Inspiring interiors new opportunities furnishings

FESPA’s Textile Ambassador, Debbie McKeegan discusses the growing expansion of design and product diversity in the Home Furnishings marketplace.

Exciting times ahead for Digital Printers in the Contract and Home Décor marketplace, as sales are forecast to advance significantly over the next five years.

As the Millennial generation’s demand for customisation grows we are witnessing a flurry of new marketplaces and opportunities for the Interior industry. A proliferation of new products and business concepts have emerged to inspire and satisfy our demand for customisation and personalisation within the Contract and Home Décor markets.
     
Caption: ATADesigns and Switchscene Printing collaborate and offer a brand new range of wall-covering and mural designs for the Care Home sector.

Fuelled by the ease of access to Digital print there has been a veritable explosion of Designer-Makers, Textile Craftsmen and new Textile Converters, all of whom are contributing to a massive expansion of design and product diversity in the Home Furnishing Marketplace.
The key to this has been the development of a virtually risk-free Industry 4.0 business model, enabled by Digital Printing, where small orders can be produced, as economically, and as quickly and efficiently by the small companies, as by the large Industrial concerns.

Removing technical boundaries for many emerging designers, Digital Printing has given a new degree of freedom to the Textile product designer, with, for example repeat size and number of colours becoming insignificant in the production process when ordered online utilising web to print software.

The result of this has been evident in all aspects of the Home Furnishing Market. Bespoke wall-coverings are enormously popular both with the general public but also with the Interior design community. Feature Walls are now a neccesary part of many commercial Interior schemes, giving clarity and provenance to the ideas of designer, and an exciting Interior for the client.

Caption: Lucy Javanshir has a unique design brand, and a passion for Geometrics. Featured here with and her stunning digitally products.

Digital Printing offers unlimited creativity, design scale and exceptional, consistent print quality, all of which enables the designer to indulge their imagination and to create unique customised Interiors, for commercial or residential spaces.

Customised printed textiles, drapes and accessories, such as ready-made curtains, cushions and throws, can be ordered online, and delivered in days, allowing the Designer the freedom to experiment, as never before, with design, colour and style. A fast-growing marketplace, for localised production and centralised micro-factories offering easy access to affordable products, which can then retailed via outlets, such as Etsy to John Lewis and from Liberty to Designer’s Guild.

But, perhaps the most significant Décor growth is in the Contract Décor sector of Furnishings, where the short run capacity of Digital print, combined with its impeccable technical credentials are revolutionising the Furniture and Lighting sectors.

Themed Fabrics and Furnishings for Hotels are increasingly popular, as the Hospitality Industry moves deeper and deeper into branded lifestyle marketing.

Today it is vital for the Hotel, not just to provide accomodation, but also, a visual and cultural experience, and the industry has looked to the Interior Designer to provide the ambiance and surroundings to reinforce this offer.

Caption: : Upholsterer Jay Blades has been working with Race Furniture on a new heritage collection. Seen here is Timourous Beasties Marble Gum fabric in velvet.

In turn, the Interior Designer has looked to harness Digital printing to provide the Fire Certified Fabrics and Wallcoverings, showing unique design concepts and looks, in small but significant quantities.

As a result, the demand for Dye-sub printing of Flame Resistant polyester fabrics has never been higher, and the prospects look good for the future.

Digitally printed FR fabric provides technically certified product that not only satisfies the performance regulations of the hospitality sector but also facilitates design diversity and allows the creativity, of the designer to shine through.

Opportunities abound and there are exciting times ahead for the Furnishings market and creative communities.

Freedom in Design & Colour combined with Digital Textile Printing allows the Interior designer to create their unique signature and style to produce truly unique and Inspiring Interiors.

FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 is Europe’s largest speciality print exhibition for screen and digital wide format print, textile printing and signage solutions. Located in the East Entrance of the Messe Munich, Printeriors 2019 will take the form of an interactive visitor experience, demonstrating a host of interior décor applications, such as wallpaper, lightboxes, soft furnishings including curtains and cushions, table tops and sideboards, window graphics and chairs. Please use promo code FESG902 to register for free.