Furniture retailer opens design showroom in listed city development

Sheffield-based luxury furniture and lighting retailer Nest opened its new dedicated design showroom this week at the city’s Park Hill development.

The 3,500 sq. ft showroom includes a basement and outdoor front and rear terrace with the interior having been designed by the internationally acclaimed interior designer Harriet Paterson.

The design incorporates a staircase and open-plan kitchen area by fellow Sheffield firm Concept Interiors. Other Sheffield suppliers and contractors who worked to deliver the project included electrician New Phase LED, IDAQ Networks, Steven Slack Joinery Services, and Croft Security.

The new site will be open to the public from Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm and will house the company’s residential and commercial design support team, as well as Nest’s personal shopping service consultants.

Nest chief executive and founder, Christian Hawley, says the industrial interior of the unit ‘perfectly encapsulates’ Sheffield’s history, while the ‘breath-taking’ views over the city centre provides the business with excellent display and photoshoot opportunities.

He said: “It was very important to us that we make the most of the original space and features, and complement it with the design of the interior, so we have invested a lot of time into getting everything just right. A considered approach that works in harmony with the existing architecture was something we felt passionate to achieve.”

“Now that work has completed, we are very much looking forward to opening our doors and to welcoming clients from across the country to our new design destination.”

While Nest continues to have a strong online customer base, Christian added that there was still an appetite for a physical showroom where people could see, feel and experience the premium finish of these luxury furniture and lighting items in person.

“Many of our products are investment pieces, and while people are happy to shop online, many also want the option of visiting a showroom where they can really get a feel for what they are buying. This is particularly true of interior designers, and those looking to get advice from our personal shopping service.”

“Our national customer base has grown exponentially over the last few years, and so it was important that we had a location that was fully accessible to our suppliers, commercial clients and residential customers alike.”

Park Hill was built in 1961, providing 998 flats as a solution to slum clearance. Original architects Jack Lynn and Ivor Smith’s brutalist design created three different types of apartment – above, below and adjacent to the deck to suit the full range of home owners from single pensioners to families of six or more. It became known for its ‘streets in the sky’. It was Grade II listed in 1998 .

The redevelopment of Park Hill is a joint venture between Urban Splash and Places for People. Phase 1 of the redevelopment won national recognition for the city by being nominated for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2013. The team is working with designers, architects and public partners to bring life and pride back to this iconic project and make it a genuinely vibrant and sustainable community for the 21st century.