PJH Group Blog

PJH Online (part 8 of 9) - Your own account home page

2013-06-19T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 8 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Your own account home page".

With PJH Online you will have your own unique home page which gives you access to everything PJH. When you login, you will be presented with a mix of links and banners to promotions and special offers, along with quick access to your account pages and recent orders, view recently browsed products, recent additions to your basket and much more!

Register today and start enjoying the benefits of PJH Online.

PJH Online (part 7 of 9) - Editing your orders online

2013-06-18T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 7 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Editing your orders online".

Customer changed their mind? If you need to amend an order - for whatever reason, you can at PJH Online!

Simply press the edit button next to the order on your home page and simply amend, review your order, reselect your delivery preferences (if applicable) and re-place your order. If the order edit button isn't there, then this means we have started to prepare your order for dispatch and it's on its way to you.

'Order edit' is great for when you have last minute additions or just want to combine orders, PJH Online gives you the ultimate control!

Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more information.

PJH Online (part 6 of 9) - Planning and scheduling your PJH deliveries

2013-06-17T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 6 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Planning and scheduling your PJH deliveries".

PJH Online gives you full control of your deliveries. Once you place an order you can specify a delivery date that suits you. This week? A week on Tuesday? We can, and will work around you. As you progress through your online orders, the website will perform a live product stock check, and will advise you when your items can be delivered to you. This will even take into account your

We'll confirm this delivery to you 24/7, helpful in the evenings, essential at weekends! You can split your order into multiple deliveries or have one consolidated delivery, also you can choose to collect from your local trading centre if you need something urgently! The stock is allocated immediately, even if you don't want it for a few weeks, so you have the reassurance that its always going to be there.

Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more information.

PJH Online (part 5 of 9) - Placing your orders the easy way

2013-06-14T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 5 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Placing your orders the easy way".

We've simplified the ordering process further with time saving options to suit your needs. All orders that you ever place with PJH can be seen on PJH Online, regardless of whether they were ordered on PJH Online or via phone or faxed orders. You can also track the status of these orders in real time by logging into PJH Online.

Placing orders is easy with the 'quick order facility'. Simply input the PJH product codes and quantities you need, and all the items will added to your shopping basket at once.

Ordering kitchens can be time consuming and problematic, with items sometimes missed off. So why not try our online kitchen 'order pad' - it lists all the items in each range, and you simply add the quantity you need press submit and it is instantly added to your basket.

Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more information.

PJH Online (part 4 of 9) - Making the most of your favourite PJH products

2013-06-13T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 4 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Making the most of your favourite PJH products".

For orders you place on a regular basis, you can add them to your favourites. Whenever you log in they will be there waiting for you.

You can even sort your favourites into lists, and convert them into orders whenever you want, making them perfect for regular repeat orders.

We also have a 'saved orders' section that allows you to prepare orders in advance by adding them to basket. This is useful if you are just waiting for a customer's deposit or to store an order whilst a customer is considering what to buy. Simply click 'Save order' from the basket page and you can store those products for retrieval later.

Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more information.

PJH Online (part 3 of 9) - Filtering and comparing PJH products

2013-06-12T17:56:00.000+01:00

Today is part 3 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Filtering and comparing products".

Once you have done a search, or navigated to your chosen section on the website, you can filter your search results to show only what you want to see.

Still spoilt for choice? To make a really informed decision, you can compare the features and benefits with our product comparison facility - this will highlight the key differences between your selected products. Making informed purchase decisions has never been easier.

PJH Online (part 2 of 9) - Finding your favourite products

2013-06-11T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today is part 2 of our video guide on how to use PJH Online.

The topic we are looking at today is "Finding your favourite products".

Our whole collection of bathrooms, kitchens and appliances are online (that's over 18,500 SKUs), and any new products will also be added.
All listed with your trade term buy prices. Full product specification, downloadable PDFs (installation guides and tech specs), high resolution imagery and associated product groupings are also included.

You can find products in several ways:

use our intuitive search facility, which refines the product names in real time as you type
navigate through the various ranges within the relevant kitchen, bathroom or appliances section
if you know the PJH product code already, simply enter the produc code in the 'Quick Order' section (up to 20 items at a time can be added to your basket)
use the Kitchen Order Pad at www.pjhgroup.com/kitchenorderpad to browse our large range of kitchens, conveniently arranged into kitchen ranges and sub-level groupings and showing the component parts that belong to each kitchen (ie. wall units, of Kitchen items, by brand & associated collections and kitchen ranges). This allows you to quickly & simply enter the quantities you wish to view / order and add them all to your basket at once

We've worked hard to make finding what you want as easy as can be, so you can spend less time searching and more time selling.

Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more information.

PJH Online (part 1 of 9) - Getting started and how to register your PJH account

2013-06-10T14:13:00.004+01:00

As many of you know already, our new trading website (at www.pjhgroup.com/online) is now live!

Designed with our kitchen, bathroom and appliances trade customers in mind, it is jam packed full of features to help you get the most from working with PJH Group. Visit www.pjhgroup.com/online for more details, or simply watch the video for step by step instructions.

Each day for the next 9 days, we'll be focusing on showcasing some of the various features, benefits and tools available on PJH Online with a video providing more details for that topic.

Today, we are covering "Getting started & how to register your PJH account".

With time saving features, PJH Online affords you more time to spend with your customers. The 24/7 website gives you as much control as you want and maximum flexibility.

PJH Online allows you to manage your PJH account online, plan and schedule your PJH deliveries, find and order your favourite products with real time product availability, browse our 18,500 products, filtering your selections, comparing product specs, pay online against your account, arrange product returns, access online exclusive deals & promotions and much more.

You can register for PJH Online today and we'll send you log in and password details so you can start enjoying the benefits as soon as possible. If you don't already have trade account with PJH, you can download the PJH trade application forms here.

Renewed merchant focus for PJH Group

2013-05-28T17:31:00.001+01:00

We are delighted to a

Jon Hartley

nnounce that PJH’s own Jonathan Hartley has taken on the new position, National Account Manager – UK Merchants, following his previous PJH role as National Sales Manager UK (Retail Distribution).

The move is representative of a renewed focus on our relationship with the UK merchant due to significant growth in the sector based on the merchant’s evolving customer requirements and its increase in high street consumer traffic.

Homing in on a partnership-style approach striving to drive merchant sales and add value wherever possible, Jon will head up the new PJH Group division, dedicated purely to building and maintaining strong trading relationships with both national and regional merchants. He will also negotiate strategic buying agreements with merchant committee members and associated purchasing groups.

Jon, from Yorkshire, has built up 12 years of experience within PJH Group during which time he has gained significant skills in his roles as contract sales manager (housebuilding), regional sales manager (distribution) and most recently, national sales manager (retail distribution) where he ran the PJH UK sales team.

Speaking of his new appointment, Jon said: “My new focus on developing the PJH merchant channel aims to enhance our relationship with this ever-changing sector to help drive and deliver growth through differentiated offers and new product initiatives. I will be working closer with our merchants than ever before, aiming to understand individual business needs and deliver more focussed merchant product ranges, prices, quantity deals and trade literature.

“A strong mix of key selling product lines, volume deals and new concepts in a ‘priced-to-go’ range, as well as aspirational products - as featured in our showroom brochures, for those merchants looking to make their showroom drive more sales with end-users, are all on the agenda.”

Supported nationally by a team of merchant sales managers, Jon’s refreshed strategic partnering approach will be backed by our strong credentials;

A proven nationwide delivery service
An unrivalled portfolio of both OEM and branded products (in bathroom, kitchen and appliance categories)
Global sourcing capabilities
Fine tuned customer service support
Dedicated marketing support
A genuine desire and commitment to help the UK merchant grow.

For further information on our new merchant division, contact us on Tel: 0800 8 77 88 99

Do you sell kitchens, bathrooms and appliances? Checkout www.pjhgroup.com/online - order over 18,000 products, with real time product availability, tech specs and more!

2013-05-28T10:13:00.000+01:00

Our online video guide shows you the
features and benefits of PJH Online

Checkout www.pjhgroup.com/online - order over 18,000 products, with real time product availability, tech specs and more!

