s not to say the Birmingham retailer doesn’t do value for money. It’s just that for Alley, quality is by far the most important thing.

‘Some customers may say we are expensive, but I say we are not. I say “What do you like? Do you know the difference between the carpets? Here’s Brintons’ Bell Twist, probably the

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best value for money at £31 per sqm – you can put it anywhere and it’ll last for ages.”

‘Once you’ve spent a few minutes with customers and explained the types of carpets, they understand the pricing.

There aren’t very many people who come in who don’t buy,’ explains Alley.

This includes those customers on a budget. Alley

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FLOORING PROFILE

keeps some polyprop rolls at the back of the shop, but he says that once he’s shown them to customers, they revert to the ranges they previously thought of as too expensive.

He recalls one customer who was quoted £325 for putting vinyl in his bathroom. The customer said: ‘But it’s only 4sqm, I could get that cheaper.’ Alley replied: ‘But we do it properly. He’s had it done wrong twice and he couldn’t believe the difference.’

Alley bought the business from retiring owner Mike Bowen five years ago, after four years of fitting Amtico flooring for the store, and has built upon its previous 20 years of retailing.

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‘It’s got a lot of good customers who were used to Traditional Carpets and traditional service values at the top end. I’ve expanded it year on year, with the exception of last year,’ he says.

Alley, a Carpet Foundation and SMG member, says he didn’t really know a lot about carpets when he took over, even though he trained in a carpet shop when he left school, however he then embarked on a 25-year career in IT. Showing his talents as a quick learner, a six-month handover with Bowen was complete in six weeks.

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Brintons, Ulster, Ryalux and Brockway are key suppliers for the Carpet Foundation member

‘Existing customers come back, we get a lot of new customers from the manufacturers’ websites looking for particular brands and of course recommendations. I only advertise in the Yellow Pages. We don’t have sales. I check the prices in other stores, so we are competitive. Our fitting might be a bit more expensive, but they get the total job,’ he says.

During the visit a customer came in and after initially telling Alley she didn’t want a plain carpet for her bedroom, ordered a 40oz candy stripe. The entire process took no more than four minutes. The reason: it’s the third room Alley has done for her.

A high proportion of Traditional Carpets’ sales are for patterned carpets.

‘I’d say we’ve probably got the best selection of patterned carpets in the area, and because of that other shops send people here if they want patterned. It is the quality stuff like the Brintons’ Bell Twist and Marquis, Ulster velvets and patterned ranges, and Axminster Carpets. People want nice carpets, traditional carpet but with traditional service.

‘Quality gets translated into pattern as those quality manufacturers are making patterns not plain,’ says Alley.

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CARPET

Get in the picture In a crowded marketplace powerful images help carpet to stand out from the rest

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CARPET

Despite the growing foray of colour into carpet ranges, the dominant shades for most carpet stores remain beige and off-beige. As customers glance at the plethora of wall stands, carousels and tombolas, what they are really looking for is some inspiration.

Something to grab their attention and make them think that buying a new carpet can be fun and will give their home an exciting new look.

This is where having dramatic and powerful images of products brings real benefits.

Be it for POS, brochures or advertising, presenting the carpet as a desirable object makes selling easier while making price less of a sensitive issue.

Over several years Crucial Trading has gained a reputation for supporting

Above: Moscow is available in 4m and 5m widths Left: Mississippi is often used in advertisements

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CARPET

Crucial Trading’s Boston is available in eight colours

its stockists with breathtaking images of its floorcoverings.

‘Natural floorcoverings remain a popular flooring option because they offer enormous flexibility in appearance, feel and design, without compromising durability,’ says Michael Turner, Crucial Trading general manager.

‘Wool is the most luxurious of all natural floorcoverings, yet is also strong and versatile. Available in a variety of weaves, textures and shades, it is soft and cosy to the touch, which is why it is our favourite choice for the bedroom or living room.

‘Sisal on the other hand brings a natural strength and individuality into the home. When brought together, something very special happens as demonstrated in our successful Sisool collections and most recently with Masai.’

Close-up images of Moscow show off its wriggly texture, with large, random loops that curl around each other while Boston’s knitted-look channels give a self-coloured stripe effect making it more suited to roomset photography.

Moscow is available in seven colourways while there is a choice of eight for Boston, including pewter, olive, steel and chocolate.

The striped Mississippi carpet has long been a favourite for retailers to use in advertisements featuring shoppers coming in with the newspaper or magazine saying: ‘I want that carpet’.

Of course there is little point to brilliant photography if it is of poor products. Photography isn’t cheap, but the support it provides to stockists makes it worth every penny.

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Cormar Carpets’ Town & Country in London stone

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INSTALLATIONS

Floorwise scores in Dublin Aviva Stadium features Hyperlift underlay Floorwise’s Hyperlift underlay is being used for Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, the home of Ireland’s international rugby union and football teams.

Specified and installed by one of Ireland’s largest flooring contractors, Crean Mosaics, some 7,500sqm of Hyperlift underlay is being installed throughout the lower and premium concourse areas, corporate boxes and service areas of the stadium.

The redevelopment of the Lansdowne Road ground will create an essential sporting and entertainment facility in Dublin.

With extreme levels of foot traffic expected all-year round, Crean Mosaics opted for the heavy contract use rated Hyperlift recycled polyurethane underlay, suitable for both stretch fit and double stick installations.

Some 7,500sqm of Hyperlift underlay is being installed at Aviva Stadium

Andrew Rooney, Crean Mosaics contracts manager, says: ‘On a job as important and time-sensitive as this we not only need long-term performance and reliability but also ease of installation. Flexible and light, Hyperlift is

easy to carry and goes down fast, making it ideal for the fast-paced nature of this type of installation.’

At 7mm thick, a 15sqm roll weighs 15.2kg and is made from Floorwise’s Super High Density recycled foam.

