Casual coastal chic

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Need a beach vacation, but can't make it to the coast?

At least three furniture makers think they have the answer. In the next few months, they'll launch new lines of coastal cottage-style furniture _ all designed to bring the easygoing feel of a beach retreat to the most landlocked of homes.

The furniture is sized for smaller spaces, designed for comfort with simple lines and easy-care fabrics and finished in pastel colors or stylish black.

"Even if you can't be on vacation, you can feel like you're on vacation," says Kristen MacKenzie, a spokeswoman for Virginia-based Stanley Furniture Co.

Stanley debuted its Coastal Living line at the High Point Market last month. The extensive, five-room collection, developed under a licensing agreement with Coastal Living magazine, drew healthy crowds to Stanley's showroom there two weeks ago.

Two other major manufacturers, North Wilkesboro-based Lea Industries, and Virginia-based Hooker Furniture, unveiled new lines of coastal chic bedroom furniture in High Point. All three collections are low- to mid-priced.

Pam Danziger, whose Pennsylvania-based Unity Marketing recently studied consumer attitudes about home furnishings, said coastal cottage-style furniture fits in with a preference for "a casual luxury lifestyle."

"Consumers want furnishings that are fun and functional," she said. "They don't want stuffiness where you have to sit up straight, or frigid formality where you can't put your feet up."

Stanley's Coastal Living collection comes in three color palettes _ "Sea Glass" in pale blues and greens, "Pastel," which includes pale yellows and pinks for a South Beach look and "Americana," which channels the reds, medium-blues and whites of a New England seaside town. Pieces include sofas, chairs, tables, TV consoles, desks, beds and dressers.

The soft colors and simple lines suggest "relaxation, serenity, a haven," said MacKenzie. Prices range from about $350 for a counter stool to about $2,500 for the king-size Sugar Cane poster bed. She said the furniture will be in stores in December.

Lea Industries' Seaside Dreams line offers coastal cottage-style bedroom furniture for "girls of all ages," said spokeswoman Terri James. The company specializes in children's and guest-bedroom furniture, she said.

The pieces can be purchased in 10 colors, and slipcovers and upholstered headboards in 16, she said, giving buyers options to customize their looks.

She said she expects the soft gray, a neutral, and the bright coral ("It's happy and fun") to be the most popular color choices. Prices range from about $299 for a nightstand to $1,199 for a queen-size poster bed. The furniture will be shipped to stores in early spring.

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The third collection, Hooker Furniture's Island Retreat, offers bedroom pieces finished in shades of ebony, iced tea and cool white. The furniture emphasizes the island look with wicker accents and baskets, rather than drawers, in storage pieces. Prices range from $399 for a nightstand to $2,199 for a king sleigh bed. The line will show up in stores in early 2009.

Spokeswoman Kim Shaver said the line is aimed at the younger customer, ages 25-45, and features clean styling, smaller scale and more affordable pricing than Hooker's more traditional collections. The company plans to expand the line in upcoming debuts.

"The new American dream is to have a second home, and vacation home sales have held up really well," she noted.

James Millner, who designed the Island Retreat line, says he hopes the furniture channels the calm of a beach retreat, wherever buyers choose to place it.

"What's the most relaxed place you can think of?" he said. "It's the beach."

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HIGH POINT HIGHLIGHTS

Heard at the Oct. 20-25 market:

Hot colors for 2009: browns (something warm in bad economic times), grays (the new neutral), berry (from clear red to raspberry) and more golds, metallics and bronzes. Geometric patterns are big and animal prints are still popular.

Biggest trend: customization. Furniture is available in an array of finishes and upholstery selections (even monograms), so that customers can make it their own.

Bright spots in a bad economy: sales of children's furniture, small-scale furniture for condos and downsizers, outdoor furniture.

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© 2008, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).