Further features and benefits include:

see all of your orders in one place on the website - including website orders as well as your phoned / faxed / emailed orders
track progress of all your orders
browse and buy from the entire PJH product portfolio across all of our bathroom, kitchen and appliances ranges
pay with a debit / credit card at the point of ordering, or alternatively place orders online and add it to your account as you usually would by phone etc
schedule delivery of your orders for when you want them delivered, either by what’s available immediately with remainder items to follow, or when all products are ready to be shipped at once
place orders online, then edit them later if needed
create your own ‘favourite lists’ (for items that you order often)
create saved baskets - great for when you want to save a partially completed order for a customer for example, but you would want to come back to it later to finish it
all orders placed (both online and offline) are able to be tracked online from the point of ordering up to the point of delivery
a ‘Quick Order Pad’ service for when you want to order frequently bought products
a ‘Kitchen Order Pad’ service to enable related groups of items to be ordered together
access a huge range of product details and specifications, such as weights & dimensions, energy ratings and more, along with product images and technical / line drawings PDFs and manuals
view online versions of PJH’s catalogues
a ‘My Account’ section where you can arrange returns, check order details & progress, and administer your account
access the latest sector information, plus PJH Group updates & news at the PJH Group blog.

You can also follow us on PJH Facebook, PJH Twitter, PJH LinkedIn, PJH Google+ and PJH Pinterest.

Further related updates will be made shortly, and will also appear on this PJH Group blog. Please enter your email address here if you would like to receive these blog updates direct to your email inbox.

PJH Online Exclusive – Up to 50% off selected worktops!!

2013-03-21T12:10:00.002Z

— Offer ends 31^st March.

Get up to 50% off selected worktops. Choose between 46 different finishes at great prices, like the Timber Gloss finish, Butchers Block effect and contemporary Black Venetian Gloss.

We’ve listed all codes part of this great offer below. So don’t forget to take advantage of this deal before midnight on the 31^st March 2013, and you need to login to your PJH Online account to see the applicable discounts.

KWT1006, KWT1015, KWT5003, KWT1017, KWT1002, KWT5005, KWT1028, KWT1023, KWT1011, KWT1025, KWT1013, KWT1001, KWT1027, KWT1005, KWT1021, KWT5001, KWT1007, KWT1004, KWT1032, KWT1034, KWT1029, KWT1009, KWT1019, KWT1033, KWT1031, KWT2005, KWT3003, KWT2003, KWT2007, KWT2004, KWT3005, KWT2006, KWT4007, KWT2001, KWT4003, KWT3006, KWT3001, KWT4001, KWT4006, KWT3004, KWT3007, KWT8022, KWT8024, KWT8020, KWT8025, KWT8023.

Our PJH Online trade website is now live - order online, check stock, browse products, plan your deliveries and more!

2013-01-11T17:40:00.000Z

Our online video guide shows you the
features and benefits of PJH Online

Our new PJH Group trade website is now live! Designed with our PJH customers in mind, it is jam packed full of features to help them get the most from working with PJH. With time saving features, it affords you more time to spend with your customers. The 24/7 portal gives you as much control as you want and maximum flexibility.

Register online today and we'll send you log in and password details so you can start enjoying the benefits as soon as possible. Existing ordering and customer service channels (phone, written, email & fax etc) will continue as usual. The trade website is located at www.pjhgroup.com/online - please let us know what you think!

On the PJH trade website you will also be able to access a host of time saving functions, PJH products and launch news plus industry related information, as well as browse products / ranges and place your orders online.

For example, you will be able to:

see all of your orders in one place on the website - including website orders as well as your phoned / faxed / emailed orders
track progress of your orders
browse and buy from the entire PJH product portfolio across all of our bathroom, kitchen and appliances ranges
pay with a debit / credit card at the point of ordering, or alternatively place orders online and add it to your account as you usually would by phone etc
schedule delivery of your orders for when you want them delivered, either by what’s available immediately with remainder items to follow, or when all products are ready to be shipped at once
place orders online, then edit them later if needed
create your own ‘favourite lists’ (for items that you order often)
create saved baskets - great for when you want to save a partially completed order for a customer for example, but you would want to come back to it later to finish it
all orders placed (both online and offline) are able to be tracked online from the point of ordering up to the point of delivery
a ‘Quick Order Pad’ service for when you want to order frequently bought products
a ‘Kitchen Order Pad’ service to enable related groups of items to be ordered together
access a huge range of product details and specifications, such as weights & dimensions, energy ratings and more, along with product images and technical / line drawings PDFs and manuals
view online versions of PJH’s catalogues
a ‘My Account’ section where you can arrange returns, check order details & progress, and administer your account
access the latest sector information, plus PJH Group updates & news at the PJH Group blog.

You can also follow us on PJH Facebook, PJH Twitter, PJH LinkedIn, PJH Google+ and PJH Pinterest.

Easy Merchandising with ClearBrite Counter Display Unit

2013-01-11T11:07:00.000Z

ClearBrite is a brilliant new product designed to make cleaning easy!

