Youth stretching to lure teens
By Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, February 8, 2004
SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO — Youth furniture makers that showed at the market here are offering designs that seek to reach teens while holding on to younger children.
Several producers over the past year have sought to attract older kids with more sophisticated goods that could accompany them to college — and furnish second bedrooms, guest rooms and second homes.
But they aren't forgetting the grade-school children who account for a large chunk of their sales.
The youth category is a major part of Palliser's business, said David Wormald, general manager of case goods, and the Canadian producer long has been known for laminated bedroom groups in bright colors. But that emphasis is broadening, he said, as the company offers contemporary looks targeted at kids 12 and older.
"Teens know what they like and don't like," Wormald said. The product must have better quality and design to appeal to them, he said, although pricing must acknowledge that many parents aren't willing to spend as much on a kid's room as their own.
The Powell Co. had a big hit in October with its Teen Trends group. At San Francisco, the company expanded the collection with a bed bench, study center and storage ottoman.
Youth furniture is growing faster than adult bedroom for Kathy Ireland Home by Standard, said Philip Hudson, executive vice president. The domestically made line combines function with looks that can grow with the child.
Products that can be used in multiple bedrooms help retailers, said David Bannister, Broyhill's senior vice president of sales, who said he's seeing more specialty youth stores compete for parents' furniture dollars.
In order to appeal to teens, youth sources must change styles more rapidly, said Bob Woodyard, president of Bedtime Inc. That approach must be working for the importer because, he said, "Business has been phenomenal for us," with sales up about 40% from a year ago.
Woodyard said Bedtime is now the largest Chinese manufacturer of youth product, and some capacity problems have been alleviated by a 485,000-square-foot factory expansion, with two more expansions in the works.
Blackhawk Furniture introduced imported youth groups this market. It still offers domestically made youth furniture, but that likely will fade away thanks to the imports' better prices, said Bob Bardell, national sales manager. One new collection, Cypress Point, is based on a master bedroom design.
Domestic stalwart Vaughan-Bassett, meanwhile, has entered the imports arena with its new Personally Yours wood group. It features white and light-blue painted finishes and a novelty nameplate. A wooden oval adorns case pieces, which can be routed with the child's name.
Good Cos. imports some youth, but still makes a lot of printed product in the United States, said President Sarah Hundley Garcia. The W2400 imported group features cherry, with crotch mahogany panels inset in the headboard and footboard. The Colors Youth collection offers bright reds, greens and blues with natural maple laminate.
Coaster showed six new collections this market targeting both teens and younger kids. Madison has an older look in ponderosa pine, made for Coaster by Arizona-based Trendwood. The company also has some novelty looks like a fire truck bed, camouflage group and a multi-colored group.
-
Updated finishes, features greet buyers in Toronto
Jan 27, 2012 -
Medium, higher prices set pace in case goods
May 10, 2012 -
Youth bedroom experiences growth spurt
Nov 17, 2011 -
Programs drive occasional furniture business
Oct 18, 2010 -
Upholstery Holds its Own in Tough Economy
Aug 16, 2011
Featured Company
-
FurnitureCore.com
FurnitureCore.com is a dynamic web application aimed at the furniture industry. Retailers and manufacturers alike will find our deep reserve of tools to be exactly what their furniture business needs.www.furniturecore.com... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
