Merry Christmas from Interiors Monthly Written on 24 December 2020. A merry (and safe) Christmas and a happy New Year from Interiors Monthly.
Closed or closing: many stores face lockdown Written on 21 December 2020. Non-essential retailers across swaths of the UK are closed or will be closing in the next few days as governments respond to the pandemic. Continue Reading
The 12 days of The AIS Furniture Show Written on 18 December 2020. The AIS Furniture Show, normally a four day exhibition at Cranmore Park coinciding with the January Furniture Show, will become a 12 day online event next month. Continue Reading
Northern Ireland stores face six week closure Written on 18 December 2020. Non-essential retailers in Northern Ireland will have to close for six weeks from Christmas Eve. Continue Reading
The Sleep Charity relaunches website Written on 18 December 2020. Expert sleep advice, support and helpful resources now come at the touch of a button courtesy of The Sleep Charity as it relaunches its website. Continue Reading
Phil Reynolds joins SATRA Written on 18 December 2020. Phil Reynolds has joined SATRA to lead its furniture and floorcoverings division. Continue Reading
FIRA extends accreditations Written on 18 December 2020. FIRA International has achieved wider UKAS-accreditation across seven British, European and American standards. Continue Reading
Rolfe invests in multi-million pound distribution hub Written on 17 December 2020. Flooring wholesaler Rolfe Carpets has acquired a new distribution hub in a multi-million pound investment. Continue Reading
Boxing Day sales off in Wales Written on 17 December 2020. Non-essential retailers will be not be re-open after Christmas in Wales. Continue Reading
Emma recruits Robinson as it seeks retail push Written on 17 December 2020. Bed company Emma has hired former Sealy sales and marketing director Neil Robinson as it looks to expand its retail presence. Continue Reading
Transatlantic tie up for Millbrook and Eclipse Written on 16 December 2020. Millbrook Beds and US bed producer Eclipse International have formed a joint venture which will see each other’s beds sold on both sides of the Atlantic. Continue Reading
Giorgetti opens its first UK store Written on 16 December 2020. Italian furniture manufacturer Giorgetti has opened its first UK store. Continue Reading
Online move for Handy Written on 15 December 2020. Bedding and upholstery component supplier Handy has launched a new website and brand. Continue Reading
Whitemeadow to open refurbished showroom for a month Written on 15 December 2020. Upholstery producer Whitemeadow is to hold a month long At Home show. Continue Reading
Made.com rewards staff Written on 14 December 2020. Made.com has given its staff share options worth six month’s salary to thank them for their work in 2020. Continue Reading
MIFF pushed back to September 2021 Written on 11 December 2020. Next year’s Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) has been postponed until September 2021 in the face of the pandemic. Continue Reading
Carpet Recycling UK award winners revealed Written on 11 December 2020. Carpet Recycling UK membership ‘is worth its weight in gold’ according to one award winner which says it has contributed to its sustainability goals and helped to achieve annual savings of £170,000 a year on disposal costs by recycling its waste materials, including carpet. Continue Reading
30 for Frank’s Written on 10 December 2020. Two months after opening its 29th branch, North East of England flooring chain Frank’s the Flooring Store has reached the milestone of 30 stores. Continue Reading
Pete Walker: 1942-2020 Written on 10 December 2020. The funeral of Pete Walker, Breasley co-founder will be held at St Mary's Church, Wirksworth, Derbyshire at 2pm on 14 December. Continue Reading
UK Flooring Direct looks to boost staff numbers by more than 75% Written on 10 December 2020. Online flooring retailer UK Flooring Direct has set out ambitious plans to boost its workforce. Continue Reading
Profits drop at Alstons Written on 10 December 2020. Upholstery producer Alstons saw profits drop last year as sales edged up. Continue Reading
Non-essential retailers set to re-open in Scotland’s level four areas Written on 09 December 2020. Interiors retailers across large parts of Scotland will be able to re-open on Friday. However, shoppers have been told not travel across the country. Continue Reading
Wren relocates Warrington store Written on 09 December 2020. Fresh from opening its 100th UK branch, Wren Kitchens has relocated its Warrington store. Continue Reading
Climate change presents ‘massive opportunity’ Written on 09 December 2020. Huge opportunities exist for bed manufacturers to both pioneer and collaborate on products that will meet the growing demand from consumers for honest goods they can trust to help mitigate climate change. Continue Reading
No more Ikea catalogues Written on 08 December 2020. Ikea has ended production of its printed catalogue after 70 years. Continue Reading
Profitability boost for Housing Units Written on 08 December 2020. Housing Units managed to increase profits after almost maintaining sales in its past financial year, despite being hit by the pandemic and flooding disruption. Continue Reading
Emma saw sales more than double over Black weekend Written on 07 December 2020. Bed company Emma saw sales more than double over the Black weekend, selling a mattress every two seconds at peak periods. Continue Reading
