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THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

furniture

lighting &decor stand and deliver how designers and retailers delight their customers

JANUARY 2020 furniturelightingdecor.com

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THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

contents JANUARY 2020

P. 3 0 The “Sit” Factor

P. 3 8 Stand and Deliver

P. 4 8 Winter Market Previews

P. 6 2 More Than a Feeling

P.7 6 LED Lights the Way

P.7 0 Forward Motion

Furniture, lighting & decor (ISSN: 26 p Communications, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane p USA $125.00, Canada $175.00 (payable in U p funds). Single copies: USA $15.00, all inte p p strictly forbidden. Copyright 2020. Furniture g g r p p of information supplied by co , , , g g Periodical postage paid at ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Furniture, Lighting & Decor P.O. Box 300, Lincolnshire, IL. 60069-0300

To subscribe to Furniture, Lighting & Decor, please go to: www.furniturelightingdecor.com/subscribe

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p

2 Sleep Natural A

P. 8 6 Standing Out

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ADVERTISER INDEX

contents continued...

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FROM THE EDITOR

16

DESIGN NOTEBOOK

P. 1 6

When these Dallas designers want to collaborate, they “SHIFT.” 20

R E TA I L G U I D E

Repeat customers are the goal. These loyalty programs can help.

22

CONSUMER SNAPSHOT

Meeting consumer expectations at retail.

24

P. 2 6

D I G I TA L B U L L E T I N

Creating an effective website experience.

26

DESIGN STOP

Nancy Price curates a defined style in her design/retail business.

90

LAST LOOK

Katherine Elizabeth Designs creates a lake house retreat.

P. 9 0

ON THE COVER Dining room by Cynthia Ferguson.

For this design project, Ferguson needed a room that could easily seat 30. “It is one of my favorite rooms because of the layering, flexibility and the fabulous Thibaut wallpaper!

I added the moulding detail on the ceiling to create another layer of interest, and it just had to be done because the room was such a good size,” Ferguson says of the space.

Photo: Donna Griffith.

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ADVERTISER PAGE A&B Home .......................................................... 25 Alora .................................................................... 19 American Lighting Assn. ................................74-75 AmericasMart Atlanta ......................................... 68 AmericasMart EcoLounge ................................... 66 Capital Lighting Fixture Co. .................................. 9 Classic Home ....................................................... 29 Craftmade Brands ..................... Inside Back Cover Crestview Collection ........................................... 21 Currey & Company .............................................. 43 Dallas Market Center .............................. 17, 84, 89 (CKTƂ GNF %JCKT ...................................................... 27 Fanimation........................................................... 12 Feizy Rugs ........................................................... 13 Fine Furniture Design ............................................ 5 Forty West ........................................................... 32 Gift for Life .......................................................... 85 Grand Brass Lamp Parts ...................................... 80 Hinkley ....................................... Inside Front Cover Hooker Furniture Corp. ....................................... 11 Hudson Valley Lighting Group ............................ 57 IMAX Corp. ......................................................... 37 Interior Design Society ........................................ 73 Kalalou ................................................................. 56 Kalco Lighting ............................................... 46, 47 Kaleen.................................................................. 65 KAS Rugs ............................................................. 36 Kichler Lighting ..............................................52-53 Kuzco Lighting..................................................... 15 Las Vegas Market ................................................ 14 Messe Frankfurt................................................... 60 Momeni ............................................................... 61 Norwalk Furniture.................................................. 4 Nourison Industries ............................................... 7 2CEKƂ E %QCUV .KIJVKPI ............................................ 3 Page One Lighting .............................................. 81 Progress Lighting ................................................ 41 Robert Abbey Lamps .......................................... 51 Safavieh ............................................................... 28 Steelyard ............................................................. 88 Surya .....................................................Back Cover Telos Furniture ..................................................... 23 Temple Furniture/Parker Southern ...................... 33 Universal Furniture .............................................. 45 Uttermost ............................................................ 67 Vaxcel .................................................................. 79 Wink Gaines Photographer ................................. 69

A F F I L I AT E S

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new arrivals

U N V E I L I N G AT L I G H T O V AT I O N www.capitallightingfixture.com/2020 | Follow Us: @capitalltg | Visit Us: Showroom 3931TM | Dallas Trade Mart

from the editor PUBLISHER Susan A. Jones | 336.402.5235 sjones@sgcmail.com

VOLUME 4. ISSUE 1

-----

EXPERIENCE 2020 elcome to a new year… a new decade! Can you believe Y2K was 20 years ago? We’re kicking off this new year with an improved Furniture, Lighting & Decor.

We’ve been working all year on our approach to 2020. If we’re not all evolving with our industries, growth won’t be easy.

Our focus in 2020 and beyond is to help you grow your home furnishings businesses. We’re mining the depths of your collective expertise to bring actionable peer insights to our retail and interior design audience.

Who knows better how to offer the tricks of the trade than those who are successful in it?

We can all learn through other’s insights.

To make it even easier, we’re focusing each issue on themes that impact your business.

This month, you’re reading The Experience Issue. Our main feature focuses on interior designers, and home furnishings and lighting retailers, and the measures they take to manage and exceed client/customer expectations. Getting ahead of those expectations and thoughtful extras are just a few of the “golden” tidbits these designers and retailers share. It’s all about the experience for today’s consumer. We’re also talking about how important it is for customers to “sit” in upholstery and why. And there’s so much more to experience. In Market Previews, we share the cool new products you’ll want to see this month.

We’ll share focused content all year too. Be on the lookout for other topics that resonate for your business. We’ll talk about designing for wellness in February, profitability in March, and

W

the juxtaposition of brick-and-mortar and e-commerce businesses in our April Bricks & Clicks Issue.

We’re bringing our insightful content to your inbox as well. Starting this month, we’ve added two newsletters — Smarts and Stylish.

These quick reads are designed to share the educational insights, trends and products that can help you elevate your business.

Our Home Design Business Think Tank series kicks off this month too, at Las Vegas Market.

These peer-to-peer learning intensives will connect you with like-minded business people you can learn from. Our first roundtable will focus on an interior design challenge — Left Brain/Right Brain: Managing an Interior Design Business with a Creative Mind. These closed intensives provide a forum for a candid exchange of ideas, which Furniture, Lighting & Decor editors will share in thoughtful content full of takeaways.

We think you’ll enjoy our direction in 2020.

We’ve based much of it on our conversations with you, so we thank you. We’re always open to learning more about you and creating the community that helps your home businesses thrive. If you’d like to share ideas with our editors and/or you’re interested in participating in a roundtable discussion, please email me at dfalvey@sgcmail.com.

Here’s to a happy, inspired and profitable 2020! FLD

In 2020, we’re focused on creating the community that helps your home businesses thrive in this decade and beyond.

Diane Falvey

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JAN.20

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Diane Falvey | 516.429.8521 dfalvey@sgcmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Amy McIntosh | amcintosh@sgcmail.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Katie Caron SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Kimberley Wray | 336.880.3999 kimwray@kimwray.com EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS: Johne Albanese, Steven Avitable, Patti Carpenter, Kristina Christopher, Dwayne Clark, Mary Liz Curtin, Colleen Daly, John Dorlini, Jeff Dross, Bob Gaynor, Kerrie Kelly, Julie Messner, Freddie Naimer, Laura Van Zeyl, Comer Wear GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelsey Craig SEND EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS TO: dfalvey@sgcmail.com amcintosh@sgcmail.com ----ADVERTISING SALES INTEGRATED MEDIA ADVISOR Katie Reeves | 847.306.3029 kreeves@sgcmail.com ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Karen Teeter | 847.391.1005 kteeter@sgcmail.com DIGITAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Siobhan Lesniak | 847.318.3414 slesniak@sgcmail.com UPLOAD PRINT ADVERTISING MATERIAL TO: www.AdShuttle.com/SGC SUBMIT DIGITAL ADVERTISING MATERIAL TO: Siobhan Lesniak: slesniak@sgcmail.com ----CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM MEDIA AND STRATEGIC PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT John Atwood | jatwood@sgcmail.com CUSTOM MEDIA MANAGER Raissa Rocha | rrocha@sgcmail.com ----ASSISTANT DESIGN MANAGER Dara Rubin | 847.391.1038 SR. DATA & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Ebony Fendley UPDATE OR ADD SUBSCRIPTION INFO AT: www.furniturelightingdecor.com/subscribe SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES Furniture, Lighting & Decor P.O. Box 300 Lincolnshire, IL. 60069-0300 FLD@omeda.com Toll-Free: 877.501.7540 | Local: 847.763.4933

Editor-in-Chief

visit us on social media

10

EDITORIAL

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design notebook B Y K I M B E R L E Y W R AY

MASTERMINDING A SHIFT Dallas interior designers challenge the status quo. eep in the heart of Texas, two women were dissatisfied with a design scene they felt was years behind New York and Los Angeles. So Mili Suleman, founder and designer of Dallas-based KUFRI, a textile and home goods brand that champions the art of handloomed weaving, and Holly Hickey Moore of HHM Interior Design, set out to remake their operating theater by co-founding SHIFT. A monthly business forum that brings together members of the design community in Dallas, SHIFT aims to create connections and a sense of energy and to challenge the status quo. The group was birthed on a flight from LA home to Dallas, when Suleman and Moore became seatmates following their individual trips to the annual Legends event in the La Cienega Design Quarter (LCDQ). It was a regular pilgrimage for Suleman.

“Legends is all about the showrooms,” she recounts. “The best designers come to town, there are panels and parties, and it’s got a lot of financial backing and power behind it. We were both high on the energy we had just experienced, and with such a large influx of people moving to Dallas from California and New York, we wondered why Dallas was still so traditional,

D

Holly Hickey Moore (top left) and Mili Suleman (top right) formed SHIFT to bring Dallas designers together to advance interior design in the city.

Bottom left: Suleman with her KUFRI textiles designs. Bottom right: Hickey Moore’s interior design aesthetic.

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PAG EONE L I G H T I N G

Lightovation brings the best and the brightest in residential lighting together under one roof.

Discover the latest trends, innovations and products in every lighting category including outdoor, ceiling fans, lighting controls and smart lighting systems.

DALLAS IS YOUR DESTINATION FOR ILLUMINATION.

JANUARY 8-12, 2020

design notebook

and why it couldn’t be accepting of other types of design.

We knew the talent was here.”

“We started out doing what we called Mastermind Groups,” Moore relates. “These were formal, planned talks centered around a business issue we were having, and then our second meeting focused on social media.”

Another brought in the editor of PaperCity Magazine for a roundtable discussion on how to pitch stories and approach editors. A holiday gathering will center around the food and culture of Puerto Rico and a local chef specializing in same, with the talk (naturally) focused on hospitality and restaurant design, because as Suleman says, “Design is so influenced by culture, and we’re looking for an unabashed, authentic take on it.”

Left: Harris Briggs, an Architect member of SHIFT,

PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING

says the organization has helped him to positively Nearly two years since its launch, SHIFT and its contribute to the human experience through his work. regulars, which include designers, architects, Above: A kitchen designed by Briggs. photographers and more now informally known as “SHIFTERS,” are thriving. “We make it a point to keep the meetings small (the norm is 12 people, but there have been as many as 15 in a group), so that everyone founded by his father, has been in Dallas a really long with questions has a chance to talk.” time. Another regular is Robinson Pittet, whose father owns Someone hosts a meeting each month in their home after Pittet Architecturals, which imports antique and vintage archithe workday, and there are always a set of objectives for the tectural and decorative artifacts. “Like Harris, Robinson is going to intimate gatherings. Each fosters the kind of trust and camaraderie “that take over the company someday. We’re the same age, so the hope is that you wouldn’t necessarily get if you went to an IIDA or ASID meeting, one we’re all going to grow together and support each other in our businesses of the more formalized organizations that you have to pay membership for the next 30-plus years, and one day we’ll be the old guard of Dallas.” to join,” Moore says.

