Interiors Monthly July 2014

July 2014

Interiors monthly

first for furniture, flooring and accessories

Show guide MFS

Carpet Easy clean

Morris Furniture’s new Lucerne collection Showing at stand C41 at The Manchester Furniture Show FURNITURE

FLOORING

BEDS

CARPET

RUGS

ACCESSORIES

EXCLUSIVE SHOW OFFERS

EXCLUSIVE SHOW OFFERS AT THE MANCHESTER FURNITURE SHOW Visit us at

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Stand C21

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UK: 00353 42 9 351 351 Ireland: 042 9 351 351

the complete service

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EDITOR’S COMMENT

Andrew Kidd EDITOR

Events, dear boy, events With so many things happening, the summer is far from quiet, with royal connections, major votes, un-retirements, and nervous times Paraphrasing Harold Macmillan’s disputed quote sums up the past few weeks nicely.

The morning after returning from holiday I received a text asking if I was going to meet Prince Charles the following morning. Not being a frequent invitee, the next day I was queuing at Clarence House security.

At the marking of the fifth anniversary of the Campaign for Wool (see p14) Prince Charles showed how much the campaign and the impact it has had on farmers means to him. His pride was obvious and he seemed genuinely interested to talk to those from the worlds of interiors and fashion. It was just a shame he couldn’t start the fire tests himself.

And it’s great to see CfW and British Wool

Interiors

Editor: Andrew Kidd

July 2014

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

monthly

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

first for furniture, flooring and accessories

Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod Bird Morris Furniture’s new Lucerne collection Visit: www.morrisfurniture.co.uk

Show guide MFS

Carpet Easy clean

Morris Furniture’s new Lucerne collection Showing at stand C41 at The Manchester Furniture Show FURNITURE

FLOORING

BEDS

CARPET

RUGS

Marketing Board putting so much investment in to promote wool at The Flooring Show in September.

There was another royal connection with the news that John Cotton is to receive an MBE as a reward for his successful career (see p10). Our congratulations to him.

I’m fairly sure if you asked Victoria Carpets’ shareholders a couple of years ago if they’d see half of the company being owned by a trust that its executive chairman is a beneficiary of (see p10), they’d have said no.

But that is exactly what they are being asked to vote on this month. But I bet they didn’t expect a dividend of £2.92 either.

Then Lord Harris decides he’s staying on the Carpetright board until a new chairman is found and looks likely to stay on after that.

Given the family still owns about a fifth of the company and with new management set to arrive, this looks eminently sensible.

The month ended with the administration of long-established Corndell Furniture. Let’s hope a buyer can be found quickly.

Finally, the votes have been counted in the Interiors Monthly Awards 2014, and I can’t wait to reveal the winners to you in next month’s issue. Many thanks for voting.

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

ACCESSORIES

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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EXCLUSIVE SHOW OFFERS

EXCLUSIVE SHOW OFFERS AT THE MANCHESTER FURNITURE SHOW Visit us at

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Stand C21

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UK: 00353 42 9 351 351 Ireland: 042 9 351 351

the complete service

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CONTENTS

INTERIORS MONTHLY JULY 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS

Wexford 59” Dining Set with Dark Brown Fabric G1 Chairs

6

Lord Harris may stay at Carpetright

10

MBE for John Cotton

12

Third generation at Gerald Lukehurst

14

CfW’s royal anniversary

FEATURES 22

Carpet Easy-clean carpets: synthetic and natural, V&A Twist relaunch

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Beds and bedroom Design is in the detail, Expansion

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Wood and laminate Keeping up with the times

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Design A look at some of the 2014 Design Guild Mark winners

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Underlay One firm’s efforts to educate shoppers

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LVT Stone or wood – you decide

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Exhibition guide Manchester Furniture Show guide, May Design Series review

72

Protection How to care for leather

REGULARS 16

Monroe 4’6” Bed Shown with Kingston Bedroom Range

New products

NEXT ISSUE Interiors Monthly Awards 2014 winners The Flooring Show preview Manchester Furniture Show review www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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NEWS

Lord Harris in board U-turn as Carpetright losses rise Plans by Lord Harris to step down from the board of Carpetright have been put on hold.

Lord Harris had planned to leave the board after the flooring and bed chain’s AGM on 4 September, but will now stay on as non-executive chairman until a successor is found and ‘may remain on the board in a non-executive capacity following the appointment of a new chairman’. The Harris family is the chain’s largest shareholder, with a holding of about 20%.

Baroness Noakes, Carpetright deputy chairman, is leading the hunt for a new chairman and will leave once the appointment has been made. She has stepped down from the audit, remuneration and customer and corporate responsibility committees.

Wilf Walsh is due to become chief executive on 21 July.

The change came as Carpetright confirmed that losses at its Netherlands operations meant pre-tax losses rose from £5.1m to £7.2m in the year to 26 April. UK sales were 1.5% lower at £375.8m, but core retail like for like sales were up 0.5%. UK operating profit dipped by £200,000 to £10.7m.

Lord Harris says growth in the housing market is taking longer to feed through as homeowners need larger deposits and because of this they delay replacing flooring.

He says business has not been affected by the Office of Fair Trading’s pricing investigation. ‘We are acting well within the rules now. People get genuine prices with genuine discounts and we are doing that. We worked within the law and they wanted to change the law. We have seen no difference.’

Joshua Raymond, Cityindex.co.uk chief market strategist, was unimpressed by the results.

‘Carpetright shares rallied more than 2% in trading on Tuesday [24 June] despite posting a 53% slump in [underlying] annual profit. Following three profit warnings in the past year, investor expectations had been severely low in the run up to the announcement and therefore as its profit before tax and one-off items came in within the previous guidance range at £4.6m, the reaction was somewhat warm. This is a classic case of the market taking bad numbers in its stride on sheer relief that the firm’s performance was not worse,’ he says.

‘Carpetright has been in the middle of revamping its stores as it seeks to meet high competition in the sector as the UK housing market booms. Given the fact that the firm’s share price remains down by some 20% in the last nine months, I don’t believe this report is anything to celebrate.’

Big Shots raises £26,000 The Furniture Makers’ Company’s annual clay pigeon shooting event, Big Shots, raised £26,000 for the charity last month.

‘Our main sponsor for the day, Furniture Village, has done a marvellous job yet again, bringing in teams, further sponsorship and some excellent auction prizes,’ says Jonny Westbrooke, FMC chief executive.

Other companies that made donations or sponsored the event include Bentley Designs, Blum, Brighthouse, Celtheath, Clare Family Foundation, Collins & Hayes, Frank Hudson, G Plan, Haskins, Knoll, Sleepeezee and media agency tmwi.

‘There are many individuals from within the furnishing industry who have joined us for the day and been generous with bidding in the auction and buying raffle tickets. We hope that everyone had a fun day out and enjoyed the variety of shooting challenges, and of course, the sunshine. We hope to see everyone again next year for our 21st Big Shots,’ he says.

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

Big Shots helps fund grants

Every year the charity supports around 300 people with grants totalling over £117,000. Faced with unexpected events and financial hardship, many people struggle to meet essential costs. This is where the charity can step in to make things easier.

‘This year we are doing even more, with far-reaching plans to help even more people, to expand our education programme and to continue to foster excellence in our industry. This is only possible through the support we receive at events like Big Shots,’ adds Westbrooke.

House of Fraser turns to brands Department store chain House of Fraser is to revamp its furniture offer, with a focus on brands.

House of Fraser for Living will sell 70% brands and 30% its Linea own-label.

The brands are mainly British manufacturers and include Duresta, G Plan, Parker Knoll and La-Z-Boy. Josh Hopwood, furniture department manager at the chain’s Plymouth store, says the retailer wants to reclaim its position in the UK furniture market.

‘It’s to get House of Fraser placed on the furniture map. It had been languishing for a while and now wants to be back where it was eight to 10 years ago when it was a major player in the furniture market,’ he says.

Alongside the brands, House of Fraser has also set up new finance packages and aims to sell furniture targeted at younger customers.

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Look for the Buttery

Can you resist TEMPTATION You can add character and comfort to any room with the updated colour bank of an Associated Weavers favourite TEMPTATION. One of our best selling carpets since its launch in 2011. With its luxurious feel and its fine, well–defined finish TEMPTATION has been re-launched with a new on trend colour bank of 14 options. TEMPTATION has everything giving you peace of mind with a 20 year wear guarantee and a 20 year Stainaway warranty

to the added cost saving of 4m and 5m widths.

Six new stylish colours have been added to the new 2014 colour bank reflecting the growing trend towards greys, stone colour tones and soft beiges. TEMPTATION gives you a heavy weight luxury with unbeatable performance but retaining a chic designer inspired carpet.

TEMPTATION is truly irresistible for almost everywhere in the home.

New iSense now in store.

Associated Weavers Sales: 01422 431100 Email: salesuk@awe.be

iSense the new fibre from Associated Weavers has started to be delivered to the retailers who have invested in the merchandising programme for this unique and exclusive collection. Under the brand name Sensuality the collection consists of six Super Soft products in exquisite design led colours that compliment any room of the house. Even though this is one of the softest feeling carpets on the market you do not have to worry about performance as the unique iSense technology will ensure that these carpets will recover faster from traffic wear than any other comparable carpets.

