Keith Wilson, La-Z-Boy UK md has been promoted and given responsibility for one of the brand's international divisions.

The retailer said China's C.banner, which also owns Hamleys, is taking a 51% stake, shifting control from another Chinese firm, Nanjing Cenbest.

Dreamworks Beds has appointed Philip George as its area sales manager in the west of England, covering Manchester down to Cornwall.

 Former England rugby union international turned TV presenter Martin Bayfield will host the Bed Show's Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in September.

Carpetright has seen losses rise dramatically in the past few weeks amid plunging UK sales as shareholders agreed its need for secure immediate funding of £15 and backed its VCA.

Total sales for the week were down 0.3% on last year. This is in part due to the annualising of the first May bank holiday, which was a week earlier last year.

Independent carpet retailers were given a chance to boost their sales skills.

The National Bed Federation has opened entries for this year’s Bed Industry Awards.

Axminster Carpets is to introduce a named delivery day service.

Marks & Spencer has created a new senior management role to look at the future.

John Lewis saw home sales fall back into the red last week.

Topps Tiles is to look for sales growth in the commercial sector after retail sales fell back.

Bed chain Feather & Black has reopened in Cheltenham, eight months after its store in the Gloucestershire town closed.

Visitors and exhibitors at the Bed Show will once again receive free food and drink

The new chair of Metro wants to reach service level agreements with the flooring buying group’s suppliers.

Skandium is to close its Brompton Road, London store after a decade and replace it with two branches a five minute walk away.

Simon Wade has become chairman of the Long Eaton Guild.

Flooring group Balta is to float on the Brussels stockmarket, almost two years after being bought by Lone Star.

Kent furniture and flooring retailer Lukehurst has invested £100,000 in refurbishing its flagship Rainham store.

Online mattress retailer Eve required one of its early investors to invest a further £5m in March to support the loss-making business.

Victoria has made clear its intention to target the hard flooring market with the appointment of Jan Debrouwere as director of business development – hard flooring.

John Lewis saw home sales increase for the first time in a month last week.

Furniture logistics company Andrew Porter has completed an expansion and renovation project at its warehouse in Lancashire.

Cormar Carpets has completed the first stage of its £15m distribution centre in Hemel Hempstead, consolidating its regional hub network across the South of England.

Furniture and lighting design studio Pinch has today opened its first retail store.

Private equity firms are competing with a manufacturer for control of bed chain Dreams, according to press reports.

Luxaflex parent Hunter Douglas is to buy blinds and flooring retailer Hilarys from its venture capital parent.

Headlam has turned to waste management group Biffa for its new finance boss.

Cormar Carpets was named Flooring One Carpet supplier of the year at the Buying Groups’ National Flooring Show.

Tony Smart has become the Furniture Makers’ Company’s 56th master, succeeding Ben Burbidge.

The sons of the founder of Highgate Beds have bought the bed manufacturer.

What began as a strictly divided event where only certain people could enter at certain times has fully matured, again showing its quality. But innovation needs to be more on show.

John Lewis saw home sales dip in the past week, despite increases cross several sectors, as outdoor furniture sales failed to match last year’s performance thanks to the very different weather.

John Lewis has set aside £36m after its attempts to even out the monthly pay of hourly paid staff fell foul of HMRC’s complex rules over the National Minimum Wage.

Bed manufacturer Somnus has marked an historic anniversary with royal connections.

Yorkshire retailer Barkers is to open its high street department store on Sundays on a permanent basis for the first time in its 135-year history.

Kevin Royal, ScS md has sold his remaining shares in the upholstery and flooring retailer.

John Lewis has pulled the plug on opening a store in central Brighton, two years after buying the building it wanted and weeks after its md warned it must reinvent itself.

A double-digit increase in outdoor living products failed to prevent John Lewis’ home sales suffering a large drop last week.

Zanotta has begun selling its iconic Sacco beanbag chair in the UK, almost four decades after it was designed.

Harvey’s has continued to roll out its large format Megastore stores.

Brockway Carpets has introduced the Roy Annable Salesperson of the Year Award.

Jill McDonald, Halfords ceo is to join Marks & Spencer in the autumn in charge of home, clothing and beauty.

The Furniture Makers’ Company, the furnishing industry’s charity, has organised a line-up of expert speakers for its one-day conference that will focus on the Apprenticeship Levy. The ‘Bridging the Gap’ conference is taking place at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London on Thursday 18 May 2017.

