RIGHT AT HOME
Whether you’re exploring lifestyle for the first time or finetuning an established interiors edit, we spotlight indie-friendly homeware buys that will help set your store apart…
MORE IS MORE
Stripes, print and colour collide in this serotonin-boosting homeware trend
Eclectic, characterful interiors are having a moment, with independent artists and designers leading the way on unique pieces, colour combinations and prints. This season’s best homeware stories are built on contrast. Hand-painted ceramics sit alongside graphic stripes, natural woven textures are offset by high-gloss finishes and vintage-inspired chintzy florals are brought up to date with ultra-modern silhouettes. The result is a feel-good approach to interior design that echoes fashion’s dopamine trend.
Small-scale furniture, statement accessories and giftable pieces are easy for indies to merchandise alongside womenswear. Plus, they’re simple to trial for boutiques looking to diversify their rangesmaking them the ideal addon for fashion retailers.
Designed to encourage impulse purchases and keep shoppers browsing for longer, these pieces will bring colour, personality and joy to any shop floor. Whether it’s a hand-painted mug, a graphic print or a bold scent, more really is more when it comes to this season’s most promising homeware buys...
ROSE VASE
IS
AMELIA JAYNE ART faire.com, BLOOMINGVILLE bloomingville.com/en/retailer, CONNOCK ENGLAND connockengland.co.uk/pages/b2b-login, DAMSON MADDER E: lois@damsonmadder.com, EVERY NOOK everynook.co.uk/pages/ wholesale-home-fragrance, FANCLUB faire.com, MUSTARD uk.mustardmade.com/pages/stockist- application, SENTTA Tel: 0035 122 4119 120 sentta.pt URBAN NATURE CULTURE webshopb2b.urbannatureculture.com/RegistrationForm, YONDER faire.com
ERI CANDLE HOLDER, BLOOMINGVILLE, £POA
SASHA BOOKCASE, BLOOMINGVILLE, £POA
ART
THERAPY PRINT, FANCLUB, £POA
SCENTED CANDLE, EVERY NOOK, £POA
SQUARE CUSHION, DAMSON MADDER, £POA
LEMONY SARDINES PRINT, AMELIA JAYNE ART, £POA
MELLOW
SIPHO, URBAN NATURE CULTURE, £POA
SIDE TABLE, URBAN NATURE CULTURE, £POA
KUKUI REED DIFFUSER, CONNOCK ENGLAND, £POA
ORGANIC COTTON QUILT, YONDER, £POA
MIDI LOCKER, MUSTARD, £POA
ADA LOUNGE CHAIR, SENTTA, £POA
CIMMI JAR, BLOOMINGVILLE MINI, £POA
COFFEE CUP, DAMSON MADDER, £POA
FABRIC TRENDS
It probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise that whilst we’ve had to change the way we live our lives this year, our habits and comforts have changed in tandem. Escaping from the everyday for a weekend at an opulent hotel or idyllic farmhouse abruptly came to an end, and we had to seek those luxuries from our own homes.
As commercial and hospitality environments are striving to succeed and learning to adapt, it’s important they consider what truly brings peace in our new normal.
The Sanderson Design Group shares its thoughts on what key trends we’ll see come out of hospitality interiors throughout the next year.
Being greener, in every sense
Bringing the outdoors in has been so key for 2020, COVID-19 has left people longing to connect with the great outdoors. Biophilia is real now more than ever. As humans, we are attracted to the beauty in nature, so creating a space that brings those feelings of warmth is paramount. Country spas and hotels will be looking to create a space that brings a real sense of relaxation, and this will show through their interiors. Sanderson’s collaboration with the National Trust couldn’t have come at a better time, inspired by the natural and cultural heritage of the trust’s country homes, garden and fenlands, it gives the industry an opportunity to create a space that brings comfort to our everyday.
