Interiors Monthly

October 2015

In the Aisles

The Flooring Show

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Andrew Kidd EDITOR

Transformers The past few weeks have seen moves that will change interiors retailing and the supply of furniture and flooring.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit John Lewis’s transformed home department at its flagship Oxford Street, London store, do take a look when you can. In fact, take a long look.

After eight months of work and a £14m investment, the chain has created a space that shows how products – across furniture, flooring, lighting, accessories and housewares – can be displayed together and flow from one department to the next (see page 22). It sets a new standard for retailing interiors in central London.

Another month and another acquisition by Victoria. Adding Duralay, Tredaire and Gripperrods owner Interfloor to the group (or should that now be empire?) marks another stage in the transformation of Victoria under

Geoff Wilding’s leadership (see page 6).

And he’s not finished yet. In the document to shareholders outlining the £44.5m of shares to be created to help pay for the deal (increasing the number of shares by a fraction under a fifth) Wilding makes it clear that ‘there continues to be good opportunities to continue to grow earnings in the UK and abroad via further carefully scrutinised, high quality acquisitions’.

I expect many companies have been doing their best to boost profitability in hope of a telephone call from Kidderminster.

Another transformation is that of Radford Furniture into the £20m turnover Nathan Furniture Group. Chairman Nicholas Radford has outlined his hopes to increase UK manufacturing on the back of adding the three Morris brands and why the fourth, G Plan, didn’t fit NFG’s plans (see page 46).

By now you’ll know the winners of the Bed Show Awards. This year’s judging session was the longest yet, which demonstrated the high quality of the entrants in all the categories: including several companies that were very close to being finalists. And there may be a transformation of those awards as well for 2016. Watch this space.

Editor: Andrew Kidd October 2015

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

Furniture advertising (South): Tim Boden T: 01732 441 130 E: tboden@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

In the Aisles

The Flooring Show

OUT NOW!

New Look John Lewis

Invictus: soft carpet, invincible performance www.carpetyourlife.com

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

Carpet, flooring, lighting and accessories advertising: Joanne Paull T: 01732 441 130 E: jpaull@interiorsmonthly.co.uk

Published by Interiors Media Limited Minerva House, Kinnings Row, Bordyke, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1NP T: 01732 441 130 F: 01732 362 919 E: enquiries@interiorsmonthly.co.uk Registered in England no. 6397722 Print: Knockout Print Design by TSS DIGITAL © Interiors Media Limited ISSN 1756-2236

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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CONTENTS

INTERIORS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS 6

Victoria buys again

10

Dreamworks Beds sold to Gallery Direct

14

Fitter jailed for fraud and theft offences

FEATURES 22

Retail John Lewis has transformed the home department of its flagship store

32

Best of British Home-grown stars

40

Carpet The bestsellers of 2015 so far

46

Living and dining New beginnings for Morris brands

52

LVT Being on-trend

56

Upholstery Baxter celebrates 25 years

62

Home entertainment Interior design meets technology

68

Design The Danish influence

70

Review Autumn Long Point, MoOD and stand roundup of The Flooring Show

REGULARS 16

New products

20

Service

NEXT ISSUE The Flooring Show review The Bed Show review Interiors exhibition guide

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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NEWS

Victoria seals Interfloor buy Victoria has continued its acquisition policy, buying underlay and accessory manufacturer Interfloor from Milestone Capital, Hutton Collins Partners and Interfloor’s management.

The deal gives Interfloor an enterprise value of £65m.

Victoria is issuing £44.5m of shares to fund the buy and to increase working capital.

In the year to 30 May 2015, Interfloor had sales of £72.29m, up 5% and EBITDA of £10.02m, up 49%.

‘This is an exciting development for Interfloor and we welcome the opportunity of continuing to deliver strong, long-term growth by being part of the enlarged group,’ says John Cooper, Interfloor ceo.

‘We believe that Interfloor, as the market-leader, will be an excellent addition to the group, bringing the complementary established underlay brands of Tredaire and Duralay in alongside our growing portfolio of wellrespected carpet and hard flooring brands. In the UK, Interfloor and Victoria share many of the same customers and there will be significant opportunities to capitalise on this,’ says Geoff Wilding, Victoria executive chairman.

‘In line with our other recent acquisitions, the acquisition will be materially earnings enhancing and value creating for shareholders. Working in conjunction with the very

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Interfloor also distributes Meister in the UK

experienced operational management team at Interfloor, we expect to be able to drive operational efficiency improvements in future years,’ he says.

As a result of the share placing the Business Growth Fund will own 2.01% of Victoria, its first shareholding in the group. Last September BGF loaned Victoria £10m as it bought Abingdon.

Victoria told shareholders ‘there continues to be good opportunities to continue to grow earnings in the UK and abroad via further carefully scrutinised, high quality acquisitions.’

AIS winners

Accolades for bed industry

Eyers of Chesterfield and Stockers have been named AIS Retailers of the Year.

Eyers topped the lower turnover category ahead of William Hill and Beadle Crome Interiors, while Stockers topped the larger turnover category ahead of Fishpools and Sterling Furniture. The retailer awards are voted for by AIS suppliers.

In the supplier awards, Alstons won the upholstery award for the fifth year, ahead of Parker Knoll and Himolla.

Baker Furniture won the cabinet award for the first time, with Unique Furniture second and TCH third.

Hypnos won Bed Supplier of the Year, followed by Harrison Beds and Tempur.

Alstons, Baker and Hypnos also qualified for the AIS Gold Standard Award for service and quality along with Andrena Furniture, Ashwood Designs, Breasley, Celebrity, Dreamwork Beds, Duresta, Harrison Beds, Kaymed, Rauch, Relyon, Sherborne, Sweet Dreams, Tempur, Value Mark, Venjakob and Vi-Spring.

Furniture Village was hailed as the Multiple Bed Retailer of the Year and Newbridge Street Bedding Centre Independent Bed Retailer of the Year at last month’s Bed Industry Awards.

Second time winner Furniture Village demonstrated a strong commitment to developing its bed business and delivered a strong performance over the past 12 months, significantly increasing sales and average order values.

The sudden, tragic loss of Newbridge Street Bedding Centre’s founder last year might have seen the demise of the business. Instead it has inspired the management team to try even harder.

Interiors Monthly October 2015

On the back of customer research, it has reengineered its focus from the ground up, pressed the reset button and seen strong development in its new direction.

Mattress Online was named as Bed Etailer of the Year. The company is making good headway in a tough market, with a strong focus on good customer service and taking account of wider issues such as the environment.

The Bed Manufacturer of the Year prize went to Harrison Spinks which, in the past 12 months, has seen further developments in its spring technology.

Full details and the Bed Show review in the November issue.

Wool league fixture: The Campaign for Wool is to debut a wool flooring event in London next March.

Wool Floorshow London will take place at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge stadium on 23-24 March.

Around 20 exhibitors are expected to take part, while there will also be a carpet showcase displaying wool trends, along with awards. The organisation has also unveiled a collection of POS products for retailers.

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The collection comprises six fashionable ranges – Adoration, L’amour, Illusions, Seduction and Splendour, with Serenity taking pride of place as the best selling option, featuring a deep pile Saxony finish. All variants are available in 4m and 5m widths and more choices are planned for the collection as it increases in popularity.

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Still going strong after twenty years That’s our commitment with iSense. Offering a full FREE 20-year wear warranty means that we are confident that an iSense carpet will not wear out – even when it’s been in constant use for twenty years. And in the unlikely event of a problem within that time we’ll replace it free of charge.

We can make this claim because our special polyamide yarn is a fantastically strong and resilient fibre.

As long as your customers treat their iSense carpet with respect and look after it, it will always maintain its original new-look appearance. Sweet dreams are made of iSense.

NEWS

Ziemniaks to retire after sale Peter and John Ziemniak are retiring from the bed industry following the sale of Dreamworks Beds to Gallery Direct.

‘The uniting of two strong businesses, which are ambitious, progressive and financially secure, is good news for our employees and clients alike,’ says Peter Ziemniak, Dreamworks md.

After more than 40 years in the industry, he says it is time for retirement, but that Dreamworks Beds should keep moving forward under new ownership and leadership.

‘When we met Gallery Direct we felt immediately that these were people who shared our passion for quality, customer service and running a good and fair business. We set out to be a business that customers enjoyed trading with and we believe that Gallery shares this ethos. Dreamworks Beds has just closed the books on another record year and is growing strongly, so it’s the right time for John and I to hand over. It’s been an honour and a pleasure at Dreamworks Beds, although sometimes very tough, to have achieved all the things we have done as a team,’ he says Peter Delaney, Gallery Direct md, says: ‘The Dreamworks Beds team produces well-designed, great value quality products that are handmade in the UK and delivered within an incredible two to three weeks. I am confident that both businesses will be able to work closely together to deliver benefits to both companies and their respective customers.’

NDB continues

HRG bought the Habitat brand and its three London stores in 2011

Habitat growth Habitat is to increase its retail space by 25% by the end of December. It has 66 concessions within Homebase branches and plans to have 80 by the end of 2015.