ParalympicsGB partnership for Dreams Written on 07 December 2020. Dreams has become the official sleep partner to ParalympicsGB for next summer’s rescheduled Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Continue Reading
Wren marks UK century milestone with community donation Written on 04 December 2020. Wren Kitchens has opened its one hundredth UK store. Continue Reading
Weekend return to The Factory for bed firm Written on 04 December 2020. BBC2 is to repeat Inside The Factory: Mattress at the weekend. Continue Reading
Are you Fitter of the Year 2021? Written on 03 December 2020. The National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers is inviting fitters to register their interest in the Fitter of the Year competition. Continue Reading
The great re-opening Written on 02 December 2020. Flooring and furniture stores are among non-essential retailer that are re-opening in England today after lockdown 2.0. Continue Reading
Danetti set for bricks and mortar store Written on 02 December 2020. Furniture etailer Danetti is to open a physical showroom this weekend. Continue Reading
Lissoni to take B&B Italia role Written on 01 December 2020. B&B Italia has named Piero Lissoni as artistic director. Continue Reading
Leekes sees profits rise Written on 23 December 2019. Retail and leisure group Leekes has seen profits rise. Continue Reading
MIFF sells out with record exhibitors Written on 21 December 2018. Next March’s Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) has again sold out and will feature its largest ever turnout of 650 exhibitors. Continue Reading
Upturn at United Written on 20 December 2018. United Carpets has seen a small upturn in sales in recent weeks. Continue Reading
Tapi to open third way Written on 19 December 2018. Flooring chain Tapi is set to open its third store route to market with concessions in Homebase. Continue Reading
‘Keep your big wheels turnin’: Eve recruits Calverley to marketing role Written on 19 December 2018. Mattress in a box retailer Eve Sleep has recruited its new marketing boss, from the AA. Continue Reading
Ikea confirms Greenwich opening date Written on 19 December 2018. Ikea has confirmed the opening date of its first full-sized store in London for 13 years. Continue Reading
Sweet dreams for bed winners Written on 19 December 2018. Bed and upholstery manufacturer Sweet Dreams, celebrating 30 years in business, launched a special anniversary competition for retailers in the autumn and the first three winners have been announced. Continue Reading
Lighting shines for John Lewis Written on 18 December 2018. Lighting was a standout product category for John Lewis in the past week with a double-digit sales increase as the chain recorded increased total sales. Continue Reading
Khoo to take axe to UK store network Written on 17 December 2018. Laura Ashley is to close a quarter of its UK stores as it looks to boost its presence in China. Continue Reading
British soft seating specialist launches first ever in-store retail range Written on 14 December 2018. British soft-seating specialist Bazaar Group has produced its first instore retail range which will be exclusively unveiled at the 2019 January Furniture Show in January. Continue Reading
Sleepeezee is to significantly increase marketing investment Written on 12 December 2018. Bed manufacturer Sleepeezee is to invest millions of pounds in consumer marketing in 2019 after finding its brand awareness was higher than expected among shoppers. Continue Reading
FMC gives Christmas boost to those in need of help Written on 12 December 2018. The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishings industry’s charity and City of London livery company, has given seven retired industry workers an early Christmas present of £300 each this festive season. Continue Reading
Fewer promotions and mild weather hits John Lewis Written on 11 December 2018. John Lewis saw sales fall in the week to 8 December, including a major drop in home sales. Continue Reading
Walsh confident on recovery plan after sales plunge Written on 11 December 2018. Carpetright’s UK like for like sales fell by almost a fifth during its CVA process, and while they improved, were almost down by 10% in the past quarter. Continue Reading
Leekes upbeat as retail and leisure deliver growth Written on 10 December 2018. Retail and leisure group Leekes has matched last year’s profits in the first eight months of this financial year. Continue Reading
November completed a year of declining footfall Written on 10 December 2018. Retail footfall fell for the 12th consecutive month in November. Continue Reading
Travis Perkins business review could see Wickes put up for sale Written on 05 December 2018. Wickes owner Travis Perkins has indicated that it could sell the chain as part of a review of the group indicating it will focus on its trade people customers. Continue Reading
Home drops again for John Lewis Written on 05 December 2018. John Lewis saw another week of lower home sales in the week to 1 December as overall sales dropped back after the Black Friday week. Continue Reading
Ikea sets out carbon emission target Written on 04 December 2018. Ikea has set out plans to be climate positive by 2030, including cutting its production greenhouse gas emissions by 80% of those in 2016. Continue Reading
US property developer buys Smallbone Written on 03 December 2018. Kitchen brand Smallbone of Devizes and its sister brands have been bought by a US property developer. Continue Reading
