Latest News

Trex Co., the first to bring wood-composite decking to the outdoor market, is celebrating 30 years of business this year. In honor of the event, the company has released its new 2025 Sustainability Report.  Trex continues to create composite decking made from 95% recycled and reclaimed wood and plastic film. The report highlights Trex’s sustainability…

ATLANTA — Casual Market Atlanta attendees will have new and expanded showrooms, events and plenty of fresh product to peruse at the upcoming summer edition, July 21-23 at AmericasMart Atlanta. Produced in partnership with Andmore and the International Casual Furnishings Association, the three-day event brings together more than 120 permanent outdoor furnishings resources for furniture,…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The International Casual Furnishings Association has announced the finalists for this year’s Apollo Awards, Manufacturer of the Year and Sales Representative of the Year. The Apollo Awards recognize excellence in specialty outdoor retail in the single-store and multi-store categories. Single-store nominees are Daylight Home & Patio in Paso Robles, California; Island…

SYRACUSE, Ind. — Polywood has named Jessica Salisbury as its new vice president of specialty retail, focused on building relationships with independent dealers across North America.  Salisbury, who has been with Polywood since 2024, came to the manufacturer after serving as CEO and creative director of Village Green Home and Garden in Rockford, Illinois. During…

COLOGNE, Germany — After reporting a strong show this June, European outdoor products fair Spoga+Gafa will remain in June going forward, rather than shifting to September for future shows. “The feedback from our member companies and the numerous other market participants during Spoga+Gafa was clear: For the majority of the companies of the garden industry,…

Woodard Furniture will mark its 160th anniversary with new collections set to debut at the upcoming summer Casual Market Atlanta, set for July 21-23. Designed by Woodard Chief Designer Site Li, the new additions — Eve, Juno and Scala — offer a modern take on the venerable casual furnishings maker’s classic aesthetic. Eve features two-tone…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — WithIt, the women’s leadership association for the furnishings and design industry, has announced the full speaker lineup and program details for its upcoming “Forging Strong Leaders” conference, Aug. 12-14 in Kansas City, Missouri.  Mary Messner, a TEDx presenter, author and strategic adviser, will open the conference with “The Leader Who Thinks…

Tuuci is rolling out a spate of new furnishings and shade products for the summer market season. The shade specialist, which stepped into the furniture arena nearly two years ago, expands its offerings in both categories with these introductions. Leading the intros is the Gather dining collection, featuring a generously proportioned teak table with bench…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point Market Authority has put out a call for applications for its fall Design Influencers Tour. Interior designers and other design influencers are invited to apply by July 24. Six influencers will be chosen based on their digital content quality, posting frequency, and blog or social media following. Compensation…

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Sunbrella rolled out its latest collection, dubbed On The Road, in a nod to the inspiring landscapes of travel. The line includes 16 patterns and 187 styles reflecting the shifting horizons, natural terrain and unexpected discoveries of a road trip. “The team was inspired by the feeling of being on a journey…

Few would argue that last year was tough for casual furnishings retail. Amid economic disruptions from tariffs and other factors, as well as less-than-favorable spring weather conditions in many regions, many patio stores felt lucky to have flat sales in 2025. But things seem to be looking up. Though rising inflation, continued tariff pressure and…

Though artificial intelligence has come a long way over the past five years, many still think of AI in terms of tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Anthropic. According to Abdul Basharat, CEO of AI logistics startup Cartage AI, the technology can be used for so much more in the retail world.  Cartage AI helps…

HIGH POINT — Julia Harrison has been named to the newly created position of social media manager for News Now Media Group and its publications. In this role, she reports to Group Publisher Susan Jones and will help develop social media content for Home News Now, Bedding News Now, Casual News Now, Design News Now…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point Market Authority has opened applications for its 2027 Style Spotters team. Style Spotters will participate in the program for the spring and fall 2027 markets, spotlighting inspiring products and trends in High Point Market showrooms. The team also will contribute to a variety of content, including press and…

BASSETT, Va. — Bassett Furniture, parent company of Lane Venture, has opened a new retail location in the Cincinnati area in Deerfield Towne Center, an open-air lifestyle complex in Mason, Ohio. The 15,000-square-foot store is designed to feel modern but intimate, with a custom shop that includes Bassett’s 3D room planner tool on monitors created…

NEW YORK — Whole-home source Meridian Furniture is expanding its outdoor offerings with a new line of indoor/outdoor planters and sculptures, which will debut at the summer Las Vegas Market. The collection includes six concrete planters with textured pitting for depth and durability. The planters are available in clean, rounded barrel shapes or sculptural hourglass-shaped…

