DALLAS — Upholstery manufacturer American Leather, known for its innovation and superior product engineering, has evolved to include a design program for retailers. The Shop-in-Shop concept highlights design and lifestyle elements of its motion and stationary lines. The concept debuted in 2023 and currently has five locations in operation with another 10 in the works.

“The Shop-in-Shop concept is where American Leather’s unique story unfolds, and consumers are met with the true brand personality within a retail store,” said Ashley Fothergill, creative director for American Leather. “The vignettes are customizable and span up to 2,000 square feet to provide retailers with options that work best within their space.” He continued, “Shop-in-Shop can also be thought of as a service American Leather provides to make custom product design easy.”

The Shop-in-Shop footprint also features a design center, filled with top-quality leather and fabric options that customers can touch and feel, as well as arm and leg customization options to showcase the endless possibilities of the brand. For the finishing touch, customers can choose between a wide range of metal and wood finishes.

Aside from the Shop-in-Shop design center, customers can customize pieces for their own homes by using the draping tool on American Leather’s website to see a 3D rendering. Users can shop by fabric, color, patterns and more to create and visualize their dream piece. Once customers have chosen a combination, they can print out the spec sheet and use the online locator to be directed to the nearest dealer.

Carrie Cox, director of brand experience for American Leather, works closely with each retailer partner to design custom Shop-in-Shop vignettes that will appeal to the regional customers’ aesthetic and style preferences. Cox thoughtfully selects the materials that work best in those markets, whether that is showcasing popular bison leather in Colorado or colorful yet durable fabrics in Florida.

One indicator of success is modern furniture retailer Cantoni, which recently rebranded its store in Dallas featuring an American Leather Shop-in-Shop experience and sales increased by 50%. The American Leather x Cantoni partnership is a long-standing one with American Leather being featured throughout the luxury chain. “What is different about how we have approached this particular collaboration was that we were looking to create an environment that houses a more complete array of our products, beyond motion, with examples of our stationary and conversational pieces,” Fothergill said. He added, “The assortment reflects all that American Leather is capable of but in a way that beautifully balances our brand’s DNA with the contemporary aesthetic Cantoni is renowned for.” 

Two additional Cantoni locations in Houston and Atlanta are in progress with the goal of completion before the end of 2024. Other Shop-in-Shop concepts are planned for other locations across the U.S. including in Atlanta, New York, Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, Seattle and Dallas.

“I think the success we have seen has come about via thinking outside the box a little and we credit Cantoni for allowing us to do so. We removed SKUs from the floor giving the product more space to breathe and more room for the client to interact with the product. We have developed vignettes that help to provide the client with a sense of how American Leather would work in their home.”

Fothergill added, “These projects harness the partnerships that have long been the backbone of the American Leather business, with retailers and American Leather sharing both the experience and the ‘lift’ but in a way that reflects the strengths of each.”

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My name isn’t Marty, but now I can say that I’ve been to the future. And I want to go back. 

Upon hearing about Seestadt here in Vienna, I knew I had to see it for myself. One of the world’s largest social housing developments, Seestadt is part of Vienna’s drive toward carbon neutrality by year 2040 while continuing to grow in population. Seestadt sits on 800 acres that once served as the Aspern airfield.

Translating as Lake City, the Seestadt urban development project is a laboratory for testing “smart” living concepts, community-level sustainability efforts, and pedestrian-first city planning. Because cars are fewer, further and far less likely to be individually owned, Doc Brown was partially right: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” Seestadt has surprisingly few roadways, with most of them on the perimeter, while car parks are pushed to the outer limits of the city to make room for walkways, parks, squares and open-air facilities. 

And monthly rents can run as low as $600.

The reasonable rents are explained by having a landlord that isn’t motivated by profit or pressured by investors. That landlord is the city of Vienna, Austria’s largest landlord, which precludes land or property speculation. Supporting the project is a 1% tax on all salaries for new construction, a tax that has a history of more than 100 years. Permanently affordable housing is part of Vienna’s DNA. 

Seestadt puts on rather impressive display that affordable housing can be accomplished without sacrificing quality of life and absent even the stigma that the term “public housing” carries in most of the West. In fact, Vienna has been named the most livable city in the world by The Economist magazine five times even though 60% of its residents live in some form of social housing, according to Eugene Quinn, an expat urbanist who has developed 60 different walking tours of the city. 