The number of concessions has risen this year as parent company Home Retail Group looks to make use of excess space at Homebase: in March there were 35 concessions.

‘There will be ongoing investment into the brand. Now is a good time as retail spend is growing again and people feel more confident to take on bigger projects in the home,’ says Clare Askem, Habitat md.

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Graduate design competition New Design Britain is moving to Decorex, following the demise of the May Design Series exhibition. The awards were first at Interiors UK in 2001, moving to MDS in 2014.

‘We are now seeing more support than ever from the industry, and the move to Decorex signifies a step up for the programme,’ says Allie Little, NDB programme curator.

Interiors products account for 83% of Laura Ashley sales

Interiors boost Laura Ashley sales Strong furniture and home accessories growth has seen Laura Ashley lift UK retail sales in the past six months.

In the six months to 1 August furniture (upholstery, cabinet, beds and mirrors) accounted for 31% of its £125.5m sales; home accessories (lighting, gifts, bedlinen, rugs, throws, cushions and children’s accessories) made up 29%; decorating 23% and clothing 17%.

Furniture sales increased by 8.8%, which the chain attributed to widening its offer and described it as ‘an extremely impressive performance considering the many new entrants to market over the past two years in this category.’

Home accessories sales rose by 8.2%. ‘Significant growth was achieved by lighting, bedlinen and gift ranges, all of which significantly outperformed the market. Early indications are that this growth will continue into autumn/winter 2015.’

Decorating sales were up by 2.1%, with made to measure curtains, readymade curtains and paint the bestsellers.

Despite the rise in interiors sales, which contrasted a 5% drop in clothing sales, pre-tax profits dropped by £100,000 to £8.4m as franchise and licensing revenue fell from £17.1m to £11.7m, attributed to problems in the Japanese economy and the political and economic difficulties of Russia and Ukraine.

Online sales rose by 4.5% and now make up 19% of sales.

Upholstery niggles come fifth Upholstery is the fifth most complained about product, according to Citizens Advice. The organisation received 9,031 complaints in England and Wales between July 2014 and June 2015.

This was only topped by complaints about secondhand cars from

independent car dealers (50,072); mobile phone contracts and handsets (21,019); car services and repairs by independent garages (10,847) and domestic building work (9,638). The figures compare to 34,000 complaints about furniture, a drop of 5%, in January to March 2015.

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NEWS Winners: Newly appointed shadow minister for young people and voter registration and MP for Ashfield Gloria De Piero, presented Julian Bowen founder Julian Bowen with the company’s Interiors Monthly Best Furniture Wholesaler and Best Customer Service (Furniture) Awards at its Kirkby-inAshfield showroom last month.

More sign up for JFS The number of companies agreeing to exhibit at 2016’s January Furniture Show continues to increase.

Daro, Heritage Furniture, Contempo, Indian Hub, Panacea, Slumbernights, Indus Valley, EFS, Highgate Beds, CLX, Classic Furniture, and Peressini are among new participants for the 24-27 January show.

Those returning include GCL, Global Home, Wire Lamps and Annaghmore Agencies. The Malaysian Furniture Council has also taken more than 500sqm.

Carpet fitter jailed over £85,000 fraud A carpet fitter has been jailed for 39 months after conning people, mainly his customers, out of almost £85,000.

Martin Horn, 56, of Forest Hall, North Tyneside, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and 10 of theft at Newcastle Crown Court on 7 September.

James Adkin, prosecuting, said the first seven fraud charges related to seven victims who Horn conned between 2010 and 2013.

‘There were a number of victims who were subject to the fraudulent activities of this defendant. It took a similar format to a Ponzi-style scheme. The defendant invited individuals, often elderly, to invest in his business. The money was actually used by the defendant probably for gambling purposes. He would use money from some victims to pay-off others to keep the system running,’ he said.

The court heard Horn’s first victim was an 83-year-old woman who he met after befriending her husband at a bookmakers.

He persuaded her to invest £10,150 into his carpet and flooring business but instead spent the money.

Horn befriended his second victim while renovating his home. He took £14,000 with the promise of large returns.

Next, he targeted a property rental businessman, who he persuaded to invest about £4,800 so he could buy materials for his company.

The court heard that the fourth victim has since died. Horn fitted flooring to the 80-year-old’s home in 2011 and persuaded him invest £27,630 into Horn’s business.

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

The next three victims were a retired man and a mortgage adviser he befriended in a betting shop and a grandmother he fitted carpets for.

Adkin told the court Horn was arrested after some of his victims reported him but he went on to commit further offences while on bail. He befriended the next victim in a betting shop in March 2014 and on a number of occasions Horn persuaded him to lend him cash to pay for materials.

Again, Horn was arrested and interviewed but released on bail.

His final victim was a 92-year-old woman he had fitted carpets for three years earlier.

‘In May 2015, the woman was poorly. The defendant visited her on several occasions and looked after her. She was unable to go shopping and the defendant volunteered to shop for her. He persuaded her to give him her bank card and pin number,’ Adkins told the court.

As well as buying the woman’s groceries, Horn took £2,450 from her account, which she later noticed when she checked her bank statements.

Sentencing Horn, who has previous convictions from 1994 for similar offences, recorder Mark McKone said: ‘Not only do these people lose out financially and lose money they can’t afford to, it has a real impact on how they feel about their fellow citizens when they are duped in this way.’

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said Horn had been a hard-working carpet fitter for 30 years but had been consumed by his gambling addiction, for which he had now sought help.

John Lewis reshuffle John Lewis has reshuffled its senior management team as it looks to closer integrate its online and store operations.

Andrew Murphy moves to the new role of group productivity director after five years as retail director responsible for the 42 stores.

Mark Lewis, online director, becomes retail director while retaining his responsibility for online operations. ‘The move will allow John Lewis to accelerate the full integration of its channels and lead the next generation of omnichannel retails,’ says Sir Charlie Mayfield, John Lewis Partnership chairman.

Dino Rocos, operations director, will see omnichannel customer ordering, contact handling and health and safety added to his responsibilities for supply chain and merchandising.

Paula Nickolds, buying and brand director, becomes commercial director.

Craig Inglis, marketing director, is named customer director, adding responsibility for end-to-end customer experience to his marketing and customer insight roles.

‘The rapid rate of change in retail is set to continue and therefore the time is right for us to develop the thinking that will help sustain the partnership in the next generation,’ says Sir Charlie.

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1 Lano’s A Taste of Luxury brings couture style to retailers. Launched with two POS units showcasing SmartStrand and SmartStrand Silk qualities, A Taste of Luxury redefines the manufacturer’s premium offering and is set to be expanded with wool, bamboo and high-end polyamide carpets for 2016. Pictured is SmartStrand Silk Bella Donna.

Visit: www.lano.com 2 Enjoying the ease of living afforded by 100% Easy Clean fibre, Greystoke from Crown Floors, creates a relaxed feel in any interior, a luxurious cut pile carpet with broad appeal. In 12 twotone heather colourways, Greystoke is made from a resilient two-ply yarn that also adds extra softness.

Tel: 0800 077 3301 3 Listed on the Quick-Step website, www.quick-step.co.uk, Academy for Excellence in Flooring Master Installers now number several

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

hundred, but with demand for their services at an all time high, the academy encourages installers who want a professional advantage to do the three-day Master Installer course.

Visit: www.quick-stepacademy.co.uk 4 Using specially developed polyamide yarns with a high number of superfine filaments, Satino carpet is soft and has a silk-like sheen. Balta has developed the Satino Royale and Satino Romantico cut pile saxonies for the UK market in 2,500g per sqm and 1,650g per sqm weights respectively.

Tel: 00 32 5662 2211 5 Floorwise’s Big Bonanza promotion, which runs to 30 November, offers Marks & Spencer vouchers on purchases of its underlay, Diamond Gripper, or F599 spray adhesive. Vouchers range from £5 to £20 depending on the purchase.

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Reasons to love Aevita fibre...

• Made from 100% recycled plastic bottles • Sumptuously soft for a more luxurious feel • Tough and easy to clean, the ideal family carpet

Launched at The Flooring Show, we’ll be bringing brand new Aevita ranges in dedicated point of sale units. These innovative displays will help to translate all the benefits of Aevita fibre that’s made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Sumptuously soft, tough and easy to clean, Aevita fibre makes for the ideal family carpet.

Register your interest on these new ranges and point of sale units by contacting gordonvhugo@googlemail.com.

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NEW PRODUCTS

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6 Louis de Poortere’s Mosaiq contemporary rug collection comes in eight sizes for optimum versatility, and five vivacious hues from the statement Red Max and Blue Jeans to the understated beige and grey shades. It is woven on Wilton looms from 100% cotton chenille.