Kendal’s to remain open Written on 03 December 2018. Manchester’s iconic Kendal’s department store is to remain open. Continue Reading
Dunelm sets wheels in motion for new boss Written on 21 December 2017. Dunelm has ended its search for a chief executive after turning to the former boss of Evans Cycles. Continue Reading
Walk the West Highland Way in aid of the Furniture Makers Written on 20 December 2017. If criss-crossing the city during Milan design week wasn’t enough exercise, The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity is offering the opportunity for more just days later: a 100 mile sponsored trek of the West Highland Way with 2 Rifles, the Company’s military affiliate. Continue Reading
Steinhoff shares continue fall Written on 20 December 2017. Shares in Steinhoff International have again fallen after it said it didn’t know the extent of its ‘financial irregularities’. Continue Reading
Weather takes away, weather gives for John Lewis Written on 19 December 2017. John Lewis has blamed the weather for a drop in sales, while it boosted sales of some products. Continue Reading
Hilding Anders buys Feather & Black Written on 19 December 2017. Bed manufacturer Hilding Anders is to return to the UK market after buying Feather & Black from administration. Continue Reading
European Commission launches Ikea tax probe Written on 18 December 2017. The European Commission is to investigate Ikea's corporate tax structure. Continue Reading
Mammoth signs for Spurs Written on 18 December 2017. Bed manufacturer Mammoth has become the official mattress and pillow supplier to Premiership football club Tottenham Hotspur. Continue Reading
Steinhoff: For 2017 read 2016 Written on 14 December 2017. After telling shareholders that it cannot trust its 2017 accounts, Steinhoff International has warned them that the same applies to 2016’s. Continue Reading
Relyon wins Gold at 2018 Mother and Baby Awards Written on 13 December 2017. Relyon has won awards for Best Sleep Product and Best Safety Product at the 2018 Mother and Baby Awards. Continue Reading
Dunlopillo delivers a new in-store look Written on 13 December 2017. Dunlopillo has begun a roll-out of its latest POS display system to independent retailers across the country. Continue Reading
Adminstrators fail to find a buyer for Multiyork Written on 12 December 2017. Multiyork is to be wound down after administrators failed to find a buyer for the chain. Continue Reading
Home disappoints again for John Lewis Written on 12 December 2017. After returning to growth for the first time in eight weeks, home sales at John Lewis have dipped. Continue Reading
Walsh warns on Carpetright profits Written on 12 December 2017. Wilf Walsh, Carpetright ceo has warned that profits will be at the lower end of expectations. Continue Reading
Ocee adds Race to portfolio Written on 11 December 2017. The furniture designs of Ernest Race have a new owner after Ocee International added to its portfolio by buying Race Furniture. Continue Reading
OMG buys The Flooring Show Written on 07 December 2017. The Flooring Show has been bought by Ocean Media Group. Continue Reading
Trio to boost AIS membership Written on 07 December 2017. Three retailers are to join buying group AIS next month, including Bath furniture and flooring retailer TR Hayes. Continue Reading
Trio head for JFS debuts Written on 07 December 2017. Six weeks before the event, the January Furniture Show has added more exhibitors, including Simba Sleep and FibreGuard. Continue Reading
Steinhoff sees value plunge after new accounting irregularities found Written on 06 December 2017. Harveys and Bensons parent Steinhoff International has seen its value plunge by more than half after it revealed it had called in accountant PwC to investigate accounting irregularities. Continue Reading
John Lewis halts home sales decline Written on 05 December 2017. After eight weeks of falling home sales, John Lewis saw the sector return to growth in the past week. Continue Reading
Trendsetter scoops environmental award Written on 05 December 2017. Bedding manufacturer Trendsetter International has been recognised for its environmental practices with a Gold award for Engineering and Manufacturing at the Green Apple Awards. Continue Reading
M&S ‘set to scale back expansion plans’ Written on 04 December 2017. Marks & Spencer could abandon a slew of new store openings, putting the future of new retail developments in doubt, according to claims. Continue Reading
Things will only get tougher Furniture Village warns Written on 01 December 2017. The chief executive of Furniture Village has warned that trading conditions will get more challenging in the face of falling wage growth and consumer confidence. Continue Reading
Barker & Stonehouse to continue southern push on Boxing Day Written on 01 December 2017. Barker & Stonehouse’s second store in the south-east of England will open on Boxing Day. Continue Reading
Carpet Foundation to launch members’ section online Written on 21 December 2016. The Carpet Foundation is to introduce a members section to its website on 1 February as another manufacturer has joined its ranks. Continue Reading
Furniture Village set for quartet opening Written on 21 December 2016. Furniture Village is to open more than 72,000sqft of retail space on Boxing Day, with four stores across England. Continue Reading
Go that extra mile Written on 20 December 2016. Still looking for that elusive interiors Christmas gift that shows how much you care? Interiors Monthly may have found it for you. Continue Reading
