With a myriad of styles and finishes available for wiring accessories, Katie Plumstead, Group Marketing Manager with Scolmore Group, shares some of the feedback the company has received on the styles and finishes that are proving most popular.
There’s never been a wider choice of styles and finishes in wiring accessories available, giving designers and end users the opportunity to reflect the latest trends for interior design in the switches and sockets that they choose. Once considered purely functional items, wiring accessories have become an essential design feature contributing to the overall style and finish of a room.
Scolmore supplies a comprehensive wiring accessories collection, with something to suit all levels of budget, style requirements and finishes – from the Essentials basic range through to the Deco Plus premium, decorative metal collection.
Following a recent poll of some of our customers in a number of regions around the country, we’re able share feedback on what is proving most popular.
Back to (matt) black
For decorative finishes satin chrome continues to be the number one choice for many installers/end users. Demand for matt black and grey finishes continue to gather momentum and a number of projects planned for 2023 are specifically calling for matt black accessories.
Scolmore first introduced matt black as a finish to its Definity screwless wiring accessories range in 2008, with the matt black finish option recently extended to include a metal matt black version. The launch was in response to feedback from installers working on domestic and specification projects who were looking for an alternative premium finish for interiors. The matt black metal finish sits alongside the white metal plates that are part of the range.
It would appear that the trend for rose gold that was there a few years ago has all but disappeared, however in some areas it seems there is a desire to go back in time with brass and antique brass continuing to remain extremely popular. Square edge white accessories such as Scolmore’s Click Polar premium bright white range are still popular in the local authority sector where the replacement of existing products remains a major requirement.
From a USB charging point of view Scolmore has found that there is still a lack of understanding when it comes to USB charging products, with a lot of demand still for the USB C product. However, once the benefits of a USB A and USB C combined socket are explained as a future-proofing option, this is helping to drive demand.
The uptake on smart home accessories has been slow to take off as many homeowners still see it as a high-end product. However, we’re finding that the Click Smart+ range is starting to get more traction as the end user and contractor get more of an understanding of how the whole “Smart Home” system works within everyday life.
A la Mode
The backdrop to all of this is that our Click Mode range of white wiring accessories remains Scolmore’s best-selling wiring accessories collection to date. The Mode range was conceived and developed as a high quality, flexible and modern solution for virtually any domestic wiring requirement. The smooth, contemporary lines of the accessory plate fits easily into traditional and contemporary designs alike and the modular design allows installers flexibility in creating dedicated wiring solutions to deal with specific wiring needs.
When selecting wiring accessories installers have often had to compromise their schemes as they’ve been unable to identify a suitably modular solution to satisfy their ideas. Mode accessories have been providing that flexibility, with a comprehensive selection of products that range from the humble light switch and socket outlet through to more specialised products that deal with the latest developments in telephone and satellite products.
Investment and innovation
Scolmore has continued to invest in this range since it was originally launched, introducing products in visually contrasting versions to meet with Part M regulations, adding the Mode locating plug socket soon after. This was followed by USB sockets available in one and two-gang, and single and twin USB options, with integrated Type A and Type C charging ports on the same socket.
The latest development to the Mode range saw the launch of lounge combination plates, giving the installer the flexibility to configure any combination of audio, video, data and media connection on one plate as required. Products from the range have been specified and installed across a huge range of applications including schools, hospitals, care homes, hotels, offices and leisure complexes.
Browse the Scolmore online wiring accessories catalogue here
