| |
The Prexury, an amethyst semi-precious stone backboard
|
|
Vale Life meets Steve and Claire Bloom,
owners of Spacefittingfurniture in
Cardiff's Design Quarter to discover the innovative and unique contemporary kitchen concepts on offer at this highly creative showroom.
SPACEFITTINGFURNITURE
How long has Spacefitting been established?
CLAIRE Business started in 1972, when Steve's dad opened a kitchen show - room. There were generations of furniture makers in the family and Steve started straight from school and learnt all aspects of fitting and designing. We have been selling Rational Kitchens for more than 30 years.
How long have you been here?
STEVE We moved to these premises in June 2006. We needed a more contemporary, spacious showroom, where we could show the products in a way that complemented them and showed what we and the furniture are capable of. It's so much nicer here. We have parking which makes life a lot easier for our customers. We also have more passing trade, so peoples' awareness of us has increased.
What do you think sets you apart?
CLAIRE Obviously it's my baking! We are passionate about design and function. We want our clients to love their kitchens! After all, it is usually the hub of a home. We listen to our clients and their lifestyles, so our designs are adapted to suit their needs. Steve is a very talented designer and takes pride in that fact. He is very knowledgeable and knows what makes a kitchen work successfully.
What are your respective roles in the business?
CLAIRE For me, the showroom is an extension of our home. We spend more time here than at home, so want people to feel comfortable and welcome. I cook with the appliances for practical reasons and also because it helps and enables me to understand a product much better, so that I can give informed advice to clients. We work together as a team and have a lot in common when it comes to design ideas and forward thinking. I have always loved interior design, so for me it's just great fun.
STEVE Our roles cross over. We both deal with clients and Claire has been known to unload a delivery in her five inch heels! I create the designs on the computer but, if Claire thinks I'm going in the wrong direction, she will tell me. Claire handles the accounts and purchasing and is often online for hours looking for stools and tables for clients.
What type of customer is drawn to Spacefitting?
CLAIRE Our customers tend to be design aware, into contemporary ideas and open to suggestion. We are happy to provide traditional kitchens, but that's not our passion. We want our clients to be drawn into our showroom and be excited about what's on offer.
Any exciting developments on the horizon?
STEVE We've just installed a new display with some really great innovative concepts. There have been some amazing developments technologically which is changing the way we interact with our modern kitchens and appliances. It's really quite exciting.
We are always trying to up our game and stay ahead of competitors. We want to lead south Wales in design and prove that we are as forward thinking as any London showroom. We show the latest products and are always looking for new concepts and ideas to further objectives for design. The new display has the latest technology and newest concepts. For example, The Prexury, an amethyst semi-precious stone backboard is backlit to show its translucency, giving an exceptionally glamorous and unique look. This is the only display of Prexury in the UK.
We have combined the latest kitchen technology with a home automation system supplied by Smarta. This controls automatic doors, TV sound and lighting, with the possibility of controlling the whole house.
What are your future plans?
CLAIRE Our five year strategy at Spacefitting is to keep moving forward and to keep looking out for new and exciting products to introduce our customers to whilst keeping our designs fresh and innovative but with a friendly, relaxed approach.
Recently, we have been nominated by the Kitchen Bedroom Bathroom review for Customer Service Awards for Kitchens. We are one of four nominated for the UK of which we are very proud, so it would be fantastic to win a few awards for our work over the coming years.
|
|
