Nov 12, 2012

Casual Furniture, Miniature Gardens and Birding Share the Outdoor Living Spotlight in January

January is the perfect time for all retailers to think “outdoors” to plan for warm-weather sales, and the product mix in Living. Outdoor/Indoor.® The Gardens.® at AmericasMart® Atlanta is the perfect source for all that’s new—inside and out. Casual furniture, miniature gardening and birding & backyard nature are among the top concepts trending for early 2013 and showcased at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market®, Jan. 9-16, 2013 (Temporaries Jan. 11-15).

With consumers embracing and investing in outdoor living spaces in ever-growing numbers, casual furniture tops retailers’ 2013 buying list with a large and diverse product selection available from more than 20 casual furniture companies exhibiting on Floors 9 and 10 of Building 2 WestWing this January. An improving economy and a continued desire to entertain at home signal an upswing in sales for casual furniture.

“I anticipate a very good 2013,” says Joseph Cilio, president of Alfresco Home LLC, a long-time Floor 10 exhibitor. “Ever so slowly, our economy is going to improve.”

To capitalize on buyer enthusiasm for the category, Alfresco will introduce new lines of cast-aluminum furniture and all-weather wicker woven seating – with appeals to consumers who appreciate the versatility of outdoor or indoor use.

“After more than 25 years in this business,” Cilio says, “we’ve seen a lot of different cycles, and I think people are really gravitating toward outdoor living and spending time around the barbecue or fire pit.”

There’s a wide variety of styles and materials available from Crestwood Garden Collection, CRP Products, Inc., Darlee Outdoor Living, Inc., Hansen, Innova Hearth & Home, Jensen Leisure Furniture, Meadow Décor, Inc., Oakland Living Corp., Poly-Wood, Inc., Ratana Home and Floral, Southern Komfort Bed Swings, Summer Classics, Telescope Casual Furniture, Three Birds Casual, Three Coins Cast, Treasure Garden, Unique Arts, LLC and Uwharrie Chair Co. among other casual furniture companies exhibiting in January.

“As the housing market continues to strengthen, consumers look for creative, functional options for home improvement – a perfect opportunity for casual furniture,” says Jill Brady Ford, executive director of Leasing Living. Outdoor/Indoor.® The Gardens.® at AmericasMart.

For those who don’t have space to create an outdoor living area, there’s another option growing in popularity. Miniature gardening is a blossoming trend for both urban consumers and those who just enjoy the creative challenge of building a tiny environment. At least seven companies exhibiting on Floors 9 and 10 of Building 2 WestWing specialize in the miniature and fairy garden niche. Campania International, Echo Valley, Georgetown Home & Garden, GSI Homestyles, Land & Sea Imports, Inc., Magnet Works, Ltd. and The Stone Bunny Inc. are some of those with specially designed products. To learn more, there’s a dedicated seminar: “Miniature Gardening How-To,” presented by Tara Dillard, sponsored by MagnetWorks, Ltd. at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10 at Building 2 WestWing, Floor 10 Seminar Room. Retailers will learn to create, display and sell the concept.

From harvesting the earth to stewarding wildlife, there are category options for any type of store. Retailers have a chance to learn how to be part of the $55 billion dollar Birding & Backyard Nature industry. “Identifying Your Birder,” presented by Raymond David of Birding Business magazine at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12 in the Building 2 West Wing, Floor 10 Seminar Room is an opportunity to learn to identify and cater to backyard and destination birders to build a business that reaches a broad and enthusiastic demographic.

With traditional bird houses, bird feeders, bird baths and innovative bird-themed gifts, there are appealing products across the category. A new addition, Opticron, will have a temporary exhibit on Floor 4, Building 2 WestWing. The company started manufacturing world-class binoculars in Europe more than 40 years ago. Opticron brought its technology to the United States with the motto “smaller, lighter, brighter, sharper” to meet the needs of birding enthusiasts, sportsmen and travelers.

To explore the full spectrum of product available in the collections, buyers are encouraged to “Start in the Gardens!” at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10 and on Friday, Jan. 11 for coffee and breakfast selections on Floors 9 and 10 of Building 2 WestWing.

Navigating between the Living. Outdoor/Indoor.® The Gardens.® product collection and the Gift and Home floors is easier than ever with a new corridor on Floor 10 linking Building 2 WestWing and Building 2 with direct access to Building 1. The grand opening champagne celebration is at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10. The broad, new access facilitates buyers’ evolving need to shop across categories to present a full spectrum of products to their customers.

The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market® – Permanent Showrooms: January 9-16. Temporaries: January 11-15; The Atlanta International Area Rug Market®: January 10-13. Area Rug Temporaries: Jan. 11-13. A complete list of Market seminars and events is available atwww.AmericasMart.com.

About AmericasMart
AmericasMart Atlanta is the nation’s only global wholesale marketplace housing the world’s single-largest collection of home, gift, area rug and apparel merchandise. The largest of AmericasMart’s 14 annual Markets and shows, The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta International Area Rug Market in January and July are the ignition switch for global retailing with buyers from every U.S. state and more than 90 countries discovering product in more than 1,400 showrooms and more than 2,500 temporary exhibiting companies. Located in downtown Atlanta, the AmericasMart complex contains more than seven million square feet of space. It’s a huge global stage on which manufacturers, designers and sales representatives unveil new lines, launch new designs and introduce new categories – all for the benefit of buyers seeking all that is fresh and first in the home, rug, gift and apparel arenas. For more information, please visit www.AmericasMart.com. Follow us at #americasmartatl or #atlapparel.