Clean contemporary a hit in bedroom

Offerings aim at younger, space-conscious consumers

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

HIGH POINT —

The Avista bedroom, from SLF, is made with cherry veneers in a medium-tone cherry finish.

A number of these looks are aimed at younger, space-conscious consumers as well as those seeking a simpler approach to bedrooms purchased for spare rooms or smaller homes.

The effort to target this market apparently paid off. Suppliers reported strong commitments and order-writing activity with such styles during market and the weeks following the event.

Despite the simple nature of the designs, these sets don't fall short on innovation. Storage or wall beds with headboard lighting are an important part of the mix at companies such as Aspenhome, Fairmont Designs, HomElegance and Huntington Furniture.

Vegas buyers found plenty of look and function in Cambridge, the latest addition to Aspenhome's Savvy Solutions program. Scaled to fit into smaller homes, second homes and retirement dwellings, it includes a sleigh bed with a storage footboard and an 18-inch-deep, single-drawer nightstand. Together with a double dresser and mirror, the group retails at $1,799.

“The concept of smaller scale at prices to fit their budget is what the savvy, price-conscious consumer is looking for,” said Bryan Edwards, Aspenhomes' executive vice president of eastern sales.

Fairmont Designs generated excitement at market with its Solutions bedroom, a contemporary bedroom that includes a storage platform wall bed with optional nightstand decks along with a lightbridge with left and right dimmer reading lights. The group also includes a regular platform bed and a storage platform bed with side rails and full- extension drawer glides.

Huntington Furniture surprised a lot of dealers who hadn't seen the company's new transitional looks developed over the past year. Among the highlights was a new bedroom called City Lights. Made with cherry veneers in a medium brown finish, it has a low-profile footprint with tall pier-style nightstands with storage capacity. The set also has storage and lighting capacity in the headboard.

The group wowed customers who are more familiar with the company's traditional designs, said Eric Easter, CEO.

“It is part of the evolution of the line to become more national in scope,” Easter said of the set, which retails for $1,499 for a bed, dresser, mirror and two pier nightstands.

SLF received strong orders and commitments on two new bedrooms, including a contemporary set called Sterling, and a more transitional group called Avista. Based on commitment and order levels, both are going into cuttings and will be ready to ship in 12 weeks, said Guy Walters, vice president.

“It was surprisingly good,” he said, noting that the company doesn't normally go forward with cuttings so quickly. “This is the first time we have done that with the Vegas market. We typically wait for High Point.”

He noted that dealers particularly liked the finish and styling of Avista, which has some Arts & Crafts design influences. Retailing at $1,299 for a four-piece group, Avista also features a sleigh bed with optional underbed storage.

“We were really shocked at how positive most of the retailers that came in were,” Walters said. “Everybody came looking for value and for something different and, if they saw it, they came prepared to buy it.”

For more information and stats on bedroom, visit furnituretoday.com's Furniture Products tab/wood furniture.

The Cambridge bedroom, part of the Savvy Solutions program from Aspenhome, is geared toward smaller living spaces.	The Eastlake bedroom by Broyhill is a contemporary group made with cherry veneers in a soft brown finish.
The contemporary No. 815 bedroom by HomElegance has a storage bed made with bamboo veneers.	The Lennox bedroom from Klaussner was a hit with buyers at the February Las Vegas Market. It is made with quartered ash veneers in an espresso finish.
Oakwood Interiors received strong buyer reaction in Las Vegas with its Canyon Creek set. Made with hardwood solids in a cherry finish, the set has Spanish design influences.	The Alura bedroom by Pulaski Furniture is made with prima vera veneers in a cherry finish.
The Maui bedroom, from Modus Furniture, is made with birch solids and veneers.	The City Lights bedroom, from Huntington Furniture, is made with cherry veneers in a medium brown finish.