Casual looks lead occasional

Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, October 17, 2012

HIGH POINT - Occasional furniture vendors are reporting good traffic this week with casual lifestyle looks leading the way.
Designer influenced looks are hot in occasional for Jofran. At BDI, colorful Bink tables are doing well. At Sunny Designs, retailers like some new pieces added to one of the company's oldest collections.
Jofran is bringing out seven occasional groups this week, according to Joff Roy, president. Among the best received is the No. 371-5 box cocktail table in solid acacia with castered legs, eight-drawers, planking and chunky legs, he said.
Other good sellers include the No. 256 group with a matte, wire-brushed roasted oak and curved conical leg with turnings at the top. The table group blends touches of modern and traditional with a sophisticated finish at $249 for a cocktail table, Roy said.
The No. 772 occasional group with band saw chisel cuts and distressed pine and iron metal frame also has been well received, Roy said, adding that the company is succeeding with occasional with looks that take design cues from accent pieces.
"We're a whole home lifestyle resource," he said. "Why should we limit ourselves when today's consumers seem to be more interested in a more eclectic way of decorating?"
One of Sunny Designs' best occasional tables this week is a new addition to the company's more than two-decades-old Sedona collection, said Annabelle Go-Eisler, marketing director.
The Sedona 42-by 42-inch square table is a half lift top, half two drawer storage cocktail with casters, four stone inserts, hefty oak styling and light Mission influence. While Sedona has been around for a while, Go-Eisler said the rustic look of the finish is still hard for others to match.
Sedona is adding a firebox media console unit as well, she said, of which the company is now offering 19 units.
BDI reports that retailers like the Bink media tables made from powder-coated aluminum, which are easy to assemble and when broken down can ship by box. The group is available in five colors, which BDI plans to rotate with fashion trends.
Lacquer Craft USA is getting good response to sliding occasional stands with clean contemporary lines in its new Metropolitan Home collection, according to Darren York, vice president of merchandising.
"I think it's really multifunctional with more of an eclectic feel. The consumer is looking for something fresh that fits their budget," York said.
At Steve Silver, Gil Sturtzel, director of merchandising and product development, said that hot products include cedar-lined trunks, reclaimed looks, mixed media pieces and pieces with storage and function.