MEBANE, N.C. – Kingsdown celebrated the 119th anniversary alongside its Chinese licensee Roth Bedding Technology International and the two companies sold more than 3,200 mattress in 12 hours. Roth has been a Kingsdown licensee since 2015.

Eighty retail partners with more than 95 showrooms participated in the annual Kingsdown Day celebration. As part of the event, the licensee designed an exclusive mattress inspired by North Carolina, home to Kingsdown’s U.S. headquarters.

Attending retailers were given trophies commemorating the anniversary and Kingsdown-branded gifts throughout the day that included a variety of entertainment. For every 20 mattresses a retailer ordered during the event, they were allowed to break a golden egg filled with prizes ranging from cash to free mattresses to coupons for discounted products.

“Kingsdown Day is one of the most anticipated events for our company,” said Frances Chay, sales and marketing director for Kingsdown in Asia. “It is a great opportunity to celebrate the wonderful successes our brand has in our markets, connect with our dealers and encourage more sales. Many customers share that they have an increased confidence in the brand after the event.”

Spencer Nicholls, vice president of international licensing for Kingsdown, was present to honor dealers for their performance throughout the year. The Excellent Agent in China award given on behalf of the U.S. headquarters was presented to Mao Jian, a retailer in the Xi’an province for sales performance and most number of stores.

“Roth is an exceptional licensee for us that has enjoyed enormous success with our brand. They have really embraced the luxury and fashion positioning of our products that has resulted in their strong market share,” said Frank Hood, CEO of Kingsdown. “The annual Kingsdown Day event held in China is a great way to engage local dealers with our brand and stimulate new sales.”

See also:

• Kingsdown opens 100th branded store in China
• Making a good match better: Kingsdown updates BedMatch system

The post How many mattresses were sold during Kingsdown Day in China? appeared first on Furniture Today.

HIGH POINT – The Trisha Yearwood Home Collection, previously with Klaussner Furniture, has found a new home with Legacy Classic|Modern Furniture. 

Legacy will be showing existing best sellers within the Trisha Yearwood Home Collection at the upcoming October High Point Market, including collections that debuted at the previous spring market.

“I am excited to see the Trisha Yearwood Home Collection continue with Chris Pelcher and the team at Legacy Classic|Modern Furniture,” Yearwood said. “My highest priority is to continue serving the retailers who have put their trust in the Trisha Yearwood brand. We share the commitment of providing affordable quality home furnishings to our customers, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings.” 

According to the company, the first order of business is connecting with the line’s retail partners, many of whom are current Legacy customers. “We don’t want Trisha’s retail partners to miss a beat, particularly as we head into the busiest time of year. Our goal is to make this as seamless as possible,” said Pelcher, president of Legacy 

Legacy is in the process of securing the inventory for all current and future open orders. Plans for new Trisha Yearwood Home Collection introductions are in the works, with a goal to premier those offerings in April 2024.

“Being able to work with Trisha Yearwood, her team, and one of the longest-running collections in our industry is a true honor,” Pelcher said. “In my opinion, one of the reasons Trisha’s collection has stood the test of time is because of her legendary level of involvement with her product and her participation in the markets. She has been the key factor in the momentum of the brand for close to 10 years.”  

The licensed collection had previously been under a partnership with Klaussner Home Furnishings until the company abruptly shut down earlier this month, putting 884 employees out of work. Yearwood vowed last week that the collection would continue and her team was in negotiations to find a new home for the line.

This is not the first time Legacy inked a licensing agreement. The company currently has licensing agreements with Rachael Ray and Paula Deen, also celebrity chefs, and earlier this year, the company announced plans to move into the motion upholstery category.

 See also:

• These companies step up to serve UFI/Lane/Klaussner buyers in a turbulent year
• Everything there is to know (so far) about Klaussner’s shutdown this week

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PAWHUSKA, Okla. – Television personality and blogger Ree Drummond, also known as the Pioneer Woman, has introduced a new line of ready-to-assemble furniture for Walmart.com. The collection includes pieces for the kitchen, dining room and bedroom, each constructed from real wood and veneers.

“I took my time working on this furniture collection because it was incredibly important to get several things right: the design, the functionality, and of course, the quality and affordability,” said Drummond. “Now that the furniture is finally launching, I can say that we have accomplished just what we set out to do. I couldn’t be more thrilled with each and every piece in this collection, and I love that it can be integrated into various spaces in the home, either as an accent piece or as part of a stronger statement.”