Lighting training gets revamp Written on 20 December 2016. The Lighting Industry Association has revamped its training scheme with a modular format. Continue Reading
Pre-Christmas sale raises £2,000 for charities Written on 20 December 2016. Dorchester retailer Woods Furniture’s pre-Christmas sale helped raise more than £2,000 for two local children’s charities. Continue Reading
Upholstery and curtains boost John Lewis Written on 20 December 2016. John Lewis saw pre-Christmas demand for upholstery and curtains. Continue Reading
The £100,000 challenge Written on 20 December 2016. Climbing Mount Everest will be the centre of 2017’s fundraising for the Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity. Continue Reading
Multiyork set for 51st store Written on 16 December 2016. Upholstery and cabinet chain Multi-york is to open its 51st store on Boxing Day, at the White City retail park, Manchester. Continue Reading
John Cotton heads down under Written on 16 December 2016. Bedding group John Cotton Group has expanded to Australia, buying Tontine, the country’s leading pillow and duvet producer for an undisclosed amount. Continue Reading
Headlam reorganises Tamworth residential management Written on 15 December 2016. Headlam has reorganised the management responsibilities at its residential flooring companies based at its Tamworth distribution centre. Continue Reading
Barker & Stonehouse sees profits leap Written on 14 December 2016. Furniture and flooring retailer Barker & Stonehouse has seen profits leap in the past financial year. Continue Reading
Victoria splashes the cash again in £20m Dunlop move Written on 14 December 2016. Victoria has again turned to its banking facilities to acquire Australian underlay manufacturer and branded wood, laminate and LVT flooring distributor Dunlop Flooring. Continue Reading
Oka set for Edgbaston opening Written on 14 December 2016. Furniture and accessories retailer OK is set to open its 15th branch early next year. Continue Reading
Dining push for John Lewis Written on 13 December 2016. John Lewis saw a surge in dining table sales last week while shoppers ordered sofas before the pre-Christmas deadline. Continue Reading
Carpetright accelerates format roll-out after sales drop Written on 13 December 2016. Carpetright is to accelerate the roll-out of its latest store format after suffering a drop in first half sales and profits. Continue Reading
DFS chairman Baker to step down next year Written on 12 December 2016. Richard Baker, DFS chairman has told the chain that he wants to leave in the spring. Continue Reading
Balta hires BIG’s cfo Written on 09 December 2016. The chief financial officer of Beaulieu International Group has been recruited by Balta Group in the same role. Continue Reading
Christmas ball raises £4,000 for WCFM Written on 09 December 2016. The Furniture Makers' Christmas Ball at Mitton Hall raised more than £4,000 for the industry's only dedicated charity. Continue Reading
Sealy swells its sporting ranks again Written on 09 December 2016. Sealy has added to its Worlds of Sport ambassadors, recruiting former Olympic champion Linford Christie and Margaret Adeoye. Continue Reading
Share sell nets almost £600,000 Written on 08 December 2016. The wife of ScS md Kevin Royal has sold almost £600,000 worth of shares in the chain six weeks after he gifted them to her. Continue Reading
Peter Sharpe dies after motor neurone battle Written on 08 December 2016. Peter Sharpe, Furlong Flooring md of its Dartford distribution centre died peacefully on 3 December after a brave and defiant fight against motor neurone disease. Continue Reading
Search for luxury drives sales growth for independent Written on 08 December 2016. West Yorkshire independent retailer The Carriage has seen a 400% increase in sales of Somnus beds in the past quarter. Continue Reading
Lynch creates smaller store sales package Written on 08 December 2016. Sales promotion company Lynch Sales Company has developed an offer for retailers that it previously judged to be too small to work with. Continue Reading
Elano partnership sees new role for Cochrane Written on 07 December 2016. Andrew Cochrane, Nathan Furniture Group md is to switch roles to spearhead the roll-out of the group’s latest upholstery brand Freeform. Continue Reading
Awards double for Kitchens International Written on 07 December 2016. Scottish kitchen retailer Kitchens International has completed an awards double, winning the first Essential Kitchen and Bathroom Awards Master Retailer of the Year award. Continue Reading
Help for Heroes fundraising recognised by Hero Award Written on 07 December 2016. The cycling team set up by Mark Stephenson, chief executive of fitted furniture group Danesmoor Group has received a Help for Heroes Hero Award, after raising more than £300,000 for the charity. Continue Reading
Sleep gives John Lewis a lift Written on 06 December 2016. John Lewis continued its run of strong interiors sales performances, driven by sleep-related purchases. Continue Reading
November sales rise as shoppers seek bargains Written on 06 December 2016. UK like for like retail sales increased by 0.6% last month, compared with 2015 when they had dropped 0.4%. Continue Reading
Black Friday boost for furniture Written on 05 December 2016. Black Friday delivered an increase in furniture sales, bucking the trend of the overall homewares market. Continue Reading
Headlam: Brexit price increases have had no impact Written on 05 December 2016. Flooring group Headlam has seen no adverse reaction to its post-Brexit price increases and expects to makes more profit than analysts forecast. Continue Reading