Everything for you the retailer Associated Weavers endeavours to give its exclusive retail customers a carpet for every taste and price point. Our Stainaway brand covers all weights from the economical fashionable Tuftex Twist to the heavier soft touch of Sophistication. All Stainaway carpets have a wear guarantee and a Stainaway warranty to suit all requirements.

Most of our carpets are available in 4m and 5m widths meaning no joins and cost savings for you and the consumer. Wool is still an important part of the Associated Weavers collection and our Calder Wool brand is still performing well in a changing area of the carpet industry.

To complete the package iSense gives us the final piece to the jigsaw that allows Associated Weavers to be the one stop shop for all your carpet needs.

Temptation

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This is the one I have been waiting for, Temptation is something you won’t

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NEWS

Two for Classic

MBE for John Cotton Bedding entrepreneur, John Cotton has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to business in Yorkshire.

Cotton (pictured) became chairman of the John Cotton Group in 1958.

During the past 56 years he has expanded the company to become Europe’s largest filled bedding manufacturer. It also supplies nonwoven products to the bed industry.

He took over the business from his father and since then has increased the company’s turnover from £4m to £160m.

‘I am immensely proud to receive this honour, but am equally proud that the John Cotton Group is, after

nearly 100 years, continuing to grow and is still a major part of the local community,’ he says.

The family owned business, based in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, was established in 1916 by the late John Cotton. It was originally formed to recycle waste textiles and underlay, generated by the booming textile industry in Yorkshire.

The company now supplies all UK bed manufacturers and owns a number of leading household bedding brands, including Slumberdown and Snuggledown. It employs more than 1,000 people.

Victoria proposes dividend that would see trust own 50%

people

Victoria Carpets is proposing paying shareholders a special dividend worth more than £20m that would see Camden Trust of which Geoff Wilding, Victoria executive chairman (pictured) is a beneficiary, own half the company.

Victoria wants to pay the dividend of £2.92 a share as a result of a contract it agreed with Wilding in April 2013 which outlined how at least £3 a share had to be paid to shareholders within two years before Wilding began to benefit.

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Shaun Lewis, Victoria Carpets sales and marketing director, was due to join Brockway Carpets as sales director as Interiors Monthly went to press.

He joined Victoria Carpets in 2001 as national sales manager having held a similar position in Tomkinson Carpets for some years, and was promoted to sales and marketing director in 2004.

If shareholders approve the payment at a general meeting on 8 July, Victoria will issue new shares to Wilding’s Camden Trust rather than make a cash payment. Camden will then own 50% of Victoria’s shares.

‘We are delighted to be proposing a special dividend to shareholders and further that Camden has conditionally agreed to subscribe for shares in the company. We therefore recommend that shareholders vote in favour of all resolutions at the general meeting,’ says Andrew Harrison, Victoria senior independent non-executive director.

Guardsman has named Scott McLaren (left) from Dairy Crest as sales director and Zeyn Kassam (left) former New Malden DFS sales manager, as account manager for London and the South-East.

Former Lebus md Jim O’Donnell

Interiors Monthly July 2014

becomes Ultra Furniture design and commercial manager.

Dormeo UK has appointed Andrew Thorpe as national sales manager.

Vale-Bridgecraft has recruited former Hammonds, Next Kitchens and Furniture Link marketing director Claire Parker, to the same role.

Wolverhampton furniture retailer Classic Furniture is to target shoppers in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and South Wales with its second outlet.

The company is refurbishing a former Walmsley’s store on Station Road, Gloucester which has been empty since 2012.

The store is expected to create up to 20 jobs.

Classic Furniture was founded in Wolverhampton in 1977 and specialises in Italian furniture.

Sales rise at DFS DFS will continue refurbishing its stores after it helped deliver a 5.1% rise in sales in the past quarter.

Ian Filby, DFS ceo, says the chain will invest heavily in branches for the next few years, despite the investment knocking £6.5m off of EBITDA profits at £41.8m for the year to 26 April.

Sales rose by 1.1% to £487.3m in the year.

Filby says the chain had a good Easter trading period and was confident of the results for the full financial year.

‘Consumer confidence is a more significant driver [than the housing market] and we’re seeing the early signs of that coming through,’ he says.

Closing doors After more than 150 years, Somerset independent furniture and flooring retailer Challicoms is to close in September.

Ted Dark, owner of the Clevedon store is retiring and will close the business to new customers at the end of June before ceasing trading in September.

The company was founded by CE Challicom in 1858 as Clevedon Depository and House Furnishers. In 1949 Dark’s father Victor bought the business. Ted joined in 1971, becoming md and chairman in 1987 before buying the business 20 years ago.

Four full-time and four part-time members of staff at the store have been made redundant.

The 10,000sqft Hill Road store will be put up for sale after September.

NEWS

The first lady of Gerald Lukehurst takes the reins Kathryn Lukehurst has become the third generation of the family – and the first woman – to run leading furniture and flooring independent Gerald Lukehurst.

Kathryn, 35, joins her father Martin – chairman of the Minerva Buying Group – as joint md after a successful career in the computer software industry.

She says she expects to add a different perspective to product choice, bringing her own sense of style to the selection process to appeal to new and existing customers.

It was always likely she would join the family firm, which has outlets in Rainham and Sittingbourne, Kent. When 10 years-old she was in a family photograph promoting the business and at 14 she helped in the office and worked in the glassware department.

‘I had always thought I would come into the business at some point but I wanted to go out and do my own thing before I came back,’ she says.

Kathryn acknowledges that independent furnishing firms face tough challenges in an online world with fierce price competition. But she is convinced that a clicks and mortar approach with a combination of good customer service and an effective website will prosper.

‘I believe independent furniture retailers will always have a role to play on the high street,’ she says. ‘I am proud

Kathryn Lukehurst with her father Martin

to be working for the business that my grandfather began and my father has continued so successfully.’

‘Kathryn brings fresh, modern ideas and definitely has the qualities to run the business,’ says Martin Lukehurst.

Gerald Lukehurst opened his first shop in Rainham in 1970. His son Martin joined the business in 1972 when the Rainham store was extended. The Sittingbourne High Street store opened in 1983, relocating in 2010 to Sittingbourne Retail Park.

A converted Victorian chapel in Orchard Street, Rainham, showcases carpets and curtains.

Friends and family say farewell to Walter Wilson The funeral of Walter Wilson, Ulster Carpets honorary president took place at Tullylish Parish Church, Gilford, County Down on 3 June. He died on 31 May, aged 84.

Walter was the son of

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

George Walter Wilson, who founded the company in 1938. Over the years, Walter’s engineering talent was put to good use within the family business, playing a key role in the progression of the company from a tiny minnow, to the leading axminster manufacturer it is today.

He was able to celebrate Ulster Carpet’s 75th

anniversary earlier this year by cutting the cake at a gala dinner in February. In May, the Ulster Carpets board unanimously elected Walter as honorary president in recognition of his many years of dedicated service and contribution to the company’s success.

He is survived by his brother Edward, sister Mary,

four daughters – Mary, Caroline, Wendy and Jill – and his 12 grandchildren, all of whom where able to attend the funeral service.

Despite his failing health, Walter was a regular visitor to the Ulster Carpets’ offices at Portadown right up until the last few weeks of his life. He will be greatly missed by all at Ulster Carpets.

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NEWS

Royal touch for fifth anniversary of CfW Prince Charles celebrated the Campaign for Wool’s fifth anniversary with a reception at his London home, Clarence House, last month.

The event highlighted two of the CfW’s most frequently made claims regarding wool’s benefits: it is a safe fibre thanks to its natural fire retardant properties and wool quickly biodegrades in soil – a key ecological benefit.

The Prince’s plans to demonstrate the fire retardant capabilities by setting fire to wool and synthetic carpets, duvets and jackets were thwarted by London Fire Brigade’s strike action, which meant there was no safety coverage. Instead guests watched a video of the tests.

Visitors to Clarence House throughout the summer will also have the opportunity to learn about the project via a plaque that marks where Prince Charles buried two jumpers. The jumpers will be dug up during Wool Week (6-12 October) to demonstrate that the wool jumper will be well on its way to decomposing compared to the acrylic alternative, which will appear almost

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

Top left: A selection of products that use wool were on show Top right: Prince Charles buries two jumpers Above: Prince Charles praised the success of ‘my Campaign for Wool’ Right: The fire tests had to be done the day before because of a firefighters strike

unchanged after four months in the ground.

As part of the initiative, a selection of the best wool items from the latest collections of Campaign for Wool brand partners in interiors and fashion were exhibited at the launch, including products from Sanderson, Camira, James UK, Bute Fabrics, Heal’s and Sofa.com.

CfW and British Wool Marketing Board will co-fund the British wool pavilion at

The Flooring Show in September. Adam, Axminster, Brintons, Brockway, Bronte, Cavalier and Ulster will form the Wool Trends Centre. There will be information on wool and how to sell the benefits of wool carpets and wool themed seminars at the show.

An eight-page wool feature will appear in Homes & Gardens magazine and will be given to visitors. The magazine will also create Wool Inspirations roomsets.