Not only are we going to see designs that are inspired by nature, but 2021 will welcome more concepts of how we can produce more sustainably. The world we live in is so precious. Consumers want to be reassured that the products they surround themselves in, are produced in more eco-friendly ways, whether that’s production methods, sustainable fabrics or transportation.
More than just texture
Texture is so important when it comes to interiors. People have an innate desire to touch something that is visually attractive, but clients now want more than just a visual sensation. Whilst hotels are working harder to create spaces that are perfect for Instagram, taking it that step further to create a story alongside it will really resonate and stick with the audience. Creating designs that have provenance and offer something new where it’s not just a visual or superficial attraction. Why not showcase a piece of history on the wall to create a certain sense of feeling in addition to its vision? Palladio from Zoffany is doing just this, witnessing an iconic moment in time, this launch is a celebration of new and original designs presenting an unexpected parallel between this launch and Palladio’s inaugural 1955 launch. Columns is a striking example of this authentic display of history.
The need for escapism
Whilst many haven’t been able to travel to their favourite holiday destinations, it only seems right to bring them home instead. The trend for ‘holiday-inspired’ interiors gives everyone a chance to feel like they can escape the everyday. With many luxury hospitality groups considering renovation under the current restrictions, clients are seeking to reinvent their spaces, placing paramount importance on the element of relaxation and retreat with interior spaces. From Moroccaninspired colour palettes to secret sun traps trending on Instagram and Pinterest, creating a serene haven is a growing trend. Harlequin’s Mirador collection, launched earlier this year, does exactly this. Mirador is the Spanish word for ‘lookout’, featuring designs that are full of Spanish and African influences and come alive with eye-catching, inspirational designs to open up a treasure trove of international style filled with feeling.
www.stylelibrarycontract.com
sales@serenehouse.eu | www.serenehouse.eu
WELCOME HOME
Homewares and fragrances to elevate boutique shelves
CHALK
British wholesale-only brand Chalk supports independents around the country with its thoughtfully designed clothing and lifestyle products. For SS26, its homewares collection is inspired by timeless nautical tones and classic design details. This season also marks the beginning of an exciting collaboration with Ian Mankin - a brand renowned for its British-woven fabrics crafted from natural and recycled fibres. Standouts within the new range include the Rob Bolster Cushion filled with a premium UK-made feather pad, the Kent Wash Bag with waterproof lining and the useful yet aesthetically pleasing Josh Door Stop. Wholesale prices range from £15-£50 per piece while the minimum order is £400 with free delivery on orders over £600.
CONTACT: Tel: 01843 231 300 chalkuk.com
DAMSON MADDER
London-born female-founded brand Damson Madder has won an army of fashion fans with its bold designs and sustainable ethos. Its homewares collection delivers the same cool-girl aesthetic as its womenswear for interiors, placing maximalist details such as bow closures, quilted textures, ruffles and animal prints on soft furnishings and ceramics. For SS26, the brand’s home range includes hand-painted coffee cups and saucers, serving bowls and vases produced in small batches alongside tea towels, frilly cushions, trinket dishes and placemats in its signature colour palette. There’s even something for pets - from a coordinating dog bed to a patchwork coat.
CONTACT: E: lois@damsonmadder.com
SERENE HOUSE
Transforming any space into a sanctuary of calm, Serene House’s safe and natural home fragrances offer a flame-free way to enjoy aromatherapy. Its newly redesigned Wax Warmers blend functionality with minimalist style, allowing users to switch from wax to Serene Pod and back again to fill any space with lasting fragrance. Elsewhere, its signature Vapor Aroma Diffuser can be filled with water and a few drops of 100 per cent natural essential oils to gently scent the air. Buyers can choose from single notes such as cinnamon, orange and pine or preblended combinations including Comfort, Relax and Motivate. Each product combines sleek design with innovative features, offering a strong commercial opportunity for boutiques. Wholesale prices start from £2.10 while the minimum opening order requirement is £300.