Highlights of the new line include an 84-inch tall dining hutch ($478), dining table ($268), two-tone kitchen cart and island ($278 to $348), floral dining chairs and benches ($98 to $188), headboards ($225), vanity ($378), and dresser and nightstands (($189 to $429).

The Pioneer Woman Collection began in 2015 with dinnerware and kitchenware, before entering furniture in 2022 with an outdoor patio line, also sold exclusively through Walmart. The collection is billed as a “full lifestyle” brand, also featuring bedding, sleepwear, rugs, plant stands, gardening tools, bird houses and more.

See also:

• Pioneer Woman enters outdoor category with Walmart
• Walmart laying off 2,000 in 5 U.S. warehouses

The post Pioneer Woman introduces full RTA furniture line, another Walmart exclusive appeared first on Furniture Today.

WOBURN, Mass. – Adding its third new international licensee in the last couple of months, Spring Air International has inked a deal with Irish manufacturer Briody Bedding Limited to cover the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Spring Air and Briody have a long relationship under which the Ireland-based company had exclusive rights in the country. The companies’ partnership has now evolved as part of Spring Air’s international licensing network.

“We are delighted to welcome back our Irish licensee Briody to our international network,” said Nick Bates, president of Spring Air International. “The history between our companies goes back a long time, and we have seen the company’s success grow over the years. We look forward to many more years of watching the company advance in its market.”

This marks the third new international licensee the company has added to its network recently. Last month, the company announced two partners in Southeast Asia: Sumber Dinamik in Malaysia and Vuanem in Vietnam.

Based in Ballinrink, Ireland, the second-generation, family-owned mattress and furniture company was founded in 1974 by Benny Briody and Brid Briody. Today, the company is managed by their four children. The company started with three employees making 30 mattresses a week and has since grown to 90 employees making 1,000 mattresses a week. Recently, Briody Bedding was recognized with the AIBF Enterprise of the Year Award from the All-Ireland Business Foundation.

“In Ireland, Briody is synonymous with sleep, the kind of deep, energizing sleep where you awaken refreshed and ready for the day,” said David Briody, a company director. “With the innovation behind the production of Spring Air’s mattresses, we recognize that Spring Air’s goals align with ours. At Briody, we are constantly producing new and innovative products by means of extensive research and development.

“My father originally brought the Spring Air brand to Ireland over 20 years ago, and it is important for us to carry that forward and introduce a greater range of Spring Air mattresses to the Irish market.”

See also:

• Spring Air joins BrandSource approved vendor group
• Spring Air’s Florida licensee launches Parts & Repair Center for industry equipment

The post Spring Air expands international network with 3rd new licensee in 2 months appeared first on Furniture Today.

WOBURN, Mass. – In a move to expand its global footprint, Spring Air International has made two recent strategic licensing moves to build its network in Southeast Asia.

The company has signed new agreements with partners in Malaysia and Vietnam. Combined, the partnerships will open up more than 1,150 retail stores throughout the two countries.

In Malaysia, the company has teamed with Sumber Dinamik, a foam and mattress producer and a distributor of Spring Air’s Back Supporter brand. The new agreement with the subsidiary of NHL Manufacturing opens up 14 states for the Spring Air lineup.

In Vietnam, Spring Air has partnered with Vuanem, an omnichannel retailer with 158 brick-and-mortar sleep stores and a number of e-commerce sites, including Shopee, Lazada and Tiki. Vuanem is taking over the region formerly held by LMG, a Spring Air licensee until 2020.

The Malaysian partner was founded in 1980 as a foam manufacturer to supply furniture factories. Since then, Sumber Dinamik has evolved to manufacture foam and mattresses.

“With Spring Air’s more than 90 years of experience, impressive heritage, brand power and global reach, we find the company to be the ultimate partner in aiding our objective as establishing ourselves as one of the key suppliers in the high-end market segment,” said Kenny Yap Kwong Fatt, general manager of Sumber Dinamik. “The licensor has a vibrant management team ably led by Nick Bates has given us more faith that Spring Air International is the brand that would help us scale higher heights of growth.”

“Malaysia is a strong market for us, and with access to more than 1,000 retail outlets carrying our products, we expect to see an even stronger share in the country,” said Bates, Spring Air International president. “Sumbar Dinamik is a terrific partner for us. Their knowledge of the customer, combined with their commitment to quality and service, represents our brand very well.”

