Nearly 7 out of 10 consumers say high gas prices are having a significant impact on their budgets, according to an American Pulse Survey. But there’s good news for Internet selling… a survey by ICongo says that for those who are shopping, a whopping one third (33%) of adults who use the Internet are choosing to shop online rather than in physical stores. Reasons cited… “high gas” prices, “free shipping”, “lower prices” and the “freedom to shop any time”.

Consumers may still prefer shopping in person for many home furnishing products, but being able to research products before driving to a store, or to make the final purchase online to avoid a second trip will be a growing expectation.

Survey source: Casual Living, Jun ‘08

According to a National Retail Federation survey… 4.0 million U.S. consumers in February planned to spend their ‘tax rebate check’ (stimulus check) on a “big ticket item” such as furniture. Polled again in May, that number declined to 2.7 million, no doubt a result of rising food and gas prices and declining confidence.

On the remodeling front, a survey by Johns Manville/Opinon Research Corp, indicated that 24% of U.S. homeowners were ‘considering’ applying the stimulus check toward upgrading or improving their homes. (US Census Bureau suggests there are currently 114M households, estimates suggest 69% of these own a home, but this number is difficult to quantify given varying definitions of households). 

The most popular remodeling projects under consideration by homeowners included…

* landscaping (23%) 
* bathroom upgrade (13%)
* energy efficiency - attic insulation (9%) / caulking or sealing (4%)
* kitchen upgrade (12%)
* painting a room (10%) 

Survey results:  Casual Living (Jun ‘08) / Qualified Remodeler (Jun ‘08)

Garage storage has been the fastest growing segment in the storage and organization category in recent years, the NPD Group reports, driven in part by larger cabinet-style collections in masculine colors such as silver or black, better quality and more prominent marketing. Vendors are also promoting more bike racks and ceiling-mounted shelving units.

The company also reports that men accounted for 64% of the dollar share spent on garage storage products (2007).

Looking ahead, the segment should be an area of growth for retailers. “Garage storage seems to be somewhat recession proof,” said Mark Delaney, NPD’s Home marketing director. “Consumers who plan on redoing their garage are doing so, regardless of what the housing market is doing.”

Source: HomeWorld Business, Mar 30, 2008

From a survey of 2800 furniture consumers… consumers who cited ‘comfort’ as a top criteria when purchasing a sofa, loveseat, chair or sectional:

* were more likely to purchase a high-performance synthetic fabric (37% preferred versus 31% for all shoppers)

* were more likely to purchase sectionals (14% preferred vs. 11% for all shoppers)

* were willing to pay almost 10% more ($1566 total purchase vs. $1450 average)

* were more likely to want flexible credit options (13% rated as a top criteria vs 9% overall)

* were more likely to research their purchase online (55% vs. 51% average)

Source: Furniture Style, Apr ‘08

While we haven’t circled back to waterbeds yet, today’s array of mattress options may seem dizzying and more than a little confusing. But new mattress construction and materials seem to be benefiting consumers who are more sleep deprived every year and appear willing to make an investment in better sleep.  

According to a survey of retailers by Furniture/Today (June 2, 2008), here’s what’s happening in the bedding market.

Innerspring (coil) mattresses now represent only 59% of sales at bedding specialty stores, compared to 73% at furniture stores. Average consumer spend is $599 (bedding stores) / $799 (furniture stores).

Visco “memory” foam (synthetic) mattresses (ex. Tempur-Pedic) represent 16% of sales at furniture stores /15% at bedding specialty stores. Average consumer spend is $1799 (furniture stores) / $1499 (bedding specialty stores)

Latex foam (natural) mattresses represent 9% of bedding sales at bedding specialty stores / 8% at furniture stores. Average consumer spend is $1899 (furniture and bedding specialty stores)

Air mattresses (ex. Sleep Number beds) represent 9% of sales at bedding stores, compared to only 1% at furniture stores. Average consumer spend is $2249 (furniture stores) / $2299 (bedding specialty stores).

Adjustable mattresses (ex. Craftmatic) represent 4% of bedding sales at bedding stores, 2% at furniture stores. Average consumer spend wasn’t available.

House Beautiful’s Great Furniture Collections: Who’s Who? What’s What? (Apr 08) profiled high-profile furniture collections influencing furniture design today. Of the 25 collections shown, 16 were designed, inspired or licenced by furniture designers, 2 by lifestyle moguls, 2 by fashion designers, 1 by a retailer, 1 by a butler, 1 by an author, 1 by a restauranteur and 1 by a fashion model. Here’s some who made the list, including their furniture legacy to date, (and producer of the collection shown):

Lillian August, retailer… “stately reproductions with archival details and an artist’s eye” (Drexel Heritage)

Barbara Barry, designer… “warm modernism with sexy curves. It’s all in the silhouette” (Henredon)

Paul Burrell, former butler to Princess Diana… “loose adaptations of English country house classics” (Highland House)

Barclay Butera, designer … “the English gentleman’s look via the ultimate California guy” (Barclay Butera Home)

Mariette Himes Gomez, designer … “understated glamour from the thinking woman’s designer” (Hickory Chair)

Kelly Hoppen, designer… “a fresh breath of Zen from the English maverick” (Century Furniture)

Kathy Ireland, model… “insanely successful furniture for the heartland” (Martin Furniture)

Chris Madden, lifestyle mogul… “value, value value in miles of style” (JC Penney)

Frances Mayes, author… “a memoir in wood - sun-baked, generous, and quintessentially Tuscan” (Drexel Heritage)

Nicolle Miller, fashion designer… “don’t expect her flirty prints or girly shapes - these pieces have an Art Deco vibe” (Excelsior)

Thomas O’Brien, designer… “The American master of ‘the mix’” (Hickory Chair)

Martha Stewart, lifestyle mogul… “impeccable, always surprising pieces from the arbiter of domestic perfection” (Bernhardt)

Raymond Waites, designer… “the grand pooh-bah of dramatic sizzle for people who like things big” (LaneVenture)

Rocking chairs may be nostalgic, charming and even old-fashioned… but research shows they’re also remarkably therapeutic. 

