Interiors Monthly November 2009

www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

Interio

rs Mo

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ovember 2009 C A R P E T S F U R N I T U R E R U G S B E D S L A M I N A T E U P H O L S T E R Y V I N Y L

Recliners Grey power

Exhibition guide2010 all mapped out

Interiorsmonthlyf i r s t f o r f l o o r i n g a n d f u r n i t u r e

Nov

embe

r 20

09

BerwickA British Wool

Classic Heather Twistin 40oz and 50oz/yd2

Pile Weightsfrom Cormar Carpets

OuterCoverSpread_IM_1109 28/10/09 10:31

Call one of our agents today for an exclusive appointment to visit our trade showrooms.

South: Gary Priday - 07968 112403 Northern Ireland: Dougie Yeates - 07850 313237North: Eddie Haetzman - 07968 112414 Lincolnshire: Graham Adams - 07711 036127Scotland: Ian Crowther - 07930 314077 Channel Islands: Robin Humphrey - 0796 6227121

Woodside Furniture Ltd., Unit 4, Wreakes Lane, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 1LN T: 0114 229 0741 W: www.woodsidefurniture.co.uk E: [email protected]

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www.interiorsmonthly.co.uk 3

Andrew KiddEditor

The Primo Easy Clean Collection fromCormar has now been updated to includePrimo Plus, Primo Saxony and new PrimoTweeds. Tel: 01204 881 200 or email:[email protected].

Interiors MonthlyEditor: Andrew KiddT: 01732 766 333 E: [email protected]

Furniture advertising (South): Tim BodenT: 01732 367 757 E: [email protected]

Furniture advertising (North): Jarrod BirdT: 01565 659 414 E: [email protected]

Carpet and flooring advertising: Joanne MillerT: 01732 766 344 E: [email protected]

Sales executive: Ben WatkinsT: 01732 367 757 E: [email protected]

China sales agent: Jane DaiT: 00 86 755 8292 5229 E: [email protected]

Published by Interiors Media Limited124 Pembury Road Tonbridge Kent TN9 2JJ T: 01732 367757 F: 01732 352063E: [email protected]

Registered in England no. 6397722

Printed by Headley Brothers Design by Icon Colour © Interiors Media Limited

Editor’s comment

SPENDING IS BACKThe official GDP figures may not show it, but there is agrowing belief that the recession has ended for non-manufacturing sectors. Evidence may still be anecdotalbut shoppers certainly seem far less concerned aboutmaking big ticket purchases like a sofa or carpet thanthey were a few months ago.

Visiting the Ekornes event at Wakehurst Place (seepage 24) a few weeks ago provided plenty of evidencethat there are shoppers out there who are prepared tospend often large sums of money – you just have toattract them. More than 600 consumers attended theevent, and certainly when I was there, they were verykeen to buy a new sofa or recliner.

That is 600 shoppers who probably wouldn’t havegone into a store that weekend and shows thatimagination and marketing can bring in the orders. Ifsuch events are so successful that their number will beincreased next year, it seems strange that morecompanies aren’t doing the same thing.

Carpetright’s latest trading update shows a rise in UKand Republic of Ireland like for like sales of 5.6% in the12 weeks to 24 October. While some of this increase willhave come from business that would have gone toAllied Carpets, and the 2008 comparatives are weak, ithas to be seen as an encouraging sign for the overallinteriors market.

‘When the clocks go back, trade picks up. [People]are home more and thinking “God that carpet’sterrible”,’ says Lord Harris.

Although where flooring retailers will be seeing thenew products to tempt shoppers in 2010 remains anintriguing question. It now seems likely that the choicewill be the NEC or Harrogate (see page 8). A survey ofMetro group members found them almost equally splitas to which location they were most likely to visit anexhibition at. Will suppliers be equally divided?

www.cormarcarpets.co.uk

C A R P E T S F U R N I T U R E R U G S B E D S L A M I N A T E U P H O L S T E R Y V I N Y L

Recliners Grey powerExhibition guide2010 all mapped out


Nov

embe

r 20

09

BerwickA British Wool Classic Heather Twistin 40oz and 50oz/yd2

Pile Weightsfrom Cormar Carpets

005_IM_1109.qxd 29/10/09 16:01 Page 3

2 Ballyharry Business Park, Donaghadee Road, Newtownards, Co Down BT23 7ETTel: 028 91828202 Fax: 028 91828082 email: [email protected]

PAR01 1.0m (+0.3m) Extension tablePAR02 Dining chair (dark brown faux leather seat pad)

BRAN01 Brown faux leather 2 seaterBRAN02 Black faux leather 2 seater

RENO01 Reno brown faux leather chairRENO02 Reno black faux leather chairRENO03 Reno brown faux leather chair (dark leg)RENO04 Reno ivory faux leather chair

QUE01 Black faux leather armchair w/stoolQUE02 Brown faux leather armchair w/stool

OXF01 Tub chair (dark brown faux leather)OXF02 Tub chair (black faux leather)

HEN01 Henley brown faux leather chairHEN02 Henley black faux leather chairHEN03 Henley antique brown faux leather chairHEN04 Henley red faux leather chairHEN05 Henley ivory faux leather chair

Reno Henley

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WORLD FURNITUE wp 30/10/09 15:07 Page 1


8 New flooring exhibition

10 Furniture sales rise at Homebase

12 John Lewis opens home store

14 Habitat ‘needs stardust’

20 Carpet: A lifetime in the industry

24 Upholstery: Consumer focused, why the over 50s are vital and design icon

34 Living and dining: coffee tables

38 Beds and bedroom: clever storage

43 Exhibition guide

62 Review: Decorex

64 Review: 100% Design

70 Rugs: Plantation Rug Company

72 Natural Flooring: being green

5 Comment

7 Contents

16 New products

76 Entertainment

78 Final polish

Contents

News

Features

Regulars

Wood and laminate supplement

Interiors preview

Buying groups: recession proof?

Joynson Holland: reborn

Next issue

So howcome you

make it lookso easy?

Boost your sales thisAutumn, take advantage ofour show centre referrals.It makes sense to be a Vale-Bridgecraft stockist.

In a nutshellyou need to be aVale-Bridgecraftstockist like me!

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007_IM_1109 29/10/09 15:03

More than 30 companies havecommitted to a flooringexhibition in Harrogate nextSeptember being organised byformer National Floor Showowner, David Wildman.

Abingdon, BMK,Clarendon, Cormar, Furlong,Gaskell, Georgian, KersaintCobb, Kingsmead, Lano, ManxCarpets, Mr Tomkinson,Plantation, Stairrods, Tapibel,Oriental Weavers, RamaCarpets and Victoria areamong the companies thathave committed to the event.

Harrogate Flooring Show isplanned to be held at theHarrogate International Centrefrom 5-7 September. Wildmansays many companies areplanning larger stands than atNFS this year.

‘I hope, with the help of theexhibitors, to be able to bringa little more enjoyment andexcitement back to the event,it all seemed a little heavy this

year,’ he says. Wildman soldNFS to UBM Live in 2001 andremained a consultant until2006.

Halls A, C and M will carrypredominantly carpets andrugs. Hall B will hold otherproduct sectors and ademonstration area.

The show will open on aSunday, in contrast to theTuesday opening of NFS this

year, in an effort to attractmore retailers. ‘Independentretailers will have more timeto visit – we’re planning a fullSunday roast and maybe somefamily activities to make it areal occasion,’ says Wildman.Ten coaches will transportvisitors to the show.

UBM Live, organiser of NFS,says holding another flooringexhibition at the Harrogate

International Centre is abackwards step. NFS is at theNEC from 7-9 September.

‘The launch of a competitiveshow has unnecessarily splitthis relatively compactindustry, which does nothingto help its long term future.David Wildman has launchedan event at a venue that doesnot give a flooring show roomto grow. This show willinclude “Family Days” and“Sunday Roasts”; is this reallythe kind of event the industryneeds to move forward?,’ saysa UBM Live spokesman.

‘National Floor Show 2010will see an exciting socialprogramme implementedwithin Birmingham city centre.Although the social aspect ofthe event is important, realbusiness and networkingshould be at its centre.Another Harrogate showwould only serve to move theindustry backwards.’

8 Interiors Monthly November 2009

News

Pinetum has reassured

stockists that

outstanding orders will

be completed

following the pre-pack

purchase of the

cabinet company on

16 October. It blamed

its 1 October

administration on ‘bad

debts, a historically

high cost base and

delays encountered in

securing new finance

facilities’. All 107

employees have kept

their jobs. The firm

says its order book is

full and it has launched

two ranges, including

Florence (pictured).

UBM Live says having two shows has split the industry

Harrogate Flooring Show gainscommitment from 30 companies

Limelight BedsChris Gibbs has beenpromoted from operationsmanager to businessdevelopment manager atLimelight Beds.

Kettle InteriorsMike Thompson has beenappointed as Kettle Interiorssales agent for Scotland andthe North of England,including Northumberland,Cumbria and Durham.

G Plan CabinetsG Plan Cabinets has namedGraeme Thomson as Scotlandagent and John Shaw asagent for the South East ofEngland.

8news_IMnov.qxt 27/10/09 17:59

6 Compact DiningTables, 2 Chairs & a Sideboard in 2 Finishes

Newark Swivel Table& 2 052 Chairs in Cherry

Derby Square Table& 2 052 Chairs in Cherry Bristol Drop Leaf Table

& 2 026 Chairs in Maple

Lincoln Extending Flip TopTable & 4 026 Chairs in Maple

Sideboard 900 x 540x 750H in Maple(also available in cherry)

Grantham Extending FlipTop Table & 4 052 Chairsin Cherry

Stratford Oval FlipTop Table & 4 026Chairs in Maple

009_IM_1109 30/10/09 11:11

Homebase has increasedfurniture sales in contrast tothe market in general. Thechain says the rise has beendriven by the success of itsfurniture catalogue, greater in-store exposure and jointbuying through sister chainArgos.

The catalogue now has1,500 lines, with the ‘createthe look’, ‘look for less’ and‘great value’ featuresencouraging multi-purchases.

Keeping promotionalfurniture displays on theseasonal floor area, often nearthe entrance, in around 100stores and using this highfootfall space more efficientlythroughout the year hasproduced good results.

Homebase is also offeringan installation service for fittedbedroom furniture in a bid tocapture market share

previously held by MFI.Customers have the choice ofdelivery only, delivery withassembly, or delivery with full

project-managed installation.A trial has been running in 30 stores and this will shortlybe extended to a further 70stores.

Hombebase kitchen salesalso benefited from MFI’scollapse, describing theperformance in the six monthsto the end of August as‘exceptional’.

Argos is also looking tofurther develop the scope ofits furniture offer using the previously acquiredHygena brand and therecently purchased Schreiberbrand, both of which MFIowned.

Combined, the two chainsare the UK’s largest furnitureretailer.


News

Argos is looking to extend the scope of its furniture offer

Homebase sees furniture growth asArgos hopes to develop brands

Bedroom and living roomfurniture manufacturerKingstown Furniture hasinvested in new equipmentfor its Hull factory, includinghandling, drilling, gluing andinsertion machinery.

Richard Sharp, Kingstownmd believes that continuousinvestment is a necessity forthe company to meet thedemands of the retail marketin terms of capacity, qualityand the flexibility to produceto order.

‘We are committed tomanufacturing in the UK forthe long term and this type ofinvestment will ensure weremain at the forefront ofBritish manufacturing,benefiting our retailers andconsumers alike,’ says Sharp.

Kingstowninvests

A bed exhibition is to belaunched by the National BedFederation next September.

The Bed Show is scheduledto take place on 28-29September at the InternationalCentre, Telford, with NBFmembers and componentsuppliers exhibiting so visitorscan learn more about thetechnological innovationslikely to be incorporated into

beds as well as viewing new,finished product.

Already signed up for theevent are: Airsprung Beds,Gainsborough, Hush-a-Bye,Harrison, Somnus, Spink &Edgar, Millbrook, ViSpring,Breasley Consumer Products,Hypnos, Pullmaflex, Remploy,Relyon, Healthbeds,Carpenter, John Cotton,Leggett & Platt, Maes Mattress

Ticking, Monks International,Rawsons Fillings and ApropaMachinery.

