Looking past childhood
More youth furniture built to last years
By Marc Barnes -- Furniture Today, October 19, 2005
At the Market — The move to offer youth furniture that's designed to last from childhood through adolescence and beyond continues to gain momentum here this week.
The idea is that the same furniture that's bought for a 10-year-old — or even an infant — can be reconfigured to follow the child to college, apartments and first homes, or stay in the parents' house to furnish a guest bedroom.
Many youth exhibitors here report sharp upswings in the number of full- or queen-sized beds being purchased for children's rooms. Reflecting a trend in adult bedrooms, many are offering beds, chests and mirrors in black, or are using downsized versions of adult bedrooms for children's rooms.
Virtually all youth resources have new storage options, entertainment centers and computer desks, either as standalone units or incorporated into beds.
At Young America, a Stanley division, Glenn Prillaman, senior vice president of marketing and sales, said that company designers took styling cues from adult furniture and incorporated it in the new Built To Grow line, which includes cribs that convert to full-size beds with under-bed storage.
"This is really what the consumer is looking for," Prillaman said.
The lines come in two styles, Cottage Treasures in nutmeg, pine and linen finishes; and Cottage Cove, in cinnamon pine and antique black. The pieces in the collections retail for up to $699.
At Lea Inds., another major youth resource, Earl Wang, vice president of product development, said the company is adding thee youth collections this market.
They are Tina, which features a pearlescent paint and will be marketed to girls; iRoom, which takes colors and styles from the popular iPod music player; and the My Style line, which offers enough choices to pull together a well-decorated room, but not so many as to overwhelm consumers. Pieces will retail between $399 and $799.
"The way to make the category effective is to think about the consumer, both the child and the mom," said Johne Albanese, vice president of marketing at Lea, a La-Z-Boy company. "You have to meet both needs to make the sale."
Making it easier for retailers to sell to consumers is the focus of a new youth line with six style groups at A.P. Inds. Gary Bryant, vice president of sales, said the youth groups offer a narrower range of choices than the company's main Generations line, meaning both lower price points and an opportunity for dealers to sell up.
The new youth line, called Allure, comes in French, Louis Philippe, Cottage, traditional and two contemporary styles. Retail price points will be at $499 for core pieces, compared to $599 in Generations.
"If we can get a child in our crib, to grow up with our furniture and they have a positive impression of it, then when they have children of their own, we've got a customer for life," Bryant said.
Founders Furniture this market is adding a Louis Philippe youth collection in white and cherry, along with a brushed-steel and maple loft, which was influenced by a previous maple bedroom with brushed steel hardware. A third set features a clean pine finish with perimeter molding and handles that look like two twigs tied together. The prices will run from $299 to $399 retail.
Senior Vice President Phil Miller said Founders' Vignettes division is offering Bed-In-A-Box, a dresser, mirror, headboard and nightstand in one carton. A Louis Philippe in cherry, a contemporary in maple and a Mission style in oak are available at a retail of $699.
At Rivers Edge Furniture, Managing Partner James McCloskey said the company took ideas from adult furniture and adapted them to youth for five new collections, ranging from Louis Philippe to contemporary. Finishes range from white to fruitwood to black, and pieces will retail from $99 to $699.
McCloskey said that the offerings aren't aimed at any particular age group. "We fill all of these requirements because of the scale of our furniture, and we try to make sure that we have covered all of our bases," he said.
American Woodcrafters/Rockford Furniture is offering several new collections here, including Tropical Illusions in white and stained sandstone; Kid's Colors in white, kiwi, cherry, navy and natural pine; Newport in white and several choices of accent colors; and American Heritage, in black and white with bright chrome hardware. The pieces will retail for between $199 and $1,199, said company owner John Foster.
An unusual piece at American Woodcrafters/Rockford Furniture is a junior power bed with a computer desk that folds out, storage drawers and a trundle bed underneath.
Lee Boone, general manager of Legacy Classic Kids, said his company's new offerings go far beyond what's typically considered youth furniture, with a decidedly non-juvenile look and a level of quality intended to last.
The two new collections — one a Louis Philippe in black, the other a Victorian in cherry — will retail between $199 and $999.
Boone said that part of his pitch is marketing support. Legacy will supply dealers with posters, banners and brochures, coupled with a comprehensive Web site, to tell the story of its furniture to consumers.
Selling the furniture, after all, is the object, Boone said. "This is not a museum," he said in his company's showroom. "It might look good, but if it doesn't sell, no one is going to be happy."
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