tabletop Richard Eaton on New Influences in the Home C


ommentators have been saying that we have seen the equivalent of 10 years’ worth of change in the Retail landscape


in just one year. At the same time however trends seem to have come to a standstill with indicators that future trends are more likely to be lifestyle led rather than fashion led. Buying less, but buying better? One


recurring aspect that I have read over the last year is that trends themselves are no longer in fashion. Which is very much a fashion bias statement but it is evident that consumers are increasingly shopping with a conscience. Not only because of the rise in concerns over plastics and disposable items, but also because many have experienced financial hardship. Hence invoking the phrase ‘ethics over aesthetics’, where consumers are considering the whole eco-friendly background of products as much as their design, function etc., and importantly how those products fit in to their lifestyle. At Denby we put substantial effort into making our product with as little impact on the environment as possible, which wasn’t such a major talking point 10 or even 5 years ago, but it is something Denby has naturally done for over 200 years. I am in an industry that manufactures ceramics that consumes gas and electricity, but it is important for us to consider that we are producing products which can last generations combined with the trend for reusing and upscaling, mixing old with the new, Denby ceramics is definitely a conscious choice for consumers. It is great that people have been inspired


to try their hand at new crafts or resurrecting old hobbies. A staggering 28% of people were considering starting a craft business last year (48% of which were Gen Z). So whether it is macramé, painting or potting, some people have had the chance to use their time for their own wellbeing, to undertake crafts and to get


24 | housewareslive.net • HousewaresLive.net • twitter.com/Housewaresnews May/June 2021


a lot of enjoyment and a new appreciation for making and creating things. The Open University saw a 622% spike in registration of creative subjects in the first lockdown. There’s a warm feeling that comes from either creating something yourself or buying a product that is made by hand. There has been a growing trend for handmade products over the past few years and this appears to have grown stronger during the pandemic as people are looking for objects and activities that bring joy in many different ways and knowing that something has been handmade brings a certain satisfaction. As a ‘potter’ it is great to see that Pottery Classes are again considered cool, helped in part by the influence of the TV Programme The Great Pottery Throw Down. It’s fantastic that people are getting their hands dirty and creating things but it’s also the whole interest in ceramics which has been growing over the last few years. And I think the pandemic has accelerated some of that growth… It’s not until you stand back that you realise ceramics are used throughout the house and it’s not just plates and mugs. Ceramics are used to hold a myriad of objects around the house from the kitchen to the bathroom and from the bedroom to your hallway, and of course there’s outside as well. So it’s right to say that ceramics have an influence on every single part of your house Consumers are also now questioning their home environment - is it still fit for purpose? From some consumers who have to create a new home office space to others who now want to upgrade their kitchen due to a new found love of cooking, many of us are taking a fresh look at the environment we live in. Interiors Magazines for the last 10 years, have convinced us that open plan living has been super on trend and the style to strive for, but we are now starting to see its decline and the rise of ‘broken plan living’. We have had to


spend more time in our homes and now want to create separate spaces to dine, relax… inside and out, a place for our hobbies and a space to work from home. All these things affect and influence designers and manufacturers and create new opportunities. However, it’s not as if the world of design,


creativity and manufacturing has stopped at all. Consumers continue to have an appetite to refresh their home - they still want to be excited by new products and want the opportunity to express themselves with the products they have in their homes; they want to be able to tell the story behind those products. We know that people are willing and want to research their choices so, as the last 18 months have shown us, having great photography online and an online presence, has become an essential requirement.


Richard Eaton Design Director, Denby


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