When used to treat shower screens, mirrors and many other bathroom fixtures, ClearBrite applies an invisible layer of glass, protecting surfaces for up to one year! Its breathable, anti-bacterial protection layer repels water, oils and other soiling agents to make cleaning fast and easy.

Clearbrite is sold to trade in boxes of 12 and comes in a ready to merchandise counter display unit, making the add on sale even easier.

Checkout the full details of where and how the product can be used on our informational site at www.clearbrite.co.uk. Alternatively, watch the ClearBrite demonstration video below or on PJH Group Youtube.

House Beautiful Awards 2012

2012-11-13T16:34:00.000Z

The first thing we see upon entering the vast exhibition hall at the Science Museum in upmarket South Kensington is a huge, floating orb illuminated against the darkness. It’s an Earth replica, with different timezones highlighting accurate day and night displays. Immediately, K Kitchens get giddy and reach into our handbags for digital cameras and mobile phones.

“Here’s a tip,” shouts a friendly museum man. “If you hold your hand out, and take the picture just right, you’ll have the whole world in your hands.”

It’s a fitting metaphor, because that’s exactly how we feel arriving at this year’s annual House Beautiful Awards. We’ve been nominated in the prestigious Best Value Kitchen category for our gorgeous Lynton collection, and quite honestly, we’re feeling pretty smug.

The Lynton Painted Kitchen from K Kitchens

The Lynton kitchen is one of our favourites. It’s a versatile design which looks great in a number of homes, thanks to its painted doors in a choice of 15 great colours. The solid wood fascias exude quality, and the classic shaker style means it’s ever-so-easy to pull off. And – proven by our House Beautiful nomination, it’s a great value product too.

Ushered away from the twinkling planet, we’re led into the centre of the high-ceilinged venue, where we’re dwarfed by exciting exhibitions; a Mini Cooper sliced in half to reveal the internal mechanisms, a fighter jet halted in mid-swoop above our heads and several vintage cars stacked high into the rafters. One thing’s for certain – this place is a sure-fire conversation starter.

We’re handed a glass of champagne and a few interesting canapés (don’t mind if we do) before bumping into our House Beautiful hosts.

“Great venue!” we cry, followed by an agreeable grin.

“Isn’t it just?” We shake hands and the formal introductions begin. We cheekily try to squeeze out an insight into the winning categories, but House Beautiful are having none of it, so it seems we’ll have to wait until the ceremony like everyone else.

"We’re suddenly heart-in-mouths as the next category is announced. It’s for Best Value Kitchen and reality sets in. What if we’re here for nothing..?"

Finishing off a cheesecake canapé, we’re led into the darkened auditorium and handed a bottle of mineral water on the way (which is a nice touch after all the fizz). We find a seat and opt for ones on the end of a row – you know, just in case we win – and settle back to enjoy the awards.

Our host is posh British gardener David Domoney, who looks great suited and booted in his jet tuxedo. He kicks off the proceedings with the nominees for Best Bathroom product, and we’re pleased to see that we’re shortlisted with our Kanuka Bathroom Suite with sister-brand Moods Bathrooms.

Lulled into a warm sense of security, we're suddenly heart-in-mouths as the next category is announced. It’s for Best Value Kitchen and reality sets in. What if we’re here for nothing?

The shortlists pops onto the huge cinema screen, and K Kitchens are nowhere to be seen. Is this a good thing? The image changes as the Silver trophy is handed out without us mentioned. Palms sweaty, we slowly begin to doubt ourselves as Domoney moves on to the Gold.

K Kitchens eagerly accept their House Beautiful award for Best Value Kitchen.

It’s K Kitchens! The Lynton collection is apparently greatly admired, and we launch from our seats to collect our award. The applause is thunderous – has it been so loud throughout the ceremony? – and the lights are dazzling as we pose for pictures.

The House Beautiful award is surprisingly heavy, but because we won Gold we get a luxury carry case to make transportation that little bit easier. Plus, it marks us out as winners for the rest of the evening.

Awash with pride and adrenalin, proceedings come to an end and we’re invited to enjoy celebratory drinks back in the exhibition hall. Seeing as we won Gold, we decide it would be rude not to, and tuck our weighty award under our arm - wondering how we’re going to tackle the Tube with it later..

40th Birthday Celebrations Continue!