Bates said Vuanem, based in Hanoi, Vietnam, provides Spring Air with access to a market of younger consumers with the majority of people in the country are between 20 and 35 years old. “We look forward to introducing these young consumers to the Spring Air brand, winning their trust with the quality and value of our mid-priced products and growing with them over time as they progress into our more premium collections.”

The Spring Air brand will account for 10% of Vuanem’s current product offering on its floors or three to five mattresses, according to Tuan Anh Hoang, CEO and co-founder of Vuanem. The Spring Air Back Supporter products will be on the Vuanem floors beginning in August.

See also:

• Spring Air International expands licensing network into Indiana
• Spring Air joins BrandSource approved vendor group

The post Spring Air sets international growth strategy with 2 new licensees appeared first on Furniture Today.

LOS ANGELES – Ruggable, a direct-to-consumer washable rug brand, has partnered with British legacy brand Morris & Co. for a new collection.

“We’re honored to partner with Morris & Co. to merge their iconic, beautiful prints and aesthetic with the practical functionality of Ruggable,” said Jeneva Bell, Ruggable founder and president. “I’ve always felt inspired by the brand’s storied approach and can’t wait to see how these rug designs instantly transform spaces.”

Bell said this partnership brings the historic designs of Morris & Co. to the U.S. rug market for the very first time, pairing heritage design, practical functionality and accessible pricing.

The collection captures the nostalgic return to the traditional, maximalist style, with the new pieces embracing enchanting florals and playful botanicals, according to Bell.

While Morris & Co. is a centuries-old brand, its ethos is entirely modern and has been seen recently in pop culture in movies and shows like The Queen’s Gambit and Hocus Pocus 2. It’s also been visible in the homes of designers such as Plum Sykes and Markham Roberts.

William Morris’ passion for mixing utility and beauty echoes Ruggable’s commitment to innovative design, Bell said.

The collection includes 35 styles, including 25 classic low-pile and premium medium-pile styles and two doormat styles that are now available on Ruggable.com. All rug styles are made to be water-resistant, stain-resistant, and machine-washable.

See also: DTC rug company adds new softer collection

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HIGH POINT – Lexington Home Brands will unveil a new 60-second television spot for its Tommy Bahama brand during High Point Market with plans to run it across myriad stations each morning to enable Market attendees to catch it while they’re getting ready for Market.

The aspirational lifestyle ad recognizes that, like many consumers right now, Lexington’s affluent demographic has been focusing its discretionary spending on travel following the confinement of the pandemic. The message of the ad is aimed at letting consumers know that when they come home, Lexington can make that home the place they want to be.

“No matter how much you like to travel there’s simply nothing like coming back home,” said Phil Haney, president and CEO. “Our message with this spot is, ‘you’ve been traveling. It’s time to come back home.”

Haney explained that during the pandemic affluent consumers, like others, became strongly focused on their homes. And even while discretionary dollars have been diverted to experiences like travel in recent months, consumer interest in enhancing their homes remains strong. Lexington is looking to connect with that interest with the new spot.

The spot opens with a smooth jazz track composed specifically for the ad by Grammy award-winning artist Steve Tyrell. It captures the feel of beautiful vacation retreats using settings that consumers can create in their own home with Tommy Bahama furnishings.  “We want it to convey luxury in a more casual way,” Haney explained. “It’s not sloppy, but it’s not stiff.”

Haney noted that the 60-second time frame for the ads was intentional to allow time to build the mood and tell the story in a way that would resonate with Lexington’s core demographic, a group he described as consumers 55 and older with incomes well in excess of $200,000 annually. He added that, when it comes to reaching this demographic television remains an important and effective medium.

“We want it to intrigue them. We wanted music to connect with our demographic,” said Haney. “We weren’t going to cram everything into 30 seconds.”

The ad will get its unveiling on FOX, CNN, and local and regional cable stations television during High Point Market, with multiple viewings each day between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., timed to coincide with marketgoers getting ready for the day. In addition Lexington dealers will have the opportunity to add a local tag at the end of the spot for use in their respective markets.