Quinn said he believes that walkability is a huge component of a city’s livability. 

“Vienna is thought about as this classical, walkable, chocolate cake city,” he said, “but it’s also home to the future. Seestadt is one of the smartest cities in the world.”

Quinn defined “smart” as collecting, understanding, then applying data, including geographic information system data. To define “social housing,” he said it begins with allowing the government to be the center of your life “in ways that aren’t true or customary in the United States.” 

The honor system

For Quinn, among walkability’s benefits for a community is trust, and trust is at the heart of civic life in Vienna. It’s one of the bedrock values that most surprises visitors from the U.S., and it explains the city’s astonishingly low crime rate and conspicuous quietude. I’ve never been to a quieter city. 

“Vienna has the best soundtrack in the world, but you can’t hear it,” Quinn said. He was referring to Mozart, Strauss, Beethoven, Schubert and so many others. 

Trust also explains why there are no turnstiles at the city’s train stations, tram stops and bus stops; passengers are just expected to have paid their way. When random checks occur, which is roughly twice per calendar year, only 2% of riders are tagged for not having a pass or ticket, according to Quinn. Seestadt residents share cars and bikes and even power tools.

In community, trust is built when people are in contact with another and connected, when socioeconomic classes aren’t walled off from one another, and where private interests don’t own all the spaces. To make Seestadt pedestrian-first, there are planned, gradual transitions between public and private spaces, with semi-public spaces throughout. Laundry rooms are adjacent to playrooms, small parks and playgrounds are found around every corner, and inner courtyards (called “canyons”) erase social boundaries and class divisions. 

Vienna has been “very intentional about identifying groups that need spaces and spaces that need groups,” Quinn said on a “Smart City” walking tour for my students here with me for a monthlong study abroad experience. “This is why a few of the city’s departments have offices in the national (soccer) stadium, which would otherwise sit empty almost the entire year.” 

Red Vienna

Seestadt didn’t emerge out of Austria’s famously fresh air. During the “Red Vienna” period between 1918 and 1934, the country’s socialist government prioritized affordable housing for workers, taxes on luxuries and improvements in health care. Seestadt can be seen as a modern day elaboration of that priority on general or communal welfare over individual autonomy. In “old” Vienna, the city center is notable for its walkability, emphasis on public transportation and social interface. Unlike the vast majority of “new” planned communities, Seestadt offers those same “old” or historic city center amenities but in a thoroughly modern context. 

Seestadt’s ratio for circulation is 40% public transit, 40% walking and cycling, and 20% for personal vehicles, and its infrastructure is built toward these goals.

I’m acutely aware that the terms “social housing,” socialist and “red” carry profound baggage for many Americans, with socialism having been weaponized by the hard right. I’m not advocating for socialism as that term is used in the United States, and neither is Austria. But, like the state assemblyman in California, Alex Lee, I am open to progressive solutions to what has become a rapidly growing housing crisis in America, a crisis that puts affordable housing out of reach for ever more numbers of would-be homeowners. Homeowners are, of course, furniture consumers. 

The Social Housing Act

“I think more people are coming around to the idea that the current system of housing we have is fundamentally broken,” Lee told De Zeen. “The free market is working as intended today, where sky-high rent prices and housing prices are driving people away from their home communities.”

Chair of the California State Assembly’s select committee on social housing and chair of the committee on human services, Lee likes to cite Vienna as a model for addressing the affordable housing crisis. This February, Lee again proposed the Social Housing Act. 

A huge barrier for Lee’s legislation and for public housing initiatives in America in general is the stigma attached to government interventions and, even more toxically, to “social housing.” 

“I’ve seen a lot of times where Americans have a deep-seated stigma or mindset when it comes to public housing,” Lee told De Zeen. Then they see something like Seestadt, and “they typically change their mind.” 

I’ve certainly been persuaded. After all, we don’t have a problem with our tax dollars going to libraries, public schools or social security, though we might very justifiably have issues with their administration and implementation. 

But politics isn’t at all the theme here. Architect and author Walter Jaegerhaus wrote that “experimentation and innovation are in short supply today. Bitterly fought battles between the defenders of single-family homes and those who want most of us to live in ever-shrinking apartments off long, multistory corridors make people believe in a zero-sum game for finite resources. What’s missing is a new creative spark that can elevate the discussion to a level where everybody can see themselves winning.”

