Sectionals back in the spotlight
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, April 28, 2002
HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — After languishing in the background for what seems like eons, sectional sofas are creeping back into the spotlight.
While some upholstery producers say their sectionals business has been solid over the years, most report the category has waxed and waned — and probably will never regain the popularity of the old pit groups of a few decades ago.
But this market saw more of the multi-piece groupings, for a variety of reasons.
"We're seeing more great rooms and home theater, so sectionals are excellent for that," said Roy Calcagne, vice president of merchandising for Broyhill. The company brought out large and small-scaled sectionals designed to fit a variety of room sizes and configurations.
Ashley showed two sectionals, including a sectional and cocktail table combo, to hit $999 retail.
Kerry Lebensburger, president of sales for Ashley's upholstery division, said sectionals are great merchandising tools, adding variety to store floors. "You can use a sectional along with sofas, chaises and loveseats to keep the floors from getting boring," he said.
Smith Sharpe, vice president of sales and marketing for CR Laine, which had six sectionals in its line, said that updating the looks helped.
"Chaises have a lot to do with the sectional coming back," he said. "It's not just putting a sofa and loveseat together anymore. The chaise is the only really new component."
Colin R. Keefer, president and chief executive officer of Comfort Designs, postulated that lifestyles may have outpaced the older designs, particularly in size and scale. "We felt our new designs needed to be for people with normal homes," he said.
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| Creative Designs scaled this sectional to fit "normal" homes. |
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| Broyhill has a sectional in its new Portfolio collection. |
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