Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Coaster Fine Furniture Heads to HPMKT with New Gallery Concept
October 2,
2024 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry 
Leading North American furniture distributor Coaster Fine Furniture is headed to the High Point Market with its successful gallery concept that blends one of the largest introductions of never-before-seen product across multiple categories with best-sellers into two easy to navigate themes: “Ahead of the Curve” and “Life’s a Beach –Vintage.”
Curated with the merchandising expertise of Crystal Nguyen, vice president of merchandise and strategic product planning at Coaster, the themed environments feature numerous designs exclusive to Coaster at every price point, from promotional to better goods. Coupled with retail-focused merchandising and display ideas, more than half are available to be ordered and immediately shipped, and as such, many of the introductions to be displayed in the showroom are featured in the company’s 2025 catalog.
“Ahead of the Curve,” the larger of the two themed presentations, focuses on contemporary, dynamic designs characterized by sculptural and playful shapes in both upholstery and case goods that reflect a retro feel. The look shines with free-flowing shapes and layered textures, from the stucco walls to the soft-to-the-touch fabrics, with chunky corduroys, thick matte, mohair-like velvets, and faux furs. Warm earth and muted jewel tones pervade, and wood tones are washed to medium brown in color, spiked with black accents and mixed with natural materials.
“The feel is casual and relaxed, but at the same time very stylish,” Nguyen said. “Think spaces that are very clean and minimalist with a focus on wellness, where home becomes your favorite getaway and a place where you can exhale."
The second gallery, “Life’s a Beach-Vintage” defines the maximalist side of the design spectrum, which Nguyen describes as the “return of refined traditional style.” Classic and romantic, the overall aesthetic nods to British Colonial influences, sans the heavy carvings of rice beds past, and the ubiquitous reddish-brown finishes that largely defined the early ‘90s in the furniture business. Gone too is the ring-pull, or as Nguyen called it, “door knocker,” hardware long associated with the look. Instead, hardware is modern, fresh, and coupled with finishes that lean toward the richness of coffee brown.
Indeed, while the environment includes four-poster beds among the offerings, the overall impression is updated, modern and clean lined. “This is not an imprint or a straight translation of what’s happened in the past by any means,” Nguyen said.
“We’re playing with a number of traditional styles made for the way consumers want to really live today, and not just from a stylistic perspective. While Coaster continues to produce goods from promotional to better, we’re continuing to elevate quality across the board coupled with exceptional value. Our focus on craftsmanship continues to leap forward this season with an emphasis on better design, and better construction, supported of course, by exceptional warehouse logistics and top-tier customer service.”
See the new themed galleries, and more, in the Coaster showroom, 111 E. Commerce Avenue.