SOHO scores with style, value
By Gary James -- Furniture Today, October 28, 2002
High Point — Home office sources drew a good reaction here with stepped-up styles, sharp values and enhanced functions.
While traffic in some showrooms was light, others generated activity by offering special pricing, giveaways and fresh product.
Martin Furniture was especially busy the first few days of market, with Top 100 players such as Gallery taking advantage of an offer of a free mountain bike, snowboard, waterboard or kayak with a minimum order.
In home office, Martin gained good placements with Tahoe, a new casual oak group, and Southampton, a cottage group introduced in July at San Francisco.
"Tahoe offers dealers a fresh spin on a tried-and-true category," said Duane Utt, national sales manager. "We've added new details, such as a sculpted crown and wide molding, that give extra weight and interest."
Making two major statements in home office this market was DMI Desk. The company strengthened its executive office program with a West Indies-style group called Antigua and Carrington, an upscale traditional look with intricate detailing. A desk-return-hutch configuration is retail priced at $1,999 for Antigua and $2,499 for Carrington.
"As home office comes out of the bedroom and into the more common areas of the home, consumers are becoming more fashion-oriented," said Don Kunz, vice president of marketing services. "They want something with personality that fits in with their other furnishings."
Leda expanded its small office/home office offerings this market with Park Plaza, an extension of a successful contemporary case goods collection. In prima vera veneers, the group is available in two finishes, a dark Port and a light Champagne. It includes a desk-return-hutch, priced at $4,000 retail.
"We've been getting requests from some of our key dealers for fresh, contemporary-styled home office," said Bill Frank, vice president of U.S. marketing.
With a compact, 64-inch top, Leda's Park Plaza desk is scaled for typical home office applications.
"Most people don't have room for a huge setup," Frank said. "They're working in a second or third bedroom where space is at a premium."
Pulaski, which entered home office a year ago with three groups and later narrowed to one, added a second group here based on its popular Salerno bedroom. The home office addition includes a desk, credenza base/hutch and lateral file and features burl veneers with extensive carving and other decorative embellishments.
"We're aiming at those better-end consumers who are looking to make a real style statement in their home office," said H. Kelly, vice president of product development. The credenza/hutch unit will retail for about $2,500.
Legends, known for its oak home office, broadened its home office and entertainment offerings at this market with its first alder pieces. In home office, an angled desk and hutch were priced at $1,099 retail, in a lightly distressed finish.
"We're getting a great reception," said Jim Cherry, national sales manager. "Dealers see this as a high-end look at a very affordable price. Even some of the oak specialists we sell are considering it."
Ready-to-assemble producer Bush drew a good response to the new Eric Morgan line of assembled furniture, as well as two Euro-styled home office groups in laminates, Delta and Omega.
"These are step-up looks that should do well with furniture stores," said Bob Young, home furnishings marketing manager. "They offer a lot of function and durability."
A number of other sources saw good results in SOHO at market. They included Hekman, which beefed up its executive desk line; Broyhill, which added a modular home office to its Attic Heirlooms program; Kimball Home, which did well with Regent's Gate, a 20th century Edwardian group; Sligh, which brought out a stylish Neoclassic executive group; Stanley, whose American View collection included new functional twists; and Hooker, which scored with corner computer cabinets, bunching bookcases, a new office chair line and other additions.