The Flooring Show has revealed its keynote seminar speaker for this year’s exhibition, alongside its first panel discussion.

Vote in the Interiors Monthly Awards 2017. Fill out the voiting form HERE.

Tell us who you think are the best suppliers, retailers, events and products: it's your vote.  

This year’s Northern Big Shots charity clay pigeon shooting event has topped the amount of money raised in 2016.

Recofloor has been recognised for its extensive waste vinyl flooring recycling work with a award in the Letsrecycle.com Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management 2016.

Emma Mawston has been appointed as creative director by fabric and wallcoverings producer Blendworth.

Simon Pengelly has won the 2016 Jonathan Hindle Prize, awarded to the most outstanding design among this year’s Design Guild Mark awards.

Household disposable income jumped by more than 6% in the past year, reaching its highest level since 2008.

Prince Charles praised Ulster Carpets on a tour of its Portadown factory, where it is manufacturing a carpet for Buckingham Palace.

Department store chain Debenhams has appointed Amazon's European fashion chief as its new chief executive.

Nottingham furniture retailer Aura is to close one of its two stores in the city.

John Lewis secured an almost double digit increase in furniture sales last week.

Topps Tiles has seen like for like sales jump in recent weeks.

Four leading retailers have warned that a referendum vote to leave the EU would be ‘catastrophic’ for economic recovery and lead to higher prices.

The National Bed Federation Bed Industry Awards will have a new look when they are unveiled at The Bed Show in September.

Textiles exhibition Heimtextil has revealed its is ‘almost fully booked’ more then seven months before the 2017 show.

A South Wales flooring retailer was ram raided in the early hours of the morning.

Litmus Furniture, agent for German bedroom manufacturer Wiemann in the UK and Republic of Ireland, has strengthened its position on the island by appointing new sales agents.

The funeral of former Floorwise chairman and Salesmark owner Keith Fisher took place on 3 May. He died on 17 April following complications after surgery for cancer. He was 61.

There is less than two weeks to book places for this year’s Big Shots charity clay pigeon shooting day.

Online registration for this year’s Bed Show has opened.

John Lewis saw home sales rise again in the week to 14 May, helped by outdoor furniture and bed linen.

The move of fabric exhibitions MoOD and Indigo to a new venue is proving a success.

Upholstery manufacturer Natuzzi is to support a refuge project backed by Sharon Stone and Betty Williams.

Department store chain Debenhams has put its loss-making 11 Republic of Ireland stores into administration.

The future of the UK furniture industry was hailed as Parker Knoll officially opened its new factory.

For the third successive week John Lewis achieved a double-digit increase in furniture sales as good weather and a Bank Holiday helped the chain to a major sales rise.

Follow all the events from day one of the Buying Groups' National Flooring Show.
To follow our coverage from Cranmore Park, click here.

Follow all the events from day one of the Buying Groups' National Flooring Show.
To follow our coverage from Cranmore Park, click here.

Ikea could boost its fledgling chain of click and collect stores by taking over a number of BHS branches.

Furniture and accessories supplier Libra is to hold an At Home show next month, highlighting 10 design themes.

The Flooring Guild has doubled its carpet selling training for newcomers to the industry to meet demand.

BD Barcelona is to become the latest overseas furniture manufacturer to open a UK showroom.

Retailer and wholesaler Namaste has become the latest company to support rug certification scheme GoodWeave.

Exploration will be the overarching trend theme that defines Heimtextil’s Trendtable for 2017/2018.

John Lewis has enjoyed a second week of double-digit furniture sales, with sale up by more than a fifth.

Next has shown strong home and furniture sales as it warned profits could vary by more than £100m.

Flooring group Victoria is to reward Michael Scott, chief financial officer, with 5,000 shares as part of a management incentive plan.

Ikea has confirmed that its second small format store will open on 12 May while its third will have a city centre location.

Beds and bedroom furniture enjoyed a double-digit sales increase last week as home sales rose.

The Shire Bed Company has become a sponsor of Yorkshire county Cricket Club for the rest of the 2015 season.

Sweet Dreams has invested £1m buying a former mill that will allow its upholstery operation to expand.

Martin Harris has turned to former Carpetright colleagues for the opening of his mid-market flooring retailer Tapi Carpets & Floors.

Tapi Carpets & Flooring, Martin Harris’s new chain will focus on service and the shopping experience.

