Gallery goes back to source

One-stop supplier Gallery Direct offers a wealth of outdoor furniture and furnishings, much of which is manufactured overseas. With the easing of international travel restrictions, Gallery’s interepid team has worked hard to renew and evolve its global partnerships and products, with impressive results, reports outdoor furniture category manager, Carole

Nolan …

Prior to Covid, overseas visits were the usual, and preferred, way for Gallery Direct to source and develop new collections across its product categories (except, of course, its UK-manufactured lines). Through this process, the Gallery team had built up strong relationships with suppliers, and established offices in key manufacturing centres in China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam, to give the business more control over supply chain and quality.

The pandemic temporarily put paid to these trips – but with ongoing product development key to its success, Gallery found new ways of working with suppliers to ensure it could still deliver new products.

Although not as easy as in-person visits, Gallery’s established relationships and overseas offices meant it was still able to launch extensive new collections over the last couple of years.

The beginning of 2023 saw overseas travel fully back on the cards for Gallery, which embarked on visits to several countries, sourcing new lines for its 2024 collection. As well as product development, these visits have enabled the team to reconnect with established suppliers and to find new companies, building relationships with them ‘from the off’.

Gallery expects high standards from suppliers, from both product quality and ethical perspectives, and has a strict code of practice that its factories must adhere to, in addition to legislation. The supplier’s QC team regularly carry out site inspections to ensure compliance and to monitor quality of production and finished products.

Tom Hudson, head of quality, has already had his responsible sourcing team working with the new factories to ensure they meet Gallery’s ethical standards before production begins, and has been visiting them to ensure the high standards and quality assurances are met.

Carole Nolan, category manager – outdoor furniture, recently travelled overseas to develop Gallery’s Outdoor Living 2024 Collection. She says: “It was fantastic getting back out to source. Developing new products remotely is OK, but you can’t beat getting out to the factories to work with suppliers face to face, and to touch and feel the products.

“On my recent trip, I was able to tweak designs whilst I was there, to give us exactly what we wanted. We had developed the outline of the new collection before I went, but whilst there, I selected the final range, materials used and colour options. By being on-site with suppliers, I made spot changes to improve the designs further, which I then checked and reviewed before the trip was over. This gives us control down to small details, which is nowhere near as easy to do via online meetings.

“We had one chair, for example, where I wanted to change the design to add extra functionality with a footrest. Initially, the supplier said it couldn’t be done, but by looking at the chair in detail, explaining my idea and talking it through with them, within a couple of days they had found a solution. If I’d been doing the development by Zoom, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Gallery’s Outdoor Living 2024 Collection will feature a wide variety of materials and styles, from contemporary to traditional, with a range of price points to suit different budgets, including some high-value pieces offering affordable quality. The new collection will include bistro, dining, lounge and casual dining sets, along with daybeds and loungers.

Carole continues: “I’m really excited about our 2024 collection, which features a big splash of colour. As well as exclusive designs for ourselves, we have done some different ones for major clients. We had phenomenal sales on our 2023 collection, with our entire season’s stock sold out early on some lines, and we are anticipating next year’s range will be just as well received. We will be launching it to our customers at the end of June, with open days at our Sittingbourne showroom, to give them the chance to pre-order to make sure they don’t miss out.”

The Champillet dining table from Gallery Direct features an unusual yet attractive oval shape, and an eye-catching radial design for the top. The built-in lazy Susan is inset so it is the same height as the tabletop for added practicality.

Designed to work perfectly with the table are two benches, and both echo the curve of the top – one features an elegant high back, while the other is backless.

All the pieces are crafted from teak, which is an ideal material for outdoor furniture because of its incredible durability and water resistance.

Home Junction

www.homejunction.co.uk

For 2023, Home Junction has introduced three new models of rattan furniture that promise to impress.

The Hazel is a versatile, aluminium-framed corner sofa with a rising table that boasts a Polywood top, providing both functionality and style. This sofa is suitable for entertaining guests or relaxing with friends, and its unique design means the table height can be adjusted to suit.

The Melody is a high-value corner sofa with a rising dining table that offers comfort and convenience. The sofa seats up to nine people and comes with a matching table that can be raised to dining height.

Bluebone’s bestselling garden sets are back this summer, and ready for immediate delivery.

The four-piece Monterray conversation set offers a contemporary aesthetic with slate-grey para-cord arms and matching cushions. The Scandi dining and bar sets, meanwhile, each comprise a table and four comfortable umpire-style chairs with arms.

All sets are now available at permanently lower prices, with special summer offers available for bulk buys. Bluebone’s extensive range of indoor/outdoor furniture is also a strong summer option – it includes three new solid teak side tables that will weather outdoors to a ghostly grey.

The higher-end Halley, a “premium-quality” corner sofa with aluminium frame and modular sections, provides “unparalleled comfort and luxury”, says Home Junction. Its modular design allows users to create a seating arrangement that perfectly fits their space.

All sets are currently in stock for collection, or direct home delivery using BJS’ two-man service. Anyone interested in becoming a Home Junction customer, or simply seeking more information, can email wholesale@homejunction.co.uk or call 0800 999 1401.