“I think I was looking for my tribe and I felt like it didn’t Notes architect Harris Briggs of Dallas-based exist in Dallas,” Suleman says, adding that prior to SHIFT, William S. Briggs, “As a professional I am interested in she focused all of her marketing on the East and West accommodating and positively contributing to the human Coasts. “I had really credible showrooms representing condition. SHIFT helps me achieve this by exploring our line — Harbinger out of LA and ALT for Living in NY, others’ perspectives and how they achieve their goals. and Y&Co in Canada — so my line was doing great everyThere’s a fantastic Dead Poet’s Society feeling to it. where else, but I was rejected by a few showrooms here People are there because they want to be there, and they in Dallas. My line is more about texture. It’s a little more feed off of each other’s passion. They’re not there to fulfill subdued and it’s not mainstream Dallas. Through the some committee hours or requirements.”

SHIFT group, I’ve found my tribe and it’s fed my soul and Briggs became a SHIFTER after meeting Moore at definitely increased my leadership skills. It’s becoming a networking event for Luxe magazine. “The first time a really interesting and fun group, and everyone is chalI came I was a little timid, but it was awesome, and I lenging everyone else and encouraging everyone else.” wanted to keep coming back. It was great to be able Indeed, Moore says the most important thing others to talk to peers about our issues and the industry can learn from the SHIFT model is that “everybody and to ask for advice. It was really enlightening. You needs a group or a mentor of some sort that they can HOLLY HICKEY learn confidence in yourself and you hear about other really trust and rely on, and it has to be within their local parts of the industry that you’re not exposed to, like community, because you learn who bought what, who MOORE sourcing, purchasing, shipping and dealing with clients is moving away, who is closing their business, who is on the interior design side. As architects, we’d love to opening up. You can’t run a business alone without any have design in-house someday, and I’m learning from people who are help. I believe in karma, and if you hold everything to yourself, and you doing it every day.” don’t share, it’s going to come back to you. There are plenty of projects On the whole, SHIFT is drawing younger, up-and-coming professionals out there. Even if the market gets tight, there are only certain projects that in their 30s. “Harris is a perfect example,” Moore describes. “His firm, fit your brand and your personality.” FLD

“EVERYBODY NEEDS A GROUP OR A MENTOR THEY CAN TRUST AND RELY ON, AND IT HAS TO BE WITHIN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.”

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INTRODUCING THE

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retail guide

CULTIVATING LOYAL CUSTOMERS id you know acquiring a new customer can cost five times as much as retaining an existing customer? And increasing customer retention by 5 percent can increase revenue by as much as 25 to 90 percent. The success rate of selling to an existing customer is 60 to 70 percent, versus 5 percent to 20 percent for a new customer. Not only are loyal existing customers more likely to spend money in your retail establishment, whether brickand-mortar or online, they’re also more likely to recommend you to their friends and family. And yet, statistics show show that more marketing dollars are spent on cultivating new customers than on customer retention.

It takes more than a sale sign in the window to drive repeat traffic, so what tools can you use to develop loyalty programs that work online and in-store, help you manage communication with repeat customers and provide a satisfying experience?

Here are three programs that can help you tailor loyalty programs to your customers. FLD

D

By Diane Falvey

Customer retention is key to a thriving

CandyBar CandyBar focuses on helping small businesses compete by creating a customizable stamp program that allows retailers to set purchase rewards that can be carried on any app for retailers and customers. Retailers can connect CandyBar to any device (no technical skills or programming required). The program runs on a browser and doesn’t need to be integrated into a POS system.

When customers check out, to add stamps to their accounts, simply enter the phone number and CandyBar keeps track. When customers have gained the number of stamps needed for a reward, it’s simple to click on “give reward” and it will automatically be applied. Like many online systems, CandyBar has platform options with varying degrees of support, but even the basic, most affordable plan allows for unlimited customers and unlimited reward stamps. The program also provides instant customer feedback, real-time customer activity, reward expiry reminders, customer referral plans that attach to the reward system, performance tracking and customer support. Free 30-day trial. www.candybar.co

LoyalZoo allows independent retailers to run points-based or subscription-based loyalty programs. According to the company, research shows that customers enrolled in a loyalty program are likely to spend twice as much as customers not enrolled. With LoyalZoo, customers can be signed up with an email or phone number.

It also allows retailers to drive promotions for further customer engagement. Points are automatically delivered by SMS/text or email (no app required), but there is an app for customers if they want it. A “Handsfree Marketing” option with the program also tracks customer retention and interest, alerting you to customers who are new, VIPs or slipping away.

LoyalZoo’s subscription-based loyalty program is designed for regularly recurring revenues, and rewards are up to the retailer.

The subscription program helps create loyal customers via membership fees. All that’s required is a payment card for customers to sign up, and the program tracks benefits usage. LoyalZoo works for e-commerce as well and can be used by retailers with multiple locations. There is also a digital loyalty card that can be handed to customers as a reminder.

Both plans start with a low monthly fee, and include additional tools at additional costs.

Free 7-day trial.

retail business. These three loyalty programs are desgined to help.

RepeatRewards RepeatRewards is a digital loyalty solution that allows retailers to reward customers based on their visit frequency and purchase patterns.

With an easy-to-use interface and multiple delivery methods, RepeatRewards is designed to engage customers in multiple ways.

Customers can join online, in-store or via an app designed just for your store. Transactions and visit histories are then tracked through integrated POS solutions. Rewards can be delivered in multiple ways as well, including email, direct mail, mobile app, stored rewards, receipt printout or Cent$ible, an automated system that sends emails or mail to customers to expand brand reach. The program also offers a custom-designed gift card service, a Refer-a-Friend program that allows customers to gain rewards for referring potential customers and customer survey options with perks to get insight into what customers are thinking. Tiered monthly programs keeps costs down while providing multiple benefits. www.loyalty.repeatrewards.com

www.loyalzoo.com

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consumer snapshot

WHAT CONSUMERS EXPECT FROM THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE espite what several years of sensationalized headlines may have you believe, the retail industry isn’t dying.

Cries of a “retail apocalypse” might not reflect imminent end times for the retail space, but they do shed light on something significant: a shift in power and consumer expectations.

Today’s consumers are more powerful than ever, and they want beautiful, functional products that enhance their lives — and they want

D EVENTS

Putting on events is a great way to get consumers — especially younger ones — into your showroom.

82% of shoppers who attended a retailer event in the last year say they are interested in similar events in the future.

46% of consumers attended a “retailtainment” event in 2018.

66% of Millennials attended an event.

53% of Gen Z attended an event.

SHIPPING

Thanks to Amazon, expectations for fast shipping continue to rise.

39% expect free two-day shipping.

29% have backed out of a purchase because this was not offered.

65% of consumers look up shipping costs before adding items to their carts.

TECHNOLOGY

Innovative technologies, if used right, can make the path to purchase easier for consumers.

55% of consumers are interested in technology that shows them if a product is in stock.

49% are interested in solutions that allow for price comparisons and reviews.

38% are interested in solutions that let them try an item before buying it (either in person or virtually).

THE FUNDAMENTALS

While it seems to succeed you need to offer all the bells and whistles, consumers still value the basics of the shopping experience.

them delivered yesterday. So what do retailers need to do to position themselves for success in this climate? Understanding consumers’ expectations of the retail experience is the first step. Read on for what the latest research from the National Retail Federation says about what consumers demand from a few key areas of the retail experience. FLD

By Katie Caron

RETAILER EVENTS CONSUMERS ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING

87%

Early/exclusive access to items or sale

81% Party

80%

Product demonstration or tutorial

MOST POPULAR RETAILER EVENTS IN 2018*

71%

69%

Game or competition

Interacting with expert or brand ambassador

50%

40%

Product demonstration or tutorial

Pop-up shops

LACK OF FREE SHIPPING A DEAL-BREAKER?

45% Early/exclusive access to items or sale

69%

32% Pop-up shops

Free shipping is more likely to be a deal-breaker for Millennials than for other generations.

27%

19%

11%

*TOP THREE T YPES OF RETAIL EVENTS AMONG THOSE WHO AT TENDED AT LEAST ONE EVENT IN 2018

Gen Z

Millennials

Gen X

Baby Boomers

WHAT CONSUMERS EXPECT FROM RETAILERS

63%

Quality customer service

60%

Free standard shipping

58% Ability to buy online

57%

Flexible returns

57%

Ability to w ` Ü >Ì want quickly and easily

55%

Speedy or à « wi` checkout

51%

Product reviews

SOURCE: NRF’S 2018/2019 WINTER CONSUMER REVIEW

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digital bulletin

WEBSITES: PRIORITIZE USER EXPERIENCE

Quick Fixes For designers not in the market for a full website redesign, Chapman offered some quick fixes to improve user experience without breaking the bank.

Church & Rose’s homepage is easy to navigate and places the design work

Simplify your navigation where possible, focusing on your portfolio. Maybe some less important pages can be tidied into the footer.

One statement photo on the homepage beats a busy mess of three or four and could be regularly changed to keep things varied and interesting.

It’s good to focus on your audience, and one clear statement on the homepage about what you’re going to do for them will go a lot further than three paragraphs of blurb.

Keep an unloved news page up to date. A years-old “most recent post” might make clients think you’re no longer trading. Add details of recent projects or think-pieces about current issues or trends in the industry.

A simple coding tweak like changing to a fresher typeface often makes all the difference. Have a chat with your developer and see if you can trade some advice on streamlining their office space in exchange for a quick favor on your website!

front and center.

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just reading an online newspaper.”

It’s important for websites to cater to the needs of both types of users and have a clear path to help them find what they need. The key to this oftentimes is branding, which is bolstered by a distinct style and high-quality imagery.

Design elements should be cohesive and holistic.

For interior designers, website visitors want to see the work. Focus less on copy and more on imagery. “[Designers] will have a brand and things to say about themselves, but in almost every case, they want the work left unadorned and even a suggestion of adding the simplest copy is regularly shunned,” Chapman says. “In the past I always assumed some sort of description would be necessary. Today that’s politely declined in almost every case!”

Slideshows and thumbnails are things of the past, and Chapman says motion is the future of web design.

If you can afford professional video, take advantage of it. FLD

By Amy McIntosh

3 Interior Designer Website Mistakes 1. Too much information about the designer.

Because an interior designer’s website is a sales tool, it should be less about the designer and more about how the designer can help the customer, Chapman says. “In the same way as you’d listen to a brief, ensure your website is an open, welcoming experience, not so opinionated that a potential client’s ideas or project won’t be heard.”

2. Not enough information about projects.

Even though your projects are familiar to you, it’s usually the first time a website visitor is seeing them, so be sure to show them in the best light. “When showcasing a project, focus on details, as well as the wider panning shots of a room,” Chapman says. “Your client will want to know about architectural features you’ve accentuated, combinations of furniture you’ve specified and colour pairings that are the signature of your studio. Let a job really shine by remembering your work is all new to your audience and they want to soak up every aspect of your creativity.”

3. Too much clutter.

To make your work shine on your website, keep it simple. This applies to colors, copy, fonts, photos and overall design. “Always give the images of your work space to breathe and don’t place them too close to each other,” Chapman says. “Pare back a statement typeface or if it’s important to your overall brand, make it a little smaller or give the vertical letter spacing a little extra room.”