Bed manufacturer Kaymed has invested in a new show van and is about to begin touring the country with it.

B&Q’s plan to close 60 of its stores is gathering momentum having agreed to sell almost a quarter of the earmarked branches.

FIRA is to host a discussion on the EU Timber Regulation as part of an EU review into the two-year old rules.

Consumer confidence has reached its highest level for nine years, but more than half of people thought the UK was still in recession in the first quarter of this year.

More than half of retailers expect sales volumes to grow next month after stronger than expected growth in the first half of May.

Bed chain Dreams has expanded into the homewares market, with more than 500 products from Sabichi.

The 59th Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers’ National Golf Tournament, sponsored by Mr Tomkinson, has raised almost £10,000 for charity.

Tiles and flooring chain Topps Tiles has continued to see sales increase, as consumers turn away from DIY.

Buying group Minerva has paid tribute to its founders and suppliers as it marked its 25th anniversary.

Nottingham Trent University student Daniel Lau was named as the winner of the furniture category of the New Design Britain awards for his Kai chair (pictured).

The next John Lewis At Home store will feature a new display method centred around a hub and roomsets.

John Lewis has seen double digit online home sales, with strong performances from beds and bedroom.

Fabric exhibition Proposte has confirmed its international appeal with visitors from 66 countries attending the 27-29 April event and the number of overseas visitors increasing.

 Steve Moore, BFM Export Manager says they have secured grant funding from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to support companies wishing to attend the I Salone Worldwide, Moscow show (14th – 17th OCTOBER 2015). The funding is available to 10 companies on a first come, first served basis and offers £2,000 per exhibitor towards exhibiting costs. The offer is open to members and non-members of the BFM until May 29th.

Yorkshire retailer Barkers is to expand its Northallerton interiors store by a third to 60,000sqft in a £3m investment.

Next year’s January Furniture Show will have dedicated flooring and fabric areas.

Kitchen firm Leicht is celebrating its contract division reaching £1m of sales in less than a year since its foundation.

The lack of affordable housing has been described as ‘a national emergency’ and a crisis as the number of homes being put up for sale falls to it lowest level for six years.

Homewares sales fell in April, with the early Easter distorting sales patterns.

South-eastern flooring chain Fludes is to open a store in the heart of Brighton.

Tesco has axed it Homeplus non-food chain, with its remaining stores closing next month.

VIDA Living is continuing to invest in the UK furniture market following its recent additions in stock and delivery capability.

The flooring and sofa chain, which has almost 100 outlets nationwide, admitted trading had been hampered by a number of primary factors, as sales tumbled year-on-year by 15.9% despite the inclusion of the usually lucrative Easter Bank Holiday weekend during the period.

German bedroom manufacturer Wiemann is making its first appearance at Long Point, the Long Eaton furniture show, on 11-13 May.

The 54th edition of the ‘Salone del Mobile’ was held at the Rho Fiera fairgrounds on the outskirts of Milan 14th – 19th April 2015. The exhibition organizers, Federlegno Arredo (AF), have hailed the event as a “grande successo” with more than 2000 exhibitors and 311,000 trade visitors from around the globe confirming this show as the world’s largest and most important international furniture fair.

Silentnight has today launched its eight-month long Achievements consumer advertising campaign, covering national newspapers, home interest magazines, posters, video on demand and online.

Retailers have been challenged to prove they are the best in the bed industry by entering the 2015 Bed Show Awards.

Eighteen companies from across the furniture supply chain have joined the industry’s largest association.

Since January, the Furniture Industry Research Association has welcomed fourteen full members as well as three international and one associate member. New members include mattress retailer, Dormeo UK, office fit-out organisation, Hog Furnishing Ltd, and Hille Educational Products Limited, which produced the original polypropylene chair in 1963, still used in schools today.

Ekornes ASA appoints Olav Holst-Dyrnes as its new CEO

The board of directors of Ekornes ASA announced the appointment of Olav Holst-Dyrnes (44) as the company’s new CEO.

The organiser of the Manchester Furniture Show has moved to reassure Muslim visitors and exhibitors that facilities will be place during the event that takes place during Ramadan.

The expanded May Design Series exhibition attracted 10,051 visitors, a rise of 1% compared to last year's debut event.

7,313 homes have been sold so far under the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, the Treasury says.

The figures are the first comprehensive measure of the scheme since it was launched late last year.

The majority of sales were outside London, which will help the government to argue that it has not had a major effect on house prices.

