Seating sales heat up with motion, entertainment furniture
Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, August 2, 2011
AT THE MARKET — Upholstery suppliers here were happy Monday about initial response to new offerings in home entertainment, recliners and motion furniture - the hottest seating categories around.
Lane is running one of the hot shops this market for what has evolved into a new category of "comfort" furniture, with nine new groups of home entertainment set up in a separate showroom of nearly 4,000 square feet.
The groups, mostly in bonded leather, are variations of contemporary in the $599 to $1,099 per seat price points, keyed to aficionados of TV, games and even the new generation of computer-aided TV. Many of the seating groups have hidden storage and cup holders, removable tables for laptops, and armrest technology for reclining motion that eliminates the remote wand.
"We've basically gone from two (groups) to 15," said Bo Morrison, director of recliners and home theater seating. Two of the new groups are small enough that four seats take up only 10 feet, making a lot of seating available for smaller spaces.
Klaussner also is a bigger player in home entertainment this market with four new faux leather groups in the $799 to $999 price points, offered in eight configurations. Five more new groups are planned for High Point.
Klaussner also has a group of four imported recliners - one in bonded, two in fabric and one in microfiber - that can retail at $299.
"In today's economy, retailers need something to promote," said Bruce Sinning, vice president of merchandising for upholstery.
Flexsteel also is launching a collection of imported recliners in nine styles that hit lower price points for the company, ranging from $499 to $599 in vinyl and leather. Lee Fautsch, vice president of residential upholstery, said the collection would provide an advertising vehicle for retailers, who can use it to step customers up to higher price points.
Best Home Furnishings is adding bonded leather to some in-line products such as a sectional introduced earlier in High Point. In addition, the company has added power to a small ladies' chair, also giving it a more contemporary look.
"Power's huge," said Greg Secard, director of sales.
Elite Home Theater Seating has had a showroom in the Las Vegas Design Center in Building A since May, but this is its first trade show here. It reports positive response to its line of home theater motion recliners, which retail at around $2,250 per chair for a synthetic leather version called silk leather. It also offers more expensive versions in top grain leather.
"All the traffic that is coming here are serious buyers," said Bobby Bala, operating manager. "Other trade shows have higher traffic, but not good quality."
Associate Editor Thomas Russell contributed to this story.
-
Motion, Entertainment Seating on Hot Streak
Aug 25, 2011
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