Karndean in full bloom Fashion, flowers and flooring at Hampton Court’s Catwalk show

There are 22 designs in Karndean’s Van Gogh collection

Karndean is set to bloom at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this month with the help of celebrity gardener David Domoney.

Celebrating its 20th year, the 6-11 July event is the world’s largest annual flower show and Karndean will be supporting Domoney in the Catwalk in Bloom marquee, where he will bring together a mix of flowers, fashions and interiors in five catwalk shows throughout the day.

Karndean will be offering interior inspiration and showcasing its premium Van Gogh collection of 22 wood designs, offering authentic, realistic finishes. Visitors to the event have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Karndean brand, win a Van Gogh floor and collect a Van Gogh inspired goody bag.

Jacci Marcus, Karndean UK marketing director says: ‘The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is a perfect fit for Karndean.

The show attracts visitors who have a love for all things naturally beautiful, the outdoors – this is where our flooring fits flawlessly.

It is a great opportunity to meet new consumers and welcome new and existing retailers to Karndean. It’s the perfect social event for us to attract new audiences to the brand.’

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UPHOLSTERY

Simply Italian style Italsofa’s latest collection is simplicity triumphing over complication Sometimes when you look at Italian upholstery you think the end result has suffocated what was a great basic design.

Not so with Italsofa’s latest collection.

Here the simplicity of the choice of materials, shapes and colours ensure the Natuzzi Group Style Centre designed range has plenty of room to breathe.

Diamond, for example, is based on the classic chesterfield design, a favourite in many homes, but given a contemporary make-over with its narrow legs offering lightness and a slender design.

Shanghai is a fusion of classic and modern design, while Bowling combines extreme contemporary styling and comfort. It features soft square shapes and a reclining headrest.

For covers, bright tones have been abandoned in favour of subtle colours. Colours are powdered, neutral, basic and tending to be grey enhanced with cushions and pouffes in patchwork fabrics with ethnic accents.

The brand has also introduced coordinating lamps and coffee tables for add-on sales.

Top: Shanghai has clean lines Above: Diamonds – chesterfield revamped Right: Bowling features a reclining headrest

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See us at The Manchester Furniture Show Stand B15

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UPHOLSTERY

Avoid the crowds

The Stressless studio occupies about a quarter of the first floor

Devoting enough floorspace to furniture is vital for Dansk Design One of the first things you notice when entering Dansk Design in Chelmsford, Essex, is the space given to the furniture.

Roomsets are spacious, allowing shoppers to easily walk among the furniture and examine it without having to shuffle past products, fearful they might knock over a vase.

This, says Dennis Cox, Dansk director, is vital when displaying upholstery.

‘Giving the furniture space is the most important thing. Sell the dream with the right roomsets and displays. People will walk past if it’s just rows of sofas,’ he says.

And there is plenty of space, with 27,000sqft available across three storeys

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(it has the option of using the second floor). A bistro and gift shop will be added soon to encourage footfall. This will also be boosted when a link to the Cooperative’s Quadrant department store is completed.

Cox wants to promote the Dansk name and try to reduce online price comparisons.

But Ian Park, Dansk general manager, says this can create its own problems as some shoppers might not visit the store as they expect only to find Scandinavian furniture. At Chelmsford one solution is to have Duresta in the window, along with regular features in the local lifestyle press.

Suppliers’ branding is kept to a minimum, other than the Stressless studio which occupies about a quarter of the first floor. Cox, who has been a stockist since the chain was founded in

1979, says Stressless is the exception as he can promote the brand thanks to its selective stockist policy. It is not the only recliner supplier, with others scattered among the roomsets, but Cox says the product offers do not compete.

‘It’s a different market from Ekornes and different customers,’ he says. Ekornes customers tend to be more traditional in their tastes than the average Dansk shopper, and are mainly over 50.

The studio is divided equally between Ekornes’ traditional designs and its recent more contemporary upholstery, such as the Blues, Jazz recliners and E200 sofa.

Part of the contemporary section is the home cinema area with surround sound and large TV. The neighbouring store that provided the equipment will also use Stressless upholstery, allowing the two stores to cross promote.

Cox expects it will take between 12 to

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UPHOLSTERY

to sell the dream

The Stressless home cinema area is an integral part of the contemporary design offer while the studio follows Cox’s policy of selling the dream

‘People will walk past if it’s just rows of sofas’ 18 months for the upholstery selection to be fine-tuned, as the store responds to sales. For launch, on 29 May, the top 10 sellers from Dansk’s three other stores formed the cornerstone of the offer.

‘We change displays every nine months or so,’ says Cox. ‘It would be great if everything repeated once a month but you usually find six out of 20 suites will do most of the business. Also, it’s often how and where the product is displayed.

Every store has hot spots and the product has to be right if it’s not in a prime position. If you can get two out of the three of cover, comfort and price, you are halfway there.’

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Advertising feature: interiors 2011

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New flooring area for interiors 2011 The largest trade event for the interiors industry, interiors 2011, will include a new product area for next year with flooring now being incorporated into the mix within Hall 2. The organiser, UBM Live, has successfully run a standalone flooring event for the past 18 years. Now it brings flooring to the January event, providing visitors with a complete spectrum of products to source from.

Andrew Vaughan, portfolio director, explains the reasons behind moving flooring to interiors: ‘Our focus has always been to deliver return on investment for our exhibitors, so we have decided to offer flooring companies the opportunity to exhibit at the UK’s largest trade interiors show.

‘Flooring at interiors will be perfectly placed at the cross-over between Halls 2 and 3. Its new location is housed at the front of the hall in order to attract a diverse range of buyers, from contract to retail. Utilising the strength of the surrounding areas – modern and high-end interiors products – flooring exhibitors can expect a very strong footfall of relevant buyers.’

