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Sleep, study, storage still important to youth bedroom

By Jane Kitchen -- Furniture Today, April 13, 2003

High Point — Youth bedroom makers got strong reactions to some introductions here, and most remained cautiously optimistic about the months ahead for the growing category.

Many manufacturers unveiled solid-feeling boys groups and feminine girls groups, while sleep, study and storage continued to be important in creating practical, space-saving configurations.

Stanley made a splash with its ultra-feminine Isabella collection, a girls group in white with toile fabric accents, carvings and appliqués. Fabric panels are available on the beds in either Ballet Pink or Powder Blue.

Glenn Prillaman, vice president of product development for Stanley's Young America, said girls white groups continue to be strong sellers, and that Isabella fills a niche in a more formal European traditional look.

Isabella includes a new crib and changing table, Stanley's first venture into this arena. Based on response at market, Prillaman said he expects to show cribs in other collections.

P.J. Kids has success with a new girls group, Simply Sweet. The collection, available from crib to full size, features delicate turnings and a distressed ivory finish. A feminine four-poster bed can be made even more feminine by adding a canopy.

Powell introduced its County Line collection, a boys group with Arts & Crafts styling in a Mission Oak finish. The 19-piece oak collection featured detailing like key insets in walnut.

But probably most popular this market for Powell was a solid pine, all-in-one loft that combines sleep, study, storage and play in one compact unit, said Sean Slack, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing. The ruggedly styled piece features a full bed with twin trundle, a pull-out work surface and a storage or play area underneath.

Vaughan did well with a new pine boys group, Smoky Mountain Retreat, with physical and finish distressing for a rugged look. The collection includes a tall panel bed that easily could fit a second bedroom, at $350 retail.

Standard also showed a new boys group, Captain's Quarters, part of the Kathy Ireland Home collection. Don Mecke, vice president of sales and marketing, said response to the group, which features plenty of extra storage, was "excellent."

Pilliod put a new twist on boys bedroom furniture with its Zero Gravity collection, designed with an extreme-sports motif. The collection features a twin bed with a halfpipe footboard, pull-out under-bed storage trays on colorful skate wheels and a decorative hutch with storage made just for skateboards and gear.

Coaster made a big push into kids furniture with six juvenile bedroom groups —two boys, two girls and two unisex — and an entire showroom dedicated to the category. Robert Soussana, project manager for Coaster, said the category eventually could account for 5% to 10% of sales.

Riverside debuted a licensed collection, Imaginations Youth, based on the children's book "Inch by Inch." Michael Charlton, vice president of product development and merchandising, said buyer reaction gave him high hopes for the collection.

Lea, a youth bedroom major, showed five new groups, and covered both the rugged boys category and the feminine girls look.

A new boys collection, Jackson Creek, with a distressed look and plenty of storage options, generated "extremely positive" reaction, said Bryan Edwards, Lea's national vice president of sales. Mackenzie's Park, a new white painted girls collection with Swedish and Italian influences, also saw positive reaction.

"We're thinking in terms of what the consumer would want," said Edwards. "It's got to look good, be priced right, and it's got to have innovation."

Youth directions

FEMININE, MASCULINE: White painted girls groups, with unmistakably sweet, girlish touches like ribbons and roses, and rugged, distressed boys groups in thick solids were popular this market.
DOUBLE DUTY: Dealers are eager to floor collections appropriate for a child's bedroom, and that can be used all the way through high school and into college, and also be merchandised for second bedrooms or vacation homes.
ALL HAIL THE THREE Ss: Sleep, study, storage functionality for smaller kids rooms remain perennially popular.

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