Reassuringly resilient and famous for being the hardest-wearing, Duralay underlays are engineered to protect carpets from damage caused by heavy furniture, and in areas of high footfall.

The range features our renowned recycled crumb rubber plus specialist solutions for wood, laminate, underoor heating and contract applications so every oor can be protected by Duralay.

01706 238 810

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NEW PRODUCTS

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1 Sensit Twist is Balta Broadloom’s latest range to feature the fibre in 12 warm natural tones. With a durable two-ply twist that gives the carpet extra resilience, Sensit Twist has 200% more filaments than comparable stain-resistant polypropylene fibres, giving it a soft feel without loss of performance or durability.

Tel: 00 32 5662 2211

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2 At more than 250 pages, the Rugs & Runners brochure from Lano Carpets captures a huge collection of traditional and contemporary designs to give interiors a quick lift. The brochure includes striking lifestyle photography of many of the rugs and runners featured,

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as well as technical details.

Tel: 00 800 5266 5266 3 Avenue is set to provide homes in the Republic of Ireland with the style, value and great performance of its cushion flooring collections. Retailers will be supported by a dedicated website and a consumer PR campaign highlighting the floors available through the Ultimate Timber, Classic Limestone and Titanium XT collections.

Visit: www.avenuefloors.ie 4 Featuring a linoleum surface with the acoustic, thermal and comfort benefits of an agglomerated cork base and integrated cork underlay, the Linocork floor tiles with Uniclic from Granorte breathe new life into a once popular domestic flooring material, introducing it to a new audience.

Tel: 01785 711 131 5 Leoline is moving into the Republic of Ireland, bringing its cushion flooring collections to homes across the country.

‘Leoline is among the leading brands in cushion flooring and we are delighted to be bringing its style, performance and excellent value to homes throughout Ireland,’ says Francis Debrabandere, IVC Group commercial director.

Visit: www.leoline.ie

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

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NEW PRODUCTS

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8 6 With three new ranges for 2014 Crown Floors says it is a good time to become a stockist, particularly with the roll-out of new lecterns for these and three of the brand’s existing ranges. With a compact footprint, the lecterns are topped with large samples.

Tel: 0800 077 3301 7 Ulster Carpets has added two traditional Scottish plaids, Douglas and Robertson (pictured), to Glenmoy. The charcoal and grey tones of Douglas create a simple yet striking design while the pale blue, moss green and red of Robertson, evoke thoughts of wild Scottish highlands and cosy fires.

Tel: 028 3833 4433 8 Gaining a competitive advantage and realising a new customer base are ambitions for any company and with the Quick-Step Master Installer badge these become a reality. Having passed the intensive three-day Master Installer course in either hardwood and laminate, or Livyn LVT, installers unlock a range of advantages that are the exclusive reserve of Master Installers.

Tel: 0161 877 6955

9 9 Vogue Bed Group’s Sports Therapy Mattress brand now has its own website. Since Sports Therapy was launched in the summer of sport in 2012, it has gained momentum in attracting endorsements from various sports stars in all fields, the latest being Olympic gymnast Kristian Thomas.

Visit: www.sportstherapymattress.co.uk

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

10 The tradition of the master craftsmen of the 19th century is carried on by furniture maker Skano. These modular units create unique furniture solutions in all areas of the home, as well as continuing to provide traditional storage solutions for home offices and libraries.

Tel: 01454 800 445

UPHOLSTERY

Visitors were shown around the factory to see the traditional production methods

The Italian way Gradi is keen to let the UK know its philosophy Italian upholstery manufacturer, Gradi held its first Gradi At Home event last month, with 35 visitors from the UK and Republic of Ireland visiting the factory in Quarrata, Tuscany and staying in the nearby spa town of Montecatini Terme.

They were shown the traditional artisan methods of production, polishing workshops and the frame makers and wood mills in action.

Numerous new models were showcased at the nearby 16th century Medici La Magia villa. ‘The experience proved to be a great success for all involved and the directors at Gradi view this event as very important for the future development of the company and strengthening the relationships with our UK and Republic of Ireland clientele,’ says the company.

Visit: www.gradiliving.com

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

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CARPET Balta’s Sensit Twist in Mid-Beige

Crown’s Penrose in Silver Dawn

Reassurance Easy-clean carpets offer peace of mind With household budgets having to stretch further and salaries showing no sign of growing at the same rate as the cost of living, it is little wonder homeowners want better value out of their big ticket purchases, and carpet is no exception, reckons James Caldwell, Crown Floors sales coordinator.

‘The growth in popularity we’ve seen with easy to clean carpets is less about their low maintenance nature and more to do with the reassurance they offer. Homeowners can trust these carpets a little more in their ability to stay on top of daily life,’ he says.

Liquid, dirt, food or other mess will come into contact with their carpet at some point, despite their best intentions, and a carpet that can be easily cleaned without fear of permanent staining is a big worry alleviated.

‘This is even more relevant when you consider the demand for natural tones, with stain resistant carpets meaning that lighter shades can keep looking good even in a busy family home. And with many Crown Floors ranges offering a long stain warranty and advertised as bleach cleanable, even in the pinstripe woven Crown Wilton, this reassurance is even more satisfying when it comes to making their final purchase decision,’ adds Caldwell.

Mohawk’s SmartStrand fibre, now exclusively distributed in the UK by Lano Carpets, was an early participant of a revolution for stain resistant fibres that offer an alternative to wool and wool-rich qualities, rather than a cheaper and quick to wear substitute.

For the past few years, SmartStrand has been championing a new evolution of fibre made from a bio-based ingredient derived from corn. Some 37% of the fibre is made from this rapidly renewable resource, dramatically reducing its reliance on petro-based chemicals and energy consumption.

Featuring lifetime stain resistance, SmartStrand carpets have been proven to be as durable as polyamide and are also soft,

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

Mohawk’s SmartStrand Sheer Ecstasy in Malt

ticking many of the boxes of today’s homeowner, according to Lano. The worry-free nature of the carpet is a big-draw, and SmartStrand manages to avoid an overtly glossy look, with a delicate sheen that has wider appeal and that doesn’t look out of place in archetypal British interiors.

Balta Broadloom’s Sensit fibre balances feel, stain performance and durability, giving consumers the confidence to really enjoy their carpet. Sensit uses 200% more filaments than standard ‘easy care’ polypropylene fibres to provide a soft texture while losing none of the stain performance.

In a durable two-ply twist, Sensit carpets also stand up to wear, resisting the usual signs that afflict single-ply polypropylene and come backed with stain and wear warranties.

Balta, tel: 00 32 5662 2211 Visit www.crownfloors.co.uk Visit: www.lano.com

CARPET

Spill the beans, coffee, wine… …Regency’s fibre is designed to repel everyday spills, stains and dirt

Regency’s warranty covers all household stains apart from gloss paint

Regency Carpets’ Carefree collection has been designed to meet the needs of today’s lifestyles, where a carpet must not only look good, but perform under the most arduous conditions.

Regency’s carpets are manufactured with this in mind and use the company’s specially developed Carefree polypropylene fibre. The carpets feel soft and luxurious but are practical with stain-resistant properties and long-lasting wear retention.

This is due to the unique properties of the Carefree fibre: spills or stains literally ‘sit’ on the surface waiting to be cleaned or blotted away using household kitchen roll. To ensure maximum stain resistance, care must be taken to clean spills and marks immediately.

For stubborn stains, owners can use a mix of 50% household bleach and 50% tap water without marking or ruining the carpet. All of this allows owners not to worry about ruined carpet or expensive cleaning bills.

Regency, distributed by Furlong Flooring, offers a free manufacturers’ warranty with no hidden conditions. The industry standard is to insist on the consumer having their carpet professionally cleaned every two years, and keeping the receipts to prove it has been cleaned. This can result in the consumer spending large amounts of money if they are not to void the warranty.

Regency’s warranty covers the consumer against all household stains, excluding gloss paint, not just food and drink stains. Anyone comparing Regency’s warranty against others will see a marked difference, according to the company.

Regency Carpets, visit: www.regencycarefree.co.uk

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Improved stain resistance means consumers can opt for lighter shades

Carefree carpets can be cleaned with a bleach and water mixture

Axminster Carpets™ feel for any interior décor.

CARPET

Natural resource The WOW programme helps consumers keep their wool carpets clean

Consumers are given a free carpet stain remover and advice on how to remove stains

The inherent qualities of wool mean that 99% of spills on wool carpets can be dealt with by following some basic spot removal steps. Spills too extensive for cleaning by a novice can be removed by carpet care advisers from the Wool Owners Warranty (WOW) programme.

WOW is free for 12 months – but can be extended for the lifetime of the carpet – on any wool carpet from participating suppliers, including Manx Carpets, Gaskell Wool Rich, Mr Tomkinson, Kingsmead, Crucial Trading, Georgian, Clarendon, Kersaint Cobb and Stoddard Carpets.

Trained by the WoolSafe organisation, the approved service providers remove tough stains such as coffee, wine and curry, free of charge as part of the warranty cover. They are an essential part of the aftersales care partnership between WoolSafe and the suppliers.

