University of Oregon Product Design Studio To Show Designs at High Point Market

Furniture World News Desk on 4/16/2015

Groovystuff reported that it continues to expand on its education-to-industry cross cooperative by partnering with The University of Oregon for "The Groovystuff by Design: Connecting Education with Industry Challenge" this spring and by co-sponsoring the program at the upcoming April High Point Market at the Suites at Market Square, April 18-23, 2015.

Product Design undergraduates from the University of Oregon will launch the results of their semester long furniture design challenge in "The University Hall of Innovation & Job Creation" at the Spring 2015 High Point Furniture Market. Sponsored by Groovystuff, students from the Product Design Program will be presenting a 20" x 30" product board, a ¼" scale model and a 42" tall pedestal for their models. Market attendees will vote on the undergraduate creations and the winning "Popular Vote at Market" student design will receive a royalty for life as a licensed product in the Groovystuff catalog in addition to a $250 cash prize.

Under the leadership of Instructor Ruth Fore, thirteen design students participated in "The Groovystuff by Design: Connecting Education with Industry Challenge," during the spring academic semester.  Students were provided a box of reclaimed materials found in the Groovystuff product line. Each student was then tasked with developing a home furnishing item competitive enough to be featured as a licensed product in the Groovystuff catalog. According to Fore, "Working with Groovystuff has been very rewarding for both the students and myself. Chris’s feedback and positive interactions with the students during the design process was such a fantastic real world experience. His support and willingness to give credit to each student and their individual design work has been gratifying to us all. We are truly honored to have been invited to participate in this Industry Challenge. This experience has given our students a rare glimpse into the furniture industry and prepared them for what is to come after graduation."

As a participant in the Groovystuff design challenge, undergraduate design student Thomas Schumacher had this to add, "The Groovystuff studio benefited my college career in a multitude of ways, first and foremost it offered me the opportunity to showcase my work at the High Point Market and experience my first trade show. Being able to work with an established company like Groovystuff while still in school introduced me to the demand of meeting professional deadlines and adjusting to a client’s design criteria. Having knowledge of these skills should prove invaluable heading into the design industry."

About the Groovystuff: Founded in 1998 by Chris Bruning, Groovystuff designs, produces, and distributes unique, eco-friendly, reclaimed teakwood home furnishings at upper-medium and high-end price points. Based in Dallas, Groovystuff is also a major sponsor of "

The University Hall of Innovation & Job Creation," a non-profit founded in 2012 by Chris Bruning that improves the competitiveness of consumer products here in the US by supplying the residential home furnishings industry with the most current education, research, market statistics, technology, product design and innovation, as well as a revolving human resource of graduates from the educational programs and universities that service our industry. For more information, please visit www.groovystuff.com or www.facebook.com/groovystuff