Entertainment furniture: Long way to grow
Higher-margin category gets big-box push
Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, February 18, 2007
Las Vegas — Amidst the sea of flat-panel TVs and high-definition DVD players, more than two dozen furniture producers competed for buyers' attention at the giant Consumer Electronics Show here last month.
Most CES furniture exhibitors don't have showrooms at the High Point or Las Vegas furniture markets because they sell primarily through consumer electronics stores. But regardless of their chosen distribution channel, there was near unanimous agreement that entertainment furniture still has a long way to grow.
"The simple metal-and-glass TV stands always have done well for us, but we've had more growth in our wood pieces lately," said Rob Weitz, vice president of product and development at Bell'O International, an importer of entertainment seating and case goods.
Weitz and other furniture exhibitors said entertainment furniture price points, especially at electronics stores, appear to be creeping up as electronics retailers urge salespeople to push higher-margin furniture in tandem with a TV purchase.
"People will pay for quality," said Joseph Miller, director of product design and development at Altra, a brand made by ready-to-assemble furniture resource Ameriwood Inds. "After all, they've probably just spent $1,000 or more on a TV, so they need nice furniture to show it off."
At CES, Altra had success with an entertainment console that featured, among other things, an iPod docking station and a surge protector tucked inside the cabinet, which allowed all wires for the TV and components to be placed inside the unit.
Other key furniture introductions at the show included a plasma TV cabinet designed for office use from start-up company Prime Resource, a home theater seating system with a leather and faux suede cover from 4 Seating, and several consoles with variable-speed cooling fans from wood and upholstered furniture resource Salamander Designs.
In addition, Bell'O had success with a leather-covered wood console, as well as a console designed for bedroom use that stands about six inches higher than most consoles on the market.
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