Quality wool carpets, such as those offering WOW have several core advantages over synthetic fibres, reckons Mike Dobson, Gaskell Wool Rich and Mr Tomkinson general manager. ‘Quality wool carpets have excellent resilience and appearance retention; superior flame retardancy, meaning wool gives you and your kids a much better chance of escaping a house fire. Wool does not burn easily, is self-extinguishing and does not emit toxic gases.’

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According to Dobson wool absorbs excess moisture in humid conditions and releases it when conditions become drier, making condensation less likely after installing a wool carpet.

‘It improves indoor air quality, even working as a giant filter for the home to help to reduce pollutants and allergens in the air meaning less chance of asthma attacks. Of course, this filter needs to be cleaned and WOW connects owners to their own personal cleaning adviser,’ he says.

WOW brings homeowners peace of mind with a range of services that go the extra mile to ensure their new wool carpet remains looking its best.

To make sure care starts off on the right foot, participants receive a free bottle of WoolSafe Approved spot treatment and a personal consultation from a carpet care adviser. Alongside an emergency hotline, WOW registrants are entitled to a free emergency spot removal service for the first year.

Working with leading carpet care experts at WoolSafe, Dobson says an ideal aftercare package has been created for customers investing in a wool carpet.

‘Arming them with the basic knowledge of how to care for their valuable carpet and also encouraging them to make sure they use the professional services available through

WOW, we aim to turn them away from man-made fibres and back to natural, sustainable wool. Wool carpets have always been the choice for those wanting the very best in quality and longevity, but the rise of “stain free” carpet has raised questions about how easy they are to care for,’ he says.

‘WoolSafe knows that wool is easy to maintain, it is just a question of having access to the right knowledge.

‘Together with WoolSafe we have created six fantastic one-minute stain removal videos and a stain guide app to make sure that we provide our customers with ready access to the right advice and highly experienced carpet cleaning professionals. The response we have had to the WOW programme proves that we have got the package just right,’ adds Dobson.

WoolSafe, tel: 01943 850 817

CARPET

Trooping the colours Ryalux has new colours, moth protection and lower prices for V&A Twist Ryalux has relaunched its iconic premium stock twist range, V&A Twist. Fifteen new colours have been incorporated into the range’s extensive 70 colour palette, to reflect both current and future interior colour trends.

In addition to the inclusion of both cool and warm greys, taupes, and greiges, V&A Twist stays true to its tradition of providing colour choice through fashionable pastels, including Pantone’s colour of the year, Radiant Orchid.

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Ryalux has introduced Ryaprotect premium moth-proofing treatment to V&A Twist to protect against moths and wool-eating insects. The carpet is also treated with Ryaguard stain protection to protect against spillages and soiling.

‘V&A Twist is made from the finest New Zealand wool, the world’s purest and whitest wool. This ensures that all V&A Twist shades are beautifully vibrant, and achieve unrivalled clarity of colour,’ says Darren Longden, Ryalux commercial director.

He adds it is the only stock range available in any width to 5m, enabling a smooth, seamless finish without waste.

Where fixed 4m and 5m widths are insufficient a competitive fixed width price is offered.

To mark V&A Twist’s relaunch, Ryalux has also reduced the prices of both Kings 50oz and Queens 40oz qualities on any width and fixed width orders.

Gaelle Merlin, Ryalux head of design, comments: ‘The reason for V&A Twist’s success is that it offers real colour choice.

CARPET

Above: POS has been updated and colours are inspired by the jewellery collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum Left: V&A Twist in Red Cabochon Right: V&A Twist in Jadeite Bottom: V&A Twist in Imperial Onyx

No other stock carpet range offers the breadth and diversity of colour that V&A Twist does which we have further enhanced with the inclusion of 15 beautiful new colours.

‘We have designed colours to both reflect and coordinate with current and forecast interior colour trends. From vibrant to muted, contemporary to traditional, V&A Twist’s 70 strong colour palette offers unrivalled colour choice, and with the addition of moth-proofing protection, and lower price points, it offers unrivalled value for money.’

Ryalux is updating its POS displays to promote the new features of V&A Twist and is offering a promotion on purchases of new units.

Ryalux: tel: 0161 762 3030 Email: info@ryalux.co.uk

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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BEDS AND BEDROOM

Down to details Look closely to see the intricacies of Flou’s latest designs

The Gentleman headboard has a double cover while the tallboy and chest of drawers feature leather fronts and handles

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the ultimate in quality and reassurance.

Each of the hand-tufted beds in this collection comes with superior pocket springs to ease away everyday aches and pains, and premium ďŹ llings for the ultimate indulgence and back support.

For more information visit

BEDS AND BEDROOM Flou’s latest collections may look pared down, but the design is in the detail.

The key feature of the Gentleman bed

by Carlo Colombo – and the armchairs and sofas in the same series – is the elegant double cover, embellished with tone-on-tone or contrasting piping.

Elegance is combined with performance: in addition to protecting the inner cover, the outer cover can be removed easily for washing and maintenance. An additional advantage is the option of choosing the two covers in different colours.

Only available as a double size bed, Gentleman can be supplied with a tall or low headboard. The removable covers are available in fabric or leather.

The curved wooden structure of the tallboy and chest of drawers has an external layer of leather with tone-ontone or contrasting leather piping; the interior surface is ebony with a matt finish. The top is made from ebony.

Drawers, with a soft-close mechanism, have leather front panels and handles.

The collection also includes a humidor and secrétaire.

A four-poster bed always inspires romance, however the clean lines of the Ari by Emanuela Garbin and

Ari features a four-poster bed, a wardrobe with a galuchat finish and tallboy and chests of drawers with black chrome handles

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BEDS AND BEDROOM Mario Dell’Orto exude its clearly contemporary core.

A wooden frame is embellished with the elegance and luminosity of the matt or gloss galuchat effect, available in two colours. Feet and the details of the joints are black chrome. The padded headboard has removable covers in fabric, ecopelle or leather. It has an adjustable slat mattress support, and is only available in the double-size version.

Both the chest of drawers and tallboy have a matt or gloss lacquered galuchateffect finish, available in two colours.

Handles and base-plate are black chrome.

To guarantee a coordinated effect in the bedroom, the wardrobe doors of the Guardaroba 16.32, are also now available in a new finish of matt or gloss lacquered galuchat effect, available in two colours.

The wardrobe collection has been increased with the River door which has a scratchproof thermo-structured surface treatment. This has also been used as the finish for the Guardaroba bed, Tadao, and the Juta series furniture.

Comfort, wellness and timeless elegance are the keywords of Rodolfo Dordoni’s Doze bed that slides easily into every ambience.

The base and the padded and quilted headboard feature removable covers in fabric, ecopelle or leather. This bed has a slat mattress support, and is available only in the double-size version. The range also includes a matching modular sofa.

Visit: www.flou.it

Above: Doze has removable covers and a subtle buttoned look Right: River is a new finish

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We are proud to announce our marketing team have satisfied our desire for beauty and innovation. We can now take you on a journey to the future by meeting the future demands for your customers today.

Our customer support has made it possible for us to become a recognised brand in the market place. So here we are offering you something exciting in return for your loyalty over the years at no extra cost.

We have strived each year to bring together major new designs and innovations.

We look forward to your new orders in the near future.

www.dreamlandbeds.co.uk marketing@dreamlandbeds.co.uk 0121 771 3663 (ext 5)

BEDS AND BEDROOM

Bergen

Stockholm

Standing free Julian Bowen has further expanded its offer Julian Bowen continues to concentrate on product development with a constant flow of introductions.

The company has expanded its bedroom offer by launching free-standing sliding door wardrobes.

Bergen is available in a black gloss and walnut finish and Stockholm in white gloss and light oak, which coordinates with the Stockholm bedroom collection. The 2m high wardrobe offers generous interior storage space with a top and bottom shelf on each side and a metal hanging rail with plenty of hanging space.

Knightsbridge

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‘The recent introduction of the Knightsbridge faux leather bed has been a runaway success,’ says Emmett Lenaghan, Julian Bowen commercial director.

Available in two sizes – 135cm and 150cm – and in taupe and chocolate brown, the design features a distinctive upholstered geometric panel and is trimmed with a soft roll around the headboard, has polished metal feet and a sprung slatted base ‘We also have a lot more developments in the pipeline with a new low sleeper bed with underbed drawers available in pink/white or blue/white colour combinations. The launch of a new 90cm bed in stone white or pine colour finish offers amazing value for money and is sure to be an instant success.

All these new products will be on display at the Manchester Furniture Show,’ he says.

The living/dining offer has also been expanded with the Mayflower, a collection of occasional pieces, sideboards and dining tables and chairs. The range features 40mm planked tops made from solid reclaimed pine. An antique stain has been applied to the solid pine, together with a lacquered finish giving the collection a deep rich colour.

The direct home delivery service continues to improve as customer demand increases and has been further enhanced with all products now available on a two-man service to a room of choice for the same price as the previous one-man delivery service.

Julian Bowen, tel: 01623 727 374

WOOD AND LAMINATE

To have knots Vintage looks form the theme of Balterio’s latest decors Balterio has new collections and added decors to existing ranges, many with an authentic aged appearance.

It has expanded the Tradition Quattro collection with six oak decors, bringing the total to 14.