Moduleo plans showroom roll-out Written on 01 December 2016. LVT manufacturer Moduleo is to open a series of showrooms in stockists' stores. Continue Reading
BFC calls for action on flammability, Brexit and skills as it launches 2017 manifesto Written on 01 December 2016. The British Furniture Confederation has published its 2017 manifesto calling for strong action from Government with clear, implementable calls for action to bolster the furniture, furnishings and bed industry. Continue Reading
End of a York era as Macdonald sells building Written on 21 December 2015. York furniture retailer Macdonalds is to close in the New Year after owner Martyn Macdonald accepted an offer for the 104-year old building. Continue Reading
Wool Floor Show London sells out Written on 18 December 2015. The first Wool Floor Show London, a concept from Campaign for Wool and its major funder The British Wool Marketing Board, has sold out. Continue Reading
Home enjoys record week for John Lewis Written on 18 December 2015. Furniture and gifts lead the way for homewares at John Lewis as the department enjoyed a record week. Continue Reading
Leekes sees profits leap Written on 17 December 2015. Department store and leisure group Leekes has seen profits leap. Continue Reading
Habitat looks to boost online performance Written on 17 December 2015. Habitat is to introduce user-personalisation and click-and collect as its overhauls its online presence. Continue Reading
Kvadrat buys into Innvik Sellgren Written on 17 December 2015. Fabric and rug group Kvadrat has bought into Swedish textile manufacturer Innvik Sellgren. Continue Reading
Customised Wire chairs raise €100,000 for charity Written on 17 December 2015. 51 Wired chairs customised by leading designers including Jasper Morrison, Philippe Starck and Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec have raised €100,000 for charity. Continue Reading
Stevens & Graham completes TI clubhouse Written on 16 December 2015. While the Scottish Government and Robert Gordon University may have disowned him, Donald Trump has continued to invest in his Aberdeenshire Trump International Golf Links with new tartan carpet. Continue Reading
CIFF gets larger Written on 15 December 2015. To meet industry demands China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) is to expand witha new home for the show's outdoor and leisure section. Continue Reading
Walsh says Carpetright ‘on track’ Written on 15 December 2015. Wilf Walsh, Carpetright chief executive says that his plan to transform the company is ‘on track’ after like for like sales rise again. Continue Reading
Waker Greenbank faces production hit until at least April Written on 14 December 2015. Walker Greenbank faces at least a four month wait before the majority of fabric printing capacity is back on stream at its Standfast & Barracks facility. Continue Reading
Domotex success: driving sporting success Written on 10 December 2015. Bergo’s Eco Tennis elastic flooring was awarded the Innovations@Domotex label at Domotex in 2014. A product from the same range is bringing sporting fun to Swedish students. Continue Reading
Sterling sees profits double as sales top £50m Written on 10 December 2015. Sterling Furniture has seen pre-tax profits more than double as sales climbed above £50m. Continue Reading
Contract shares London Fabric focus Written on 09 December 2015. London Fabric Show 2016 will include a greater offering for buyers of fabrics for the contract and hospitality sectors with the range of exhibitors having broadened and the selection of fabrics on show at the BFM-hosted 29 February - 1 March event has widened. Continue Reading
Home holds up in face of Back Friday Written on 08 December 2015. Furniture and home accessories were the only retail sectors to show in store sales growth last month, as Black Friday distorted shopping patterns. Continue Reading
New roles for Keen and Parry Written on 07 December 2015. James Keen (pictured) has become Hypnos md and Clive Parry director of UK retail sales as part of management changes at the bed manufacturer. Continue Reading
Standfast & Barracks suffers ‘substantial flooding’ Written on 07 December 2015. Standfast & Barracks, Walker Greenbank’s fabric printing business in Lancaster suffered ‘substantial flooding’ over the weekend as Storm Desmond hit the country. Continue Reading
Vandal attack fails to stop store opening Written on 04 December 2015. The entry of Turkish retailer Nill’s Furniture Design to the UK market was delayed by a vandal attack. Continue Reading
Furniture helps drive John Lewis growth as overall sales soar Written on 04 December 2015. Fitted furniture and bedroom helped John Lewis increase home sales last week, as it saw record overall sales thanks to Black Friday. Continue Reading
Jury reveals Innovations@Domotex selection Written on 03 December 2015. 60 products have been selected to form the Innovations@Domotex showcase. Continue Reading
Moduleo debuts commercial website Written on 02 December 2015. LVT manufacturer Moduleo has launched a commercial website for retailers, businesses and suppliers. Continue Reading
Keeping up with the Smiths Written on 02 December 2015. Etailer Swoon Editions has combined with hotel booking service Mr & Mrs Smith and Millbrook Beds to introduce a range of mattresses. Continue Reading
