THE FINER THINGS - an article by Furniture, Lighting & Decor
The September Issue of Furniture, Lighting & Decor is devoted to Luxury in design. Author, Diane Falvey, spoke to manufacturers about how luxury is defined in present day designs, including our president, Brian Berk. Following are excerpts from that article…
“In today’s more casual environment, where jeans often replace suits, and consumers, particularly younger generations, are looking for a less formal and more comfortable vibe in their homes, what constitutes luxury has taken on new meaning.
Those details are often less defined when compared with what has epitomized luxury previously. Sometimes, say industry insiders, luxury is simple — a unique finish, hand-cast hardware or the quality and sophistication of materials and construction.
‘Richness of the material and the finish, and the juxtaposition between the materials can command a more luxury experience,’ says Brian Berk, President of Howard Elliott, which focuses on home decor, accent furniture, mirrors, artwork and more. ‘Think of the things you look at in a diamond ring, for example, such as clarity and color. The crystal clear smaller diamond with no flaws is the luxury purchase.’ For Howard Elliott, luxury can be found in the cladding on the door of cabinet hardware, the grade of marble on an accent table top, a wood species or the polish finish of a piece. For example, he suggests brushed high-grade stainless steel depicts luxury for many of his clients today, circling back to that more casual home appeal.
The Albany Cheval Mirror from Howard Elliott combines the sleek style of stainless steel with a small profile for a modern feel. The frame is finished in a rich brushed brass. view online >
“The consumer has gotten so much more sophisticated about searching things online.”
Ultimately, it is the experience of a purchase that defines luxury for many consumers. While the details and quality are key to differentiating luxury from commodity products, the home furnishing retailer has the advantage of being able to provide a more customer-centric experience. ‘The consumer has gotten so much more sophisticated about searching things online,’ says Berk. ‘When you’re shopping at the higher end, you’re expecting the quality to be vetted for you already.’ However, even when a piece meets quality standards, you can’t experience that piece online. And online returns can be complicated. For home furnishings retailers, especially those who can deliver quickly and pick up returns, it makes a difference and adds to the experience of the luxury purchase. ‘If there are too many layers in distribution, that can drive up the cost,’ Berk adds, and it can also make the transaction more complicated, leaving room for error. ‘As a consumer, I’m willing to pay more for a retail experience where I get the support I need,’ he adds.
“As a consumer, I’m willing to pay more for a retail experience where I get the support I need.”
Streamlined design and functionality depict luxury as seen in Howard Elliott’s solid acrylic side tables
view online >
Luxury is a perception and while often the higher the price tag, the more an item is considered a luxury, home furnishings suppliers say price is no longer the only deciding factor. As consumers look for enhanced functionality and design from their homes — pieces that function as desks in this work-from-home environment or those furnishings that focus more on small space living, for example — price is not necessarily the primary deciding factor anymore.
Multi-functionality, customizability and more are as critical to a luxury experience as how much something costs. ‘When we’re working in product development, we’re looking at good, better, best. In the best category, we add as much multi-functionality as we can,’ says Berk. ‘Better mirrors hang multiple ways,’ for example.
“Richness of the material and the finish, and the juxtaposition between the materials can command a more luxury experience.”
Streamlined design and functionality depict luxury as seen in Howard Elliott’s stainless steel bar cart. view online >
For today’s consumer, and designers and retailers, customization can signal the ultimate luxury. Howard Elliott has committed partnership programs in place for this purpose, but it comes with the ability at the buyer’s end to have additional time and budget for those custom pieces. Whether product finishes, details or attention to delivery, luxury for today’s consumer isn’t necessarily about the largest or most opulent and expensive piece they can find. It’s about finding those home furnishings that speak to their style and needs with that extra attention to the nuances that make a difference.”
You can read the article in its entirety by, CLICKING HERE >
September 2020 Issue of Furniture, Lighting & Decor by Diane Falvey