2012-07-04T09:13:00.000+01:00

You may be aware that this year we are celebrating our 40th year of trading!

To celebrate, we have a range of 40^th birthday promotions running for our trade customers. Including.....

40 iPod Touches that are up for grabs as well as 40 Golden Tickets offering £100 activity experience vouchers. These offers are detailed in the latest Special Edition Celebratory Saver brochures– the PJH Bathroom Saver and PJH Kitchen & Appliance Saver.

The regular ‘Saver’ brochures are extremely popular and available un-priced as well as in a PDF format so you can personalise it for your business: simply edit selling prices, company name and details, and print or email copies out to your customers.

Both brochures are stacked full of high quality products at market leading promotional prices, from Moods Bathrooms, Ram Kitchens, K Kitchens, Prima Kitchens and Prima Appliances, as well as appliances from other brands such as Franke, Whirlpool, Neff and Bosch.

Request your copy today!

Design & Planning Tips from EuroCucina Show

2012-06-22T15:21:00.006+01:00

Our final round up on this year’s EuroCucina 2012 exhibition focuses on trends for kitchen accessories and highlights the latest kitchen design and planning styles

Accessories

There were many types of accessories on show, but the most popular was the panel wall systems which featured in most of the displays we saw. These panel shelving systems were often used to blend the kitchen and an open plan living spaces and used as a place to display both home accessories and kitchen gadgets.

Lighting came in the form of LED lights use in both spot and strip styles. They were used to illuminate drawers, cupboards, task areas, plinths and worktops helping to create the ‘living room’ ambient experience. Ceiling lighting on the other hand came in the form of large and dramatic statement designs, grouped together for a wow factor in dining areas. Handles meanwhile were subtle, either flush fitting or integral to the door or simply doors were handleless with a push to open mechanism. Finally worktops trends provided the finishing touch in a variety of thicknesses from 12mm to 150mm and in a variety of materials including laminate with ABS edging, composites, natural stones, quartz and timber. It seemed that worktops were really a personalising touch that themselves created a statement.

Planning & Design
“Whilst weare interested in new products at the show, I’m always fascinated to see what’s new in terms of the planning and kitchen layout” Amanda Watson our Kitchen Product Manager tells us. “This is often the way exhibitors create a wow display - through their careful layout and room design”.

“This year didn’t disappoint, there were many planning ideas to take away”. Including:

EuroCucina Press Images 2012

· Vary cupboard heights
· Clever use of shelving
· Incorporating units into living areas
· Bar counters
· Play with opposites - glass or acrylic fronts combined with oak, smooth and textured surfaces joined together.
· Mixing handless push-open units with handled door units
· Mix curves and straight lines
· Use a pod style system to hide the kitchen from view

For a quick showroom update why not consider simply changing wall colours to the ‘trending colours’? Props can make a difference too so look at how you can give your displays a refresh. Even a change of worktop or swapping fascia fronts can give your showroom an update.

Of course if you are considering a total showroom revamp get in touch with your PJH sales manager to discuss how our merchandise team can help you!

We hoped you’ve enjoyed our series of posts on EuroCucina, we’d love to hear your thoughtsand feedback!

Catch Us at Unimer Celtic Manor Exhibition in July

2012-06-19T08:46:00.000+01:00

Your trip to the Unimer Celtic Manor Exhibition wouldn’t be complete without a visit our stand to discover the latest products and market-leading promotions.

If you are attending, drop by our stand, meet the team and discuss how a partnership with PJH could help take your business forward. From quantity deals to spot buys on the day, many outstanding offers will be revealed!

With the full Ram fascia range on display, the team will be on hand to any answer questions and tell you how we can help drive your business forward.

So why not visit the PJH stand and discover the range of benefits of doing business with the UK’s most reputable bathroom and kitchen distributor

Make Light Work of Cleaning with ClearBrite

2012-06-16T10:26:00.000+01:00

Lets face it, cleaning up is not usually top of the 'things I love to do' list!!

Which is why ClearBrite - a brilliant new barrier protection agent - is so fantastic.

Designed to cut cleaning times and stop the use of harsh chemicals, it utilises the very latest technology to apply an invisible layer of glass protecting surfaces for up to one year!

Once treated, surfaces need only be cleaned with water and a microfibre cloth, banishing the need for chemicals.

Here comes the science part....
Under a microscope, you would see that most surfaces are actually rough and uneven which is where dirt and bacteria cling. Traditional cleaners fail to fully remove the grime or simply coat over the dirt making the surface appear clean.

