Journal
Guides, comparisons and reference notes
Working notes from the Faura team for interior designers, architects, developers and contractors specifying Italian furniture, joinery and textiles in London.
Guide · Trade practice · 10 July 2026 · 9 min read
Trade-Only vs Retail Furniture Showrooms in London: What's the Difference?
Compare trade-only and retail furniture showrooms in London, including access, pricing, samples and specification support. Read the practical guide.
Read the article →Guide · London showrooms · 14 July 2026 · 9 min read
The Best Luxury Furniture Showrooms in London (2026 Guide)
A 2026 guide to luxury furniture showrooms in London — including Faura's trade-only Westminster showroom alongside other established names.
Read the article →Guide · Trade accounts · 18 July 2026 · 9 min read
How Interior Designers Open a Trade Account for Designer Furniture in London
How London interior designers open a trade account for designer furniture: eligibility, documents required and how to make the most of trade access.
Read the article →Guide · Italian brands · 20 July 2026 · 9 min read
Italian Furniture Brands London Designers Should Know in 2026
Explore eight Italian furniture, lighting and textile brands London interior designers should know in 2026, from Laura Meroni to Dedar. Discover them.
Read the article →Guide · Specification · 22 July 2026 · 10 min read
Where to Source Furniture, Lighting and Finishes for a London Project: A Specifier's Guide
A specifier's guide to sourcing furniture, lighting and finishes for a London project — design districts, trade showrooms and sample libraries.
Read the article →Guide · Surfaces · 25 July 2026 · 9 min read
Stone, Porcelain and Marble Surfaces for London Interiors
Compare marble, natural stone and large-format porcelain for London interiors. Explore Florim, Cosentino and Margraf at Faura's Westminster showroom.
Read the article →Guide · Fit-out sourcing · 27 July 2026 · 10 min read
Interior Fit-Out Sourcing in London: How One Showroom Covers Beyond Furniture
Discover how Faura’s London showroom simplifies full interior fit-outs with furniture, joinery, lighting, bathrooms, stone, paints, hardware and contractors.
Read the article →Guide · Client hosting · 29 July 2026 · 8 min read
Where to Present an Interior Design Scheme to a Client in London
Discover how to present an interior design scheme to clients at Faura’s Westminster showroom, with staged materials, private space and expert support.
Read the article →Journal · 6 September 2026
Keep 5 Years' Records: UK Fabric Fire Rules for Trade Suppliers and Designers
Keep 5 Years' Records: UK Fabric Fire Rules for Trade Suppliers and Designers ! Composite upholstery specimen during fire safety testing Every supplier, manufacturer and retailer of domestic upholstered furniture in the UK must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended in 2025.
Read the article →Journal · 5 September 2026
Six Steps to Sustainable Materials Sourcing for Procurement Teams
Six Steps to Sustainable Materials Sourcing for Procurement Teams ! Hands inspecting sustainable material samples Sustainable materials sourcing means selecting and qualifying material inputs, upstream through tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers, based on verified environmental and social performance rather than price alone.
Read the article →Journal · 4 September 2026
UK Designers: 3 Pre Shipment Checks to Cut Furniture Import Admin
UK Designers: 3 Pre Shipment Checks to Cut Furniture Import Admin ! Hands checking a sealed furniture export crate Yes, you can import furniture into the UK for client projects or showroom stock, but three things need sorting before anything leaves the factory: register for a GB EORI number, agree who is importer of record under your Incoterms, and confirm your supplier has the correct commodity codes and safety documentation ready.
Read the article →Journal · 3 September 2026
210 Brands to Speed Designer Brand Collaborations for UK Designers
210 Brands to Speed Designer Brand Collaborations for UK Designers ! Designers comparing materials in a London showroom Designer brand collaborations turn a practice's design authority into co-developed products, exclusive ranges and showroom representation, with royalties or commissions replacing one-off fees.
Read the article →Journal · 2 September 2026
210 Brands Under One Roof: Finishes and Coatings for Designers
210 Brands Under One Roof: Finishes and Coatings for Designers ! Decorative plaster finish being burnished A finishes and coatings guide is only useful if it produces a working document: a finish schedule with named system build-ups, gloss levels and a sample or mock-up request against every line.
Read the article →Journal · 1 September 2026
7 steps to fix sample return logistics for UK studios (hybrid)
7 steps to fix sample return logistics for UK studios (hybrid) ! Hands sorting interior sample returns Adopt a standard intake, catalogue, loan and centralised return workflow, and most sample losses simply stop happening.
Read the article →Journal · 31 August 2026
Stop Specification Risk in Contract vs Retail Furniture for Designers
Stop Specification Risk in Contract vs Retail Furniture for Designers ! Upholstery undergoing commercial performance testing Use contract furniture wherever guests, clients, or the public will sit, and reserve retail furniture for private, low-traffic rooms where the risk of premature wear carries no safety or reputational cost.
