Häfele UK has worked with leading fitted furniture manufacturer Hammonds to develop a bespoke LED wardrobe lighting solution, combining thoughtful design and everyday functionality with seamless manufacturing and installation.
Guided by their commitment to helping customers live better through beautifully design, functional storage solutions, Hammonds identified an opportunity to enhance their fitted wardrobes with integrated lighting.
The solution needed to provide even illumination throughout the wardrobe interior, automatically switch on and off as the doors open and close, and remain discreet within the overall furniture design.
Practically, the lighting also needed to work within Hammonds’ existing wardrobe panels and be straightforward to stock, pick and pack within its production operation. Installation was another factor, with the lighting simple enough for existing fitting teams to complete without specialist equipment or an electrician.
“With more than 250 customer orders going through our manufacturing operation each day, it was important that any new solution could be integrated easily into our existing processes,” said Surinder Dahri, Buyer at Hammonds.
“We’ve partnered with Häfele for many years and have a similar ethos for functional design, so we approached them to find a solution.”
After reviewing existing lighting options, Häfele identified that an off-the-shelf product would not meet the full brief, and began working with Hammonds to develop a bespoke solution. The process included adapting and testing prototypes until the required performance, appearance and fit were achieved.
Jamie McLaren, Business Development Manager at Häfele UK, said: “The brief covered much more than the performance of the lighting itself. We needed to understand how the wardrobes were manufactured, handled and installed, and develop a solution that worked with those processes.”
The outcome was a series of lighting product kits supplied to Hammonds which eliminate the need for the team to pick and dispatch individual components themselves. All products – including drivers, sensors, and lighting strips – are supplied together, ready for use, creating a more efficient, and less labour-intensive process for Hammonds. This way of working also minimises the risk of components being misplaced or mixed up during handling and distribution.
Working closely with Hammonds also meant Häfele could refine the components chosen to meet the specific design of the finished product.
The kits offer three individual lengths of lighting strip required for Hammonds’ designs, which work to position the lighting at the front of the wardrobe side panels, providing even illumination across the interior while avoiding glare. Importantly for Hammonds, this also means it can be incorporated without altering its existing panels.
A sensor activates the lighting automatically when the wardrobe door opens, while the plug-and-play system can be installed by Hammonds’ fitting teams without specialist electrical equipment or an electrician.
Häfele also supports Hammonds through its Service+ offering. Using Service+ Customised, light bars are cut to Hammonds’ required dimensions, assembled and tested before being packaged into complete one- or two-door sets.
This removes additional preparation from Hammonds’ own operation and helps simplify stocking, picking and installation. The finished system is also supported by Häfele’s seven-year warranty.
The kits have been so successful, that more than 2,000 units have been sold for projects within a year, with sales at consistent levels each month.
Surinder continued: “Jamie and the team brought real enthusiasm to the project from day one. We handed Häfele a brief, and they listened, refined it, and came up with many solutions. The team was always receptive to feedback and adapted to our requirements, which is why they’re one of our most trusted business partners.
Häfele’s partnership with Hammonds is an example of the company’s wider approach to working with furniture manufacturers, combining product development with support around manufacturing, assembly and logistics. Through co-creation and co-engineering, the aim is to develop solutions around how a customer already works, helping introduce new products or features without adding unnecessary complexity to production. For more information, visit Häfele UK’s Service+ page.
