Last week, we kicked off 2026 with the first part of our State of the Industry report, talking with casual category leaders about how they see the business now, and what they anticipate for the coming year. This week, we give you Part 2 of the report, which explores challenges and opportunities for the casual…
Chris Ettori, senior vice president of manufacturing for Telescope Casual Furniture, died unexpectedly on Jan. 10. He was 50 years old. Ettori was a deeply respected and valued member of the Telescope Casual family for more than 30 years. He began his career with the company just out of high school in the metal department,…
WADENA, Minn. — Homecrest Outdoor Living has named Philip Payne as the new director of commercial sales. In the role, Payne will oversee and manage all commercial sales initiatives to drive strategic growth and strengthen the company’s presence in the market. Payne began his career in the outdoor industry in 2010 as a regional contract…
VALENCIA, Calif. — Whole-home furnishings brand Armen Living is debuting its outdoor collections from recently acquired Uwharrie Chair, along with its own casual furnishings line, at this month’s Atlanta Market, Jan. 12-19, at AmericasMart Atlanta. “This is such an exciting time for Armen Living. With the recent purchase of the Uwharrie Chair Co., Armen Living is…
AUSTIN, Texas — Outdoor living brand Tupelo Goods has expanded its recently released Heritage collection with four new colorways inspired by the textures and terrain of the Texas Hill Country. The nature-driven hues include Moss, a grounded, muted green drawn from old-growth Texas oaks; Clay, a sun-washed, earthen orange pulled from central Texas clay; Tempranillo,…
BALDWIN PARK, Calif. — Shade and accessory maker Treasure Garden has appointed Benjamin Ma as its new chief executive officer. Ma succeeds his father and company founder, Oliver Ma. Benjamin joined the family business more than 15 years ago in an entry-level role, gaining hands-on experience in nearly every department of Treasure Garden. Through years…
Few will argue that 2025 was a challenging year for the casual furnishings industry. From tariffs to unfavorable spring weather conditions across wide swaths of the United States, both retailers and manufacturers felt the negative impacts of challenges that mostly remained out of their control. As we embark on 2026, we asked a variety of…
WADENA, Minn. — Homecrest Outdoor Living will open a new showroom at the World Market Center in Las Vegas for the winter Las Vegas Market. The new showroom is located in Building B on Floor 1, Showroom B125, and the company said its expansion into the Las Vegas Market underscores its dedication to being accessible…
HIGH POINT, N.C. — WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industry, announced the 2026 WOW Award Nominees and this year’s Visionary Award recipient, Laurie Tokarz, president of Restonic Mattress Co. “I am incredibly honored by this recognition,” Tokarz said. “I believe leadership means seeing what’s possible, encouraging others to grow,…
BURLINGTON, N.C. — Sunbrella has expanded the Horizon marine vinyl collection with 14 new SKUs, including the Tuscano leather-grain texture. Horizon marine vinyl offers protection against microbial pinking along with highly UV-stable pigments for protection against fading. It also offers easy cleanability, four-way stretch allowing seats to hold their shape, and resistance to cold-cracking. The…
Whole-home source Arteriors will roll out its third outdoor collection later this month, dubbed “The Nature of Design.” The new line features sculptural silhouettes, such as the sweeping curves on Emoto and the Helene 9-foot sofa. Other collection highlights include the Orba 60-inch round dining table and Chilton chairs — organic forms meeting modern restraint.…
It has been nearly 10 years since Bassett Furniture acquired Lane Venture, and the company has grown significantly in that time thanks to Bassett’s domestic operations. According to Lane Venture’s vice president of sales and marketing, Schon Duke, this is because the acquisition was not simply a transactional one, but a true partnership that helped…
BURLINGTON, N.C. — Trivantage has been named a finalist in Window Fashion Vision’s Reader’s Choice Awards. The shade, marine and furnishings fabric maker, which is part of parent company Glen Raven, was nominated in the categories for Best Workroom Supplies & Tools and Best Decorative Fabric. The awards are a peer-driven program honoring the brands,…
HIGH POINT, N.C. — Home furnishings women’s leadership development network WithIt will host a panel discussion for women in design during the upcoming Dallas Market. Titled “Owning Your Worth: A Powerful Conversation for Women in Design,” the discussion will be held 12:30-1:30 p.m. Jan. 9 in Dallas Market Center’s Textile Salon, IHDC, 2F215. Moderated by…
Industry veteran Bryan Echols is taking on the role of president of Jensen Outdoor, following the retirement of Eric Parsons, who remains with the company as chairman and strategic adviser. “It’s really an honor. And I think that one of the things that is important to me is recognizing all the work that was done…