‘The decors feature a deep embossingin-register structure with a matt finish making them authentic as never before.

Coral White Oak, Collosseum Oak and Vintage Leather Oak feature even deep knots and long cracks,’ says Franky Terrijn, Balterio marketing director.

Quattro Vintage is a new collection with 8mm thick planks in a standard plank size with 11 vintage-style decors.

‘Quattro Vintage creates atmosphere in a home. Striking knots and small imperfections give this laminate a vintage look. The gentle tones and everchanging play of light and shade make your home feel totally retro. Quattro Vintage is a bold collection which radiates warmth,’ says Terrijn.

Quattro Vintage features Balterio’s PressXpress click system for quick installation.

Seven decors have been added to the

Left and inset: Quattro Vintage Gunsmoke Chestnut Below: Impressio Frappuccino Oak

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six currently in the Impressio collection, complete with knots and cracks.

Impressio is a wide plank on a standard length (244mm x 1,261mm). The new oak Impressio decors come with Panoramic Design, ensuring that the design flows smoothly from plank to plank, creating the appearance of planks that are endless. The latest decors have a matt oiled finish.

All the designs will be supported by a revamped website. ‘The website will be visible from all types of OS platforms, including desktop computers, laptops and tablets. The purified design stands out for its well-structured simplicity and intuitive operation. The new website also offers a first: the decors of all the different ranges will be available in a fullscreen room environment view.

Furthermore, we visit real people, who chose to install a Balterio laminate floor in their home and find out why they opted for Balterio,’ adds Terrijn.

The enhanced website also contains an abundance of installation and innovation videos, offering consumers practical guidance in placing and finishing their Balterio laminate floor. A separate website has been created for smart phones, containing only the information that is useful for a smartphone user.

Visit: www.balterio.com

WOOD AND LAMINATE

Above: Reclaimed Chestnut Natural Top left: Classic Painted Oak White Left: Largo Long Island Light Oak

Keeping up with the times Quick-Step’s laminate designs capture the latest trends Oak remains Quick-Step’s most popular wood species, with a host of designs from classic to weathered. The weathered trend can range from a look with cracks, saw cuts, and nail holes, to a lighter variant with a patina or peeled paint.

Country interiors with a soft romantic look are the keynotes for Largo. This oak design with nuts and panels stands out.

The neutral, light colour of the Long Island Light Oak brightens up the room instilling a feeling of openness. The long, wide planks create depth in the room to give interiors an exclusive look.

A painted, peeled character is emerging more and more. Time-worn planks were given a coat of paint at some point to give them a new lease of life.

However, over the years, the paint has peeled off at various points. The white paint and the wood structure of Classic Painted Oak White, which is subtly becoming visible again, create an authentic and romantic atmosphere.

As an alternative to oak while retaining the worn trend, is Reclaimed Chestnut Natural. These weathered floors with cracks, wormholes, and nail holes give

the planks an authentic look, while the different glosses, which hint at extra depth, bring to life the structure and warmth of horse chestnut wood. The planks reflect the feel of an old varnished wooden floor and suit both country houses and industrial interiors.

The top layer of a Quick-Step laminate floor is given extra protection by the Scratch Guard protective layer. This makes the floors up to 10 times more scratch-resistant than floors without Scratch Guard.

Visit: www.quick-step.co.uk

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DESIGN

Michael Sodeau’s Library Seating for Modus is a sculptural, high back cocooning sofa ideal for private spaces and reducing acoustics. Manufactured from cold-cure polyurethane foam over a steel frame on a ply base. There is a separate, drop-in cold-cure seat.

A powder-coated steel plinth protrudes from the rear.

Visit: www.modusfurniture.co.uk

Another Country’s Desk Three by Marie Dessuant doesn’t need to be confined to the home office; it can be a workstation, dressing table or occasional table. The solid beech desk has a top with gently rounded edges, a centrally placed drawer and a trestle-style base that characterises the collection.

Visit: www.anothercountry.com

Mark of distinction A selection of 2014’s Design Guild Mark winners Since their launch in 2008, just 122 Design Guild Marks have been awarded by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. The DGMs reward the work of the finest furniture designers working in volume production and the best of British furniture designers working abroad. The criteria are for excellence in four fields: design, the use of materials, manufacture and function.

Graham Jones, DGM chairman, says: ‘This year has been particularly

exciting. We have seen a record number of entries that suggests the Design Guild Mark is really gaining awareness and value. We also had a number of new judges who were open and energetic about what they saw and heard. Most significantly, we had many first time applicants and, particularly, young applicants, who really expressed a passion for their craft and for why they wanted to apply for a DGM.’ Visit: www.furnituremkrs.co.uk

Simon Pengelly’s Norse for Modus is a contemporary take on a Scandinavian-style chair, with a light aesthetic and a distinctive contour.

Produced from solid steam bent ash or oak the elliptical legs and arms

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Oliver Hrubiak’s Finn for John Lewis draws inspiration from a combination of Scandinavian functionalism and British utilitarian design. The powder-coated steel frame provides functional strength, visual simplicity and gives a

lightweight appearance.

The solid ash arms and veneered plywood backrest deliver balance, elegance and comfort.

Overall, the chair provides efficient use of space with a compact footprint and an under-seat shelf.

Visit: www.johnlewis.com

connect with a pressed ply seat and backrest. An upholstery pad is available and the chair can be specified in ash, oak or a paint finish.

Visit: www.modusfurniture.co.uk

DESIGN Simon Pengelly’s Concave bookcase for Joined + Jointed is a response to the need for bookcases to house a plethora of items that differ vastly in shape and size. It is produced in two halves and can be used as such or joined as one whole piece.

Visit: www.joinedandjointed.com

Junction Fifteen’s Olly stool by founders David Lord and Ben Frost is an updated take on the traditional tri-symmetric stool, with three tubular steel frames that appear to be self supporting and solid European oak or American walnut stool top. The Olly features bowling ball style finger holes for lifting and positioning.

Visit: www.junctionfifteen.com

Je-uk Kim’s Lovebird sofa for Made.com has two pullout units – a coffee table with a storage compartment, and a large cushion. They combine to make an ottoman.

Visit: www.made.com

Inspired by a dancer’s poise, Steuart Padwick’s Fonteyn dressing table for Made.com is elegantly balanced, with slender, tapered legs and gracefully curved edges. The high gloss red lacquer brings classic glamour, offsetting the matt finish walnut.

Visit: www.made.com

The cantilevered chairs Washington Skeleton and Washington Skin by David Adjaye for Knoll establishes a play between propping and balancing, so that they are simultaneously functional and sculptural. The chairs, with their unique leg design, are available in two materials: die-cast aluminium (Washington Skeleton) and reinforced nylon (Washington Skin). Like complementary inversions of each other, the aluminium chair is reduced to a fine geometric lattice, while the nylon chair offers a colourful envelope of the same form.

Visit: www.knoll-int.com

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DESIGN The Oxbow chair and carver by Namon Gaston for Benchmark features a leather sling seat and back that mould over time and develop a rich patina. It is available with a natural or fumed oak frame and a choice of undyed, hazel or dark brown English bridle hide leather.

Visit: www. benchmark furniture.com

The Radar table by Wales & Wales for John Lewis has subtly moulded, curved legs that cluster to form an elegant, contemporary pedestal, propping up an uniquely veneered, round tabletop. It has a sophisticated, almost traditional look with a notably modern twist.

Visit: www.johnlewis.com

Manufactured in the UK from solid beech, Morgan’s Pimlico 140 (above) and Brompton 540 (below) have a choice of 12 standard polish finishes or stained to pattern. They are shown with walnut legs.

Visit: www.morganfurniture.co.uk

The distinctive patterns of Sandur by Mark Gabbertas for Oasiq accentuate the breezy character of this chair. A tubular stainless steel frame supports a strong and weatherproof rope weave. As well as the full woven chair, there is a full woven club chair and seat and back woven only chair.

Visit: www.oasiq.com

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DESIGN

The Wireframe sofa group for Herman Miller exemplifies a recurring theme for Sam Hecht and Kim Colin: contrasting tension. The design’s external structure is shaped from steel wire, a material long used in classic Herman Miller designs for its strength and durability. The contoured cushions add comfort from a suspension technology developed by Herman Miller for the healthcare industry.

Visit: www.hermanmiller.co.uk

The asymmetrical frame of the Jot compact desk by Alex Hellum for Joined and Jointed creates a balanced piece with plenty of visual interest. Inspired by both domestic and workplace furniture, it features a drawer with leather tab pull, and desktop cubbyhole.

Visit: www. joinedandjointed.com

The Slope wall desk by Leonhard Pfeifer for Müller Möbel leans against the wall and has a lower shelf for power adaptors and cables that connect through the middle compartment.

Visit: www.muellermoebel.de

Described by its designers Wales & Wales as ‘a very simple, almost vernacular design’, the visual interest of Joined + Jointed’s Span is its under-carriage. Its rounded legs, angled struts, joint details and curved table edge recall oriental joinery methods.

Visit: www.joinedandjointed.com

PearsonLloyd’s SixE chair for Howe is designed to be the most efficient, sturdy, and long-lasting solution to the ubiquitous stacking shell chair. The name, SixE, refers to

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the six Es that characterise the chair: Ergonomic, Efficient, Elegant, Environmental, Economic and Ease of handling.