Visit: www.louisdepoortere.com 7 F&X Carpets, through its Himalaya brand of pure wool, wool-rich and wool-blend carpets, offers retailers an energetic collection of styles including an assortment of twist, loop and multi-level loop piles and coordinated stripes that it hopes will ensure wool’s positive performance messages are

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

reinforced to home owners across the UK. Tel: 07976 607 657 8 Steve Jones, Kenrick md, says problems of castors bending, breaking or damaging flooring are becoming more common and specifiers need to be aware of potentially inferior products and should seek out genuine castors that have passed stringent industry testing. Its Orbit and Shepherd castors have passed BS EN 12527 and BS EN 12528.

Visit: www.kenricks.co.uk 9 Kahrs’ Smaland Collection features a dynamic timber surface with an unique

composition of knots, graining and cracks. Its rustic, undulating appearance is complemented with a range of surface treatments creating a multi-faceted surface for the 2,420mm x 187mm x 15mm planks.

Visit: www.kahrs.com 10 Genius is Lano’s latest style to be crafted from 100% Eccelena yarn, celebrating the trend for contemporary luxurious finishes in the home. In a suite of on-trend greys and sophisticated taupes, super-soft Genius has a silk-like look enhanced by a fine 1/10th gauge construction and two-ply yarn for better recovery and resilience.

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SERVICE

Richard Renouf

Go and have a look Home visits are essential to deal with complaints There’s only one question that needs to be answered when you are dealing with a complaint. It’s a simple one, and you don’t need a degree in furniture making or fitting floors to be able to answer it.

But you do need first-hand knowledge that you won’t get while you’re working in your store, warehouse or sourcing products. And you won’t get it by sending someone else and listening to their opinion when they report back.

You need to go to the customer’s home and have a look for yourself. This is a worthwhile use of your time because it will resolve the issue most quickly and improve your knowledge and understanding as you deal with new and potential customers.

It’ll be tempting, of course, to send someone else. After all, they may be more experienced than you are. Or you may be too busy. Or you may be afraid the customer will be difficult to deal with. Or it’ll be so much easier (but not quicker) just to get the manufacturer to send someone to look. Or you haven’t been trained to do home visits. Or [insert your own excuse here].

If you’re tempted to do the home visit,

Without home visits you won’t know the facts

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

take someone with you so you can learn from them. But if you’re responsible for resolving the complaint, don’t let them visit without you.

When I worked for a major national flooring retailer it was company policy for the store manager to do a home visit for every product complaint. It was not easy to enforce, but if a manager rang for help resolving a difficult complaint we always asked if they’d done a home visit and, if not, insisted that they did. Why? So they could talk to us with direct knowledge and not someone else’s opinion.

It made a huge difference and managers quickly learned that a short visit usually meant a resolved complaint without the need to refer the issue, and they each asked the same question every time they went out and based their response to the customer on the answer they came up with.

There are independent experts who can help with the more difficult or less common issues, or where a customer won’t accept your opinion (usually a result of the way a complaint has been handled rather than because of the issue

they’ve complained about). They’ve only gained their experience and expertise by visiting complaints themselves, and they’ve used the same benchmark question to help them assess and advise on every issue.

So, what’s the question?

If I was the customer and this was my home, would I be happy with this product?

A home visit will give you valuable information about the product, the customer, and the environment in which the product has been used. Armed with that information – which is more than the customer will share with you in-store – you can make an informed and rational decision. What’s more, even if you have to reject the complaint the customer will feel you’ve taken it seriously and have first-hand knowledge of their issues.

They’re more likely to be in a relaxed and receptive frame of mind. At the least, the customer won’t be able to say: ‘Well, how do you know, you’ve not seen it?’

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

9am - 7pm | Brussels Expo Heysel www.furniturefairbrussels.be

Sun 8 - Wed 11 Nov 2015

RETAIL Sarah Bagner (left) and Tom Raffield (bottom) are among those who have designed Creative Spaces Below: Head of Design recommends interiors themes

Rooms with a view to sell John Lewis has transformed its flagship

Oxford Street home department

In numbers

8 months in development 294 staff work in the department with a combined 3,354 years of experience 650 different lights 5,000 wallpaper designs 12,500 different curtain fabrics 94,000sqft makes it the largest home department in central London 100,000 different combinations of sofa shapes and fabric

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

New Perspectives Heimtextil brings together all the most exciting innovations in textile interior design under one roof. Only here will you find more than 2,700 exhibitors from all over the world showcasing such a comprehensive and high-quality range of products and ideas. High-calibre events on key industry topics, including sustainability, provide additional inspirations. And with the theme park “Well-Being 4.0” Heimtextil offers unique insights into the trends of 2016/2017. Come to the industry’s leading international trade fair – in 2016 from Tuesday through Friday.

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12 – 15. 1. 2016

RETAIL

Top left: More than 39,000 products are stocked Top right: View as you enter the home department: the trellis on the wall and ceiling links aisles to the till Left: Oxford Street stocks Liberty fabrics Right: Fitted kitchen studio Below: Cushion wheel

There is a lot you can do with £14m: buy 56 new Rolls-Royce Dawn convertibles or Southampton footballer Virgil Van Dijk (and have some change), refurbish 40 trains or buy a three-bedroom flat overlooking Monte Carlo harbour. John Lewis instead spent it on refurbishing its 94,000sqft home department at its flagship London store in Oxford Street.

The intention is to bring products together so shoppers can furnish entire rooms – all rooms including kitchens and bathrooms – rather than say, just buy a sofa or rug.

There are 25 roomsets across two floors, all beautifully dressed to allow shoppers to easily imagine the display as their room. The products, such as

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

RETAIL

tables and crockery, are also on display in their own departments, with 39,000 stocked lines.

In the lighting department there are 650 models on display. The fabric section – with a mushroom seating area decorated with large lengths of fabrics – offers 125,000 fabrics including Liberty designs and 12,500 curtain fabrics. It is the first time Liberty fabrics have been stocked in a department store other than its own. There are more than 100,000 upholstery combinations through its Sofa Studio and the store has the chain’s first Rug Gallery, where shoppers can design their own rugs. Augmented reality is used to allow customers to visualise on their phone or tablet pieces of furniture in situ.

The refurbishment has also allowed the retailer to show its

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Top: The lighting department has 650 products, including those by Tom Dixon and Tom Raffield Above: Rug Studio Right: House by John Lewis roomset Below: West Elm has two areas in the store

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RETAIL

Top left: Tom Raffield designs are in the lighting department Top right: Fusion roomset Above: Scandi roomset Left: Coastal roomset Below: More than 100,000 upholstery combinations are available

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

commitment to design with four Creative Spaces by Timorous Beasties, Tom Raffield, Antoni & Alison and Sarah Bagner to ‘inspire and entertain’ shoppers. The fifth Creative Space shows the work of eight Bucks New University students who designed desks as part of a brief from John Lewis Design Studio designer Charlie Fowler.

There is also a giant Head of Design where customers can complete a threeminute psychometric test to create a curated moodboard of recommended colours, textures, and styles, along with a core interior design theme based on the user’s selections.

All of this has created a space that sets new standards for city centre interiors retailing and flows from department to department without confusing shoppers.

Visit: www.johnlewis.com

Why so many retailers ask a 101-year-old to help them retire.

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Our copyrighted retirement sales plan can generate 50% or more of your store’s annual sales volume in 30 to 60 days. This provides the funds necessary for you to leave your business with peace of mind while you pursue your next “career.”

To learn more, call the Lynch Sales Company today for a complete outline, including a copy of our easy-to-understand, one-page contract, or visit www.LynchSales.co.uk

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BEST OF BRITISH

Five star service Brintons products are featuring in upmarket hotels, stores and competitions Department store chain Harvey Nichols recently reopened its Birmingham store after a refurbishment, which included a duo of specially designed rugs from Brintons.

The store, which has doubled in size to 45,000sqft, commissioned the Kidderminster-based company to create two bespoke hand-tufted rugs for its ground floor spa area and its customer lounge on the mezzanine level.

‘It was important that every aspect of the store was sleek and stylish, with a definite wow factor. Our designers Virgile + Partners were set the brief of reimagining the store as if it was a five star hotel, one that created a real experience for our guests. Virgile + Partners worked closely with Brintons to bring the vision we had for the store to life, and the attention to detail in the rugs, as well as their unique designs, truly offers luxury underfoot,’ says Richard Vickery, Harvey Nichols store manager.

Brintons has also designed and supplied a custom made carpet to the opulent Beach Rotana hotel in Abu Dhabi to create a royal feel in its ballroom.

Inspired entry

Beach Rotana’s ballroom carpet

One of the Harvey Nichols commissioned rugs

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Hotel management company Rotana appointed Brintons to supply carpet for the 1,100sqm Thuraya Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 1,200 guests at the flagship hotel.

The company was asked to turn a simple geometric pattern into a contemporary design, with colours such as gold and purple specified to move away from usual Arabic schemes and instead reflect more traditionally regal and classic interiors.

‘In the carpet we introduced a small wave in the geometric pattern to show a beach and sand effect to reflect its location, and these subtle adjustments lent themselves well to the hotel’s ambience and theme,’ says Tadek Kurasinski, Brintons business manager for the UAE. Visit: www.brintons.co.uk

Brintons’ Inspirations collection has been shortlisted in the contract product category of the SBID International Design Excellence awards.

