A week in the life of the furniture team

You’ll find this lively bunch on the third floor of Sterling House, Wimbledon, the home of Peldon Rose. An eclectic group whose interests range from producing football podcasts, to competing in Cheerleading World Championships, they’re brought together by a shared passion for unlocking the potential of workforces across London.

The Peldon Rose furniture team are an integral part of any workplace project that requires movable fittings and equipment, to truly bring an office environment to life. Acting as an important support and service to the wider business, the team plays a key role throughout the design and build process. Involved from the initial conceptual conversations, the team then work closely with the designers and the client to ensure that furniture is ordered, delivered and installed safely. At Peldon Rose, the furniture team bring the workplace vision to life.

Over half a century of combined experience

Led by head of furniture Wojtek Jakwert, the Peldon Rose furniture team have added value to the workplace on a wide variety of projects across Europe for over half a century. With individuals who bring experience from time spent working in places like Austria and Spain, their individual areas of knowledge and expertise mean they’re an invaluable asset to projects of all shapes and sizes.

Keeping a finger firmly on the pulse of latest trends, technologies and advancements in the furniture world means that furniture consultants Natalie Cox, Hugh Bunce and Marissa Rodrigues are expertly placed to offer impartial, honest advice and recommendations to clients, in order to create a workplace environment that reflects the brand of a business, while balancing cost with quality. Marissa is in fact Peldon Rose’s longest-serving employee, having been a part of the team for 25 years, joining as a university graduate in 1995.

It’s commitment like Marissa’s which means that the furniture team are trusted and revered, with suppliers, clients and designers in equal measure and their passion for their work is palpable. “I love working really closely with our in-house design teams to discover the best products for the client,” says Natalie Cox, Furniture Consultant. “By spending time researching the latest products and identifying sustainable manufacturers, we can make the best decisions possible,” Marissa adds.

From design to delivery

When work begins on a project, the furniture team are drafted in from the outset. Design leads to development and excursions to showrooms with clients, where the ideas take shape. When the furniture range for a project has been carefully chosen and procured, it’s down to Tomas De España Menarguez to bring the vision to reality. As the team’s Project Manager, Tomas is responsible for coordinating the delivery and assembly of furniture on site, ensuring that the highest quality result is achieved.

Often, furniture is the final element to be installed at the closing stages of a design and build project, which means that timing the delivery correctly is paramount. “It’s like trying to coordinate lots of moving cogs in a huge wheel of activity,” Tomas says. “While this is sometimes a challenge, it keeps things interesting.”

“There’s nothing better than walking around a brand-new workplace with a client who is really happy with the finished result,” notes Furniture Consultant Hugh Bunce, who believes that the key to success is building genuine, long-lasting relationships with clients through constant communication and cooperation.

It’s a view that’s shared by Furniture Project Coordinator, Abbi Brooks, who embodies Peldon Rose’s core value of ‘Client for Life’. The main point of contact for all existing clients, Abbi is responsible for responding to a client’s needs once they’ve moved into their new workplace. Whether they need additional pieces of furniture to match existing pieces, or alternative furniture solutions for discontinued items, Abbi is on-hand to help.

“We have the power and chance to change people’s working lives,” says Richard. “Furnishing a workplace properly is about establishing a strong office identity, and infusing life and personality into the workplace.”

“But more importantly, it’s about giving our clients the tools to keep their staff engaged, motivated and valued. Good furniture not only looks good, it also has the power to properly support a workforce, which has never been more important.”

Your homeworking essentials

Sharing their expertise in how to achieve the best work from home set up, we asked the team what piece of kit would feature in their list of homeworking essentials. Nat suggests investing in a laptop table.

“Mixing-up your working environment is essential, and a laptop table means you can spend some time siting on a sofa or armchair, while continuing to work effectively.”

Abbi’s key piece of kit is a sit/stand desk. “When you are at home, and sitting for 8 hours a day, it can take its toll on your back and legs. Being able to stand for periods of time while working prevents you from slouching and improves your alertness, helping you to stay focused, too.”

Marissa notes the importance of protecting your posture. “I’m lucky and haven’t spent much time working from home. When I did, I sat on the sofa and my back was in agony! There is nothing more important than investing in a good task chair.”