Home Retail Group Plc : Use a mouse to make a home at Homebase

Homebase  |  Press release

The perfect home is only a click away with Homebase's revolutionary 'Create Your Own Look' tool. The new online technology allows customers to transform the look of their home instantly at the click of a mouse, with access to over 1,000 paints, 200 flooring and tiling choices and over 900 wallpaper options.

Richard Bruce, Head of Brand and Proposition, said, "Fifty per cent of customers come into stores looking for inspiration and advice to boost their confidence when they are considering decorating a room. The 'Create Your Own Look' tool helps give customers confidence to experiment with different looks online, in the comfort of their own hme, before taking the next step with their decorating project.."

'Create Your Own Look' has the capability to style a room by visualising decorating solutions in six rooms: living room, kitchen, dining room, hall and stairs, bedroom and bathroom. In each category there are six images with different design styles to transform. Alternatively, for an even more realistic view of your home you can personalise your room by uploading a photo of a room from your home and then manipulate the colour scheme and flooring to your hearts content.

The'Create Your Own Look' tool allows customers to highlight an area of the room they want to decorate, and select a product from our extensive range of paints, wallpapers, tiles and flooring.

The wall, floor or ceiling instantly changes showing customers how the room could look. The images have genuine perspective, demonstrating how paint appears lighter closer to windows and the scale of a wallpaper print.

Customers can save their design, which features a list of products they have used before taking the next step to purchase online at homebase.co.uk or Reserve & Collect in store. At Homebase, we understand that any decorating project is a tremendous commitment, so designs can be re-visited and updated as frequently as required before even purchasing a brush!

'Create Your Own Look' is now live on the Homebase website - for more information.

Homebase was named as the winner of 'Best Use of In Store Marketing Technology in Retail' at the Retail Systems Awards 2011 for the 'Creat Your Own Look' touchscreens in Homebase Aylesford, Kent and has been short listed for 'Retail Technology Initiative of the Year' and 'Customer Service Initiative of the Year' at the Retail Week Awards 2012. Homebase's strength in its offering across decorating has been reflected in being named 'Decor Retailer of the Year' at the DIY Week Awards 2011.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Iris PR
[e-mail] / 020 7654 8190
[e-mail] / 020 7922 8122

Homebase in-house PR team
[e-mail] / 01908 600 717

Notes to editors:

About Homebase
Homebase is one of the UK's leading home enhancement retailers and is recognised for choice, style and customer service. It has more than 340 large, out-of-town stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. In the financial year to February 2011, Homebase's sales were £1.6 billion and it employed some 19,000 people across the business.

Homebase sells over 38,000 products across its home enhancement ranges, and has a growing internet offering at
Homebase serves over 65 million customers per year through its stores and offers customers the convenience of home delivery for bulky, high-value items.

Homebase was the first UK DIY retailer to achieve Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certification and the first national DIY retailer to be recognised with a Government TrustMark Award, achieved for its kitchen installation service.

Homebase is part of Home Retail Group, the UK's leading home and general merchandise retailer. Home Retail Group has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard which certifies that we have genuinely reduced our carbon footprint. We call our responsible approach 'the basis of good business'.