Founded by Peter Bridgman in the 70s, luxury home and garden furniture retailer Bridgman is celebrating 40 years in the industry this year. Victoria Noakes speaks to commercial director Robert Bridgman to discover more about the business that has become renowned for its design, comfort and quality ...
With a focus on luxury home and garden furniture to help maximise space, retailer Bridgman was first established in Enfield in 1977. The business has traded out of the same head office and warehouse complex since 1983, where it has 7000m² of storage space, making logistics fast and hassle free. Bridgman is 100% vertically aligned, designing, manufacturing and supplying all product lines to maintain control of the whole supply chain.
“If you’re looking for luxury home and garden furniture that will stand the test of time, Bridgman has you covered. We are well-known throughout Europe and the Middle East for the quality of our products, and have over 25 home and garden furniture collections, each offering a unique style,” says Robert, the third generation Bridgman to work in the company.
“Our aim is to inspire customers to think big and maximise their space. Gone are the days when choice was limited to a few major suppliers. Anything is possible, and that motto helps ensure that we’re on trend, supplying furniture that looks great and will last for decades.”
Over the years, Bridgman has led the way with innovative new materials, manufacturing techniques and original designs. In 2003, the business was one of the first in Britain to focus on rattan garden furniture, followed shortly by its exclusive fully-waterproof cushions.
Bridgman’s highly-skilled craftsmen uphold the standard of the business’ products, and the company’s confidence in its pieces is clear in the industry-leading guarantees it offers. As a family-run company, Bridgman is focused on offering all its customers exceptional service and support, whether they purchase online, over the phone or through one of its six showrooms.
These showrooms, based in Enfield, Winchester in Hampshire, Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, Wilmslow in Cheshire, Old Amersham in Buckinghamshire, and Sevenoaks in Kent, all feature a thoughtfully-curated selection of Bridgman’s dining, bedroom and living collections, plus garden and conservatory rattan, teak and aluminium furniture offerings.
As well as running its own showrooms, Bridgman also collaborates with carefully-selected partners across the UK, so that customers have more opportunity to see the products first-hand before making a purchase. The company also maintains partnerships with exclusive homewares brands Villeroy & Boch, George Jensen and Voyage Maison to offer striking accessories to complement its furniture ranges.
When asked about the trends the company is experiencing at the moment, Robert states that the lines between indoors and outdoors are becoming increasingly blurred.
“Britain has always been a nation of garden lovers, but now with the plethora of gardening shows on TV and latest innovations in outdoor materials, styles that were previously confined to indoors are creeping their way outside,” he states.
“As a company we’re very in-tune with the latest interior trends, and we use colour to much greater effect than in previous years. As an example, we now have 12 different waterproof cushion colour options, including Pistachio, which was inspired by Greenery, the Pantone colour of 2017.”
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Bridgman has launched three new collections of luxury outdoor furniture. One of which, limited-edition The Jewel, is a fully-waterproof outdoor day bed with waterproof cushions, and has garnered much attention from customers, and impressive follow-up orders.
Looking forward, Bridgman’s aim is to continue to offer its customers the quality and service that they have come to expect from the business, whilst staying ahead of the game in terms of materials and production techniques.
Robert asserts that by getting feedback from customers, scouring the global marketplace and partnering with some of the world’s best manufacturers, Bridgman will persist in bringing products to the market in a fast, fresh and reliable way.
He concludes: “We’re so proud to have been in this industry for 40 years and would like to thank all the customers and suppliers that we’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years. Watch this space to find out about the exciting things we have planned for the future.”