‘We really felt the time wasright for a low cost exhibitionwhich brought the leadingbrands together under oneroof at a time of year whenretailers are planning for thebusiest sale period afterChristmas,’ says Simon Spinks,NBF vice president.

Bed exhibition set for 2010

Worker overstayed his visaA Slough interiors store faces afine of up to £10,000 after anemployee was arrested by UKBorder Agency officials foroverstaying his visa.

The 43 year-old Pakistaniman was arrested at City

Carpets and Furniturefollowing a tip-off. A 53 year-old man, also from Pakistan,was arrested for the sameoffence during a search of aflat above the store.

The retailer could be fined if

it cannot prove it did thenecessary checks to ensurethe person was entitled towork in the UK.

Both men have been givenimmigration bail whileawaiting deportation.

10news_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 20:23

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John Lewis has opened its firstJohn Lewis At Home store. Athird of the size of a typicaldepartment store, it stockshome, electrical and hometechnology collections alongwith additional featuresincluding an espresso bar,customer collection and a giftlist service.

The new format, with40,000sq ft of selling space ontwo floors with 10,000sq ft ofwarehousing, responds toresearch which showed thatconsumers wanted to shop ata John Lewis branch within a40 minute journey of theirhome. The chain believesthere could be potential for 20to 30 new locations if the trialis successful.

Tim Harrison, John Lewis

head of format developmentsays: ‘The team has workedincredibly hard to bring ourfirst John Lewis At Home tolife in just five months. Theassortment in Poole is variedand extensive enough tofurnish every room in thehouse and like our full linedepartment stores, John LewisAt Home will offerdifferentiated service, inspiringproducts and great value.’

The new shop will also havecustomer access terminalsallowing shoppers to browsethe full John Lewis offeringonline and order for homedelivery or next day collection.

Some 1,300 shoppersvisited the store with 15minutes of it opening on 22October.

News

Floors-2-Go seeks £5mfunding for expansion


John Lewis opensfirst home store

Euro win: TemaHome has won the Design Management Europe award for

medium size companies. The DME awards recognise European companies’

skills and management leadership to implement design in their business for

commercial success. DME says: ‘Design is one of Europe’s greatest resources

and is rapidly being recognised as a key element of innovative and successful

businesses.’ The contemporary furniture manufacturer is stocked by 1,400

retailers in 46 countries and produces more than 90,000 products a month

making it the largest furniture exporter in Portugal.

A year after it was saved fromcollapse by its founders,Floors-2-Go is close tosecuring funds to develop itsexpansion.

Robert and Richard Hodgesbought the chain fromadministration in August 2008and are said to be seeking upto £5m, according to theIndependent On Sunday.

The newspaper reports themanagement is also thoughtto be looking for furthercommitments from interested

parties to invest, should itstrading continue to prosper. Itquotes ‘a source close to theprocess’ as saying: ‘Floors-2-Go’s numbers look prettygood. They are benefitingfrom people improving theirhomes rather than moving.It’s a good business.’

The chain has added to the80 stores at the time of thepurchase, with Harlow andKidderminster the latestopenings. Carpet has beenintroduced at some branches.

The Poole branch could the first of up to 30 home stores

012_IM_1109 28/10/09 14:22

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013_IM_1109 28/10/09 12:41


Online furniture retailerPineSolutions has been hailedas the best company in EastAnglia after winning theBarclays Commercial Businessof the Year Award at theEastern Daily Press BusinessAwards.

The Norwich company sellspine, oak and paintedfurniture across the UK andIreland.

PineSolutions was recentlyfeatured in The Sunday TimesTrack 100 as one of the fastestgrowing companies in the UK,seeing sales rise by 58% andboasting a customersatisfaction rating of 94%.

The company is carbonneutral thanks to an offsettingscheme whereby customers

are invited to contribute 50pper order, with the fundsgoing toward a reforestationscheme.

News

Habitat ‘needs a bit ofStardust’, greatermanagement focus andimproved customer service if itis to return to profitability.

This was the advice thechain’s founder Sir TerenceConran gave Mark Saunders,Habitat chief executiverecently. Habitat hasappointed investment bankLazard to carry out a strategicreview of the chain, whichcould lead to it being put onthe market.

‘I just said to Saunders,anything I can do to help, ofcourse I would be happy todo so,’ Conran told TheTimes. ‘I said [they] ought tospend more money on theservice. It was so incrediblyprofitable. Most people come

Saunders is concentrating on customer service and new stores

Habitat needs a touch of stardust toget it back into profit, says Conran

Fast-growing PineSolutionswins business accolade

away feeling a bit fed up withthe way they had beentreated.

‘[Habitat is] a good brandthat’s not suffered fromunderfunding, but sufferedfrom management that hasn’thad a clear idea of what tofocus on. The last time itmade money was when

Vittorio Radice (former md)was running it before he wentto Selfridges... He sprinklesstardust. That’s what it needs:a bit of stardust.

‘Obviously, I still remainvery attached to Habitat. I’mproud of having created it.Sadly, I’m not proud when Isee the sort of mess it’s in at

the moment,’ says Conran.The 71-store chain made a

loss of £13.4m in the year tothe end of March, up from£11m.

Saunders, who wasappointed seven months ago,says Habitat has seen anupturn in recent weeks withlike for like sales rising 13%.

He said the appointment ofLazard was ‘an ongoingprocess with a number ofoptions currently underdiscussion. No decision hasbeen made yet.’

He says it will focus onservice to customers, continueto push a new marketingdrive across Europe andlaunch stores over the nextfew months in the UK andother European countries.

Green boost: Foam producer Carpenter is recycling foam mattresses from

British prisons into underlay. The scheme is expected to save the Prison

Service more than £5m in disposal costs over the next five years. ‘This is the

first scheme of its kind and has never been done anywhere in the world. We

are delighted to be a part of it and to be able to make such an impact on

waste management,’ says Richard Harris, Carpenter key account sales

manager. Under an agreement with the Prison Service, mattresses are

collected, granulated and recycled to produce polyurethane carpet underlay.

Kevin Johnson, PineSolutions md

with the EDP award

14news_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 10:58

Retailing is all in the numbersand the ability to see whatthey are telling you.

Your shop is a fixed size, butconsider whether it is possibleto change the layout so thereis more selling floorspace andreduced passageway. Imaginewhat impact increasing yourselling space by 10% wouldhave on your bottom line.

Or what about displayingfewer products? A few well-dressed roomsets thatencourage customers to thinkof the bigger picture can yieldmore dividends than merelydisplaying rows of beds orwardrobes. A roomsetpurchased as a result of anicely displayed range is likelyto give better returns thanone piece of expensivefurniture.

What’s your highestgrossing range? Whichproducts within the rangecarry the most profit?

Is it your most profitableafter taking into considerationthe returns rate, method ofsourcing, storage, deliveryrequirements and service fromsupplier? After all, there’s nopoint in making 65% on arange if a high proportion ofthe products are deliveredfaulty, or you can’t get spareparts. Do your staff know thenumbers?

Where is your floor’s hotspot, the area that attractsmore attention than anyother? Is your highest profitline displayed there?

Do your staff levels reflectyour maximum and minimumcustomer footfall? Who’s yourbest salesperson? Make sure

News

Can you make thenumbers work?

your best ‘information giver’ isused during the week whentime can willingly be spentdiscussing all the options, andmake sure your best ‘closer’ isthere at the weekend.

The gap between successand failure in business is nothuge. A successful business isnormally just a few percentbetter – but in every area.Add all those smallimprovements together andbefore you know it yourbottom line has doubled.

With the slow pre-Christmasperiod approaching, maybeit’s time to do the numbercrunching and be shipshapeand ready for the busyJanuary period. After all,seldom do our perceptions ofour business match the reality.Simon Bonham is md ofFlexiload

If you would like to express anopinion, [email protected] write to Interiors Monthly,124 Pembury Road,Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2JJ.Name, address and daytimetelephone number must besupplied.

Opinion

U N C O M P R O M I S I N G I N T E G R I T Y.. U N P A R A L L E L E D R E S U LT S .

Copyright 2009 Lynch Brothers Licensing Corporation

Serving the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom

We don’t have to brag and boast. Our clients happilydo that for us. And, you can rest assured that we holdsigned and dated proof, including contact addressesfor each and every testimonial we use.

"We exceeded our upper estimate of our salestarget by over 40% with a huge response from our

old customers, with over 2000 new customers joiningus on the first 2 days"

Nigel R Finnigan -Managing DirectorJ. H. Sinclair & Co. Ltd.

3rd October 2009

"On a final note, I would like to say to any retailer who reads this letter, but is sceptical as to whether a

Lynch Sale is right for them, the results are overwhelmingly positive."

Mathew Philpott - Director Philpotts of Hitchin2nd August 2009

"The sales figures for July is probably 2.5 times what wewould have achieved with our normal sale, which makes it

our most profitable month in 16 years trading."

Howard Webb, Managing DirectorWebb House Furnishers

26th July 2009

"......I have to admit that the results have exceeded ourwildest expectations. We have reached over 25% of our

annual turnover in just 22 days, which I feel in these difficult times to be quite amazing."

Mr. J.E. Scadgell - Managing DirectorH.G. Scadgell Ltd

4th July 2009

Calll thee Lynchh Saless Companyy todayy forr aa completepicturee andd too revieww ourr onee pagee contract.. Or,visitt ourr Webb site:: www.lynchsales.co.uk

CONTACT GARETH PRICE

29 WARBLINGTON ROAD, EMSWORTH, HAMPSHIRE PO10 7HETEL: (0) 1243 378369

WWW.LYNCHSALES.CO.UK

®LYNCH

Saless CompanyEstablished 1914

Don’t take ourword for it,

take theirs.

15opinion_IMnov.qxt 29/10/09 15:59


1 The Sealy Ortho Collection providesthe company’s firmest beds yet; ideal forthose who want or need consistentlyfirm support across the entire surface oftheir mattress. The beds – Backcare Elite(very firm) and Millionaire Ortho (extrafirm) are a bespoke, specialist range thatuses the Zero Deflection Spring System.Tel: 01697 320 342.

2 Capturing the elegance of slate andstone and the warming charm of wood,Comfortz is the latest range from Leolanto bring home a sense of style. Availablein 2m, 3m and 4m widths, Comfortzcan be used everywhere from hallwaysto living areas, avoiding unnecessarywastage and making it even bettervalue. Tel: 00 32 5665 3211.

3 A tasteful linen effect provides theperfect backdrop for Richmond Park, aseries of six contemporary prints created

by Prestigious Textiles for domesticcurtains, blinds, cushions and otheraccessories, embracing shades of Sand, Cardinal, Azure, Spice, Linen,

Lavender and Lime. Tel: 01274 688 448.

4 Illustrating Brink & Campman’s uniquequalities is City, a highly attractive acrylicdesign with high-low effects. Thecompany has developed some specialdesigns, among which are variousflorals, designs with nomadic influencesand all-over designs with a neutralshade. This quality has proven to be asuccess for a number of years. Tel: 00 31 544 390 429.

5 The Platinum Gripper from Floorwisebrings back the traditional values oforiginal grippers but with some moderntouches, delivering a product that offersquality, performance and ease ofinstallation. At 25mm, the extra-widePlatinum Gripper carries more nails andmore pins for a stronger fix and moresecure hold on the carpet. Tel: 01509 673 974.

New products

1

2

4

5 3

16_7NP1/2_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 20:12


6 Ideal for the Januarysale period is the new sumptuouschocolate faux suede Daytonasofabed from Julian Bowen. At adelivered price of £79.95, it isguaranteed to drive sales forward.Daytona includes an easy to usethree position relax, recline andsleep mechanism and is availablefrom stock in early December. Tel: 01623 727 374.

7 The new Easyshim from Stairrods(UK) creates a gradient in adoorway between carpet andother floor surfaces, such as woodor tiles, creating a smoothtransition from one surface toanother. It reduces fitting time from an hour to around 10minutes and is cheaper than somealternative methods. Tel: 01207591 176.