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TIERNEY - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

ow that telephone books and TV commercials are going by the wayside, most interior design clients find their designers on the internet. Because your website is often the first impression you make on your potential clients, the digital user experience is becoming just as important as the in-person customer experience.

Richard Chapman, Founder and Creative Director of Richard Chapman Studio, a branding and web design agency with a lengthy resume of interior design clients, says there are two types of users who generally visit a website.

“The first is a user who knows exactly what they want and goes straight through to source the answer to their question. A good example is someone who wants to book a flight or buy a table they’ve seen, perhaps in a physical store, and now wants delivered,” he says.

“The second takes a more meandering wander through the pages.

This could be a user who is either doing some research on a good choice of wall lamp to specify — or

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design stop

CURATING A DEFINED STYLE The retail shop on the

ocated in the arts district of Jackson, MS, Nancy Price Interior Design sits among the galleries and trendy restaurants. The two-story standalone building is part retail space, part interior design firm, with designer Nancy Price at the helm.

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ground floor of Nancy Price Interior Design mixes old and new pieces, including original art created by Price’s daughter, Abby.

DEFINING HER STYLE

Price’s grandfather was a master builder who taught her husband the craft. Together, the couple opened a design-build firm in the early 1980s. Her husband drew up the plans while Price handled the design work. Today, Price’s husband is retired from homebuilding, while she runs her interior design business that includes a retail shop and wholesale division.

“I have a very curated style and a very traveled style,” she says. “The most important thing for me is for clients to tell their story.

If they’re a client who’s traveled and they’ve procured beautiful things throughout their travel, we really love to work with that and have that as part of their design aesthetic.”

In the homebuilding process, “we incorporated a tremendous amount of old materials ... and that just carried over into my interior design work,” Price says. This affinity for antiques and older pieces with “history and a soul” not only informs her design style, but it also was the jumping off point for her retail store.

Starting as a 10-by-10 space at a local marketplace, the retail operation included antiques, art and other pieces Price was having trouble sourcing locally for her design clients.

Price had her eye on her current building for the 34 years she’s lived in Jackson, and when it became available 18 years ago, she swooped in and purchased it. With retail on the main floor and her design shop upstairs, Price is able to keep a close eye on both businesses. Her daughter, Abby Price, creates one-of-a-kind art pieces from found architectural fragments, which are sold at wholesale.

NATIVE ADVERTISING

The retail element not only provides the opportunity to reach walk-in customers looking for a unique piece of furniture or art, it also helps potential interior design clients

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experience Price’s style.

“You can come into our studio and you get the experience of what your environment can be like, and I think that’s a very unique experience,” she says. “People want to have that, as opposed to just walking into an office and having photographs and possibly a 3-D drawing. It’s almost like they get to live here first.”

The distinct style of the retail space means the shop is a natural advertisement for the interior design business. Most locals already know the shop doubles as a design firm, but design business has also come from people just stopping in.

“I’ve definitely gotten jobs from somebody walking in from out of town on a Saturday, just walking around the neighborhood looking at art and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to live like this every day,’” she says. “And I say, ‘Well we can make that happen today.’”

The store is merchandised in Price’s self-described “juxtaposed design aesthetic,” mixing old and new pieces, showing customers how some of her more unique pieces can work in their homes.

“Everything is set up to be like a room,” she says. “So you may have an antique settee with an 18th century fauteuil with a newly upholstered piece that we procured from market.

It’s meant to give you the idea of how you can have these pieces in your home and how the old chairs work with the newly upholstered pieces.”

This environment and customer experience is a point Price tries to drive home to other designers looking to add retail components to their businesses. She stresses the importance of staying true to your own design style.

“Don’t go buy all these different things

and try to incorporate them into your store because that’s not who you are as a designer,” she says. “If you’re all about that wonderful Moroccan boho look and that’s who you are as a designer, those are the things that you gravitate to and that people are hiring you to do. That’s what you need to show in your environment. You don’t need to do French antiques because that’s not what you really do.

It’s important to own who you are visually in your retail space.”

When your store reflects your design style, it sets an expectation for customers to both businesses. Potential design clients understand your style from the look of the store, and retail customers come to know where they can shop to find exactly what they need.

“People are definitely coming in to Nancy Price Interior Design to experience what we have. They know they’re looking for a unique piece of art or a unique gift, or they want to work in their home, they want to get inspiration,” Price says. “That’s really what it’s about.

You come in our store to get inspired and to be inspired and to find things that you’re not going to see everywhere else.” FLD

By Amy McIntosh

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UPHOLSTERY

CRAFTING THE ‘SIT’

The sofa... the sectional... the love seat... the comfy chair. Outside of the bed, upholstered furniture is likely the place your customers and design clients will spend much of their time. A comfort experience is the goal.

BY DIANE FALVEY

Quality upholstery seating relies on several layers of construction, starting with the frame. At Fairfield Chair, skilled artisans build the pieces.

eating comfort is a uniquely personal choice, and quality upholstery can come with an “investment” price tag. Being able to talk about the mechanics, processes, materials and options that go into quality seating is essential on the retail showfloor and when shopping with design clients. “A sofa or sectional for a family room is a very personal purchase,” says Sandi Teague, Vice President of Sales and Merchandising at Sam Moore, which has been crafting upholstered seating in the United States for 80 years. “We get so little family time, it’s important to have that oasis for the time we have.”

For the consumer, seating should be one category where product knowledge and a “test ride” is as important as finding the right color.

Yet, as consumers head online to shop, how do we convince them to experience the “sit”? Manufacturers are working to provide the needed knowledge. “We’ve been apostles of the philosophy of loving it first by seeing it, then by sitting on it, and then by pocketbook,” says Dixon Bartlett, Chief Creative Officer for Norwalk Furniture.

According to Bartlett and other manufacturers, there’s a lot of engineering, craftsmanship and testing that goes into seating that provides stability and durability along with a sit that envelops the body. A lot has to happen to ensure the comfort. “Our vision is to construct upholstery that you sit in as opposed to sit on,” says Sean O’Connor, Senior Vice President of Sales at Universal Furniture.

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CONSTRUCTING COMFORT

“Good seating begins with a well-built frame, a springing system that provides maximum support, premium cushioning and proper selection of

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fabric choices that are properly back-coated,” adds Del Starnes, President and Chief Operating Officer at Taylor King.

“In my experience and in the training that I have received from some legendary upholstery mavens, perfecting the ‘sit’ of a chair or a sofa is all about the relationship of the geometry in the frame construction,” adds Dixon Mitchell, President and Chief Operating Officer of Fairfield Chair.

“The direct relationship of the seat height and seat depth while integrating the seat draft and back pitch all factor in defining the best sit.”

Beyond pitch, frame materials and spring construction create the foundation for upholstery designed to outlast the trends. That primarily includes strong frames, constructed from solid hardwood or upholstery grade plywood, which can be even stronger than hardwoods.

According to Ellen DeLong, Director of Upholstery and Outdoor Furniture for Century Furniture, the company primarily uses kiln-dried solid hardwoods in their upholstery frames. “For furniture with ornate details it has to be hardwood,” DeLong says. At Century, frames are corner blocked, double doweled and glued to prevent shifting or squeaking. “It’s worth taking the extra time,” she says.

This type of frame construction requires expertise, according to suppliers.

For upholstery makers, particularly in the U.S., while finding and training the artisans that craft the furniture can be a challenge, it is well worth the investment. “The way we make our upholstery, it’s all bench made in the time-honored tradition of how it’s been done for 50 years,” Theodore Alexander Vice President of Sales Garth Robinson says. “We tie the springs to each other and to the frame in eight ways ensuring the springs stay stable and consistent. Eight-way hand-tied gives you stability for a great

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ride.” Whether eight-way hand-tied or sinuous spring, the right spring support system is important. “The gauge of the coil is critical in determining the firmness or softness of the seat,” Fairfield’s Mitchell notes.

Norwalk’s Bartlett adds that the spring system has to match the function.

“Depending on the style of the chair, we know what support system we’re going to use,” he says. “It’s important to think about this right in the beginning because how the chair sits is largely built into the frame.”

SINKING IN: THE CUSHION STORY

Cushions are where manufacturers offer up myriad comfort and cost options depending on the foam, fill and binding fabrics used for the perfect seat. While each company has it’s magic formula, there are a few caveats to consider before sinking into a sofa. For example, says Sam Moore’s Teague, there needs to be a “crown” to the cushion. “You want to make sure your cushions aren’t flat,” she says. “You want a comfortable look before you even sit into the sofa.” Sam Moore offers several cushion styles for soft to firmer seating.

There’s nothing better than using the product to attest to the quality of a good cushion, according to Theodore Alexander’s Robinson. “Our standard cushion, which is 90 percent foam core surrounded by a 15/85 down and feather mix, keeps the softness.” He’s had the first sectional made in the company’s custom program for seven years. “It’s the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever sat on,” he says, attributing the comfort to long Sharing cushion options, such feathers and the ticking that keeps them in place. as this Sam Moore Cushion Important too, upholstery manufacturers agree, is the ratio of softness between the seating cushion and Rack, helps retailers explain seat backs. Fairfield’s Mitchell explains: “Back pillow choices to customers. construction should link to the seat cushion construction.

This linkage should match firmness or softness so that the seat and back compliment one another.”

Universal’s O’Connor agrees. The company builds its styles with fully sprung and fully padded backs to ensure an “even ride no matter where you sit,” he says.

Educating the Customer Upholstery manufacturers understand the mechanics, materials and craftsmanship that go into their quality upholstery seating. How do they share that with their retail and interior design customers so consumers will understand?

“We want every potential customer to test drive the upholstery. Market is a great opportunity for that. We’ve also supported many designer events throughout the country and this ‘see, feel and touch’ experience has proved beneficial. ” —Sean O’Connor, Universal Furniture “We developed this program to sell a sofa with graduated cushions, as well as the Cushion Rack.

We want the retail salesperson to tell the story easily. They can explain the differences through the diagram, and they can show the cutaway.”

—Sandi Teague, Sam Moore “We’ve had companies bring their best salespeople through the factory. Once they do, it’s done. They can upsell a customer because they understand the quality level. It’s a hundred little things that make it what it is.”

—Garth Robinson, Theodore Alexander

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STYLING WITH PURPOSE

As performance fabrics continue to offer a softer hand, better stain and liquid resistance, and increased durability, upholstery companies are also offering more performance options.

“We examine fabric samples to make sure we feel we are not compromising fashion for quality, including considering the amount of double-rubs in the information supplied to us by the mill,” says Taylor King’s Starnes.

O’Connor adds, “We look for a comfortable feel in all our fabrics. We started using performance fabrics four years ago, and they now make up 70 percent of our fabric assortment.”

For upholstery manufacturers, particularly those with custom options, the ability to offer myriad styles add to the appeal. “We like to stay on top of current trends,” says Sam Moore’s Teague. “We make sure we’re reaching all of the different customers out there and meeting their needs.”

Century’s DeLong suggested there are infinite possibilities that can be extracted from upholstery’s basic structure. “We’ll build anything to a customer’s specifications. There are standard changes our customers can make, such as back-fill, cushioning, arm and leg style,” she says. “Or, we can completely product-develop a whole new piece for that client.”

With all of the varied options available in quality seating, experiencing the “sit” is something upholstery makers recommend. “The $800 sofa and $4,000 sofa will look the same online,” Theodore Alexander’s Robinson says, adding the customer will be tossing the $800 sofa in 10 months and re-covering the $4,000 sofa in 10 years. “In the long run, it’s really less expensive.” FLD

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“We do demonstrations where we tear down chairs so they can see how it’s constructed. Twice a year, we bring retail and design partners to the factory for tours. You see the craftsmanship and quality.”

