Gliders skate toward higher style
Upholstery sources crossing over to gliders
Joan Gunin -- Furniture Today, June 24, 2008
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The basic wood glider outfitted with a ball bearing mechanism for movement is undergoing a transformation as producers develop more sophisticated styling, including fully upholstered models at a range of price points.
Barcalounger Home, Best Home Furnishings, Cheers/Man Wah, Franklin Corp., Lane Home Furnishings and La-Z-Boy are among the companies going the fully upholstered route, while glider specialists Brooks, Dutailier and others are updating their offerings with fresh touches.
Dutailier’s contemporary Matrix glider uses patented Glide-R-Motion technology to ensure smooth motion. The seat and back are adjustable to fit a range of heights.
Harden Furniture’s wingback swivel glider rocker, No. 7406, features a yoke-shaped back and nailhead trim for a casual yet elegant look. Retail, $4,260.
The La-Z-Boy glider rocker assortment is characterized by the transitional Skylar, No. 361, with sleek lines and box border arm pads. It is available in leather, fabric or microfiber.
Fred Holland, executive vice president of Holland House, said his glider business is holding steady now, but that it dropped a bit in ‘07 due to the influx of fully upholstered models at the promotional end.
But, he added, because of rising material costs, “they are becoming more prohibitive to make and ship, and I am not seeing them as much.”
For 2007, Furniture/Today estimates sales of swivel/glider rockers at $1.39 billion, a 3.1% dip from $1.44 billion in 2006. Projected sales for 2012 are $1.68 billion.
Harden Furniture and Lane are among the companies that recently have added glider, rocker or swivel features to upholstered club chairs.
In creating its 10-model Easy Glide program, Lane substituted a glide feature on some models that had been rockers with positive results.
“With the glider, the head is fixed and the motion is forward to back,” said Brian Ingram, recliner merchandise manager for Lane. “For people of a certain age, with bifocals, this little nuance makes a big difference” when it comes to reading or watching television.
Lane’s track and ball bearing mechanism — a domestically patented design with lifetime warranty — creates a smooth, quiet ride without sticking, Ingram said.
Currently, Lane sells more leather than fabric covers in this category, he added. Lane’s glider rockers range from $499 to $699 retail.
At Best, club chairs have been updated by adding glider and swivel glider bases, said Eric Vollmer, advertising coordinator. “An increase in demand (for upholstered gliders) has pushed us to broaden our selection.”
Best also is a player in the juvenile area. Its Storytime Series of pastel-toned gliders is designed for the nursery.
As more upholstery sources cross over to gliders, companies that specialize in wood frame models also are upgrading their offerings.
For its contemporary Matrix collection, introduced last year, Dutailier added adjustable seats and backs to accommodate consumers from 5 feet tall to 6 feet, 3 inches tall. The Matrix’s multi-positioning design offers six different locked positions. Improvements include sinuous springs and a pre-camber seat design.
Dutailier’s patented “Glide-R-Motion” technology provides an extra-long and smooth glide motion, said Marketing Manager David Fontaine.
Holland House, another category major, is adding “fully upholstered seats and backs instead of just cushions” to its solid-oak frames, said EVP Holland. Three styles will be offered in fabric or microfiber covers.
While not a true lift chair, Holland said his gliders’ stable frame and multi-positioning capability provide good support for the elderly.
Consumer demand has spurred MAC Motion to return to its roots. Butch McCracken, president of MAC and founder of defunct Relax-R, the once popular metal glider, said there has been so much interest in the old “Relax-R-type” glider that he is bringing a new version to Las Vegas in July.
Renamed the R-Chair, the updated glider is offered in a bonded sauvage leather. Packaged with a companion ottoman as a single SKU, the pair is offered through MAC’s quick-ship program at $599 retail.
MAC Motion also expects to introduce a fully upholstered glider this fall, McCracken said.
Barcalounger also is taking a more sophisticated approach with three new contemporary glider styles. Icon features a scaled-down, pop-up headrest recliner with swivel glider mechanism and inside handle activation. Available in 50 contemporary leather SKUs, the model is $1,099 at retail.
“It gives a more pleasing motion, because you’re not tipping back and forth,” said Phil Cooper, vice president of merchandising. “As you activate it, the backrest pops up and gives head support. And it is appealing in a closed position because of its scale and proportion.”
The headrest was developed domestically as a joint venture between the mechanism supplier and Barcalounger, he said.
“Historically, our glider customer has been older 50 and above, but we are seeing that demographic skew lower to 35 and above,” Cooper said.
Barcalounger’s gliders retail from $799 for fabric to $1,299 in aniline leather.
La-Z-Boy’s collection includes Tristan, a transitional recliner with a heavy-duty dual rocker spring for youthful style.
Nirvana’s Swing chair provides a gentle swinging motion appropriate for home theater use. Burbank, which offers Therasage far-infrared heat technology as an option, provides relief for the lower back and extremities.
“All (gliders) can be customized in fabric, microsuede or leather, allowing the style to be as casual or ‘high-class’ as the consumer wants,” said Penny Eudy, product manager for upholstery.
The Griffin Reclina-Rocker is available in La-Z-Boy’s new Eco-Comfort fabric. An option of brushed chrome handles in lieu of wood lends a modern touch.
For the high-end home theater market, Nirvana Swing Co.’s gliders offer consumers a relaxed swinging motion, said Vice President Taylor Garland.
The Burbank model has optional
Therasage far-infrared heat technology to deliver relief to the lower back and feet.
