Two students win Groovystuff's latest design contest

Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, February 12, 2013

The Vail Chair, shown in a miniature model, was designed by Mike Herbert, a junior majoring in product design at Columbia College in Chicago.

Eric Sia, a senior majoring in industrial design at Southern Illinois University, designed this magazine rack, shown in a miniature model.

DALLAS — Reclaimed wood furniture specialist Groovystuff has announced the winners of its latest design contest held at the winter Las Vegas Market.

Mike Herbert from Columbia College in Chicago and Eric Sia from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale have won the Groovystuff by Design: Connecting Education with Industry Challenge event.

The contest is meant to introduce and encourage students to pursue opportunities in the home furnishings industry. Students are invited to produce innovative designs that capture stylistic elements of Groovystuff's Dick Idol brand and that also use sustainable manufacturing practices to produce the items.

The students created display boards and miniature models of their products that were shown at market. Buyers voted for their favorites, and the pieces they believe have the best chance of selling in the marketplace.

Herbert and Sia received the most votes at the Jan. 28-Feb. 1 Las Vegas Market.

Herbert, a junior majoring in product design, designed a rustic modern lounge chair called the Vail Chair, made with reclaimed bark and teak materials. Sia, a senior majoring in industrial design, developed the Savanna magazine rack made with teak branches and light eucalyptus wood.

Each will receive a $250 cash prize as well as lifetime royalties from the sale of their items. Theirs and other student designed products will later compete for the grand prize of most orders written at market.