Viewpoint
work and direct access to the right clients. The brands performing well in the design sector
are often those taking a broader approach to visibility and education. They make their products easy to understand and they make technical information accessible. They give designers the tools required to specify with confidence. When I attended the KBB Show earlier this year,
I had the opportunity to see new products, speak to business owners and learn about the passion behind their brands. However, one question came up repeatedly: “Do you have a showroom?”. My answer was no. Rejig Interiors operates as an appointment-only studio. We don’t need a traditional showroom to prove our value. I would also argue that we may sell more product than some of the lowest-performing showrooms on a supplier’s account list. That’s not a criticism of showrooms. It is evidence that the showroom should not be the only model recognised by the industry. Our clients are often high-net-worth individuals with limited time. They do not necessarily want to spend their weekends travelling between showrooms and being sold to. They want a trusted professional to understand their needs and manage the process for them. Some of the country’s largest online retailers sell enormous quantities of KBB products without operating a nationwide network of traditional showrooms. How is this possible?
Easy access Showrooms and independent design studios often
work in very different ways. Many showrooms use industry-specific software containing supplier catalogues that allow products to be placed directly into a design. Independent interior design studios are more likely to use platforms such as SketchUp to create kitchens, bathrooms and interiors from scratch. These designers need accurate digital models, dimensions, installation requirements and technical specifications.
Artificial Intelligence and modern modelling tools are making it easier to recreate products digitally, but brands should not leave this work to the designer. Why would a manufacturer choose not to make its products as visible and easy to specify as possible? The easier a product is to access, understand and incorporate into a design, the more likely it is to be specified.
Educate and support I recently specified several appliances for a
project and realised that I did not yet have an account with the supplier. After locating the relevant representative, I was met with the familiar questions: Do you have a showroom? How many products can you display? Can the display be fully functional? The supplier was measuring my potential value
by the amount of floor space I could provide, rather than by the clients I work with, the projects I deliver or the volume I could specify. That is the problem. New designers entering the KBB industry will continue to face the same barrier: At industry events, I have overheard
conversations that reinforce this attitude. Designers without showrooms are sometimes treated as though they are not worth a supplier’s time. In my opinion this is a missed opportunity. Designers are speaking to clients at the earliest
stages of a project. We are shaping the brief, selecting the materials and specifying
the products, we are not simply placing orders we are influencing them. Brands that educate and support designers
increase their visibility at the exact point where product decisions are being made. Parts of the KBB industry remain unnecessarily
archaic; the traditional showroom will continue to have a place. Clients still value seeing, touching and experiencing products in person. However, it cannot remain the only model that suppliers recognise and reward. Suppliers that want to increase sales should independent designers with better
provide
technical specifications, digital assets, training, video demonstrations and fair access to trade accounts. The industry must stop asking only: “Do you have a showroom?”. It should start asking: “Can you understand,
specify and sell our product effectively?”. That is the question that reflects the future of the KBB industry. Finally, thank you to the brands that already
support Rejig Interiors and recognise the value of independent design studios. Your trust enables us to deliver exceptional designs with best-in- class products and carefully considered interiors to our clients. kbbr
August 2026
kbbreview
27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
