SPL LIVING
The Right Stuff PHOTOS/ELEGANT OUTDOORS
Larger patios can look smart with coordinated furnishings from a dining area to poolside relaxing as shown at this residence, which was designed and provided by Elegant Outdoor Living.
Be prepared to wait if you plan to purchase new furniture this spring BY MARCIA BIGGS I had to have it – that apple green sofa on sale at Macy’s over Thanksgiving week. Having recently moved into larger digs, I could finally get rid of my little loveseat and move up to a full-size sofa. If I wanted it in two weeks, I could have it in grey? Never. White? The kiss of death. Beige? Boring. And so I wait, and wait, and wait for my apple green sofa to arrive. But I knew this was coming.
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Thinking of updating or expanding your furnishings? Get ready for a wait up to three or even four months if you custom order. Alas, the home furnishings industry has been taken by storm in the last year, as the homebound seek to upgrade or expand their living spaces to provide both function and a reflection of their personal style.
and many people uncomfortable shopping in person, online purchasing has exploded for everything in the past year -- home furniture included. Ikea, for example, reported a 32 percent increase in e-commerce sales in 2020. This increase in demand combines with a number of other factors on the production, shipping and distribution levels, such as factories closing and worker layoffs, reduced trade with China, increased tariffs, a lumbar shortage, backed up cargo ships and a lack of delivery truck drivers. Adapting to these changes has been challenging for retailers, who are trying to keep up with the demand through online sales and livestream video selling. After re-opening, some stores switched to “virtual showroom” appointments or opened for individual one-on-one appointments in the showroom.
With the pandemic shutting down brick-and-mortar stores
A recent North American Outdoor Furniture Market Forecast
StPeteLifeMag.com
March/April 2021
