Whitemeadow are delighted to launch a new portfolio of accent items comprising of chairs, footstools, chaises and ottomans!

Having already earned a reputation for excellence in manufacturing high quality sofas and upholstered beds, Whitemeadow are excited to extend their collection of accent pieces by creating portfolios dedicated to the accent piece ranges.

We are now able to offer a wide range of items designed for everyone, from practical storage solutions to bold accessory pieces. They can all be ordered individually or as part of any of our sofa or bed collections, in any of our current fabrics, thus offering your customers a fantastic range of products to choose from!

“We have found that the key to successful repeat orders on both our beds and sofa ranges is understanding the importance of dressing room sets within stores to create impact”, commented Sales Manager Darren Nicholson. “Our research suggests that up to 50% of consumers buy an occasional piece of furniture such as a footstool or chair if they are displayed with the sofa or bed they are looking to buy, and that retailers who employ this tactic see week on week strong repeat business from consumers”.

Over the next few weeks we will be looking at the ways in which these ranges can be targeted to your customers, so keep up to date with us on social media to make sure you don’t miss it!

For more information on the ranges, please contact your Whitemeadow Sales Manager or email enquiries@whitemeadow.com

Independent British furniture maker Whitemeadow has been voted Best UK Furniture Manufacturer of the Year by readers of trade magazine Interiors Monthly.

The Nottinghamshire-based firm topped the poll by a considerable margin after being shortlisted for the vote by the publication, which aims to keep furniture retailers up-to-date with the latest design and business trends in the industry. Its readers were asked to vote for their favourite brands and products in 51 individual categories this year.

Founded in 1994, Whitemeadow employs around 550 people across six sites within a two-mile radius of Huthwaite. It has more than 170,000 sq ft of manufacturing space.

It is one of the few remaining independently-owned British upholstery manufacturers and has become one of the most trusted and well-respected companies in the industry. It is a key supplier to the UK’s largest blue chip and independent furniture retailers.

Ian Oscroft, the firm’s Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to have scooped this prestigious honour. Whitemeadow has won several awards over the years, but this one is extra special for two reasons. One, because it is from such a highly-regarded and well-respected publication which has a great deal of credibility in the industry for setting the agenda. And two, because it was voted for by readers of the magazine, who are our customers, which shows that we are continuing to do the right things by innovating, being brave with our design ideas and giving the industry the service and product quality that it needs. This is a huge honour and is testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole team here at Whitemeadow, who take such pride in producing great British furniture which continues to push the boundaries of design and drive industry trends.”

As our Sales Manager Daniel Oscroft pointed out before the Manchester Furniture Show, it is from our customers and their buying trends that we learn the greatest amount of useful information. By analysing what our customers are buying, we can tap into trends on fabrics and furniture shapes to ensure that we are creating exactly what the market needs, when they need it. It’s what we’ve become renowned for as the UK’s largest independent upholstery manufacturer.

So, what did we learn from our time in Manchester this year? Well, ultimately, our customers were looking for well executed products, whether is was a retro, 60’s inspired model, or a more comfortable and familiar piece. Great fabric stories were also crucial, with many of our customers ordering models in the fabrics they were presented in at the show.

Here’s a round-up of some of the key trends that were driving sales this year.

Pastel Velvets

The popularity of velvets shows no sign of abating any time soon, with a lot of our customers ordering display models in the fabric. Many of our upholstered bed collection models were ordered in the new Plush velvet pastel tones that we now have to offer, including Sky and Petal. This indicates that consumers are looking for a softer, more relaxed look and feel to their bedrooms. It also shows that consumers are not afraid of colour and are confident to experiment with palettes that are not used widely throughout the home.

Decadent Interiors

It’s not just softer colours that we noticed were popular at the show. Sumptuously detailed beds with scroll ends, deep buttoning and relaxed diamond pleats were also extremely popular this summer. Our customers reported a demand from consumers for luxurious, yet relaxed and contemporary styles. This is a trend we picked up on back in our February post ‘Top Bedroom Interior Trends to Look Out For in 2018’, that consumers were looking to turn their bedrooms into sanctuaries, a place to escape the unstable and sometimes turbulent world outside.

The Big Slouch

At the January Furniture Show we noticed a definite trend for the relaxed and informal style sofas that we love to make! This popularity has continued into the summer with customers opting for the larger pieces of furniture in the ranges. Big, comfy, deep corner groups were high on the buyer’s lists, with models such as the Metro and the new Sadler corner group proving to be a big hit. If staying in is the new going out, perhaps consumers are looking for big pieces to accommodate family and friends? Whatever the reason, we’re all for it!

To find out more about our latest upholstery and bed collections, please speak to your Whitemeadow Sales Manager, or email enquiries@whitemeadow.com