8 Seconique’s chunky distressedwaxed pine Corona bed is availablewith a low end in three sizes: 3ft(£55), 4ft 6in (£75) and 5ft (£80)and 3ft with a high end (£69.50). Tel: 0121 506 4888 to order or 0121 506 4841 for a catalogueand price list.

9 After 25years of supplying

to the upper end ofthe fitted bedroomindustry and to

national showhomes, Ashmoors islooking to expand into retailers ofupholstered furniture and interiordesigners, with its stylish andcreative designs to furnish anyhome. To see the complete rangevisit www.ashmoors.co.uk.

10 Plantation Rug Company’sArctic is a plush collection of purewool rugs with a deep pile.Available in any colour and size aspart of Plantation’s bespokeservice, it enhances any floorspace. Tel: 0161 430 8700.

11 New from Wiemann is theToscana collection featuring atextured, ripple effect inset panel ina mocha colour. Toscana isavailable in white or golden mapleand comes with a choice of slidingor hinged door on wardrobes. Atypical bedroom could retail for aslow as £1,999 fully installed. Tel: 01482 635 283.

New products

67

9

10

11

8

16_7NP1/2_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 20:12


12 Available in five wood effect finishes– beech, cherry, classic oak, hard mapleand wenge – Stair Make-Over is asimple tread-over-tread refurbishmentsystem that allows homeowners toquickly transform their stairways andretailers to benefit from the valuableadditional sales the system offers. Tel: 00 314 0208 6222.

13 The newest addition to Westco’sextensive catalogue of productsZebrano, is a stripey, multicolouredlaminate available in 8mm mediumcontract planks. The Zebrano floor iseasy to fit with the Express Click lockingsystem. It has an AC4 rating, making theproduct suitable for general contractinstallations. Tel: 02920 376 700.

14 Right at the top of the list ofenvironmentally conscious mattresses isthe Harmony 800, part of the innovativeNatural Touch Pocket Collection fromVogue Beds. Encompassing naturalviscose fibre, Harmony 800 is the perfect

choice for asustainable mattressas it is made from arenewable andbiodegradable source– wood. The yarn isbreathable andabsorbs moisture fast leaving a fresh,clean bed. Tel: 01455841 257.

15 After it’s recentacquisition byCavendish Upholstery, Slater Upholsteryhas launched the Marlborough sofa.Traditionally made with full mesh topcoil springing, and screwed and gluedhardwood frames, it is made in twostandard sofa sizes or bespoke tocustomers’ own requirements. There is a choice of different comfort interiors and leg colours. It is pictured in Versailles Chocolate Medallion fabric. Delivery is six weeks. Tel: 07718577 027.

16 Plaza Safe-T-Decor is an extensiverange of textured slip-resistant heavytraffic vinyl floorings in traditional andmodern studded designs and high techmetal chequer-plate finishes. It is ahomogenous vinyl flooring and willwithstand heavy traffic areas includingschools and colleges, public buildingssuch as museums, art galleries andleisure facilities, buses, coaches, trainsand maritime areas, lifts and corridors.Tel: 01373 864 926.

New products

1312

1416

15

18NP3_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 10:56

Beds & Mattresses

Tel : 01924 526789

E-mail : [email protected]

Osmo’s PolyxOil Rapid,complete treatment injust one day

PolyxOil Rapid from Osmo UK is the premium, original hardwax-oil woodfinish that delivers rapid drying times – guaranteed to keep wooden flooringand all internal joinery as beautiful as the day it was first installed.

● Professional natural looking superior finish for wood, cork and OSB floors● Extremely quick drying time, can apply two coats in one day● Available in Satin and Matt● Strong and durable, as well as easy to spot repair● Offers highest coverage of any oil on the market (2.5 litre can covers

approx 30m2 with two coats)

Osmo UKUnit 24, Anglo Business Park, Smeaton Close,Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 8UP.Tel: 01296 481 220 Fax: 01296 424 090www.osmouk.com [email protected]

019_IM_1109 28/10/09 12:50


Carpet

DUNCAN BUCHANANA LIFETIME IN FLOORINGAfter 40 years in the flooring industry, what has changed and what has remained?

Trendy carpet from Balta

Duncan Buchanan, Balta Broadloom headof UK and Ireland sales, is celebrating 40years in the flooring industry, the past 20of which have been at Balta Group.

‘Twenty years ago the retail market wasfull of big players such as Allders, the Co-ops and Harris Queensway; all werevery big. Now it’s Carpetright and whatis left of Allied Carpets. There is always arevolution of people taking a larger roleas they take advantage of gaps in themarket,’ he says.

‘Twenty years ago you might havethought that the multiples woulddominate the market more by now, butindependents evolve as well and takemarket share. Independents will alwaysstay very strong in the UK.’

On the topic of the market leader,Buchanan says it receives unfair criticism.‘Carpetright may be seen as the devil bysome independent retailers, but whoadvertises carpet more? Carpetright haslifted the trade. In the last recession itkept advertising carpet. You can’t put afigure on the benefit Carpetright hasdone for the UK carpet industry.’

He also praises United Carpets,predicting its continued growth. ‘It’s likedealing with a group and an independentstore. Carpet One had 2,000 stores in theUS, so the potential is there.’

Buchanan says the way Europeanmanufacturers do business hasn’tchanged, with Belgian manufacturers stillholding the same principle of volume andfilling containers. ‘UK suppliers havethrived but the industry hasn’t changedthat much. We need the volume, so mostis direct to wholesalers and Headlam.

‘Lots has changed in products such asthe quality of yarns and technology hasimproved dramatically. Unfortunately wedon’t get paid for that. There are notenough people making a profit. There isonly one answer for the [manufacturing]

DuncanBuchananBuchanan began his careerin the flooring industry atGainsborough Group, agroup of wholesalers in thelate 1960s, before movingto vinyl firm GAF, whichbecame Tarket. He movedto New Venture Carpets,part of BIG, in 1986.

He started up the UK andIreland sales operation forBalta Broadloom in 1989,later followed by US andScandinavia export sales.

In 2000 he moved tosister firm ITC, thenreturned to Balta inSeptember of last year.

20_1carpet_IMnov.qxt 27/10/09 18:32


Balta’s new Classique Wilton Cumulus

overcapacity: consolidation. Capacity faroutsizes the demand for tufted carpet.We are thinking of buying additionalmachinery but others have theirs [lying]empty. Balta is having an exceptionallygood year, we are making money andwill continue to do so,’ he explains.

While Buchanan sees improvements inyarns and technologies as positiveaspects, ‘the negatives are people stillhave the mentality to sell cheap. Notenough time is spent on training salesstaff. Price is too interesting a tool forsales staff. People say they are going tosort it but no-one does. There is anongoing mentality that retailers don’twant to pay for samples and even displaystands. I’d love to see retailers contributemore to the immense costs of these.

‘I’d like to change some of thecompetitors bad habits of throwingsample books everywhere and sellinglow,’ he says.

While many have spoken about thethreat of lower cost carpet productionfrom China, Buchanan sees Turkey asmore of an immediate rival to UK andEuropean manufacturing. ‘Turkey will bethe future that everyone will need to takeheed of it. There has been massiveinvestment there and lower labour coststhat aren’t going to change in theimmediate future. It’s still in its infancybut in three to four years’ time it couldbe quite a competitor.’

Buchanan’s greatest pride is havingtaken Balta from having a very low UKturnover to becoming the country’slargest European supplier, saying, ‘that’swhat still drives me’.

Although work has become a greatpassion for Buchanan, there is room fornon-flooring pursuits (almost). ‘Two orthree others in the trade and I co-own arace horse – it’s almost as expensive asthe sampling budget.’

Carpet

20_1carpet_IMnov.qxt 27/10/09 18:23


Carpet

FLOR BY HEUGAPRACTICAL PATTERNTiles can offer luxury and increased practicality, while being environmentally friendly

Padding around on soft, foot-caressingwool carpet is one of those simple joys inlife. However, many people have beenput off of investing in luxurious woolcarpet for fear of damaging it.

Floor tiles could be the solution.Country Contemporary, the new range ofclimate neutral cut-pile carpet tiles fromFlor by Heuga offers all the benefits ofrichly-textured wool flooring combinedwith a practical easy-to-lay tile format. Ifserious spills happen only the affectedtiles need to be replaced.

The 50cm x 50cm tile system allowsthose who want to make more of afeature of their floor with a graphicdesign using two or more colours fromthe eight strong range to create stripes,checks or borders.

There is also peace of mind for thoseconcerned about the environmentalimpact of carpet manufacture, as it is the second of Flor by Heuga’s climate Country Contemporary in Pink Peppercorn

neutral ranges after Country Classic. Any unavoidable carbon emissions are

offset through a programme managed byenvironmental company Climate Care. Aspart of the scheme, Flor by Heuga isfinancing construction of a wind turbine,installation of treadle pumps and biomasspower in India, and fuel efficient stoves inCambodia.

This commitment follows the policy setby Flor by Heuga’s parent companyInterfaceFlor. Its objective is to become afully sustainable company, leaving zerocarbon footprint by 2020.

Achievements include 100% greenelectricity use in its Europeanmanufacturing facilities; the top positionin a recent survey of more than 3,000sustainability experts and a 67%reduction in the volume of waste sent tolandfill since 1996. For more information:www.heuga.com/MissionZero/uk andwww.interfaceglobal.com/Sustainability.aspx.

Country Contemporary is available in eight colours including Sea Salt and Sesame (both pictured)

22flor_IMnov.qxt 27/10/09 18:43

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The NICF covers all types of flooring including carpet, laminate, luxury vinyl tile, timber and sheet vinyl fitting, and are the driving force behind raising standards of floor covering installation.

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Stand out from the crowd and have a say in the future of your industry

023_IM_1109 28/10/09 12:57


Upholstery

EKORNESSTRESSLESS EVENTSEkornes has held more than 60 local events bringing its products direct to the consumer

‘If shoppers are not visiting stores, takethe display to them’ could be the mottoof Ekornes and Stressless upholsterystockists. Last month saw the conclusionof more than 60 events across thecountry where venues such as gardencentres, stately homes and National Trustproperties were used to bring theupholstery direct to the consumer.

The penultimate 2009 event was heldfrom 9-12 October at Wakehurst Place,West Sussex and attracted 640 visitors.Such has been the success of the eventsthat they have helped Ekornes lift its UKsales this year.

As one couple who had a 40 minutedrive to the event explains: ‘We saw theTV advertisement and as we were

planning to come to Wakehurst anyway,we wanted to take the opportunity tosee the full range. We are very interestedin buying.’

‘We read about it in the localnewspaper and thought it would beinteresting to see the chairs and have anice day out, especially as we didn’t haveto pay the normal admission charge,’remarks another.

‘Friends saw the TV advertisement andasked us if we wanted to come to seethe gardens for the day as well. We hadbeen thinking about replacing our sofaand chairs but weren’t in a rush. Beinghere has made us think much moreabout it. It is a nice relaxed atmospherewith no sales pressure and you can take

as long as you like and not feel that thesalesman is bothering you, or you arewasting his time,’ says a third.

One of the stockists taking part wasCollingwood Batchellor. ‘Ekornes ismaking an effort. It makes it a bitdifferent and the consumers aregenuinely interested,’ says Guy Batchellor,director.

‘We have done the South of EnglandShow for the past few years and theyhave been very successful. You get theorders and plenty of people coming intothe store three to four weeks later.

‘Half will buy today and half will comeback in-store. We repeat the offers in-store for a week after the event. Eventslike these make furniture much more

24_5ekornes_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 10:59


Upholstery

Consumers try out the

Stressless products

displayed in roomsets with

stockists at hand to offer

advice and take orders

‘We wanted to make it bigger and betterand for that you need several retailersand then you can show the full range ofproducts,’ says Box.

The logistics and the marketing isorganised by Ekornes, the retailer’s staffjust have to come and sell.

