A quick look at 30 years of change in our industry
By Jerry Epperson -- Furniture Today, March 17, 2002
Many of us older folks tend to dismiss change in the furniture industry, but occasionally something makes us remember. We recently released a style study for the last 40 years, and the memories it created have really made us think.
For example, we did not offer queen- and king-sized bedding until the 1960s. Today, the most popular bedding size is queen. It's hard to imagine selling only twin and full-size.
Electronics furniture began in the 1970s. Before that, televisions either sat on TV tables or came built into their own consoles. RCA, Philco, Magnavox and others used to make their own TV cabinets and consoles. Wall units were mostly bookcases, although some European imports were multi-functional, with fold-out tables or beds and drop lids for desks or bars. Today's cabinetry and armoires for televisions are actually a relatively modern invention.
Personal computers, introduced in the early '80s, completely altered the functionality of desks, which date back hundreds of years. Somehow it still seems odd to see an antique-reproduction desk modified for computer use.
When Berkline introduced the first wall-proximity recliner in 1973, the Wallaway, I doubt they realized the close-to-the-wall feature would create an entirely new product segment in our industry beyond reclining chairs. Today's multi-seat major motion would not have been possible without the ability to place it against a wall.
Leather sofas 30 years ago used only perfect, unscarred hides, and were they ever expensive! In the late 1970s, we began to see lower prices from importers like Brazil Contempo, who taught us that those imperfections were actually character marks, not flaws. Since then, leather has been growing at retail and now represents about 22% of the units and 24% of the dollars in upholstered furniture. The growth continues today.
The concept of offering furniture designed for consumer assembly likely began in the United States with snap-together TV and occasional tables in the 1960s, probably by a recognized church furniture manufacturer, Sauder. Back then it was called KD, not RTA. It also grew rapidly, thanks to better assembly methods, increased functionality, affordable prices and improved features, and by a focus on the growth categories of electronics cabinetry and computer desks.
RTA is easy to ship, easy to warehouse and easy for the consumer to take home from the store, all of which have added to its appeal.
Can you imagine our industry without rent-to-own, manufacturers' galleries, fully accessorized vignettes, imports from the Pacific Rim nations, or water and air beds? All are fairly recent developments for our industry.
Wonder what the next 30 years will bring?
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