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Metal bed sources promote value, design

By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, February 16, 2009

LAS VEGAS — LAS VEGAS — Metal bed vendors came to the market with a mix of new product, programs and values all aimed at spurring activity in the category.

Hillsdale Furniture showed 10 new metal beds targeted to retail at $199 to $499 as well as four new metal daybeds that start at $149.

“Las Vegas (in winter) is the most-attended market,” said Keith Merriwether, vice president of sales. “We see more people here than anywhere and we want to get as much exposure as we can. We are more aggressive in our approach in the winter and the spring.”

Fashion Bed Group had eight new metal beds, mostly priced to retail at $299 to $599. Some are transitional models with textured finishes aimed at attracting more male consumers.

By the middle of market, the company was looking to put seven of these into production. Among the top performers were the $459 Gimball, a transitional model in a textured cappuccino finish, and the $599 Channing bed, a transitional bed in a nickel copper finish.

Another popular model was the $399 Grace bed, a transitional model with whimsical curves in a platinum silver leaf finish.

The finishes and styling in particular lured buyers looking for fresh looks for their floors, said Ron Ainsworth, senior vice president of procurement for company parent Leggett & Platt.

He added that the line also is hitting prices previously offered on beds with less complicated finishes.

Amisco received positive response to a $599 platform bed called the Tessa in an antique brass finish. It also promoted several other beds introduced in Toronto and High Point in platform formats that allow additional storage space underneath the bed.

Due to savings it has achieved with currency rates and stabilized raw materials costs, Amisco also offered buyers 20% to 30% discounts on seven models introduced in 2008 as well as a $50 discount on the cost of the Samson canopy bed introduced last fall in High Point. That decrease alone lowered the retail on that bed from $699 to $599.

Amisco also introduced three new finishes — red, light purple and light blue — that complement juvenile products in the line. With these new finishes, it now has 13 custom finish options.

Wesley Allen showed some of its best-selling models from previous markets, some in slightly different configurations, said Terry Steed, vice president of sales.

Among the other companies showing metal or wood-and-metal bed combinations here were Lexington Home Brands, Shadow Mountain, Artisan Home and Prestige Furniture.

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Metal bed sources promote value, design

Feb 12, 2009

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