It’s safe to say that 2020 has been the most unusual year for all. Without the mention of ‘you know what’, one thing we can all agree on is that this year has thrown up many challenges and obstacles in our home and work lives and has of course changed the way we live. At least for the time being, our working situations have been turned upside down with dining tables being used as desks, corners of rooms being transformed into offices and several of those awkward ‘you’re on mute’ moments.
What the team at naughtone has achieved this year, despite everything, is phenomenal. Firstly, we turned 15 years old!
We launched five new products, Ruby, Ruby Wood, Hudson, Pullman Chair and Pullman Sofa.
The Ruby chair is simple and elegant. The broad appeal design has beautiful attention to detail as well as a supportive sitting position. With a moulded polypropylene seat shell, Ruby is wipeable, seamless and hardwearing, making it ideal for the workplace, education, hospitality and residential environments.
Hudson is named after the iconic housekeeper of 221B Baker Street. As the keeper of the coats, Hudson maintains its presence in the room even when filled with coats. Functional and beautiful, the Hudson coat stand has a residential appeal that perfectly complements other products in the naughtone range that feature oak, walnut or folded steel.
The Pullman chair and Sofa are part of the wider Pullman range of high back seating products. The chair is a unique single user privacy seat that acts as an acoustic haven for individual working or retreating, whilst the sofa creates an ideal retreat for individuals to relax in, take private phone calls within or to have a chat with a colleague in an informal environment.
The unique integrated tablet provides an opportunity for users to work within the space for longer periods of time, maintaining comfort.
We redesigned our London showroom and turned it into a virtual showroom to allow worldwide visitors to take a look from the comfort and safety of their own homes. We’ve also taken on a brand new and larger Chicago showroom which will be available for appointments in the New Year.
Later in the year, the Ruby chair was shortlisted for an FX Design Award and naughtone was named Best Large Business and Business of the Year at the Harrogate Business Awards 2020.
In November, the whole naughtone team took part in Herman Miller Group’s first Global Day of Purpose where we took the time to give back to our local communities, with activities such as giving blood, clothes and food donations and gardening for neighbours.
Each year, we pick a charity that we’re going to support as a business through fundraising and donations, and for 2020 it has been the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Through various activities, starting with the Leeds 5-a-Side Football tournament in February, through to our virtual Christmas tombola, the naughtone team managed to raise over £2000 for the charity which will help towards granting wishes for critically ill children.
Finally, our talented sewing team have once again made 75 beds using surplus fabric that will be donated to local animal shelters to keep them warm through the cold winter months.
We’re ready to put 2020 behind us, so on to the New Year!