Released in May, the collection has been designed based on three themes: tropical, geometric and architectural. Bright colours and geometric patterns were combined to create vibrant and overlapping designs, which inspired a range of mood boards that led to the final creation of 12 individual pieces.

Designs featuring decadent leaves in shades of purple and pink are contrasted against rippling designs in hues of blues and greys to create a collection that truly reflects the harmony of the three inspirations.

‘It is a really fantastic recognition for us to be shortlisted for such a renowned design award. The designers created the collection for people to be inspired by Brintons and to view how they put their inspirations into practice. It would be an absolute honour for us to win,’ says Sarah Draper, Brintons commercial marketing manager.

The winners will be announced on 27 November.

The new collection from Collins and Hayes for 2015 has been developed by the introduction of Stoop, a relaxed lounger offering deeply satisfying comfort and beautiful styling and attention to detail.

Come and see the new collection at the Minerva show, at our permanent showroom in Long Eaton or at our sunshine coast head ofmce.

For more information relating to our ranges and care instructions, refer to our web site:

www.collinsandhayes.com

BEST OF BRITISH Left: Miraform Below: Silentnight offers beds for all the family

Advances in comfort Silentnight’s latest mattress sees it enter the premium memory foam market Technology has long been at the heart of Silentnight’s innovations, and its latest mattress, Miraform, is its most technologically advanced to date.

The spring-free Miraform mattress features ergonomic zoning with microcavities designed to align the spine and provide pressure relief.

Consumers can choose the comfort layer to suit them, with a choice of Geltex or memory foam as Silentnight enters the premium foam market.

The memory foam option is for those who prefer its slow release body moulding properties, while Geltex is for those wanting a mattress to be instantly responsive.

The mattress complements a range of bases and headboards in a choice of fabrics so users can personalise.

‘We are always working hard to stay ahead of the game in the industry and bring the most technologically advanced products to market first, and Miraform is a great example of this. The specially engineered layers, ability to tailor the

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

comfort layer, and the ergonomic zoning results in an unrivalled comfort and quality sleep solution for consumers,’ says Nick Booth, Silentnight marketing director.

Miraform forms part of the Platinum

and Sapphire collections, along with Miracoil and Mirapocket mattresses.

Platinum will be for selected existing independent stockists while Sapphire will be available to AIS members.

Visit: www.silentnight.co.uk

Our latest achievement...

We’re proud to announce that our Classics 1200 Pocket Deluxe mattress has been awarded a Best Buy. describe it as being “one of the best-value mattresses we’ve tested”

Visit www.silentnight.co.uk

BEST OF BRITISH

Trust in tradition Pocket Spring Bed Company teams up with a charity for distinctive designs

Silentnight Group’s Pocket Spring Bed Company brand has partnered with The National Trust for its latest range.

Each pocket spring mattress in the National Trust Bed Collection comes in three comfort options from firm through to medium/soft, and 1,400, 2,000, 2,800, and 4,000 pocket spring choices. The hand-crafted divan bases and traditional design luxurious headboards offer six fabric colours inspired by the gardens and grounds of National Trust properties.

Aimed at a more affluent consumer, the range includes a mattress design of a flower from Virginia Woolf’s former home Monk’s House, near Lewes, East Sussex.

‘We recognise there is demand for stylish and luxury bed products within the market and have invested significantly in the research and development of this new range. What’s more, it has the backing of a much loved, 120-year-old iconic brand, the National Trust,’ says Nick Booth, Pocket Spring Bed Company marketing director.

‘We were delighted to collaborate with the Pocket Spring Bed Company on this collection. Every sale will help support the National Trust’s work as a conservation charity looking after special places forever, for everyone,’ adds Clare Brown, National Trust head of brand licensing.

Visit: www.pocketspringbed.co.uk www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

There is a choice of four mattresses including Penrose 4000 (above) and Biddulph 1400 (below) and various storage options

Our Heritage Collection offers affordable luxury and exquisite style and has been awarded Good Housekeeping Institute approval for the 2nd year running!

To ďŹ nd your nearest leading independent retailer visit www.rest-assured.co.uk

BEST OF BRITISH

UK focus A shift away from imports Sweet Dreams is taking advantage of its recent growth to concentrate on its ownmanufactured beds.

The Burnley company invested in a £1m, 165,000sqft property earlier this summer, a former textile mill located in nearby Nelson. This will house the manufacturing operation for Sweet Dreams’ upholstered bedframes and for sister company Comfort Zone Sofas. As a result, more space will be dedicated to the manufacture of divans and mattresses at Primrose Mill in Burnley.

‘This shift away from imported furniture for upholstery makes obvious sense, given that sales of our own manufactured beds have risen by 25% to £17.1m in the past year. This has been achieved mainly by opening new accounts with national chains and by a

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Princess 4,000 Gel from the new Royal Pillowtop collection

significant increase in business with AIS customers,’ says Riaz Ahmed, Sweet Dreams founder and md.

‘We’ve taken decisions that have gradually meant we can concentrate most on what we do best: manufacturing our own divans, mattresses and bedframes.’

It has continued its move into highest quality beds with the Royal Pillowtop collection. The four models offer pocket

springs in the main part of the mattress and a pillowtop with its own mini-spring system, and a choice of fillings including memory foam, latex and gel.

Royal Pillowtop divans, all with various storage options, are offered with a fabricupholstered headboard to match the base. Branded footmats, pillowcases and totem banners are an option for showroom models.

Visit: www.sweetdreamsuk.com

Our British furniture manufacturers are committed to providing the highest levels of comfort, safety and quality to their customers - just three of the traits that make out Great British furniture ‘great’.

IT IS furniture for any age, style, budget or taste. IT IS for the traditional, contemporary, classical or modern home and office and contract markets. IT IS desired and admired the world over.

ASK if IT IS British or look out for the label

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MR TOMKINSON 1 Tomkinson Twist 2 Cotswold 3 Bowland 40

Interiors Monthly October 2015

LANO 1 Startwist Collection (Edition, Supreme and Elite) 2 Heathertwist Collection (Supreme and Elite) 3 Pembridge

Fine Worcester Twist® This iconic range from Adam Carpets is now available in 10 new on-trend colours.

The new colours centre on two different styles, 'Cool & Urban' and 'Warm & Chic'.

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BALTA 1 Noble Collection 2 Gala 3 Stainsafe Moorland Twist

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FURLONG 1 Trident 2 Elegance 3 Chiltern

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ULSTER CARPETS 1 Grange Wilton 2 Dubai 3 Braeburn 42

Interiors Monthly October 2015

TCS 1 Inspired Moods 2 Inspired Delight 3 Inspired Silk

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CARPET

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AXMINSTER CARPETS 1 Devonia Teign Grey 2 Simply Natural GrossGrain Ash 3 Natural Plaid Eden Valley

3rd

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KINGSMEAD 1 Haddington Dunglas 2 Ayrshire Cumnock 3 Berber Loop Slate KERSAINT COBB 1 Pampus Nordic 2 Pampus Boucle 3 New Worlds 44

Interiors Monthly October 2015

More vibrant colours

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At Interoor we work continuously to deliver better products, better service and greater levels of customer satisfaction. We invest in improving desirability to increase sellability.

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LIVING AND DINING

Nathan Shades boat-shaped extending dining table and chairs in oak (left); glass top round coffee table in oak (above) and four-door sideboard in teak (below)

Moving to the top table Nicholas Radford hopes to be a major player after buying three Morris brands

Radford Furniture became Nathan Furniture Group when it purchased the Morris, Zone and Relaxateeze brands at the end of August, adding them to its Nathan and Sutcliffe collections. As part of the deal Robert Morris became a NFG director, with a 20% stake in the enlarged business, which has sales of £20m.

‘We were approached at the end of November to discuss the possibility of parts of the business which may be of interest. We discussed it again at the January Furniture Show and started to really talk about it seriously in March and April,’ says Nicholas Radford, NFG chairman.

The fourth Morris brand, G Plan Cabinets, was not part of the deal, with Sofa Brands International uniting the upholstery and cabinet brands.

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

‘We discussed G Plan. The issue with G Plan is, when it was first potentially maybe available, I was obviously excited about it. Of course, I would love to produce G Plan ranges,’ says Radford.

‘However, the problem is I already have two brands which grab that customer, so I would probably have decided to put everything under the G Plan name rather than keep the Nathan and Sutcliffe names, which would seem a bit of a shame. The more we thought about it, the more we thought G Plan is not for us.

There was too much overlap, all the customers being the same customer,’ he explains.

‘The advantage of what we have done is it gives us a much better opening to a better product. We already have the best.

It broadens our market appeal as a

group. It broadens our retail customers considerably. Nathan and Sutcliffe have 250-300 and they have 600 and there is only a 10% overlap. Three brands are profitable, we couldn’t have bought it unless they were.’

For NFG the size increase means it can consider boosting UK manufacturing.