Growth continues for Topps after record sales Written on 01 December 2015. Flooring and tiles chain Topps Tiles has seen sales growth continue after achieving record sales in the year to 3 October. Continue Reading
Memorial service to be held for John MacKenzie Written on 19 December 2014. A memorial service is to be held to celebrate the life of John MacKenzie, former NBF President and md of Sealy, Slumberland and Sleepeezee in Febuary. Continue Reading
Online boom helps retail sales climb by 10-year high Written on 18 December 2014. Retail sales grew by the fastest rate for more than a decade in November, helped by online growth fuelled by Black Friday. Continue Reading
Consumers warned to look out for ‘special’ offers Written on 17 December 2014. Consumers have been warned to that some special offers in the winter furniture sales may not be so special. Continue Reading
An attempt to see a flooring exhibition return to Brighton has been postponed Written on 15 December 2014. The Spring Floorcoverings Exhibition has been postponed until 2016 year. Continue Reading
Carpetright to roll out IFC offer Written on 15 December 2014. Carpetright is to follow the example of ScS and offer customers interest free credit. Continue Reading
Armstrong calls time on European market Written on 12 December 2014. Flooring giant Armstrong World Industries has pulled out of the European flooring market after deciding it could no longer fund the loss making operations. Continue Reading
Lano Carpets to acquire Bajong Carpets Written on 12 December 2014. Lano has reached agreement with rival McThree to buy its Bajong Carpets subsidiary. Continue Reading
Home helps John Lewis to double-digit growth Written on 12 December 2014. A strong performance from its home offer and At Home stores helped John Lewis to a double-digit sales rise in the past week. Continue Reading
Beds duo take home awards Written on 12 December 2014. Silentnight and Sealy have picked up awards for their branding and quality. Continue Reading
Leekes sees profits leap Written on 11 December 2014. Interiors chain Leekes has seen profits leap in the first half of the year. EBITDA jumped by £1.5m to £2.3m in the six months the end of September. Continue Reading
NDB secures first commercial tie-up Written on 11 December 2014. Student design competition New Design Britain has secured it first commercial tie-up. Continue Reading
Ulster revamps its online presence Written on 11 December 2014. Ulster Carpets has relaunched its consumer website, giving it the look of a glossy interiors magazine. Continue Reading
SBI helps push manufacturing at Professions Week Written on 11 December 2014. Parker Knoll and G Plan parent Sofa Brands International has helped launch Professions Week, representing the manufacturing sector. Continue Reading
Furlong targets funds for Movember Written on 11 December 2014. Retailers have been urged to support Furlong Flooring's top lips as it raises funds for Movember. Continue Reading
Dreams to spend £6m on Christmas push Written on 09 December 2014. Bed chain Dreams is to spend £6m on advertising between now and February. Continue Reading
HOME Autumn 2014 – last chance to register Written on 09 December 2014. A visit to the new autumn edition of Home presents a chance to see the most exciting, hand-picked collection of design- led tableware brands in the UK this season. Doors open this Sunday 14 September at Olympia, London. Continue Reading
O’Flynn to succeed Huggins at Collins & Hayes Written on 08 December 2014. Upholstery maker Collins & Hayes has confirmed that Matt O'Flynn will become md when Martin Huggins retires. Continue Reading
Harris continues Carpetright sell-off Written on 08 December 2014. Lord Harris has continued to cut his and his family's shareholding in Carpetright, despite the value of shares being almost a third lower than earlier in the year. Continue Reading
TRO expects 170,000 complaints Written on 08 December 2014. The country's first retail ombudsman expects to have to deal with 170,000 consumer complaints a year. Continue Reading
Stevens & Graham invests in city centre showroom Written on 08 December 2014. Stevens & Graham, the world's biggest tartan carpet designer and manufacturer, has opened a showroom in the heart of Glasgow to feature its designs. Continue Reading
Classic heads south-west with second store Written on 06 November 2014. Wolverhampton furniture retailer Classic Furniture is to target shoppers in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and south Wales with its second outlet. Continue Reading
Home shines for John Lewis amid Black Friday leap Written on 05 December 2014. While sales of tablets and coffee makers grabbed the headlines on Black Friday, Home again delivered for John Lewis last week, including its own records. Continue Reading
MDS to recognise MGM holders Written on 05 December 2014. Next week's May Design Series exhibition is to recognise the efforts of six Manufacturing Guild Mark winners with a dedicated gallery. Continue Reading
Victoria promotes Danks Written on 05 December 2014. Victoria Carpets veteran Terry Danks has been promoted to the board of parent Victoria. Continue Reading
Sales office helps Furlong to Movember triumph Written on 04 December 2014. Furlong Flooring has triumphed in its attempt to raise £5,000 for Movember – with some help from the sales office. Continue Reading
Bruce Cowen to retire after five decades Written on 04 December 2014. Bruce Cowen, Collins and Hayes South West England agent is to end a 50 year career in the furniture industry this month. Continue Reading
