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HIGH POINT — Universal Furniture gave Premarket attendees a first look at its Coastal Living outdoor collection, set to debut at the October High Point Market.
The new line boasts 86 SKUs that include dining, chat, lounge and occasional pieces in everything from powder-coated aluminum, all-weather wicker, teak and cast concrete. While most of the finished pieces weren’t yet in the showroom, market goers were able to see product sketches and material samples to get a better idea of what to expect in October.
“Everything in outdoor looks the same, so we thought, ‘how do we offer something different?’” said Shannon Lookabill, director of product development, Universal.
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One of the ways they’ll differentiate is with custom cushion options using Sunbrella fabrics, assembled in the company’s Conover, N.C., facility.
The line also offers the possibility to mix and match, with 10 tables and around a dozen chair styles that can be used interchangeably together. And some of the tabletops are made with cast concrete with a realistic faux stone look.
“Using the cast concrete enables us to make it more affordable without losing the style,” said Lookabill.
The company is making a major showroom investment in its outdoor launch, too, renovating an 8,500-square-foot space to display the new line.
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Universal first partnered with the Coastal Living brand in 2018 for an indoor collection called Escape. A second indoor line, Getaway, launched earlier this year. According to Neil MacKenzie, director of marketing at Universal, Coastal Living provided the perfect fit for launching an outdoor line.
“The folks at Coastal Living provided us with some great insights on developing this collection,” said MacKenzie.
Elsewhere in the Universal showroom, the new Modern Farmhouse collection also made its debut during premarket. The line includes dining, case goods, beds, occasional pieces and more in a streamlined farmhouse style.
“We’re seeing this as a business like the Modern collection,” said Lookabill. “We will be adding to this because it has had major interest.”
Photos were not permitted.
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