Groovystuff Launches Student-Designed Collection

August 15, 2011  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on August 16, 2011

Reclaimed teak furniture vendor Groovystuff will continue its fostering of young design talent with a collection from Appalachian State student Michelle Walbert.

The collection will launch at the International Casual Furniture Market, Sept. 12-16, in showroom 8-4046 of Chicago's Merchandise Mart.
 
Walbert's Deschutes bench by Michelle Walbert is one of many pieces designed to fill the trend gap between emerging young adults and established consumers; and give retailers a product that meets the price point of this sensitive and emerging demographic and the style points that established consumers look for when furnishing their home.
 
"As far as class projects go, this one definitely had a high degree of difficulty. The students had to work with reclaimed teak from Thailand and other components that are part of the Groovystuff line and design a piece that reflects the Dick Idol brand," said ASU Professor Richard Prisco. "In addition, their designs had to be environmentally friendly and lend themselves to being mass produced using sustainable manufacturing practices."
 
Prisco says he believed that if students could be successful under those parameters, he felt they could design just about anything.
 
"Buyers and guests at the spring furniture market in High Point showed a lot of interest in the design work of our students. The students also got an opportunity to network, develop contacts and set up internships," Prisco said. "Perhaps industrial design graduates from Appalachian will one day become the next prominent designers in the furniture industry."
 
The Deschutes bench was designed specifically for the Casual Market and features reclaimed teak I-beams and sustainable outdoor teak flooring. The reclaimed antique I-beams remain the focal point of the indoor/outdoor design and are highlighted in two-tone with the plantation harvested teak flooring.  A flat, lacquer finish softens the contrast between these two types of teak and gives the bench a modern, elegant look. The scale and versatility of this bench make it functional for anywhere inside or outside the home.
 
"Our goal with this competition was to provide students with a platform for creativity and encourage them to embrace the home furnishings industry," said Chris Bruning, president of Groovystuff, Dallas, Texas. "Sales are where the rubber meets the road, and viral media portals like Facebook, along with feedback from market attendees during the design phase helped shape these goods into a product line that hits the market at the right price and fits perfectly into the Gen X, Gen Y market category we were targeting."

Groovystuff has sponsored student design competitions so far with Appalachian State University, Auburn University and the Art Institute of Las Vegas.