‘Shoppers love to meet themanufacturer; it’s not a retailenvironment and as it’s a roomsettingpeople can see how it looks better. As allthe local stockists are here, everyone getsan equal share. Consumers have made aneffort to be at the event so it suggeststhey are serious buyers. They may notbuy on the day, but will go back to thestockist once they have checked sizes forexample. Manufacturers have to be in

exciting, it’s a destination event withpeople coming from 40 to 50 miles. Itmakes a lot of difference. It’s apartnership with Ekornes and it is goodthat they think up ideas to generate extrabusiness.’

Duncan Box, Ekornes marketingdirector says the firm has more thandoubled the number of events this yearand plans to increase them further in2010. ‘Retailers are booked and alreadysuggesting new events,’ he says. ‘Thereare people with money in their pocketsbut you have to take the product tothem. It is good brand recognition for usand the local stockists.’

Previously the events were held withjust one stockist, now it is with several.

together with the retailer and supportstockists.’

John Walach, Ekornes national salesmanager cites the example of a couple –one blind and the other partially sighted– at the Yorkshire Show. ‘They came onthe bus for two consecutive days andordered £9,500 of furniture on thesecond day.

‘These events are generating footfall.People may have gone to their localstore, but not this week, maybe in sixmonths. It’s a call to action and retailerscan follow up as they have their details,which you can’t do in a retailenvironment.’

The four-day event (Friday to Monday)at Wakehurst Place was supported withregional TV advertisements on ITV1 andin regional lifestyle magazines. Stockistsalso ran advertisements and direct mailcampaigns.

‘Some retailers may have cut theirmarketing budgets but they are happy topay towards these as they know they willget the results,’ says Box.

The 2010 events are likely to start inMarch.

24_5ekornes_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 10:59


Upholstery

RECLINERSGREY POWERStill spending and searching for value, the over50s continue to dominate the recliner market

Sweet Dreams’ Hebden

Of all the upholstery sectors, reclinersseems to be the one that has been leastaffected by recession, at least at thebetter end of the market. With a coretarget customer base of the over 50s,which is more economically secure thanother groups, the recliner market hasprovided an opportunity for retailers togenerate higher ticket sales that havefallen off in other sectors. Value is theimportant factor when it comes to sales –not what the price label says, but whatshoppers perceive they are getting fortheir money.

‘We have seen a definitive shiftbetween our introductory range, Scansit,and our main products, Fjords, in recentmonths,’ says Maud Laine, HjellegjerdeUK general manager.

Towards the end of last year and Julian Bowen has just entered the recliner market with the Riva

26_9upholst_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 20:16

Bentinck House, Park Lane Business Park, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts NG17 9LETel: (01623) 727374 Fax: (01623) 754555 e-mail: [email protected] www.julian-bowen.co.uk

Julian Bowen is proud to present another exciting product to the marketplace, this time the RIVA Rise & Recliner. At an astonishing price of £179.95 free delivered UK Mainland and with a two year guarantee on all electrical components, this product is going to be a winner. Fabric and Foam have passed Crib 5 tests. For delivered prices in Northern & Southern Ireland please contact your local representative. Initially available in PU dark brown only, further finishes & fabrics will be introduced in Spring 2010. Deliveries will commence at the beginning of January 2010 - can you afford to be without the Riva Recliner during the first quarter’s trading? Reserve your stock now - orders already being accepted!Another Julian Bowen recession beater. Remember Julian Bowen have no minimium quantity requirement....

Julian Bowen Limited

Riva Rise & Recline Chair

027_IM_1109 29/10/09 09:19

Ekornes’ Stressless Vegas

fit some of our more obese consumers. Ifit follows the same pattern as the US,larger recliner chairs capable of dealingwith 20stone-plus users will gain a biggershare of this market.’

The company plans to provide flexiblestorage and functionality within the

the beginning of 2009 the relatively lessexpensive Scansit Collection wasexceeding budget expectations. But sincethe early summer, with less bad news inthe Press, Fjords products have taken alarger proportion of sales, outperforminglast year and weekly targets.

‘The typical shopper is still out thereand spending on what he or sheperceives to be value for money ratherthan the actual value of the goods,’reckons Laine.

Duncan Box, Ekornes marketingmanager agrees. ‘The shift in purchasesover the past year has been to those whoare 50-plus, while the younger agegroups have stopped spending on largeticket items as they are faced with morefinancial worries such as potentialunemployment. Conversely, many 50-pluscustomers do not have the sameconcerns, they have seen interest ratesfall and are spending on items likeStressless where perceived value is high.’

The company’s UK sales rose in 2009,something Box partly attributes to itstypical customers wanting to spend theirmoney more wisely than ever, and payfor quality and comfort in a recliner thatis going to last.

‘Ekornes manufacturing has alsobenefited from these sales, as seen by usre-employing staff in Norway and ourretailers investing in bigger in-storebespoke Stressless Comfort Studios,which is in total contrast to the currentgeneral industry trend.

‘Neutral shades including brown, beige and cream all remain perennialfavourites,’ he adds.

John Wakeman, Buoyant Upholsterysales director says: ‘The recliner marketcontinues to show good growth, beingone of the areas least affected by therecession. The grey pound market stillappears to have a reasonable level ofdisposable income with many retiredpeople still enjoying the fruits of anindex-linked final salary pension.’

The fact that over the next decade thenumber of people over the age of 60 willbe greater than those under 16 meansthe market should continue to grow.

‘With people living longer, the spendon the recliner market should continue toincrease and alongside this has been ademand for a larger recliner chair to help


Upholstery

confines of a recliner sofa and chair whileWakeman stresses the importance of nextday delivery on powered lift and tilt chairs.

G Plan Upholstery is also reacting tolifestyle needs. ‘In the current climate, weare finding that consumers are extremelyfocused on seeking out products that

Hjellegjerde’s Scansit



Upholstery

really meet their individual needs.Recliners are being selected tocomplement the lifestyle and lifestage ofthe individual, with the focus onproviding ultimate comfort to the user,’says Helen Frankland, G Plan Upholsterymarketing manager.

Buoyant Upholstery’s Ullswater

‘Regardless of age, we see consumerslooking to invest in a quality craftedproduct, that will stand the test of time.’

Having launched its recliner range lastyear, Sweet Dreams has only seenrecessionary sales. ‘What we can saythough, is that our recliner sofas have

proved more attractive and moremarketable than fixed sofas. It’s hard fromour position of recent entrant to themarket to say for certain whether that’sindicative of a common trend, but I thinkit likely,’ says Jackie McGarvey, SweetDreams sales manager.

‘We are noticing that power reclinersare more in demand and sales aregrowing in this area. Leather recliners arestill the preference of most consumers –although fabric is gaining pace, as it isacross upholstery in general.’

The company is looking to add a fabricrecliner early next year, ‘but the shapeand style of leather, though, still seems tosuit recliners best,’ she says.

At Seduta D’Arte, power recliners alsolead the way. ‘On our bestsellingPaganini home theatre group, reclinersales have gone well even in toughtimes, and we sell more electric thanmanual ones. The concept behindPaganini is a multi-option model, the ideabeing giving the customer choice, ratherthan just a low price,’ says MatthewKutas, UK agent.

G Plan’s Mistral



Upholstery

The anniversary edition

Since its debut in 1969, UP has been aniconic design. Created by Gaetano Pescefor B&B Italia, UP5 is the most famous ofthe collection’s seven designs – a femalefigure tied to a ball-shaped ottomansymbolizing the shackles that keepwomen subjugated.

‘I was telling a personal story aboutmy notion of women: despitethemselves, women have always beenprisoners of their own making. Alongthese lines, I liked the idea of giving thisarmchair a feminine shape with a balland chain, the traditional image of theprisoner,’ he says.

At launch the chairs were vacuumpacked, reducing the volume by 90%,and expanded when they wereunpacked, giving them another uniqueaspect.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary ofthe design, B&B Italia introduced a silveredition of UP5 and UP6, with serialnumbers.The range has seven designs

DESIGN ICONUPOne of the most famous upholstery designs celebrates its fourth decade this year

30_IMnov_6.qxp 29/10/09 15:36

Exclusive (U.K) LTDThorpe Drive, Thorpe Way, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 4UZT: (0044) 01295 701114 F: (0044) 01295 701014e-mail: [email protected]

Click onto our new website www.exclusiveuk.co.uk

to view all of our superb ranges

PLATINUM & FLAT PACK HOME DELIVERY SERVICE RE-LAUNCHEDWe are proud to announce we have re-launched our competitively priced Home Delivery

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031_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:22

The Ivory bedroom collection is crafted from solid Birch and Birch veneers with a unique, hand painted,lacquered finish. Taking its inspiration from 18th century French furniture, the collection is stylish and

sophisticated with mellow tones and soft curves creating a tranquil, relaxed atmosphere.

Ivory Bedroom Collection

Tel: 0845 606 7004 Email: [email protected] www.wguk.com

B e a u t i f u l h o m e s d e s e r v e b e a u t i f u l f u r n i t u r e

032-033_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:23

032-033_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:23


Living/dining

COFFEE TABLESPERFECT BLENDWith styles to suit most tastes, the coffee table remains the centre point of living rooms

Fashions may come and go, but there isone piece of furniture that continues totake pride of place in most living rooms:the coffee table.

‘The coffee table is the number oneessential item for the living room. Despitetrends towards more minimalist livingareas the coffee table has survived as astaple piece of furniture for the livingroom and as such needs to be welldesigned to create a focal point,’ saysAndrew Cochrane, Nathan md.

Halo’s oak Parquet achieves this withits contrasting grains and colours whileSupatra’s rattan Yang combines seatingand storage with its coordinating tableand bench.

Ecosmart’s Fire and Ice offers storageand flames. When the sliding platform ismoved to cover the flue-less burner, itautomatically turns the burner off.

Amaroni goes green with its U+Analog table, created from solid Canadianmaple, sustainably harvested in small

Above:

Nathan’s Shades

Below: Supatra’s Yang

quantities by traditionalwoodworkers. Verdesignopts for walnut for itsBarrique table,available in fivefinishes.

Thosewanting retrostyle canchooseNathan’sShadesSunbursttable with aveneer top. Ifa rustic look ismore suitableAsda’s Java fitsthe bill.

For a uniquecoffee table HouseCouturier offers a bespokefurniture service in sycamore,maple, oak, beech and burr elm.

34_5LD_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 11:00


Living/dining

Above: Amaroni’s

U+ Analog

Below:

Verdesign’s Square

Barrique

Above: Asda’s Java

Below: Halo’s Parquet

Left: Ecosmart’s Fire and Ice

Below: House Couturier’s

Ashdon

34_5LD_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 11:22

036-037_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:26


Beds and bedrooms

STORAGETOP DRAWERS…… ottomans and wardrobes. Designers have some clever solutions for storing consumers’ clothing

You can never have enough storage inbedrooms, reckons Alan Higgins,Gleneagle Woodcrafts sales andmarketing director. ‘The average personnow owns considerably more clothesthan they did 20 or even 10 years ago,so the need for wardrobes and drawersto house the sheer volume of shoes andclothes has increased too.’

The company, which manufactures 18different bedroom ranges, says sales ofchests of drawers have increasednoticeably in the past 12 months.

‘Our three-drawer and four-drawerdeep chests have really come on in thelast year. People find them a good valueway to create significant extra storagespace without taking up the room spacethat a wardrobe needs. The four-drawerdeep chest is particularly good as it holdsabsolutely loads,’ he says.

‘Bedroom furniture must make themost of available space to win theconsumer’s and therefore the

Komfi’s Kargo has an easy to use ottoman mechanism

Sealy offers half-drawers

38_40beds_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 16:29

039_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:27


Beds and bedrooms

Silentnight Beds’ Miracoil 7 range has drop front drawers

‘Sealy beds offer a range of differentdrawer combinations for all storageneeds. One key aspect is that you caneven get half drawers so if you have abedside table, it won’t get in the waywhen you’re pulling the drawers out andyour drawers won’t knock the bedsidetable flying,’ says Neil Robinson, Sealy UKmarketing director, Sealy UK.

retailer’s approval,’ says Peter Hewitt,Wiemann UK md. ‘Our clever extendedcorner cupboards don’t waste any spaceand they work with both sliding andhinged door wardrobes. When we showranges with this combination, such asour new Toscana at the recent Silentnightshow, it goes down very well.’

