Bernard Interiors, the award-winning Northumberland-based luxury interior design business, is targeting doubling in size in the next five years after seeing profits rise by 60 percent in 2017.
Entrepreneur Jen Bernard set up the company in 2008 and in 2016 she began to build a team to grow the business whilst moving into new premises in Ponteland, which host a design studio and a showroom for clients.
Now employing a team of seven, the business plans to add a further two people to the design team to meet demand from clients.
The practice specialises in luxury commercial and residential projects throughout the UK and abroad and last year won an international design award for the redesign of a listed building in Scotland.
Its growth will be built upon a number of significant projects and clients secured in recent months, most notably UK market-leading retirement village operator, Audley. The four-year contract involves work on new build and refurbishment projects with a total construction value of over £200 million.
Bernard Interiors has been successful in winning repeat business from elderly care clients such as Hadrian Healthcare Group, Northstar and Castlemeadow Care as well as several private residential clients.
Supporting the growth of Bernard Interiors is Newcastle-based advisory firm, Ryecroft Glenton (RG). RG supports Bernard Interiors’ operations manager Les Irving in looking after every aspect of the company’s accounting and tax compliance requirements.
Jen Bernard said: “We’ve worked hard over the last couple of years to put good foundations in place for further growth, including the right professional support, and now we are really beginning to see the results.
“We achieved turnover of more than £1 million for the first time in 2016, which we repeated last year and profits are projected to double in 2018. Last year we increased staff numbers across the company by 17 percent and plan to grow the design team by 30 percent in 2018.”
Jen added: “Ryecroft Glenton provides us with a comprehensive, personal service. Its team are interested in our business and we feel they are part of our business. The firm understands the challenges and opportunities for business growth and has a similar culture to us which has helped us develop a strong working relationship.”
Dan Cooper, Senior Manager at RG, said: “It is a pleasure to support such an ambitious and growing company, which has established a niche in its target markets. Jen’s ambitions for the business and the support of her team will really help drive further growth, leading to further job creation.”