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Upholstery upbeat with new styles, textures

Gary Evans -- Furniture Today, November 4, 2011

Elite Leather is expanding its fabric offering this market with the classic Carolina chair in Capri Zebra chocolate fabric retailing for about $1,299.HIGH POINT - Stationary upholstery makers will roll out new programs and introductions at the market here this week in hopes of bringing new life into a market that still remains sluggish.
     In comparison to other categories, upholstery sales have been one of the brighter spots on the sales floor, but nothing manufacturers and retailers are writing home about. As market approaches, the attitude from vendors appears to be that they're putting their best stuff out there to help retail partners hold steady until housing perks up, unemployment goes down and the economy gets healthier.
     Overall, most vendors are repeating the market mantra that attendance will be average but all the right buyers will be on hand.
     "Traffic-wise we're probably going to stay consistent with what it has been," said Gabrielle Galardo, vice president of marketing for Elite Leather, which will include several fabric introductions into its product array.
     "That being said, I feel very positive about market. The people who are there are buyers. They're ready to buy and they're positive about the opportunities out there," she said.
     Galardo said the company is strengthening its fabric offerings to mix up textures and materials and for customers who like a frame but want it in fabric. "It's an answer to buying trends," she said.
     The company also acquired California-based upholstered maker Hiatt Furniture a year ago and has been expanding on Hiatt's strength in fabrics, Galardo said.
     "Labor Day was very good for just about everyone in the country. But since then, it's dried up again," said Roy Calcagne, CEO of mid-priced upholstery maker Craftmaster.
     "It's tough out there for dealers we've been talking to," he added. "But everybody will be at market that needs to be there. They'll make their changes. Everybody's still doing business ... but I think they have to be sharp when it comes to the values they can put out."
     Flair Furniture, a container importer of promotional-to medium-priced upholstery, said the lower end of the business is seeing strong interest as consumers gravitate to lower prices during tough times.
     "Everyone right now is so price conscious," said Kurt Kelly, U.S. sales manager, adding that some higher-end buyers are moving into promotional price points. "There's a bigger focus on it."
     Kelly said the company will be able to offer more new products this market since it has doubled its showroom to 20,000 square feet at a new location, 311 S. Hamilton St. "It's a beautiful building," he said. "We're expecting to have a good show."
     For new products, contemporary and transitional will still dominate the market, and tufting will decorate everything, almost becoming the new nail heads of the day. In addition, a pop-up trend is wider track arms, which mimic European and Latin American styles that have been around for decades.
     Also popular this market will be new sectionals, one of the hot categories for media rooms, and custom design-it-yourself upholstery such as That's My Style by Flexsteel with 176 different options for consumers.
     Showrooms will continue to pop with color, especially with prints, botanicals, ethnic and bohemian themes on pillows and accent pieces. Base covers still remain subdued and continue to be influenced by gray and its major variations.

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