Atlanta puts accent on design
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 18, 2009
ATLANTA — Furniture sources attending the Jan. 6-14 Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market came prepared with product to brighten the 2009 sales prospects for retailers and designers.
While the market got off to a slow start, traffic picked up heading into the normally busy weekend, and sources said that buyers were placing orders.
Given the stagnant economy, demand was particularly high for unique pieces aimed at filling specific design needs of individual clients, or presenting a value story to retailers seeking quick turns on their sales floors.
Halo Asia saw strong reaction to its contemporary Scaffolding collection of bookcases and occasional tables of reclaimed oak with metal frames. Also popular were the contemporary Salvage dining table and companion mirror and bookcases — also in reclaimed oak, which gives the pieces a weathered, rustic look.
Sister company G&J Styles had a more traditional lineup that also drew orders. Among the hits was a Windemere dining set in English oak with a distressed old English hand-rubbed finish. Also popular was a Swedish Country bedroom and occasional collection, featuring cottage-style pieces made with reclaimed English pine.
Taking a bullish approach to the market, accent furniture specialist Bailey Street Holding Co. showed about 30 introductions in a space that was about triple the size of its previous showroom. The added space allowed the company to show about 70% of its product mix.
“Without this dramatic increase in showroom space, there was no way to properly showcase the line,” said Bailey Street President Greg Waylock, who noted that the company also went to a larger High Point showroom last fall. He said customers told him they never realized the line was so extensive and was “such a great value.”
Highlights at Bailey Street included several pieces with an Art Deco influence — the Mirage sideboard at $1,049 retail and companion cabinet at $849, and the Alexis bar stool and side chair, retailing at about $475 and $429, respectively.
Other signature pieces included a short bookcase on casters, a chair in a royal purple fabric, and the multiple choice bar and dining tables with 10 insert options.
Ambella Home Collection's showroom had a wide selection of traditional-style vanity sinks, electric fireplaces, dining sets, sofas, desks and bedroom groups.
A hit with dealers was a fireplace with a remote control-operated lift mechanism at the back for a 50-inch flat-panel TV. Also popular was a metal and wood frame daybed that doubles as an 80-inch sofa. Shown in an antique gold and silver finish, it retails at about $7,000.
Exhibitors said many of the retailers and designers at the show came from the Southeast, but others ventured from as far away as California and Vermont.
Accent furniture specialist AA Importing carried a wide selection of small pieces such as accent tables, chests and desks.
Among its more popular items was a heavily distressed, solid elm three-drawer chest available in four colors. Buyers also liked the scaling of narrow hall consoles shown with matching mirrors.
AA Importing saw not only furniture retailers in Atlanta, but also a number of gift store merchants.
“They are all looking to expand their offerings,” said President Richard Tallin. “People are trying to be creative in whatever ways they can.
“When things are slow, if they are not in this (furniture) business, they look to this business.”
Furniture Classics, another accent furniture specialist, said its early order-writing activity showed the average written ticket to be double the normal size. But there also were fewer tickets, said Alex Boyer, sales manager.
Among the items that did well was a new group of rustic accent pieces in solid Acacia.
New pieces in the Cotswold collection included a Pembroke table, a Jacobean writing desk, a console, and a round drop-leaf end table with barley twist-shaped gate legs.
The Atlanta market helps companies like Furniture Classics get early feedback for collections they plan to add to at future markets such as High Point and Las Vegas.
It also is important to companies such as Palecek, whose furniture and accessories are especially popular with buyers looking for pieces with natural woven elements.
“Atlanta is certainly the home accessories show for the eastern two-thirds of the country,” said CEO Allan Palecek, whose company has shown here since the 1970s. “It is certainly a very important show for us.
“It is the High Point of the gift industry. There is a very strong customer base here, and it is always fun and exciting to come to this show.”
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