‘That’s a very significant increase in market access: that’s what really interested us. It gets us into much more commercial product which we can use in the Nathan and Sutcliffe ranges. It also gives us the opportunity to manufacture something more volume orientated at Todmorden. This would allow us to perhaps invest in the factory and renew some manufacturing facilities,’ he says.

But, stockists will not see any immediate change: the next set of

LIVING AND DINING

Sutcliffe’s Trafalgar collection

new collections are already decided.

‘We’re not going to change anything to start with. First of all most of the products are coming from 16 weeks away from order to receipt, so what is set is set for us. The first time we’re going to be able to have a real impact on the group is probably at the Manchester Furniture Show next year. We’ve got new products in the pipeline because they were already pre-selected, but I think from our perspective you’re not going to see a new look group until Manchester.

We will be exhibiting all together at the NEC, so you’ll start to see small changes.’

Existing products will continue to be available. ‘It’s best to try to understand the DNA of what you’ve bought before trying to change anything,’ he says.

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

NFG will continue importing Morris, Zone and Relaxateeze ranges, with boosting UK production a medium-term ambition. Last year Radford Furniture looked at moving production to Burnley but lost out on the desired property and the required investment became so huge with a new build that it wasn’t sustainable unless it increased the size of the business.

‘The Morris purchase is part of that strategy to give us more scale and intermingle our current buying with some manufactured product. We might, for example, make the tables and cabinet here and import the chairs in a range that fits somewhere in Nathan, Sutcliffe and the top end of Morris.

‘At our end of the market we’re one of the last people standing and I think there is opportunity. I go round retailers and they say they’d like to see more furniture manufactured in the UK. The challenge is to have sufficient volume to be able to manufacture at the prices retailers really want,’ says Radford.

‘We have to absorb this enormous piece of business we’ve taken on and then look strategically at where we are.

From the time we can make a decision we’re probably a year away from moving into any factory, so we’re probably two years away from doing that if it became the plan. We definitely want to renew the manufacturing facilities and become a more modern and advanced manufacturing facility.’

Radford hopes the enlarged group will see ‘a significant improvement in financial performance. It made sense for us and made sense for Robert Morris. It could significantly catapult us to the next level.’

He hopes stockists feel the business has been sold to a well-established business with a good reputation for its existing brands, and Radford intends to bring the same level of service and commitment to the new business as it has given to Nathan and Sutcliffe ‘In what have been very difficult times, a lot of people might have shut the factory, we haven’t. We tend to try to commit to a strategy and stick to it, just because it’s got hot in the kitchen we haven’t got out. Over time it will pay dividends as people are genuinely looking for UK manufactured product which I hope will form part of the offering of the Morris brands going forward,’ he adds.

NFG, tel: 01706 811 299

SIESTA BEDS COMFORT & QUALITY ASSURED Est 1986

Sandringham 1,000 Quilted Pocketed Set

LIVING AND DINING

Contact

Variety Furniture Origins offers a diverse range

The direct container programme or wholesale purchases through Classic Furniture are supported by the Furniture Origins area managers: Mike Brown: Scotland, Cumbria, North East, and Yorkshire, tel: 07831 572 601 Alan Endersbee: North West, North Wales, Midlands, East Anglia, South East and Ireland, tel: 07809 196 019 Andrew Cavaciuti: South West, Avon, Wiltshire and South/Mid Wales, tel: 07500 830 888 Barry Webb, business development director, email: barry.webb@furnitureorigins. co.uk, tel: 07702 603 971

Furniture Origins has a wide range of looks in its offer, from the light oak Colorado to the traditional French styled Loire and the painted Georgia to the contemporary washed finished Liberty and the unique reclaimed elm Urban.

Top: Liberty Above left: Urban Above right: Loire Right: Colorado Far right: Georgia

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

dedicated

to your success

The COLORADO Dining and Bedroom collections. For enquiries, please contact barry.webb@furnitureorigins.co.uk or call: 07702 603971

LVT

Walk on the dark side Consumers are looking to make a statement

Left: Polyflor Affinity255 Above: Moduleo Transform Fazino Maple Right: Moduleo Transform Persian Walnut

‘While people have always loved being creative with interior decorating, they are now even getting inventive with flooring. Consumers are increasingly on the lookout to put their own stamp on their floors,’ says David Bigland, Moduleo UK md.

‘We have noticed that more and more consumers are looking to create definite divides in their floor. Large tiles in particular look fantastic when fitted with flooring strips, as they emphasise the size of each tile, create the feeling of greater space in larger rooms and make a bold statement in any room.’

Bigland says Moduleo’s Next Generation of products caters for an increasing shift towards darker flooring.

‘From our Blackjack Oak to our darker shades of Fazino Maple, dark woods and stones are increasing in popularity this winter.

‘Consumers are looking to make more of a statement with their floors than ever before, and as such parquet is a

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

significant trend this year,’ he adds.

To meet this need Moduleo has added a parquet option, available on all products in the Transform and Impress collections.

Polyflor has introduced Affinity255 LVT tiles to be used alongside sheet vinyl.

‘The Affinity255 blends effortlessly with our 2mm gauge heterogeneous, homogeneous and safety flooring ranges, such as Expona Flow PUR, Pearlazzo PUR and Polysafe Verona PUR. This makes it easy to create flowing pathways, zones and dual purpose areas within a building where different specifications of flooring need to be installed side by side, without the need for levelling trims between rooms,’ says Tom Rollo, Polyflor marketing manager.

With 16 wood wide plank designs straight laid, combined with other designs, or used with flooring accessories such as inlay strips, the range offers unlimited creative possibilities.

The collection has been developed for

heavy traffic commercial environments in sectors such as retail, leisure, office, housing, healthcare and education.

‘Affinity255 was designed with the needs of specifiers and flooring contractors in mind, allowing them the flexibility to combine this versatile LVT product with our other sheet vinyl floorcoverings for even more options when creating fit for purpose interiors,’ adds Rollo.

Visit: www.moduleo.co.uk Visit: www.polyflor.co.uk

Discover our new ranges...

LVT

No limits Signature offers so many choices Thanks to the in-house design capabilities, continual development and production processes at its Coventry factory, Amtico’s LVT collections push the boundaries of style, service and quality at every opportunity. The brand’s flagship Signature collection showcases the company’s more than 50 years of production and allows for almost endless design possibilities.

Signature collection offers a wide selection of flooring designs encompassing wood, stone and abstract finishes. With everything from concrete effects to complement the current grey decorating trend, to classic walnut and oak options which create a relaxed country look, there is something available to suit most interior schemes.

The designs are available in a variety of plank and tile sizes allowing each product to be cut, combined and installed with ease. Various laying patterns are possible – from this season’s enlarged herringbone design to traditional checker board options – making it easy to achieve a striking look whatever the size or space available. Once the finish and desired laying pattern have been chosen, customers can tailor their floor further by opting for a border or a personalised motif feature to both define and enhance the room.

Particularly suitable for kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and hallways, Signature offers a durable, stain resistant and low maintenance solution that is also warm underfoot and suitable for use with underfloor heating.

All Signature products carry a warranty of 35 years from

Mirabelle Creme and Slate Noire in checker board pattern with Bevelled diamond and offset stripe borders

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Wild Walnut Strip wood with Origami motif

installation, which is transferable to subsequent owners of the property.

Amtico provides a full suite of marketing materials to support retailers and an online sample service.

Visit: www.amtico.com

Sedimentary Grey Stone in Cross Grain pattern with Metro border and a Myron motif

View the collection at amtico.com or call 0121 222 1939 to find your local Sales Representative.

UPHOLSTERY 2006 Diana Chester Characterised by traditional shapes matched with a care for details, this sofa is handmade with a capitonné technique on the backrest.

1999 Voyager Box Dedicated to people who love travelling, the Voyager Box trunk becomes a real guardian of antique memories.

1997 Helen The armchair has a measured elegance with simple and neat shapes. The manufacturing processes that characterise it are hand-crafted and underline the beauty of the leather.

Classics

Baxter celebrates 25 years of upholstery Upholstery manufacturer Baxter selected 25 models for a gallery exhibition in Miami recently to mark its 25th anniversary, we highlight 15 of these.

Visit: www.baxter.it

1994 Bergere This product, the outcome of long and thorough analyses, meets most comfort and relaxation needs. Carved in Baxter’s tradition, its vaguely retro measured shapes give sensations of harmony, melting with the persuasive quality of Baxter’s leathers.

2002 Charlotte Longe A reinterpretation of classic design in modern key, the Charlotte Longe armchair is characterised by wide armrests and a reclined backrest for a relaxing seating. Wide, deep and enveloping, it is the evolution of the Charlotte armchair.

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Registered so far

Made in the UK

of Nor way

WARRANTY GROUP

The International Centre, Telford Tuesday 6th October 9.00am - 5.00pm th Wednesday 7 October 8.30am - 4.30pm

An event from

UPHOLSTERY 1997 Alfred One of the symbols that defined the most change in Baxter’s story, is undoubtedly represented by the Alfred sofa, especially in its vintage version, where the antiquing technique marks its uniqueness.

