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Thinking young

Tracy Bulla, Style Director -- Furniture Today, April 30, 2007

The purchasing power of the under-40 luxury consumer is stunning, some $74 billion being spent on home furnishings alone. How do they shop, live, think? A better understanding of this powerful group of consumers, we hope, will help you tap into that serious amount of purchasing power.

As younger consumers come fully into adulthood and substantial household incomes, their lifestyles and their shopping habits change. This Internet-savvy set may not buy a sofa online, but you can bet they will do the “pre-shop,” or research, from the comfort of their own computer terminal. Designers are turning to blogs for their own “research” to discover what consumers really think and want in their home.

Guessing what the under-40 set wants is challenging. They are educated, fashion-forward, opinionated about what they want, willing to break any and all design rules, and have fluctuating, evolving tastes. And, they are bombarded with wonderful design on a daily basis. Still, they are ready — and do appreciate — being swept off their feet by something truly fabulous.

As an under-40 myself, when I look at the homes of other people in that age group and think about what we have in common, I can sum it up with a few things. We are open to change and newness. Our houses showcase our personalities, attitudes and passions. We embrace all eras and styles of design — it's how we put it together that gives it newness. We have a mix-and-match design mentality, not limited to china and linens, but throughout the house. We discard our design mistakes — and move on.

And no, we don't think of design as a long-term commitment. If you keep it five or 10 years, that's a long time. My mother says lamps and furniture are not like shoes (of which I have a few pairs), meaning you don't get rid of them after a season or two. She certainly has a point, but my answer is if I sell the lamp I no longer want on eBay, then I can buy a new one.

From a style perspective, we've put together a showcase of designs that targets the under-40 consumer: a bit edgy, fresh and fun, but still distinctly luxurious. Wes Kennedy, our art director, conceived the visual aesthetic for Relish with much the same thought. It's fresh, exciting and young at heart, without sacrificing an ounce of sophistication. I think he did a fabulous job, and I hope you do, too.

If your goal is to reach the younger luxury consumer, then educate yourself (your laptop is the best place to start), be open to new ideas, and follow your intuition toward design that you really love. If you love it, there's a good chance someone else will, too.

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