ClearBrite however, coasts the uneven surface with nano-scale, particle free glass 500 times thinner than a human hair which then repels oils, water and other soiling agents.

The coating as well as being breathable, flexible and highly durable is also anti bacterial so actively prevents germs!

ClearBrite has been developed for use on many common household surfaces including glass, ceramic, plastic & acrylic so perfect for use on most bathroom fixtures. You can find out more at www.clearbrite.co.uk and check out our latest video.....

EuroCucina Trends for Kitchen Materials & Colours

2012-06-15T14:54:00.003+01:00

Following on from our first report on the EuroCuina 2012 exhibition last week, this week we focus on the materials and colours we saw as big trends at the world’s largest furniture exhibition.

Material

As anindustry, we are used to having a wide choice of door materials and finishes to choose from, so we were interested to learn at the show what the latest trendsare and how we can bring them into our current kitchen ranges.

“Material combinations are still very much in vogue. Mixing, for example, magnolia high gloss acrylic and wood grains in a horizontal or vertical application was a common theme” comments Amanda Watson our Kitchen Product Manager.

She goes on to tell us that new textures are also coming through from fascias with a natural ‘saw-cut’ appearance to other textures like leather and woven finishes. There was of course still plenty of coloured glass and stainless steel around too.

Colours
Each time we visit theEuroCucina show there are usually new colour trends being shown. This year we found white is still very much en vogue!

“We saw lots of white matt satin and gloss fronts with contrasting colours of black, pastel chalky shades or woodgrains” Amanda explains, “other colours used were Magnolia whites, Mocha-browns as well as Warm greys/lava colours, whilst timbers were oak, ash, walnut and pine”.

You can easily echo these trends today with our current ranges; think of mixing K Kitchens Italian Walnut Gloss with the Krystal range or maybe Cappuccino Gloss with Pickering’s light oak doors for example...

Likewise, use muted colours along the lines of K’s Cappuccino, Ambleside Lockett or LyntonThistle or Ram Kitchen’s new Carlton Dakar range.

Check back next week for our round up on what’s hot for kitchen accessories and the design planning ideas we picked up.....

Make it Personal with PJH Marketing Support

2012-06-13T15:17:00.001+01:00

You’ll have seen our Saver brochures (‘Bathroom Saver’ & ‘Kitchen & Appliance Saver’) - they are well known for being packed full of fantastic offers for bathrooms, kitchens and appliances.

The new issues are out now, but perhaps you didn’t know you can now personalise them as your own marketing material!

Our editable PDFs are easy to use, and you can simply download them here:
- PJH unpriced bathroom saver
- PJH unpriced kitchen & appliance saver

Then it's as easy as entering in your own prices and company details, it couldn’t be simpler!

Take advantage of these personalised files, they are a great selling tool and you can print or email as many as you like!

Why Modular is so Popular!

2012-06-09T15:30:00.000+01:00

Modular bathroom furniture is becoming very popular in the space-challenged UK bathroom.

Space still remains at a premium for the majority of British bathrooms, en-suites and cloakrooms and bathroom furniture has really upped its game to offer flexible and fashion-led storage solutions.

Modular furniture is perfect for the small bathroom and is proving to be a winner with the consumer for a number of reasons.

In particular, compared to fitted units, installation is reduced, if not completely removed and even one statement piece can instantly update the room. Product development has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years, so the wide choice of size options and configurations, combined with on-trend finishes and high quality fittings has made modular furniture as important as the sanitaryware itself.

Check out the Moods Eurostyle furniture range. Compact pieces, such as short 250mm projection wash stations, low w/c units and tall, slim 250mm width cupboards are all ideal for small spaces, redundant corners and awkward sized rooms.

The latest modular ranges are as well manufactured on the inside as they are on the outside and this is essential. Good quality cabinet construction and intelligent design, such as soft-close doors and drawers, in-frame hinges, colour coordinated carcases and clever use of internal storage, are key.

In addition as we are seeing a return to a more heritage look throughout the whole interiors market, some of the latest modular furniture ranges are going down the classic route, like the Moods painted furniture ranges in ivory and pistachio finishes!

We Share our Take on EuroCucinas Main Trends

2012-06-08T08:47:00.000+01:00

Our kitchen team has not long returned from their visit to the EuroCucina show in Milan; the largest and most important kitchen show in the world!