When it comes to beds, ottomans anddrawers are used to create storage space.

‘Consumers are demanding more thanever before from their living spaces, andunderbed storage is the ideal solution formany city apartments or suburban homesto create maximum space with maximumstyle,’ says Phillip Whittell, Komfi md.

Its Kargo and the Club ranges have aneasy-to-operate ottoman mechanism thatlifts to give maximum under-mattressstorage space. Both have been developedfor use with memory foam mattresses.

‘Ottomans really come into their ownwhen you haven’t the space around yourdivan to fully open drawers,’ says JackieMcGarvey, Sweet Dreams sales manager.‘Cavities inside offer plenty of storage,with bulky things like duvets, throws andpillows finding a convenient, easilyaccessed dust-free home.’

Sweet Dreams’ top four divancollections, Well Being, Pocket Spring,Sleepzone and Nature’s Fresh, comprisesome 20 models and the ottoman optionis available on all of these beds, whethersingle, double or king size.

Sweet Dreams is also addressing thestorage issue with its bedsteads. Woodmodels Nicole and Hudson, each

available in two sizes, have built-indrawers, with Hudson’s along the lengthas in divans and Nicole’s more unusuallyat the foot of the bed. Matchingunderbed drawers are an option on threefurther bedsteads, Foster, Arquette andLoren, which are also complemented bybedroom furniture.

But drawer design has to be clever.

Wiemann’s Toscana

Sweet Dreams’ Hudson bedstead and furniture

38_40beds_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 16:30

Kingstown Furniture LtdVictoria House

Leads RoadHull

East YorkshireHU7 0BZ

BEDROOM & LOUNGEFURNITURE

Aruba, the successful modern and stylish bedroom range,featuring standard height and extra heightwardrobes,appears in the current bedroombrochure from Kingstown.

Request your copy from 01482 717225or email: [email protected]

041_IM_1109 29/10/09 09:38


Accessories

LIGHTINGTINY REVOLUTION LEDs are expected to grow in popularity. A leading designer gives her tips on getting the best from them

With traditional incandescent light bulbsfirmly on the road to extinction, LEDs areexpected to see a rise in popularity. Buthow do you get the lighting effects weare used to?Warmer light with less energyTo get the correct warm white colour weexpect in the home can be difficult. In thepast the white light of LEDs has beenvery cool, almost like daylight, but nowwarm white colours also exist and workwell to replace the low voltage step lightsand uplights used before at a fraction ofthe energy consumption. In the JohnCullen range, a 1w Siena is ideal to washlight over steps or a 1w Lucca works welluplighting a fireplace surround. Bothreplace 20w 12v fixtures of the past.Small lights – small billsLEDs compact size has revolutionised the

Above: Oslo,

RGB Slinky

and Eyelid

Left: Riva

All lights

from John

Cullen

Lighting

way that lights can be recessed almostinvisibly into joinery. For example thelatest LED strip, Contour, with itsexcellent warm colour temperature isideal for lighting shelves. Using just 7wper metre, compared with 100w permetre consumed by the traditionaltungsten halogen option, it also saves anenormous amount of energy.A change of colourLEDs tiny size and long lamp life makethem ideal for colour change lighting andback-lighting a glass screen or kitchensplashback.Choose with care LEDs have many advantages as well asbeing energy efficient, with many beingcompliant with the latest governmentregulations on lighting. However, theyneed a proper heat sink designed into

the fitting to ensure they do not get hotand deteriorate in light quality or lamplife – something usually ignored in thecheaper fittings.Still undimmed?LED replacements for the low voltagehalogen dichroic lamps are available toretro-fit but finding ones that emit thecorrect warm white colour can still bedifficult and they are not yet dimmable.Hopefully this will change soon.The right moodThe light from LEDs does not becomewarmer when dimmed, but they can beused with other light sources to createthe mood you want. Complement themwith table lamps and low voltagespotlights to add highlights, depth andtexture.Sally Storey is John Cullen design director

42access_IMnov.qxt 23/10/09 11:02

Interiorsmonthlyf i r s t f o r f u r n i t u r e a n d f l o o r i n g

EXHIBITION GUIDE

C A R P E T S F U R N I T U R E R U G S B E D S L A M I N A T E U P H O L S T E R Y V I N Y L

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Exhibition guide

January 201013-16 Heimtextil Frankfurt, Germany

16-19 DomotexHannover, Germany

19-24 Imm CologneGermany

24-27 Interiors Birmingham, UK

29-4 Feb New York Home TextilesMarket WeekNew York, US

22-26 Maison ObjetParis, France

31-3 Feb Intirio (Home decoration andhousehold linen) Gent, Belgium

February1-5 Las Vegas MarketLas Vegas, US

2-4 Surfaces (Floorcoverings)Las Vegas, US

7-11 Spring FairBirmingham, UK

3-5 AIFF Australian InternationalFurniture FairSydney, Australia

7-10 Decooh!Brussels, Belgium

9-13 Northern Light FairStockholm, Sweden

9-13 Stockholm Furniture FairStockholm, Sweden

12-16 Ambiente (Homewares)Frankfurt, Germany

16-19 Meble PolskaPoznan, Poland

March2-6 MIFFKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

3-7 EFE ExpoSerdang, Malaysia

9-12 IFFS/ASEANSingapore

10-14 TIFFBangkok, Thailand

13-21 Casaidea (Interior decorationand furnishings) Rome, Italy

15-18 FloorcoveringsBeijing, China

16-20 Famous Furniture FairDogguan, China

17-21 Dragon Excellent Furniture FairShunde, China

18-21 CIFFGuangzhou, China

19-22 SIFEShenzhen, China

21-24 KBBBirmingham, UK

21-24 The Furniture and HomeAccessories FairDublin, Ireland

22-26 MovelsulBento Goncalves, Brazil

23-25 Domotex AsiaShanghai, China

29-31 Interiors UAEAbu Dhabi

Las Vegas

Salon del Mobile

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Exhibition guide

IMM Cologne

Domotex

15-18 ICFF International ContemporaryFurniture FairNew York, US

22-24 AmbienteRome, Italy

25-27 The London Furniture ShowLondon, UK

June2-4 Interior Lifestyle Tokyo Ambiente,Heimtextil, HomeDesignTokyo, Japan

July2-6 Tendence LifestyleFrankfurt, Germany

15-18 Furnitex MelbourneMelbourne, Australia

April25-27 EuroparketKortrijk, Belgium

27-30 Coverings (Ceramic tile, naturalstone and flooring)Orlando, US

12-19 Salone Internazionale del MobileMilan, Italy

12-19 Euroluce LightingMilan, Italy

May5-7 ProposteCernobbio, Italy

10-12 Domotex Middle EastDubai

Please note, events are subject to change. Contact theorganiser before making any travel arrangements.

18-21 The Manchester Furniture Show Manchester, UK

August26-29 CODE International FurnitureFairCopenhagen, Denmark

September1-5 Habitare Furniture and InteriorDecoration FairHelsinki, Finland

5-7 Harrogate Flooring ShowHarrogate, UK

7-9 National Floor ShowBirmingham, UK

7-10 Furniture ChinaShanghai, China

14-16 MoodBrussels, Belgium

13-16 Las Vegas Market Las Vegas, US

15-18 (provisional) The AutumnFurniture FairDublin, UK

23-26 100% DesignLondon, UK

26-29 DecorexLondon, UK

26-29 The Bed ShowTelford, UK

28-2 October FIMValencia, Spain

October16-21 High PointNorth Carolina, US

November7-10 MeubleBrussels, Belgium

22-26 MebelMoscow, Russia

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show that will focus on interior designand will be open to the domesticmarket. Every year the organiser of MIFFstrives to find new and better ways tomake Malaysia one of the best furniturehubs in the world.

Visitors’ comfort and conveniencecontinues to be MIFF’s top priority. Frommeet and greet services at the airport, transfers to shuttles connectingall three venues and an InternationalBuyers Lounge, visitors can enjoy ahassle-free visit and maximise their time spent in Kuala Lumpur. Rooms canalso be booked at MIFF’s official hotelswith early bird discounts available.Discover the latest designs and trendsat MIFF 2010.Visit www.miff.com.my

sector, with more than 500 exhibitorsfrom Malaysia, China, Indonesia, HongKong, Korea, Singapore, Thailand,Vietnam, US, UK, Turkey, Taiwan, Japanand other countries. In 2009, 19,705visitors made their way to the fair, astrong indication that MIFF is a hit withthe furniture industry. The fair is alsoknown for creating an engagingatmosphere for buyers andmanufacturers that usually results in on-the-spot business transactions.

Highlights at MIFF 2010 include theBest Furniture Awards to encourage andnurture talented young designers andthe Furniture Presentation Awards givento exhibitors who show creativity in theirstand designs. Another interestingaddition to MIFF this year is ID Trends, a

The Malaysian International FurnitureFair 2010 (MIFF 2010) returns to KualaLumpur, Malaysia from 2-6 March. Nowentering its 16th year, the fair has beenrecognised internationally as one of themost important furniture trade fairs. Over the years, MIFF has become oneof the ‘must-attend’ shows because itoffers a huge variety of furniture choices.Products available at the exhibition areunique in design, made with goodquality materials and have competitiveprices.

For five days, the Putra World TradeCentre, Kuala Lumpur ConventionCentre and the MATRADE Exhibitionand Convention Centre will be turnedinto a furniture centre showcasing thelatest trends and designs in the furniture


BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIESABOUND AT MIFF 2010

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attracted a large line-up of newexhibitors. Newcomers include 12leading Portuguese brands and severalAmerican companies, including LatexInternational, True Seating and AshleyFurniture Industries. Other internationaladditions are Turkey’s biggest beddingmanufacturer, Boydak International,Visco Therapy and various associationsfrom Spain, France, Italy and Malaysia.

Welcomed back after a short breakare Wood Bros (Old Charm), HemelaerBelgium, Wade Upholstery, GascoigneDesigns, Parker Knoll and Jack & Rose.Leading brands of the show – Alstons,Caxtons, Duresta, Tetrad, MorrisFurniture, Mark Webster, Coach Houseand PD Global – are all returning.

So there are plenty of reasons whyInteriors is still the UK’s number oneevent of its kind, which providesexhibitors with an essential gateway to the UK market and gives visitors the perfect event for all their sourcingneeds.

‘There is no other show that providescompanies with a solid platform to doreal business, and this is one of theshow’s main strengths. Interiors is abusiness event where companies canexpect to gain leads, take orders andnetwork with industry colleagues. Theshow has long established itself as theUK’s leading trade interiors event, andas result, is able to deliver year uponyear,’ says Vaughan.Interiors takes place at NEC, Birminghamfrom 24-27 January 2010. To find out moreinformation about Interiors 2010, book yourstand or plan your day on-site, visitwww.interiorsbirmingham.com.

experts, Thinking Space brings elementsfrom all corners of the industry togetherin Hall 2 at the NEC.

‘It is set to be a very exciting additionto next year’s event. The area willinclude a number of exciting aspects,including a seminar theatre, Top 10Product Showcase, Young DesignersCompetition, trend pavilions, aDesignersblock display, Champagne Barand a couple of other surprises thatwe’re really excited about. I wouldrecommend all visitors and exhibitors tryto pay this area a visit at the show,’ saysAndy Vaughan, event director.

Besides this, Interiors 2010 has again

Interiors 2010 is filling up fast and with anew inspirational area being launched, itis once again the place to be.

Interiors 2010, the UK’s largest tradegathering of interiors products, is already80% full. The well-established showconstantly develops and for 2010 a newelement, Thinking Space, has beenadded to the exhibition.

Located at the centre of the event,Thinking Space will be a dedicated areapacked full of original dynamic featuresto provide retailers, interior designers,architects and contractors with addedinspiration. Decorated with the hottestdesigns and featuring top industry


INTERIORS 2010:SPACE TO THINK

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Thinking space

We have thought hard about our show, to ensure it’s

packed with new ideas, stimulation and an array of

new products. Our improved product zoning means

you’ll easily find your way around, and exactly what

you need to develop your business.

So we hope you’ll join us knowing that your day

will pay for itself.

