Hekman creates occasional 'shop'
Jeff Linville -- Furniture Today, April 24, 2005
High Point — Hekman Furniture redesigned its showroom this market and wants to help its customers do the same.
On a bargain budget, Hekman turned the lower section of its space into a gallery named Rue du Bac, after a well-known street in Paris.
The exercise was intended to find ways to improve the looks of a store without costing much money, said Hekman President Dan Masters. He said that at the same time, the retailer can develop a gallery area for occasional goods, which can get lost in displays of case goods or upholstery.
Occasional furniture tends to be eclectic, and consumers can give a lot of look to a room by adding one or two pieces. Hekman believes that retailers can sell more products by showing the occasional together.
Occasional designs and goods come from all over the world, so small areas can be styled in a variety of ways. At Hekman, the team ripped up carpet, painted the bare concrete floor, installed a chair rail and painted the walls all for about $2,500, according to Neil McKenzie, vice president of sales and marketing. The company has put together a kit describing how the work was done, including tips for stippling, glazing and sponging paint for a variety of effects.
Last market, Hekman introduced a line of case goods and occasional imported from Italy. The pieces feature hand-distressing like beating with stones and rubbing with sand, according to Masters. The result is a very authentic-looking antiquing, he said, and the textured walls seem a natural fit with such finishes.
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Hekman creates occasional ‘shop’
Apr 28, 2005
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