Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
October 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in licensing on October 18, 2010
Precedent, a division of
Sherrill Furniture, has partnered with
DwellStudio partnering to create a furniture collection for the April 2011
High Point Furniture Market.
Bringing their signature eclectic modern look to furniture, DwellStudio has designed a collection of upholstered and occasional pieces that will be manufactured by Precedent and other Sherrill Furniture divisions.
"We are thrilled to partner with DwellStudio because their impressive track record for innovative design in home furnishings," said Woody Williams, Precedent president. "We know that their uniquely modern sense of design in textiles resonates with today's style-aware 25- to 45-year-old consumer, who many of our furniture retailer partners have found elusive. We are excited to translate that same design sense into furniture."
The line has a European mid-century feel to it, but updated with DwellStudio's signature stamp of mixing old and new styles, adding bold color and pattern. For the upholstery collection, fabric sourcing will be a blend of Precedent's current vendors and DwellStudio's collection of residential fabrics with
Robert Allen. Sofas from the collection will retail from $1,400 to $1,800 with occasional tables starting at $600.
"We are thrilled to work with Precedent, a company that is known for transitional/modern design," said Christiane Lemieux, DwellStudio's founder and creative director. "They provide the experience that is essential to executing our styles with a quality level and price point that will our customers have come to expect. We see that there is a growing population of design-minded, new economy consumers who want something unique, eclectic, and well designed at a great price. We wanted to create a meaningful, hand-crafted collection of furniture with multiple fabric options to speak directly to the DwellStudio customer. We knew that Precedent was the perfect partner to help us achieve that goal."
Target retail channels include specialty retailers, furniture stores and interior designers. The collection will also be sold through DwellStudio's store-in-store at
ABC Carpet and Home in New York City.
October 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in High Point on October 18, 2010
The
American Furniture Hall of Fame has inducted four new members: Former
El Dorado CEO Manuel Capo; Darrell and Stella Harris, president and CEO and executive vice president of
Furnitureland South; and Bob Timberlake, president of
Bob Timberlake Inc.Jane Seymour, award-winning actress, author, artist and designer, hosted the induction banquet, attended by more than 400 retailers, buying group members, interior designers, manufacturers, suppliers and association leaders, during
High Point Furniture Market.
"Each fall, we honor an elite group of Industry Fellows with induction into the Hall of Fame, the industry's most prestigious and highest honor," said Jeff Cook, president of the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation. "Selected by a vote of the members of the Foundation, they will forever be remembered for their contributions and passion for this industry. We congratulate each of them for achievements, innovation and generosity as they join the ranks of the Hall of Fame."
The late Manuel Capo grew his family business, El Dorado Furniture, into one of the top 50 of more than 35,000 furniture stores in the United States. As chief executive officer, he led the charge in exceptional customer service, targeting ethnic markets, offering same-day delivery, promoting the store as a brand and giving back to the community and industry. He created the unique concept of a main street with realistic building facades, old fashioned street lamps and benches opening into galleries. All seven of Capo's sons worked side-by-side with him, along with 10 of his 20 grandchildren.
Darrell and Stella Harris founded and have grown Furnitureland South into the world's largest (1.3 million square feet) retail furnishings showplace and an international furniture destination selling to consumers in more than 50 countries. Focused on adding value for the consumer, the family company has pioneered styled vignettes, a "green" gallery to promote sustainable practices, a national delivery team, and shopping amenities such as orientation movie theaters, a full-service restaurant, a coffee house and a lounge.
Bob Timberlake, an internationally recognized artist who has become the brand, partnered with
Lexington Home Brands in 1990 to create "The World of Bob Timberlake." The coordinated lifestyle displays of his products include furniture, textiles, wall décor, floor coverings, lighting, tabletop, gifts, books and collectible items in 20 licensed categories. The groundbreaking success of his theme-based furniture collections reflect his sportsmanship, personality and love for his family and are cross marketed not only in furniture stores, but gift stores and many other distribution channels.
Platinum level HOF sponsors include Ashley Furniture Industries and Furniture Brands International.
Gold sponsors were: AICO; Art Van Furniture; El Dorado Furniture; Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company; International Home Furnishings Center; La-Z-Boy, Inc.; Leggett & Platt, Inc.; and Zenith Global Logistics.
Silver sponsors were: aspenhome; Berkshire Hathaway Furniture Companies; Culp, Inc.; Flexsteel Industries, Inc.; Furnitureland South; Kingsdown, Inc.; Klassner Home Furnishings; Schnadig International Corporation; and Vaughn Bassett Furniture, Inc.
Copper sponsors were: Bassett Furniture Industries; Carpenter Company; Comfort Solutions; Furniture Transport Group; Grand Home Furnishings; Haynes Furniture, Inc.; Havertys Furniture Companies; Home Meridian International; Hooker Furniture Corporation; L. & J. G. Stickley; Raymour & Flanigan Furniture; Restonic Mattress Corporation; RoomStore; Rooms To Go; Samson Marketing; Simmons Bedding Company; Stanley Furniture Company, Inc.; Stoney Creek Furniture; Steinreich Communications LLC; Therapedic, Inc.; and Watkins and Shepard Trucking Inc.
October 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Bedding on October 18, 2010
Bedding major Serta International and Hughes Furniture Inds. have teamed up to license Hughes stationary and motion upholstery under the Serta brand name.
The Serta upholstery program encompasses stationary sofas, love seats, chairs and ottomans, as well as sleepers, recliners and other motion upholstery in a full range of upholstery fabrics.
