BASSETT, Va. — Bassett Furniture, parent company of Lane Venture, has named Haynes King vice president of retail and trade sales, a new role focused on deepening the company’s engagement with the design community.
King has been a territory manager for Lane Venture since 2021, overseeing traditional retail, casual retail and to-the-trade accounts. Prior to that role, King led design and product development for casual furniture fabrics at performance textile maker Outdura. In that position, he also managed product life cycles and supported advertising and trade show planning.
King began his career in marketing at Century Furniture, spending 12 years with the brand, working closely with interior design clients and serving nearly four years as director of outdoor products.
“The design trade was a big part of the customer base at Century, and my book of business was very heavily designer driven,” he said. “Those experiences really opened my eyes to the needs of the community, as well as the opportunity it represents.”
In his new role with Bassett, King will focus on building strong relationships with the interior design community, a target customer demographic for the company.
“The Bassett team is genuinely committed to working with interior designers, which they see as one of the most influential constituencies in our industry,” King said. “This is an exciting opportunity because while many manufacturers are trying to connect with the design community, few furniture companies can match what Bassett offers in terms of quality, price and customization.”
Bassett has pursued interior design clientele through a number of programs, including its custom upholstery options, which offer customized arm and leg options, as well as more than 400 fabrics and 50 leathers. The company also offers smaller retailers and independent designers flexibility via its Custom Studio format, an in-store selling tool that boasts custom product shipment in as little as 10 days.
“A number of high-end manufacturers have custom, multi-arm upholstery programs, but nobody is doing it at our price point, and with our quality,” King said.
Robert Spilman III, vice president of dedicated distribution at Bassett, said that King brings the perfect level of expertise in furnishings and working with designers to this role.
“We are very excited to have Haynes spearheading our developing interior design business,” he said. “He is well-known for his passion and understanding of designers’ needs and helping them grow their businesses. Haynes really is the right person at the right time for this very important role.”