This year’s interiors welcomed more than 600 exhibitors and in excess of 25,000 visitors, some 7,000 of which were specifically interested in rugs and floorcoverings.

The show currently covers five halls, although UBM Live has some exciting plans to announce within the next few weeks which

may see the exhibition grow even further.

Although it is a very British event, the show will also see key brand names from other countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Spain and Portugal, especially within the modern area. This area has grown year on year and this time will see more Italian exhibitors than the previous three years.

Returning for 2011 is Thinking Space, an inspirational area within Hall 2 packed with design talent, free educational seminars and the hottest designs. Back for 2011 is the New Design Britain Competition that shows off the creative talents of young interior design graduates. Also returning are Birmingham City University in conjunction with Global Color Research, offering another unique trend showcase.

Thinking Space will also see a ‘Future of Flooring’ display, an area celebrating the best of the young flooring design talent from the students of Accrington and Rossendale College.

Interiors takes place at The NEC, Birmingham, from 23-26 January.

interiors 2011, 23-26 January Stand enquiries: Oonagh Colligan, tel: 020 7921 8408 email: oonagh.colligan@ubm.com www.interiorsbirmingham.com

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Wood and laminate

Oak Country by Kersaint Cobb Handcrafted for a truly authentic finish

CARPETS FURNITURE RUGS BEDS WOOD

AND

LAMINATE

UPHOLSTERY VINYL ACCESSORIES

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Almost 50 finishes are available with planks up to 1.8m long

Different angle on parquet Quick-Step’s multi-layer technique provides stylish and stable parquet flooring Parquet is now part of Quick-Step’s product offer. It is available in three collections – Palazzo, Castello and Villa – covering 47 floors, ranging from French oak to exotic wood varieties.

Quick-Step Parquet has three layers: the bottom layer is 2mm ecologically certified veneer and the core layer is 9mm recycled hevea wood. The top layer consists of at least 3mm of solid wood pre-coated with seven layers of water-based varnish in matt, silk or satin finishes. Extra oil, wax or varnish is not necessary. The three layers are pressed on to each other in different directions for high stability, preventing movement due to changes in temperature.

Multi-layer has obvious benefits, says Quick-Step. It is environment-friendly and has a good price-quality ratio, while preserving the stylish and warm character of solid parquet.

Another benefit compared to solid parquet is the availability of

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wide and long planks. Thanks to the multi-layer structure, planks can be up to 19cm wide and 1.8m long.

Advantages of quick laying associated with laminate have come to parquet, with the collections using the Uniclic Multifit system, based on the Uniclic laying system Quick-Step developed in 1997. The profile allows three installation methods – drop down, angling and horizontal. With the drop down and angling methods, the planks click together for fast laying.

Quick-Step says a unique feature of the Uniclic Multifit system is that the floor planks can be inserted horizontally, which is handy when the planks cannot be installed by tilting, for example under door frames and radiators.

The system is suitable for floating as well as glued installation – recommended where there is underfloor heating – and has a lifetime warranty.

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Hand-crafted wood flooring Oak engineered & solid planks 14mm – 20mm

kersaint cobb Request a brochure or samples on-line www.kersaintcobb.co.uk

Telephone: 01675 430 430

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WOOD AND LAMINATE

Reason to celebrate Family-owned FN Neuhofer continues to invest in technology

Flooring accessory and profiles manufacturer FN Neuhofer is celebrating a double anniversary: its 360th year and on 30 June, the 70th birthday of owner Franz Neuhofer.

The company has been family-owned for 10 generations and last year was awarded the Best Family-owned Company in Austria award. Founded in 1650 as a small sawmill it has grown to have customers in 90 countries.

Neuhofer says he has no plans to retire. ‘As long as the advice and work of my wife, Christiana, and I are appreciated, we will continue to look forward every day to being able to participate in the positive development of our company,’ he says.

‘The continuous development of solutions and the solidarity of the family have helped us become the company we are today. Our approach is not just momentary but long-term and for generations.

‘Our vision for the next few years is clearly defined: to remain the market leader for profiles and to tap into new markets with new product lines. We are looking forward to taking this path with our customers and partners.’

This year the company launched FN digiprint, allowing virtually any image to be digitally printed on to profiles and other panels. Once the patterns and images have been decided,

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Top: Any design can be printed on profiles Inset: Franz Neuhofer (centre) with the Neuhofer family Above: Universal profile

printing is easy to reproduce at any time even in small quantities.

‘Digital printing is ideal for applications that would otherwise be impossible or extremely expensive to manufacture using traditional printing methods. Digital printing offers us a high degree of flexibility, which in turn gives our customers the benefit of very rapid turnaround times,’ says Neuhofer.

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WOOD AND LAMINATE

More than 500 finishes are available

Bespoke finishing touches Azco has developed what it says is the UK’s largest wood flooring offer due to traditional hand-finishing Azco Interiors’ UK manufactured Artwood range of engineered flooring is available in more than 500 finishes – the country’s largest selection of wood flooring, claims the company.

‘One of the most important components of a wood floor, and surprisingly the area least talked about, are the finishing technique and products that have been used to finish the floor.

The quality of finishing products used varies widely and it is this factor which determines the overall aesthetics, durability and maintenance of a floor,’ says Louay Azoo, Azco director who owns the company with his brother Sid. Artwood floors are hand-finished using traditional techniques allowing greater artistic input and the ability to produce more bespoke finishes than possible when using machines, he says.

Hand-finishing also enhances the natural beauty of the wood.

Artwood uses hardwax oils and lacquers for the final coat, supported by specified maintenance products.

‘Finishing products generally used by manufacturers of pre-finished timber are solvent based oils and lacquers

which are a fraction of the cost of the higher quality products used to produce Artwood floors. The results of using lower quality finishing products becomes more apparent with time as surface damage, maintenance difficulties and discolouration occur,’ says Azoo.

