'In response to the recession, furniture manufacturers introducing new products at the furniture markets in High Point, NC, earlier this year responded with streamlined collections, practical solutions for low-budgetdecorating and a solid dose of escapism.
Highly Functional
For inspiration, some companies turned to mid-century designers whose groundbreaking works in the early 1950s were characterized by frugality and functionality - two qualities important to today's consumers.
"The post World War II years were a watershed period in American design. Consumers who had grown up during the Great Depression were beginning to work, buy homes, buy cars and buy furniture. Their difficult experiences made them inherently guarded but optimistic. Designers responded by offering furniture that was modest in scale and ornament, yet stylish and well-built" said Tim Copeland, CEO of Copeland Furniture.
Copeland believes some of the same forces are at work in the psyche today, making clean-lined, highly functional furniture the right style for the times. In the current economy, consumers are finding comfort in retro-modern shapes as long as they're designed for todays technology and lifestyles.
Smaller Scales
Smaller scale is also a hallmark of midcentury design and that makes it an ideal style for first-home buyers, loft and apartment dwellers. Many pieces used vertical space to achieve maximum functionality in smaller rooms.
Simple styles
Trend watchers say that in times of turmoil consumers often revert back to the simple things in life. This quest for simplicity-as well as for lower costs and more reliable quality-is said to be fueling growth in everything from vegetable gardening to backyard poultry farming. Furniture manufacturers are right on trend with farmhouse style collections which include details such as antique brass hardware, plank tops and seeded glass adding to the nostaligic feel.
Decorating Over Vacationing
These shifting attitudes are good new for the home industries. An ostentatious vacation may be out of the picture, but an investment in creating a relaxing haven at home is more in line with today's priorities.Furniture manufacturers anticipated the need and unveiled a host of new collections designed to transform ordinary interiors into extraordinary retreats. Furnishings influenced by Dutch and English designs as well as East African and Asian.
At a time when consumers are cutting back in many areas and for many reasons, home furnishings manufacturers are delivering on the fundamentals.'
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