Government support for exporters needs major overhaul if the country is to avoid becoming 'a bit-part player on the international stage,' according to Andrew Graham, Graham & Brown chief executive.

Halls 1 and 2 of the January Furniture Show are now sold out and contracted, with companies signing up to take part in the show every week. The latest exhibitors include Clemence Richard, ROM, Delta Salotti and Artistic Upholstery.

John Lewis has continued its run of strong furniture sales, with the department outperforming overall sales growth.

UK retail sales climbed by 6.9% in April compared with 2013 same month a year earlier, the largest increase since March 2004.

Norwich department store Jarrolds is considering creating a cluster of small stores in Norwich city centre with a feel very different from national chains.

Carpetright is to be run by a betting industry veteran as a change in management marks the end of an era.

David Cameron has revealed that he sleeps on an 18-year-old mattress, bought for him as a wedding gift by his mother-in-law.

Laminate and tiles chain Topps Tiles has seen sales growth continue in recent weeks.

Furniture and flooring sales leapt at John Lewis last week, with several sectors seeing increases of more then 20%.

Losses trebled at bedroom furniture chain Feather and Black last year as it was forced to discount to clear excess stock.

Futon producer Kyoto has become the latest company to sign up for the Manchester Furniture Show.

Cormar Carpets has won Flooring One's Carpet Supplier of the Year award for the tenth time.

The Sleep Council has updated its Bed Buyers Guide to include advice on the latest types of bed available – and the latest ways of buying them. Nearly 20 years on from when the free booklet was first published, demand for information on how to choose a new bed remains as high as ever.

Members of the Metro flooring buying group have voted against a proposal to combine with fellow buying group Flooring One.

The Bank of England has upgraded its growth forecasts for next year, saying the economy 'has started to head back towards normal'. Its latest inflation report predicts growth of 2.9% next year, up from its 2.7% forecast three months ago.

160 years of family ownership has come to an end after department store chain Morleys bought Newbury rival Camp Hopson, making it its eighth store.

Carpet manufacturer Desso is to become part of Tarkett after venture capital company Bencis Capital and Desso management agreed a takeover offer, in a deal which values Desso at up to €160m.

The less than perfect relaunch of Marks and Spencer's website hit home sales at the chain in the first half of the year.

Upholstery and carpet chain ScS has taken another step to reaching a century of branches.

Furniture sales jumped by almost a quarter at John Lewis last week, driven by strong bed and bedroom sales.

A further 23 companies have confirmed their presence at next year's January Furniture Show.

The Sleep Council is to launch a training course for retail staff focusing on sleep.

Lebus Upholstery is to significantly swell its workforce by introducing a night shift to meet demand.

Hitchin-based  Charles Wilson Carpets is delighted to announce it has adopted The Garden House Hospice as its Charity of the Year for 2014/15.

Andrew Thorpe joins from Jensen Beds to spearhead Global sleep brand’s UK growth.

Dormeo UK Ltd has appointed Andrew Thorpe to lead its nationwide wholesale growth. Bringing a wealth of experience in sales and key account management in premium department stores, furniture chains, independent retail, internet retail and contract market segments, he joins the company from Jensen Skandinavia Ltd, with prior experience as National Sales Manager at Simmons Bedding Group plc.

Furniture retailer Oak Furniture Land is on a growth journey as it looks to establish its presence across the UK with new stores and digital offerings, but much of the business's focus of late has been on improving supply chain efficiency as its bricks and mortar portfolio has developed.

Italian upholstery producer Natuzzi has set out its plans to restore profitability by concentrating on trade sales, own-label production and the Revive recliner. It says it will end losses by the end of the year and make a profit margin of 3.9% in 2016.

Daniel L Lynch Snr, former Lynch Sales Company co-owner died on 1 March. 

Born 27 March, 1922, he was the son of the company's founder Joseph Lynch and was second-generation co-owner, with his brother Philip.

Retailers continued to cut prices last month, setting a new record for deflation. Overall shop prices reported deflation for the ninth consecutive month in January, accelerating to 1.0% from 0.8% in December, according to the British Retail Consortium-Nielsen Shop Price Index. This is the deepest level of deflation since the series began in December 2006.

A tribute has been paid to John Wharton, former Mercado md who died late last year, aged 79.

Home Retail Group's Argos and Homebase chains have written to suppliers telling them they will impose a further rebate on orders from 1 March.

