Groovystuff announced that it has renewed its commitment to the young home furnishings professionals here in America by sponsoring students Auburn University for 2011. Sixteen students, including two graduate students from the College of Architecture, Design & Construction, will gain exposure to the home furnishings industry by participating in a design project that gives them real-world experience, a chance to earn royalties on successful design, and a reason to choose the home furnishings industry after graduation.
“We need to embrace these talented young students from across the country and encourage them to seek a career in the home furnishings industry. If we are going to appeal to Gen X and Gen Y consumers, we need designers with a fresh, young perspective,” says Chris Bruning, co-founder of Groovystuff, the Dallas-based manufacturer of unique home furnishings and accents produced from reclaimed teak.
Under the leadership of Professor Tin-Man Lau, and with creative direction from Chris Bruning of Groovystuff, these sixteen students from the Department of Industrial Design have been challenged to do the following:
Design a residential indoor or outdoor home décor accent, furniture, or lighting collection using sustainable manufacturing practices that refines the Groovystuff product line to attract a more modern and contemporary audience represented in the Dick Idol celebrity brand.
Submit a presentation board describing their inspiration for the product they have designed.
Create a miniature model of their product for display at the April 2011 High Point Market and July Americas Mart, Atlanta, GA.
The target users of the product the students design can be children, adults or physically challenged persons. It cannot compete with other Dick Idol Collections brand partners nor infringe on the product lines of the other Dick Idol partner licensees.
Tin-Man Lau joined the faculty at Auburn University in 1986 and teaches both undergraduate and graduate design courses in the Department of Industrial and Graphic Design. Specializing in the development of consumer products, Professor Lau was nationally recognized by the Design Intelligence Magazine as one of the four Industrial Design Educators of the Year in 2007. In both 2008 and 2009, by the same magazine, he was named one of the 25 most Admired Educators of the year in the disciplines of interior design, interior architecture, architecture, design, architectural engineering, industrial design, and landscape architecture. He can be reached at: lautinm@auburn.edu
Judging for the competition will be based not only on the popular vote from buyers attending the High Point Market April 2-6, but the contest will also include attendees at the Americas Mart in Atlanta, GA this upcoming July 13-20,2011. These market votes, combined with the cumulative votes collected on the Groovystuff Facebook page (www.facebook.com/groovystuff) will determine the Popular Vote Winner. The student design with the most popular votes will be presented with a $500 cash reward. Groovystuff will then produce the student designs and determine the grand prize winner by measuring which student design generates the most sales at the October 2011 High Point Market.
“In October, we will display the original drawings along with the finished product so buyers can see the transformation of the concept into a fully executed consumer product. We’ll ask the buyers once again for their comments and votes – but also for their order! The final winning design will be the one with the top sales,” says Bruning.
“That student will not only win a $1,000 cash prize and a permanent royalty on all future sales, but will also be included in the prestigious and celebrity endorsed Dick Idol Collection of home furnishings.”
Founded in 1998 by Chris Bruning and Jeff Singleton, Groovystuff designs, produces and distributes unique reclaimed teakwood home furnishings products at upper-medium and high-end price points. Based in Dallas, TX, Groovystuff will be showing at The Suites at Market Square Showroom # G-1028 this October 2-6, 2011. For more information, please visit www.groovystuff.com. E-mail us at: info@groovystuff.com or call 214-956-0536.