HIGH POINT, N.C. — California-based full-line home furnishings company Armen Living has acquired North Carolina outdoor manufacturer Uwharrie Chair Co. Uwharrie Chair will operate as a separate brand from Armen Living, with its own distinct website. All existing staff, including Uwharrie Chair owner Erica Lloyd, will stay on with the company. “We are excited to…
This year has not been an easy one for the casual industry. In fact, the past few years have had their share of challenges, which brought about the phrase “survive to 2025.” Then, once we made it to 2025, it was “survive to 2026.” And now, finally, the industry may get a reprieve in 2026. …
As 2025 draws to a close, many in the home furnishings industry are looking ahead to 2026 and the trends that will shape design going forward. Full-line home brand Moe’s recently offered a look at what’s next with its 2026 Design Forecast, and outdoor played a major role. According to the report, 42% of survey…
NEW YORK — Trend forecaster Future Snoops has launched a new AI tool called Muse that is designed to assist the design community. The Muse AI tool offers unified access with one login and all features in one place, as well as guided prompting that asks clarifying questions for sharper outcomes. Muse gives users a…
HIGH POINT, N.C. — WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home furnishings industry, will host its annual Wow Awards on Jan. 25 during Las Vegas Market. Themed the “Age of Aquarius,” the awards gala recognizes business leaders and emerging professionals who have demonstrated significant impact through their work, experience and contributions to their industry.…
This time of year, we hear a lot about trends for the coming seasons, from top colors to major design shifts. Nate Fox, lead designer at Southern California-based landscape design firm Foxterra Design, and founder and CEO Justin Fox gave us insight on some of the top trends for outdoor spaces in 2026. Social seating…
BURLINGTON, N.C. — Shade, marine and furnishings fabric maker Trivantage has introduced a new shade sail fabric by PolyFab USA called Xtra. Xtra delivers sun protection of up to 99% UV-ray blockage, which earned it the approval of the Melanoma International Foundation. Manufactured with premium-quality, heat-set materials, Xtra fabric boasts a light weight — just…
While the recent announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, garnered mixed reactions, the folks at Sunbrella see the shade as a versatile player in home decor. Cloud Dancer is described by Pantone as “a lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet…
While the casual industry has had a rough couple of years, industry leaders told Casual News Now that they are optimistic for 2026 and see many opportunities ahead. “2025 had many challenges,” said Eli Hymer, department manager, buyer and designer at Gasper’s Home & Garden in Richboro, Pennsylvania. “It started off early in the year…
Just over a year ago, global e-commerce and manufacturing firm Group Bayport acquired NorthCape, and many wondered what that would mean for the Chicago-based casual furnishings company. And according to NorthCape cofounder and President Tom Murray, that acquisition has positioned the company to grow and diversify in a way that wasn’t feasible in the past.…
DOVER, Del. — B2B commerce platform WizCommerce will host a webinar for market exhibitors designed to help them drive buyer engagement and sales at trade shows. The session, “The Market Insider: Declassified Market Intel,” will be hosted by Cheryl Dobbins Hege, WizCommerce senior director of marketing and engagement, at 1 p.m. Dec. 18. The session…
For many years, outdoor furnishings manufacturer Agio had one major client focus — retailers. From independent patio shops to mass merchants to e-tailers, the brand built its business around producing product to sell to consumers in stores. But as the retail landscape continued to change and become more challenging in the post-Covid era, Agio felt…
Outdoor rugs help complete an outdoor room, yet they are often treated as an afterthought in exterior design. Lynne Meredith is on a mission to change that with Outalux, a line of custom outdoor rugs and pillows designed in-house at her studio in Atlanta. Meredith began on the design side with a custom indoor rug…
FRISCO, Texas — Casual furnishings retailer Sunnyland Outdoor Living recently hosted a new community service event born of a conversation at last year’s International Casual Furnishings Association’s Elevate Conference. The event — the Slice of Hope Pie Auction — benefited Independence Gardens, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering children through hands-on nutrition and gardening programs. Sunnyland…
On the heels of its expansion into the rug category, Brown Jordan also has added lighting to its outdoor offerings. The company introduced a new line of solar-powered lanterns that were previewed to buyers at the recent High Point Market. The cordless lanterns come in two models — Terra and Sora. Terra lanterns feature a…
Last week, we kicked off 2026 with the first part of our State of the Industry report, talking with casual category leaders about how they see the business now, and what they anticipate for the coming year. This week, we give you Part 2 of the report, which explores challenges and opportunities for the casual…