Britons still see their local high streets as offering something distinct from online stores and are keen to see them thrive, according to new research.

Retailers in England and Wales will still have to find another £151m in business rates next year, even if the Chancellor limits the increase in this morning's Autumn Statement.

Opportunities for consumers to recycle their carpet have leapt according to new research, with the number of local authorities collecting carpets at household waste recycling centres trebling.

Headlam has further expanded its flooring distribution network with the acquisition of North Yorkshire distributor Fell's Carpets. The group has paid £1.3m for the 98 year-old company, which had sales of £6.7m in the year to 30 April. It was founded by Percy Fell, the great uncle of Fell's Carpets' md Tim Fell making rugs in Castleford.

The roll-out of its latest homewares format had provided a bright spark for Marks & Spencer, achieving a double digit sales increase.

Venture capital firm a2e Venture Catalysts has deepened its involvement in the interiors industry by buying the assets of failed curtain manufacturer Montgomery Tomlinson.

Contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories retailer Moleta Munro has opened a new showroom. It has moved to the new premises in Edinburgh's London Street.

The retailers that you have decided are the best in the business have been revealed.

The suppliers and manufacturers that you have decided are the best in the business have been revealed.

Cabinet brand Old Charm has introduced a customer charter setting out service levels.

Growth in many areas of homewares helped John Lewis push weekly sales up 6.7%.

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad has left the board of the Swedish furniture brand, seven months after the 87-year-old insisted that he was "too busy to die" and had no plans to retire. Mr Kamprad, who founded IKEA in the 1940s, stepped down from his role as chairman of the parent company on Wednesday. Mr Kamprad will be replaced by his youngest son, Mathias.

Dreams Chief Executive Nick Worthington is to stand down from the Bed retailer after 16 years, 5 years of which have been at the helm. Worthington stated it ‘felt appropriate to make a change’ after the business was sold to Sun European.

UK retail sales values were up 1.8% on a like-for-like basis from May 2012, when they had increased 1.3% on the preceding year. On a total basis, sales were up 3.4%, against a 3.4% increase in May 2012.

Total growth of 3.4% was above the 3-month average of 2.3% and the long-term 12-month average of 2.5%.

Despite the coldest March in 50 years John Lewis, lifted sales by 23.1% in the week to 30 March, with its At Home stores leading the way.

Axminster Carpets has been placed into administration and three quarters of its workforce made redundant.

Furniture and flooring chain Barker & Stonehouse has switched its shipping to Teesport after appointing PD Ports to handle its imports. The chain had previously been operating its imports through Southampton.

Consumers returned to shopping last month, but the British Retail Consortium warns of 'short-lived lift' fear. The value of UK like for like retail sales rose by 2.7% in February, compared with a 0.3% fall in 2012.

Next month's planned 3p a litre rise in fuel duty has been cancelled as economic forecasts are lowered.

The flooring market has suffered almost twice as badly as furniture and furnishings since the boom ended.

The average household spent just £717.60 a year on furniture, flooring and furnishings last year.

Expanding retailer Oak Furniture Land is to consolidate its distribution after agreeing to lease a former Morrisons warehouse.

Rugby furniture retailer goes up in flames.

Steinhoff's UK bed division, headed by Relyon, has enjoyed record sales growth while updated store formats are helping its retail arm.

Marks and Spencer has reshuffled its home management as part of wider non-food changes.

The Metro flooring buying group has confirmed the appointment of Steve Depport as operations manager.

The wet weather has made Dunelm Mill £2.5m of extra profit.

Topps Tiles has seen sales climb in the past quarter.

The trade union representing many Brintons employees in Kidderminster has launched a campaign for government action to help maintain the firm's presence in the town.

After a four and a half hour meeting, councillors have approved Ikea's Reading store.

After two years of investment Cormar Carpets has eliminated manufactured waste to landfill.

Upmarket furnishing and flooring brand Cath Kidson has seen profits almost double in the past year.

Old Charm is to advertise on TV for the first time, from late autumn to post-Christmas. The campaign is designed to promote the brand’s heritage and breadth of offer while highlighting the national promotions running in-store.

The Harrogate Flooring Show enjoyed increased visitor numbers and more exhibitors, who worked hard to produce the best quaility of stands seen at the exhibition. Click on the image to see some of the highlights.

Barker & Stonehouse and United Carpet head the winners of the Interiors Monthly Awards 2011.