Home office sources score with smaller pieces

By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, May 3, 2010

HIGH POINT —

In home office, small-scale desk configurations won out this market over larger 72-inch executive desks and massive modular wall units.

According to some top sources in the category, retailers gravitated more toward much smaller desk footprints suitable for laptop use. Depending on the source, popular models were either made with solid wood and veneers or were laminate or glass-top versions that can be shipped in a flat pack format.

Riverside Furniture's Oakton Village and Falls Village were hits with buyers who liked the multiple smaller-scale configurations found throughout the groups. Among the highlights were an L-shaped desk and return with a mini-hutch unit, and a personal work station with a flip-down work surface and also a deck with storage behind glass doors.

Dealers also like the media-friendly nature of pieces equipped with hidden charging stations for personal hand-held electronics. One such piece at Riverside was the Bella Vista family communications center, featuring drawers with charging stations, removable dividers and a tackboard panel that can be used to mount a flat screen monitor.

Coaster had success with a number of new desks with metal frames and 36- to 40-inch glass top work surfaces. Retailing from $99 to $129, the desks have compact footprints and functional features such as pull-out laptop trays.

The company also received strong interest and order writing on new desks with frosted or white glass work surfaces in L-shaped configurations. Also popular was a new $199-retail ready-to-assemble desk concept called ConnectIt, which has a flip-top feature in the back revealing a power pack with electric sockets and network plugs.

“At these price points, it's instant gratification for the consumer,” said Toby Konetzny, director of marketing.

RTA specialist Sauder Woodworking reported strong interest in its new August Hill, Shoal Creek and Edgewater desks, which feature 48-inch work surfaces and will retail at about $149. Popular companion pieces include the Edgewater Tech Center, a 40-inch-tall by 29-inch-wide work center with two doors and a shelf for a printer, which retails at $149.

Sauder's Rocket group was another popular home office series, featuring one L-shaped glass top/metal frame desk retailing at $249 and a small desk with a mini-hutch that retails for $199.

Resources are still selling executive desk footprints, but some are slightly smaller in scale. For instance, Martin Furniture's Weston and Grove efficiency executive offices feature 66-inch executive desks. Dealers liked the scale as well as features on companion pieces, such as the frosted glass doors on hutch and pier units.

Martin's Portland Loft and Cherry Grove are new smaller flex office units that include three pieces retailing at $1,099. Dealers liked the configurations as well as the flexibility found in drop leaf elements that expand desk work surfaces from 68 to 108 inches.

High-end case goods resource Sligh received strong dealer interest in its smaller-scale executive desks, which feature 54- to 56-inch work surfaces, compared with the more typical 66- to 72-inch versions.

Other intros receiving good response included a 60-inch trestle desk and a 42-inch writing desk that retails for $599. Other inline writing desks typically range from 56 to 72 inches.

Even some of Sligh's new modular units are smaller in scale, featuring a lower-profile hutch unit as well as sections with smaller work surfaces.

“People are downsizing and more and more people are working at home,” said Bob Kreter, marketing and communications manager. “They may not have a room to fit a 72-inch desk so they are looking for something smaller.”