For more information about this year’sexhibition, and to register for free entryplease visit interiorsbirmingham.com

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DecoStyle will feature first timeexhibitors from China’s Da Fen paintingcommunity. Da Fen village is a nationallyrecognised community of artists locatedin Shenzhen. Known for theirexceptional painting skills, Da FenVillage will exhibit over some 2,000sqmoriginal and replicated works of art.

The DecoStyle fair has beenrevamped with a design reflecting atypical small town’s business district orhigh street. The makeover comes withroad signs, traffic lanes, coffee bars andmore.

Take a trip to Shenzhen and see howSIFE is revolutionising China’s furnitureexhibition experience with newconcepts, new fairs and new products.SIFE China 2010: your connection to theeast. Visit: www.chinafurnitureexpo.comwww.designdome.cnwww.cndafen.com/enindex.asp

product innovation. Most recently,Lunjiao was selected to take part in ahigh-tech innovation programme.

SIFE’s Lunjiao exhibitors will presentthe programme’s most currentbreakthroughs in product developmentat the show in March.

The new fair that has everyone talkingis Design Dome. Spanning almost2,000sqm, it will showcase the latestworks from Chinese and SoutheastAsian designers.

This year’s competition, SoutheastAsian Style, will see 30 designers vyingfor an opportunity to get their designproduced by a top Chinesemanufacturer and receive entrance intonext year’s Design Dome as a VIPexhibitor. Design Dome is China’scompetitive exhibition platform fordesigners to meet business contactsand share ideas that spark trueinnovation.

The Shenzhen International FurnitureExhibition (SIFE) is building on last year’ssuccessful launch of ZOW Shenzhenand Southeast Asian Domain with twonew fairs: Woodworking Machinery andDesign Dome.

Six concurrent fairs, China Square(Top Chinese brands), DecoStyle(Decorations), Southeast Asian Domain(ASEAN Furniture), ZOW (Furniturecomponents and materials),Woodworking Machinery and DesignDome, offer the most diverse selectionof furniture products in China from 19-22 March.

The new Woodworking Machinery fairwill feature the latest technology fromthe Lunjiao woodworking machineryindustrial cluster. In 2006, Lunjiaoreceived the Most ImportantWoodworking Machinery Town in Chinatitle from the China National ForestryMachinery Association for its efforts in


SIFE CHINA – YOURCONNECTION TO THE EAST

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says Michael Shannon, CavendishUpholstery.

‘It was a great show with a lot of newcolour and ideas, well organised and themarquee was great as usual,’ saysPadraig McGeough, Mono Furniture byDesign.

‘In this climate we need to entice thecustomers to buy, and they did! This isthe ideal platform for our new products,’says Caroline Horgan, Scatter Box.

The Furniture & Home AccessoriesFair has a strict entrance policy toensure only genuine buyers visit theshow. New visitors must pre-register inadvance by faxing their trade ID plus arecent supplier invoice to 00353 1 2883127, or email to [email protected] before 24 February 2010.

exhibitors the stronger euro will also bea boon for those companies selling theircompetitively priced product into theIrish market.

Over 4,000 trade visitors are expectedto descend on the RDS, Dublin, for the2010 show where they will find leadingIrish and international suppliers such asBlue Bone, World Furniture, TCSImports, Julian Bowen, Furnetrade andVogue Beds to name just a few. Themajority of these exhibitors you will notfind at any other show in Ireland.

There are plenty of reasons to be partof the 2010 Furniture & HomeAccessories Fair as highlighted byrecent exhibitors: ‘For the times we arein, painted by the media, we werepleasantly surprised at the orders taken,’

Against the backdrop of an economythat appears to have bottomed out andis now on the road to recovery, theFurniture & Home Accessories Faircontinues to be the best and most costeffective option for selling products inIreland in 2010.

With many of the biggest industrynames expected to exhibit, the show willprovide visitors with plenty of newproducts, fresh ideas and initiatives all ofwhich highlights why the Furniture &Home Accessories Fair continues to bethe flagship Irish trade event for thefurniture and interiors sector. The eventis the ideal platform for suppliers toshow customers that you are still inbusiness, ready for the upswing andhungry to meet new customers. For UK


AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

� The show takes place at Simmonscourt, RDS in the heart of Dublin, from Sunday 21 March toWednesday 24 March. Opening times are: Sunday – Tuesday 10am-6pm and Wednesday 10am-4pm.� For more including a video of a recent show visit www.irishfurniturefair.com � With space rates from only €99 per sqm the Furniture & Home Accessories Fair offers the best valueof any show in UK or Republic of Ireland. For stand enquiries call Elish Bull on 00353 (0) 1 288 [email protected] � For visitor enquiries contact Louise Skinner on 00353 (0) 1 288 8821 [email protected]

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novelties on their stands as much aspossible. We also want to create severalcountry pavilions to give Europarket2010 an even more international flavour.

‘Previous shows gave more attentionto industry-related sideshows, whichproved to be a big hit. Therefore, wehave decided to build on initiatives suchas the Innovation Awards, the AdviceSquare, the International wooden floorfitting demonstrations, seminars, and theaward for the most attractive stand. Wehave decided to develop the InnovationAwards further and there is a goodchance that there will be someanimation on the trade fair floor for thefirst time.’ Visit www.europarket.com for moreinformation.

KORTRIJK – THE PLACE TO BEinternational appeal. Informationprovision, international sideshows, andnew products and trends will still playthe leading parts at a trade fair wherebusiness is conducted on a customisedbasis. In short, the aim is to presentinnovations in a pleasant atmosphereand in a totally different manner to thatof its “big international brothers”.’

For many years Europarket has beenthe top rendezvous for floor fitters andthey will continue to play a major part,as they help to determine the success ofEuroparket, says Sandra. The secondtarget group is international buyers.

‘Seeing that they are looking primarilyfor new products, we are giving this areaa lot of thought. We are involving ourexhibitors by urging them to push the

Parquet flooring, laminate and corkflooring and supplies show Europarkethas made Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium itspermanent location. ‘Europarket 2010 isstaying faithful to tradition and will onceagain be a three-day trade fair onSunday 25, Monday 26, and Tuesday27 April 2010,’ says Nathalie Sandra,exhibition manager.

The fair will be open from 9am to6pm. The late evening opening hasbeen abandoned.

‘The driving forces behind Europarket2010 are clear. The organiser isdeliberately targeting floor fitters andinternational purchasers. The idea is thatEuroparket should not only continue tobe a strong Benelux trade fair, but alsothat it should strive for a broader

2010

PARKETEURO

Europarket has always given pride of place to information provision, international industry-related sideshows

and attention to new products and trends.

For further information: Please contact Lot Decoene or Piet Vanmarcke on +32 56 24 11 11 or mail [email protected]

25 | 26 | 27 APRIL 2010WWW.EUROPARKET.COM

INTERNATIO

NAL TRADE FA

IR FO

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G, LAMIN

ATE & CORK FL

OORING AND SUPPLIE

S | 6TH EDITIO

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TOP CLASS TRADE FAIR!

BE SURE TO BOOK YOUR BOOTH TODAY!

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Heimtextil is the biggestinternational trade fair forhome and contract textilesand the global benchmark forquality design textiles ofinnovative functionality.

Held over four days inJanuary, it is the foremostplatform for manufacturers,the trade, and designers fromall over the world to show acomplete range of productsand services for textile interiordesign. It is also a stage forthe presentation of newproducts, market explorationand ordering.

The product show isaccompanied by high qualityspecial events and workshops,aimed specifically at visitorsand exhibitors. In addition tonumerous informative lectureson topical themes, Heimtextiloffers the next generation anopportunity to activelyparticipate in the fair action bytaking part in internationalcompetitions.

The world’s biggest tradefair for the sector attractedover 70,000 visitors in 2009

from 130 countries, and 2,700exhibitors from 64 differentdestinations.

With Heimtextil Trend, thetrade fair shows the latestfashions, design andarchitecture trends. With helpfrom trend analyses, theexhibition particularly focuseson the design and decorationsectors, highlighting the currenttrends for the textile interiordesign sector.

A new event for next year isthe European Mattress Pavilion.This will be situated in a primelocation at the show where it

will feature the latestmattresses, sleep systems,slatted frames, bedsteads andaccessories. HEIMTEXTIL 2010Date: 13-16 January 2010Venue: Frankfurt Tel: 01784 415950Fax: 01784 415951Email:[email protected]:www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.comVisitor registration:www.ukfrankfurt.co.uk

THE GLOBALBENCHMARK

TAKE A WALK ON THESTYLE SIDE

13 – 16. 1. 2010

www.heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

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Join us for the biggest date in 2010Bringing together the most stylish new ranges of furniture, furnishings, lighting, cushions, rugs, mirrors, decorative accessories and home textiles

Book your FREE place now at www.springfair.com and save £30

VOLUME GIFT & HOME KITCHEN, DINING & HOUSEWARES ART & FRAMING GREETINGS & STATIONERYTOYS & PARTY FESTIVE & FLORAL GIFT & HOME FASHION ACCESSORIES THE JEWELLERY SHOW

Quote priority code E42

Register for free by calling+44 (0)8445 888 071 or email [email protected]

Book a stand by calling+44 (0)20 7728 4267 or email [email protected]

Register FREE

today quoting E42

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display sector. For the trade visitor it willnow be easier to get an overview of thedifferent subcategories. And the entiresegment will also be enhanced bytargeted activities, new special displaysand innovative lounge concepts.Visit www.domotex.de

FLOORING WORLDwhen your industry colleagues meet upin Hannover from 16-19 January 2010.

Handmade rugs will have a newlocation in the northern sector of theHannover exhibition centre in halls 19 to23. This offers numerous advantages forvisitors and is intended to furtherenhance the significance of this displaysegment.

Halls 19 to 23 can be reached directlyfrom the main North 1 entrance. Herethere is also a direct connection to thelocal transport network. The locationalso offers a connection to Hall 21 viathe West entrance. There are weather-protected zones between the five hallswith optimum visitor guidance.

The relocation to the northern halls willallow for a complete restructuring of this

Lasting four days, embracing 13 hallsand boasting some 1,400 exhibitorsfrom across the world, DomotexHannover will once again be animportant event in the business year in2010 and a major driver of sales growth.

All the major suppliers come togetherevery year to present the completerange of floorcoverings availableworldwide. The show regularly gets topmarks from visitors for the quality of itsexhibits and the international breadth ofits coverage. Now with significantinnovations such as an improved sitelayout, the new-look Contractworld andnew formats for some of the specialdisplays, attendance at next year’s showis once again an absolute must for allindustry professionals. So don’t miss out

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sales and operations, as well as anumber of experienced event directors.UBM Live is a multi-national FTSE 25Ocompany and National Floor Show itselfhas a team of over 20 people constantlyworking to deliver the event, so theflooring industry can rest assured thatthe show is in safe hands.

Exhibitions serve to give companies aplatform from which to grow wherecompanies expect to fill order booksand gain a good return on theirinvestment.

UBM Live has the resources andexperience to deliver this.

To find out more about exhibiting atNational Floor Show 2010 please contactSunny Patel on tel: 020 7921 8415 email: [email protected] For more information, visitwww.nationalfloorshow.co.uk

to develop a quality show for the benefitof exhibitors and visitors alike.

The opportunity to be placedalongside Autumn Fair is also of benefitto National Floor Show – visitors aresure to cross over from this key interiorsshow. In addition, exciting feature areas,such as a student display and trendsarea are also designed to attract morevisitors. About UBM Live: UBM Live’s interiorsportfolio features events that span theentire sector, including interiors, kbbBirmingham, The Sleep Event, Decorex,Interiors UAE and The ARC Show. Its in-house database is unrivalled as itcontains contact details for over150,000 individuals involved within theinteriors industry. This enables UBM Liveto deliver the exhibitors and visitors thatNational Floor Show needs to survive.

The team comprises marketing, PR,

National Floor Show is still THE officialflooring show for the industry. This well-established brand is as much a part ofthe industry as rugs or carpets. Nextyear will see the event’s 18th edition,and organiser UBM Live has revealedexciting plans to grow National FloorShow into an event that the industry cancontinue to be proud of.

