THE JOURNAL
is something mirrored by the showrooms themselves. “Being able to see the pieces we’re creating – understanding their scale, looking at the details of materials and finishes – is vital to our clients. We hear it time and time again that there’s nothing like being in the showroom,” says Porta Romana’s managing director Ali Milam. “But Covid has also escalated the digital side for us, and the two things have to work in tandem. For example, we now have a virtual showroom tour accessible via our website, to maximise access to the showroom, which has been one of our most successful digital initiatives.” The Design Centre has also undertaken a number
of digital-only initiatives in 2021, including First Look, a curated online gallery of the new season’s products, with the ability to click and contact the showrooms for a sample or more information; and Home Comforts, a series of IGTV video tours in which interior designers and leading creatives showed viewers around where they live. These special events complement the rolling content
that supports the showrooms year-round,
whether through the Design Centre’s blog, social media channels or Personal Shopping website. “We see those initiatives as a really important part the Harbour, and want
of being at to seize every
“BEING ABLE TO SEE THE PIECES WE’RE CREATING –
UNDERSTANDING THEIR SCALE, LOOKING AT THE DETAILS OF
MATERIALS AND FINISHES – IS VITAL TO OUR CLIENTS. WE HEAR IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THERE’S NOTHING LIKE BEING IN THE SHOWROOM”
opportunity,” says Milam, but she also sees the value in being part of the community of physical showrooms, something that has been brought home over the past few months. “Just the fact that we are under one roof made it feel like a safe haven for designers, because everyone was so well looked after on a practical level,” she says, referring to the many extra safety measures that were introduced post-lockdown. “Then there were the brands all pulling together – making an effort to refresh their showrooms and create spaces to inspire people. There was that feeling of all being in it together and pulling out the stops to get through a tough time.” Many businesses have used the last 18 months to take
stock of how showrooms are working – and how they could work harder. Cary Kravet, president of Kravet Inc – the US decorating giant that owns GP & J Baker – says that “the pandemic forced a deeper analysis and re-evaluation of the functions, benefits and costs of our physical showrooms. We concluded that showrooms are an essential component of our selling ecosystem, but the
ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: New showroom ABI Interiors, an Australian hardware and sanitaryware company making its
European debut at a new showroom. London Design Week 2021 was a show of strength and positivity, where visitors could reconnect with the people and places they had missed
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