Visit: www.howe.com

UNDERLAY

Mission to educate QA Flooring Solutions helps consumers to understand the benefits of underlay How many homeowners give their underlay a second thought?

Or even realise it’s there at all?

Precious few, according to QA Flooring Solutions. The company, previously QA Products, believes that underlay is still very much ‘out of sight, out of mind’ with most consumers and it is time more people knew what a crucial role underlay plays in making a home a more comfortable, pleasant environment.

Because of this it has decided to start educating consumers about underlay.

‘We were surprised how few consumers realised the importance of underlay as part of a total flooring solution – so we wanted to make it easy to see how we could help people get the best out of the environment they live in. As part of our Simply Better company ethos, which is driving a new approach to choosing the right underlay for the situation, we have made these benefits simple to understand,’ says Garry Atmore, QA Flooring Solutions marketing manager.

‘It’s all part of creating the best experience possible for our customers.

‘The first step we have taken in this education process is to introduce a short animated video on our website called Underlay, The Home’s Hidden Hero, which helps to visualise some of the key benefits of underlay, and to understand that different types of room have different traffic levels,’ he explains.

The company has also added a three-step underlay selector – Traffilay – to its website. Consumers select the level of traffic, for example light for a bedroom and heavy for the hall and stairs; the type of flooring, and then which key benefits they want such as noise reduction and heat insulation.

The selector then recommends a good, better, best selection from the company’s 18 carpet underlays, 23 wood floor underlays and six professional system underlays.

‘Traffilay will help consumers understand the benefits of quality underlay and ensure that they select the right product for their needs,’ adds Atmore.

While QA has primarily been an underlay specialist, its emphasis is now on providing a total flooring solution, including its Luvanto LVT collection and wide range of flooring accessories.

Visit: www.qaflooringsolutions.com

Users select traffic level, flooring type and benefits to receive recommendations

The video highlights the benefits of underlay

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

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LVT

Nature’s way Stone or wood – take your choice There is plenty of choice in the LVT market, with stone and wood taking top billing for many consumers.

Karndean Design Flooring’s updated Art Select Stones collection contains Art Select Parliament Slate. Striking a definite note of sophistication, it is inspired by the rich hues and intricate natural textures of slate recovered from the steps of a former Parliament House building in Melbourne, Australia, before its relocation to the capital of Canberra in 1988.

While Melbourne is a true match with its rich and forgiving multicolour palette of mid-grey, blue and earth browns, Canberra encapsulates the original inspiration stone in its darkest form with a black, grey and silver mix of varying colour density.

The Art Select Stone collection features four slate designs: Melbourne, Canberra, Oakeley and Corris; three marbles: Ashford, Otono and Fiore; three travertine: Washburn, Calderra and Gallatin and four limestone designs: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Herm.

Each design has been created from its original inspiration stone recovered from various locations throughout the world including natural hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, USA and a quarry in the Province of Massa, Tuscany.

Meanwhile, traditional wood-effect flooring is still the number one option for UK homeowners, according to Moduleo.

‘While stone remains a popular alternative, classic wood designs never

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go out of fashion and continue to be the bestsellers with Moduleo customers; particularly for those looking to update their kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms,’ says David Bigland, Moduleo UK and Republic of Ireland md.

‘While we’ve undoubtedly seen an upsurge in customers looking for something a little bit different, and responded to these desires; our classic, wood-effect flooring has always been a standout favourite.

‘Both our Country Oak and Classic Oak designs consistently eclipse the sales of other tiles; which is likely a reflection on their versatility, both with surrounding furniture and broad appeal throughout every season,’ he says.

Traditional woods work with a number of different trends, which is why they’re so successful, he says. The adaptability of a classic wood or wood-effect flooring means it can complement almost any look, from a vintage-inspired kitchen to a contemporary bathroom.

‘Flooring trends will obviously come and go but the classic wood-effect is absolutely here to stay,’ adds Bigland.

Karndean, tel: 01386 820 100 Moduleo, tel: 01332 851 500

Above: Moduleo’s Country Oak

Below left: Karndean’s Canberra LM06 Below: Karndean’s Melbourne LM05

Polyflor at Home has been developed to inspire you by offering exciting and authentic design ideas to suit any style of home interior.

Introduce yourself to the Colonia and Camaro Luxury Vinyl Tile collections.

Full marketing support for both LVT ranges is available, including a next day samples service, brochures, presenters and retail display stands. Visit polyflorathome.com to view stunning imagery, or contact us by email on lvt@polyflor.com for further information.

COLONIA Nordic White Oak

POLYFLOR LTD. PO BOX 3 RADCLIFFE NEW RD WHITEFIELD MANCHESTER M45 7NR TEL: 0161 767 1122 FAX: 0161 767 1128 E-MAIL: INFO@POLYFLOR.COM WWW.POLYFLOR.COM

Exhibition guide

Wade Upholstery’s

See Barnaby and Hastings at the Manchester Furniture Show

Manchester Furniture Show

EXHIBITION GUIDE

Lavenham loveseat

Lavenham medium sofa

Back in the driving seat Wood Bros is reintroducing upholstery

Lavenham chair

Wood Bros is further developing its lifestyle look this summer with the reintroduction of an upholstery offer to support its Old Charm, Chatsworth and Ludlow cabinet ranges.

The upholstery collection consists of three designs: Lavenham, Burnham and Blakeney. Lavenham is available in three sofa sizes: large, medium and loveseat, with a choice of formal or scatterback cushions and a matching armchair.

Burnham and Blakeney are offered as fireside-style chairs with complementary compact sofas which can be used with the Lavenham giving an eclectic feel, or separately offering a compact suite option. There is also a bench stool that works across all three designs.

All feature a traditional sprung frame construction and is glued and screwed. An extensive fabric swatch supports the introduction and offers commercial and decorative options as well as on-trend colours. A variety of florals, transitional checks, and kilim-style patterns represent a diverse selection of coordinating colours, textures and styles.

Wood and choice of finish are key ingredients to the new upholstery story, with plinth and foot options that can be coloured to match any of the Old Charm cabinet collections.

Traditional and Heritage finishes are offered in four standard colourways: Light Oak, Tudor Brown, Heritage and Vintage.

Flaxen and Corn are also available for Chatsworth and Ludlow respectively. In common with all Old Charm furniture, the upholstery has a lifetime guarantee and the added benefit of a coordinated, stronger, and more focused in-store display promoting a complete lifestyle story to the consumer.

‘The reintroduction of upholstery is the next part of the strategic development of Old Charm’s offer. It provides an opportunity to progress a more cohesive lifestyle look within the branded areas which have been developed over the past 18 months with a significant number of our stockists,’ says Malcolm Nix, Wood Bros sales and marketing director.

‘The upholstery collection has been designed to hit the sweet spot of the upper middle sector of the upholstery market and is perfectly positioned to complement our cabinet ranges. We see the collection as a work in progress and intend to grow our sofa and chair offer to both meet market requirements and continue developing the brand’s unique personality.’

Wood Bros is on stand A11 at the show.

Visit: www.oldcharm.co.uk

Manchester Furniture Show • Manchester Central • 13-16 July • www.manchesterfurnitureshow.com 54

Interiors Monthly July 2014

All of these new lines will be displayed on Stand C11 at the Manchester Furniture Show

www.seconique.co.uk

Corona 3’ Bunk Bed wiith w ith h Coron ona a Tr T io

Club Chair with Footstool Brown Bonded Leather

Julia Be edroom Show Sh wn wiith th Che ester Sle eig gh Bed

Tempo Two Seater in Dark Brown Fabricc Sh how own with wiitth w h Harlequin Occasional

King ng gst ston Occasional Sh S how wn wit ith th Tempo in Taupe e PU PU

COMPREHENSIVE PRODUCT RANGE - FIRST CLASS SERVICE - OUTSTANDING VALUE

Manchester Furniture Show

EXHIBITION GUIDE The upholstery range has been refined Left: Lydia Below: Claudia Bottom: Essence

Streamlined action TCS is focusing on fewer ranges During the past few years TCS has expanded its collection of upholstery, dining furniture and beds into significantly large offerings. This year the company felt the time had come to simplify the key ranges and focus on its principal products.

It looked into individual components of the business and asked questions such as: what are the bestselling products? What areas generate the most profits? Who are the main demographic: who is buying TCS products? What age category do they fall into? Are they male or female, with or without families?

The answers to these questions enabled it to make informed decisions on what products to centre its attention on and which products to phase out. A detailed analysis of its service department was carried out to determine which elements raised the most service enquiries and how they could be minimised and improved.

TCS’s upholstery range had increased to 40 models, leading the range to be refined. As a result TCS discontinued four models and introduced one model along with one new covering: thick microfibre fabric.

After its large collection of dining and occasional furniture was reviewed it was decided to strip it back from 10 comprehensive collections to four, that now have a 10-year warranty. All TCS dining and cabinet ranges are made from solid American oak.

