Given the increasing demand for the product, it’s little surprise that there’s an overwhelmingly natural flavour to the additions to Classic Furniture’s portfolio this year. Furniture News spoke to director Dave Rippin to discover why recycled collections are dominating its release schedule this autumn …
“It’s high time Classic Furniture offered some recycled ranges,” says Dave Rippin. “Consumers are demanding an ever-wider range of products from the retailer, so as one of the UK’s leading suppliers, it’s our responsibility to meet that demand by continually diversifying our offer. Recycled is an area that we weren’t in before, but it’s a style that’s very much in vogue, and will be for some time.”
Three new ranges lead the charge: the rough-sawn Camrose farmhouse-waxed dining and occasional range, which features a few quirky pieces; the darker, reproduction-style Driftwood, a refined, traditional and comprehensive bedroom, dining, occasional and office range; and the off-white painted Vermont dining and occasional country cottage-style range. Handmade from old pine homes and bridge beams, these unique ranges comprise 100% recycled solid wood.
“Recycled is an area that we weren’t in before, but it’s a style that’s very much in vogue, and will be for some time”
A further launch this month comes in the form of Porto, a off white-painted dining range topped with rustic elm parquetry. In additon, there’s Malmo dining, a mainstay of Totem Furniture prior to that supplier’s cessation, which is repeating well following a delayed relaunch. “It took some time to ensure the reproduction process was right,” says Dave, “but now Malmo – and Totem’s Provence – are re-establishing themselves well.”
These additions bring the total number of ranges available from Classic Furniture to 20 – but there is no intention to stop there. Classic will launch a further two recycled ranges this year, and another two in January when it returns to the January Furniture Show.
“We’ve expanded our range in terms of style, design and pricing, and have reached a better offer than we’ve had in a long time,” says Dave. “From painted to mid-market, clean oak, and from French oak to recycled pine, every range in our portfolio is different, yet has a specific place in the market. We believe in the market, and, consequently, now offer a level of choice that’s appropriate for it.”
Classic Furniture will kick off this month by unveiling all these new ranges to its expanding customer base. Bolstered by persuasive display offers, these ranges are an attractive proposition to those Classic Furniture stockists looking to give their shopfloors a more natural look in time for Christmas.