* a rocking chair used in a classroom in Washington State recently helped students, especially those with Attention Deficit Disorder to conentrate and stay on task

* a 12-week NY State Dept of Health study of 25 nursing home residents diagnosed with dementia, showed that crying, anxiety, tension and depression dropped in 11 patients; several also requested less pain medication

* John F. Kennedy rocked to ease the pain of a back injury from WWII

* rocking chairs were regularly used at the turn of the century in American hospitals

For more information on the benefits or rocking chairs (including help with everything from arthritis, autism, chronic fatigue, varicose veins and stroke, just to mention a few)… read more at www.rockingchairtherapy.org. 

Why… or when do consumers buy new furniture? According to a survey by AHFA-Ogilvey, nearly half of furniture buying is closely related to a life change… suggesting an opportunity for retailers to craft messages and solutions that cater to life change needs.

When asked which key life events create a need for new furniture: 

* 32% of consumers said “change of home location” (18% just moved; 10% new home; 4% just married)

 * 7% of consumers said “change in family size” (4% empty nest; 2% began family; 1% loss of spouse)

When asked what type of furniture is needed for these life event changes:

67% of consumers said new dining furniture

64% said new bedroom furniture

53% said  new home entertainment furniture

50% said a new mattress

48% said new upholstery (motion or stationary) 

With baby boomers reluctant to give up their active lifestyles or youth, it’s no surprise that aches and pains are going right along with it. According to a study by the National Institute of Aging, baby boomers (born 1942-1959) were unlikely to report “excellent or very good” health as early as their early to mid 50’s… an early result of their efforts to stay active despite their age.  

The result? Boomers are looking for products that help them stay mobile, independent, free of pain and less stressed. These products, termed ‘universally designed’ due to their ability to work equally well among young, old and disabled… aren’t only winning at retail… they’re proving that the right products can reduce pain associated with age or disability without looking geriatric. If you’re not convinced that’s true, consider the growing popularity of recent fashion-forward products that also eliminate stress, bending, stooping and discomfort…

* higher dishwashers and washing machines 
* higher-height dining tables and chairs
* larger hardware, knobs rather than pulls
* drawers rather than doors below kitchen counters
* lift-top coffee tables
* massage chairs
* chairs and recliners with built-in lift mechanisms
* furniture with built-in power for re-charging portable electronics

Products that address memory loss and clutter are also proving important. “Everyone experiences some minor short-term memory loss, and poorer visual color and depth perception as they get older,” says says Dr. Melanie Horn Mallers, Professor of Gerentology at California State University, Long Beach. “Having an organized and compartmentalized home helps with memory loss and lack of clutter helps when, for instance, you have to walk through your living room at night.” Again, consider the growing popularity of fashion-forward products that eliminate stress and discomfort:

* drawer organization systems
* jewelry organizers
* cubby hole shelves and drawers
* smaller drawers to allocated specific items
* wall and furniture hooks
* portable/mobile storage containers that can be moved to point-of-use

Although it’s estimated that  up to 30% of childrens’ beds sold are bunk beds, many parents are nervous about buying them. And they’re not wrong to be concerned.

According to a recent study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, nearly 36,000 kids are treated in emergency rooms for bunk bed accidents each year in the U.S.. The results of the survey, published in the Journal Pediatrics, indicated that although most injuries aren’t fatal, over half the injuries are to the head, neck or face, and include:

30% of children suffering serious cuts
24% suffering bruises and scrapes
20% suffering fractures
over 10% sustaining concussions

Over half of the injuries are to boys, the report said, and most inuries result from a fall. Over half of the injuries occured in children under 6, but there was a jump in accidents among 18-21 year olds, who were more than twice as likely to be hurt as kids age 14-17.

“Bunk beds were one of the hardest things for me to go to because of the accidents,” said mother of two boys, Tiera McMahon of Fort Worth Texas, in an msnbc.com article (June 4, 2008) reporting on the research study. Along with the 41-year old mother’s advice to keep the bedrooms off-limits when company is over, the article offered basic safety advice for bunk beds:

1. Don’t let children younger than 6 sleep in top bunks
2. Make sure there are guardrails on both sides of the upper bunk, even if one side is against a wall
3. Make sure that gaps in guardrails are no bigger than 3.5″ to prevent entrapment and strangulation
4. Use the proper size mattress in the bunk bed (thinner profile mattress on top bunk)
5. Don’t place the bunk bed too close to ceiling fans or dressers
6. Make sure bunk beds and ladders are sturdy and secure
7. Don’t let kids play on bunk beds
8. Make sure bunk bedposts don’t have knobs or finials that can catch clothing and other objects
9. Use night lights to help children find ladders in the dark.