Inside established Horsham business' expanded and refurbished showroom

New England Home Interiors has been based in East Street for the past 14 years and has taken over the adjoining premises to create one large showroom to display its growing collection of luxury furniture and accessories.

The initial idea to expand came in 2019, when the Bathstore.com showroom ceased trading, but plans were put on hold due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

However, work is now complete and the transformed and expanded showroom is set to open to the public tomorrow (Saturday September 17).

In 2021, Joby Hardman, the son of the owners of New England Home Interiors, joined the business. With his input, plus the addition of several new product ranges by top suppliers, the business has doubled in size over the past 18 months, reiterating the need for more floor space.

Joby said: “Rarely do you get the opportunity to expand without relocating, which always carries risk. Being able to expand into the building next door has allowed us to future proof our business requirements, given us peace of mind about the businesses that surround us, and allowed us to create a destination for luxury and bespoke furniture unlike anything in the area.”

He actually began his managerial career at the Bathstore.com showroom in Horsham more than 20 years ago, so the new premises holds some sentimental value too.

Having secured the lease to the 58 East Street showroom earlier in the year, the firm has been working hard on refurbishments with the help of its landlords and more than 20 local tradesmen for the past seven months.

During that time, the building has undergone extensive works after deteriorating somewhat while standing empty for several years. With significant investment from both New England’s owners and its landlords, they have carried out vast internal and external upgrades in a bid to return the building to its former glory and accentuate its period features dating back to the 1600s.

For instance, its timeless inglenook fireplace and soaring ceilings are indicative of a bygone era. The adjoining wall on the ground and first floors has also been knocked through so customers and staff can move freely between the two showroom spaces, and the two large bay windows at the front of the store have been restored to let light flood in.

New England’s signature teal-coloured signage has also been added to the outside to create a unified look across both shopfronts, with the hand painted address above the entrance restored by a local signwriter.

In addition, 395 square meters of flooring has been laid and the place has been given a much-needed facelift using more than 150L of premium paint by Mylands and Little Greene. This, along with new lighting, special touches and the property’s own vintage charm, has helped to create an inviting space with eye-catching displays to showcase their products.

Now combined, its finished Horsham showroom boasts over 6,000 square feet of floor space that will enable the business to display the many new furniture lines it has added to its collection in the last two years, more than 4,000 square feet than it had before.

Visit https://newenglandhome.co.uk/