Sector Focus: Home & Lifestyle

WHERE THE HEART IS

As a nation, we’ve never spent as much time at home as we have over the last year, so it’s no surprise that so many have turned to DIY to pass the lockdown days. But how has this impacted nursery sales? PPS speaks to those in the know to find out more.

Inset: Safety, comfort, design and sustainability are the key factors for all parents when planning a nursery, says Hippychick.

It’s not only been garden makeovers and living room updates which have been taking up our DIY to do lists over the past year, it seems that nurseries and children’s bedrooms have also been a key priority if sales of nursery products are anything to go by.

Mark Nichols, brand director at Green Sheep Group, has seen a huge uplift in sales and believes the time afforded by the pandemic has been a key factor: “Our nursery furniture sales are up 75% YOY which has been the result of many things including increased brand awareness and distribution. However, I feel the pandemic has accelerated our growth. Parents-to-be have had more time to reflect on their home design, and have spent more time online whilst being exposed to nursery inspiration.”

The desire to treat children living through difficult times has also been a factor, as Jo Duckworth, director at Dreamtex, explains: “The last 12 months have been difficult for everyone, particularly children who have found themselves playing in their bedrooms rather than mixing with their friends and peer groups. Children’s bedrooms, which is after all the space they live in, have never been more important.

“A brand new duvet set or the addition of the child’s favourite character on a bean bag or cushion for example, brightens up the room and puts a smile on the child’s face. This is a simple touch with lasting results and we have been fortunate here at Dreamtex that our online retail presence has remained strong, which has allowed the consumer to access our products when many High Street stores remained closed.”

Right: The Green Sheep Group says that unisex nursery designs are in demand as parents-to-be also seek more muted, pastel interior styles. Below: Tonieboxes are soft enough to cuddle up to and robust enough to play with, making them suitable to create a stylish nursery setting.

CHANGING PALETTES

What is also certain is that we are seeing a move away from traditional blue and pink themes, as nurseries begin to fit in more with the overall design of the house. Mark explains: “Over the years we’ve seen nursery design being influenced by more general home interior design trends, with less gender specific colours and a move towards more neutral decor that is in keeping with the design of the home. This is evident in the sales data we see at Snüz, with far more bias towards grey, natural and white coloured furniture and accessories compared to the pinks and blues of years gone by.” Nicola Carrera, regional sales manager at Kidcentral also picks out a further design With many new nurseries being designed and children’s as key: “Solid colours, creams, pale yellow, rose bedrooms updated, there are some key design trends pinks, foggy blues, ochres, are key - it's not typical standing out for most manufacturers and suppliers. baby pink and blue. The colour palettes are forever Alex Molyneux, marketing executive at Hippychick, changing with even black being introduced. tells PPS: “Neutral is key this year. We are seeing a lot “The nature theme is also strong, it’s all about of focus around beautiful warm terracottas, browns, introducing children to nature from an early stage, with dusky yellows and general calming colours. The rattles of bees, snails, moles, badgers and beetles.” trends are showing that everyone needs some calm, In older preschool bedrooms, Paul Hanson, founder comforting colours right now, understandably.” of The Children’s Furniture Company, has found

Debbie Wakefield, marketing manager at Dorel that a more subtle version of the pink for girls has Juvenile UK and Ireland agrees: “At present, we are been emerging: “Particularly for girl’s bedrooms, seeing a lot of trends in interiors for neutral tones, A REPRIEVE FROM natural fittings and decluttered spaces. Based on PLASTIC WASTE these trends, the Maxi-Cosi Dreamtex has been at the forefront of Home Equipment collection reducing the carbon footprint in bedroom was created with a clean design, as Jo explains: “Sustainability design that we believe fits in with most homes. We have paid close attention to popular colour schemes, opting for graphite, grey and for our customers has become a very important issue as we are reminded of the damage discarded plastic is doing to our planet. Dreamtex are the first licensed bedding company to use the fabric Repreve which is made directly dark blues to complement from recycled plastic bottles. Our Repreve most styles, with practical Gruffalo collection is currently available elements such as compact at retail in junior and single sizes, with folds to fit in with all plans for more preschool licensed bedding Above: The Repreve Gruffalo collection is homes, big or small.” designs to use Repreve in autumn 2021.” currently available in junior and single sizes.

