Laura Ashley in the red as demand for furniture and curtains tumbles

Laura Ashley (LSE: ALY.L - news) has tumbled into the red after a slump in demand for its furniture and decorating ranges amid "difficult" first-half trading conditions.

It also warned that given "continued market turbulence" it now expected full-year results to fall short of expectations.

The retailer saw earnings wiped out for the six months to the end of 2018 as revenues dropped and, with the addition of one-off accounting charges, it was pushed it to a £1.5m loss.

That compares to a profit of £4.3m for the same period a year ago.

Like-for-like retail sales fell 4.2% despite an upturn in demand for Laura Ashley's fashion ranges.

The company's furniture, beds and mirrors led the downturn with a decline of 14.4% while decorating ranges - covering fabric, curtains, wallpaper and paint - were down 13.5%.

The company's share price was 4% lower by the close of trading.

The chain, which has 156 stores in the UK, has been planning an overhaul of its strategy with plans for new Laura Ashley tea rooms and hotels this year and expansion in Asia.

Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald cut their expectations for the company's annual results but said the acceleration in clothing sales and planned brand development were encouraging.

Laura Ashley's difficulties come after larger rivals such as Next (Frankfurt: 779551 - news) and Marks & Spencer (Frankfurt: 534418 - news) 's also struggled at the end of 2018 amid a tough period for the high street.

Weak consumer confidence and changes to shopping habits have been blamed for the turbulence in the wider sector.