Victoria Carpets – The carpet you’d have in your own home

At this year’s Harrogate show, Victoria continued to promote its strapline: “Whatever your home, Victoria’s got it covered,” showcasing a wide range of carpets, along with wood and LVT options designed to cater to any customer’s needs. As part of the UK’s largest supplier in Victoria plc, it’s fair to say that the company has successfully built an offering that appeals to a huge range of buyers. In fact, as Sales Director James Caldwell tells The Stocklists, many flooring retailers actually buy Victoria carpets for their own homes – a strong endorsement indeed!

This year, in assessing what products will suit the current market, Victoria has focused on its EasiCare ranges, family-friendly carpets that make maintenance straightforward while still providing comfort and an attractive finish. The star of the show was Natural Impressions, James explains. “The reason this has been so popular at the exhibition is that people say they don’t want plain and they don’t want patterned, and this offers something in between.” The 55oz carpet comes in 10 subtle shades and is designed to pair naturally with both bold furniture pieces and more muted interiors.

Catering to the higher end of the market, the company additionally unveiled Velvet Impressions. This 100% polyester carpet is extremely flexible and boasts high retention, which Victoria is able to prove through its rigorous testing methods, offering not just brand new samples, but samples which simulate 5 and even 10 years of wear. James explains that Velvet Impressions boasts all the benefits of the company’s polypropylene ranges in terms of easy cleaning, but because of the higher quality polyester fibre, it’s softer and stronger.

Once again paying attention to the requirements of its customers, Victoria has made some tweaks to its existing, already-popular ranges. First Impressions, the company’s highest selling product, is moving to a fleeceback construction, making the carpet more fitter-friendly as well as softer and more durable.

The company’s Heartland Heathers range has also been relaunched as Heather Impressions, with fashionable warmer, more autumnal colours. These carpets are made even more appealing through the company’s use of a CPC machine to create an incredibly fine heathered effect.
Finally, through its Design Floors brand, Victoria also introduced the new Victorious Engineered Wood range, offered in plank and herringbone formats. The collection features rich, rustic tones and authentic grain variation for a natural effect.

To showcase all of these products, as well as Victoria’s new closer relationship with the Hugh Mackay brand, the company also produced a charming “Home by Victoria and Hugh” magazine, which intersperses product breakdowns with more lifestyle-focused content.

While Victoria ranges are firmly tapped into current market trends with regards to colourways and pricing, James says, the company never forgoes its commitment to quality: “It’s still elevated. We always say, it’s the carpet you’d have in your own home.”

www.victoriacarpets.com