Kids: Full beds, darker finishes
By Lisa Casinger -- Furniture Today, August 13, 2007
Las Vegas — Youth furniture resources exhibiting at the summer market here responded to consumer demands with offerings that included more full beds and darker finishes.
At Furniture Basics, for example, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Keith Covey said his best-selling bed is a twin over full, and when it comes to finishes, natural finishes are waning.
"White will always be a top seller for girls," Covey said. "But darker finishes are really coming on strong."
Alligator Furniture made its Las Vegas debut with several collections, including a slatted bunk featuring a twin over full in a classic denim-colored finish.
The California-based company also offers the bed in white, walnut and antique black, at $1,199 retail, but Alligator's Sherry Lintvedt said the denim version is the best seller for boys.
John Boyd, owner of John Boyd Designs, also is selling more full beds, and his Vegas debuts included Maplehurst, a maple collection offered in medium and dark finishes. There are about 70 SKUs between the two finishes, with a full bed retailing for about $800 and a twin for $650.
"It's too early to tell which will sell better, but this is crafted of real maple wood and made in the U.S.A.," Boyd said.
Each John Boyd piece is finished with Resistec varnish, so it resists scratches, acetone, nail polish remover and most household chemicals, further extending the product's life.
Standard made several youth introductions in Vegas, including Midnight Meadow, part of Kathy Ireland's Young Attitude collection. The group features a black finish, the counterpart to last year's white group, Meadow Garden.
The company also debuted Blair Park, another black-finished group that has wicker accents on headboards and drawer fronts.
Powell introduced a handful of kids collections here, including Emma, a 10-piece white girls' group with simple French country styling, and a whimsical Dollhouse collection featuring a twin bed in white with baby blue accents, at $699 retail.
Eagle Inds. debuted Hudson Bay, a 20-piece group available in five finishes, from dark and rich to white. A full bed in the Hudson Bay group is about $400 retail.
Ted Weber, sales and marketing manager for Vermont Precision, agreed with other vendors that darker finishes are gaining in popularity, but noted that natural looks and finishes still are popular in New England.