My safari to Seestadt to see social housing in its very natural habitat was intended to be inspired, to glimpse the future of the home and to rethink how we do “life” and “living.” We need more “winners,” because winners buy more furniture and, more importantly, because it is good and right and true to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” 

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CHICAGO — Luxury furniture resource Marge Carson has unveiled 13 new pieces as part of its spring 2024 collection and also has launched a new website aimed at offering customers a better browsing and shopping experience.

The new pieces include five chairs, two sofas, two floor mirrors, a matching counter and bar stool, plus a bench and a bar cart. Each piece was created based on the design preferences of its clients, said company President Janet Linly.  

“Emphasizing superior quality and craftsmanship, these pieces are crafted to transcend fleeting trends and instead offer a timeless appeal that resonates with clients who value both style and longevity,” Linly told Home News Now. “Responding to requests for pieces that seamlessly complement our original designs, some dating back 20-30 years, we’ve ensured that each creation upholds our hallmark standards of quality craftsmanship and timeless allure.”

Pricing falls in line with similar items offered by Marge Carson, and final pricing is based on how customers choose to customize certain items. Starting prices range from $4,730 for the Spencer counter stool to $14,680 for the Enzo sofa.

The items are made at the company’s Mexico source production facilities, and lead times vary based on the level of customization and nature of each piece.

“Pieces are meticulously bench-made to order, ensuring that each creation receives the attention to detail it deserves,” Linly said, adding that the company also is launching new case goods collections later this year, which includes dining tables, side tables and foyer tables, “further enriching the Marge Carson brand with a complete line of upholstery, bedrooms, bedding, case goods and accent pieces.”

She noted that initial response to the new pieces from retailers and clients has been overwhelmingly positive, reflecting a “deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and sophistication they embody.”

She added that the company’s new website, www.margecarson.com, highlights the newest product introductions, including those that are part of the spring launch, along with inline products by categories including bedroom, dining and living room as well as collections. Each item is shown with various images in silos and room settings, and customers can see specs and initial pricing of each item before requesting a quote based on custom options ranging from finishes and nailhead trim detail to custom fabrics, fringes and tassels, to name several.

The site even has pet furniture including dog beds priced from about $2,900 to $7,250.

“Our brand-new website has been designed to offer an immersive and effortless browsing experience, showcasing our timeless pieces with captivating new finishes and fabrics,” Linly said, adding that notable features include the “Request Quote” function, which helps “facilitate seamless communication between clients and dealers, while our curated collection of pillows offers Marge Carson clients the opportunity to refresh their cherished pieces with effortless sophistication.”

She said that traffic to the site thus far has exceeded expectations, with more than 300 quotes received in the first five days of its launch.

“This surge in interest from clients worldwide serves as a testament to the enduring appeal and unwavering commitment to excellence embodied by the Marge Carson brand,” she said.

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The second condition is knowing when to enhance, tweak or even change a product to keep it in the passing lane of retail’s fast track.

After reporting on the home furnishings sector for decades, I’ve concluded that, for good reason, suppliers fail often when trying to meet that second condition.

When a supplier opts to redesign, tweak or reimagine an existing product, it may often involve switching suppliers, raw materials, production procedures, channels of distribution and more.

Which is why good enough is good enough for some suppliers.

Then, there are guys like Joe Savovic, president and CEO of Soundstage USA LLC. 

As long as I have known Savovic — and it has been a very long time — Joe embodied the tenet of Kaizen manufacturing (aka continuous improvement) long before the term became a buzzword in our sector.

A few markets ago, Savovic introduced an innovative line of furniture that incorporated a very sophisticated sound system. 

If you missed the original story, you can read it here.

Despite a strong response to the line, in speaking with Savovic last week, he told me he had an aha moment and realized that, “Initially, shoppers are coming into a furniture store to shop for furniture, not necessarily an amazing audio experience.”

As a supplier focused on quality product at value pricing, Savovic said, ““Our job is to give the customer something they think they can’t buy for the money they are prepared to spend.”

Now, along with two other industry veterans, Howard and Michael Slavin, Savovic has reworked the line and is putting the finishing touches on new groupings of stationary furniture made in Vietnam that still feature his high-definition audio components, but at sharper price points.

