Welcome to Furniture World’s May/June edition, which focuses on outdoor
furnishings. Summer can be a slow time for furniture retailers, albeit
punctuated by highly promotable holiday sales and events. But it’s not
without other opportunities, including promoting the “Inside Out” trend in
outdoor home furnishings.
Who better to provide perspective on this trend than Catherine Trevigne,
owner of Inside/Out Showrooms, interviewed in this Furniture World edition?
Trevigne observes, “Inside/Out is our showroom name as well as a concept
that’s become more universal. Designers nationwide have bought into the idea
of blending indoors and outdoors.”
Beyond blending indoor and outdoor spaces from a design perspective, the
Inside Out concept reflects a consumer desire to fully integrate the
functionality of indoor bedrooms, living rooms and dining experiences into
outdoor spaces. Sale advertising is a proven way to bring in summer traffic,
but messaging that promotes the benefits of an Inside Out mindset via
advertising, in-store signage, and social media can also be powerful. So,
this messaging might ask:
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Why would you want to be indoors watching sports when you could be
sitting in deep-seat comfort watching your 75” waterproof,
high-brightness outdoor TV? And, by the way, if you visit our store, you
can enter to win one!
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On sleepy summer Saturday afternoons, do you want to snooze inside when
you could refresh, relax, read, nap or snuggle on your luxurious
sale-priced outdoor daybed?
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Did you miss half the fun at your most recent party or get-together,
running back and forth from your outdoor grill to the kitchen? Why do
that when you could enjoy an easy-to-install, outdoor modular and
customizable kitchen with countertop space, storage, refrigeration and a
sink?
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Would you like to explore the possibilities of creating an outdoor
sanctuary that provides privacy and promotes wellness?
In addition to the interview with Catherine Trevigne in this issue, check
out feature articles about Viridien and Chair King Backyard, Fortunoff
Backyard, plus lots of useful content from Furniture World contributors to
help make every ‘up’ count this summer.
Wishing you good retailing,
Russell Bienenstock
Editorial Director/CEO
russ@furninfo.com