Wood Furniture

Without completely abandoning the casual attitude evident these past few years, the home furnishings industry is taking a small step towards a more formal approach in the bedroom and dining room furniture being shown this coming season. While finishes remain soft and dry, with little or no gloss, there is less waxy buildup in the nooks and crannies. New collections in general will be somewhat darker, with fewer bleached or white-washed finishes present. And while oak is still around, as oak prices have increased, cherry, pine and maple are on the rise. In addition to the darker tones on this seasons wood furniture, European and architectural design elements adorn many new collections. Greek and Roman columns and Italian carvings dress up armoires and china cabinets.

In spite of these traditional elements, many of the collections take on a rather transitional look. Look for Thomasville's Artistix Collection for "Architectural Inspiration...that appeals to traditionalists and modernists...". There are few if any "pure" contemporary collections to be found. As far as the eclecticism of the past few seasons goes, while it is reported that consumers are still responding to the "item" approach of home decorating, this has caused its share of problems on the manufacturing side. In a business where cost efficiency means being able to set up the factory for a large "cutting" of one group, showing and selling suites rather than pieces makes more financial sense. Hence, the approach taken with this years new introductions will once again be a "Salute to Collections".