• Grow-along wooden highchair from 6 monthsGrow-along wooden highchair from 6 months • Usable from birth with Alpha BouncerUsable from birth with Alpha Bouncer • Sustainably Sourced European Beech WoodSustainably Sourced European Beech Wood • Height-adjustable seat and foot plateHeight-adjustable seat and foot plate • Grow-along wooden highchair from 6 months• Stable & Secure Base to Support Your Little OnesStable & Secure Base to Support Your Little Ones • Usable from birth with Alpha Bouncer• Usable up to 90 kgUsable up to 90 kg • Sustainably Sourced European Beech Wood • Height-adjustable seat and foot plate • Stable & Secure Base to Support Your Little Ones • Usable up to 90 kg

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we’ve seen an influx of luxury-looking blush and copper bedrooms coming through from our customers.”

ECO FRIENDLY

Outside of design there are some key factors influencing parents’ purchasing decisions and nursery design has not escaped the all-encompassing move towards sustainability. Lucia Kreuzer, gm at Tonies UK and Ireland, comments: “Sustainability is high on the agenda for parents in 2021, and so we’re proud that the outside of our Tonieboxes are made from carefully-woven sustainable fabric, coming in a range of colours to suit every nursery colour scheme.”

Nicola agrees: “Consumers, I can only imagine, are driving the buyers’ decisions to push for packaging that does not contain plastic. Eco friendly is the way forward and many buyers are wanting to offer that conscious product.”

But eco friendly materials are not always practical when designing nursery products, so manufacturers are having to look at different ways to improve their sustainable credentials, as Debbie explains: “When creating the Maxi-Cosi Home Equipment collection, and all other Maxi-Cosi products, we look to create products that are timeless, and therefore don’t need to be updated to fit in with short-term design trends.

“It’s incredibly hard for these products to be ‘sustainable’ in the sense of being eco-friendly and recyclable, however we create all our Home products with longevity in mind, so they will last a family through their many children, or parents can pass them on to other family members or friends, creating sustainable products that last a lifetime.” Another important consideration for many, is space, as Paul clarifies: “In order to accommodate children’s variety of toys, parents are demanding more storage than ever before - and they need it to work in the smallest of spaces. Space-saving is certainly an area we always look to keep innovating for our consumers.

“From secret storage in the headboards, to additional drawers and trundles that slide under every bed, there’s always a clever way to make the most of that unused space and we know this is important to our customers.”

When all of these factors have been taken into consideration, it’s social media, influencers and celebrities that the industry is turning to as the key to marketing success. All the companies agreed that these channels have overtaken lifestyle magazines and the like. Alex concludes: “I believe the influence mainly stems from social media now. Influencers, celebrities and brands showcasing their beautiful homes to their thousands of followers is definitely going to make an impact. With the ability to create virtual ‘mood boards’, online is the main (and possibly only) place millennials and younger go for inspiration.”

Right: Form, function and safety are the key points The Children’s Furniture Company considers when designing new furniture. Below: 65% of Snüz customers said that product aesthetics matter most to them. Below middle: Kidcentral reports that nursery décor sales have never been better, with parents buying more toys to entertain their children and needing storage solutions. Below right: All of The Children’s Furniture Company’s materials come from sustainable source and the firm works with a zero emissions delivery company. Above left: Even the controls of Tonieboxes make you smile – squeeze the ears to change the volume and tilt to fast forward or rewind. Above: The PJ Masks Hero Crew reversible duvet set features a road nap on the reverse which can be used as a playmat. Left: Hippychick saw the largest sales uplift during the pandemic in toys designed to keep little ones entertained.

HOME & LIFESTYLE

ICKLE BUBBA

Ickle Bubble has introduced the Pembrey Collection, offering parents versatility to create the nursery of dreams for their little one, whatever the style. It’s available in three different colourways including White, Ash Grey and Grey & White Trend, and offers parents a choice of a full textured oak design or alternatives that include contemporary white detailing. The set comprises seven pieces of high quality, beautifully made furniture and each item can be bought individually, or in a variety of bundle options.