—Ellen DeLong, Century Furniture “Before a customer buys a new sofa, ask them how far off the ground the seat of the current sofa is, how deep the seat cushion is, how high the arm is — so you have something to compare with a new sofa.

There are many variables. How are you using what you have? Understanding that goes a long way to making a smart consumer.”

—Dixon Bartlett, Norwalk Furniture “We ask our sales representatives to encourage our dealers, sales associates and designers to always quantify the customers’ desires and needs in comfort and durability.”

—Del Starnes, Taylor King

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Forty West

ATLANTA | DALLAS

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STYLE BOARD

UPHOLSTERY Accent chairs, such as this i vÀ > Àw i ` > À] >Ài V ÃÌÀÕVÌi` Ã Ãi>Ì } > ` L>V VÕÃ } V « i i Ì i>V Ì iÀ° ÜÜÜ°v> Àwi `V > À°V

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TAKE A SEAT

Beyond the beauty of the style and textile choices, a lot takes place “under the hood” of that stunning sofa or chair to ensure a comfortable “ride” that’s designed to last.

BY DIANE FALVEY

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Long feathers and expensive ticking are used to create a durable, comfortable “ride” for Theodore Alexander upholstered seating pieces. www.theodorealexander.com

Taylor King offers four different cushion and back cushion options in its upholstery seating with various comfort levels. w l k

Usage and comfort of upholstery at Norwalk Furniture are decided before d g w o a u tu e co

Universal Furniture now uses performance fabric in 70 percent of its upholstered furniture, maintaining a focus on comfort feel. www.universalfurniture.com

The modern Evelyn sectional from Vanguard features a curved design to make it inviting and relaxing. www.vanguardfurniture.com

The MARQ Aston sectional for Hooker features tactile “touch-me” upholstery and blend-down seating. www.hookerfurniture.com

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THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

STAND AND DELIVER Three interior designers share their insights on how they keep their clients happy.

B Y K I M B E R L E Y W R AY

To deliver a complete experience, Gary Inman of Baskervill (shown on p. 40), says the most important thing is to make the story about them.

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A

t a time when the ability to work with an interior designer is within the reach of more consumers than ever, thanks in large part to inexpensive online design services, little appears to be changing at the better end of the marketplace.

“The people who hire me are not do-it-yourselfers,” says Texas-based interior designer Kristi Hopper. “They are busy, have little design sense and know that they can’t pull it off themselves. They want something better than they can get at retail. They want an experience. They expect me to come up with innovative ideas that they could not think of themselves, and then to bring people to the table that can do the job; people they know they can trust because of my relationships with them.”

Though the designer has seen many changes in the two decades since she founded Kristi Hopper Designs, which specializes in both whole-home remodels and interior design, she says most people today are more aware of the interior design profession because of HGTV. “There was no Joanna Gaines when I first started my business, and I think that TV made people more open and receptive to using a designer, and the value of designers. That said, it’s also contributed to some unrealistic expectations in terms of budgets because the show producers get things at cost or have them donated. I have a client right now who said, ‘Well on TV, they said they could do a whole kitchen for $12,000.’ And I had to tell her, ‘Yes, but you want new cabinets, new everything, and you want to close off a door.

That’s going to cost $50,000.’”

Getting Real

The key to happy clients now “is setting expectations up front and having a good contract,” Hopper relates. “I have a contract, and over the years I’ve learned to sit down with people and walk them through it. It says things like ‘There will be dust,’ because no matter how you prepare people for a mess, if you don’t talk about it, they’re always shocked and upset. So, I sit them down and look them in the eye and say, ‘We’ll do our best to keep the jobsite clean, but there will be dirt and you’ll need a housekeeper afterwards. I tell them I can send someone to them, but there will be an extra cost.

“It states that we won’t be there every day. It also says if you add something that is not on your contract, there’s going to be an extra charge, because people think, ‘Oh, she’s here, she can hang this light for me.’

When I explain it up front, they won’t be upset with me later.”

Additionally, the designer says, “The contract states my hourly rate and the rate of anybody who works for me. I spell out everything.” Hopper has updated her contract numerous times over the years to reflect things she’s learned the hard way. Now, for example, “it says if there’s a manufacturer defect, you can’t hold me liable. And if there is an act of God, you can’t hold me liable. It talks about contractors and their insurance. In other words, if anything goes wrong, the claim would be against the contractor and not me.

“Then, I have sheets called ‘What to Expect When you Get Countertops,’ and ‘What to Expect When You Get Wood Floors,’ and there is another for tile. There’s a lot wrapped up in each of those things and I go through all of it, because people don’t know. They don’t think about the fact that they have to clear off their countertops and take everything out from underneath the counters unless you tell them.”

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Dallas-based interior designer Kristi Hopper says the key to happy clients is a detailed contract and setting expectations up front.

Essentially, Hopper says, the most important thing for designers now is to be clear up front and to continually “update your contract throughout the course of your career. When something bad happens with any job, I believe it’s to teach you something, not to take you out. You learn from it and use it to make your contract and your projects better. Like adding the paragraphs about the manufacturer’s warranty and acts of God. I never had those in there before because I write my contracts myself to make them more approachable.”

As for not using an attorney, she says: “I had an attorney write my contract and it was 10 pages long and I was like, ‘Dude! I can’t even read this so I’m not going to make my clients read it. And they won’t, so it just makes me look like I’m ridiculous and nobody wants that. I have to be approachable. People hire me because they like me. There are a lot of designers in Dallas, and there’s enough business for everybody, but my first job is to sell myself, right? The second is psychology and figuring out how to relate to the client and the third is project management: how I’m going to work in their home.”

Throughout a project, ongoing communication remains key. “For instance, we ordered a custom sofa for a client and it’s being made for her.

I tell people up front how many weeks it should take, and when to expect it. Even so, at the beginning of this week, I asked my assistant to find out where the furniture is in the manufacturing process so we could give the client an update.”

Managing expectations in this way stems largely from Hopper’s corporate background (she worked for Canon as National Sales Operations Manager for a decade, with more than 80 people reporting to her). “It was wonderful training that helps me manage a lot of projects at once these days,” she sums.

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THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

Show Them the Real You

For interior designer Barbara Lewis, with design studios based on Long Island, NY, and in Stamford, CT, serving affluent clients goes hand in hand with the visibility and validation that comes along with high-profile showhouse work.

“Unless it’s a direct referral, people interested in working with a designer start off by Googling names and looking at your website. So, you have to have a cohesive, easy-to-navigate website today that’s packed with really wonderful photography that shows off your work,” she says. “But showhouse projects take you beyond taking your personal work and putting it up on a website. It’s a seal of approval that someone else thinks enough of you to have you be a part of their show, to help them look good.”

Most recently, Lewis was a featured designer for the prestigious Rooms With a View at the Southport Congregational Church, where she created a classic, yet current, entry vignette inspired

by Albert Hadley. (Hadley himself was a church member and until his death served as the show’s honorary chairman.) Founded 25 years ago, past designers associated with the annual fundraiser have included Bunny Williams, Thom Filicia, Charlotte Moss and Alexa Hampton, among others.

The same month, Lewis was also a featured designer at Holiday House New York, where she created a bar lounge inspired by the Café Society of 1960s Manhattan. This, on the heels of the critical acclaim she received earlier that year for her work at Holiday House Hamptons.

Though the designer acknowledges the impact of the internet, with its saturation of information and photographs that lead consumers to think they can just point and click their way to good design, she notes, “That person is really not my client.” But in an era of transparency, she too points to the importance of “having the right contract. Either they are going to agree to your terms and sign it, or they’re not your client,” she says.

“My clients still expect me to do the entire job for them, right down to the accessories, with a lot of customization. And as any designer will tell you, you do your best work when they give you free rein because they trust you. I’ve earned that trust through experience, transparency and a long career.”

Acing the Interview

Vice President of Hospitality for architecture, engineering and design firm Baskervill, the 13th largest hospitality firm in the U.S., Gary Inman concentrates mainly on that sector these days. But the designer still has his hand in whole-house projects, typically when the houses are large and important enough to have a name, such as Millstone Manor, a recently completed country estate. “We’re hired because the client knows we have the capacity to handle the scale of their project,” Inman says.

Inman, who got his start as a fashion designer in New York, working with the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Mary McFadden and Liz Claiborne before moving into the world of interiors, has witnessed “a fundamental paradigm shift” in the nearly three decades since he began. “There was no AutoCAD when I started; everything was still manual. And most of the resources were truly for the trade only,” he says. “As designers, we had access to so many things that the public did not, and I appreciate that more these days than I might have at the time.

“What I think my high-end residential clients are looking for when they

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Interior designer Barbara Lewis says you should have a cohesive, easy-to-navigate website packed with wonderful photography of your work.

hire a true designer — and I think to some extent this is true in hospitality as well — is a person who has the capacity to give them the best products and design solutions available. Because they can see so much on the internet, and they can shop around, I tell them, ‘I will edit the world for you.’ Most people don’t have the ability to edit, process or create the cohesive connections between a myriad of design elements. It’s overwhelming for most. As a designer, I’m able to weave those things together.

“I think one of the things my clients value most about working with me is my capacity to look at everything, all the potential things they could have in their home, and then edit it down and choose the right things to tell their story in a way that feels very personal to them.”

Like Lewis, Inman says, “There is value in being at a point in your career where you’ve earned a certain credibility. Obviously, you always have to be cultivating work, but it isn’t like the first years when you kind of take what comes along. In the early days, I thought of it as an audition, and I felt I had to really get them to like me and be impressed by my portfolio. It was all about trying to prove to a potential client that I could be valuable to them, that I had the right taste and the right skillset. It was really a very one-side equation.

“After I practiced for about 10 years and had all these issues come up that teach you lessons,” he shares, “I developed a certain degree of wisdom about the process of how to deliver design to clients and how to be a good practitioner. I learned to spot the tell-tale signs when people had decision-making issues, for instance, and to steer clear when a person has anxiety about making small decisions because when you’re creating a large home, there are going to be thousands of decisions and you’ll never achieve any momentum. Now, when I go into an interview, I look at it very differently. I’ve learned to interview them as much as they are interviewing me and to trust my instincts.”

To deliver a complete experience, Inman says, the most important thing “is to be passionate, to really make the story about them and not about yourself. I don’t have a signature style because I’m always interpreting someone else’s dream. It’s about having empathy and caring about their lives and creating a place that reflects who they are. And, it’s a powerful feeling when you’ve moved someone emotionally, when they are almost speechless about their home. I love that. It’s the reason I’m still doing it almost 30 years later.” FLD

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THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

RETAIL CROWD PLEASERS Strategies to delight customers.

Teddie and Courtney Garrigan (l-r)

BY DIANE FALVEY

want shoppers to be inspired in

he relationship with your retail customer doesn’t end when the sale is made.

It doesn’t start there either.

Successful home furnishings and lighting retailers know a lot goes into making that shopper feel at home in your store, from the atmosphere as they walk through the door to the desire to connect outside of the store. Learn how the proprietors of home furnishings establishment Coco & Dash, home and gift store Leon & Lulu, and lighting and plumbing supplier B.A. Robinson Ltd. keep their customers happy and coming back for more.

their two stores.