NEW YORK — Ultraleather by Ultrafabrics has expanded its Summit collection with 10 new colors.  With the introduction of Raw Cashew, Charleston Brown, Mocha Brown, Chocolate, Potter, Deep Maroon, Charcoal Slate, Charcoal, Wintermint and Cadet Blue, the Summit collection now offers 13 colors total — joining Cream, Barro and Stone. The new additions span warm…

ALBION, Ind. — Three Birds Casual will introduce two new collections at the Casual Market Atlanta in July. The Vera collection combines teak, woven detailing and clean, contemporary lines. The line includes deep seating, dining and counter-height pieces to fit an assortment of outdoor living environments. In contrast, the Sanibel collection offers a more relaxed…

“It’s a beautiful day to sell furniture.” That’s what industry veteran Andy Sokol says nearly every time I speak with him. That should tell you something about his character, and about how he plans to work in his new role as president of American Eco Living. Sokol spent the past 10 years building Ashley Furniture’s outdoor category from…

TORONTO — Whole-home furnishings maker Sunpan has appointed Youval Ronen as director of client relations, a role designed to reinforce the company’s commitment to customer experience.  Ronan brings three decades of experience in the furnishings industry to the role, having worked across multiple facets of the business, from distribution and logistics to customer service, claims…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The International Society of Furniture Designers has announced the judging panel for this year’s Pinnacle Awards. The awards are open to furniture and textile designers, manufacturers, designer-makers and students who have created home furnishings, decor or textile products introduced for retail sale within the past year. “Each year, designers continue to…

Tupelo Goods has added three new finishes for its marine-grade polyethylene outdoor furnishings line. The new colorways include Marigold, Cactus and Sea Glass. Like its flower namesake, Marigold is a deep, golden yellow inspired by midcentury-modern aesthetics. Cactus is a bright, vibrant green inspired by succulent gardens and appears vividly in direct sunlight and more…

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Trivantage has introduced 11 new colors to its Sunbrella Sling fabric line, which was designed for use on patio furniture, replacement upholstery and other sling applications. Made with a blend of durable PVC-coated polyester and pliable Sunbrella acrylic material, Sunbrella Sling is designed to be supportive but not stiff, breathable and resistant…

This spring, luxury outdoor furnishings brand Skyline Design was acquired by Voolcan Grupo, a Spain-based parent company for several home brands. The Skyline Brand originated with Voolcan more than two decades ago, but has operated for 19 years under exclusive distribution by the Calzadilla family in the United States. Germán Rubio, CEO of Voolcan Grupo,…

Recent consolidation in the casual industry has come in the form of private equity companies buying e-commerce-focused companies, like  Blackford acquiring Starfire Direct and Artificial Turf Supply in 2022, LTD Online in 2023 and Empire Distributing in 2024, and Group Bayport acquiring Northcape in late 2024.  Though few and far between, family businesses are still…

In times of upheaval and unrest, the yearning for nostalgia and the comfort of the past can feel particularly tempting. That desire for the simplicity of times past continues to drive home design trends in our chaotic world of tariffs, geopolitical unrest and polarizing election cycles. The forecasters at Future Snoops tapped into that sentiment,…

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association will host a virtual networking event, “AutoCorrect: Reframing the Inner Dialogue,” at 2 p.m. June 17. Hosted by Kimberly Stuteville, vice president of sales for the United States and Latin America at Napoleon, will discuss how the practice of “AutoCorrect” for the mind can be a simple yet powerful…

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point by Design Foundation has joined forces with High Point Schools Partnership for Educator Exchange: Pathways to the Design & Home Furnishings Industry. The new immersive initiative introduces educators to industry professionals, inviting them into factories, studios and showrooms, and expanding their awareness of the multitude of career opportunities…

There are few retailers in the outdoor business, if any, that have expanded like Watson’s.  Over the last five years, the company has been strategically acquiring retailers. In 2022, Watson’s acquired Allstate Home Leisure, adding five Detroit-area stores to the mix. Then in 2024, Watsons bought Florida-based Recreational Warehouse. A few weeks ago, it was…

Is your packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliant? With new regulations in effect in some states and more poised to come online in others, furnishings manufacturers and retailers may have new or changing responsibilities when it comes to the disposal of their shipping boxes and other packaging. Currently, Oregon, Colorado, California and Maine all have…