“I’ve always said the greatest inventions or innovations of our lifetime are things that we didn’t know existed or that we wanted,” Savovic told me, adding, “So, for me, that meant changing my story from here’s incredible high-definition hidden in furniture to here’s a great- looking living room set at a great value. And it also offers high-definition sound with a host of incredible connectivity.”

Specifically, Savovic said users can make a hands-free phone call from this furniture. They can listen to music, watch a movie on their TV, listen to audiobooks and much more.

With that in mind, Savovic will debut a new lineup of sharply priced stationary furniture, including a 90-inch sofa featuring four speakers and two subwoofers and Soundstage third-generation audio that can retail for $999. 

“Larger sofa chaise units and sectionals, also featuring the high-definition audio components, will be set to retail at $1,899, and that is huge, because before this, just about anything in our line retailed at $2,999 or more,” Savovic explained.

All told, Soundstage USA is planning to show some 20 new groupings in his showroom at the October market.

However, buyers can get an earlier first look at the new line as the company says it will debut four new lines at the RTOWorld 2024 rent-to-own show put on by APRO and the TRIB Group this August in Orlando, Florida. 

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You’re not going to believe me, but I had no intention of writing a column about sex furniture. Hand to heart, this column found me. And like a growing number of romances, it all began online.

A friend who works at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, our alma mater, mentioned to me in passing a fairly new furniture company started up by a trio of fellow Tar Heels, the Butner, North Carolina-based Nugget Comfort. The company makes super-affordable foam “play furniture” in a range of vibrant colors that has proven wildly popular with moms and dads and on social media. 

Microsuede on all-foam cushioning makes for easy shipping, which has helped propel Nugget Comfort into being a darling of e-commerce. Easy manipulability by even tiny hands has made Nugget a darling among darlings, the children who get to configure Nuggets into beds, chairs or sofas, or, if they wish, slides, jungle gyms, castles and forts. 

In short, Nugget offers “toy minimalism for play,” David Baron, one of the three co-founders and CEO, told Axios in September. He said the company is premised on the belief that children’s imaginations don’t need an excess of toys. “A cardboard box or a couch that can change shape is enough,” Baron said. He’s not wrong. 

As you might expect, the company cashed in big during Covid, selling as many $249 play “couches” as they could make. (I still wince when I see or hear the word “couch,” industry insider that I am, but as my wife reminds me, “That’s what normal people call it!”) Demand was so high that hundreds of thousands of parents entered a Nugget-created lottery to try to score a couch or two for Christmas 2020. Inevitably, some lottery players sold their proverbial place in line or turned to after-market vendors charging two or three times the Nugget-direct price. In short, the dynamics of the sneaker market had come to furniture.

The company is prominent on Facebook (136,000 followers), Instagram (560,000 followers), TikTok (18,000 followers) and Reddit, but from the grass roots up. The company is so popular in social media that several Nugget-specific memes have popped up, such as the trending photos of parents sitting atop their Nugget shipments the moment they arrive.  

‘Baby, let’s put the X in sex’ 

But this is all foreplay because doing research on the company almost immediately led me to a market that I had no idea even existed, which is the apparently “hot” market for sex furniture. Stumbling onto and into this world felt like “discovering” the Mississippi River. De Soto just had to keep walking west, right? “Oh, wow, look at this enormous, millennia-old, 2,300-mile-long waterway that cuts from Canada down to the Gulf!” Of course, there is a huge sex furniture industry and all of the social media content related to it that you might expect. 

One of the first Google hits for a search on Nugget was a Vice Media story from earlier this year on “the best sex furniture for turning your living room into a horny playground.” I know it’s rather icky to think about something intended for children brazenly becoming a staple of what some might regard as kinky sex. It makes me uncomfortable as juxtaposition even writing the sentence. And if I feel this way, I have to think the fine folks at Nugget Comfort are experiencing more than a nugget of discomfort with their wild popularity in the sex furniture sector, however unintended that popularity might be.

‘Oops, I did it again’

To their credit, my fellow Tar Heels are clearly marketing only to parents, making any utility of their couches as sex enhancements purely coincidental and derivative. There is no mention of or connection to the sex furniture market anywhere in Nugget Comfort’s social media content or marketing literature, nor on its website. In this regard, Nugget is a bit like the manufacturers of shipping containers, who make and sell for a singular purpose, but who likely watch with amazement all of the interesting ways of repurposing those once-seaborne boxes. (Repurposed shipping containers is another industry that just hasn’t been on my radar.)