Read the article →Journal · 30 August 2026
10–20% Procurement Fees in UK Interior Design: Audit Trail Explained
10–20% Procurement Fees in UK Interior Design: Audit Trail Explained ! Organised procurement records in design showroom A procurement fee, sometimes called an FF&E handling fee, pays for the design team's sourcing, ordering, and delivery management on furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
Read the article →Journal · 29 August 2026
Stop VAT Reclaim Rejections: Pro Forma vs Invoice for UK Studios
Stop VAT Reclaim Rejections: Pro Forma vs Invoice for UK Studios ! Hands reviewing VAT procurement documents A pro forma invoice is a non-binding preview of a sale; it has no legal or accounting weight and creates no VAT liability.
Read the article →Journal · 28 August 2026
Pick an Interior Design Residency That Solves Client Facing Needs
Pick an Interior Design Residency That Solves Client Facing Needs ! Material samples and sketches on design residency workspace table An interior design residency gives a designer dedicated time, space and resources to research, develop or prototype a design-led project, usually outside the pressure of billable client work.
Read the article →Journal · 27 August 2026
Cut Days to One Visit: FF&E Spec Writing for Interior Designers
Cut Days to One Visit: FF&E Spec Writing for Interior Designers ! Hands arranging interior design material samples A proper interior specification turns a design decision into a document a vendor, contractor or client can act on without asking a single follow-up question.
Read the article →Journal · 25 August 2026
What wholesale terms in furniture contracts actually mean
What wholesale terms in furniture contracts actually mean ! Contract and fabric swatches on showroom table Before ordering a single piece, check five clauses: price and price-change rights, VAT treatment, payment terms, title and risk transfer, and minimum order or return conditions.
Read the article →Journal · 24 August 2026
London Design Week 2026: dates, districts and a trade guide
London Design Week 2026: dates, districts and a trade guide ! Material samples on table in trade showroom London's design calendar in 2026 hinges on two windows.
Read the article →Journal · 23 August 2026
A sample management system that stops swatches going missing
A sample management system that stops swatches going missing ! Hands labeling fabric and tile samples A sample management system is the combination of catalogue, storage and check-in/check-out protocol that lets a design studio find, loan and account for every fabric swatch, tile cutting and finish board it holds.
Read the article →Journal · 22 August 2026
What is white glove delivery, and is it worth the cost?
What is white glove delivery, and is it worth the cost? !
Read the article →Journal · 21 August 2026
Interior design fees UK: what showroom and residency costs cover
Interior design fees UK: what showroom and residency costs cover ! Designer hands choosing fabric and materials Interior design fees in this context mean what independent designers pay to access a London trade showroom and residency, not what designers charge private clients.
Read the article →Journal · 20 August 2026
A materials library gives designers faster, better-sourced projects
A materials library gives designers faster, better-sourced projects ! Hands selecting materials in a showroom library A materials library performs three jobs at once: it lets you handle and compare samples physically, it holds the digital specification data your drawings depend on, and it connects you directly to procurement.
Read the article →Journal · 20 August 2026
Project kickoff checklist: templates and steps for a strong start
Project kickoff checklist: templates and steps for a strong start ! Hands arranging project kickoff documents on table A proper project kickoff checklist ensures the whole team leaves the first meeting with scope agreed, RACI assigned and the first actions tracked.
Read the article →Journal · 19 August 2026
Interior design presentation boards: a practical guide
Interior design presentation boards: a practical guide ! Hands assembling interior design presentation board A professional interior design presentation board is a curated, client-facing document that turns concept into a decision.
Read the article →Journal · 18 August 2026
Interior design brief: template and step-by-step guide
Interior design brief: template and step-by-step guide ! Hand holding material samples over design brief An interior design brief is a short, shareable document that sets out your goals, constraints, and deliverables so that every proposal you receive can be judged against the same information.
Read the article →Journal · 18 August 2026
Brand activations in London: the showroom-first playbook
Brand activations in London: the showroom-first playbook ! Hand arranging material samples in showroom For a showroom-hosted brand activation in London, book a trade-facing space with proper specification infrastructure and an on-site event manager already assigned.
Read the article →Journal · 17 August 2026
Vendor onboarding checklist for designers joining Faura
Vendor onboarding checklist for designers joining Faura ! Hands unpacking and inspecting design samples Send a brand dossier, two showroom-ready samples and a clear trade price list to begin onboarding at Faura.
Read the article →Journal · 17 August 2026
Studio Designer vs Design Manager: which studios should pick
Studio Designer vs Design Manager: which studios should pick ! Hands sorting design samples and swatches Studio Designer suits firms that need item-level procurement and integrated accounting under one roof; Design Manager suits mid-size firms wanting pre-loaded vendor catalogues and a standalone general ledger.
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Visit the showroom
See the full brand roster in person at 75 Page Street, Westminster. Trade visits are by appointment, Monday to Friday.