Occasional increasingly tied to case goods, upholstery
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, September 17, 2001
HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — Several manufacturers at premarket said they are looking increasingly to tie occasional furniture to case goods and upholstery.
An influx of imported tables at recent markets led many companies to adopt an eclectic approach, where tables didn't match any collection but fit together nicely. As more manufacturers improve partnerships with offshore plants, new tables are incorporating designs elements from dining room or upholstered furniture.
Some producers continue to make tables domestically and can more easily coordinate looks.
A popular look in occasional and accent furniture at premarket was the West Indies or Caribbean look. The style appeared at Magnussen/Presidential as well as in Hooker's Tropical Breeze collection, Kincaid's Bermuda and Bernhardt's T-80 occasional group.
Jeff Cook, president at Magnussen/Presidential, said the industry has been influenced by Lexington's re-emphasis on its Tommy Bahama line.
Rountree Collett, executive vice president at Bernhardt, said that two of the company's new collections will have 12 to 20 occasional pieces by the time the lines are finalized for market.
The T-81 collection features a new upholstery frame, Collett said. The carvings on the front of the sofa arm match the rubberwood legs of the cocktail table. The oak veneer top has a gold dry-brush effect that goes well with the upholstery. He said Bernhardt is eager to do more to connect upholstery and occasional.
At Century, the Casa collection, constructed of alder solids, wrought hand-hammered iron and beveled glass, incorporates multiple influences. The table bases and stretchers feature intricate curves that coordinate with the case goods, while the glass top offers a good view of the iron.
In Stanley's new Eleganté collection, occasional table legs match those of the dining room table. The collection also comes with a home entertainment wall. The same matching occurs in the Quintessence group.
Broyhill showed 17 new table groups at premarket, five of which go with collections.
Pulaski has about 45 new occasional and accent pieces, many of which coordinate with new and existing case goods collections.
At Ashley, occasional furniture is so tied in with upholstery that it is managed by the upholstery division instead of case goods. The company will show about 10 new table groups in October, some with bombé chests and secretaries.