Judging by Reddit and the many subreddits devoted to sex furniture, it’s difficult to discern which of the two markets is actually larger — the one for children’s foam furniture or the one for sex furniture. It’s a “wedge issue,” because wedges are one of Nugget Comfort’s biggest sellers, and I don’t think I need to bend over backwards to outline what you can do with a wedge in the boudoir. But, for kids, they are the basic building block of all sorts of superstructures, including bridges, castles and forts, which is why the wedge is a key element of the Nugget play couch.

Nugget Comfort’s popularity, not to mention the simplicity of its product, has not surprisingly engendered knockoffs, and a quick search on Amazon or a visit to either Walmart or Target can tell you who they are. Like Nugget, these alternative brands all are marketing to the play furniture sector, not the one for sex furniture. But, while it feels pretty icky to point out, both sectors value adaptability, smooth design and lightweight modular units at no-brainer price points. 

The yoga market values this same aesthetic, as well, which is why the Avana chaise lounge for yoga aficionados has garnered popularity in the sex furniture sector, as well. One reviewer at Amazon hyperventilated, “If couples ‘yoga’ were an Olympic sport, this piece would have helped my wife and I earn at least a Bronze Medal.” If only. 

“Sex furniture has come a long way from shoving a pillow under your butt,” wrote Vice Media’s Sirin Kale. Yes, the innuendo possibilities are endless. 

Other brands in this business, by accident or by design, include Jaxx, which is available at Wayfair, Pillowfort at Target, Figgy, Foamnasium and Best Master Furniture (check out the high heel shoe chair). 

‘Shake your money maker’

To return to the success story that is Nugget Comfort, the company began in 2014 in Durham, North Carolina, but moved production to a “two-football-fields-long” factory in nearby Butner in 2021. Nugget’s website has a fun section on how the foam furniture is made using big roll-pack machines. To squeeze the air out of the foam for shipping, a ton and a half of actual bricks are lowered onto the bagged foam units.  

The popularity of the Nugget concept has meant that each and every time the company drops a new item or even a new color, an online feeding frenzy snaps up every available piece in short order. Let the backlogs begin! It’s not surprising that the company ranked among the fast-growing companies in North Carolina both for 2020 and 2021, according to the Raleigh News & Observer newspaper. When was the last time the state’s furniture industry could boast that? I imagine the closely held, privately owned company is getting more than a few unsolicited offers to manage an IPO. 

Newest in the Nugget product lineup is the Nugget Chunk that just dropped about three weeks ago, a $180 circular ottoman set that can be stacked, sat on, rolled or arranged in any number of configurations. One Nugget photo shows the Chunk as wheels on a foam locomotive. Each Chunk set comes with four pieces that nest together to form a storage ottoman, but the number of possible configurations is limited only by kids’ imaginations. Oh, and those relating to more intimate settings.

Editor’s note: The subtitles are musical references to, in order, KISS, Britney Spears and the Sex Machine himself, Mr. James Brown.

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Her transformation of a living room in a historic home built circa 1880 was judged best in category and the overall best of 298 entries in 12 categories by interior design journalists from throughout the U.S. and Canada. The resulting space “seamlessly blends historic charm with modern, eclectic flair. Vibrant elements, from a colorful wool area rug to custom upholstery and a sparkling crystal chandelier, create a breathtaking atmosphere with multiple seating areas. Ten-foot windows are adorned with fuchsia silk taffeta panels, while a baby-grand Steinway piano and captivating artwork add elegance and cohesion,” Shugars said.

“I am thrilled to win this honor,” said Shugars, “Being Designer of the Year and winning four other design awards is very exciting. This is a wonderful way to celebrate my sixth year in business.”

The media judges also selected Shugars for these other awards: Kitchen first-place, Bedroom second place, and a third place in the Living Room category.

Designer of the Year Runners-Up

The first Runner-Up was Marva Don Card, of Fort Denaud, Florida. Her family room was first in its category and judged second-best overall.

The second Runner-Up was Kimberly Paulus, of Missouri City, Texas. Her bathroom took third place overall and first in its category. She also won seconds in Childrens, Kitchens and Living Room, and another entry in Kitchens won third place. Paulus was Designer of the Year in 2019.

Other Design Awards:

Donayre Award

Shugars’ first place living room also won the Donayre Award, which is voted on by company franchisees and is named for Carol Donayre Bugg, ASID, retired company vice president and director of design.

