Las Vegas Market: Wood vendors branch out

Offer new styles to appeal to more tastes

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2012

AT THE MARKET — Case goods vendors showing here this week are branching out into new styles that many buyers haven't seen in a while — if ever — from those resources.

This canopy bed in solid mahogany in a chestnut brown finish is part of Aspenhome’s Essence bedroom. It also is offered as a high/low post footprint.

A contemporary Modern Fusion dining set from Standard Furniture features a high gloss finish and retails at $699 for a table and four chairs.

In some cases, the introductions are meant to resonate with a new generation of younger customers geared toward contemporary and other fashion forward looks. But they also are designed to appeal to a wide range of consumers seeking to dress up their homes as the economy improves.

A case in point is Standard Furniture's new Modern Fusion, which launched last fall with two bedrooms but has now added about 100 pieces of contemporary bedroom, dining room and occasional. The company said the promotional to lower-mid-priced collection has been a huge hit with buyers who haven't seen much of these looks from Standard in the past.

Company President Todd Evans said Standard has been working on the collection for two years, sending team members to Cologne and Milan to see the latest European contemporary design trends.

Dealers like design elements ranging from mirrored elements on occasional tables to high gloss finishes on case pieces in bedroom and dining, he said.

"This is as targeted as we have been in a category for some time," said Evans. He added that the response also has been as strong as he can remember Standard having experienced to an introduction at market.

Ashley Furniture is showing its contemporary New Millennium collection, which was launched in October, but which many buyers here are seeing for the first time.

It also has added some entry level priced bedroom to the line, including a fully upholstered bed in a gray fabric that along with a dresser, mirror and nightstand retails at $1,199. Dealers also have responded well to other additions, including a new panel bed in a high gloss white lacquer finish that retails at $1,499, including the bed, dresser, mirror and nightstand.

In addition to the gloss finish, dealers like other design elements including mirror and chrome accents and deep drawers on case pieces.

Reaction to the product has been "unbelievable," said Ashley Chairman Ron Wanek. "Dealers are coming in upbeat and more optimistic than I've seen in several years, and most dealers are saying their business has improved and that they have had nice increases."

Cresent Fine Furniture reported a strong reaction to Rustic Casual, a new 25-SKU solid wood bedroom and dining room collection in Scandinavian Pine, which is available in two heavily distressed finishes, a malt and a lighter wheat.

"This is not the old Cresent," said Richard Tomkins, vice president of sales and marketing, of the collection, which features four-piece bedrooms at $2,999. "It is not something that retailers who buy from us, or those who don't buy from us, expect. This totally changes the game."

Aspenhome is having positive reaction to a new solid mahogany bedroom called Essence that fills a void in its line for transitional/soft contemporary styling. Dealers particularly like the tone of the chestnut brown finish and functional elements such as a large storage drawer/organizer in the footboard and charging stations and lighting on companion nightstands.

Aspenhome and other vendors such as Magnussen Home and Ashley are reporting increases in attendance compared with last January, with good representation from around the country.

Magnussen said it's receiving strong response to an existing bedroom available in two new finishes as well as numerous occasional groups launched in High Point last year. Company CEO Richard Magnussen said that visitors to the Las Vegas Market typically seek items that are in stock and ready to ship.

"Seventy percent of people that come to our showroom have not been to High Point," he said. "If it is on this floor, it is in stock or will be in 30 days."