Although aesthetics are important, the ethical qualities of a product must also be at the forefront of any new product development strategy, he says. ‘Due to the traditional handfinishing process, the energy consumption and therefore environmental impact is minimised as well as achieving a more natural look. Additionally, Artwood is produced only on sustainable European oak. The look of tropical and in some cases endangered species is achieved without the environmental and economic costs of using these timbers.’

With local production and supply comes better customer service compared to dealing with overseas manufacturers, he says. There is no minimum order and no requirement for retailers to hold large stocks as Artwood is made to order.

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ENVIRONMENT

Wise up to wool carpets The Campaign for Wool wants to educate consumers on the benefits of wool

Even a tiny switch in carpet buying would help reverse a decline in UK sheep numbers

The viability of sheep farming and wool production in the UK could be transformed if just 1.5% of consumers buying synthetic carpet were persuaded to buy a wool carpet.

Such a switch would boost demand for wool by 9.75% (2.8million kg) at a time when sheep numbers are falling due to lower wool prices. ‘Farm revenues are down and it costs more to shear sheep than the farmer receives for the wool,’ says Mike Hardiman, Carpet Foundation chief executive.

Speaking at a media event for the Prince of Wales’ Campaign for Wool, Hardiman says sheep numbers have fallen by 15% in the UK in the past three years. ‘Wool-less sheep are being genetically bred and farmers are opting for them while consumers seem less and less aware of the benefits of wool. Wool is in crisis – could it disappear from the landscape? With 70% of the wool grown in the UK going into carpet it is obvious that improving consumer perceptions of wool-rich carpet is a prime requirement for continuity of supply and growth in demand for wool,’ he says.

The industry faces several issues in getting its message across, says Hardiman: some 70% of carpet is imported and 70% is synthetic; there is low consumer awareness of carpet brands;

••

• •

consumers lack knowledge about carpet due to its infrequent purchase and perceive wool-rich carpets as expensive; there is a lack of understanding of the environmental issues surrounding wool.

Nicholas Coleridge, Campaign for Wool steering committee member and CondĂŠ Nast UK md says the environmental message should be at the heart of the campaign.

Wool Week will run from 11-17 October with several initiatives planned to highlight the campaign including support from fashion brands including Burberry and Jaeger, an ambassador scheme to encourage celebrities to promote wool, a POS campaign highlighting the top 10 reasons to buy wool and consumer research into attitudes to wool. Several wool organisations, including those in New Zealand, the US, Australia and Norway are supporting the campaign financially. ‘The campaign is not just limited to the carpet and clothing sectors. It will reach out to all sectors where wool is used, including upholstery, bedding and interior textiles. With so much support for the concept and the commitment of Prince Charles for five years, we have every chance of success,’ says John Thorley, Campaign for Wool steering committee chairman.

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LIVING AND DINING

Diverse routes Singapore is making efforts to get its furniture accepted worldwide

The efforts of the Singapore government to promote its furniture industry abroad through Singapore Mozaic are increasingly seeing the country’s designers and furniture companies gaining recognition across the globe. The programme is supported by Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Spring Singapore and International Enterprise.

Air Division’s Ark table, designed by Vincent Chia using American oak in a waxed finish, is inspired by a traditional workman’s support for a worktop, while Chia’s coordinating Solo chair, in the same material, takes its inspiration from a fine cut diamond.

In Cilicon Faytory’s Fairies Collection,

by Cici Chen and Lui Honfay, the intention is to reintroduce the beauty of traditional Asian hand-carving techniques to the world by combining it with modern design.

Taking its reference from fairytale elements, the collection includes six chair designs: Twist, Root,

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Right: Jarrod Lim’s Collar Below: Air Division’s Ark table and Solo chair Bottom: Cilicon Faytory’s Fairies

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LIVING AND DINING Left: Star Furniture’s Casa Below: Nathan Yong’s shelving Bottom: Koda’s Maine

Flower, Wing, Branch and Arch alongside the Galia table.

Jarrod Lim’s Collar magazine rack crafted from bent aluminium sheet has two storage areas. ‘The upper area holds several magazines while the lower inverted-V shape can save the page in your magazine,’ he says.

Koda’s Maine dining range uses solid American walnut with a choice of expanding or non-expanding table.

Nathan Yong’s powder-coated steel shelving system displays different sizes of objects, as he says everything we want to display comes in all shapes and forms.

‘My approach was to make all the boxes of different sizes and weld them together. There are left and right-handed versions and this allows them to interlock, making it a bigger piece if one wants a larger shelf. With the interlocking design, the unit can be displayed as corner shelves,’ he says.

Star Furniture’s high gloss Casa dining collection is also available for the bedroom.

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BEDS AND BEDROOM Left: Cattelan Italia’s Origami Below: Sheerhome’s small deep buttoned chaise Bottom: Heal’s’ Swing chaise/sofabed

Chic sleep Forget zed beds, the latest sofabeds look good in any room so guests can sleep in style For many years sofabeds had an image problem. Often designs were unattractive as the need to include a mattress and mechanism meant it became an even larger version of the original sofa and with many it was easy to spot the mechanism.

Thankfully those days have gone, with the latest

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Classic is back

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www.kelvinfurniture.com

Queen Anne Nests & Long Johns ~ now in stock

EL49

h. 173cm ~ d. 32cm ~ w. 68cm Tall china display cabinet with mirrors & lights

EL62B 4ft 6in x 2ft 6in (137cm x 76cm) Executive desk All desks and filing cabinets available with a choice of red, green, tan or blue leather tops

EL45 2 Door bow display cabinet with mirror & lights h. 178cm ~ d. 32cm ~ w. 84cm

All display cabinets come as standard with bevelled glass, mirrors and lights

EL70

2 Drawer filing cabinet on castors w. 54cm ~ d. 59cm

EL253

Wide screen TV

h. 48cm ~ d. 49cm ~ w. 101cm

For colour brochure or an agent to call on you, please telephone 01132 444499 or email: mail@kelvinfurniture.com

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

sofabeds offering practicality, comfort and style, be it traditional or contemporary.

