Article Number : 5104 |
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| Date | 12/4/2009 9:44:32 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=5104 |
| Abstract | By Deena C. Bouknight HIGH POINT, N.C.—Despite the weakened economy, the city had a reason to celebrate last month. The High Point Market—which has officially become the International Home Furnishings Market due to its global... |
| Article | By Deena C. Bouknight HIGH POINT, N.C.—Despite the weakened economy, the city had a reason to celebrate last month. The High Point Market—which has officially become the International Home Furnishings Market due to its global appeal—turned 100. Music, parties, and a sparkling birthday cake large enough to feed thousands were part of the Centennial Celebration. Brian Casey, president and CEO of the High Point Market Authority, called the market’s first 100 years “only the beginning; a period of spectacular growth that has created the infrastructure for an expanding global industry.” He added, “We intend to use the great foundation that has been built over the past century as a platform to help home furnishings professionals across the country and around the world improve performance effect positive change for generations to come.” In 1901, 35 area furniture manufacturers in the area met with the mayor of High Point to discuss creating a Southern furniture exposition. Their goal was to compete with the markets in New York, Chicago, and Grand Rapids, Mich. Eight years later, the first formal Southern Furniture Market was held, with most buyers coming from within North Carolina and neighboring states. Two buyers did, however, make the “long” trek from the West Coast. The first market hosted only a handful of exhibitors. Yet, by 1913, 100 exhibitors showed their wares to approximately 1,000 dealers, making it the largest display of Southern-made furniture ever assembled. Today, there are 180 buildings and more than 2,000 exhibitors encompassing some 12 million square feet of showroom space. More than 100,000 people attend from across the U.S. and 110 countries. Although the High Point market began as strictly a furniture exhibition, it has evolved to include every imaginable item to decorate a home— including area rugs. Once again, hundreds of rug makers and importers were here to display their latest introductions as well as best sellers during this landmark market. Simplicity and comfort Despite the many introductions and a focus on best-selling collections, the consensus regarding styling was consistent. As Gale Steves, chief creative officer of Open House Productions and former editor of Home Magazine, put it best: “Think subtle, soothing, substance.” Instead of going all out with looks that may turn heads, but not have lasting appeal, the advise was to focus on “simplicity and comfort…simple traditional.” Stephen Bernasconi, a color and trend expert, echoed Steves by noting, “People want comfort in times of stress. Consumers are still focused on buying, but they have gone back to basics. When the economy is tough, people tend to long for the good old days, the recognizable and comfortable, and we’re clearly in a period now where people want their ‘comfort food.’” Concerning color, this market was all about neutrals: stone, oatmeal, warm mineral hues, taupes and grays. Strong, bright colors were used judiciously as accents— to draw the eye as with a border on rugs. “People are thinking twice about how they are spending their money,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. When they are spending their money on big ticket items, they are more apt to be thoughtful and opt for a neutral color.” For example, Safavieh chose to debut Natural Collection. Due to the company’s success with the eco-friendly, organic jute and hemp Bohemia collection, it is now focusing on rugs made from sisal, a new material for the mill. Both collections retail for $600 for a 6 x 9 size. “Fibers such as jute, aloe and sisal produce these beautiful colors that are toned down and organic,” said Arash Yaraghi, principal. “We’re offering these collections in solid colors and multiple textures with borders.” Indoor/outdoor area rugs, as well, were an important category in this market. With more people staying at home and enjoying their indoor/outdoor spaces, these area rugs provide an affordable way to decorate. Loloi Rugs debuted Zeina, which has a layered, multi-textured looped surface that appears to be hand-hooked. Made of polypropylene, the collection initially includes 14 transitional designs, such as oversized florals, animal prints and other decorative patterns. Colors are primarily natural: sage, brown, ivory. “Zeina is the closest thing to a hand-hooked indoor/outdoor product we’ve seen in the market today, but it’s machine made,” said Amir Loloi, owner. “It’s a totally new concept and weaving technique for the industry. The collection is easy to care for, and—most importantly— a great value for our dealers and their customers.” A 5 x 8 sells for $139. Program it in This season, Feizy Rugs focused much of its attention on programs. The overwhelming success of its Designer Series Sample Program that showcases select Home Collection designs led the company to create a similar sales tool for Fine Rug Collections. The program works like this: Because of the small footprint, retailers with a limited amount of space can show 24 designs and qualities from Feizy’s Fine Rug Collections. Specifically selected sections of each top-selling design are hand-knotted into 18 x 18-inch sizes to showcase all colors accurately. This size also allows for portability when retailers are working on-site and with swatches. The rack is easy to assemble and includes signage. According to John Feizy, owner and CEO, point-of-sale materials have also been designed to complement the rack and to help retailers drive sales. Plus, labeling on each piece has basic information about the rug, including fiber content, country of origin and available sizes. Another Feizy program, Options, will not officially debut until February, however, the company provided retailers with a sneak peak at High Point. Options gives storeowners the ability to offer customized rugs to their clients. An array of designs will be made for customers, who will then be able to determine their own colors and sizes based on where they will use the rugs. A space-saving display will be made available to retailers offering Options. Marcella Fine Rugs attempted to assist retailers struggling under economic hardships by instituting a revised pricing strategy as well. The company announced it is working on a frequent buyer program that will offer “meaningful savings” to some qualified buyers. The Spring International Home Furnishings Market is scheduled for April 17 to 20, 2010. |