Second-place winner of the Donayre Award was Paulus for her living room.

Third place went to Lisa Porter, of Dallas, for her bedroom makeover, which was judged first in category by the media judges.

People’s Choice Award

Kiran Arif, of Cincinnati won all three top awards in the People’s Choice Award segment, an online judging open to the public. Her living room design received the highest number of votes cast, her kitchen was second and miscellaneous space was third.

Patti Award

Katie Frederic, of the Coin Team franchise in Sanibel Island, Florida, won the Patti Award. Named after Patti Coons, former public relations director who was instrumental in starting the International Dream Room competition. The award is for first-time entries into the competition and is judged by those franchisees who have achieved Decorating Den Certified Decorator status. She won for a living room makeover.

Annie Abanilla, with the Pressley Design Co. franchise in Fort Worth, won second for her bedroom.

Michelle Simpson, with Lisa Porter’s Spruced Decorating Den Interiors, won third-place Patti for her living room makeover.

This was the company’s 40^th International Dream Room awards presentation. It was held at the company’s Tune in to Success 2024 annual conference in Nashville.

Decorating Den Interiors was founded in 1969 and has interior design professionals and decorators throughout the U.S. and Canada. Its design professionals offer full-service interior design that includes fine furniture, case goods, accessories, lighting, floor and wall coverings, draperies, and other hard and soft window treatments from its custom LIVV Home Collection of furnishings. Its design professionals bring samples directly to the client’s home or office, provide complimentary design services and personally oversee projects through installation. 

The post Panel names Krista Shugars, of Decorating Den Interiors franchise KD-Designs, Designer of the Year appeared first on Home News Now.

Below also is a video interview that Home News Now Editor-in-Chief Tom Russell did with company CEO and partner Doug Rozenboom at the plant.

Kane Corey, assistant plant manager, shows some of the recently cast components on the headboard and footboard of a bed.

Kat Nguyen is seen touching up the paint on various components to be used in a bed frame.

This is a bed frame shown with metal accents that have been cast in a high zinc alloy mold.

As a relatively small business, it’s all hands on deck at Worthen, where director of finance Kim Creekmore is seen putting labels on finish samples.

This cauldron furnace is continually burning to melt zinc that will be poured into molds for specific castings and other decorative elements used on frames.

Here Kane Corey is seen working with castings for a bed on what’s called a pouring table frame.

These are some turned decorative elements that will be used on beds and other items.

These are finish samples seen on various castings. Like finish panels, they are used by dealers and designers to view different finish options available in the line.

Brass tubing is stacked for use in finish product. This material will be cut and shaped into different components used in beds.

Here is an example of how turned and linear components are used in a headboard. Round finials and other shaped elements are used as accents on the piece.

These are some of the new occasional tables in the line designed with a more contemporary flair that includes a mix of curved and linear forms. The table is designed to hold a glass top and bottom shelf.

The post A visit to Worthen Custom Iron & Brass Furniture appeared first on Home News Now.

The Dallas sofa with bench seat and decorative welt, Dallas accent chair and Houston sectional marry artistic contemporary styles with cloud-like cushioning. All are bench-built in Toronto, combining couture-level tailoring and down-filled silhouettes constructed with solid wood frames and no-sag spring cushions emphasizing quality construction. Each piece ships from Toronto in six weeks or less covered in a selection of more than 70 European performance fabrics.

Hossein Azimi, chief executive officer of Bellini Modern Living, said, “Fabric-covered upholstered groups represent, without exaggeration, the largest share of square footage on our dealers’ floors. The ability to customize furniture to reflect their customers’ personal style continues to grow in importance. For this reason, our dealers continue to clamor for more designs in this program,
because customization combined with more contemporary styling and fast delivery has until now, been in short supply. (The majority of custom upholstered furniture programs typically focus on traditional styles.) We are thrilled to report that the program meets with rave reviews.”

Designs in the Carrara collection are entirely down-filled, not only in the seat cushions, but also in the seat backs and arms, and each includes five accent pillows.

“You melt into these chairs and sofas,” Azimi said. “The cushions offer 30 to 35 percent more down than is typically used, combined with the best quality foam and breathable ticking that ensures the cushions bounce right back.”

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HIGH POINT — Textile and leather resources looking to stay current with styles and values across their product lines came to the spring edition of Interwoven this week with plenty of new introductions ultimately aimed at driving consumer interest on retail floors heading into next year.

