Furniture Classics expands Showplace showroom by more than 25%

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 9/25/2012 11:14:48 AM

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Furniture Classics has expanded the size of its Showplace showroom by more than 25% for the October High Point Market.

The company, which shows in Space 2401, now has more than 16,000 square feet of space, making it one of the largest exhibitors in the building.

"All of our new space will be used to showcase our product," said Michael Ricks, Furniture Classics' president. "Having more room will enable us to create better displays and present a clearer vision of what we have to offer. It will be a much more cohesive statement that will provide retailers with great, hands-on ideas that they can use in their own stores."

Furniture Classics has been an exhibitor in Showplace since it opened its doors in 2000. "It's one of the premier destinations in High Point," Ricks said. "This centrally located building is a very good fit for us, since it features a broad mix of products and isn't geared just to the low- or high-end."

At the October market, Furniture Classics plans to expand a variety of inline collections with fresh colors and intricate paint treatments. The company's diverse line includes bookcases, cabinets, chests, desks, dining room, kitchen items, media and TV stands, seating, occasional tables and wine storage. Styles range from traditional English and country French to transitional and industrial/contemporary.

"Dealers are looking for something fresh, not just the same old washed and dark stains," Ricks said of the company's market introductions.

In addition to solid-wood reproductions, Furniture Classics' Two Palms Casual division offers a full line of casual furniture for indoor and outdoor use. The line includes seating and tables in materials such as premium resin wicker, woven seagrass and pole rattan, and natural rattan and solid mahogany; and reclaimed teak tables.

"Furniture Classics specializes in value-oriented, solid-wood reproduction furniture," Ricks said. "We're known for unique, stand alone items that complement one another and work well in today's eclectic lifestyle environments."

Furniture Classic's line features kiln-dried woods such as acacia, alder, mahogany, oak, pine and teak with traditional joinery and hand-applied finishes. It sources products from a partner factory in Indonesia with additional factories in China and India.

The company maintains a 200,000-sq.-ft. warehouse at its headquarters in Norfolk, Va., with an in-stock position on "nearly all of our line," said Ricks. He added that direct-container shipping at "very aggressive discounts" also is available.

Julie Messner, vice president of leasing for International Market Centers, said Furniture Classics' expansion is part of a major "refresh" that has taken place at Showplace over the past two markets. "Showplace has become even more vital, with a number of key exhibitors expanding their spaces and major new showroom openings."