UBM Live, owner of the show for overa decade, intends to bring the eventback to its best from 7-9 September.Due to recent economic conditions andchanging buyer habits, National FloorShow’s visitor numbers have declinedyear upon year, despite the organisergrowing the show to receive a recordnumber of visitor numbers in 2003. Why The NEC? The Birmingham NEC is anational venue which hosts world-classevents and the organiser is not willing toaccept a second-rate exhibition. It plans


THE OFFICIAL FLOORING SHOW

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To find out more please contact Sunny Patel on +44 (0)20 7921 8415

Why the move?

10,000

“I was delighted to hear National Floor Show was

moving back to NEC Birmingham…The opportunity

for our industry to hold a National show with easy

access to visitors from throughout the UK and

Europe is one we should not miss.”

Glen Harding, AIS

Why Birmingham?

national appeal

www.nationalfl oorshow.co.uk

TILES

HALL 10

HALL 9

VISITORS ENTRANCE

TOOLS

VISITORS ENTRANCE

WOOD & LAMINATE

CARPETS, RUGS& VINYL

2010 Hall layout

TILES

HALL 10

HALL 9

VISITORSENTRANCEE

TOOLS

ORSVISITORANCEENTRA

WOOD& LAMINATEAA

CARPETS, RUGS& VINYL

2010 Hall l tlayoutlal

Invest in growth, come with us

National Floor Show 2010 will be held at the

NEC Birmingham from 7th - 9th September in Halls 9 and 10

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Review

Some retailers previously didn’t attendDecorex due to its reputation of showinginterior designer and one-off commissionswith prices to match the exclusivity of theproducts. Not any more.

For the past three, certainly two

Above: Mediterraneo’s

Dino floorlamp

Top centre: De Ferranti’s

Boomerang

Top left: Palais by Sophie

Conran for Arthouse

Left: Nina Campbell’s

Gatsby

shows, Decorex seems to have givenitself relevance to a much wider interiorsaudience.

Yes, there are still products that makeyou wonder if their creators have noticedthere is a recession (although the end-

users probably still have a healthy bankbalance so it’s not a consideration), butmany of this year’s launches will becomemainstream influences for more productsnext year and probably approaching massmarket by the end of 2010.

DECOREXWIDER HORIZONSWhat was once thought of as a show for interiors designers is becoming more relevant for retailers

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Review

Left: James Hare’s

Summer Silks

Above: 4 Living’s

Boutique

Right: Little Green’s

Chic Retreat

Bottom right:

Alhambra’s Essentials

Bottom left: Sandberg’s

Nora

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Review

100% Design recaptured some of theinterest that has slipped from theexhibition in recent years. The show hasbecome something of a victim of its ownsuccess with it becoming the anchor forthe disparate and often highly variedstandard of participants in what hasdeveloped into London Design Week.

This year exhibitors showedimagination, but importantly married itwith more of an eye towards designs that showed an understanding ofpractical manufacturing rather thandesign course projects.

Among the highlights was SteuartPadwick’s furniture collection, includingthe portable Penguin Wine Hod sidetable. With slots to prevent glasses beingknocked over and space for bottles andbooks, it can safely be moved from roomto room.

Above:

Steuart

Padwick

Penguin

Wine Hod

Far left:

Katakana

chair and

desk

Bottom left:

Katakana

low chair

and Fujiya

lamp from

Dare Studio

100% DESIGNINTERIOR MOTIVESThis year’s exhibition showed that furniture can be innovative and suitable for manufacture

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Review

Above: Scabetti’s Goldfish light

sculpture

Right: Royal Mosa’s Quartz tiles

Left: Pli’s Wrap

Below: Boss Design’s Kruze

lounge

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Trends

IMM COLOGNETRICKS AND TREATSThe Trendboard predicts minimalism,cosy, experimentation and illusion

Every year Imm Cologne’s Trendboardidentifies key trends for the coming year.

This year’s are Discipline, Trickery,Comfort Zone and Rehab. Reactions tothe recession have led to very differenttrend phenomena. While some are moreeager than ever to retreat to their

comfort zone and seek consolation in acosy atmosphere, more progressive spiritsare renouncing the decorative entirelyand trying to purge themselves ofanything unnecessary with minimalisticinteriors.

Traditionalists are disciplining

themselves to stay with tried and testedforms, whereas others are playing theexperimental game with forms andalienation to extremes and exposing thedesign culture as a creative box of tricksin which nothing is what it initiallyseems.

Comfort Zone: consoling and cuddly� Hobby� Bricolage� Englishness� Puffs and cakes� Folklore farmRetreat to the comfort zone: voluminouswing chairs, borrowings from Englishnostalgia, cake-shaped soul-soothers andfurniture that radiates cosy, self-madeaesthetics keep the outside world at bay.Colourful, traditional ornamentationbrings far off climes a little closer tohome. Textiles, shag-pile carpets andceramic tiles signal cosiness anddurability, emphasised by an earthybrown with a hint of blackberry andsubtle dashes of yellow, red and green.

Rehab: purism as self-therapy� High-tech, low-tech� Manipulating greenery� Experiments� DetoxBack to basics: Furniture and rooms arebeing subjected to a kind of rehabilitationtreatment and stripped of all comfort andornamentation. What remains are skeletalforms and white walls. The naked formbecomes the starting point for furtherdevelopment using innovative materialsand techniques. Angular forms, functionaladjustment features and folding optionsare typical of the slightly chunky Rehabaesthetics. Yellow, the dominant colour,stands out clearly against the neutralwhites and greys.

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Trends

Trickery: false-bottomed design� Illusions� Staging� Fake function� NarrationDesign againstdesign: experimentswith products andfurniture driven byartistic rather thanmarket-orientatedmotives. Playing withour expectations –designers and theirpublic are rebellingagainst the slicknessof the design world.Improvisation andartisanal imperfectionstand for creativity, which seems better suited to solving currentand future problems than classic forms. The result looks piecedtogether, sometimes even primitive; there are hybrids betweenvarious furniture types, combinations of plastics and naturalmaterials. Colours are another popular area for experiments thatyield toned-down shades such as lilac, apricot or brown.

Discipline: a return to reason� No jokes, no fakes� Utility� Craftsmanship� Back to BauhausThe beauty of reason: luxury is no longer sought in comfort but informal and qualitative consistency. Only forms that are beautiful,innovative and durable can be useful as well. Bauhaus classics set thetone, quality workmanship adds authenticity. Slender, simplefurniture with as few edges as possible dominates. Materials alsoindicate a return to the authentic – wood, leather, woven fabrics orceramics, rounded off with the occasional plastic detail. Beige, oldrose and a warm tea-brown add a touch of warmth to the discipline.

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Preview

HEIMTEXTILGLIMPSING THE FUTURE Frankfurt will again be host to the largest gathering of home furnishings

For those serious about selling homefurnishings, 13-16 January will already beindelibly marked in the 2010 diary, asthat’s when Heimtextil, the largest displayof home furnishings, takes place.

Unlike some trade shows, in early 2009Heimtextil did not have empty standspaces due to cancellations at shortnotice, and next year looks like being thesame. According to organiser MesseFrankfurt, companies staying away orhaving smaller stands has been balancedby new exhibitors, keen to show theirproducts to the event’s 70,000 visitors.

So what can those visitors expect? The Heimtextil Trend Table has

described four key trends in homefurnishings for 2010/11: Futurustic,Temptation, Hypernature and Intuition,focusing on sustainable eco-luxury,tradition and modern, nature andinnovation and spontaneous creativity.

Futurustic This features simplicity of high quality.Since 2005, when the World Wide Fundfor Nature reports were published andperhaps even before, the textile sectorhas concerned itself with the need tonurture and protect the earth’s resources.Since 2007, when the EthicalFashionweek was staged, this has alsobeen reflected in the trends.

The Futurustic trend statement makesthis connection and cleverly highlightsaspects of authenticity and ecologicalconsiderations. Aesthetically, Futurusticconcentrates on subtleties, fine weavesand the frothy and voluminous as well asnatural, earthy colours. For example,Refined Roots symbolises irregularstructures like those in nature – a moderninterpretation of ‘back to the roots’.

Lesstravagance describes that less ismore and processes simple materials to ahigh quality. Eco-luxury is apparent in the

mix of plain, simple style variations andelementary forms of extravagance.

Infinite time is a combination of rawand soft materials. The setting reflectstimeless comfort with calming strengthand a rustic confidence in the future.

TemptationThis creates a private sphere out of thetraditional and modern. Temptationappeals to the senses in an age oftechnology, the Internet and public life.While people are becoming more and

Temptation

Futurustic

68_9heimtext_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:51


Preview

more networked, the desire for a privatesphere is increasing and the quest forinner values growing. Timeless forms arefitted with amazing new developmentsand interpreted with classic forms. Theprivate sphere we seek is clearly apparentin interior design in the form of acocoon-like mini-living room. ‘Forbidden’colours such as absinthe and red wineare used.

One of the sub-themes of Temptationis Intimate sphere, where the worn-outlook is adopted for modern finishes.Irresistible staging takes pleasure inturning the relationship between old andnew, genuine and copy on its head,creating a mysterious fantasyatmosphere.

The rediscovered freedom of creativityis shown by contrasting materials such astransparent, coloured plastic and classicborders and trimmings. Digital classicsblur the dividing line between the realand the virtual and features a journeytwixt fantasy and the present. The classicis reinterpreted and makes use of timelesselements.

HypernatureThis transports the freshness of nature tothe big city. Here, fresh, urbane coloursare combined with shades of smog. Thisbrings a new strength and energy to citylife and creates harmony involvingsensuality and innovation. Hypernaturebuilds on transparent materials withnatural fabrics such as soy and bamboo.

Fact fileWhat: HeimtextilWhen: 13-16 JanuaryOpening times: Wednesday to Friday9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pmWhere: FrankfurtWhy: The home furnishings market’smost important trade exhibitionAwards: Young Contract CreationsAward 2010: Upholstery and WallRegistration: To pre-register or formore information, visitwww.heimtextil.de

Thanks to the use of tone-on-toneembroidery, Beneficial Innovations givesmodern, rational elements a hint ofwarmth and is sensual and ingenious asa result.

In Organotech a touch of freshnessmakes the symbiosis with nature evident. Hybrid materials bring morepoetry to the furnishings, creatingshadow effects through the layering offabrics and light. Layering realitytransports a creation consisting of soft,bright, luminous structures, layers anddelicate sensory illusions, the emphasishere being on bringing reality and poetrycloser.

IntuitionThis is an explosion of good humour andbright colours. Creativity is repositioningitself after the times of crisis. Bright,contemporary colours show spontaneouscreativity – a variety of patterns fromdifferent cultures reflect the universallanguage. Intuitive geography amazeswith its form and colour and combinesplastic with sustainable materials.Freedom and spontaneity result inimpulsive creativity with strong coloursand naive, pictorial designs – creating adynamic architecture.

Graphic fascination breathes life intofunctionality. Prints and surface coveringsplay with forms and bring good humourinto the creative home. Magic simplicity isequally rich in contrast bringing aspontaneous optimism to interior designand facilitating an encounter betweenbright colours and neutral tones.

Intuition

Hypernature

68_9heimtext_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:52


Rugs

Boogie Nights was an overnight bestseller

The first delivery of Jack sold out in three days

Plantation Rug Company has launched amajor collection of designs and backed itup with a significant investment in a 146-page brochure packed with lifestylephotography.

Leading the trend for all things red,white and blue, Jack is a 100% wool rugthat has been a huge success withretailers and consumers since theNational Floor Show in September. Theantique-washed white gives Jack adesigner edge and vintage feel.

Popular at NFS, the first delivery of rugscompletely sold out over the three days.

‘The trend for patriotic interiors willonly increase as the 2012 Olympics getscloser. I have increased stock levels onJack to ensure I can meet customerdemand,’ says Gary Prophet, PlantationRug Company general manager.

The company has also picked up onanother trend The Bright Stuff. Thepsychedelic, seventies colours of BoogieNights has seen this rug become anovernight bestseller after featuring in theDaily Express. A mixture of bright shadesin abstract shapes guarantees this rug isno shrinking violet.