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COCO & DAS H DALLAS, TX For Teddie and Courtney Garrigan, the mother/daughter duo behind Coco & Dash and Ciao Coco!, their retail shops have been the start of something bigger, as the two branch out into the interior design world. Theirs is a unique aesthetic that customers have come to embrace and want to see in their homes. See how this eclectic retailer connects with its customers.

How do you interact with your customers to make them feel at home at Coco & Dash and Ciao Coco?

Our goal in our shop is to make everyone feel comfortable and happy whether they buy something or not. The experience we strive for is one of being inspired. We have people who

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curreyandcompany.com Atlanta | Dallas | High Point | Las Vegas | New York

THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

come in and want to look around for a little bit. We don’t want our customers to feel like they are going to be accosted. There’s breathing space when you walk in the door. If they haven’t been in before, we let them know a little bit and then let them free-range.

Customer service is very important to us. Everyone’s questions are answered, however they find us. It’s important that we’re kind and we give them what they need. Our motto is, “Be good to people and they’ll want to come back.”

What do you look for in sales associates to ensure they connect with your customers?

We have a staff of four, including Mom and me. We are so blessed as [our sales associates] Heather and Trey treat the store like their own, and they have an innate ability to connect with people. It’s important that they understand the aesthetic of Coco & Dash. We want them to have pride in what they’re selling. We don’t follow people around or push a sale; however, it’s important that we’re there to answer questions. Our store is not a big place. We make sure to greet everyone as they walk in the door.

How do you connect with customers between store visits?

We use Instagram as one of our tools to connect with customers to show them exactly what Coco & Dash is all about. We want to help people understand who we are and decide if they want to have a relationship with us.

We also share glimpses into our personalities and into our personal lives and intentions in life every now and then. It’s how we view the world and that manifests itself in the way we do business.

Instagram people feel more selective about who they follow and who they want to hear from.

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LEON & LULU CLAWSON, MI Mary Liz Curtin, owner of Leon & Lulu and Three Cats restaurant, outside of Detroit, has taken historic sites — the old roller rink and theater — and transformed them into a shopping destination that leaves her customers wanting for nothing, even if that’s a meal. The latest addition to the Leon & Lulu portfolio is the full-service restaurant (right next to the store), where you can have a bite to eat and buy the table where you’re eating, if that’s your preference. Talk about creating an experience. At Leon & Lulu, you can buy a custom sofa, a greeting card or that special outfit for a night about town. Curtin’s overarching approach to her customer relationships is, “You want your customers to know that they’re treasured and appreciated.” See how this retailer who “does it all” connects with her customers.

How has adding a full-service restaurant added to the appeal of Leon & Lulu?

The store is good for the restaurant and the restaurant is good for the store. It definitely appeals to all of the senses. And customers can shop while they’re dining.

We do everything we can to promote unusual gifts. For example, the wines we serve in the restaurant and sell won’t be found in the regular places. They’re all domestic, some from Michigan.

In the restaurant, we use only mix-and-match vintage plates and flatware. Someone will sit down and it will be her grandma’s plate and we’ll give them a piece. We might sell it and give the money to charity or we gift it to them. It’s interesting how emotional a customer will get seeing the dinner plates she had growing up. It brings back so many memories, and it’s a way to create that experience.

At Leon & Lulu, Owner Mary Liz Curtin (above) merchandises “all of the things that finish the room” in her store’s vignettes.

Shopping remains a social activity. You have to give people a reason to come in.

How do you keep your merchandising mix fresh so customers see something new when they shop and understand how products will work in their home?

We’re big believers in shaking it up all the time.

We’re constantly bringing in new things. Some are products we’re not sure will sell but we know will keep our customers engaged and active. We are also constantly moving things around, including furniture that we’ll re-merchandise. We incorporate a lot of accessories in our merchandising, such as lamps and pillows. We sell rugs and throws too, especially during the holidays. For home furnishings, we merchandise all the things that finish the room. When you buy a dress, you need some jewelry.

For our home furnishings customers, we talk to them about their needs. Where are you going to sit in this room? Do you need a lamp and a place to put your feet up? How comfortable is this? We ask them to bring measurements so they can plot out the room. And we ask about pieces such as end tables and lamps, because they don’t think about these things. For home furnishings customers, it’s about what your family needs and we go from there.

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LOVE JOY BLISS

Inspired by the positive, refreshing energy created from savoring time at home, Universal Furniture is thrilled to introduce a freshly genuine perspective on home interiors.

Partnering with global style icon, Australian-born international supermodel, businesswoman and mother Miranda Kerr, this new collection eloquently captures Miranda’s ideals of tranquility, authenticity, and beauty into timeless yet practical home furnishings.

AVAIL ABLE SPRING UniversalFurniture.com/MirandaKerrHome

I U T I

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NATING S FOR 2020

ontinue to highlight updated nd the blending of design styles ooks. Top trends as of late include r its sleek simplicity, old glam for sparkle, and boho chic for its organic ec o to the environment.

+ out in 2020:

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and geometric art deco or the swooping silhouettes of old Hollywood.

Reimagining these iconic designs with an updated look can evoke an earlier era while still feeling current.

4. GEOMETRIC DESIGN

1. UPDATED FINISHES Matte black is an increasingly popular finish across multiple design aesthetics, from mid-century modern to industrial to farmhouse.

LED light’s capabilities are showcased in the Redding Collection, where floating discs are uplit with no visible light source. Brass cups holding the LEDs illuminate the discs to deliver soft indirect light to your space, while the white interior of each shade adds even more brightness. The fixtures in this collection are dimmable with a Triac dimmer switch.

2 STATEMENT L GHTING A open floor plans and l ge kitchen islands c ntinue to dominate h me layouts, buyers are l king for lighting that will stand out in open s aces. Fresnel glass is t star of the Portland C llection, which offers o tions perfect for the ki chen, powder room, m droom and more. The s hoolhouse vibe of this c llection in both globe and oval shapes is easy to coordinate in any transitional setting.

Portland is available i Polished Nickel and Winter Brass.

From hard, sculptural edges to soft, organic shapes, lighting designers continue to experiment with form, finish and silhouette.

Even an oversized fixture can seem understated and elegant, when paired with a matte finish.

5. MIXED MAT The trend towa d incorporating t a room is movi g textiles to inclu g g as well. The tre d ik cluster of the E p pendant illumin h frosted glass b draping the ou f the fixture, pro g a graceful and flowing look.

B.A. ROBINSON LT D .

PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

B.A. Robinson won a Showroom of the Year Award in the $5 Million and Under revenue category in 2019, in large part because of the company’s dedication to its customers.

Showroom Consultant Sara Rasmussen shares that the lighting and plumbing supply retailer “strives to make the customer feel welcome, helping them quickly and efficiently. We try to At B.A. Robinson, sales associates are in relieve their stress constant training to ensure they are welland help them to versed in technology and can answer questions the best of our for customers. abilities. We want our customers to feel invited in right away and to leave happy, so they want to come back.”

Lighting and plumbing are technical categories. How do you train your staff so they can assist customers who may need a bit more knowledge before making a purchase?

We have 10 people in total who work here. Two in the showroom and two that come in to help when we get busy. We are always constantly in training. We want our associates to understand the quality, where products are made, if it will work for the customer’s application and the do’s and don’ts of installation. We like to be well-versed and find answers for our customers. We’ll help them pick finishes and colors to create a functional space. We want our customers to be happy and confident in their choices.

How do you stay connected with your customers if they aren’t shopping?

We’re part of the Home Builders’ Association and the Chamber of Commerce in our community. We participate in charity work and events around town. These events help us connect with community and builders and designers. This is so important for us. We all have families here and we’re very much like a family, and we want people to come in and feel like family. It’s more than just business for us.

We also have an online presence. We just launched an e-commerce site. We’re always there to help, whether it’s online or in the store.

Customers can order online and pick up in the store as well. FLD

3. A NOD TO THE PAST New fixtures are adding a fresh take to past styles – whether sleek midcentury columns and cones, glittering

THE EXPERIENCE ISSUE

www.kalco.com

SPRAZZO COLLECTION With references to Art Deco design elements and Mid-Century style, Sprazzo sputnik chandelier makes a statement. Its Polished Silver frame capped with hexagonal crystal rods that refracts the light to provide even more shimmer, and the dimensional look that’s created with the candelabra bulbs layered in JLYHV WKH Ć[WXUH D KLJK GHVLJQ ORRN

DALLAS . LAS VEGAS

To learn more about Allegri Crystal Collections, visit us www.allegricrystal.com or call 800.525.2655

WINTER MARKET PREVIEWS Start 2020 off right with these fresh product picks at Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas markets.

B Y K AT I E C A R O N

“Inner Blooms I S/3” from The Studio Collection by Liz Jardine for Paragon is framed in a silver leaf wood shadow box-style molding with gold wash edging and black painted sides. WTC 500. www.paragonpg.com

Sagebrook Home’s Natural Driftwood table lamp features a white hanging shade for a neutral, nature-inspired look. Measures 13.5 inches by 8 inches by 24 inches. WTC 500. www.sagebrookhome.com

"À}> V à >«i > ` w à ] Ì i - Ã> oval bowls from Studio | A Home feature a grid-like texture to add dimensionality to any space. Handcrafted in Portugal.

IHDC 1D209. www.studioa-home.com

DALLAS

TOTAL HOME & GIFT MARKET January 8-14 A curvaceous silhouette, cappuccino leather and natural brass framing makes the Simon chair from Regina Andrew eye catching and comfortable at the same time. WTC 9028. www.reginaandrew.com

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WINTER MARKET P

S From Currey & Company, the Daze pendant features milk glass for a soft glow of illumination. Ribs of metal in an Ƃ Ì µÕi À>Ãà w à V « iÌi the look. IHDC 1D228. ÜÜÜ°VÕÀÀiÞ> `V «> Þ°V

The Wilmington rug vÀ -ÕÀÞ> à > ` ÌÌi` v £ää «iÀVi Ì wool with medium pile > ` À V V Àà v Ìi> ] > > ` V>À> i ° >`i in India. WTC 560. ÜÜÜ°ÃÕÀÞ>°V

<Õ ½Ã * > ià à `i Ì>L i has a fun mix and >ÌV v à >«iÃ Ì >Ì VÀi>Ìi > L ` Ü i providing extra table ë>Vi° Ƃ V L >Ì of metal and mirror tops and a gold base add style. IHDC 1D102. ÜÜÜ°âÕ `°V

The pressed L Ì> V> à i >` ½Ã ,ÕV i À> 6 >Ài hand gold gilded with earthy, pastel toned i>Ûið >V à vÀ> i` in a textured white and taupe washed «À w i° WTC 236. ÜÜÜ°Vi >` >ÀÌ°V

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/ Ã V iÃÌ vÀ Ài>Ì Ûi « >Ã striking detail in light wood to add natural texture to a room. TM 2822. ÜÜÜ°VÀi>Ì ÛiV «°V

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WINTER MARKET PREVIEWS The Salita collection from Alora features a succession of crystal shades held in a formal linear or circular arrangement. The chandelier measures 70 inches in diameter.

