Bridge For Design Summer 2014 Bridge For Design Summer 2014 Issue | Page 60

DESIGN TRENDS | view point

MAKE AN INVESTMENT
Rick Petini celebrates the decline of the throw away furniture culture

T

he throw-away culture that has

recent years is declining as buyers look
for furniture that will stand the test
of time. The decrease is in the wake
of homeowners looking to invest in
timeless quality that will last rather than
spending on fashion led pieces which are
not always as robust.
A bespoke sofa or chair will guarantee exacting preference
or standards, ensuring that the customer will be able to enjoy
through the years.
Sofas are much more than just furniture – they are an
expression of a customer’s individuality. A sofa is an essential
piece of furniture that should be an investment purchase –
over the years we spend hundreds of hours sitting on them –
so choosing a good quality frame is imperative.
years to come. In some cases we’ve had customers that have
revisited us just to re-upholster their sofa – simply because
they loved the shape and size and thought it unnecessary to
throw away a perfectly good frame.
Savvy interior shoppers and interior designers are craving
variation and excitement when they shop for furniture for the
shopper looking for statement pieces that will create a ‘wow’
factor in a room.
Oversized footstools, occasional chairs and chaise longues
are proving extremely popular – especially with interior
designers – who are looking for something that will add
excitement to a scheme that they have designed for a client.
Multi-functional furniture is on-trend, for example, extra-

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accessorised with dramatic gilded trays – very Parisian Chic.
Occasional chairs upholstered in fabulous statement prints
are being selected to complement larger sofas – whether to
add a pattern pop or to expertly clash with an alternative
classic shapes with contemporary fabrics is one way that
homeowners are ensuring a sofa will carry them through the
years without looking dated.
We recently built a traditionally shaped occasional chair
and upholstered it in a modern, limited edition Christian

tartan.
Smaller statement chairs are often added to a scheme to
add a focal point into a room. They are also being used
to dress hallways, landings and larger bedrooms - chaise
longues work well and are particularly striking in the
bedroom, at the base of the bed, or placed in a large bay
window.
British credentials and sourcing materials responsibly is a
factor that more shoppers are looking for when purchasing
that broke on BBC1’s Watchdog programme at the beginning

■

who were selling furniture that displayed the correct labelling
but were not actually compliant. B

Bridge for Design Summer 2014

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