The research also provided the perfect foundation for its

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

latest brochure – the concept being to provide independent retailers with a visual tool, which enables them to view the full TCS collection. The brochure was designed with large detailed images and close-up shots of individual characteristics that emphasise the styling and quality TCS offers.

The brochure and the revamp ranges will be on show at Manchester Central.

Visit: www.tcsimports.com

See us at The Manchester Furniture Show Stand B71

Manchester Furniture Show

EXHIBITION GUIDE

Adding to success Comfort Zone Sofas is to launch its second collection

Kingston

For enquiries and Show Van appointments call Dave Butler on: MIRRORS M: 07715 690 267

Comfort Zone Sofas is to launch a selection of contemporary models at the Manchester Furniture Show. As with existing models from sister company Sweet Dreams, all sofas are made at its Primrose Mill premises in Burnley.

The latest ranges follow the company’s launch of its debut collection in January, which was well received and has led to encouraging sales.

Among the additions to the range will be three corner units; new models Kingston and Richmond, and an extra option to the existing Chelsea range.

Both Kingston and Richmond feature foam seat cushions and fibre to the backs. Kingston has an angled, full corner seat, allowing plenty of people to sit in comfort, while Richmond has a pillow back. Richmond will also be launched in the traditional 3-2-1 format.

For further contemporary looks there are Jasper and Bedale.

Jasper with its chrome feet comes in a two-seater sofa and an exceptionally wide and deep cuddler chair, made for two people. It features Duratech to the seat and back and the sofa has added lumbar cushions with fibre filling.

Bedale also consists of a two-seater and chair. The chair features a full back, while the sofa has a pillow back. Seat cushions are foam and the back cushions fibre. The chaise can be to either the left or right.

Other models are promised for the show, including sofabeds and a new contract model.

The company will also be introducing an additional swatch of fabrics.

Comfort Zone Sofas, tel: 01282 830 033

DB

E: dbmirrors@gmail.com F: 0161 796 8522

New range of mirrored bedroom furniture

See us at THE MANCHESTER FURNITURE SHOW Stand A12

• Mirrors • • Mirror framed artwork • • Art Nouveau mirrors • Bedale

Jasper

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

Charter Hall Charter 4

First Floor Exhibitors Ashley Manor GCL Bedrooms Scan Thor

5 CH 5 CH

CH28

CH19

CH17

CH18

CH16

A90

CH2

A92

A82 A80

CH1

A69

A68

CH6

A67

A74

A75

A66

CH10

A50

A32

A34

A60

A70

A76

A65

A64

A16

A10

A30

A63

A58

A51

A12

A41

A27

A21

Fo A15

A11 A1

Emergency Exit

A61 A53

Fo

A17

A72 A71

Fo B98

B75

B71

B61

B45

B43

B34

B33

B21

B15

B11 A2

B31

C95

C73

C61

C48

C41

C31

C35 C67

C23

C21

Entr

C11

C33

C65 D2

Foyer 1

D3

D77

D71

D69

Emergency Exit

D63

D65

D50

D31

D21

D19

D20

D18

D17

D15

D10

Cobden

D62 D11 D25

E73

E72

E71

E66

E65

D27

E61

E21

E15 E7

E85

Emergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Central 1Wall 2020 Technologies Alexander & James Alpha Designs Upholstery Annaghmore Agencies Ashley Manor Baker Furniture Blue Bone Imports BM Direct Buoyant Upholstery Carlton Furniture Cavendish Upholstery CFD Sofas Charltons Furniture CLX Sofas Clivedon Comfort Zone Sofas Core Products Corndell Furniture Crown Home DĂŠcor DB Mirrors Dagmara Kassendr Delis Bedding Products Dormeo Octaspring Exclusive (UK) Express Sofas Febland Group Furmanac

62

0

6

C96

Manchester Furniture Show 13-16 July 2014

SHOW GUIDE

Interiors Monthly July 2014

E71 A34 Exchange 11 D18 D69 Exchange 11 Cobden Room D71 A61 B61 C31 C48 A64 Foyer 2 D50 E72 A41 A76 Foyer 1 A69 A12 A72 A15 A71 B34 D21 A50 B11

Furnico Furniture News Furniture Origins UK G & P Furniture G7 Swan GCL Bedrooms Global Furniture Alliance (GFA) G Plan Cabinets Greenapple Harmony Furnishings Hestia Harrison Brothers Furniture Heartlands Furniture Holroyd & Jones Homestyle GB Hyde Line Ideal Products IFD International Art Italian Furniture Co JR Imports JTW Keen Classics Kettle Interiors Kingstown Furniture Kyoto La-Z-Boy Lebus Upholstery

Charter 4 A32 B21 E61 A60 Exchange 10 A53 C41 C23 A1 B11 B43 A21 D19 E21 B98 A10 D15 E7 B33 A63 D77 D3 A58 C61 A66 Charter 4 B71

Encore cushions.

Guaranteed performance for 4years.

What’s not to love?

Retailers and their customers love Encore. We're not surprised because unlike almost all other cushions Encore-Fibre and Encore-Feather both come with a four year guarantee against flattening.

All that is needed to maintain their performance is regular turning. And that isn't difficult as they are lighter than similar feather or fibre cushions. The secret is in their unique construction. Encore cushions are constructed using a core of foam and either fibre or feather. This allows the cushion to

“spring” back to its original shape again and again.

And that is something you'll find very comforting.

fibre

Guaranteed. feather

Tel:01535 606846

See our new website & video at: IT JUST KEEPS ON PERFORMING

www.encorecushion.co.uk

IT JUST KEEPS ON PERFORMING

Manchester Furniture Show 13-16 July 2014

SHOW GUIDE Charter Hall Charter 4

Exhibitors nor oms 5 CH 5 CH

0

6

CH28

CH19

CH17

CH18

CH16

Foyer 3 CH2

A82 A80

CH6

CH1

A69

A68

A67

A50

A75

A66

A64

A65

A34

A16

A10

A30

A63

A58

A51

A12

A41

A27

A21

Foyer 2 A15

A11 A1

A61

Foyer 2

A17

A53 A72 A71

Foyer 2 B75

B71

B61

B45

B43

B34

B33

B21

B15

B11 A2

B31

C73

C61

C48

C41

C31

C35 C67

C23

C21

Entrance

C11

C33

C65 D2

Foyer 1

D3

D71

D69

D63

D65

D50

D31

D21

D20

D19

D18

D17

D15

D10

Cobden

D62 D11 D25

E73

E72

E71

E65

E66

D27

E61

E21

E15 E7

ergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Emergency Exit

Central Manchester Furniture Supplies Meble Roberto MiBed MiChair MiFurniture Minster Stylish Living MJS Trading Mode Designs (UK) Morris Furniture Mollificio Pavano Mystique NHF Leather New Trend Designs Nihao Furniture Optimise Solutions Paulus & Brown Pharmore Rainbow Upholstery Relaxateeze Sadiq Furniture Scandinavian Pine Scan Thor SEN Furniture Seconique Smart Trading Sofa Divani Sofa Source Spagnesi

64

A32

A60

A70

A74

CH10

Interiors Monthly July 2014

E65 D27 B11 B11 B11 E15 A16 D25 C41 A75 A92/A90/E85 B98 C33 B98 A70 B15 A65 A74 C41 A80 E21 Exchange 9 E66 C11 A30 CH10 B31 B75

Sports Therapy Mattress Staingard Steven Shell Stroolmount SWS Import TCBC TCS the Complete Service Time Living Totem Furniture Trends Interiors Value Mark Furniture Vogue Beds Wade Upholstery Welbeck Welcome Furniture Westbridge Furniture Whitemeadow Furniture Wilde Java Wilkinson Furniture Wintech Wire Lamps Wood Bros Woodman Chairs Woodpecker Furniture XYZ Yinihome Your China Mattress Zone

A17 A15 Foyer 1 A2 D31 CH50 C21 D63 B45 D65 A51 A17 Foyer 3 Foyer 3 D10 C73 Cobden Room D11 C35 A27 A67 A11 CH56 A68 B15 Foyer 2 D62 C41

Lowa Dining Range

We look forward to seeing you at the Manchester Show, Stand B21 For all enquiries, please contact Barry Webb 07702 603971 • barry.webb@furnitureorigins.co.uk

May Design Series

EXHIBITION GUIDE

Arkana’s Antonio

Floral by David Trubridge from Holloways of Ludlow

Tom Schneider’s Serpent lamp table

Capital onesie Covering five interiors sectors in a London location, here’s a selection of the best on show at ExCel Abraham Moon showed its Dales fabric collection, available as two volumes, the designs and colour combinations have been inspired by the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales. Fresh colours of the Spring volume take in shades of apple, lime, and raspberry, contrasted alongside the richer Autumn combinations of damson, mulberry and walnut.

Coleccion Alexandra’s Goya mirror

Arkana’s upholstery debuts were 1970’s style Page and Antonio featuring shaped arms and padded sides. The Elizabeth chesterfield saw the introduction of a faded-effect velvet.

Asiatic introduced the Coast rug, a wool and viscose mix with undyed wool in plain and stripe while Holburn is a viscose stripe design. The shaggy

May Design Series • London ExCel • 17-19 May • www.maydesignseries.com 66

Interiors Monthly July 2014

Is your company

Best in Class?

