by While attendance was said to be light, the event gave those retailers in town a sneak preview of what to expect at the April High Point Market
HIGH POINT — Dealers in town for this week’s premarket caught a glimpse of some of the new product they will see for the spring market next month, allowing them an opportunity to plan their buying decisions and in some cases lock up distribution for their markets.
While some resources were still awaiting product to arrive in time for market, there were plenty of new collections and line extensions to see at both sponsoring and non-sponsoring showrooms.
A standout in new collections making their debut included Universal Furniture’s latest licensed Coastal Living collection, the 89-piece casual modern-leaning Oasis, its fourth in the line, following Escape, Getaway and Weekend.
Featuring seven beds and seven dining tables, it is made with oak veneers in a heavily wire-brushed natural wood-tone finish called Dockside and quartered-pine veneers in a sandblasted white finish called Shoreline.
In addition to the wood story, the collection features mixed-media elements such as Danish cord on chair frames, woven abaca on consoles and bed panels and frames, sintered stone on cocktail and end tables, a glass reinforced top on a surfboard-shaped dining table and textured polyurethane on the doors of a buffet mimicking waves. Metal also plays a role in the collection, including bases on nightstands, dressers and beds.
The designs aim to appeal to customers who appreciate the coastal lifestyle and aesthetic regardless of whether they live near the ocean or on a lake.
“This is a big portion of our business, and people do look to us for this,” company President Sean O’Connor said of the casual livable designs and use of materials in the Coastal Living collections thus far. “We have done a good job placing it not just in Florida, but all around the U.S.”
The company also showed the transitional 39-piece Montclair collection, which is made with thick-cut oak veneers in a dark Cocoa finish. It features three bedrooms with three different beds including a wood panel bed, a leather bed and a wood-frame fabric upholstered bed, plus three dressers and five nightstand options.
Dining tables include a trestle table with three legs supporting the top on either side and a round table with a glass-reinforced concrete base.
Other mixed-media elements include textured embossed veneers on the drawers of case pieces and the backs of dining chairs and metal ferrules in a Smoked Gold finish on chair and table legs, for example.
The company also showcased new items in its largest upholstery introduction in its history, featuring some 50 new designs across its import and domestic upholstery segments.
Hooker Furnishings’ lineup at premarket included its 45-piece Driftwood collection, which offers every piece in three core finishes, Worn Saddle, a midtone brown finish; Buckboard, a lighter oak tone; and Burnt Timber, a darker oak tone. Made with thick oak veneers, it has Craftsman-inspired design elements that give pieces a handcrafted and hand-finished look and appeal.
Three beds are available including a wood panel bed and a leather and fabric upholstered bed, four dining tables including a rectangular leg table with two leaves that seats about 10 comfortably, along with a round dining table featuring an open pedestal-base table and available in 72-, 60- and 40-inch diameters, plus a flip-top console that can serve as a small dining table when open.
Continuing on a cross product development and merchandising theme started last market, the collection was shown with new companion upholstery pieces developed by the company’s HF Custom, Bradington-Young and M divisions.
It also showed 30 new pieces in its Mélange collection that included a new bedroom group called Be My Guest, made with quartered-oak veneers in a Polished Limestone finish.
Some 50 new pieces in its smaller-scaled Commerce & Market collection also debuted at premarket featuring designs that are geared toward a younger audience.
A.R.T. Furniture said it was about 85% market ready, with line extensions for key lifestyle looks within its line, including a new wood species added to its popular updated traditional Eave collection.
Originally available in flat-cut walnut veneers, pieces at premarket are being shown in quarter-sawn oak in a lighter natural finish called Sun Drenched Oak.
The lighter tone of the wood species and finish combined with other lighter-tone mixed-media elements such as marble tops on case pieces aim to appeal to female consumers seeking to “make their spaces look more organic and personal,” noted Roger Turnbow, president
Meanwhile, A.R.T.’s 20-piece Harbor collection, made with prima-verra veneers in two finishes — a dark brown tone and a Navy Blue — features relaxed traditional artisan-inspired design elements.
And its 35-piece Verge, made with quarter-sawn walnut, has art deco design influences and also features mixed-media elements such as Danish cord on dining chairs and split rattan on drawer fronts of case pieces.
Vaughan-Bassett was also market ready with two introductions that included one new solid wood bedroom introduction in its Artisan & Post collection and one veneered bedroom collection in its Vaughan-Bassett line.
Its solid white oak Joinery collection features mortise-and-tenon design details on beds and case pieces, all of which come in three finishes: Espresso, Natural Oak and Washed White Oak. Beds are targeted to retail from $1,299 to $1,599, and an upholstered panel bed is targeted to retail at $1,299.
The new Lodge & Loft bedroom collection in the Vaughan-Bassett line is made with oak veneers and is available in Soft White, Blonde and Dark Oak finishes. Wood panel beds retail from $999 to $1,099, while a wood frame upholstered panel bed in the same group available in fabric and vegan leather retails at $1,299.
Bassett Furniture gave dealers a sneak preview of its revamped solid wood Bench Made dining line featuring tables with self-storing leaves, while Legacy Classic | Modern showcased several new youth bedrooms including sets that are built off the styles of popular primary bedroom groups. This showed the versatility of designs that work as well in twin and full-sized beds and smaller-scale case pieces as they do in queen and king beds with larger companion wood storage items.
In addition to providing timely styles for youth bedrooms, these smaller-scale groups also meet the demand for second and guest bedrooms as well as smaller living spaces such as condominiums, noted Roland Maddrey, company vice president of sales.
“There’s definitely a place for second bedroom,” he noted, adding that many of the company’s styles and smaller footprints appeal to other areas of the home, in addition to youth bedroom. “It’s not just juvenile.”
