HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — Major case goods suppliers exhibiting at premarket took a variety of tacks to combat a soft year for the industry but relied for the most part on safe styling for their market introductions.
Lifestyle looks re-emerged after a hiatus of a couple of years, but this time with a more transitional feel.
When Shaker and Mission elements arose, they did so with softer, more rounded forms.
Another round of traditional European product is on tap, both sun coast Mediterranean on the casual end, and formal Continental and British.
October will see major introductions in outdoor-inspired product, but without the lodge or primitive emphasis seen in markets past.
The most derring-do is found in a couple of contemporary offerings. It's also worth noting that contemporary pieces such as platform beds that accommodate conventional bedding are found in collections across the board.
With the exception of ornate European, the above styles are compatible with domestic manufacturing. Several companies which import significant amounts of furniture are showing renewed emphasis on product to drive their domestic plants.
In transition
American Drew's Gatherings cherry collection and Keller's Restoration in reddish white oak are good examples of a more transitional lifestyle theme.
"Dealers are telling us there's a trend in household cabinetry that has a clear cherry story contrasted with bronze hardware," said Tom Tilley, vice president at the Ladd division of La-Z-Boy, American Drew's divisional parent. "We're looking at a modified Shaker finish and feeling with a little more guts and visual interest."
Keller's group has more heft and shape than typical lifestyle Mission, said Scott Armstrong, vice president of sales and marketing.
"It has a prevalence of craftsman features such as real joinery plugs and exposed dovetailing, along with halogen lighting and other features to appeal to modern consumers, but the lines are softer and more rounded than in straight Mission," he said. "The sleigh bed has a sleeker blanket rail."
At Klaussner, which marked its entry into case goods with the Dick Idol Home collection, and Thomasville, where the newest edition of Hemingway, Windemere, debuts, the outdoor life took center stage.
Both collections rely not on blatant lodge looks, but elements of the outdoors as a lifestyle. Idol is a famed wildlife artist, and his own designs add a touch of the wilderness to fabrics and case fronts in a collection whose overall style is relaxed traditional.
Windemere looks to the upper peninsula of Michigan, where Hemingway spent much of his youth hunting and fishing, to achieve a casual getaway-home feel. While Klaussner's Idol line is sourced offshore, almost all of Windemere, predominantly an oak group with simple lines, is made stateside.
"This by far is the most domestic Hemingway group," said Guy Walters, Thomasville's vice president and general manager of product design. "All the key pieces are based on solid American styles, so it's a good fit for what we do well."
New interest
Many manufacturers looked to European traditional again as a safe bet, but Henredon added some interest with Neoclassique, an architectural study in butt-cut walnut veneers.
"From a marketing point of view, it's conservative, classic elegance and less eclectic than some of what we've done recently," said Mike Dugan, president. "The scale is in between the massive stuff we were making. We don't see a trend to smaller sizes, but we need this in our line. The style fits the scale."
Along with a new flavor of Budji called Makati, E.J. Victor is putting an interesting spin on classic French styles with the Frenchie collection, an addition to the Carol Hicks Bolton licensed line. A showpiece there is an upholstered panel bed.
"This is not a typical French; it's got (Bolton's) twist on it," said John Jokinen, president of E.J. Victor. "It will take a look popular on her sofas and put it on a bed."
Century's Casa collection draws from Tuscany, Spain and California Mission in an elegant rendition of casual Mediterranean. The look rounds out Century's line.
Bill Faber, vice president of product design, said, "We wanted to be a tad more upscale in form but keep it casual, and we needed a little darker finish in the line."
Century took one of relatively few bold style moves as well, with a massive panel king bed framed by cast stone pillars and pediments.
Exotic differences
Two of the more daring collections are found in contemporary offerings: Hickory White's Retrospect in South American Albisia veneers, and Bernhardt's Satori in another exotic veneer, peroba.
Randy Austin, president of Hickory White, said the timing was good for a modern group.
"The retro thing is a happening," he said. "We've gotten great confirmation from dealers."
Some of the lines on Satori recall Bernhardt's Paris collection — but with a bite. The peroba veneers are full of action, and the clean lines of have a touch of the wild.
"We asked our designers for something contemporary, but with a mix of primitive elements such as tusk legs and crocodile-textured leather," said William Collett, director of merchandising for residential case goods.
It was a tough call striking a style balance this market in terms of safety and risk, said Dugan at Henredon.
"Dealers will want something that's so fresh they have to have it, or so predictable that they're comfortable it will sell," he said.