Furniture repair? Book online Written on 04 December 2014. FIRA Service Technicians has launched a facility to allow consumers to book an appointment to have their furniture inspected and repaired. Continue Reading
Government to look at business rates – in 2016 Written on 03 December 2014. The government will look at the future of business rates, but not until 2016 at the earliest, George Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement. Continue Reading
New retail park would be 'missing link' for town Written on 03 December 2014. A new retail park – which is attracting interest from furniture retailers – is set to become 'the missing link' for a major southern town. Continue Reading
£500,000 UK production move pays dividends Written on 03 December 2014. Less than two years since an upmarket wood floor manufacturer invested £500,000 to bring manufacturing back to the UK, it is celebrating winning orders worth £2m. Continue Reading
Proposte reveals major shake-up Written on 03 December 2014. Fabric exhibition Proposte has revealed a major shake-up involving fringe events and the admission of non-European companies. Continue Reading
Balta sets 10% UK sales target Written on 02 December 2014. Carpet and rug giant Balta has set itself a target of lifting UK sales by 10% this year. Continue Reading
DX Freight to make MDS return Written on 02 December 2014. May trade show May Design Series is to repeat its DX Freight round-up of the main exhibitions. Continue Reading
First time buyers 'driving mortgage market forward' Written on 02 December 2014. First-time buyers have been 'driving the mortgage market forward' in the past year, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The number of loans made to first-time buyers was up by 23% in 2013 compared with 2012 but, on average, these borrowers still needed to find a 20% deposit. Continue Reading
NORR11 comes to W1K Written on 02 December 2014. Danish furniture, lighting and accessories retailer NORR11 will make its UK debut this week. Continue Reading
JFS sells out as it plans for Hall 5 return Written on 02 December 2014. The organiser of the January Furniture Show has confirmed that the 13-15 January event is now fully sold-out. Continue Reading
Meyer-Bruhl adds to awards honours Written on 01 December 2014. Kati Meyer-Bruhl, Bruhl creative director has received her 60th and 61st design award, including a German Design Council Interior Innovation Winner for the Deep Space upholstery. Continue Reading
A Serene appointment Written on 01 December 2014. Serene Furnishings has appointed Alan White as sale agent for Serene Beds and Serene Living in Scotland. Continue Reading
Neville Cormack dies age 83 Written on 12 December 2013. Neville Cormack, founder of Cormar Carpets died peacefully at home on Sunday (8 December). He was 83. Continue Reading
Consumers spend £378m a week on furniture and flooring Written on 12 December 2013. Consumers spent almost £20bn on furniture and flooring last year: nearly £380m a week. Continue Reading
Johnlewis.com reaches £1bn milestone Written on 09 December 2013. John Lewis has seen online sales reach the £1bn milestone a year earlier than forecast. In unveiling the group's half year results, Sir Charlie Mayfield, John Lewis chairman revealed almost half of the traffic to johhlewis.com comes from smartphones or tablets. Continue Reading
Home continues to deliver for Next Written on 09 December 2013. Next has revealed that its latest Home stores are continuing to beat its internal forecasts as it boosts its dividend by 16%. The chain says that the Home stores it has opened in the past year have delivered sales 6% higher than forecast and they have a forecast profitability of 19%. Continue Reading
Buying group alliance offers ‘dual’ membership Written on 08 December 2013. Two major buying groups unveil a 'collaboration arrangement' designed to offer furniture and flooring opportunities. The SMG and Minerva buying groups have announced a new alliance 'that will enable them to formally work together to promote each other's organisations as their preferred partner for the furniture and flooring sectors respectively'. Continue Reading
Hot weather hits John Lewis Written on 07 December 2013. The start of a proper summer hit footfall at John Lewis as consumers preferred the outdoors to shopping. Continue Reading
Flooring recycling boost Written on 06 December 2013. The Recofloor flooring recycling scheme has secured 'a great breakthrough' with a host of new members. Continue Reading
'Administration for Dwell' – report Written on 06 December 2013. Speculation over the future of furniture chain Dwell has intensified, with claims it will enter administration within days. Continue Reading
Strong food sales at M&S help offset a slump in general merchandise… Written on 04 December 2013. Marks & Spencer’s fourth quarter figures have turned out better than expected but, it is a strong performance from food that is holding up the figures. Also, sales in the troublesome general merchandise category fell by less than feared. Housing the chain’s furniture, furnishings and clothing, general merchandise fell by 2.2% for the 13-week period to 30 March 2013. Like for like UK sales dropped by a further 3.8% for the same sector. For now, chief executive Mark Bolland has bought some time but, there is work still to be done. In September last year Mr Bolland restructured the directorial team within the general merchandise sector with shareholders expecting to see a marked improvement within that area.