CONTACT: Tel: +1856 673 4117/ +1609 980 1214 (WhatsApp); serenehouse.eu
CRUMPET PRINTS
New UK-based paper design brand Crumpet Prints creates illustrated greeting cards and wall art inspired by joy and nostalgia. Each design is illustrated in-house, blending whimsical storytelling with considered colour palettes to create a wholesome, feel-good aesthetic. All products are designed in the UK and produced in small runs with trusted, FSC Certified sustainable UK printers. The collection is designed to sit effortlessly within curated lifestyle and gift spaces, offering products that are both commercially appealing and emotionally engaging. The range works equally well as an easy addon purchase or as part of a styled display, making it a strong fit for independent retailers seeking distinctive illustrated pieces. CONTACT: crumpetprints.com
TAKING TABLES
From recyclable napkins to recycled plastic tote bags, Talking Tables is known for innovative, sustainable and design-led products that add fun and style to every gathering. As a B Corp-certified business, the brand is committed to operating more sustainably, offering responsibly made products that feature recycled or consciously sourced materials. The range spans design-led homeware, kitchenware, tableware and candles for everyday hosting as well as special occasions. Buyers can choose from core categories or seasonal collections, with dedicated designs for celebrations including Valentine’s Day and Easter. Standouts for SS26 include recycled plastic tote bags in colourful designs, finished with playful emblems such as croissants, lemons and tomatoes.
CONTACT: trade.talkingtables.co.uk/ pages/trade-application-form
BLOOMINGVILLE
Founded in Denmark in 2000, Bloomingville creates homewares, soft furnishings and lifestyle products inspired by Scandinavian design. The multi-brand house releases four main collections each year alongside seasonal and Christmas collections, all with a mission to bring bold, modern design to interiors. Standout designs include retro garden furniture, vibrant painted bookcases, Mid Century-inspired lighting and cosy, geometric throws. Alongside its core collection, Bloomingville MINI offers playful yet timeless Nordic designs for children while the Creative Collection focuses on upcycled pieces designed to bring individuality and personality into the home. Finally, ILLUME specialises in scented candles, diffusers and refills, combining fragrance expertise with considered design. Together, the collections give retailers a cohesive-yet-flexible interiors offer that makes a bold statement in-store.
CONTACT: bloomingville.com/en/retailer
MEET THE OWNER
Pamela Gruhn of Frenchic
Pamela Gruhn , Founder of chalk paint brand Frenchic , has always had a passion for giving old furniture a new lease of life rather than seeing it relegated to landfill. In 2014, there was an upcycling revolution happening in the UK. A DIY trend was soaring, and there was a lot of consumer interest and moral obligation to live more sustainably. Pamela recognised a gap in the market and wanted to create a paint that was not only eco-friendly but easy to use for beginners, as well as being the choice of professionals.
A successful product has to have authenticity and be born of a personal passion, and that is how Frenchic was born.
Using £15,000 from a pension nest-egg, Pamela decided to wager it all on the business. She found a factory that could accommodate what was needed to get started, and working from her dining table, she launched a few colours with Frenchic’s first Original range – the brand was then built organically from there. She created a Facebook community early on, which encouraged more stockists and allowed Frenchic to broaden its ranges, accessories and reach. Its online community now boasts over one million followers and is a global haven for people to share their creativity and take inspiration from others. Here, Boutique Interiors Editor, Gemma Ward, finds out more about Pamela and the brand.
Please provide us with a description of your professional career.
B efore I started Frenchic, I was a marketeer and had my own recruitment agency off Fenchurch Street. Before that, I actually worked in the motor-racing industry! Later in life, I discovered the joy of upcycling furniture, saw a gap in the market for a paint company that could tick all the boxes, and the rest is history.