Heal’s Swing chaise/sofabed allows the seatpad to be turned 180degrees and placed on the floor to create a temporary double bed.

Sweet Dreams’ Pearl is a full upholstery style sofabed, available in two and three-seater models with matching chair.

Italian artistry interprets Japanese sensibilities with Cattelan Italia’s Origami leather sofabed while the Slumberland Volterra corner sofabed has a large compartment for storing bedlinen.

The curvy wood Leander cot-bed package from Funky Kids Furniture has four uses. It starts life as a cot, then through cotbed to junior bed, and finally can be used as a sofa.

Sheerhome’s small deep buttoned chaise has a hardwood frame while Love Your Home for Less’s Phoebe sofabed combines classic styling with convenience.

Top: Slumberland’s Volterra Above: Funky Kids Furniture’s Leander Left: Love Your Home for Less’s Phoebe Below: Sweet Dreams’ Pearl

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TREND WATCH

Above: Trend Bible publishes two forecasting manuals each year while an inspiration wall is used to collect ideas (below)

See the future In the first of a new series, Trend Bible explains how it predicts what trends will be Interiors Monthly has teamed up with trend forecasting specialist Trend Bible to bring a monthly feature to keep you up to speed with all the changes in the home interiors industry.

This month we look at Trend Bible’s approach and next month Joanna Feeley, Trend Bible founder and creative director, will flag up the best key home furniture and textiles designer names to watch out for.

‘In times of economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever that retailers and manufacturers understand future consumer behaviour so that they can develop strategies and plan product ranges that cater for an increasingly design-savvy consumer,’ says Feeley.

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Trend Bible is a UK predictions consultancy offering bespoke trend consultancy to blue chip brands in some 18 countries. It works with the design and buying teams of some of the best home interiors brands to ensure they are developing commercially successful and inspiring product ranges.

Using a combination of consumer analysis and trend-forecasting techniques, Feeley leads a team to forecast future trends with a commercial mindset. The specialist techniques come from researching, monitoring and critically analysing information, pairing this with creative ideas sparked from global travel to influential places, music and film.

‘What sets us apart is that we don’t believe in just applying a blanket approach to trends. To have commercial success, trends have to be applied to each of our clients’ markets and customer bases, not to mention making sure the trend hits in-store at the right time in the season. This can be critical in terms of whether a customer is ready to embrace that trend or not,’ says Feeley.

In addition to the bespoke consultancy work, Trend Bible publishes two trend forecasting manuals every year for the home interiors and children’s lifestyle sectors that feature the key trends up to two years ahead of the season. The books provide four key trends concepts and colour palettes, supported

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TREND WATCH

Above: Joanna Feeley has 13 years’ experience in trend forecasting for home interior and global lifestyle brands Left: Information is analysed to make predictions for commercial trends Below: Trends are sourced from a variety of sources

with social, cultural and consumer information that evidence where the trends have originated.

Feeley established the company in 2007 after being head of design at trend forecasting agency, Bureaux, and working as a trend and design consultant for fashion and interior brands in the UK and US. She began her career in the fashion industry, working in New York for American Eagle Outfitters, then returning to London to work for the Arcadia Group.

She has 13 years’ experience in trend forecasting for home interiors and global

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lifestyle brands such as Tesco and Nokia and was a panel member of the International Colour Authority for five years.

Working with some of the world’s biggest brands from LG to Asda and Pottery Barn to Macy’s, Trend Bible aims to shape what the future will look like to stay ahead of the competition, anticipating future consumer behaviour to develop new, commercially successful product ranges for the home.

‘We don’t consider ourselves futurologists, trend hunters or gurus. We

just know how to pinpoint future trends and how to translate this into a commercial success for our clients and their customers in a useable, nononsense way,’ says Feeley.

‘When retailers see forecasting as a low priority and put insufficient systems in place to predict customers’ behaviour, brands struggle to effectively create ranges that will sell.

‘Forecasting future trends is critical for success as you need to ensure you are selling the looks that people will want in their homes.’

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Manchester Furniture Show 2010 Manchester Central, Manchester 18–21 July 2010

Manchester Furniture Show 2010 Manchester Central, Manchester 18 - 21 July 2010 CHARTER RESTAURANT

ENTRANCE

Security Building Control Panel

up

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CLOAK ROOM

Colour

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The Manchester Furniture Show

SHOW GUIDE

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E80

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SHOW GUIDE ELECTRICAL ACCESS

M5

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Home Furniture

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GCL Bedrooms Global Home G-Plan Cabinet Gradi Grand International Harrison Brothers Furniture Heartlands Furniture Helvetia Home Furniture Homestyle GB Icon Designs Infinite Expo International Furniture UK Italian Furniture Co JC & MP Smith Jaipur Furniture JB Deco Jetexim Business Jitona JPL Furniture Kettle Interiors Kidsaw Komandor Komfi UK Lanway Trading Laser Ticketing Systems La-Z-Boy LF Furniture Industries Lifestyle Asia Magic Carpet MJS Trading Morris Furniture Group Mountrose Multiserve@Home New Trend Concepts Old Charm Optimise Solutions Orchid Wholesale Originals by Willis & Gambier Paulus & Brown Peroda Scan Design Persian Art Treasure Pinetum Pyramid Lane Quitman Woodcraft Red Rose Upholstery Relaxsan Magniflex Relaxateeze Responsive Designs Roost Furnishings Ruddiman Furniture Seconique Signature Living UK SJS Furniture SJS Potty Pots SJ Units Sleeping Zone Mattress Co Smart Trading EU Stroolmount UK Swan Retail TCH Furniture TCS Totem Furniture Unifurn Design Value Mark Furniture Welcome Furniture Wilde Java Wood Bros World Furniture XYZ Agencies Your Department Store YP Furniture Zone Furniture

