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At High Point Market: Small or large, home office sells

Tom Russell -- Furniture Today, April 4, 2011

AT THE MARKET - Home office vendors are seeing most of their success here in small modular footprints, but those still in the category haven't written off larger executive designs just yet.
Aspenhome has even seen demand for executive desk footprints rise in the past four months, said Dave Heard, executive vice president of sales.
"There is no question that the computer is still portable, but the boomers still have larger homes," he said. "They are still
putting in executive desks because that (dedicated home office) is the cave."
He said the company is seeing continued interest in executive office setups here, as are resources such as Hooker Furniture and Riverside Furniture.
"We are doing well with smaller promotional walls and some big walls," said Hank Long, senior vice president of marketing at Hooker. "Executive office is holding its own for us."
Hooker also says it's doing well with smaller scale units including the Wendover Home Office, which also can be used as an entertainment wall unit, and pieces in the eclectic Melange collection.
Riverside is seeing strong dealer interest in Allegra, a traditional executive home office built off a similar model in the line, and now featuring black painted bases and reverse diamond-matched cherry veneer tops. Dealers like the two tone effect of the group, which features 69-inch executive desks retailing at $1,599.
Bristol Court, another new traditional executive office group at Riverside with raised end panels and quarter turned pilasters, also is receiving strong early interest and orders.
While the executive desk, bookcase and credenza and deck combinations are selling, dealers also are drawn to smaller footprints such as secretary-like personal workstations that offer plenty of storage and laptop-friendly work surfaces.
"It gives you a very elegant look for a small work area," said Mike Charlton, senior vice president of product development, merchandising and advertising.
The Bristol Court model retails at $1,499 and a similar piece in the more casual Coventry line is at $1,349. Dealers like features such as the drop-down center drawer, flip-down work surface and storage door and drawer capacity.
Martin Furniture is seeing strong order writing activity in its transitional smaller scale, laptop-friendly units, which include two new $399 to $499 laptop armoires.
Also doing well is The WorX unit launched this market. Made in Martin's Mexico plant, it includes a four-piece desk and hutch, writing desk and rolling file cabinet combination that retails from $699 to $799.
Another product coming out of Mexico that is doing well this market is the Carlton Flex home office, a four-piece set in an L-configuration that retails at $999 and featuring a companion bookcase that that retails at $149. In addition to the price and styling, dealers also like the fact the group will be in stock in May.
Martin says the Mexico plant is a plus for the company because of its proximity to the U.S. market and because Martin can control the quality of the production and finishes, said Curt Christian, a chief designer for the company.

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Large, small footprints coexist in home office

May 2, 2011

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