Furniture will be produced in Hughes' eight manufacturing facilities, which take product from lumber processing and frame construction through foam cutting and gluing, to assembly. Randleman, N.C.-based Hughes Furniture and its subsidiary, Motion-Eaze maintain all production, warehousing and distribution in the United States.
"By working closely with Serta and its powerful brand name, we believe we can significantly grow our business in the next few years," said Hughes Furniture Industries President Bruce Hughes.
As part of this agreement, Hughes will continue to sell products to key top 100 retailers through a well-trained team of in-house sales managers, national account executives and independent representatives.
"The Hughes Furniture approach to efficient manufacturing and comprehensive quality control in the construction of a comfort-focused product meshes very well with Sertas philosophy," said Bob Sherman, president of Serta, Hoffman Estates, Ill. "We're very pleased to be working with a company that's so well-respected in the industry."
Hughes is presenting its first Serta-branded products during during High Point Furniture Market in the companys 258 S. Main St. showroom.
October 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on October 18, 2010
Case goods vendor aspenhome has added a new program to its delivery options that allows retailers more opportunities to order just the products they need.
The new program, SE|USA (Savings Express USA), will allow retailers to order fewer SKUs than the original SE program and still take advantage of mixed container savings. This new distribution channel has been stocked with large inventories in the Phoenix warehouse facility.
"With our new SE|USA Program, retailers will only need as little as 300 cubes instead of a whole container to take advantage of mixed container savings," said Bryan Edwards, aspenhome's vice president of sales. "Plus, with our Fast Track Land Delivery, retailers will be able to receive their orders quickly for 'Just-in-time delivery.'"
The new SE|USA Program brings several other significant benefits to the retailer: the ability to fulfill special orders quickly, choose just what they need from more than 1,700 products to fill their order and Net 30 payment terms that enable retailers to have the merchandise before payment is due.
"Minimizing inventory levels that retailers would have to warehouse and finance creates a big benefit--more GMROI (gross margin return on investment)," said Dave Heard, aspenhome executive vice president of sales. "With our new SE|USA Program, retailers do not have to invest in large inventories of product to keep their customers happy."
October 17,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Case Goods on October 18, 2010
Palliser Furniture is launching a major re-branding effort at this week's High Point Furniture Market.
Historically, the Winnepeg, Manitoba-based company has operated under a product-focused approach. Now, the brand moves to a more lifestyle-focused strategy titled, "My Home, My Style, My Way." A new showroom layout at Palliser's 220 Elm space is just one component in the rebranding effort for Palliser.
"We want our customers to feel the inspiration behind the design of our products," said Cary Benson, president, sales and marketing. "Were still all about quality, value and service, and always will be, but we want our customers to be able to select product beyond color and leather grade. We want them to be able to choose the lifestyle that fits their existence."
The "My Home, My Style, My Way" campaign uses compelling, black and white photography to convey three different lifestyles: Metro, Suburban and Retreat, each appealing to a different target customer.
Metro is reminiscent of a bachelor, living in the city. Product focuses on clean lines and contemporary styles.
The Suburban lifestyle area offers a more simplistic, lived-in experience and evokes feelings of family life. These products are more transitional in design and organic in style.
Finally, the Retreat lifestyle is more relaxed and weathered, as if perfected over time coupled with an escape from reality. There's an easy-going, yet refined mood associated with the product.
Ultimately, the rebranding effort in the High Point showroom will extend to the retail level. Retail galleries will be outfitted with branding panels and screens, communicating lifestyle stories with visual imagery.
"This market is really important for us. We really want to show our customers that we've invested in the brand and have made a commitment to moving it forward," Benson said. "We're also committed to our showroom here in High Point. We're here to stay."
The re-branding effort also includes the launch of a new sales system for Palliser's retail partners. The new sales system, complete with a reconfigured layout design is complete with branding screens and panels to communicate Palliser's new "My Home, My Style, My Way" lifestyle strategy,
"It's important that the Palliser brand message be consistent from corporate to retail to consumer," Benson said. "Our retail partners count on us to provide them with the tools to effectively extend the Palliser brand."
Each new Palliser gallery will be designed to communicate the Metro, Suburban and Retreat lifestyles. Creating lifestyle vignettes allows consumers to connect with the Palliser brand emotionally. Each lifestyle is conveyed via images on branding screens and panels. The photographic images are dramatic black and white, up close, tight crops of different components relative to each lifestyle.
For example, the Metro screens include masculine images of a contemporary apartment, a close up of a man's suit cuff and an antique globe. Suburban screens portray family imagery such as a steaming cup of coffee on an outdoor table, a Labrador retriever playing with a ball, and a little girl on a backyard swing. Retreat screens conjure feelings of a more relaxed time and an escape from reality with rustic images like an antique compass, the weathered siding of a lakeside cabin and a collection of old family photos.
"All the images resonate with the consumer, making them feel as though they're actually living the lifestyle," Benson said. "They identify with it and then, with the Palliser brand."
The branding screens were designed to suspend from the ceiling or stand on the floor in the galleries, eliminating any need for heavy construction. The black and white photographs allow for the product to work with the branding screens, rather than compete for the consumer's attention. The retail sales system will launch first in the United States, followed by Canada with select retail partners.
The overall rebranding campaign, along with the retail sales system design was created by Palliser in cooperation with Martin Roberts Design, who Benson acknowledges as key to the concept. Martin Roberts Design is an award-winning team of retail consultants, architects, interior designers, and graphic designers.