Exchange 1 D23 C41 A31 A10 B11 B71 C71 K9/M5/N1/N4 E80 A25 L4/L3/K2/K4/K6/N7 A63 A65 E63 B41 C96 K4 C71 C61 A58 B21 A76 B35 D35 A36 A41 L3 C75 D2 A80 C41 M1 A60 Pavilion A23 E7 J1 D13 B15 L5 D2 E21 K4 A51 B98 E65 C41 C40 E85 A16 C11 A64 A81 A90 A27 E15 A30 A2 CF1 Foyer 2 D63/D69 B45 K6 A66/A70 D10 D61 A23 C85 B15 A1 Foyer 3 C41

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

The Manchester Furniture Show

ELECTRICAL ACCESS

M1 3

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The Manchester Furniture Show

SHOW GUIDE

Helix contemporary living room range

Corndell will make its Manchester debut and present a full range of British made products. Brian Ahern, Corndell md, says quality products that offer wide consumer choice and quick lead times are proving attractive to customers.

Two ranges have been added to the Corndell portfolio: Helix is a contemporary, modular living range made from oak and veneers, while Pure is a modular home office range made from melamine.

Helix has a modern and linear design featuring solid oak floating tops.

Designed to provide a built-in look, it includes wall-hanging and floor-standing corner units and offers flexible combinations of glazing, drawers, cupboards and shelves so that consumers can choose the storage and look which suits them. Helix has a palette of four lacquered finishes ranging from pale and delicate to dark and rich.

The Pure home office collection features corner and straight desks in several sizes and base and top units.

Base units feature standard and filing drawers in various combinations while some have castors but still fit under the desks. Various top shelving units offer

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Interiors Monthly July 2010

Pure home office range

storage for all sizes of files and books.

The four colours range from soft maple through to a strong dark walnut and all feature a grained wood pattern.

The exhibition will also provide Corndell with the opportunity to show new finishes in its Nimbus and Country

Oak ranges as well as additional pieces and POS. ‘Corndell actively develops new products and the show offers us a great opportunity to show new product, which is made at our own factory, to potential customers,’ says Ahern.

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The Manchester Furniture Show

SHOW GUIDE

Pinetum’s Pantone (above) and Florence (below)

TCS’s tub chair

TCS is exhibiting its complete Onit range of products including suites, cabinet, chair and bed ranges for the first time at the show.

The chair range is made up of power riser recliners, swivel recliners and a collection of single and twin seater tub chairs, all available in leather or fabric.

The company says it has gained significant market share by allowing retailers to offer a wide range of tub chairs but only have a couple on display.

Its bed collection, including sofabeds,

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available in fabric or eco-leather, will also make its show debut.

Pinetum is promoting its Florence and Pantone ranges as it makes its return to the show.

Both the Florence dining room and Pantone bedroom ranges feature cornices and plinths and have a more traditional feel than Pinetum’s other collections. With a range of colours and finishes – Pantone has 11 different shades – they can adapt to different settings whether modern or traditional.

Originals is set to debut four collections: Talin, Albany, Neon and Soho, while adding pieces to its Normandy dining range.

Neon is a high gloss dining range produced from polyester, giving it a contemporary and fashionable feel and features a luxurious black finish and a clean, crisp chamfered design to the table tops. Talin is a chunky solid oak dining collection with lots of character, while Albany is a casual dining collection with soft clean lines.

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Advertising feature: Your Department Store

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Online partners Independent furniture retailers can now launch their own online trading website thanks to the arrival of Your Department Store.

In 2009 YDS won the Interiors Monthly Innovation of the Year Award, confirming its place as a leader in this area of the furniture industry.

It gives independent retailers the wherewithal to launch a safe and secure customised website for a fraction of the cost it would take to develop their own. They can do this without the hassle associated with a transactional website or the worry of warehousing, deliveries or customer service issues.

For the retailer that means there is no stock commitment, no loading of products, no transport issues and no stock control. The customer enters the website via a bespoke retailer branded homepage and can then buy online.

Online trading is not at the expense of in-

store sales as the website can be used as an effective marketing tool to drive customers into stores.

All website content and updates are handled by the team at YDS. An account manager is assigned to work with each retailer to offer online sales and marketing advice and ensure smooth running of the website. All transactions, warehousing and delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, are handled by YDS, along with customer and after-sales service to the same high standard offered by the best independents.

‘We work in partnership with all our retailers and each is assigned their own account manager who will ensure their website reflects what is happening in their store – from sales to special promotions or events. In short, our team effectively becomes an integral part of theirs,’ says David Ruddiman, YDS chairman.

www.yourdepartmentstore.co.uk Tel: 0800 803 0692 Email customerservice@yourdepartmentstore.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly July 2010

The online furniture market is already worth £500m and growing. Experts predict it will eventually account for 11% of furniture sales.

Internet penetration is growing fastest among the 45-plus age group which means the people spending online are the target audience wanted by independent furniture retailers.

Research has shown that two out of three people rate convenience as a number one priority – not just in terms of travelling to stores but opening hours too. During last year’s Christmas shopping peak, 40% of transactions were made before 9am or after 6pm.

The YDS concept took 12 months to develop in consultation with experienced retailers. A white label website, YDS is flexible enough to work in tandem with retailers’ existing websites, or it can be set up from scratch.

The websites are fully customised with shop details, colours and graphics.