What inspired you to start your own company?
and there was a surge of consumer interest and moral obligation to use more sustainable products. I wanted to create a paint that was not only eco-friendly but also one that was easy for beginners and the choice of professionals. In my opinion, a successful product has to have authenticity and be born of a personal passion - Frenchic has both.
What was the vision behind the Frenchic brand?
he vision was to create a brand that was so much more than just paint. With Frenchic, it’s the paint, the passion and most importantly, the people. We are now a global community for upcycling creativity and inspiration – particularly on social media through our fan forums. We also champion the independent retailer with over 600 stockists across four continents – something which has always been so important to me personally.
Who has been your greatest source of inspiration throughout your career?
I’ve always had a passion for bringing old furniture back to life, and at the time there was somewhat of an upcycling revolution happening in the UK. A DIY trend was booming,
D efinitely our amazing community of customers and followers. Frenchic really is one big family, connected through a mutual love of upcycling and creativity. Our social media following is over one million now, and the Facebook forum is like a global haven for people to share their work and take inspiration from others. I’ll never get bored of seeing the incredible things people can do with our paint; it inspires me each and every day.
MEET THE OWNER
What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
E arlier this year, we received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category for our Lazy Range which is a huge achievement and a true honour for us. Everything we produce has the customer and environment in mind, combining exceptional quality with ease of use and eco-friendly ingredients. The journey to get to this point has been a true labour of love. A start-up with humble beginnings, no exterior funding, but simply a pure passion for paint – so to have the royal seal of approval is a dream come true for the whole team.
What has been your most notable project?
I would say developing the Lazy Range has been particularly notable, and not just because of the Queen’s Award win! For the Lazy Range, we created a unique chalk and mineral paint with a wax infusion. The innovative addition of wax means that the paint is self-priming, self-levelling and self-sealing. It’s unlike
any other chalk paint out there and was the first of its kind in the decorative market. Achieving this unique formula was no easy feat, and required extensive research and testing to ensure a quality product was brought to market, but we worked tirelessly to make it happen – and it paid off!
How important is sustainability and upcycling to you?
T he need for a truly eco-friendly paint brand is one of the main reasons I started Frenchic, so it’s absolutely paramount to me. Of course my love for upcycling has to do with a passion for crafts, but a huge driving factor behind the brand was to see fewer household items being relegated to landfill. I learned that millions of tonnes of furniture are thrown away in the UK every year, and I couldn’t believe it – there’s just no need when you can completely transform an entire room with paint alone. There’s basically nothing you can’t paint, from plant pots to front doors, garden fences to children’s toys.
Do you feel there’s more that the industry could do to be more sustainable?
I think there is always more that can be done. A hugely important factor for our products is that they have no added VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and zero toxins. VOCs and toxins are regularly used in traditional paints and solvents, and they play a significant role in the formation of the ozone layer. Frenchic has proved that you can have the highest quality product without including these harmful substances, so I would hope that many more companies are able to do the same.
How has the pandemic made an impact on your business?
We are extremely lucky to be part of an industry that has thrived during this time. We saw a 500% increase in sales during lockdown, but more importantly, I was determined to help our network of independent UK retailers survive, some of whom didn’t qualify for Government grants and were struggling. I don’t mind saying that this was a lot of work! We were shipping tonnes of paint each day and
working around the clock, seven days a week, as a lot my stockists offered a contactless delivery service or collection. Their shops are now open again and in great shape, as this has grown a whole new customer base for them. At the start of lockdown, I made a promise to my stockists that I would get them through by continuing to supply, and this is undoubtedly one of my proudest moments in business to date.
What can we expect to see next year?
My main focus has and will continue to be, to help our network of over 500 UK retailers survive this year. We will always support independent retailers who are at constant threat, so I am still going out and handdelivering supplies so that they can still operate. We’re always ready to take on more stockists, it’s the heart of this country, and I’ll always support them. Looking to the future, we have more ranges, more colours, more limited editions – so watch this space!
www.frenchicpaint.co.uk