Having built his furniture brand online since 2006, Daniel Smith took Danetti into the physical arena in December, opening a 6752 sqft showroom in Bracknell, Berkshire.
The new showroom, located at Octagon House on John Nike Way, features a wide range of Danetti’s exclusively designed contemporary furniture for the bedroom, living and dining areas, and represents a significant investment in the brand’s future and the local area, says the MD.
Key appointments to date include Kris Manalo (ex-Heal’s) as senior buyer, and Tim Ely (previously The Conran Shop and Heal’s) as head of commercial.
After working in the furniture industry for a few years, I saw an opportunity to start Danetti. There was a gap in the market to bring customers quality products that were both aspirational and attainable – I wanted to create something that was exclusively Danetti, and unlike anything elsewhere.
I took the idea from bedroom to boardroom, and used all the insight I had gained from working with European manufacturers, and the knowledge I had built up from working with furniture and customer demands, to build my own range of products.
I travelled the globe to find suppliers that represented my key values for the brand – aspirational designs, quality and affordability. I visited hundreds of factories, where I gained a wealth of experience around manufacturing and design.
If I had to sum up Danetti in three words, they would be contemporary, aspirational and attainable. When it came to the brand’s name, I wanted to create something that represented and felt authentic to the contemporary designs that we create, and that was personal to me – and that’s why I created something around my own name.
Seeing the first products I designed come to life and receiving the first customer reviews was a standout moment for me.
I’m hugely passionate about running my own business, and, for me, that’s all about creating and developing a passionate and talented team. I love being involved in the creative process and seeing the products come to life, and working with people that are open and honest.
The new headquarters are an opportunity for us to create a great place to work and attract new talent, and gives us an opportunity to really explore where the business can go. We feel there’s an opportunity to further establish ourselves as a well-respected lifestyle brand, synonymous with aspirational yet attainable designs.
I grew up in the areas surrounding Bracknell, and with the recent town regeneration I am excited to see it flourish and change – and to bring a business that enhances the town and is part of that redevelopment.
The new showroom site will be a welcome addition to this vibrant town (alongside our ambitious plans for growth to create new employment opportunities in the local area).
Pandemic or not, a physical space was always on the roadmap. Since 2006 we’ve built the brand’s foundations through our online offer – but now, taking over this new building, it’s the perfect opportunity to create something special.
When it comes to trends, it’s crucial that we always have our finger on the pulse and look to innovate. When designing, we’re always trying to ensure we bring products to the market that are relevant and accessible to the customer. Our focus for products is always design-led, and we aim to create pieces that are aspirational and attainable in how they look and feel, whilst making the shopping journey as simple as possible.
We hope the showroom will become a real destination for our customers – somewhere they can come, be inspired and get advice from our product experts. We’ve created styled roomsets for all of our collections – bedroom, dining and living – to showcase looks that can be created with our products.
We absolutely understand that now, more than ever, when we put something in our homes it has got to be right, and really add something to the space. With people spending more time at home, for Spring/Summer 2021, garden renovations and developing the outside space will be at the forefront of everyone’s minds this year. Key trends will be multifunctional outdoor products that allow people to get the maximum use and benefit of their gardens, to spend time with friends and family.
People have realised they have to create their own sanctuary. It’s a case of if we’re going to be at home more, let’s do all the things we should have done a while ago, and make our house as nice as possible (plus the whole UK ‘staycation’ movement).
For my part, my own home embodies Danetti’s values – I like to use contemporary designs with a warm colour palette that creates an inviting home for family living and entertaining friends.
Like most managers of fast-growing businesses, it’s typical that no day’s the same as the last! Most involve meeting with the team to discuss strategic direction, product development and how we can further improve the customer experience.
This interview was published in the February 2021 issue of Furniture News.