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DESIGN

Twenty twenty vision Desalto has celebrated its 20th anniversary with 20 limited editions each of two products Twenty years ago the Italian table and chair company, Desalto, was launched. At the helm were the four Orsenigo brothers: Ettore, Fausto, Walter and Ambrogio, who recently passed away.

To mark the anniversary of the company, Desalto has created limited editions of two of its best known designs: the Entronauta chair and Mac table.

Just 20 of the Entronauta chairs, designed by Riccardo Blumer and Matteo Borghi in 2007, and selected for inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art in New York this year, have been

produced. Inspired by the formation of egg shells, its fabric cover becomes self-supporting through a process of stiffening it by impregnating it with polyurethane.

Twenty special editions of the Mac table, designed by Pierluigi Cerri in 2007 and inspired by the abstract and geometrical art of minimalist artist Donald Judd, will be created completely in aluminium with legs partially lacquered in red.

The result is a clean and architectonic design in a light and technical version.

Top: Special edition Entronauta chair Right: Special edition Mac table

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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Harrogate Flooring Show

SHOW PREVIEW FAST FACTS Harrogate Flooring Show Harrogate International Centre 5-7 September www.harrogateflooringshow.net

Back home The doors open once again at Harrogate to reveal new products and designs

Tapibel’s President

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Interiors Monthly July 2010

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Harrogate Flooring Show

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Now the autumn’s only flooring exhibition, retailers will be returning to Harrogate to see the latest products. In 2009 it was the National Floor Show occupying the Harrogate International Centre, this year it will be the Harrogate Flooring Show, but many of the exhibitors will be in their usual locations.

Ahwazian Oriental Carpets and Rugs is launching a range of 50% wool/50% silk Indian Agra rugs alongside a new herbal wash finish for its Persian Heriz, Tabriz, Malayer and Bidjar rugs.

Azco will show its Artwood timber collection.

After one of its busiest launch periods in the spring, Associated Weavers will add more ranges while showing all of its existing collections.

Cormar is featuring the recently launched Apollo range as well as two new collections being introduced in the autumn. Easy clean polypropylene twist Apollo is available in 15 colours including bright red and bold black.

Georgian Carpets’ launches include Manhattan, a 100% three-ply loop pile berber under the Stoddards brand in two designs and six colours. It will also add colours to its successful Hathaway range and debut Natural Collection, a loop pile

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Interiors Monthly July 2010

100% wool berber in three designs.

From Gooch is the new Buckingham Ziegler in a light gold red border and two coloured borders in the Ziegler design.

Gripperland will show its extensive carpet underlay collection, available in thicknesses of 7mm-11mm, along with its new wood and laminate underlay.

Hand Made Carpets unveils the Piazza/Linear contemporary range in Indian hand-knotted wool; Supreme, in hand-tufted classic wool and Safari an

animal skin inspired wool tufted range.

From IVC will be its full Leoline and Avenue collections with new displays and POS. Details of the soon to be released Moduleo design floor collection will also be revealed.

Manx Carpets is unveiling Nature’s Envy, a British wool berber twist. The competitively priced range is available in a dozen naturally flecked shades and in three qualities; deluxe, supreme and luxury.

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SHOW PREVIEW

Harrogate Flooring Show

Top left: Azco’s Artwood Inset: Ahwazian Oriental Carpets’ Bidjar Left: Victoria Carpets’ Imperial Velvet Top right: Gooch’s Buckingham Zeigler Below: Cormar’s new in-store corner unit Far right: ORC’s Rainbow

ORC Rugs will launch a range of products. The acrylic collection features five vibrant contemporary designs with a range of modern colours, while designs will be added to the shaggy collection.

The show also sees the introduction of its hand-carved polypropylene and frise collections.

Tapibel is presenting its portfolio of tufted and needle-punch broadloom carpets, using a range of polypropylene, nylon and woollen yarns, included in

impervious and felt-backed carpets and tiles. Several collections will be premiered using piece-dyed, space-dyed and solution-dyed nylon.

Ulster Carpets highlights its Natural Choice eco collection. Made from 100% natural undyed wool, it comprises a variety of textured designs inspired by nature complemented with a range of plains. By blending these fleeces from different breeds of sheep Ulster can create a broad colour bank of entirely

natural colours. Composed from natural, renewable elements, Natural Choice is completely recyclable and biodegradable at the end of its lifecycle, having a minimal effect on the environment.

Victoria Carpets adds Imperial Velvet, a 45oz velvet made in 80% wool, 15% nylon and 5% polyester, in 20 new colours.

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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ICFF

SHOW REVIEW

Above: 1eighth benches by Luxxbox can be stacked or staggered Right: Arctic Rock image by Dutch design brand JSPR Below: John Kelly launched his first outdoor furniture collection Rho

New York rocks This year’s show was all about expanding business with dramatic, natural and for some, rock and roll designs Emerging themes from the 22nd International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York included threedimensional effects, textured surfaces, and furnishings with a nod to the environment through materials or in appearance.

Some 43% of exhibitors were new to ICFF, while a little more than half hailed from the US, with the rest representing 40 countries from South America, Europe and Asia.

Several exhibitors, challenged by the economic climate, introduced new styles to boost customer bases or made more efficient use of their production facilities.

Fletcher Cameron shifted from being a custom furniture maker to producing screens made from sustainable bamboo

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and additions to its Box Kitchen lighting collection. The circular and square patterns are designed to filter the light through the room.

For Saloom Furniture the show was a chance for the manufacturer to introduce its contemporary collection to a new audience.

