The Art of Design Issue 59 2022 | Page 39

A one-stop shop can be preferable for timepressed customers , and having built up trust with their kitchen retailer , additional sales opportunities could be available . If a kitchen manufacturer is able to offer additional furniture , suitable for a lounge , snug , utility room or even home office it makes sense to do so , and to make the process cost-effective and resource light .
To make this work , versatility is key . Manufacturers and designers need to have a creative yet practical eye . The beauty of quality bespoke is that it is just that , so why not offer customers something extra in terms of design , flexibility and practicality ? Some furniture can be incorporated into design schemes in a modular way with even greater possibilities and value for money . As the Managing Director of a traditional British kitchen company with onsite manufacturing and design it is perhaps easy for me to see this as a sensible and lucrative direction for our customers . It certainly gives designers more control and influence with their consumers which can never be a bad thing . We know that being able to offer individual solutions to sometimes difficult briefs does require ingenuity and design flair which most designers and architechts achieve with aplomb which is why matching other areas of the home to the kitchen makes total sense .
The home office is a good case in point . Often the office will be deployed in a previously redundant area of the home , perhaps a utility or cloakroom , under the stairs , conservatory area but very often close to the kitchen . Matching units to the kitchen furniture delivers a stylish look which can open up the kitchen still further , and with clever design devices work as a multi-purpose area .
The demand for kitchen living is still strong and being able to offer a seamlless look into the living / entertainment area makes logical , style and commercial sense .
Mereway offers a wide choice of furniture and cabinets suited to living , entertainment and office areas .
www . mereway . co . uk