Ameriwood set to market 'Trading Spaces' RTA line
By Ray Allegrezza -- Furniture Today, July 12, 2004
Wright City, Mo. — Ready-to-assemble major Ameriwood Inds. is readying a "Trading Spaces" line of furniture.
The manufacturer has signed a three-year licensing agreement with The Discovery Channel to develop a line of solid-wood, unfinished RTA furniture to be marketed under the name of the popular cable-television home improvement show.
Ameriwood President Bob Klassen said the initial line, to debut early in 2005, will feature 12 SKUs of accent and occasional pieces. Price points are expected to range from $49 to $149.
On the "Trading Spaces" TV show, guests redecorate each other's homes with the help of designers. As a logical tie-in to the viewing audience, Ameriwood plans to target the new line to a number of do-it-yourself retailers, and by extension shore up its distribution in that channel.
"The popularity of the 'Trading Spaces' television series continues to grow and we feel this is a perfect time to work with them in order to produce new products that can offer retailers and their customers some innovative and exciting new options in furniture," Klassen said.
To that point, the furniture will let consumers customize their looks and options. Each of the "Trading Spaces" items will be packed with the show refers to as "homework cards." The cards will explain how a consumer can customize the look of the product by adding accents of fabric, marble or color.
All of the items suggested on the homework cards typically will be available at the DIY retailers.
"In a sea of lookalike products, we are giving consumers a voice regarding the look of the furniture they have in their homes," said Klassen.
