Universal Moves Into New Category
Furniture World News Desk on
9/28/2017
The Blair sofa features a modern flair arm with three over two seat configuration in soft gray felt performance fabric with self pillows, flange welting and a modern, high leg.
After two years of expansive research and development, Universal Furniture recently announced that it has launched a motion program. The initial collection features 11 recliner styles ranging from traditional to transitional and modern.
“With our upholstery program firmly in place, maintaining both smooth operations and significant order volume, it’s time to expand our footprint into motion,” said Senior Vice President of Sales Sean O’Connor. “These introductions offer retailers more options for satisfying the customer’s whole home needs.”
“Our vertical manufacturing ability provides the flexibility to combine goods from one resource with a wide variety of products to create efficient mixed containers,” said O’Connor. “Motion will help support this offering to our partners.”
All recliner styles feature 100 percent, full-grain Moore and Giles leather, and are available in either push-back or power reclining methods using Leggett & Platt mechanisms. Feather-blend seat backs offer sink-in comfort and seat cushions feature individually pocketed coils in a down feather blend wrap.
Each of the 11 recliner frames comes with three cover options, based on a selection of five full-grain leathers developed with Moore and Giles:
- Bark – dark brown
- Driftwood – light gray
- Toffee –rich brown
- Raven – black
- Dolphin – charcoal gray
Stationary Upholstery Offering
Including the frames designed to fit with new whole-home collections (to be released October 12), Universal developed more than 37 skus in sofa, chair, ottoman and pillow designs. The
majority of covers are performance fabrics from STI, Culp and Valdese and all leathers are Moore and Giles.
- The Blair sofa features a modern flair arm with three over two seat configuration in soft gray felt performance fabric with self pillows, flange welting and a modern, high leg.
- Four accent ottomans introduce bright colors. A cube shape with button tufted seat and metal, stainless steel base in bronze finish. Available in four new velvets: turquoise blue, green, plum and orange.
- A selection of eight new accent pillows was developed and designed to coordinate with new or existing upholstery introductions, providing retailers more merchandising options that incorporate color.
- An 80-inch sofa with an updated Charles of London arm, two over two cushions and accent banding. This small-scale design is perfect for apartments and condominiums. For larger spaces, a small space sectional is available. Upholstered in a chevron striped neutral with antique brass nailhead trim.
- A transitional, loose-cushion accent chair in soft gray leather with box welting. A cap arm is accented with welt and nailhead trim.
- A bobbin chair in a gray washed oak frame with neutral, striped performance upholstery.
Several recovers will also be featured, including the popular Tessa and Connor sofas in new performance fabrics.
“We’re working hard to be an important resource to our customers,” said Director of Marketing Neil MacKenzie. “Our expansion to a whole home provider, with the support of manufacturing and marketing, provides many options for our partners and we look forward to sharing our work with them this fall.”
More about Universal: Universal Furniture creates quality furnishings for the whole home with a focus on function and lifestyle. The company’s casegood, upholstery, accent and accessory designs are developed under the brand names Universal Furniture (Lifestyle Collections), To The Trade (Interior Design) and Smartstuff™ (Baby and Child), and sold through retailers and interior designers throughout North America and around the world. Founded in 1968, Universal Furniture is a brand of Samson Holdings, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated furniture manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.universalfurniture.com.