Interiors Monthly

Furniture Village in TV sponsorship Furniture Village has begun sponsoring the Quality Entertainment strand across UKTV and Warner Bros’ Discovery channels The chain is sponsoring more than 2,600 hours of content across UKTV’s Alibi, Eden, Gold, U&W and U&Drama plus Discovery’s Really, and HGTV. ‘We’re excited to partner with UKTV and Warner Bros’ Discovery to sponsor Quality Entertainment across their channels. This collaboration represents a unique opportunity to align with brands that share our commitment to quality and creativity. 'Through this partnership, we can connect with a wider audience who appreciate design and quality, driving growth and supporting our mission to deliver stylish, comfortable furniture for the whole home,’ says Claudia Cooper, Furniture Village multichannel director. https://lnkd.in/eTWHrH8G

Retail prices dropped in August Retailers saw prices drop in August, driven higher deflation in non-food. Non-food inflation climbed from -0.9% in July to -1.5% in August, the lowest rate since July 2021, according to the BRC. Combined with food price inflation slowing from 2.3% to 2% - the lowest rate since November 2021 – the overall figure saw inflation of 0.2% become deflation of 0.3%: the lowest rate since October 2021. ‘Shop prices fell into deflation for the first time in nearly three years. This was driven by non-food deflation, with retailers discounting heavily to shift their summer stock, particularly for fashion and household goods. This discounting followed a difficult summer of trading caused by poor weather and the continued cost of living crunch impacting many families. Food inflation eased with fresh food prices, especially fruit, meat and fish, seeing the biggest monthly decrease since December 2020 as supplier input costs lessened,’ says Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive. ‘Shop price inflation has fallen again in August as many non-food retailers have kept promotional support due to the unpredictable weather and food retailers have introduced more price cuts to help drive incremental sales during the “summer of sport”,’ says Mike Watkins, NielsenIQ head of retailer and business insight. https://lnkd.in/e62K7eJi

Henge set for ‘northern European flagship’ Furniture and lighting brand Henge is to open its London flagship store next month. ‘The opening of this flagship represents a further step in the global presence and consolidation of the brand. Henge London will become a corporate space on the same level as the Milan showroom at 34 Via della Spiga and thus a new Henge hub for clients gravitating around central and northern Europe,’ says Paolo Tormena, Henge ceo. ‘This opening marks a major milestone in Henge's consolidation in the international market. London is an important hub in the design world and also holds significant value as a key link to our esteemed clientele on a global scale.’ The 6,456sqft store will open at 254 Brompton Road, Chelsea on 14 September. The space will feature four living areas displaying two ‘monumental’ kitchens, iconic sculptural lights, and several boiseries. https://lnkd.in/eBMfTMJe

John Lews ‘to be The Floor Room safety net’ John Lewis & Partners says it will be a ‘safety net’ for customers of its failed flooring concession operator The Floor Room who are unable to secure refunds through their credit card or finance provider. The chain says it is also offering support to former John Lewis staff who transferred to the floor room, but stopped short of saying it would prioritise them for vacancies: its latest shopfloor reorganisation sees the loss of 137 positions. ‘We value the trust that customers place in us, and have promised to do all we can to help. By working very closely with The Floor Room’s administrators, PwC, our priority is to ensure that their customers who placed orders in our shops aren’t left out of pocket. PwC remains the first point of call for inquiries and will be able to share all the options available to customers, such as arranging a refund via credit card companies or a finance provider,’ says the chain. ‘For customers who don’t have these options available we’ll act as a safety net to make sure they get their money back. We’ll be in touch with each customer, either directly or through PwC, to discuss the best way forward and will be here to support every step of the way. ‘We’re committed to helping former partners who transferred to The Floor Room when they opened their concessions with us. We’re already in touch with them to discuss what their needs for support may be to secure new employment, or other help we can provide, such as access to our Wellbeing services.’ https://lnkd.in/eidyM6Pd #flooring #flooringindustry #johnlewis

Ikea debuts peer-to-peer market IKEA has introduced a marketplace for its second-hand furniture, similar to eBay. Trials of Ikea Preowned have begun in Oslo and Madrid, ahead of a global rollout in 2025. Customers provide their own images of the furniture and asking price while Ikea will add he original retail price, product description and images. The seller and buyer arrange delivery and the seller has the option of being paid with a voucher from ikea, which has a 15% bonus. Under the trial, listings are free but Ikea plans to introduce a ‘humble’ fee. https://lnkd.in/erQ2kVj6 #furniture #furnitureindustry

Guardsman adds to management Guardsman UK has named a new head of claims and insurance services. ‘Chris Whelan brings extensive knowledge and experience, and his strong reputation for driving business improvement will be invaluable to our team. He has particular expertise in claims processes, system enhancements, compliance, and FCA regulations,’ says Mark Potter, Guardsman md. ‘His deep understanding of the industry, coupled with his strategic approach to enhancing processes, will play a key role in driving our success and ensuring we continue to meet the highest standards of compliance and service excellence and we are confident that his insights and leadership will be a tremendous asset to our team.’ https://lnkd.in/erpy7RHN

As long as it is in brown… RH opens Aynho Park as showroom An historic Grade I listed stately home near Banbury, Oxfordshire has been turned into a huge showroom by a US furnishings giant. Grade 1-listed Aynho Park, once home to the Cartwright family, has been taken over by RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) as the latest of its attempts to break into the European design and hospitality market. The 17th century house has been fitted out with RH furniture, all in a palette of brown. RH has opened a series of showrooms across Europe, including Belgium Spain and Germany, joining those in the US. It is described as ‘an unrivalled experience, integrating luxury home furnishings collections from RH Interiors, contemporary, modern and outdoor, with rare art, antiques and artefacts from across the globe.’ The house features gardens by Capability Brown. ‘We believe RH England represents our greatest work to date and will serve as a symbol of our values and beliefs as we embark on our expansion,’ says Gary Friedman, RH ceo. https://lnkd.in/eC-8XJj4 #furniture #furnitureindustry