From that moment on, people no longer considered the more classic designs but rather a design with a soul and a story to tell.

2013 Dolly Dolly is an armchair conceived as an ideal seat both for home and contract use. Formal, neat, elegant with slender feet, upholstered and leather-covered, Dolly was designed to create a piece of classic but contemporary furniture. Its shape mixes the warmth of the wood structure with the tactile charm of leather.

2011 Amburgo Draga A reinterpretation of the Amburgo armchair with a decorative aspect. Each item becomes unique and recalls worlds and emotions that are far-off in time and space. Vegetable tanned leather upholstery is antiqued, hand-buffered and treated with vintage effect waxes. The final result of each product is unique.

2009 Budapest Soft Budapest Soft is the first sofa designed by Paola Navone for Baxter and remains the company’s bestseller, with an essential and modern design, but still characterised by an almost unexpected comfort and embracing seating. The leather is patinated and dyed as if it was a fabric, but it’s in the version with Plume leather with its greatest expression of softness and naturalness, that it reaches its highest splendour.

2014 Housse Housse is a sofa with classic shapes, enfolding you like a nest. Seat and backrest have large cushions with visible stitching. It also seems to be deep-buttoned but, instead, it is upholstered with smooth printed

leather.

58

Interiors Monthly October 2015

+DYH \RX HYHU WKRXJKW DERXW VHOOLQJ EOLQGV" 8VH 5RO OLWH¡V NQRZ KRZ WR EXLOG \RXU VDOHV Consider the facts � 15% of Rol-lite customers are independent carpet retailers like you. � Margins on blinds are often higher than carpets. � You will be selling to a captive market – customers who buy carpets are often looking for other furnishings. � 5HTXLUHV RQO\ WKH ¿WWLQJ DQG PHDVXULQJ VNLOOV \RX DOUHDG\ KDYH

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5RO OLWH GRHV HYHU\WKLQJ We manufacture a complete made to measure blind for you – all you have to do LV PHDVXUH VXEPLW WKH RUGHU DQG ¿W 7KLV LV QRW D IUDQFKLVH ZLWK KHDY\ ¿QDQFLDO and long term commitment. It is a business partnership where all we ask is that you purchase and display our range of fabric books - some unique to Rol-lite.

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UPHOLSTERY 2013 Rimini Hydro It’s an oversize deckchair, the first revolutionary leather product with which Baxter approached the world of outdoor.

This piece continuously evolves and is transformed by time, that will oxidise copper and age upholstery, manufactured with the special natural leather Hydro. It is a full-grain leather 3.6mm-3.8mm thick and 100% vegetable tanned, with the aid of water-repellent oils. The Hydro leathers, if exposed repeatedly to sunlight and rainwater, undergo an ageing process on the vegetable’s colour and fibre structure, which enhances their own naturalness. It is a leather that moves continuously and adapts to external influences.

2014 Dalma Infected by the enthusiasm that led the design of the 1950s to experiment with forms, colours and above all materials, Baxter challenged itself to develop a new way of interpreting the contemporary design.

Decoration that was once naive becomes a conscious act and integrates with forms.

There is a clear inspiration to Danish design, synonym of soft shapes, functionality and a new way of thinking.

2012 Monsieur This is an iconic tribute to the changeable and evasive bourgeois spirit that characterises our times. Chic and modern, but without excesses. It is an elegant, sober and sophisticated idea of living, which has nothing to share with formal atmospheres. Simple lines and sophisticated details, graceful

2009 Chester Moon The Chester Moon sofa was born from a reinterpretation of a classic model.

The design is able to sum up the importance of balance of the shape, still keeping its own simplicity despite the complexity of the techniques that

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2010 Damasco Deconstructed and oversized, with a soft and round shape, Damasco detaches from the traditional image of leather upholstery through a simplification of shapes and a youthful design; a real metamorphosis of leather, which is treated, patinated and dyed as if it was a fabric. The seating is comfortable and enveloping, characterised by upholstery sewed with the typical raw cut.

style and functional choices, to meet the real needs of the contemporary bourgeoisie, where people use their homes informally, like a space to live freely. Monsieur is accompanied by Belle De Jour cushions, with a unique manufacturing process, carried out with an exclusive technique of manual bending and pleating of leather to create different patterns.

characterise its realisation. It is a sort of joining-ring between past and new century. It draws inspiration from the past for what concerns the history of the hand-crafting techniques necessary for its development and it ties up the new century for its simple and neat lines.

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HOME ENTERTAINMENT Cedia’s 2015 awards recognised the best technology integrated homes

Get smart Technology will transform interior design Are you ready for the smart home?

Potential buyers, property developers and home owners are. Home technology is readily available to everyone and Forbes Magazine has predicted the growth curve of connected home devices is on track to beat that of smartphones and tablets over the next five years.

So it is now more important than ever for retailers and interior designers to understand smart home technology: the benefits, functions and aesthetics needed to provide the service expected by customers.

A collaborative relationship between design professionals and experts who install home technology is essential at the start of any project, with the planning stage determining the smooth-

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

running of the overall development.

The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association is an international trade organisation with a membership of some 3,500 companies that are specialists in the integration of electronic technology into the home.

They partner with design professionals and architects to maximise the lifestyle, function, aesthetic and efficiency benefits of the integrated home.

Cedia launched the Royal Institute of British Architects and British Institute of Interior Design accredited Designing Integrated Future Ready Homes continuing development programme in 2006, and has since worked with Cedia members to present the session to around 700 design professionals a year.

This education session provides an

understanding of the residential home technology market, explores the processes involved, and the advantages of working with a Cedia member at the start of a project.

In a bid to increase knowledge about new technology, the association has produced free literature including A Designer’s Guide to Common Tech Words and Phrases, Smart Home Recommended Wiring Guidelines and a video Guide to Smart Home Wiring, plus a client questionnaire to bring greater clarity to a customer’s home technology brief.

Cedia offers a finder service on its website to locate the nearest home technology professional. Users can search member companies by postcode, services, and certification.

Visit: www.cedia.org

Come and visit us at:

The Autumn Furniture Show

The International Centre, Telford 6–7 October 2015

THINKING CREATIVITY AWARDS

AWARDS 2011 WINNER 2015 WINNER

Great style comes in different sizes

General enquiries: +44 (0) 1282 425874 Email: sales@ukcf.co.uk 䊉 Web: www.ukcf.co.uk

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Sleek and practical UK-CF’s units combine style with functionality The G-S-180 wide TV cabinet is one of the larger units in UK-CF’s range, measuring 180cm x 44cm x 42.5cm.

Part of the UK-CF Ultimate collection, it is designed for anyone who needs a larger unit for TVs up to 65in while still retaining a sleek, designer look.

This stand features a matte black overall finish, with a highly polished 6mm tempered black glass top and two contrasting high gloss Milano woodeffect dropdown door fronts. These cupboards feature plenty of storage space, accommodating 50 CDs and 20 DVDs in a pullout shelf, as well as an organiser ideal for tidying away games’ controllers, remotes and iPhones/iPods and a lower drawer for extra storage.

This sits either side of a central shelf unit for displaying the satellite box and DVD player.

G-S-180 arrives assembled with the exception of the base, which requires simple assembly and click-to-fit attachment. The G-B-80 TV Bracket and G-Plate are sold separately.

The G-S-135 TV Cabinet is a sleek design TV unit designed for screens up to 52in with ample storage options and space. This stand is finished overall in matte black with a highly polished 6mm tempered black glass top and a high gloss damson dropdown door. The storage inside the unit features an organiser for tidying away controllers, phones, tablets and remote controls as well as a pullout rack for storage of up to 50 CDs plus space for up to 40 DVDs. An adjustable three-level central shelf is suitable for home entertainment equipment.

The G-BOX-135 Wall Unit is the ideal accompaniment to a TV stand for those who want an alternative place to store games and DVDs at a higher level tidied out of the way in two wide storage compartments.

Finished in a smooth matte black it features a contemporary high gloss Milano wood effect uplift door that lifts up and away to the ceiling for convenience rather than the usual dropdown.

Visit: www.uk-cf.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

G-BOX-135

G-S-180

G-S-135

High gloss Milano finish

ACCESSORIES

Natural beauty Swish’s latest collection focuses on wood Celebrating the beauty and warmth of real wood finishes, window decoration specialist, Swish, has added the Naturals collection of semi-gloss wooden curtain poles to its expanding range.

Designed to harmonise with flooring, kitchen units or wood furniture for a coordinated look, the five shades of the Naturals collection have been designed to give any room a natural beauty.

Natural Oak, Aged Oak and Antique Pine echo the lighter shades of the colour spectrum and add a fresh warmness to windows. The deeper shade of Dark Walnut is the ideal partner for antique furniture and beams while the Chestnut colourway complements heavier fabrics.

The poles come in 28mm or 35mm diameters with a choice of urn or ball finial designs.

Corresponding wall brackets and curtain rings are also included to ensure that transforming a window is made simple.

Each of the Naturals shades can be found in 1.5m to 3.6m poles.