The Range plans to open in Scotland Written on 04 December 2013. The Range has announced plans to open an Aberdeen branch of its successful home and leisure chain which, will be its first outlet in Scotland. Continue Reading
Future of one of the Borders’ largest furniture stores in doubt Written on 03 December 2013. The future of one the largest furniture stores in the Borders has been placed in doubt after the Co-op tried to find other retailers to occupy its Selkirk branch. 'We remain open minded regarding the future of Selkirk Store and are looking at a number of options including interest from other retailers in sharing occupancy. This is in no way a reflection on the staff who continue to make every effort to make the store a success in a tough trading environment,' says Co-op statement. Continue Reading
Black‘s departure leaves Feather & Black without either founder Written on 03 December 2013. Four years after Robbie Feather, Feather & Black co-founder left the bed and bedroom chain, his fellow co-founder Adam Black has left. The pair founded the chain in 2002. 'Adam leaves the business on good terms and is working in co-ordination with the Wade Group to ensure a smooth transition to the new md, Daniel Wade. We would like to thank Adam for his contribution to the business and wish him well in his future endeavours,' says a statement from Feather & Black owner Wade Group. Continue Reading
Recofloor looks for recycling boost Written on 02 December 2013. Vinyl recycling group Recofloor is looking to increase recycling this year by more than a third. Continue Reading
Dunelm sees profits rise Written on 02 December 2013. The homewares chain saw gross margins climb by 30 basis points to 49.5% as pre-tax profits rose by 14.6% to £59.8m in the six months to 29 December. Continue Reading
Tempur opens first European store Written on 02 December 2013. Tempur Mattresses, has chosen Bluewater for its first standalone store in Europe. The 4,000-sq ft store, situated on Bluewater’s lower Thames Walk, will open early this summer. Continue Reading
House sales continuing to pick up, surveyors say Written on 02 December 2013. Property sales continue to pick up across the UK, according to the latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). Its survey of members who work as estate agents said sales in January rose for the fourth month in a row. Continue Reading
Housing boost for Tarkett Written on 12 December 2012. 462 homes will share 16,000sqm of flooring. Tarkett is to supply 16,000sqm of its 22mm Professional Oak Nature and 13mm Rumba Oak Nature flooring to the Vivo housing development in East London. Continue Reading
BoConcept confirms Finchley opening Written on 12 December 2012. 12 January opening will come three weeks after Bristol debut. BoConcept has confirmed the opening of its Finchley Road, north London store as 12 January, becoming the chain's thirteenth mainland UK branch. Continue Reading
CML expects positive 2013 Written on 12 December 2012. Lenders anticipate improvement in housing market. The Council of Mortgage Lenders is confident that an upswing in mortgage lending heralds a more active housing market in 2013. Continue Reading
Another profits warning from Victoria Written on 11 December 2012. Less than six weeks after assuming management control, Geoff Wilding, executive chairman is forced to warn shareholders on a lack of profits. Continue Reading
Blog: Beer or furniture? Written on 10 December 2012. Slow footfall? Customers not staying? Maybe a quick drink is the answer. Continue Reading
Shoppers turn to decorating Written on 09 December 2012. Shoppers turned to decorating in the first half of the year in the face of a weak housing market and bad weather, according to B&Q. Continue Reading
Special report: Victoria calls for answers ahead of vote Written on 09 November 2012. The much reduced board of Victoria Carpets has set out its reasons why shareholders should reject the New Fortress/Anton proposals and called on them to explain their plan for the group. Continue Reading
Jim Young, Ball & Young co-founder dies Written on 07 December 2012. Jim Young, co-founder of underlay company Ball & Young, died on 7 July. He was 86. Continue Reading
Harvey's settles Raft copying case Written on 07 December 2012. Harvey's has stopped using the name Raft for one of its dining ranges and pay legal costs to rival retailer Raft after copying its trademarked name. Anti Copying in Design has asked the chain to sign its code of conduct. Continue Reading
Silvan brings production to the UK Written on 07 December 2012. Wood flooring company Silvan Floors has moved its production from Germany to the UK after investing £500,000 in a saw mill to keep up with demand. Continue Reading
MP's backing for Steed Upholstery Written on 06 December 2012. Steed Upholstery has received the backing of local MP Jessica Lee as she officially opened its new Long Eaton showroom. Continue Reading
Great British Furniture Month gains momentum Written on 03 December 2012. June's promotion of British manufactured furniture is gaining support among retailers. Continue Reading
Heimtextil day two Written on 01 December 2012. The British are out in force at Heimtextil – taking coffee, not tea, and for those lamenting the state of British manufacturing Heimtextil would have provided a large tonic. Continue Reading
Hunter Douglas adds to portfolio Written on 12 December 2011. Hunter Douglas, the world leader in window coverings, has added to its huge portfolio of companies. The group has completed the acquisition of UK distributor of packaged window covering products and drapery hardware Integra. Continue Reading
Ryalux joins Laneve Written on 10 December 2011. Ryalux has become the latest manufacturer to sign up for the fully traceable Laneve carpet collection. Continue Reading
Sutcliffe shut down Written on 09 December 2011. Cabinet company Sutcliffe Furniture has been closed after it ran out of money and 100 of its 110 staff have been made redundant. Administrators said the company had failed to find a buyer before their appointment. Continue Reading
Administration looms Written on 08 December 2011. After closing nine of its 13 branches in the past two weeks, Lombok looks poised to enter its second administration in two years and largely move online after applying to the High Court to appoint an administrator. Continue Reading