TM 4402. www.aloralighting.com

With rustic style in a modern form, Golden Lighting’s Roost Ã Ý } Ì V > `i iÀ >ÌÌi Black has a chicken wire shade > ` > ` «> Ìi` Ü ` w à for a casual feel. TM 4319. www.goldenlighting.com

From Varaluz, the Forever eightlight foyer pendant gets a strong dose of glam from stamped metal diamonds in a French Gold matte w à ° TM 4507. www.varaluz.com

The Priel table lamp from Lite Source features a mottled glass body with crystal base. An LED nightlight glows through the glass body to create pleasant illumination at night. TM 3321. www.lite-source.com

> Ìi½Ã ƂL Û> ÌÞ w ÝÌÕÀi V iÃ Ì Àii sizes and a choice of Polished Chrome or 6 Ì>}i À âi w à ° TM 4303. www.dainolite.ca

Ƃ Ý v ¼Çäà ÃÌÞ i > ` > à ii ] modern silhouette, Adesso’s Colton table lamp brings a unique pop of natural materials. Ƃ Ƃ Ì µÕi À âi w à > Üà the light, natural webbed shade to stand out when lit. TM 4906. www.adessohome.com

Infused with a bold, earthy edge, Hinkley’s Botanica pendant has hand-welded Burnished Gold leaves for a striking look. Available in several silhouettes. TM 3210. www.hinkleylighting.com

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/ i iÀ }iÀ V iVÌ Ã Ý } chandelier from ELK Light combines casual trend-forw styling with a warm Charco iiV Ü ` w à > ` ÕÀ à Brass accents. TM 36 . www.elkgroupinternational.c

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Capitol Hill Collection Available in Black, Classic Bronze and Brushed Nickel.

Featured 52304BK | 6 Light Chandelier Capitol Hill 52305CLZ | 12 Light Chandelier Capitol Hill 42203NBR | 3 Light Wall Sconce Doncaster

A TIMELESS CLASSIC The Capitol Hill collection delivers a timeless, unassuming basketinspired style, thin swooping arms and graceful details to enhance the look. Perfect for entryways, hallways, and living areas.

Find Capitol Hill and all of our newest collections at Kichler.com.

Š 2020 Kichler Lighting LLC. All Rights Reserved.

W

T PREVIEWS Hand-hooked of UVtreated polypropylene for indoor/outdoor living, the Harbor Ivory Austin rug from KAS is available in a variety v à âið Bldg. 1, 4-C5. ÜÜÜ° >ÃÀÕ}ðV

A nod to the classic brass chandelier, the Eight Light Brass chandelier from Lowcountry Originals has two tiers of graceful arms with painted candle covers from Ì i Vi ÌÀ> V Õ ° ƂÛ> >L i Û>À Õà w à ið Bldg. 1, 15-E17. ÜÜÜ° ÜV Õ ÌÀÞ À } > ðV

ATLANTA

INTERNATIONAL GIFT & HOME FURNISHINGS MARKET January 14-21

For Sonder Living, the Louis dining table designed by Reagan Hayes exudes both elegance and edginess with a round handcrafted black marble top and gold and black brass w à i` «ÞÀ> ` L>Ãi° Bldg. 1, 15-A1. ÜÜÜ°Ã `iÀ Û }°V

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Jamie Young’s Tether mirror makes a simple, modern ÃÌ>Ìi i Ì° / i > ÃÌ mirror is hooked to the wall with an antique brass knob and hangs from a leather ÃÌÀ>«° Bldg. 1, 15-C1. ÜÜÜ° > iÞ Õ }°V

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WINTER MARKET PREVIEWS

Olivia Riegel’s Gold Botanica Box in mirrored glass has a gold w à i` V>ÃÌ «iÜÌiÀ L ÃÃ Ü Ì hand-set clear European crystals. / i y ÜiÀ `ià } à à >À Ì > ornamental beach rose. Bldg. 2, 9-910C. www.oliviariegel.com

From SPI Home, the Giraffe Pair end table in bronze is made of aluminum and measures 22 inches high by 14.5 inches wide and deep.

Bldg. 2, 12-1200. www.spi-home.com

Oliver Gal’s Eyes and Rhinestones II print makes a chic statement in a i À vw Vi° ƂÛ> >L i Õ Ì « i sizes and frame colors. Bldg. 1, 9-A19. www.olivergal.com

Ƃ `iÀ â>Ì v > V >ÃÃ V Ã ««iÀ V > À] the Tufted Slipper chair from Global Views features panel stitched, tufted leather with a solid hardwood frame and metal accents.

Bldg. 1, 14-C15. www.globalviews.com

À > 6 VÌ ÀÞ i ƂVVi ÌÃ] the RC190 yellow velvet pillow measures 16 inches across and brings a bright pop of color to a room. Bldg. 1, 3-F9. www.nourison.com

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Carol & Frank’s Riley pillow has a simple geometric design, providing a modern touch that’s easy to mix and match. Hand-woven with w i Þ>À > ` vi>ÌÕÀià > ÌÀ V>Ìi Þ `iÌ> i` kilim weave. Bldg. 2, 14-1415. www.cnfei.com

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KALALOU

IMAGE: MAJOR VISUAL

Four Brands. Unlimited Design Possibilities.

Raef Chandelier, Troy Lighting | Calligraphy Sconces, Corbett Lighting Cyrus Table Lamps, Hudson Valley Lighting | Layla Floor Lamp, Mitzi

Las Vegas Market | C400 & C401

hvlgroup.com

WINTER MARKET PREVIEWS ,i> Ì ÕV >ÀÌ w V > ÃÕVVÕ i ÌÃ] ferns, and magnolias in Replica Decor’s Sedona bowl bring the outside in. The wood bowl measures 12 inches wide by 7.5 inches high. P1-4181. www.shop.replicadecor.com

*>V w V >ÃÌ } Ì }½Ã "> > ` > « from Kathy Ireland has a black and gray Ü>à w à > ` > L `Þ >`i v iÌ> and resin. Measures 29.2 inches high.

A301° ÜÜÜ°«>V w VV >ÃÌ } Ì }°V

LAS VEGAS MARKET January 26-30

Tempaper’s Grasscloth Fans wallpaper in black and beige brings a subtle yet striking touch of pattern to > Þ À ] Ü Ì > iÕÌÀ> V À «> iÌÌi ÃÕÀi Ì w Ì > Þ look. C584. www.tempaper.com

Organic and contemporary, the Atlas console from Phillips Collection is inspired by Atlas, the Titan tasked with holding up the celestial heavens in Greek mythology. A202. www.phillipscollection.com Walker Edison’s Montclair vanity is made from warp-resistant MDF, durable laminate and powder-coated metal. Features a round mirror that moves laterally for a customizable experience.

A638. www.walkeredison.com

J

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WINTER MARKET PREVIEWS Artmax’s Metropol mirror is a modern take on a classical wall mirror. Hand-crafted geometric patterns frame the ÀÀ À w à i` -> `ÃÌ i and Silverleaf. B467. www.artmaxfurniture.com

Classic Home’s Coronado Natural Blue Multi rug is hand-woven of 45 percent jute, 45 percent wool and 10 percent cotton.

C309. www.classichome.com

The contem from Sunpa airy space, f top crafted f À âi w a slender b the look. B 00.

The sleek and moder Tempe exterior sconce

by Santangelo Lighting & Design features translucen onyx and a minimalis hand-forged iron frame for simple yet elegant outdoor lighting. B146. www. santangelolighting.com

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Machine-made in Turkey using 100 percent Sunbrella yarns, this Sunbrella 600 rug in cream and light blue from Harounian Rugs International won’t stain, pill, fuzz or fade. B433. www.hrirugs.com

Featuring spindle detailing for an airy look, the Ariel chair from Four Hands has feather-blend cushioning covered in a textural performance-grade upholstery exclusive to Four Hands. A140. www.fourhands.com

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las vegas market SHOWROOM b-425 www.momeni.com

Textured rugs are adding interest to floors in every room.

BY AMY MCINTOSH

Natural materials help achieve the textured look many clients are asking for. Nanimarquinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wellbeing rugs are handspun, made of natural and local materials with no bleach or dye.

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G

ood design involves creating a multisensory experience. Sure, we want our rooms to look great, but we can also fill them with items that offer interest beyond the visual. From upholstery to wall art, texture is permeating home decor, and a look around the latest markets indicate that this trend has made it to the f loors as well.

“We’re seeing a movement from textured rugs as a niche product into the mainstream,” says Hannah Levine, Head of Product Development for Momeni. “To that end, there is an overall trend toward more natural, organic style, so customers are looking to avoid uniformity and structure in their rugs. We are seeing this as the next step in the longtime downward trend of formality in the home — textured rugs fit perfectly with today’s casual lifestyle.”

To add texture to rugs, a certain degree of craftsmanship is required. Most of the manufacturers we spoke to said the textured rugs they produce are made manually, by hand, noting that machines often cannot produce the same unique textural effects that hand knotting does.

“The most important thing about the textured rugs trend is that it points out the value of the fiber, its thickness, and the quality,” says Nani Marquina, founder and designer for Nanimarquina. “People value craftsmanship and the tradition of rugs, therefore the rugs are bought by those who really appreciate handmade pieces, the irregularities and the natural appearance of fabrics; people who want to surround themselves with natural products that recall nature in its pure state.”

This texture can be presented in a number of ways.

Chunky rugs that mimic the look and feel of sweaters or other cozy textiles, with one texture throughout is one option. Another is a single patterned piece with a variety of textures, pile heights and materials.

“Texture in rugs is achieved with horizontal wefts,” says Marquina. “The result of these textures is usually a network of vertical and horizontal lines, which mixes fibers of different thicknesses and colors. We achieve this effect by manual weaving.”

Drawing from this desire to surround ourselves with nature, many textural rugs are made from natural materials, such as wool, jute and cotton.

“We harness the power of texture in many ways, but I think it always works best when handmade with natural fibers,” Levine says. “It’s almost impossible to create uniform texture when working with jute, so jute is a natural candidate when texture is the goal. I especially love using undyed wool, as both the natural touch and color variation create visual texture no matter the construction.”

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High-low piles add a subtle textural element to rugs, like the Rafalla from the Lemieux Et Cie by Momeni collection (left) and the Cisco from Jaipur Living’s Catalyst collection (above).

Versatility in Design

The rugs complement a number of design styles and depending on furniture, accessories and other stylistic choices, they can work in any room style.

“I think it doesn’t come down to the rug; it comes down to how you style the room,” says Whitney Hodge, Marketing Manager for Unique Loom.

“So you can go with minimalist, you can go with contemporary. If you get that rug in white it becomes very farmhouse-like, so in my opinion, it’s how you style the room and what elements you bring into the room to make the rug stand out and make it fit any style that you’re thinking of.”

Momeni’s Levine agrees with this sentiment.

“That’s the beauty of texture — it works with any style,” she says. “A textured rug can be the single hint of warmth in an ultramodern space, a palette cleanser in a maximalistic home, or one of many natural elements in a low-key, layered room.”

These layers help with the versatility of the rugs and help them work with multiple design styles.

“I’ve also seen a textured rug in a glam room and I honestly did not think that was possible,” Hodge said. “They took our chunky jute rug and layered

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MORE THAN A FEELING

Left: The popularity of textured rugs extends to rugs of all sizes, in all rooms and suiting all design styles, like the hand-loomed Bedouin rug from Surya. Below: The handwoven nature of rugs like the Cortico from KAS Rugs helps add multiple textures to one piece, increasing the rug’s perceived value.

“IN GENER AL , AL L T E X T U R E S H AV E VALUE , BU T WHEN DIFFERENT TE X T URE S ARE INTRODUCED IN THE S AME PIECE , IT BRING S MORE RICHNE S S AND ORIGINALIT Y TO THE P R O D U C T.” it with a one-of-a-kind rug and it instantly became the - Nani Marquina, most glamorous, chic thing I’ve seen. But again, it’s what Nanimarquina elements you bring into the room.”

For Steve Sorrow, Jaipur Living’s Director of Product Development, textured rugs provide a nice contrast to minimalist spaces.

