When it comes to home make overs, the opportunities for our industry are endless. Homeowners tend to view projects based on two main principles – what they want and what they can afford! In the current climate, a cost-effective renovation can be a simple lick of paint or a few rolls of wallpaper. If the budget can be stretched, a change of floors, doors, furniture and appliances can be brought into the mix.
Depending on how much your customer has spent on a new floor, the commitment can either be medium or long term. A reasonably priced good quality laminate can be swapped out and possibly re-laid in a different room a few years down the line, if your customer fancies a change. An engineered or solid floor is more of a long-term change given the higher cost and potentially more permanent installation method.
A change of joinery (doors, skirting, architrave, staircase) can truly transform a room, hallway or entire home. Take the humble 4 & 6 panel Pine doors for example, there are many hanging in homes around the country which is reflective of a time when people wanted real change to traditional tastes.
While the Pine look may still suit some, many are crying out for change. Pine, Oak and even Walnut doors can be changed with multiple coats of paint if your customers are willing to put the effort in, however the style of door will remain the same. If the budget stretches to a change of joinery, nothing beats crisp white doors and mouldings – they are easy to maintain and do not influence or dictate the rest of the room’s décor.
Seadec Doors are part of the Whiteriver Group and have been the chosen brand of interior doors for designers, architects, and homeowners for many years. The Hardware Journal spoke to their Business Manager, Declan Gorman, recently to get the inside track on current trends. Declan told us that the demand for Pine and Walnut has all but stopped while Oak has begun to flatten. Recent innovation has seen the introduction of laminate-faced doors which bring a greater flexibility to colour choice as well as the convenience of being prefinished. Declan says that while new laminate doors have begun to make a real impact, white primed doors remain the most popular and are a key part of the market.
One element of renovations that can be easily overlooked are skirtings and door architraves. While they may be considered mundane and in many people’s eyes just “part of the furniture” they play a key role in complementing the décor in any room as well as framing each door. The experts at Seadec tell us that clean simple lines are the order of the day which is reflected in current new build trends.
So, while your customers are buying their staple paint and wallpaper, be sure to encourage them to consider a change in floors, doors and moldings and show them how they can bring their renovations to the next level.
Seadec offer a bespoke range of doors and mouldings which have been specially selected for the Irish market covering modern, contemporary and traditional styles, both standard and fire rated.
You can view their full range online www.seadec.ie or contact their team in Ferbane, Co. Offaly on 0906 454544 / seadec@wrg.ie
Canadia launch online training through Canadia Academy
At Canadia they believe wood is truly the material of choice for creating plush spaces with a warm natural feel. Their collection includes many different types of wood construction, including solid wood, engineered and laminate with herringbone, chevron and other decorative patterns.
They believe floors are a focal point in the home and want to share with your customers, you their partner retailers and merchants, how they have helped customers to perfectly match the style, requirements and budget of their project.
Over the last 30+ years they have amassed a wealth of industry experience with a team in place that has over 100 years of flooring knowledge between them. Their new online training Academy aims to pass on their knowledge through courses, tutorials and videos to help you master the art of wood flooring.
Being specialists in wood flooring, they want to put their partners in a stronger market position by providing easy to digest knowledge consumed at their own pace. Their initial module will allow you to gain a good basic understanding of wood flooring, be in a position to guide other staff in your organisation and answer basic questions raised by customers and/or staff.
Whether you have new staff or experienced staff who need a refresher the Academy is the place to go – from a basic introduction to laminate flooring through to floor sales techniques and helping the customer on their wood floor journey. This will be developed over the autumn into an intermediate course for partners who want to specialise in their knowledge or have a Canadia Centre in-store.
Contact marketing@canadia.ie to access your log in details for the Canadia Academy and start upskilling today.
