Interior design…before christmas please!

Eleni Fantis, 01/08/2021

I hate to bring up the dreaded spectre of Christmas whilst we are still trying to swan about in sandals and floaty summer clothes – but in terms of wanting to make interior design changes to your home before December, the time to start really is right now! The pandemic and ensuing rise in people making changes to their homes, coupled with multiple supply chain problems in the building and furniture industry has meant a huge increase in lead times, and also contractor availability.

In a recent report on ‘The Great Furniture Delay’, The Guardian spoke to various retailers about their supply issues, with online furniture retailer Made.com warning ‘that up to £45m-worth of orders were delayed’ and blaming its profit warning on ‘factory shutdowns in Vietnam, clogged ports and extended shipping times’.

There was a further gloomy update from Ikea. The furniture giant says it is struggling to keep shelves in its stores and warehouses stocked with more supply chain disruption and higher prices on the cards for 2022.

Shoppers looking to make rare big-ticket purchases are surprised by how long they now have to wait for furniture pieces tailored to their taste. In John Lewis the average wait is 16 weeks for a sofa while some upholstered beds take 20 weeks.

DFS says supply chain disruption has increased the average wait for its sofas from eight to 15 weeks… “The short-term operational environment continues to be difficult for the furniture industry … Against this backdrop, lead times are being extended and in some instances we are not able to deliver orders within the timeframes we originally scheduled.”

Similarly, good contractors have been inundated with work since the start of the pandemic, giving rise to some opportunistic and less experienced tradespeople to swoop in, carry out shoddy work which homeowners then have to get rectified, at further cost and usually having to wait for a good contractor to be able to fit them in. (I always advise my clients that if they can find someone to start a project within days, they don’t want them in their house in the first place!)

So, does this all mean you need to postpone your dreams of an updated sitting room, or a new look for your home in time for Christmas? Not at all, but it does mean that we need to start thinking about it earlier than we would have pre-pandemic and Brexit; if you have changes you’d like to make in your home, put down the Pimm’s and BBQ tongs and get in touch – I promise not to mention Santa, snow or baubles while we discuss your plans! Don't forget - in addition to redesigning your space, we have a range of trusted contractors we can recommend, plus a wide range of trade accounts giving you access to trade discounts, preferential/free delivery and early access to sale prices and new products too...what's not to love?!

NB. This post was originally published in December 2022, and I am happy to report that for the most part, supply chain issues have been resolved!