See also:

• Why Lexington is targeting neuroaesthetics in new market intros
• Lexington Home Brands continues to expand in ‘fastest growing category’

The post Why Lexington chose television for its new Tommy Bahama campaign appeared first on Furniture Today.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Magnussen Home  has partnered with the coastal lifestyle brand Salt Life on the launch of a new home furnishing collection scheduled to debut at the October 2023 High Point Market.  The performance and lifestyle brand, which will celebrate its 20th year in business in 2023, boasts nearly 2 million followers on social media and more than 2,500 retail apparel sponsors across the U.S.

“The decision to partner with Salt Life was easy,” said Magnussen Home Chief Revenue Officer Chris De Lisa. “Its brand is an enormous, highly impactful presence in the coastal lifestyle space, and its millions of passionate consumers span all ages and walks of life.”

He noted, that with 26 corporately owned retail stores and another 10 planned to open this year, Salt Life “knows how to drive customers into stores.”

Magnussen is looking to leverage that strength as it rolls out a new multi-faceted collection of furniture designed to appeal to those drawn to the coastal lifestyle.

The debut collection will offer consumers a good, better, best assortment of products for living, dining, home entertainment, office and sleeping spaces. The collection will feature textures and patterns reminiscent of seaside views, with colors ranging from soothing neutrals to bold splashes of ocean blue and sunset red. Whether shoppers are looking for a complete living room set or simply seeking a coastal accent piece to complement their existing interiors, Salt Life Home will offer price points and styles to meet a wide range of audience needs.

“Our goal at Salt Life is to bring the spirit of the beach lifestyle to our consumers nationwide, whether they live in a coastal community or far away from the nearest body of water,” said Jeff Stillwell, president of Salt Life. “Launching Salt Life Home gives us the opportunity to offer ocean enthusiasts timeless, high-quality home furnishings that reflect their favorite landscape and way of life.”

From relaxed, breezy linens to sturdy wooden furniture, Salt Life Home will provide the comfort of coastal living in designs to fit a variety of home styles, according to Magnussen. Salt Life’s beach apparel will serve as an inspiration for the collection, meeting the demands of both casual and contemporary style preferences.

From Magnussen’s perspective, the breadth of Salt Life’s audience aligned with the furniture maker’s core audience, while also opening doors to myriad  new consumer segments.

“We are fortunate to have 60-year-old yacht owners just as passionate about Salt Life as the 30-year-old that fishes from their buddy’s boat,” said Salt Life’s Stillwell. “We have a broad customer base that encompasses 40-year-olds that still think they are 30 and 30-year-olds that think they are 20. Our customers drive pickups or SUVs, musically range from country to classic rock and will drink Bud Light as easy as an IPA.”

Salt Life was founded in 2003 by four avid watermen from Jacksonville Beach, Fla. The brand’s professional roster includes numerous athletes, sportsmen and other ambassadors in the fishing, surfing, diving and music worlds. Salt Life offers omnichannel consumer engagement through its YouTube Channel, Instagram, Facebook and in-store activations.

Salt Life products are available to consumers at www.saltlife.com and in surf shops, specialty stores, department stores and sporting goods retailers, as well as at Salt Life’s various branded retail stores.

In 2013 Salt Life was acquired by Delta Apparel, a vertically integrated, international apparel company that designs, manufactures, sources and markets a diverse portfolio of core activewear and lifestyle apparel products under the primary brands of Salt Life, Soffe and Delta.

Beyond the initial core furniture offerings, which will debut in October 2023 with plans for retail rollout in the first half of 2024, plans call for a whole home collection encompassing accessories, lighting, rugs, top of bed, wall art and more.

See also:

• Pottery Barn picks a rug partner with coastal aesthetic
• Magnussen Home expands brand portfolio with ‘mid-to-better’ Thirty-One Twenty-One Home

The post Feeling salty? Magnussen reveals partner for multi-category coastal lifestyle launch appeared first on Furniture Today.

ASHEBORO, N.C. – Klaussner Home Furnishings is launching two new collections with country music icon Trisha Yearwood at the 2023 High Point Spring Furniture Market. Yearwood’s eighth and ninth Klaussner collections are entitled Staycation and Today’s Traditions. This marks the first time Klaussner has released two new licensed collections in the same season and at the same market.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Klaussner on all of the collections we’ve created, so it’s important to me that each line compliments each other,” said Trisha Yearwood.

The Staycation collection was inspired by Yearwood’s love for and connection to her home, especially after long trips on the road. The collection includes 27 pieces across three finishes, featuring painted linen drawer fronts, brushed nickel hardware and concrete accenting.