Presenting a combination of color and textured looks and designs, many also offered strong values including within starting price points on a wide mix of seating to be launched later this fall.

Given that the show was just barely three weeks from the April High Point Market, some said the event felt lightly attended, the result of buyer fatigue that also has resulted from extended trips to Milan and the recently concluded HD Expo.

Nonetheless, there was plenty to see in both fabric and leather as resources came prepared to show the latest across a wide mix of styles, including updated traditional and artisanal looks to contemporary and modern designs in pillow patterns, plus a wide color palette in body cloths, ranging from neutrals to bright colors including greens, blues, orange and russet tones.

At Sunbrella, there were some 25 new patterns with multiple colorways for a total of 160 new SKUs the company said were inspired by “artisanal influences, inviting textures and rich, earthy colorways.” Many of the looks are designed to work in both indoor and outdoor settings, complementing the design of frames that also can work as easily inside one’s home as in outdoor settings, as well as sunrooms and screened-in porches as the fabrics are bleach cleanable, mold and mildew and fade resistant.

Company officials acknowledged the challenges at retail that will certainly impact not only the sale of fabrics from this market, but also from last fall that were just shown on new frames at the April High Point Market. However, there appeared to be plenty of interest from those attending the show, particularly in textures, colors and new patterns.

“People still want newness and freshness,” said Amy Gillam, design director, adding that many companies are still working through inventories as they navigate the current business environment and try “to figure out what’s next. But they are going to do it in a way that is rightsized for their business.”

Regardless, the pricing structure of the line offers a good-better-best story that aims to provide something for every customer need.

“We are focused on creating value at all levels, from basic solutions to top-tier luxury offerings,” Gillam added.

Culp’s introductions included several new style categories aimed at evoking moods inspired by natural settings and themes, including Folk Future, Desert Palm and Homespun to name a few. Each features dozens of new patterns and colors, offering customers a wide selection providing both texture and comfort.

They also are aimed at creating a new level of inspiration for retailers and their customers.

“They need something new on the floor when business does come back,” said Tammy Buckner, senior vice president of design and marketing, noting that the line offers a good-better-best pricing story along with high levels of style and comfort in each segment. “We have given it an equal focus to provide value in each area.”

Culp said it received positive response to its new fabrics as well as its new partnership with HeiQ that offers the company’s Allergen Tech enhanced interior upholstery fabrics, with Culp as the exclusive supplier. The company said that Allergen Tech addresses problems ranging from dust mite matter to pet allergens in textiles “with the help of active probiotics, making it ideal for applications in upholstered furniture, such as sofas, armchairs, and other upholstered furniture products, which are among the household items that are rarely or never washed.”

“We introduced this new option at Interwoven to all of our customers and had HeiQ on site for demonstrations and questions,” Buckner told Home News Now. “It is a finish that we can apply to any fabric in our line and it works with our LiveSmart or Washables line if the customer wanted to offer it as a part of their performance line.  It doesn’t wash away or wear off so it does last for the lifetime of the fabric. This has been perfect timing for introduction with it being in the middle of North Carolina allergy season.”

“We’ve been really excited about the reception it has gotten at Interwoven and think it’s a great addition to our Health and Wellness fabric offerings,” Buckner added.

These and other resources also noted that combined with innovation, competitive pricing remains key in today’s marketplace, and many values were to be had in starting price points in particular.

For example, STI Revolution’s Game Changer line offered seven new patterns and a total of 38 SKUs priced from $3 to $4.50 per yard. Available from the company’s North Carolina and Mississippi warehouses at the end of May, these and other fabrics in its Lone Star and Benson lines are part of the Express program that ships product in as little as a few days or less from the time of order. Other special order fabrics in the line are available within roughly seven weeks.

The company also has a mix of product that falls toward the upper end of the line spanning from about $10 to $19 a yard, offering a mix for a wide range of customers.  

Officials note that the depth and breadth of the line, including its presence in the outdoor segment, has helped grow the business in challenging times. Officials noted that in particular, the domestically produced line avoids issues such as rising container rates along with potential customs delays not to mention tariffs on fabrics imported from China.

“You take all of those issues out of the equation,” said Sean Gibbons, president and chief executive officer.