“Everyone has a white house, they have white walls, they have everything white — and a few colorful accent pieces,” he says. “Texture is important.

You can’t just have everything white. You’ve got to be able to tell where your rug is compared to your sofa and floor. That partly is driving it; people don’t want too much going on.” rectangular shot, as the customer will almost certainly scroll right past,” Levine says.

Merchandising

The act of purchasing a textured rug is a unique experience in itself.

Shopping online for rugs is already a difficult process without the rug in front of the shopper to physically feel, but adding multiple textures to the mix further complicates this. Even in store, short of bending down or taking their shoes off, it can be hard for shoppers to get the full effect of these textured pieces. To combat this, many manufacturers offer samples for retailers to have on hand for customers looking to get up close and personal with the materials. Good online imagery is also key.

“Having the customer touch and feel the product is definitely most important, and we’d love if every customer could do this,” Coradini says.

“But if shopping online, we feel it’s very important for us to take multiple close up images to show the depth of the texture.”

Image angle is important as well. “It’s imperative that the main image for solid textured rugs be a detail shot, rather than an overhead

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Value Added

A few assumptions might be made about a textural rug. One is that there was some kind of unique manufacturing process at work. Another is that the rug might be one of a kind, or have an interesting story behind it. At the very least, it begs to be touched and talked about. This all increases the value of the rug and, by proxy, the space as a whole.

“In general, all textures have value, but when different textures are introduced in the same piece, it brings more richness and originality to the product,” Marquina says.

“Also, flat is just kind of boring,” Sorrow says. “Texture can give rugs a higher perceived value. Whether it’s adding texture through a shrink yarn in a power loomed rug, or a hi-and-low in a hand knot, a hand hooked, or a hand tufted, or a shine versus a dull, it just makes the rug feel like it has more value.” FLD

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DESIGN THAT SPEAKS

Shop the Premier Gift, Décor, and Lifestyle Market This January

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Showrooms: January 14–21, 2020 Temporaries: January 15 –19, 2020

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FORWARD MOTION

Today’s motion furniture is sleeker, more functional and easier to design around than ever.

B Y K AT I E C A R O N

W

hen you hear the word “recliner,” the words “elegant,” “modern,” or “chic” might not be the first that come to mind. For many design-oriented folk, the classic La-Z-Boy recliner has always been something of an eyesore — a super comfortable one, sure, but still something meant to be hidden away in a man cave, basement or at least a den separate from the living room.

“We used to have this saying, that you could always tell how much a wife loved her husband by how ugly the recliner he was allowed to buy was,” says Mark Wilson, Director of Merchandising at Comfort Design with a laugh.

While the clunky recliners and motion furniture of 20-plus years ago could be something plucked out of an interior designer’s nightmares, today’s motion furniture is telling a different story. Thanks to improved technology and a response to changing consumer lifestyles, motion manufacturers are creating designer-friendly pieces with sleeker silhouettes, improved functionality and stylish fabrics that are perfectly at home displayed proudly in the living room.

Technology in Motion

“Motion used to look like a big clunky piece of furniture, and now with the advancements in technology, motion has started to look more and more like stationary furniture,” says Spencer Bass, Creative Director at American Leather.

In fact, Bass said he’s often seen people walk into the American

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Leather showroom and take a seat in what they presume is a highback stationary piece, only to show a look of surprise when they realize they’re sitting on motion furniture.

So what changed? One piece of the puzzle is technological innovations in the hardware that makes motion furniture move. Motion furniture inherently requires more bulk to hide all of the mechanics and metal components that make it work. But as motors and mechanisms have become smaller over the years, it’s become easier to upholster around them for a sleeker finished product.

The introduction of power motion also offers today’s consumers the option of an inobtrusive button tucked into the arm or side to control the furniture instead of the manual crank that used to be standard.

Wilson says at Comfort Design, he’s seen chair arms, in particular, size down with the advent of smaller electronic parts.

“I’ve now got the the control system down to where I can make a 2.5-inch-wide arm, where in the past that had to have a 4- to 4.5-inchwide arm to make it big enough to hold the components,” Wilson says. “So now I can do it with a 2.75- or 3-inch arm, which looks more sleek and substantially cleaner and nicer.”

It’s not just the improved, smaller components alone that allow for sleeker motion pieces, Wilson adds. It’s also increased acceptance and interest in sleek motion on the part of consumers that drives the volume needed for manufacturers to see the benefit of massproducing units of component pieces.

“There’s now more focus on making a better, nicer-looking chair that still performs those comfortable functions, and since there’s more emphasis in that category, the guys who are developing the mechanisms are much more in tune to it and there’s more volume involved. That makes it profitable for the guys making the component pieces to help develop mechanisms and components that more easily lend themselves to a better-looking, more functional and sleeker piece. So it’s not really that they cured cancer, it’s just that there are more people accepting the category. That makes it beneficial for those guys to stamp out those types of mechanisms.”

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Inspired by Italian luxury cars, American Leather’s sleek Turin chair earned the company a Pinnacle Award at the October 2019 High Point Market.

Changing Consumer Lifestyles

Along with technological advances, shifting consumer lifestyles have also given rise to a thriving market for stylish motion furniture. Where many homes used to have a formal living room meant for entertaining and a family room or den where the TV was (and where the family actually spent time), today’s homes are moving toward open floor plans with one main living room featuring a TV. American Leather is designing product with this in mind, Bass says.

“We literally designed the sofa with the idea of, if there was a TV in front of me, how can the headrest articulate to get the perfect seating position to watch television,” he says. “This is the sofa for the living room with the TV now, not the sofa for the living room with the occasionally sat-in sofa.”

These changing floor plans reflect less formal attitudes among consumers, Wilson notes.

“With the consumer being more casual in their attitudes and their lifestyle, it’s becoming much more acceptable to be comfortable in

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your home, and kicking your feet up has always been a staple of that environment,” Wilson says.

With the rise of streaming services, consumers are staying in to watch movies in the comfort of their home, and want to create a comfortable experience without compromising on style.

“You don’t have to give up comfort to get the look that you’re looking for, and that’s really what we’re striving for,” Wilson says.

Form Meets Function

Founded in 1990, American Leather has been in the motion business for about 20 years — and Bass says it’s grown to be the company’s largest product segment. The most popular product is its Comfort Sleeper, a sleeper sofa offered in 15 styles that features a construction with no uncomfortable bars or springs. Along with its own product offering, the company also makes sleeper sofas for retailers such as Restoration Hardware and Room & Board.

Over the last few years, American Leather has launched three categories

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FORWARD MOTION

Comfort Design’s Montclair recliner has high legs for a stylish look.

of its Style in Motion series of sofas and chairs, the newest of which just launched at the fall 2019 High Point Market.

The Style in Motion A-series features pieces with a solid back for a more stylish look from every angle — a benefit for consumers who want to float sofas in an open floor plan. Customers can also customize with three different arm styles and nine different back options, along with their choice of 177 fabrics or 100 leathers. Bass says a goal of the new A-series was to continue to offer a range of product, both in terms of price point and styles ranging from transitional to modern.

“Somebody who likes contemporary may not respond to transitional, and somebody who likes transitional may not respond to contemporary,” he says, “so it’s about having all the different lifestyles of motion that your retailer can cover. What a store in Aspen or in Denver might carry would probably not be the same thing somebody in Miami carries.”

Introduced about a year ago was American Leather’s I-series, inspired in part by 1960s Italian mod sportscars. The Turin chair, with peekaboo welt detailing and metal sled legs, earned the company a Pinnacle Award at fall’s High Point Market. Across all of the styles offered, Bass is proud to offer sleek motion upholstery delivered in just 30 days.

At Comfort Design, launched in 2009 as a higher-end offshoot of Klaussner, a new partnership with designer Stacy Garcia is helping the company reach interior designers. Announced before last fall’s High Point Market, Garcia will debut a stylish new line with Klaussner and Comfort Design at the upcoming market in April.

With Garcia’s eye for pattern and color and Comfort Design’s customization capabilities (they offer a variety of nail and cushion options along with more than 300 leathers and thousands of fabrics), Wilson says the partnership is moving the company in a promising direction.

The recent trend toward more transitional looks has made it easier to style motion furniture in a way that fits each consumer’s aesthetic, Wilson says. Twenty years ago, he says a recliner line would likely feature hardcore traditional and hardcore contemporary styles, offering little room for customizability.

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The Verona sectional from American Leather’s Style in Motion I-series features a motorized headrest that operates independently from the motorized footrest to create a personalized experience.

“Because it’s all blending, now a lot of the styles are going to fit in more environments, and the consumers themselves are also much more eclectic,” Wilson says.

With different fabrics, nails and other design components, a motion chair with the same silhouette can be customized to fit any environment. When motion doesn’t have to look just one way as it may have in the past, the consumer appeal becomes broader.

Along with aesthetic styles, Comfort Design also offers a range of motion options. Any given chair starts with manual, then graduates up to single power (a single button to power recline), then graduates up to power recline with a power headrest, and then graduates up to power recline with power headrest and power lumbar. The next version has all of these features plus a new heat and massage system that Wilson says gives a great massage and uses inductive heating technology that doesn’t damage the fabric. Out of all of these features, Wilson says power recline and power headrest functions have become a given, so much so that they’ll develop pieces with these features before creating the manual version.

With all of the innovations and style options available in motion today, the question remains: Are consumers aware of all that the motion world has to offer? Wilson says it’s hard to tell, since people only really pay attention when they’re in the market for a new piece of furniture. As consumers and designers alike continue to catch on, today’s manufacturers will continue making motion that’s fit for everyone, from the Archie Bunkers to the Frasier Cranes. FLD

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LED LIGHTS THE WAY LED is on its way to being the next consumer household word in lighting technology if it hasn’t already crossed that threshold.

BY DIANE FALVEY

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hat started as an opportunity in energy efficiency for manufacturing and commercial spaces in the mid ‘90s is not the same LED lighting technology we have today. The same energy efficiencies apply, however; LED bulbs last a minimum of 10 to 20 times longer than standard bulbs, 25,000 to 50,000 hours on average. That’s approximately 17 years of regular household use. And the energy required to run LED lighting is exponentially lower than that of an average incandescent bulb as well, according to experts, which has helped the technology find its way from commercial applications into hospitality and residential.

While LED technology has been at the forefront of lighting conversations for some time now, the latest enhancements and innovations have gone the extra mile in creating sustainable and effective lighting opportunities for the consumer.

“LED technology has created a seismic shift in the lighting industry,” says Ashley Fothergill, Creative Director for the Hudson Valley Lighting Group. “The technology’s development has been a core component for probably 15 years in architectural lighting.

The transition is in the day-to-day use, which has been substantial. We’ve seen double-digit growth in LED every single year.”

That double-digit growth in LED lighting could have a major impact on energy savings as well. “It’s good for the planet. We could see more than a trillion dollars in energy savings over the next several years as well,” he continues.

Warmth and Purpose

So what’s changed to make this technology suddenly a darling of lighting retail and consumers after more than a decade in existence? Color, for one. As LED technology advances forward, the enhancements to light color and dimmabilty have made a major difference in the category. “We all remember LEDs first making their mark by offering important energy and cost savings to consumers. Engineers then began to address the quality of light, finding ways to

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“The future of lighting lies in creating environments to promote health and comfort.”

p p h p m g y technology to deliver spectral power distribution that mimics sunlight.

This new approach replaces the - Shelley Wald, ordinary LED spectrum with less-blue wavelengths whose composition is the WAC Lighting closest to light produced by the sun.

Feeling tired at the wrong time of day?