Tel: 01554 707022 www.icklebubba.com

ROCKIT

Zed from Rockit has clever technology which recreates soothing low frequency vibrations that are known to send babies to sleep. Parents can simply place Zed on the mattress by baby’s feet and press the snooze button. As the finely tuned vibrations ripple through the mattress they also generate soothing sounds, comforting baby and encouraging a deep sleep. It also features a portable nightlight, plus an all-night mode, six calming vibration modes and is suitable to use from birth.

Tel: 07588 717000 www.rockitirocker.com JOIE

The roomie and roomie glide from Joie give side-by-side closeness, so parents can enjoy every waking moment of those newborn nights. With lightweight frames, roomie and roomie glide both feature a simple to use sliding side panel that lifts and lowers easily with just one hand. With ten tummy tilt positions, they also both incline helping baby to comfortably digest their bedtime snack. With eleven height adjustments, the roomie and roomie glide will fit almost any bed perfectly and the wheels allow it to be moved easily around.

Tel: 01889 808900 www.joiebaby.com CHICCO

Chicco has expanded its much loved Next2Me range with the launch of Next2Me Air. The latest addition to the award-winning collection is designed with a new transparent mesh panelling on all sides of the crib to promote airflow, breathability and keep little ones cool throughout the night, as well as allowing parents to see baby at all times. Available in Dark Grey and Stone, it’s suitable for babies from birth to six months.

Tel: 0208 9536627 www.chicco.co.uk

CUDDLECO

The Clara furniture set from Cuddleco has classic curves with a modern, contemporary look, function and style. The Clara cot bed is suitable from birth to around five years and has three mattress positions and easily converts into a toddler bed. The Clara three drawer dresser offers style, storage and function. The unit comes complete with a removable changing station, transforming the changing unit into a chest of drawers. The Clara wardrobe has two removable hanging rails and a deep base drawer to provide plenty of space. The set comes in an all-white finish, or a white and ash trim.

Tel: 0161 7025062 www.cuddleco.co.uk

HOME & LIFESTYLE

SPEAR & JACKSON

The BM1760 Video Baby Monitor from Spear & Jackson has been designed with the very latest technology and has a range of enhanced features to give total peace of mind whether monitoring baby from inside the home or when outdoors enjoying the garden. Comprising a baby camera and parent monitor units with two mains power adaptors the BM1760 key features include a pan, tilt and zoom camera to capture the perfect view of baby and night vision, so parents can still see baby even when the nursery is dark or at night.

Tel: 0114 2814242 www.spear-and-jackson.com

RED KITE BABY

The Dreamer Bedside Travel Crib from Red Kite Baby is the new updated version of an old favourite, but with the additional feature of including a drop side to allow for bedside safe sleeping. The drop side means baby can co sleep next to parents allowing for strong bonds to develop. Supplied with a newborn bassinette for young babies and is easy to fit to the main travel crib.

Tel: 01454 326555 www.redkitebaby.co.uk BOORI

The Natty collection from Boori includes the Guarded Single Bed, Single Loft Bed and Single Bunk Bed. The pieces are designed to grow with the child so can either be purchased individually or combined with conversion kits to adapt them. For example, the Natty Single Bunk Bed comes with everything included so that it can be used as a guarded single bed then later converted into a loft or bunk bed. Or, the customer can purchase the Natty Guarded Single Bed, then later purchase the loft bed, or bunk bed conversion kits.

Tel: 01635 295671 www.boori.com/uk PURFLO

The Purflo Sleep Tight Baby Bed is the latest innovation in safe, independent sleep and is the only of its kind to be tested and certified safe for overnight sleep. Winner of the 2021 Indy Best Buy in 2021 for the Best Baby Nest, the Sleep Tight Baby Bed is putting the spotlight back on safety. Featuring Purflo’s signature breathable mesh panels and materials, the baby bed is available in four designs. Air can safely circulate through the fully breathable mesh base and sides meaning little ones can breathe easily all night.

Tel: 01384 298531 www.purflo.com

THE CHILDREN’S FURNITURE COMPANY

Dreams do come true with an amazing new range of themed beds from The Children’s Furniture Company. Providing the perfect balance of fun and functional, the Treehouse Bunk Bed with slide, combines play and sleep in a tree house loft style bed, which has a platform and slide included in the fun. Available in eight colour options, this incredibly fun, themed bed will create memories to last a lifetime.

Tel: 0843 289 2646 www.thechildrensfurniturecompany.com