Additional sets of curtain rings and matching holdbacks are also available separately.

Visit www.swish.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Naturals’ poles range from 1.5m to 3.6m long in five shades with a choice of urn or ball finials

INT8 INT8 NT8 NT T8

A luxurious semi-gloss wood grain finish inspired by Mother Nature www.swish.co.uk enquiries@sunflex.co.uk 01543 271421

DESIGN

A taste of Scandinavian design at its best Emerging in the mid-20th century, Scandinavian design is characterised by simplicity and functionality.

In the wake of the Second World War, the new design wave represented people’s desire to shape the past into something new. Traditional, recognisable forms were transformed into innovative products, representing the region’s hope for the future.

Making use of natural materials, neutral colours and sleek, clean lines,

Danish

Scandinavian design offers a certain homeliness. Respect for nature was paramount, with wood, granite, leather, wool and furs used sparingly to create a lasting impact. It strikes a balance between fancy and plain to be useful and evocative.

Industrialisation of Denmark, Sweden and Norway was relatively slow. While the rest of Europe was adopting new production processes, Scandinavia relied heavily on traditional methods,

preserving the region’s craftsmanship.

Its eventual industrialisation introduced new styles – traditional and modern combined, giving rise to Scandinavian design as it is known today.

While housed under one umbrella concept, characteristics of Scandinavian design vary from country to country.

Danish design is fluid, with its seafaring heritage, English Regency style and key Shaker furniture influences.

BØRGE MOGENSEN (1914 – 1972) was educated at Copenhagen’s College for Arts and Crafts. His dedication to practicality cemented his status as a leader of Danish design.

To ensure all his designs were fully functional, Mogensen researched human behaviour to discover what they want and need from domestic products. The key to his success was to fuse traditional, recognisable forms with modern aesthetics, many of which are still admired today.

When in 1955 Andreas Graversen bought Danish furniture company Fredericia, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, he made it a condition of the deal that its existing traditional furniture styles would be scrapped and Mogensen would design the new products. They had met at the furniture department of supermarket chain FDB where Graversen was business manager and Mogensen had been in charge of the design studio since the 1940s. Fredericia still sells 28 of Mogensen’s designs and in 2014 FDB reissued a series of designs, including some by Mogensen.

Visit: www.fredericia.com www.coop.dk

The Egg: Designed by Jacobsen in 1958 for the lobby of Copenhagen’s Royal Hotel. Produced by Fritz Hansen, the chair’s unique shape contrasted directly with the straight lines of the building’s architecture.

ARNE JACOBSEN (1902 – 1971) is one of the most prominent designers and architects to emerge from Denmark. Starting his career as a stone mason, Jacobsen enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture in 1924. There he established his reputation in design, but it wasn’t until 1932 when he was truly recognised as an architect, winning an award for his work on the Bellavista apartments in Klampenborg. He continued to contribute to several high-profile projects, including Oxford’s St Catherine’s College, but is perhaps best remembered for his work on the SAS Royal Hotel Copenhagen, where he combined his architectural and design flair designing both the building and its contents.

Visit: www.arne-jacobsen.com

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Spanish Chair: Inspired by ornate chairs that drew on ancient Islamic culture, Mogensen began work on the iconic Spanish Chair in 1958 following a holiday to Andalucia. Produced by Fredericia, the striking broad armrests quickly made it a popular, practical piece.

DESIGN POUL KJÆRHOLM (1929 – 1980) was educated at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen. Developing his natural flair for design, he graduated in 1952 and taught there until 1956.

Despite being a trained cabinet maker, Kjærholm’s designs combine signature steel frames with natural materials. His work received a number of awards, including the Lunning award in 1958 and the ID Award in 1973.

Visit: www.fritzhansen.com PK 22: Boasting a simple yet elegant design, PK 22 originated from Kjærholm’s graduation project, PK 25. The chair enjoyed much success and was awarded the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale.

Y Chair: Featuring a Y-shaped back, the Y or Wishbone Chair was designed in 1949 and is still in production by Carl Hansen & Son.

HANS J WEGNER (1914 – 2007) began his career as an apprentice carpenter. From these early roots he became one of the most influential figures of Danish design, using his natural flair and exquisite carpentry skills to create a series of iconic designs. In 1942 the Copenhagen Industrial Art Museum purchased its first Wegner chair. Creating more than 500 chairs in his lifetime, he received many accolades throughout his career. He became an honorary member of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and received the first Lunning Prize, awarded to eminent Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian designers from 1951-1970.

Visit: www.carlhansen.com www.pp.dk

Danes in London Aram has been selling modern furniture since 1964, when Zeev Aram opened his first branch on King’s Road, London. The company sells a selection of designs by all of the featured designers.

Visit: www.aram.co.uk

VERNER PANTON (1926 – 1998). After studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Panton spent time working in Arne Jacobsen’s studio, where he developed his natural creative ability. He had a passion for design and his experimental approach to colour, forms and materials changed the design landscape. He was a true pioneer of the Danish design movement, with his work attracting much industry attention. Some of his pieces are still celebrated in museums.

Visit: www.verner-panton.com Panton Chair: Fascinated with the design potential offered by plastics, Panton designed the Panton Chair in 1959-1960. After trying to find a manufacturer, he collaborated with Vitra from 1963 and it was put in to production in 1967.

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Autumn Long Point Long Eaton

REVIEW G Cavendish introduced Evan with two-tone piping; the fixed seat Melody with a corner combination that includes a table unit; and Vogue, an updated version of Carlo with a new arm.

G Parker Knoll launched the curvy Savannah in two and three-seater sofas and chair options based on its Boston, and updated its fabric offer.

G Collins and Hayes debuted the leather and fabric mix Idle armchair with raked seat and piping alongside the deep-sit Stoop sofa with sloping arms.

Wiemann marked the show with the opening of its permanent showroom at Harrington Mill, pictured is Eastside

G David Gundry unveiled the Naples available in large and medium sofas, snuggler and wing chair, featuring sloping arms, and Versailles with narrow scroll arms.

Busby, with contrast buttoning, was among Wade Upholstery’s introductions

Central attraction Long Point was the place to find the latest designs, visit: www.longeatonguild.co.uk

Origin Red added to its casual dining offer, pictured is Ripon

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Interiors Monthly October 2015

Henderson Russell debuted the Thames collection of Henley sofa, Burford club chair, Willow wing chair (pictured), Windsor snuggler and Marlow ottoman available in 15 fabrics

Vincent Sheppard showed off the Joe Oak and Jo Cocoon (pictured) chairs along with the Herbert dining table in three sizes

Autumn Long Point Long Eaton

Eyes on gold Burr walnut classical English style is proving a winner for Iain James Iain James Furniture is soon approaching its 25th anniversary and bucking the trend in the reproduction furniture market. At Long Point it launched hard and softback versions of its latest brochure.

‘We’ve always produced good quality literature but this brochure is our most impressive and tactile to date as we have really aspired to inspire consumers, retailers and interior designers alike by producing a catalogue that is less disposable by the very nature of the quality,’ says Iain Mitchell, Iain James md.

‘I really like the idea that some consumers wouldn’t want to get rid of the brochure after use, and that retailers and their staff are proud and enthused to work with it too. I’m convinced the investment will be rewarded by bringing additional business to both ourselves and our trade partners.’

Despite dark reproduction furniture being unfashionable, Iain James is enjoying growth.

‘It’s often stated by many consumers who visit our showroom that they struggle to find this type of furniture these days. I totally understand that the uninspiring old dark red mahogany look which saturated the market in the reproduction heyday is pretty irrelevant to retailers, but lovely pieces of burr walnut polished to a golden fine patina in an elegant, classical English style which is not too heavy or fussy, will complement a high percentage of interior decors.

‘Arguably one of the best modern day interior looks is a mixture of traditional and contemporary themes, so maybe some retailers are overlooking these opportunities. There is a market for reproduction and we are seeing increased turnover this year,’ says

Mitchell.

The company can offer bespoke versions of many products within its UK manufactured collections, which Mitchell says is a great help in achieving sales, as is its UK manufacturing.

‘Quite often imported furniture while very detailed can either be a little heavy looking or just have too much going on, but I think our slightly more understated classical design gives that timeless effect which prevents consumers getting tired of the product and ensures greater longevity,’ he explains.

As well as its reproduction offer, Iain James also has a diverse bespoke Art Deco-inspired collection featuring intriguing timbers such as Japanese ash, which has a highly striking decorative three-dimension grain.

Visit: www.iainjamesfurniture.co.uk Top: The 2015 brochure Above: The Art Deco collection includes woods such as Japanese ash Left: AMC 290 End table in burr walnut

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Meet only Original Designs Brussels

REVIEW Innovation

Upholstery Winner: B&T Textilia’s Dimension ‘B&T Textilia created this fabric to impress and that is exactly what it does,’ says the judges. ‘The blue is so intense that it becomes a real statement. The 3D herringbone-like structure is created in jacquard but feels like a knit. The roughness of the polyester yarn gives it the woollen touch.’