Still, domestic producers appear to face ongoing competition from importers, whose introductions also were strong in the starting price points. For example, Nice Link’s mix includes 60 patterns and 10 colorways for an estimated 600 SKUs, half of which are pillow patterns and half of which are body cloths. Including freight and China tariffs, the line ranges from roughly $2.95 to $10.95 per yard.

With a line that spans from $2.95 to $17.95 per yard for indoor fabrics and $7.95 to $12.95 for outdoor fabrics, Vision Fabrics also offers a good-better-best story, thus appealing to a broad range of customers.

That said, company President and CEO Jim Ennis said it’s still a challenging time at retail, particularly given some of the still high inventory levels.

“It is difficult for them to get rid of what has been in the supply chain,” he noted, adding that some are still not “able to buy anything new. It think we are in it for the rest of the year.”

For that reason, he and others note that price remains a critical factor in the overall value equation for those in the market for new product.

“You have to have an entry level, and you have to be priced right,” he said, while also acknowledging the importance of style. “We are in a fashion business, so if it’s good, they’ll buy it.”

But some also acknowledged the timing of the show just a few weeks after the April market was a challenge, particularly those with an already heavy travel schedule.

“The biggest complaint we have is that manufacturers are still following up with retailers from the last market,” said Doug Henderson, vice president of residential fabrics. “With retail being soft, it makes it a little tighter.”

Regardless, Henderson noted, not everyone is gravitating to the lowest prices. Instead they are looking for design and texture across multiple price points.

“People are still in love with super-soft fabrics,” he said, adding that price is not always the determining factor in what they order. “In the past, the promotional guys didn’t want to buy above $2. Now they are all looking for style more than price.”

Color was also a key aspect of the palette, with a mix of blues, greens and russet tones. Texture and color also were part of the mix at various leather resources such as Moore & Giles. Its mix of new leathers ranged from highly polished and colorful aniline hides to new colors in its Nu Buck line featuring lightly buffed hides with a soft, velvetlike texture.

While the company said traffic felt a little lighter than normal because of heavy travel schedules, company officials appeared pleased with the show overall.

“We are not setting any records, but this is a good show,” said R. Sackett Wood, chief executive officer, noting that it gives customers a good foundation to see and choose what they like. “And we’ll edit down what we show here.”

With product coming from Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Thailand and India, the company has a vast mix that primarily spans price points ranging from $3 to $7 a yard, with some higher grade product priced slightly higher.

“We offer a value proposition, but the best leathers are more expensive,” he noted. “We are not defaulting to the lower price points.”

Speed to market was another part of the value equation resources touted, ranging from Revolution’s quick delivery in its Game Changer line to J. Allen Fabric’s domestically stocked Revive performance fabric line which includes six patterns and a total of 51 SKUs priced from $2.75 to $4.95 per yard. Soon to be available from its Los Angeles warehouse, it aims to ship within a couple of days from the time of order.

With retail being soft, the company believes the strategy will help separate it from the competition by providing customers with what they want and when they want it.

“We will be able to give them a variety of product,” said Bob Kyle, who handles sales for the Midwest territory. “In tough times, the only way to grow is to take market share from your competitors. That is what we are trying to do.”

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HIGH POINT – Universal Furniture is auctioning off exclusive, hand-painted pieces by Dallas-based contemporary artist Kelly O’Neal starting Monday, May 6. All auction proceeds will benefit  Ruff Love Rescue, a non-profit, 501(c)(3), no-kill dog rescue and foster care organization based out of Thomasville, N.C.

The art was created live during Universal Furniture’s market party, Monday, April 15. O’Neal, with assistance from a friend’s son, held center stage in the showroom atrium for hours, painting a giant floral canvas, plus several small ottomans with his signature, modern graffiti style.

The silent auction will end May 17, and the top bidders will be announced via Universal Furniture’s social media channels. The artwork up for bid includes an 8’x6′ canvas (MSRP $6500), painted bust (MSRP $1150), and three small ottomans from Universal’s new Griffith Park Collection.  The ottomans include the new Gemma hexagon and round ottomans (MSRP $720) and a Nora Ottoman (MSRP $945).

Bids can be placed at fundraising platform Give Butter  or you can donate directly to the rescue, no bid necessary. Don’t miss out on a chance to own one-of-a-kind artwork to support a worthy cause. Bid silently on these exquisite artworks and contribute to the High Point area’s local animal rescue efforts.

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