Youth furniture is growing up
It’s hardly a surprise that kids attuned to style and accustomed to choice would expect the same when it comes to furnishing their bedrooms. And manufacturers are giving them what they want — furniture that’s sophisticated and customizable, just like what Mom and Dad demand for themselves.
Robin Campbell, marketing services manager for Young America, Stanley Furniture Co.’s youth furniture brand, attributes the evolution to young people’s increased exposure to design trends.
“I think they’re just more demanding in what they want,” she said. “They know what they want,

and they want it now.”
In fact, the youngsters’ taste is one of the biggest influences behind their parents’ purchasing decisions for the children’s rooms, according to a recent survey by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, an association of manufacturers, distributors and suppliers. Taste tied with price is the second most important consideration in buying youth bedroom furniture, behind function.
What many of those young consumers seem to want is options. That stands to reason, Campbell said, given the choices available to them in other products, from customizable Nikes to personalized M&Ms.
Choice, therefore, is becoming common in youth furniture. At Cribs to Kids in Hudson, Ohio, for example, all the furniture is available in at least four, and as many as 20, finishes, said Andrea Berryman, who owns the store with her husband, Eric.
“They want to customize,” she said of the store’s customers. “They want to be able to order it (furniture) in cherry, maple, white.”
Young America is making customization the marketing hook for its new myHaven collection, a cottage-style furniture grouping available in 20 finishes including such fun-loving colors as chili pepper, watermelon and grape. Many of the hues were inspired by fashion icons that influence the younger set, such as Lilly Pulitzer, Lacoste and J. Crew.
Another new line of youth bedroom furniture, Pulaski Furniture’s Build-A-Bear Workshop Home, is tied to one of the most recognizable names in customization, the chain of stores where customers can design and create their own stuffed animals.
Each of the line’s three collections offers options, including changeable drawer fronts and hardware.
Those options not only let the youngsters get the look they want, but they also allow the furniture to “grow” with the child — another common feature of today’s youth furniture. Pink and lavender drawer fronts can become plain white someday, making the furniture suitable for a guest room or a first apartment.
That desire to extend the life of the furniture is why many of the pieces tend toward traditional and classic designs, Campbell said.
Parents are looking for timeless furniture that will remain useful long after their offspring have left childhood behind.
Even baby furniture is designed with longevity in mind. Many cribs convert to toddler beds, then day beds or full-size beds, and they’re made in grown-up styles such as sleigh beds and slat beds.
Changing tables have given way to regular dressers topped by removable changing pads, which attach to the back of the furniture and can be replaced by a hutch when the child is out of diapers. And some manufacturers make nightstands, mirrors and other pieces to match its infant furniture, so pieces can be added as the child grows and his or her needs change.
The expectation that the furniture will last for years, combined with kids’ increasingly refined taste, has resulted in youth furniture that looks much like furniture marketed for adults. One bedroom set prominently displayed at Cribs to Kids, from Vermont Precision Woodworks, is made of light maple with sophisticated natural cherry accents.
Even venerable Stickley has a youth collection, including bunk beds in its signature Arts & Crafts style.
Designs that are more juvenile in nature, on the other hand, seem to hold less appeal today, Berryman said. She gestured toward a jungle-theme crib and armoire.
“Can’t sell one of these for the life of me,” she said.
That’s not to say youth furniture is just all about form. Function is still paramount, as the AHFA survey showed.
At the top of the wish list: “storage, storage, storage,” said Kristin Hawkins, a spokesperson for Broyhill Furniture, which makes several youth bedroom collections and will be unveiling another in the spring. The company’s consumer research found comfort was the priority for teens when it comes to their bedrooms, followed closely by organization.
But Hawkins noted that the two often go hand-in-hand — a room that’s cluttered because of inadequate storage space isn’t conducive to relaxing and entertaining friends.
Consequently, Broyhill and other manufacturers have concentrated on maximizing storage, particularly in unused areas such as under the bed.
After all, kids need a place to stash all their sporting equipment, video games, stuffed animals and trinkets.
Their taste might be growing up, but they’re still kids

GARDEN FURNITURE

Garden furniture is now available in all price ranges and comes in a wide variety of materials and styles. The present trend favours high-end furniture. Furniture made of good quality wood, such as teak, is both durable and inviting. It requires a little maintenance, but it is really worth the effort. Selecting patio furniture made of teak, particularly teak wood taken from the core of the tree, will ensure a high quality wood whose smaller grain is much more resistant. Preserve it with teak oil to protect it from the effects of weather and the sun, premature aging, and cracks.Metal furniture is regaining its popularity. We can find corrosion-resistant cast aluminum tables with embedded glass, solid steel tables, rectangular tables with glass top and rotating platter, rectangular or round tables with tempered glass tops, and rectangular tables with embedded glass. The matching chairs and loungers can be made of corrosion-resistant cast aluminum with cushions, of aluminum and canvas, of lattice and cushions, or with the very popular canvas chairs. The market-style umbrella can be straight or bendable.The most popular items are mid-backed chairs and high-backed loungers. Stacking chairs are most often chosen for their practicality. Gliding chairs, gliding rockers, and lounge chairs will sometimes complete the set. We are seeing more and more hammocks and suspended swings. Naturally, the bench is now well installed in our garden where it will stay, and the traditional swing adds to the serenity.

Colony Collection

The Colony collection provides an oasis of tropical, casual style in a Brushed Maple finish. Entertainment and office furniture bring a civilizing order to electronic components and digital media with adjustable shelving, pull-out trays, cord management, and dedicated file storageEvery piece in Sauder's collection of entertainment furniture is sturdily crafted, beautifully detailed, and designed for maximum utility and convenience. You'll find units like armoires and entertainment centers that provide a variety of storage options for all your home theater needs: tapes, DVDs and CDs, as well as adjustable shelving for components and TV sizes for 40" and above. Other value-added features on select entertainment furniture items include safety-tempered glass, pull-out shelves, easy-roll casters, swivel tops, and concealed storage. Our entertainment centers are available in a wide variety of styles and enduring finishes. Sauder provides the entertainment furniture to fit your lifestyle: armoires and entertainment centers, bookshelves, storage cabinets, tv stands, dvd towers and more

Atlantis

Atlantis Antique which is establish in Jepara since 1989, runs in manufactures and exports high quality mahogany, teak and pine both indoor furniture and garden furniture.Their foreign trade have been widely distributed to many countries in the world ; Italy, Greece, France, England, Australia, South Africa, USA, Spain, Ireland, Germany and Malaysia.Atlantis Antique have full confidence of your exclusive furniture orders with selected woods and many exclusive design or your own design.Contact Information:Office / Factory :Jl. Raguklampitan Km. 1,7 PulodaratPecangaan Jepara 59462 IndonesiaTel. +62 291 754560Fax. +62 291 754553Attn. Mr. Eko Priyadi – Export ManagerEmail :Sales Information at sales@atlantisantique.comGeneral Information at info@atlantisantique.comComment and Suggestion at webmaster@atlantisantique.comWebsite

Sauder's Bedroom

Although Sauder's bedroom furniture and armoires are genuine eye openers, you can rest easy in knowing that each selection--whether an armoire, modular furniture unit or other home furnishing piece--provides high-quality workmanship and a fine furniture fit. In a variety of styles and finishes, our armoires and modular bedroom furniture and collections range from contemporary to traditional and blend with any decor. Our bedroom home furnishing pieces offer adjustable shelves, generous storage space, easy-glide metal drawer runners with safety stops, and detailed hardware. Our bedroom furniture is the perfect accompaniment to any home