To showcase the rugs Plantation haslaunched The Good Rug Guide; an over-sized, coffee table brochure featuringsome 40 rugs in an assortment of shapes,sizes and colours.

PLANTATION RUG COMPANYSTYLE UNDERFOOTThe company has made major investmentsin new designs and marketing

70_1plantation_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:41


Rugs

Orkney is available in five sizes

Shake things up with Cocktail

New Beginnings is a collection of mottled stripes

‘The Good Rug Guide is a great selling-tool for retailers. The lifestylephotography gives inspiration toconsumers and shows the rugs in everycolourway available,’ says Prophet.

Interiors stylist Jane Molloy has alsobegun working closely with the company.Molloy has spent the past 15 years as aninteriors stylist for the likes of SundayTimes Style, You, Selfridges magazine andbrands such as Marks & Spencer, JohnLewis and Debenhams.

‘Jane is bringing her knowledge andexpertise to give trend direction to thebrand. Her experience has beeninvaluable in creating The Good RugGuide,’ says Prophet.

‘Her styling has created great lifestyleimages and her editorial approach to thebrochure has given the guide realkeepsake appeal.’

The company has also developed a rugdisplay stand for independent retailersthat is designed to take up very littlefloorspace. It measures 0.5sqm andcarries 12 smaller samples of thebestselling rugs.

‘Retailers who have previously not hadspace for full size rug stands can nowenhance their customer offer with thenew rug stand,’ says Prophet, ‘and with10 new rugs available, The Good RugGuide is a must-have for all retailers.’

70_1plantation_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:41


The market for fibre, bamboo, cork,rubber, leather and stone flooringincreased by two-thirds between 2001and 2008 and now accounts for 5% ofthe total flooring market, according toAMA Research.

At a time when consumers are keenerthan ever to buy products that areenvironmentally friendly and natural,these products have a strong sales story.(As do the equally natural wool carpets,outside the scope of this feature.)

‘When Crucial Trading launchedseagrass 22 years ago, it very quicklybecame loved by designers, stylists andarchitects for its waxy, light reflecting fibreand unusual texture. In a sea of beige orhighly patterned flooring it was astandout,’ says Inga Morris, CrucialTrading marketing manager.

Seagrass was soon followed by sisal,jute and coir.

‘Natural flooring has developed a loyaland passionate following amongconsumers who value design and texture.It has held its own against other forms ofnew flooring on the market. Sisal isprobably the most popular fibre, due toits toughness, the way it can be woveninto different designs, and the range ofcolours available,’ she says.

Metallics give naturals a newdimension, with more daring flooring forcontemporary spaces. Designed to

Solid Wood Flooring Company has seen bamboo sales rise 15%

Alternative Flooring’s Sisal Metallics Chromium

heighten texture, Alternative Flooring’sSisal Metallics Chromium range has astylish sheen and works equally well in alarge piece or as an accent in a custommade rug or runner. Only acquiring fibres from sustainable natural resources,the company aims for its products tohave the minimum impact on theenvironment.

Martyn Ryder, Solid Wood FlooringCompany founder, has seen bambooflooring sales rise 15% a year as moreconsumers become aware of its

properties. He cites several reasons forthis growth.

‘Bamboo is a non-toxic and waste-freemanufacturing process. It is 99% termiteresistant and better able to withstandmoisture due to tropical characteristicsand expands and contracts 50% less thanmost other hardwoods. Bamboo is ableto grow back to its original size justmonths after being harvested andrequires minimal fertilisation or pesticides.

‘It is stronger and denser than mosthardwoods and suitable for

GROWING DEMANDGENUINE QUALITY The green characteristics of materials such as fibre, cork and bamboo are proving popular

Natural flooring

72_4natfloor_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 16:25

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073_IM_1109 28/10/09 13:39


Natural flooring

Crucial Trading’s seagrass

residential and business areas. Replantingtrees is not needed, and the forestcontinues to flourish and botanicallybamboo is not wood, it’s grass.’

Nelson Ker, Kenton Floors md givesseveral reasons why cork is good forflooring: � New designs in the cork surfaces makeit attractive.� It is available with a Uniclic joint ratherthan gluing.� It is suitable for underfloor heating.� People are more concerned aboutsound transmission, particularly in flats.� People are much more environmentallyaware now than they were in the 1970s.� Cork’s environmental credentials areunique.� It is extremely comfortable to walk on.

‘Many will remember cork when it waspopular in the 1970s, but as with allthings time has moved on and there havebeen some truly amazing developmentswith cork as a sustainable resource forthe home. Cork is natural, recyclable andbiodegradable,’ says Ker.

‘No other manmade or naturalreplicates the qualities of cork. It renewsitself naturally as cork oak bark grows

1mm-1.5mm each year. Once the tree’scircumference has reached 70cm the corkcan be peeled,’ he explains.

The tree is harvested in regular cyclesthroughout its lifespan of around 200years and the harvesting generatesvaluable income for the local Portugueseeconomies. Traditional harvestingmethods allow the cork oak to thrivewithout the use of synthetic herbicides,fertilisers or irrigation.

‘As concerns grow as to protecting theenvironment and using sustainableresources, cork stands almost unique inproviding a beautiful and trulyecologically friendly product,’ he says.

Cork is a highly effective acousticflooring solution that consists ofthousands of tiny cells, each of which isfilled with air. This absorbs sound and canreduce impact sound between rooms byup to 18 decibels. It is also exceptionallycomfortable to walk on, being bothwarm and soft, he says.

Anti-microbial properties make itresistant to mould and insect infestation. Cleaning is easy byvacuuming and damp mopping withapproved cleaners. It is also highly fire

retardant and will not spread flame.Kenton’s Woodpecker Estilo cork floors

have three main components: a 2.5mmor 3mm top layer, an HDF core and1.5mm or 2mm backing, and is availablein six colours. It has a wear rating of12,000 revolutions using the Taber testmethod; three times as resilient as thetypical wood floor.

According to Jo O’Grady, Stone Agemd, natural stone such as a limestone ormarble is an excellent choice for use inbathrooms and kitchens. ‘The wide rangeof colours and finishes mean you can finda stone to suit almost any scheme, whilethe natural characteristics of the materiallend that calm, earthy quality,’ O’Gradysays. ‘Natural stone is an ideal mediumfor interior decoration due to its form,versatility, durability and lowmaintenance. It is therefore widely usedin the home – inside and out – forflooring and walls.

‘What’s interesting is that in recentyears, we have noticed a shift towardsthe use of more adventurous colour instone. It’s refreshing and wonderful tosee people making the most of whatstone can offer.’

Kenton’s Woodpecker floor in Helsinki finish

72_4natfloor_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 18:42

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075_IM_1109 29/10/09 09:21

Entertainment

ACROSS1 Motionless6 Mimicked10 Cries of discovery14 Els with tees15 Network of nerves16 Ad word17 Staggers18 Like some history19 Very, in Versailles20 Probability23 Cornerstone abbr24 Female gametes25 Salt Lake City athlete26 Call out27 False show (US)32 One telling tales35 Fraud36 Hard water37 Sending signals everywhere41 Man mouse link42 Efface43 Ova44 Sea bass46 Coal scuttle48 Kind of reaction49 Big ___50 In place of53 Make lurid (US)58 Face covering59 Beethoven’s birthplace60 Claw61 La Scala solo62 Floe63 Incident64 Having wealth65 Summer coolers66 Satisfies

DOWN1 Open a tennis match2 Kilmer classic3 Inactive4 Taylor of Mystic Pizza5 Landlord6 Smell, usually a pleasant one7 Gilpin of Frasier8 Catchall abbr9 Sandwich shop10 Sagacious11 Induration12 Sheltered, nautically13 Paris possessive21 Climbing vine22 All, musically26 Dernier ___27 Squeeze28 Starchy staple29 Baby newt30 Heroin (slang)31 Slippery swimmers32 Watch33 Hungary’s Nagy34 Relieves pain35 Mardi ___38 Sums owing39 401(k) alternative40 Brit lexicon45 Ceiling fan46 Attila, eg47 Speaks publicly49 Pop pieces50 Meat option51 Form of oxygen52 Leases53 Delhi wrap54 Dancing queen group55 Nailed obliquely56 Memo heading57 Molten rock58 Mutilate, spoil

Suduko Crossword

Easy

Difficult

Medium


For answers turn to page 78

76entertain_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:43


EXHIBITION DIRECTORY

Advertiseyour show

hereReach 6,500 key industry buyersin the most influential magazinein the interiors market, call Ben

Watkins on 07917 863453or email him at

[email protected]

Advertiseyour show



[email protected]

Advertiseyour show



[email protected]

Advertiseyour show



[email protected]

Advertiseyour show



[email protected]

18th – 21st July 2010

www.manchesterfurnitureshow.com1 – 5 February 2010

www.lasvegasmarket.com

16th – 20th March 2010www.3F.net.cn

25th – 27th May 2010ExCeL London

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Advertise your show here. Reach 6,500 key industry buyers in the most influential magazine in the interiors market,call Ben Watkins today on 07917 863453, or email him at [email protected]

77_IM_1109 30/10/09 12:16


Final polish

Centre of attractionBrintons has claimed a worldfirst in producing a photo-realistic image in an Axminstercarpet for Manchester’s Bandon the Wall music venue.

The single giant image isbased on the specialist plugs,sockets, connectors and otherequipment used in the musicindustry. The design alsofeatures different colouredaudio leads that guide club-goers to different areas withinthe 1930s venue.

‘I think we’ve set a newtechnical standard for whatcan be achieved whenweaving a carpet,’ says PhilHarris, Brintons commercialdirector.

Michael Trainor, whocreated the original artwork

with William Chitham, says:‘By marrying high definitiondigital photography andcomputer imaging techniqueswith the very latest carpetweaving technology, we’vedone something that’s neverbeen done before. The imageis so good that it appears tobe tangibly real and you reallyhave to pinch yourself toremember that it’s woven in acarpet. It’s undoubtedly thecentrepiece of the venue.’

Laminate challengeEmployees at Westco arecelebrating what they think isa world record for laying alaminate floor: eight minutesand eight seconds.

‘The floorspace was justunder 14sqm, which we

Cheers for a year: It was cakes and what lookssuspiciously like fizzy water all round at Your

Department Store when the online furniture portalcelebrated its first anniversary recently. Since its launch ithas recruited a retailer every fortnight on average, with

Domus Furniture and Carpets, Stevenson’s and Odd SizeBeds the latest to join.

Entertainment answers

Easy DifficultMedium

worked out to be the averagesize of a UK living room. Therecord attempt was also achance for us to demonstratewhat we do best – how to laya floor professionally,’ saysMarkus Burkhardt, Westcodirector of operations.

Westco wants to open thecontest to any of its suppliersand customers who think theycan do it faster. Watch theteam in action at www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVnBt6eai6E. Sounds like a challenge…

Gold for GillingsYou may not have heard ofZoe Gillings, but comeFebruary she could be frontpage news. Gillings is rankedfifth in the world insnowboard cross and has achance of winning the goldmedal at next year’s WinterOlympics in Vancouver.

Her training means sheneeds at least nine and a halfhours sleep every night, soSealy offered Gillings a bed.After trying them all out at itsSalterforth showroom shepicked a model from thePosturepedic – you guessed it– Gold range.

Playing footsieFor those looking to expresstheir individuality, the Footsiecoffee table from DesignersAnonymous may be just thething. Featuring remodelledmannequin legs, the table –also available as a dining tableor desk – can be customisedby dressing the legs. Thecompany has evencommissioned a collection offootwear for the table. ImeldaMarcos would have loved it.

Brintons’ Band on the Wall design

78FP_IMnov.qxt 26/10/09 15:45

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InnerCoverSpread_IM_1109 28/10/09 10:30 Page 1

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Exquisite flowers captured in fine embroideryExquisite flowers captured in fine embroidery

Interio

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OuterCoverSpread_IM_1109 28/10/09 10:31 Page 1

Interiors Monthly November 2009

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Transcript of Interiors Monthly November 2009