Upholstery trends toward lifestyle look
By Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, October 10, 2005
High Point — Lifestyle looks, stripes and some new colors like lavender will be among the trends at the October market, based on a selection of upholstery introductions at last week's premarket.
Lifestyle is translated into the look of Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, a style that has become as ubiquitous as traditional, contemporary and transitional as manufacturers look for the winning numbers at retail.
October's market will bring a continuation of that movement from majors like Clayton Marcus, C.R. Laine and others. The look is clean, upbeat and urban, and in many cases is scaled for condos, lofts and new Baby Boomer retirement nests.
Clayton Marcus' Casually Speaking collection is an umbrella category for three lifestyle directions: Queen Anne's Lace with prints, checks, plaids and a sophisticated country flair; Elements, a clean transitional look with solid base cloths; and Low Country, chock full of cottage and coastal flair, as in a vibrant blue-striped sofa with mitered blue pillows.
Interestingly, the mid-priced upholstery company will show all three categories together in 30 settings, all grouped together by color.
"We're paying special attention to color," said Allison McCall, merchandise manager. "This is a fashion-driven industry, and color is a big part of fashion."
C.R. Laine will offer upholstery and some upscale case goods in a collection it's calling Cottage Loft. Upholstery covers include 51 fabrics ranging from cottons, to blue and natural denims, to six cobble cloths and 12 stripes. Cottage Loft sofas are targeted to retail around $1,350, a little below C.R. Laine's usual price points.
Other companies are bringing out other new goods to attract the Pottery Barn consumers, described as hip, urbane, affluent and more likely to shop a mall-type venue than to head for furniture row.
Schnadig, for instance, says it has had a hot line with its brightly hued mid-priced Color Pod collection of contemporary/lifestyle/urban hip pieces — having established Color Pods presentations at 118 stores since the introduction in April. For October, it's expanding into more muted and natural looks, said Lorri Kelley, director of sales and marketing development.
But lifestyle introductions won't be the only thing going at market. For example, Schnadig's Color Pod frames will be in contrast to its major thrust, Ceylon, a full collection of wood and upholstery in British and island plantation style with wood carvings of orchids and tropical flowers in pecan. A key piece will be a magnificent wood daybed with lots of wood and carvings.
One of the sleekest collections this market will be Excelsior Designs' Nicole Miller collection of upholstery and case goods, which has been two years in the making.