Fashion retailer, Diesel, which started a joint venture deal with Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso and lighting maker Foscarini at Salone del Mobile last year, used ICFF to expand its Successful Living in-store concept to the US. Lorry Dudley, Moroso national sales manager, says customers can see the products in Diesel stores but

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ICFF

SHOW REVIEW Left: Blu Dot’s range of upholstery and lighting won the ICFF Editors award for best Body of Work, including its ‘stilted’ floor and table lamp Right: What’s What Collective – students from Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Sweden – showed their Potential Energy collection of adjustable lights

Left: Trove’s Sargasso wallpaper design Inset: Fashion retailer Diesel used the show as a platform to bring its collaboration with Italian

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manufacturers Moroso and Foscarini to US stores Above: New Orleans-based Flavor Paper’s bright, eye-catching wallpaper designs

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SHOW REVIEW

ICFF

Above left: Roll & Hill, a contemporary lighting producer started in January this year, showed its three-dimensional Modo Chandelier Above right: Ardeco Interiors’ Organic flooring was honoured in the Carpet and Flooring ICFF Editors Awards Below left: Recipient of the ICFF Editors’ New Designer award, Studio Dunn showed its

will be referred to the nearest Moroso dealer.

The collection has a rock and roll theme with turntables etched on the surface of a coffee table, a denim sofa and subdued black, white and blue graphics on its table lamps with a lightning bolt. Sofas in the Successful Living collection are on the lower to middle end of its offer.

Dutch interior design brand JSPR showed its latest collection Arctic Rock, with designs that simulate the effect of carved rock. Tables, chairs, bar stools, seats and accessories are hand-sculpted from solid wood and finished in a semigloss, high gloss or matt paintwork and are available for both the contract and residential markets.

Coventry stool made from maple Below centre: Japanese design company Cocochi Designs won the ICFF Editors award for Craftsmanship Right: Fletcher Cameron created a threedimensional effect with its screen and lighting pattern

Japanese manufacturers showed designs with a flair for the dramatic.

Abovo’s lighting design created the effect of dripping blood while Cocochi Designs won the Craftsmanship ICFF Editors award.

Several companies received ICFF Editors awards. Minnesota furniture manufacturer Blu Dot won the Body of Work category. Botswana-based producer Mabeo took the Furniture award. Studio Dunn, a company led by Rhode Island School of Design graduate Asher Dunn and Cleveland manufacturer, Objeti, shared the ICFF New Designer award. Studio Dunn supplements inhouse production with local craftsmen and uses hardwoods from sustainable forests.

Young designers were showcased in the ICFF Studio section. For the first time in the five years it has backed the section, Bernhardt Design partnered with British market research company, Stylus, to present the Emerging Designer and Student Designer awards. Jonah Takagi, who designs television and movie props, received the Emerging Designer of the Year award for his American Gothic table most recently shown at Maison et Objet.

Ini Archibong took the Student Designer of the Year honours.

In addition to UK designers, several other countries had a substantial floor presence including Argentina, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, Germany, US, Norway, Spain, Japan and Singapore.

Stephanie Baum

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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rugs • soft furni

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SHOWER; BREAKFAST; CAR JOURNEY; WORK; FURNISHING REPORT; WORK; COFFEE; WORK; LUNCH; MORE WORK; FURNISHING REPORT; YET MORE WORK; CUP OF TEA; CAR JOURNEY; DINNER; GLASS OF WINE; TELEVISION; FURNISHING REPORT; BED

MAKE ROOM FOR BREAKING NEWS EVERY WEEKDAY www.furnishingreport.com

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FINAL POLISH Simply solution

A (better) dog’s life

Staff at Harwoods Carpets in Chorley, Lancashire have proved their sales skills – by convincing a rival flooring retailer to take them on.

The store’s five employees and several sub-contracted fitters faced unemployment when owner Richard Harwood decided to close the store. Now Lee Carrus, who runs Simply Floors in Blackburn, has taken on the premises and the staff.

‘Employee power convinced me to give it a go. If they’d not won me over by their enthusiasm and promises to make it work, I would not have done it,’ he says.

‘In the past six months at Harwoods, circumstances changed and our morale was low. The mentality has changed now as our tails are up and the confidence is back in selling goods. What we want now is to get established in the area again,’ says Jason McHugh, salesman.

Dogs at Dog’s Trust’s Bridgend rehoming centre can sleep a little sounder thanks to the Cardiff branch of John Lewis, after the store donated carpet samples and rugs for the dogs. ‘Small things like these are all vital to reduce dogs’ stress and crucially, improve their quality of life,’ says Beverley Price, centre manager.

Teresa Raymond, Manchester Furniture Show director (left) and broadcaster Alison Cork (right) celebrate with finalists Joanne Miller, Tean Dallaway, Norma Kerry, Helen Williams and Wendy Shorter

Dallaway, Shorter and Kerry are the first FIT winners

Food for thought: Degree shows can always be relied on for the more unusual. Kingston University product and furniture design student James Shaw has delivered with an algae cultivator that, he says, will be capable of producing 25% of a family’s food.

Tean Dallaway, Airsprung Furniture Group finance director has been named as Businesswoman of the Year in the first Furnishing Industry Trust Women in Furnishing awards.

‘Dallaway has demonstrated great ability in clearly guiding the company through a highly volatile period with her strict financial disciplines based on a sound business understanding,’ says the judges.

‘Today the group is back in profit and fellow directors have huge levels of confidence in her advice on all aspects of the business. She is also National Bed Federation treasurer and has in the past

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12 months established a collective buying group that has saved members upwards of £900,000.’

The Inspirational Woman of The Year award was won by Wendy Shorter, Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers director of training.

The awards, sponsored by the Manchester Furniture Show, Kinnarps and Willis & Gambier, also saw the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement award to Norma Kerry, Parker & Farr md.

Helen Williams, Assessment and Training Company trainer and assessor and Joanne Miller, Interiors Monthly co-owner, were finalists.

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Interiors Monthly

Interiors monthly

July 2010

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Redwood Bay Bringing the US to the UK

Traditional Carpets Pattern sells

Matisse from G Plan Cabinets July 2010

Leading a series of classic collections CARPET

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