2 minute read
Gommitment to style gives paneling department an edge
LEGANT, upscale, subtle coloration, texture, real wood. richness, warmth, decorative and flexible are the buzz words for decorative paneling trends this year.
The industry, which includes wall planks, reports a retail sales market close to $800 million with dealers averaging six to seven turns a year at a 27-300/o margin. Shoppers are favoring the high end products, with natural wood finishes in the"library" or "country French" look selling well.
In addition to hardwood veneers, softwood and hardwood planks are being used for entire rooms as well as wainscoting and accent walls. Both light and dark woodgrains are good sellers with whitewash and pickle finishes as well as furniture quality pecan, walnut, cherry and oak in vogue.
Story at a Glance
What's hot and what's not in decorative paneling. .. how you can take advantage of trends and price points to achieve 6 to 7 turns at27-30o/o margin.
Double beaded groove patterns are hot for the country or Victorian look while the wide or random planks harmonize with both formal and casual rooms. Grooves and texture finishes are available to harmonize with almost any decorative theme.
Tileboard was exciting news at the National Home Center Show earlier this year as several manufacturers introduced new decorative patterns. Available in both marblized and the traditional tile finishes, with or without a design, the hardboard panels surfaced with melamine fill a d-i-y need for easy to apply, water resistant bath, kitchen and laundry wall coverings.
Designer patterns and color describe this category which has developed in a variety of price points. Patterns to please almost every taste and colors ranging from muted to brilliant with prices suited to a broad range of budgets make this a category to be in.
Scenic designs are among the latest trends for patterned panels. Aimed at the outdoor sports enthusiasts, nature lovers and country look fans, they concentrate on a consumer segment considered by some to be the backbone of the paneling business.
John Redding, vice president and general manager at Weyerhaeuser Paneling, points out that the printed scenic panel which they introduced in 1975 was the paneling industry's top selling decorator product for many years.
Satin, silk, pearl, linen, grasscloth and tweed are trendy background textures for designer panels. Stripes, dots, florals, fruit, geometric, and scenic mini prints are found in almost every manufacturer's collection. The once popular earthtones have returned although blue, rose, green, peach and mauve pastels still predominate. Color variants such as butterscotch, putty beige, carmel and arctic grey appeal to the avant-garde. Southwestern shades are still current.
A design newcomer is the simulated wood inlay. Done in a large repeat pattern of bouquets in dark and light woodtones against a light woodgrain background, the concept is gaining acceptance from the shoppers looking for something different.
Thanks to manufacturing technology, laser printing, etching, embossing and innovative inks keep improving the appearance of the designer paneling. Literally hundreds of attractive, durable, easy to install panels are on the market in a wide price point range. A single 4' x 8' panel will cover about 32 sq. ft., virtually the same area as a roll of wallpaper. Prices from around $5 to nearly $50 a panel make paneling competitive with wallpaper and paint. For those with generous decorating budgets, the natural wood "library" panels sell for as much as $150 a panel.
This price range plus the innovative marketing programs offered by manufacturers and distributors help maximize the profit potential for every retailer who works at making his paneling department attractive to customers. Promotional materials, how-to literature and videos, merchandisers, signage and lots of promotion and advertising in the consumer press all help him to achieve success.
In discussing the sales potential of the high fashion styles such as Georgia-Pacific's Gloria Vanderbilt line, Dick Rose, general manager of the G-P paneling products division, said, " retailers can add some real excitement to their paneling program. This is an opportunity to offer customers something new and innovative at a fair price while enhancing the bottom line."