W Bed Component Supplier of the Year W Bed Manufacturer of the Year W Independent Bed Retailer of the Year W Multiple Bed Retailer of the Year W Bed E-tailer of the Year

If you think it is then call now on 0845 055 6406 / 01756 799950 for an entry pack or complete your entry online at www.bedshow.co.uk

National Bed Federation, High Corn Mill, Chapel Hill, Skipton, BD23 1NL • Tel: 0845 055 6406 • www.bedfed.org.uk

Quality Hand Made German Furniture

All Schnepel S1 now available as wall mounted units. We supply full fixing kits to make this exciting range “float” before your eyes. Don’t forget we deliver to home and un-box, remove packaging to make your sale an easier one.

AV Furniture Ltd E Mail: info@demagio.com • Tel: 01270 586 236 • www.demagio.com • www.schnepel.co.uk

May Design Series

EXHIBITION GUIDE

Top: Gallery Direct’s Valente table and Lauryn chairs Left: Abraham Moon’s Multispot and Gargrave Right: Velda’s Le Couchon Below: Deirdre Dyson’s Sea Wash

Cascade saw eight colours added.

The centrepiece of Bluebone’s offer was the industrial Titanic range. Employing reclaimed timbers and metals from locker cabinets to worn, painted surfaces is both futuristic and natural. It also introduced a hand-painted range of cabinets in soft grey with a back to nature leaf print. Colours range from a Mediterranean Blue over Cerise to Burnt Orange.

Calia Italia’s contemporary Romeo sofa has adjustable headrests, generous linear seats and polished steel legs.

Coleccion Alexandra’s Goya mirror, part of the Evolution collection, has an integrated TV. Deirdre Dyson showed the Designs from the Seashore carpet collection.

Furmanac introduced the

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

Wellington wingback bedstead, with a choice of 30 fabrics and matching occasional pieces including a chaise.

Gallery Direct used the show to announce the purchase of Frank Hudson while showing its 2014 collection and the official launch of the Hudson Living range.

Hill Interiors added to its offer with ceramic jugs and lamps.

Holloways of Ludlow showed Solid, Terence Woodgate’s debut lighting collection using marble, oak and walnut; cast-metal desk lamps; floor lamps, wall lights and ceiling pendants from Jielde and pendant lamps from David Trubridge.

Iain James Furniture launched the occasional Breakfast Table in Japanese ash with ebony.

John Sankey continued

May Design Series

EXHIBITION GUIDE

its unique take on classically inspired furniture.

New Trend Concepts debuted the Night sofabed and Foster slimbacked sofa with square arms.

One Call Furniture’s Alpine was expanded with a black and white chest of drawers. Bluetooth speakers and a phone charger were added to PremiumPlus.

Parker & Farr updated its upholstery fabric offer.

Rug-Maker showed Ptolemy’s collection of Gelims that are visually soft and feathery yet contained within strong graphic, almost Rothko-esq colourfields.

Seconique enhanced Panama with a compact dining set while Kingston has a coffee table, lamp table, TV unit and coordinating bedroom pieces. The Julia bedroom range includes three wardrobes

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

and a dressing table. The Lollipop childrens’ bedroom range was expanded with shelving units in three sizes and colours.

Think Rugs previewed its Designer collection.

Tom Schneider added a sideboard and TV unit to Swirl, and lamp and console tables to Serpent, while introducing a colour-matching service.

Velda introduced its Le Couchon collection of large pouffes with six ranges including bold fabrics, leather, and models for outside use.

Wade Upholstery showed Barnaby, available in a tweed-look fabric with leather trim or full leather.

Welbeck House introduced the Madison modular sofa.

XYZ Agencies showed the Malmo sofa in Mystic Gold fabric.

Clockwise from top left: Rug-Maker showed Ptolemy’s collection of Gelims; Iain James’s mahogany W129 expanding dining table and Alexander chairs; Bluebone’s Titanic; John Sankey’s Holkman; Calia Italia’s Romeo

EXHIBITION GUIDE

Odyssey is a collection presented at the show

by Made a Mano in collaboration with NCB Architettura. It is formed of nine different tiles, and it is a combination of poetry, pottery tradition from Caltagirone in Sicily, lava stone processing and the skills of local artisans. It is available as a limited edition.

Visit: www.madeam ano.com

Ponte Veneto showed its collection of furniture from Misuralegno and sanitaryware from OCR. ‘Italy has a heritage of experienced artisans who are not only excellent craftsmen, famous worldwide for their quality, but they are the people who enjoy and love creating furniture that improves the quality of life,’ says Marieann Morrison, Ponte Veneto md.

Visit: www.ponteveneto.co.uk

May Design Series

Egger combined with Trend Bible founder Joanna Feeley to share insights, research findings and future predictions while showcasing 23 new decors and six new textures in its Zoom laminate and melamine board collection.

Visit: www.egger.co.uk

Greenapple introduced the Mirage stainless steel and wood TV unit, table and shelving unit with four wood finishes as it returned to the May Design Series.

Ivory is a glass and wood table collection with a choice of four finishes.

Visit: www. greenapple.co.uk

Offering a high quality, diverse portfolio, Besp-Oak sells more than 40 market-leading collections which are showcased fully in its six-floor 22,000sqft showroom in Coventry. Products are available to purchase on a wholesale and direct container basis.

Visit: www.bespoakfurniture.co.uk Scatter Box, the soft furnishings brand from Abbeylands Furniture, is a constant source of inspiration, providing customers with fully coordinated collections based on a strong design aesthetic and competitive pricing structure. Its collections of curtains, tiebacks, cushions, throws and bedlinen are backed by the in-house design team, along with a rigorously monitored manufacturing and supply chain.

Visit: www.scatterbox.ie

www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk

71

PROTECTION

Keep stains at bay As a natural material leather needs care

Furniture Clinic advises applying a specialist protection cream to the furniture on delivery

Leather is a natural and delicate material that will slowly start to deteriorate when used. Over time, unnoticeable oils from skin are transferred on to leather and can cause cracking, peeling and discolouration.

Armrests and head areas are most susceptible to this form of damage and the key part of maintaining leather furniture is to keep it protected.

For consumers to know how to successfully care for an item, they must understand what type of leather they have purchased.

‘For the purposes of protection, there are two main leather types: absorbent leather, sometimes known as aniline, and protected, often referred to as pigmented. Both have been aniline dyed during the tanning process, but protected leather has an additional layer of pigment and sealant,’ says Ben Staerck, Furniture Clinic founder.

Staerck says an ‘absorbency’ test is a good way of demonstrating the difference to the customer.

‘Place a drop of water on a leather swatch and rub it in with your finger. If it soaks in, it is absorbent. Absorbent leather is susceptible to most liquids and will stain easily. Protected leather will not

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Interiors Monthly July 2014

absorb the water but must still be protected to ensure the sealant is not worn away.

Customers may be shocked to think of how fast a spillage can soak into their new suite and will be undoubtedly keener to protect it,’ he says.

Furniture Clinic advises applying a specialist protection cream as soon as the item is delivered and every three months thereafter. Protection cream reinstates absorbent leather’s natural oils and waxes while repelling water-based stains.

Sitting on leather causes friction, which eventually wears away the coating causing it to lose colour and become faded, but a good protection cream will absorb the friction and help prevent this.

It will also add an invisible barrier to help protect the finish on pigmented leather from wear and tear. All future dirt will be held on the protected layer and can be easily wiped clean.

‘We advise cleaning leather once a week by wiping it down with a specialist cleaner and doing a more thorough clean every month. For absorbent leather, agitate the cleaner into a foam

and apply with a sponge panel by panel.

This will provide a deep clean while keeping the leather relatively dry, prohibiting water stains,’ he says.

Pigmented leather should be cleaned with a natural bristle brush to clean deep into the valleys of the grain to prevent a build up of dirt on the pigmented surface.

‘Educating the consumer on their furniture establishes a greater level of expertise. Showing after-care knowledge convinces the customer you are committed to the longevity of their purchase making it far easier to sell care plans and care kits,’ adds Staerck.

Visit: www.furnitureclinic.co.uk

Independant manufacturers of bench made upholstery from Blackburn, Lancashire, supplying independant & family trade outlets.

Specialising in bespoke upholstery and made to measure.

Network delivery throughout UK and Ireland

Tel: 01254 661661 Fax: 01254 661802 Email: benjaminadam@btconnect.com Call for our NEW brochure Agents required N. wales, North West , North East, Yorkshire & Ireland

SALES REP/AGENT REQUIRED FOR LONDON CENTRAL/ NORTH/ EAST & SURROUNDING AREAS Trade Flooring is a manufacturer of high class wood flooring. The company has been established for over twenty five years. A sales position has been become available for the areas mentioned above. The role would suit a self motivated individual with a good knowledge of the flooring industry however experience is not essential. The candidate must be willing to promote our products with Designers, Architects Retailers and Contractors mainly middle to high end.

Interested candidates should send their CV to tradeflooring@gmail.com (attention of Amir Ahmad) or call 07879 650943 / 0208 810 5600 to discuss.

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See us at: MANCHESTER FURNITURE SHOW Stand A2 & FLOORING SHOW Stand M8