We catch up with Jo Burrell & her team as we spotlight retailer Allium Interiors, Newmarket, Auckland.
Allium Interiors on Patersonrose in-store.
Jo – You are in your 21st year of stocking Patersonrose bedding. We love that you support our small NZ bedding company as well as big international brands. Tell us a little about Allium Interiors & what makes your store so stand out … At Allium Interiors you’ll find a unique haven for creativity featuring a kaleidoscope of beautiful colours, shapes and sumptuous textures for the home. You’ll also find a team of friendly and knowledgeable professionals who are passionate about bringing their client’s ideas to life. This philosophy translates into everything we do and that includes bedroom linens for adults, teens and children. We love making beds and it shows in our displays but also in the way we’re able to help people find that perfect combination to personalise their bedroom.
Allium opened over 26 years ago. Wow! What an achievement. How have your customers’ buying preferences in bedding evolved over the last 26 years? Have you noticed any shifts in your customers style? Our customers have always relied on us to bring in colour and pattern and that hasn’t changed in 26 years. What also hasn’t changed is our customers’ underlying expectation that our linens are made from quality fabrics and people appreciate that. Quality never goes out of style. Colour preferences do change from the more subdued to saturated but, for us, colour is always there. Linen has become very popular, but we are seeing a return to cotton due to the global shortage of linen. The lovely crisp qualities of cotton make it so lovely to sleep in.
How do your customers feel about 100% natural cotton bedding? Has it become a more important buying concern? 100% cotton would be a standard expectation of our customers. We don’t do polyester sheeting, ever!
How important are colour trends in your customers’ decisions? Have you noticed any big changes in what colours they’re gravitating towards? When we have a display bed made with hot pink, layered with some of our bespoke bright patterned cushions, people love it and appreciate the wow factor. This is something they don’t see anywhere else. Equally, soft sage green combined with butter cup yellow or lavender has been very popular recently. We always try to make our bedding displays look unique with over-sized floral cushions or a mix of textures. People gravitate to the unique combinations, that they wouldn’t think of themselves. A combination of velvet and linen is a beautiful and enduring combination.
What’s the one thing that makes Patersonrose stand out in your store? It’s absolutely the pattern and colour combinations in the Patersonrose range that are a standout. As well as the mixability between design and colour. What’s not to love about combining dots with florals, hearts with checks and crosses with stripes. Every time we make a bed with Patersonrose we have so many layers and colours to work with.
Staff fav’s
Patersonrose bedding has evolved over the years. Starting with children’s duvets & sheeting to now also offering bedding options for adults. What is your favourite current PR design & why?
“I love the Black & White stripe for a striking adult bedroom scheme and have combined this with bespoke Christian Lacroix euros and Designer’s Guild cushions for an impactful and stunning combination”. Wendy, Allium Designer
“I recently moved my daughter to her first big girl bed and Billie was a standout working with her wallpaper, as I’m not a pink person. Still so cute for little girls.” Annabel, Allium Designer
“Grace. I just love the soft blue background colour. Beautiful as a duvet in a girl’s bedroom or fabulous as sheets with a white duvet or mixed up with an eclectic collection of patterns. So versatile” Jo, Allium Design Director
Any Patersonrose design from over the years that has stood out for you? Olivia. We sold sooooooo much and I still go to clients homes now that have it on the bed, 19 years later. A true sign of quality and design!
What are the biggest challenges your customers face when choosing the right duvet cover for their room or their children’s room? They mostly want something that will last quite a few years and that they won’t tire of quickly (ie not spider man or Elsa). Patersonrose works perfectly here without ‘theme’… it can even go into adult rooms.
On a personal note with Jo….
What’s your current favourite meal to cook at home? Ottolenghi Stuffed Aubergine in Curry and Coconut Dahl, served on our Bordallo Aubergine serving dish.
Wine or Cocktail? Currently a Margherita Cocktail
Your best way to start the day … Snuggles with my cat Paddy, then off to Pilates, stopping for coffee on the way to the store.
If you had one place you must visit overseas, where would it be? Amalfi Coast
Last supper meal? Anything from a lovely restaurant in the above location.
Dream party guests, name 5 Neil Finn, Kit Kemp, Sindhu Vee, George Clooney, Brad Pitt (they count as one, don’t they?) & Greg!
Skirt or Dress? Skirt
Growing up, you wanted to be …? A kindergarten teacher…absolutely don’t have the patience for that now.
At a restaurant, I never order …. Goats cheese, nothing more to say on that!
Duvet or doona? What’s a doona?
Image : Annabel, Jo & Wendy from Allium Interiors
Find Allium Interiors at 11C Teed Street, Newmarket, Auckland