The winners of this year's edition of The Furniture Awards have been selected.
Organised by Furniture News magazine in partnership with the January Furniture Show, and supported by the BFM, The Furniture Awards recognise the industry’s champions by identifying the most commercial and creative products launched at the event, which opened today (21st January) at the Birmingham NEC and runs until Wednesday (24th).
After selecting a shortlist from a particularly strong complement of entries, this year’s judges – Malcolm Walker (Furniture Village), Jacquie Benedukt (Fenwick) and Debbie Watmore (AHF) – gathered at the exhibition centre yesterday to inspect the most promising entries in person, before returning their verdict.
This year's winners are:
Living Category
Winner: Tetrad (stand 1-F85), for Constable
The judges said: "There was nothing we didn't like about it. It's extremely comfortable, presented in fashionable colours, and so commercial. Offering Italian leathers, Peruvian cushions, and feather and down fillings, Constable makes a mockery of its competitors' pricing."
Highly Commended: Alpha Designs (stand 1-E85), for the Tiffany sofa collection
Bedroom Category
Winner: Wiemann (stand 4-C50), for Cayenne, a dual-depth wardrobe range
The judges said: "This market sector is full of flat models without any shape, so Cayenne really stands out - it could probably be sold based on its looks alone, and it lends itself to so many room configurations."
Highly Commended: Fortune Woods (stand 2-D10), for Pavillion, a painted bedroom range
Dining Category
Winner: Gallery Direct (stand 3-L20), for Milano, a collection of dining and living furniture
The judges said: "A great interpretation of Mid-Century Modern, with really casual elements despite its clean lines. It's a very well-balanced range, and backed up by ready stocks and impressive POS."
Highly Commended: Bentley Designs (stand 1-A40), for Tivoli, a mixed media dining and occasional range
Decor Category
Winner: Think Rugs (stand 2G-FS41), for its Woodland rug
The judges said: "You truly want to touch and feel this bold, great-value centrepiece. Featuring interesting textures and a clever use of colour, it will instantly become a living room talking point - and you can't put a price on that!"
Awards co-ordinator (and editor-in-chief of Furniture News magazine) Paul Farley comments: "It was certainly a tough competition in several categories this year, but the final selection, which features both established leaders and a handful of surprise victories, really demonstrates the strengths of our industry. It's also interesting to note how many of the winners in some way reflect this year's trend for greens and naturals, and puts it into practice so well."
"Now an intrinsic part of the January Furniture Show, The Furniture Awards have become the ultimate celebration of furniture design across the whole industry,” adds show director Theresa Raymond.
Pay the January Furniture Show a visit to see this year's winners for yourself, and look out for the March issue of Furniture News for a special report on this year's winners.
