Raymour & Flanigan Teams Up With Kristan Cunningham To Offer Design Suggestions

Furniture World Magazine

Raymour & Flanigan, the 10th largest and 3rd fastest growing U.S. furniture retailer, announced that it has formed an exclusive partnership with design expert and television personality Kristan Cunningham to develop various programs aimed at informing and educating consumers on ways to turn any decorating dilemma into an achievable reality. Inspired by customers’ requests for design advice, Raymour & Flanigan and Kristan are undertaking a comprehensive new program to enhance the customer shopping experience, making it less stressful, while working to increase customers’ confidence in their ability to put together a room that reflects their individual style. “Especially in this economic environment, we have an obligation to improve the confidence of those who are in the market for new furniture,” said Lisa King, Senior Vice President of Marketing. “Our goal is to make free and useful decorating advice from a professional, credible designer like Kristan, widely available to our valued customers so the whole shopping and decorating process is exciting and easy. Her fun and affordable ideas will teach customers how to ‘take over their room’s makeover.’” Best known from her regular appearances on the Rachael Ray show and HGTV’s Design on a Dime, Kristan will offer design suggestions and work with the retailer to develop materials that will show customers rooms they can create with Raymour & Flanigan furniture and accessories. Working in tandem with the retailer’s marketing team and using codeveloped tools, Kristan will also advise and instruct the company’s sales teams, allowing them to provide even greater service to customers by helping them find the best furniture to fit their needs and the look they want to achieve. The brand alignment between Raymour & Flanigan and Kristan is based on a mutual intent to help customers achieve their dream of home and express their style. “I'm most proud to be part of the Raymour & Flanigan family because they care so much about their customers and share in my vision that everyone deserves a beautiful home—no matter the style or the price range,” said Kristan. “Design has become so inundated with rules when the only rule in decorating should be that it’s fun—if you love it, it works. Consumers can think of me as their own personal designer of sorts. I'll be giving my two cents about all of the pieces—what accessories they work with and why, color suggestions and more.” Kristan will also work with Raymour & Flanigan to keep their customers aware of new design trends and seasonal ideas they can easily apply at home. Kristan’s design suggestions are immediately available at Raymour & Flanigan’s 80+ showrooms in style guide brochures, direct mail pieces and in consumer magazines’ multipage inserts. Future plans to provide valuable design suggestions for customers include webinars (online seminars) and columns on RaymourFlanigan.com, design books and other customer reference materials. The combination of Raymour & Flanigan’s geographic reach, extensive product line, seasoned professionals and Kristan’s design expertise with relevant, easy to implement design advice, is anticipated to be well received by customers. About Raymour & Flanigan: Raymour & Flanigan Furniture® provides exceptional customer service, great furniture, proven quality and total commitment to customers in seven states in the Northeast through 86 locations and over 4,200 associates. Established in 1947, the company remains a family-owned business headquartered in Liverpool, New York and was named “2007 Newsmaker of the Year” by Home Furnishings Business. Now the 3rd fastest growing and 10th largest conventional furniture and mattress retailer in the U.S. according to the May 26, 2008 edition of Furniture Today, Raymour & Flanigan continues its commitment of building the preeminent retail furniture brand in the Northeast and beyond. Visit RaymourFlanigan.com for more information. About Kristan Cunningham: Kristan Cunningham is an expert designer and television personality who is a regular contributor on the Emmy Award winning Rachael Ray show. Known to many as “KC,” Kristan also serves as the lead designer on HGTV’s Design on a Dime, bringing her expertise in do-it-yourself design to viewers. Her design work has been featured in major publications, including Redbook, US Weekly and Do It Yourself magazine. In 2006, Kristan was included as part of People magazine’s annual “100 Most Beautiful People.” Visit KristanCunningham.com for more information.