Runners-up: Imatex’s Koshi ‘This upholstery for the contract market is a jacquard weaving with a bit of an African touch. It is very attractive with its imperfect lines in nearly black and nearly white. Simple and beautiful.’

Torri Lana 1885’s Etoile ‘Etoile is created to be a new star, rich in mystery and animated by millions of tiny shiny points. This collection of fabrics is woven with lamé filaments on a dark background.

The metallic vibrations in a blend of silver, gold, bright emerald, cobalt, amethyst and amber burst out into a sense of richness that is not flamboyant but pure elegance.’

Winner: Omexco’s Nashira ‘Omexco used dried leaves and paperboard on a nonwoven backing to create this impressive wallpaper. The product is in fact a weave, made by craftsmen, with strips of coloured paperboard and it is strewn with leaves of the soursop tree, that grows coconut-like fruits with pins like chestnuts.’

Runners-up: Fidivi Tessitura Vergnano’s Radio Rombo upholstery fabric Sofacover’s Brutus upholstery fabric

Wallcoverings Winner: De Poortere Frères’ velvet ‘This amazing velvet has a pending patent. It is a unique creation with a used look and a silky shine. But most of all it is made to be applied to the wall easily. The idea of creating a velvet as a wallcovering and making it easy to install for DIY and professionals opens new possibilities in the market of wallcoverings.’

Runners-up: Flocart’s Nere Omexco’s Jungle

Best in class Meet only Original Designs’ Blue Drop awards recognised the best in upholstery fabric, yarns, wallcoverings and window coverings.

Visit: www.moodbrussels.com

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Contract Winner: Prodital Leathers’ New Stingray Bottle Green ‘Prodital Leathers is a high quality Italian leather tannery producing top quality leather, leather wallcoverings and leather tiles. This hand-tipped and embossed bovine leather is one of the best stingray skin imitations ever seen. Its exotic look makes it unnecessary to hunt the animals for their skin.’

Runners-up: Giorgio Piovano’s Gemini TCS0115 Bruvatex’s Richie

Window covering

Yarns

Winner: Dussk’s two-faces window covering ‘Dussk proves again to be innovative and creative. This window covering has two sides, one is copper, the other is blue. Using the fabric in the daylight, it will have a bluish effect with copper accents. In the evening, with no daylight at all, the fabric will be copper with a blue accent.’

Runners-up: Giorgio Piovano’s Pietra Grande Universal Textile Mills’ ED

Winner: Baroni ‘Baroni was rewarded for its continuous innovation and expertise in yarns. The fabric is woven with a yarn that is dyed with a patented process in only one colour bath.’

Interiors Monthly October 2015

REVIEW

Working with the Wool Carpet Focus Group, WoolSafe was at the centre of the largest promotion for wool carpet the show has seen. Using a series of practical demonstrations, the WoolSafe team were able to highlight the fibre’s natural resistance to soiling and its inherent ‘bouncebackability’.

Visit: www.woolsafe.com

The Flooring Show Harrogate

Exhibiting for the first time at Harrogate with all four brands, IVC Group’s stand showcased Avenue, Itec Contract Floors, Leoline, and Moduleo flooring together, offering the latest vinyl and LVT designs.

Visit: www.ivcgroup.com

Walkabout Here’s what exhibitors had to say about this year’s event.

Visit: www.theflooringshow.com Karndean Designflooring saw a steady flow of visitors to its two stands at Harrogate. The 12 striking new ‘modern rustic’ designs in its Da Vinci collection proved a draw, and installation demos for its LooseLay and Palio Clic easy-fit products were popular also.

Visit: www.karndean.com

Packexe brought The Edge to the show. It has all the benefits of the current Packexe products: low-slip, waterproof, colour-coded, easy to apply and remove surface protection; but is now available in 100mm wide, perforated rolls with its own unique lightweight dispenser, making application time even quicker and simpler.

Visit: www.packexe.co.uk

The supreme softness, longevity and stain resistance of SmartStrand and SmartStrand Silk were key messages highlighted on the Lano stand, as these new qualities represented the first of a suite of carpet styles in The Taste of Luxury collection. It also expanded its range of Eccelena yarn carpets with the Softness by Excellence collection.

Visit: www.lano.com

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73

A gentler way to enjoy stronger carpet.

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Not just kind to feet and hands, but kinder to the planet too with bio-derived content that reduces reliance on non-renewable resources. Equipped with the resistance of the best stain protected carpets, with a plushness expected of luxury ďŹ nishes in the home and with the strength and resilience for a lasting carpet in the busiest of family homes, SmartStrand Silk really is a gentler and better way to enjoy carpet.

BE L L A D O N N A GENT LE BLIS S

00800 5266 5266 marketing@lano.com www.lano.com

REVIEW

The Academy for Excellence in Flooring used the show to promote its range of training courses. With a wider syllabus than before, including the Master Installer schemes, the Academy was able to draw even more interest from the wealth of flooring professionals visiting The Flooring Show, with many eager to sign up to some of the most comprehensive floor training courses available.

Visit: www.quick-step-academy.co.uk

‘EarthWerks had a really great, and busy show and would like to thank the many customers who came to visit us,’ says Carine Czohara, EarthWerks European sales and operations director. ‘We always strive to be different and creative, and the response to our new collections has been outstanding.’

Visit: www.earthwerks.co.uk

Introduced as part of a major update earlier this year, Crown Floor’s six latest collections drew interest from visiting retailers, as did the new tombola. This new stand joins the existing wall unit and waterfall style lecterns to complete a comprehensive update across the Crown Floors stable.

Visit: www.crownfloors.co.uk

The Flooring Show Harrogate

Visitors to the Stroolmount stand were able to see its new brochure, alongside its floor and furniture protection systems, including the award winning Quickclick interchangeable glide system, for which it is the UK distributor.

Visit: www. stroolmount.co.uk

Using the show as a platform to reveal a new look, F&X’s stand had innovative fibres sitting alongside an impressive collection of wool products.

The stand enjoyed a constant stream of curious retailers looking to see what innovations the brand is bringing to the UK. Tel: 07976 607 657

FN Neuhofer’s introductions included FN LED-profiles with built-in LED strips that conjure up beautiful light effects and is a successful combination of fixing rail and LED shaft. The FN Pro-flex skirting board is made of light, highly flexible plastic foam that forms to any curve.

Visit: www.fnprofile.com

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75

www.fnprofile.com

News and more News.

FN Neuhofer Holz

FN LED-pro

LED-light for the livingroom? Insurmountable curves or corners for the skirting?

Neuhofer has solutions for all that. Solutions, that inspire through their intelligence and let the living get an adventure. Let yourself be surprised of the power of innovation and the experience out of a 365 years lasting tradition.

Convince yourself: www.fnprofile.com find us at: Booth No.: B48 Hall: B

FN pro-flex

Wir leisten mehr W of fer you more We

Barnscroft of Devon Ltd, Meadowbrook, Devon EX5 2RS 01404 851152 • info@barnscroft.com

REVIEW

Cormar Carpets showcased the latest additions to its portfolio: BouclĂŠ Neutrals, a wool-rich loop pile carpet crafted from a blend of 50% New Zealand wool and 50% polyester, and the updated Natural Berber Twist range. Also on display were the latest updates to the online portal system.

Visit: www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Ball & Young again attracted visitors as they explored the company’s extensive collection of UK manufactured underlays, including its most recent Charleston, which is available in 9mm and 11mm versions.

Visit: www.underlay.com

The Flooring Show Harrogate

Mercado launched a number of saxony ranges including the supersoft Satin Touch as part of its Trouble Free collection in a 70oz weight with a 10-year guarantee and lifetime stain guarantee.

Visit: www.mercado.co.uk

It was another fabulous year for Ulster Carpets at Harrogate, with the contemporary stand and crisp photography providing the shopwindow for the new Ulster products. On display were the timeless additions to the Grange Wilton and York Wilton ranges, which sat alongside the modern classic plaid of Braeburn and the Scandinavian cool of the Open Spaces Collection.

Visit: www.ulstercarpets.com

Manx Carpets introduced the 100% wool Natural Styles, with three designs in six colours and 4m and 5m widths; Pandora Plains has four weight options while the two-ply Ashworth Heathers has 15 colours in 4m and 5m widths.

Visit: www.manxcarpets.co.uk

The full review of The Flooring show will be published in the November issue www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

77

AREA RETAIL SALES REPRESENTATIVES COVERING THE MIDLANDS AREA Mercado is the largest distributor of floor coverings in the UK, based in Leeds, with service centres at strategic locations including Bristol, Southampton & Chelmsford.

Currently a vacancy exists for a self motivated individual to fill the above post, managing and developing an established sales area. Candidates will need to demonstrate sales and customer facing skills as well as an ability to operate in the field unsupervised. Experience of flooring products or a distributor/retailer environment will be a distinct advantage although not essential.

Mercado offer a full benefits package including excellent salary structure, Sick Pay Scheme, Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.

To apply please email your CV with accompanying letter to Andy Head at andy.head@mercado.co.uk

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