Human-centric lighting helps regulate circadian rhythms which influence sleep cycles, productivity, mood and alertness.”

That’s a tall order for lighting, something unattainable without LED technology. Fothergill adds, “You’re already seeing LED solutions in workplaces to improve stress, interactions and productivity, and tests are taking place for treating disease and speeding recovery times. Those things will become part of the day-to-day. Type a code into the light source, and it will change to you personally.”

While those health-changing capabilities are being incorporated, what to look for in LED lighting right now is lumens output, color rendering index (CRI) and dimming capabilities, says Randall Whitehead, the Lighting Doctor. “Retailers and designers need to understand lumens and CRI,” he adds, noting that the room and task that requires the lighting need to be accounted for. “Consumers need to find a color temperature they can live with. It’s different from person to person.” That said, Whitehead continues, the CRI should always be 90 or higher, with 100 as the optimum. We’re not at 100 yet, however. That’s on the horizon. As for lumens, the highest available currently is equivalent to a 75W bulb, but 100W is not that far off.

Whitehead continues that warmer color tones and dimming capabilities have also increased consumer awareness and interest. Lighting retailers should be able to explain Kelvin measurements as well. “There’s a more educated consumer out there, and LED quality has gotten so good with much warmer colors,” Whitehead says, noting that standard bulb brightness would be 2700K, dimmed incandescent-like light would come in at 2400K and candlelight at 2150K. As such, it’s important that consumers know the difference in the lighting and the purposes for that light source.

Small and Smart

LED creates other unique opportunities for lighting design as well. As diode chips become smaller, the design possibilities are endless. A major

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LED technology creates myriad design options and formats to highlight LED’s artistic capabilities: Clockwise from far left: PageOne Lighting’s Aurora sconce; Meyda Lighting’s OLED hospitality chandelier; Venus Smart fan with LED from Modern Forms; LED Aston flushmount from Kuzco; Hinkley’s Styx sconce.

shift with LED lighting is the ability to design lighting sans bulbs, although bulbs that can be retrofit into existing lighting fixtures are a growing opportunity for lighting companies as well.

“As LEDs become smaller and more powerful, the ability to incorporate technology into fixtures allows for more options with tunable light,” WAC’s Wald states. “It’s all about flexibility. Each space is unique, and the latest color-changing and dimmable options allow for truly customized environments.”

The “downsizing” of LED components that offer the same light output continues to pave the way for more artistic design in functional lighting products too. “With LED technology, lighting has become functional art,” Wald continues. “In the past, fixtures were limited by designing around a bulb, which made them clunky. Thanks to compact LED solutions, chandeliers and pendants are now the artwork in your space. Extraordinary sculptural shapes and designs are being developed that were never possible before.”

It’s only in the past several years that lighting design has begun to veer away from bulb-based configurations. Whitehead says bulbs, however, are here to stay for at least another 12 years. Yet, there has been a significant shift in lighting design because of LED. At Kuzco, the technology has opened up an array of design opportunities. “Traditional lighting showrooms have focused on decorative bulb-based products.

Now you have the ability to make these products with industrial design,” says Ryan Pauly, Director of Product and Design at Kuzco. “Everything is being thought out more. Why do you have it? Where are you going to put it? With a bulb, all I can create is ambient light. If I have embedded LED, I can adjust the ambience, direction, reflective design. Things that were only done in the professional world are now possible in the home and you can put light wherever you want it.”

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Hudson Valley Lighting’s Fothergill adds, “There are no para ters on where you can find inspiration for lighting design anym We are looking at pieces of jewelry, ready-to-wear hardware o handbags — they can now be developed into lighting solution There are flexible tubes, discs, rings. The key thing is to be true to the lighting solution you put in those pieces. There are incredible-looking pieces out there. Those are conversational pieces, and they’re energy efficient and emoting the appropriate light to bring out the best in a space.”

“LED technology has opened an enormous opportunity for lighting designers. We are able to use slim lines and colorchanging features that were unavailable in the past,” adds Max Cohen, Director of Hospitality Marketing for Meyda Lighting.

He adds that new LED technologies are on the horizon as a result of enhancements, citing organic LED (OLED) as what’s coming next. “As lumen output of OLED increases, we expect to see this product flourish.”

LED technology opens up more than design doors too, Kuzco’s Pauly continues. It continues to expand how we contro our environments. “There’s an evolution toward products that can be integrated and more controlled,” he says. “Sensors are going to be a part of everything, which can be nicer for the consumer. We’re not far from, ‘The lights will come on at a certain time at a certain temperature depending on what you need.’”

“The future of lighting lies in creating environments to promote health and comfort while saving energy,” says Wald. “Thanks to LED advances and ‘Smart’ technology, fully customizable fixtures that are responsive to your needs — like our Modern Forms Smart Fans with integrated LED luminaires — are simply a voice command away.”

Fostering Adaptation New technologies, while exciting, come with challenges too. Educating the consumer to understand efficiencies and design capabilities as they relate to cost is still something lighting showrooms need to contend with. There are early adopters, but for technologies to truly take hold, a wider range of consumers have to embrace the technology. For that reason, LED bulbs have the potential to continue to be a growth vehicle as an easier way for consumers to ease into LED technology, says Fothergill. However, counters Whitehead, we can do things with LED technology that couldn’t be done

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gy has created in the lighting een double-digit very single year.” othergill, ey Lighting

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C ckwise from top left: Hammerton’s Blossom ndelier; the Lola Pendant from Hudson ey Group’s Mitzi division; and WAC Lighting’s d eLED outdoor sconce.

w ncandescent or fluorescent sources, and helping c umers understand these aspects can also help t understand LED’s advantages. He recommends l g ng showroom associates and designers educate t selves on such aspects as lumens, Kelvin and CRI s ey can help consumers understand the technology, p with LED. Cost has continued as a hurdle for consumers where LED is concerned, but that’s changing as well. As the technology advances, prices are coming down for much of the product. Factor in longevity and the ability to control the light, and that minimizes the cost even further.

“LED lights have already come down in price, and are extremely affordable and economical,” says Kuzco’s Pauly. As enhancements to the technology continue to appear, it’s possible to get more established and reliable LED options at lower costs, creating a point of entry for cautious customers.

At some point, LED might be the most significant option. At Hudson Valley Lighting Group, Fothergill says he expects that at markets this month, 50 percent of the company’s offerings will incorporate LED technology. “You can’t ignore the benefits of LED,” he says. “People are seeing lighting differently now. Large scale, small scale, organic forms.

You can only develop these things from LED solutions. That’s the way the market is going because that’s what people are seeing.” FLD

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Ethnicraft’s Spindle bed found its inspiration in the traditional spinning wheel and incorporates perfectly aligned spokes into the headboard.

Slightly tapered legs and rounded edges add a soft, sensual quality to this beautiful bedroom collection. Available in oak or teak. www.ethnicraft.com

sleep natural Adding a calming vibe to sleeping spaces, natural woods and woven materials are at home in coastal bedrooms.

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For the daydreamer longing for an afternoon repose, the Helena rattan daybed from Safavieh responds with the luxurious look of coastal lifestyle decor. Ivory linen cushions make for a comfortsoft feel, while its natural ash frame draws attention to its sublime natural-toned French cane sides and back. www.safavieh.com

The Naples chest from Alden Parkes embodies tradition with its elegant solid brass frame, quarter cut walnut Ûi iiÀà > ` vÕ VÌ > w Ûi `À>ÜiÀà w à i` > À V medium walnut. www.aldenparkes.com

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The stylish Bauer bar cabinet makes a statement with its Graphite stain with subtle metallic cerusing and its distinctive door fronts with inset woven-eyelet cane detailing. Features one large lower drawer and an interior with two drawers and two adjustable wood shelves. www.arthomefurnishings.com

With smooth maple drawers and > À>vw > ÜÀ>««i` vÀ> i] Ì i 6i ÌÕÀ> } ÌÃÌ> ` iÝ«iÀÌ Þ L> > Vià ÌiÝÌÕÀi° -Ì> `>À` >ÌÕÀ> À>vw > w à ] LÕÌ > à >Û> >L i >`` V «> Ìi` w à ià and Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams custom «Ài Õ w à ið >ÃÃ Ì « à >Û> >L i° À>ÜiÀ } `ià are metal soft closing. www.chaddockhome.com

Coastal casual meets cottage charm in the Sandcastle woven panel bed from Hooker Furniture, which features classic traditional forms accented with woven seagrass panels. www.hookerfurniture.com

The Borneo chest in blue from Wildwood is a four-drawer bamboo chest with woven caning drawer fronts and satin nickel hardware. www.wildwoodlamps.com

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The Antibes bed from Thomas O’Brien’s Great South Bay collection for Century Furniture is made of woven rattan. The piece was inspired by a woven chair seen at Monet’s painting studio in Giverny. www.centuryfurniture.com

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This table lamp from Craftmade has a white glass base with a gray fabric hardback shade.

The three-way switch offers an up and nightlight option. Measures 19.75 by 10 by 13 inches. www.craftmade.com

Unique shapes, colored glass and shiny accents adorn these lamps, making them a whimsical addition to any table.

BY AMY MCINTOSH

Accent your space with this simple and sophisticated glass table lamp. From Forty West, Abigail is a smoky gray lamp accented with a subtle texture overlay. www.fortywestdesigns.com

From Paciwc Coast Lighting, the Calypso table lamp has an ocean blue wnish and gold painted inside, with an art glass body, acrylic base and white linen oval shade. Stands at 23 inches. www.paciwccoastlighting.com

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Posh and pol P p ished, the contempor p rary Lonni table lamp from f m Safavieh is versatile e and stylish. A new de esign classic, its sleek g glass globe sits on a luxurrious shimmering chrome e base. Complete with a complimentary c matching g wnial and white shade, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a designer favorite. www.safavie sa a eh.com

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The Clauseen lamp from Wildwood Lamps features mouth-blown art glass with silver leaf accents and a crystal base. www.wildwoodlamps.com

The transluccent blue g glass of the Catalina glass table lamp from Regiina Andrew evokes tranq quility. It is complemented with a natural linen drum shade and wtted w polish nickel hard dware to complete the coasstal look. www.reginaandrrew.com

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The Mouna table lamp from Lite Source features two-tone bubbled glass body with crystal base. An LED night-light glows through the glass body to create pleasant illumination at night. www.lite-source.com

From Sagebrook Home, this 19-inch-tall glass table lamp has a gold wnial, acrylic base and white cone shade. The body is transparent deep blue glass with gold yake detailing. www.sagebrookhome.com

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2. In an open concept format, it’s important to create cozy spaces as well. Stunning window treatments, banded top and bottom with a latticework design, soften the perimeter of the great room.

Comfortable banquettes and a variety of different chairs surround the ash dining room table that expands to seat 14. A mixture of metals — rose gold, satin nickel and silvery champagne — provides } i> } y ÕÀ à ià vÀ Ì i `À> >Ì V ÛiÀ i>` } Ì w ÝÌÕÀiÃ Ì the cabinet hardware.

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KATHERINE ELIZABETH DESIGNS

1. After thinking through everything from the color of the shingles to the addition of cedar clapboard siding, the team set the stage inside with local stone and inset travertine on the double-height w Ài« >Vi] V vviÀi` Vi }Ã > ` > `À> >Ì V }> iÀÞ Ü> Ü>Þ overlooking the great room. Talk about a window to the world — a 30-foot-high window to be exact — that overlooks a gleaming expanse of lake and sky. All architectural elements conspire to move the eye up, up, up — with comfortable seating areas and a neighboring dining room beckoning all to stay, stay, stay.

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