Sustainable success for Furlong Flooring in housebuilder partnership Sustainable housebuilder Cora Homes has partnered with Furlong Flooring to fit its new homes with eco-friendly carpets. Furlong’s EcoSense Enchantment Elite and Luxe ranges will be used in Cora’s new homes, saving about 9,600 plastic bottles from landfill per home carpeted. ‘At Cora Homes, our goal as a housebuilder is to create amazing places. We strive for excellence, producing high-quality homes in a sustainable and environmentally-conscious way. The idea of having recycled carpets, saving plastic going into landfill, was a huge selling point for the flooring – it fits in perfectly with our ethos of sustainability,’ says Matt Wright, Cora Homes commercial director. ‘The flooring has been a hit. We have received some great feedback from customers on how good the carpets look – most are really surprised, and very happy, to hear they are recycled.’ https://lnkd.in/eJ5MTAQV #flooring #flooringindustry #sustainability #sustainableflooring

Young Makers set for return The Young Furniture Makers exhibition, a special one-day event showcasing furniture, lighting and textile designs from emerging designer-makers to employers and key players in the furnishing industry, returns to the City of London this October. The event, organised by The Furniture Makers' Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, will take place on 2 October at Furniture Makers’ Hall and the Dutch Church in Austin Friars, London.  More than 50 young designers from schools, colleges, universities and graduates from around the UK will be exhibiting designs at the event, which is principally sponsored by Tizo with logistics support from Celtheath. Doors will open for the trade and guests to view at 1pm. Brian Ahern, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, will officially welcome guests from the furniture and design community at 6.30pm before the announcement of the winners of the 2024 Young Furniture Makers Awards. The exhibition will close at 8.30pm. The awards being presented are: The Bespoke Award sponsored by Axminster Tools; The Design Award sponsored by NaughtOne; The Textiles Award; The School Design Prize sponsored by KI; The Apprentice Award sponsored by Achieve & Partners; The Best Chair in Show Prize sponsored by MEON; The Best in Show Prize sponsored by Blum UK and The Fast Track Prize sponsored by Malcolm Walker. ‘The Young Furniture Makers exhibition is an outstanding celebration of exceptionally gifted young makers, serving as an invaluable platform for this emerging talent to connect with experienced designers and esteemed professionals within the furnishing industry. Throughout the years, the Young Furniture Makers exhibition has proudly showcased the work of many designer-makers who have subsequently achieved remarkable success in their careers, making it a must-attend event. Mark your calendar and join us this October,’ says Jonny Westbrooke, The Furniture Makers’ Company ceo. ‘Tizo is passionate about fostering innovation in industry. Having been involved in important technology and product releases for the betterment of the furniture sector for 10 years now, we see our sponsorship of the 2024 Young Furniture Makers exhibition as an important responsibility, as we look to continue supporting the innovation in your industry. We are honoured to meet the next generation, and this exhibition not only highlights the incredible talent of young designer-makers but also showcases those that will push the furniture industry forward. We are excited to see how these bright minds will influence and redefine the future of furniture design, and we remain committed to contributing to their journey toward success,’ says Nick Groves, Tizo ceo. https://lnkd.in/eWiYV8-B #furniture #furnitureindustry #furnitureawards

Directors’ insurance faces shake-up after BhS ruling Company directors may need to significantly change their liability insurances after former BhS directors were ordered to pay £110m for breaching their corporate duties. FRP Advisory, the liquidator of the chain brought the claim against Dominic Chappell, the former BhS chief executive and former director Lennart Henningson eight years after the retailer collapsed into administration owing creditors, including its pension fund, more than £1bn. FPR had previously successfully taken legal action for wrongful trading as the directors kep the chain open rather than opting for an insolvency process, so failing to promote the good of the business. This time they claimed for misfeasance. ‘Liquidators have obtained a much larger judgment against the directors of BhS by using the novel claim of trading misfeasance than they did from their wrongful trading claim. This opens up a whole new avenue for recovering assets from directors of insolvent companies and trading misfeasance is an area of potential liability which company directors now need to be aware of,’ Robin Henry, the head of dispute resolution services at lawyers Collyer Bristow, told The Guardian. Cowgill Holloway LLP says there are a number of ways that directors can act inappropriately in terms of business and finances, and will consequently be accused of misfeasance. These include: Incorrect Preference in Payments: Incorrect preference payments are where an insolvent company pays specific creditors and shows a deliberate ‘preference’ in paying those owed. This is typically discovered when directors firstly, or only, pay creditors who they have a personal guarantee with. Undervalue Transaction: A transaction at undervalue is where a business asset sells for less than its true value and, if the company later becomes insolvent, it can be viewed as though directors are purposefully diverting assets away from their creditors. Concealing (or Removing) Assets: This refers to when a company director attempts to purposefully conceal or remove assets from the business to prevent them being sold in insolvency or liquidation. Taking a High Salary: If a director is taking a salary that is too high for the company to effectively handle, this can also be classed as misfeasance. Failure to Monitor Financial Situation: If a director fails to effectively monitor and attempt to manage financial problems within their company, this oversight can be viewed as a form of misfeasance. In June Chappell was ordered to pay £21.5m and Henningson jointly liable for £13m for wrong trading. https://lnkd.in/eudTMZ45