Mereway Bathrooms has launched modular furniture brand Bathroom Colore to add to its portfolio. We asked national sales and development manager Ed Norris what it offers retailers

Q: Could you explain the concept of Bathroom Colore and the size and scale of the collection?

A: The concept of Bathroom Colore is to offer consumers a high degree of choice and to assist retailers in creating that wow factor when designing and pitching bathroom renovations to their customers.

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There is a choice of 64 decors in the range – everything from bold blues to earthy reds; gloss to coloured woodgrains.

Our objective was to make the latest trends in furniture colours available to our retailers in a modular furniture offering, that is easy to sell and has a quick turnaround from order to delivery.

All of our furniture is made to order in our factory in Birmingham.

In terms of the scale of the collection, our focus has been on ensuring units are available in a wide range of widths and are accompanied by mirrored wall units, tall storage units and a comprehensive range of accessories.

For example, we offer basin units in 100mm width increments from 500mm to 1000mm wide.  

 Q: Where is it pitched in the market and how does it fit within the current portfolio of Mereway Bathrooms and Knightsbridge? 

A: We truly believe that Bathroom Colore offers something for all retailers, but our focus has been on ensuring the range provides design potential whilst being affordable.

As a manufacturer, we have invested to enhance efficiencies in our manufacturing processes to keep costs low and be in a position to offer the Bathroom Colore range at a mid-level price point.

With a simplified order process and fast turnaround, we believe that we compete with the bathroom furniture offering of the distributors.

While at the same time being a manufacturer, we can reassure customers we are in control of the manufacturing process and it is that capability that also allows us to offer such a wider range of colour.  

Our flagship Mereway Bathrooms range will remain as our premium range of fitted furniture, and Bathroom Colore will slot into our bathroom furniture portfolio as a complementary modular range.  

Bathroom Colore will remain separate from our Trend and Mereway Bathrooms range.

However as popular finishes are identified in Bathroom Colore, the potential exists for those to be carried over into our fitted furniture, in a variety of door styles and designs including Shaker, panelled and J-pull. 

Q: How long has it taken from the initial concept to launch?

A: With the support of our supply chain, we have been able to move quickly, in fact, the journey from concept to launch has taken us less than four months.  

Q: Why did you decide to launch it now?

 We identified there is a gap in the market for affordable modular bathroom furniture, with a quick delivery timescale, but in a much wider range of colours than is currently available.

The furniture in a bathroom needs to complement and accentuate the choices made by a consumer for their ceramics, brassware, and shower panelling, and with this range, we can manufacture and supply furniture that achieves that aim. 

We have noticed a trend of consumers becoming braver in their colour choices, influenced by social media and design publications and those customers don’t want to be restricted to a limited selection of colours on their bathroom renovation journey.

We felt now was a perfect time to create a modular bathroom furniture range with a large palette of colour,  to take advantage of those consumer trends and offer our retailer network something extra, both for on display in their showroom and to present to customers. 

Q: Are you hoping to attract new dealers, or do you expect Bathroom Colore to be an addition to existing Mereway Bathroom retailers’ offerings? 

 A: It will be a combination of both. We are providing existing Mereway Bathroom retailers with a range of modular furniture to complement our Mereway Bathrooms and Trend Bathrooms fitted furniture range.

Fitted furniture has always been our traditional focus, but we have had a lot of demand from our retailer network for a modular furniture range backed up by our reputation for quality, our high levels of service, and are our ability to be flexible when required.

This is particularly important as modular continues to grow its share of the bathroom furniture market.  

At the same time, we believe Bathroom Colore will be a welcome addition for retailers who focus their showrooms on, or have a market that is predominately interested in, modular bathroom furniture, and have always considered Mereway to be a purely fitted furniture manufacturer.

This exciting range should stimulate new conversation and open doors and we are keen to supply to new retailers.  

Q: What level of support do you expect from retailers, in terms of display? 

 A: Retailers know best what works in their showrooms, and we have seen a lot of excitement from retailers, with the furniture allowing them to be brave with their choice of displays.

Our view is an eye-catching display is key to allowing retailers to draw the consumer in, and then present the opportunity for the story behind the Bathroom Colore range.

Although displays are important, we also feel the point-of-sale materials we provide, including a four-volume sample set of each of the finishes, can give retailers with limited display space the opportunity to sell the Bathroom Colore range.  

 Q: What support will you be offering bathroom retailers to help introduce the collection to customers, as well as to help sell the collection? 

A: We will be offering generous discounts on displays as well as point-of-sale material and a free sample service, where a retailer can request we send up to five free samples to a customer’s address.  

Q: What are your sales expectation for the collection? 

A: We feel the demand for colour and variety in bathroom furniture has never been higher.

In particular, we are expecting strong sales for the deep greens and blue hues in the range, as well as the rich woodgrain finishes and the earthy finishes such as Deep Sahara and Rusty Red.  

Q: What are the biggest opportunities for the Mereway Bathrooms business? 

 A: The biggest opportunities for us as a business are related to our manufacturing capabilities.

We have several exciting plans for our Mereway Bathrooms and Trend Bathrooms ranges, which we will be launching in the second quarter of this year.

By continuing to invest in our machinery and people, as well as keeping pace with the speed of change and development in the bathroom furniture industry, we will continue to carve our niche and place within the industry.  

Q: How is business and what are your expectations for the year?

A: Uncertainty and market turbulence never feels far aware at the moment and over the last few years.

However, with our position and reputation in the bathroom furniture market, we are optimistic about the future and expect to continue to grow our turnover this year.