Today’s Traditions collection has a classic and timeless, yet current feel that can be mixed and matched with other pieces from the collection, as well as with Yearwood’s other Klaussner collections. The collection includes 38 pieces featuring natural hickory finishes and oiled bronze hardware.

“After the unpredictability of the past few markets, kicking off 2023 with a ‘bonus’ line from Trisha is exciting,” said Ben Radoll, vice president of case goods and import upholstery at Klaussner. “All of the pieces in both collections proudly carry the Klaussner promise of quality manufacturing and quick lead time.

“As it’s been with the past six collections, we have truly enjoyed collaborating with Trisha on these new pieces. We appreciate the heart she puts into each and every one.”

Trisha Yearwood’s Staycation and Today’s Tradition collections will be on display at Klaussner’s showroom from April 22-26 at 101 N. Hamilton St. They are expected to ship during the third quarter and be in stores sometime in the fall.

See also:

• Klaussner says window to meet CPSC tip-over standard is ‘very tight’
• At the helm: Klaussner’s new CEO and his strategy for moving forward

The post That makes 9: Klaussner to debut two new Trisha Yearwood collections appeared first on Furniture Today.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rooms To Go and Scott Brothers Global have announced a partnership on a multi-year, direct licensing program that will provide exclusive living room products to the consumer under the Drew & Jonathan for Rooms To Go brand.

Each collection will introduce multiple pieces in upholstery and occasional, centered around Drew & Jonathan’s three design aesthetics: modern, casual and refined.

To support the new program, which will be among the largest licensed brand launches in the retailer’s history, Rooms To Go has named Shawn Cantrell as president of a new division specifically assembled to handle this initiative.

Cantrell, most recently president of upholstery at Lifestyle, has held a number of senior level sales and marketing positions on the manufacturing side and earlier in his career worked in merchandising at Rooms To Go.

The Drew & Jonathan for Rooms To Go launch is slated for the fourth quarter of this year and will be supported by a major advertising initiative featuring the brothers, timed to coincide with the launch, Jeff Seaman, CEO of Rooms To Go, told Furniture Today in an exclusive interview.

“One of the many things about the brothers that make them such exceptional partners is how great they are on television,” said Seaman. “We would be foolish not to take advantage of that.”

Rooms To Go will work with its existing partners as well as employing its own manufacturing capabilities to support the living room upholstery program, which will encompass motion as well as stationary upholstery.

Hooker Furnishing’s HMI Group will continue to be Scott Brothers Global’s licensee for the bedroom and dining categories, and it will be providing Rooms To Go with exclusive bedroom and dining room collections to round out their total home offering.

“Our team is excited to partner with Rooms To Go to bring quality and beautiful designs for the living room and home that families will love forever,” said Drew Scott. “This partnership is built on shared values between our companies and people, and an opportunity to bring a lot more Drew & Jonathan products to market.”

Added Jonathan Scott: “Our Drew & Jonathan brand is all about improving your everyday life through inspirational design and solutions for the home. The living room is one of the most special and beloved spaces in any home, as it’s where we want our family and guests to feel their best. So we’re thrilled to work with Rooms to Go to introduce the best feeling living room products created by us, for their customers.”

In keeping with the depth, breadth and scale of the new program, RTG’s Seaman indicated that the retailer will look to create store-within-a-store concepts that merchandise Drew and Jonathan branded product in a cohesive setting. The same strategy will be employed on the RTG website, where the brand will have a significant space and dedicated space.

The partnership will bring multiple, exclusive family- and gathering-centric collections and products for Room To Go and will be rolled out across all retail locations and online, covering 10 states and U.S. territories.

Unlike some other brands that are tied to a singular price positioning, the Drew & Jonathan assortment will span a wide range of price points, according to Seaman. “It’s more about solutions than one price segment,” he told Furniture Today. “There will be a significant range from really moderate to the high end for Rooms To Go.

“This is one thing the brothers are particularly good at is bringing solutions to people, whether it’s renovating or redecorating their homes. We want to make sure this carries through to the product assortment as well.”

See also:

• Hooker teams with HGTV’s Scott brothers on 3 new HMI furniture collections
• Synchrony and Rooms To Go Renew Consumer Financing Partnership To Create Omnichannel, Personalized Shopping Experience

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