Home Office, Entertainment Stand Out At Furniture Market
By Martha McDonald -- TWICE, 10/25/1999
Suppliers at the October Furniture Market in High Point, N.C., agreed that the home office segment of the business is exploding, even surpassing home entertainment furniture, which continues to show strong growth.
In other news, the convergence trend has come to furniture, as suppliers offer pieces that accommodate both entertainment and home office equipment. At the same time, they are beginning to address the widescreen (16:9) HDTV format.
At the Bush showroom, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary by announcing its new Diamond Coat Ultra clear finish, a new retail program, and a number of new home office and home entertainment collections.
The new Diamond Coat Ultra finish is said to be twice as durable as melamine and will be used in home office furniture, according to a company spokesperson.
Bush also announced a new furniture gallery program to help retailers display and sell office furniture. The program provides a planogram, signage and POP materials, as well as a special order kiosk and training for sales personnel.
New home office collections from Bush include Ashland, Cubix Natural Cherry, Fusion, Revere, Saranac and Visions.
This Cubix Natural Cherry collection consists of 14 pieces that can be configured to suit different needs. Available in a natural cherry with slate gray finish, the collection includes a 36-inch desk for $139.99 suggested retail and a 48-inch desk for $149.99.
New home entertainment collections featured by Bush include Bayside, Cabernet, Heritage Pine, Horizons, Lancaster, Revere and Vantage. Available in an antique white finish, the Bayside collection's entertainment center with pocket doors ($499.99) accommodates most 36-inch TVs.
"As we move into the new millennium, Bush continues to place a major priority around the development of innovative manufacturing technology and process capability," said senior VP of sales and marketing Dave Messinger. "There is a movement toward a more casual, comfortable style of furniture."
At the new showroom for Creative Interiors, a division of Thomasville Furniture, the company displayed a number of new products and new finishes. "Furniture for consumer electronics used to be nondescript," said general manager Phil Miller. "Now the consumer is asking for style in this category."
The Summit Collection, for example, includes a home entertainment center designed for up to 36-inch TVs. Design features include angled end panels and rounded shelving. The suggested retail price is $299, while a TV stand in the same collection is $149.
Miller noted that TV stands are becoming popular and pointed out that Creative Interiors offers models at prices starting at $39 and going up to $300, with many units in the $69 price range.
One of the new design features that Creative Interiors highlighted in both home entertainment and home office furniture is a revolving storage area that can hold CDs and tapes or home office supplies.
The new Office Revolutions collection includes eight pieces in two different finishes (maple and fruitwood) and offers the revolving storage units in all three desks. Other features include a large keyboard tray and curved desktop. The suggested retail price for a desk and hutch is $350, while flanking pieces are about $100.
Sauder Woodworking introduced 83 pieces at the market. Two of its new collections are the Harbor Springs, with country cottage styling, and Facets, a versatile home office.
With retail prices ranging from $129 to $499, the Harbor Springs collection includes a computer desk with a slow-release drop front, a lateral file, and a conference table/storage unit plus a computer stand and hutch. In addition, home entertainment centers are scaled to accommodate 32- and 36-inch TV sets.
Sauder also introduced home office designs in other collections, including Forest Hills, Inglewood, Mission, North Pointe and Timber Inn.
In the Timber Inn collection, for example, Sauder showed a new computer armoir with a slide-out printer shelf, two file drawers and other storage. At $400 it is smaller than the company's popular $500 Monarch office in a box, and also allows the consumer to hide the home office.
Other home office items featured in the Sauder Woodworking showroom included a desk and credenza in the Heritage Hills collection for $1,000 and a smaller version of the Monarch office in a box in the Lexington Line. The suggested retail price is $400.
A new computer desk/workstation in the Mission Collection, the MC47, lists for $300. A computer armoir for $300 and a $400 computer credenza were also new for this collection.
A new line for Sauder is the Sierra Collection, which includes a home theater center that expands to accommodate the larger screen sizes.
O'Sullivan offered a variety of new TV stands with style and safety in mind, for 32- to 36-inch TVs, at retail prices ranging from $59 to $179.
"The biggest growth will be in SOHO," said senior product manager Leonard Saldana, noting that O'Sullivan focuses on modular features that allow for customized work spaces. "Consumer electronics retailers are upgrading their furniture offerings," he said. "The design and quality of RTA furniture is better than it used to be, and the furniture is function- and feature-driven."
The company showed off home entertainment furniture as well. The two-tone Xpressions collection offers home entertainment centers to accommodate 27- to 36-inch TVs. In the Xpressions Youth collection, a multi-tasking unit accommodates both entertainment and computer equipment, as well as a game station and a bookcase. The suggested retail price is $199.
One of the new items from Bestar is the Academy, a computer workstation with a sliding monitor tray and pullout drawer for the printer. The workstation is offered at $299 in a two-tone cognac-and-black finish.
Bestar's new Fusion collection includes a $349 multifunction piece that accommodates a TV, games and a computer. "It is perfect for a kid's room," said marketing director Charlie Royce.
Great American Oak, which offers case goods instead of RTA furniture, introduced its Vista collection that includes a home office desk designed for a bedroom or small apartment. A computer and storage drawers fit behind a pull-down door. The suggested retail price ranges from $1,499 to $1,999.
BDI focused on its audio/video Ventura collection and also showed a new TV stand designed for HDTV. "We have to be ready for the 16:9 format," said president Bill Becker.