In a series of blog posts, we’ll share with you our findings on the latest trends for the kitchen industry ...

EuroCucina 2012 Press Images

Whilst many of the trends we saw have been coming through for a while, there were lots of variations on the themes.

Less is More

The trend for simple minimalist design evolves! Whilst clean and simple lines have been a staple of the contemporary kitchen for a few years; think high gloss, handleless slab doors (like K Kitchens Alaska) this year this trend went a step further.

Many exhibitors concealed the working elements of the kitchen, hiding ready to use electric appliances behind fold away doors and large scale tall units. Crockery, pots and groceries though where more easily seen and immediately accessible. All in all a sleek, neat and tidy appearance was achieved and showed how the kitchen can adapt to look more like other living spaces in the home.

Merging Spaces

Along the same lines, the kitchen was often featured as part of the room structure; acting as a room divider and facilitating open plan living. The kitchen and living room areas where shown in harmony with units featured in both areas. Wall systems really came into their own here, offering a multitude of possibilities for designing the transition to the living areas. Think open shelving between spaces.

At One with Nature

One of the common themes we saw was around being close to nature. There was a strong move to using natural materials to create a sanctuary type space. Natural woods were mixed with natural stone effect tops.....and so on!

Modernity meets Classic

Mixing classic and modern designs (read old meets new) was done really well. Kitchens gave a hand crafted experience yet had technological innovation both interact into one - the outcome was stunningly elegant kitchens.

All this means our PJH product teams are now be busy working these elements into our product roadmap allowing us to keep pace with each of the main trends. Next week more info on the trends for materials, colours and accessories!

Let us know what you think!

Cloakroom & Ensuites Provide Good Sales Potential

2012-05-30T15:15:00.011+01:00

Over recent times, the trend has been to improve rather than move. This has had a real positive impact on the market for cloakrooms and ensuite bathrooms.

By nature, these rooms are typically found in the smallest or most awkward sized spaces within a property, so it’s not surprising that the demand for compact yet perfectly formed bathroom solutions has risen dramatically. Viewed as a relatively inexpensive enhancement that will add value and make the home more appealing, they provide opportunity for added sales potential.

Furniture solutions really come into their own here, by offering a range of products that utilise minimum floor space, make maximum use of redundant space and corners, and generally give the illusion of a larger room. Ensure you offer a good selection of wall hung, corner and compact WC’s and basins,which will free up floor space as well as minimise the projection into the room.

In addition, underfloor heating instead of a radiator can be a good choice as not only will it free up wall space for storage but will provide a more even spread of heat.

Cloakroom and ensuite bathroom solutions maybes mall and compact, but the sales potential is huge what are your thoughts?

Egg-citing New Product from Moods

2012-05-22T08:00:00.007+01:00

Moods Bathrooms has extended it's freestanding bath collection, with the addition of the beautifully styled, Egg Bath.

Effortlessly blending a smooth, oval structure with a pure whitefinish, the nature-inspired freestanding bath is a true centrepiece for afeature bathroom and ticks all the boxes for a designer statement.

Luxuriously deep, the Egg bath has a water capacity of 230 litres with dimensions of 1680(L) x 800(W) x 580(H)mm. Its handcrafted design uses the highest grade of acrylic and includes a pre-fitted waste. All that, and it also comes with a 20-year guarantee.

Moods has also launched a number of new brassware ranges which include more floorstanding pieces; ideal accompaniments for feature baths such as the Egg.

Shown here with the new SeriesF floorstanding bath shower mixer from Moods, the Egg would make for a stunning showroom or window display!!!

Shake it up with Ram!

2012-05-18T15:30:00.000+01:00

As part of the new kitchen furniture collection, Ram Kitchens includes an ever popular shaker style design in the form of the CARLTON DAKAR kitchen.

Beautifully finished in a warm french grey shade, the new Carlton Dakar kitchen range features a versatile shaker door, aimed at complementing many types of interior by simply choosing different handles and worktops. Shown with a modern high gloss, ‘Black Venetian’ worktop, yet classic ‘Antique Pewter Twist T-bar’ handle, the look is easily tailormade to suit all tastes.

Available nationally from stock on a 48-hour delivery timescale Ram Kitchens is enjoying a successful comeback with sales rising steadily since its official launch in February.

One of 16 doors within the new Ram Kitchens Collection, the Carlton Dakar features an 18mm white cabinet with the option of a standard or luxury soft-close drawer.