Wall decor vendors stay fresh to stay ahead in tough climate

Visitors to markets this season shopping wall decor found traditional framed prints getting elbowed from all sides by a flashy crew of competitors, including gilded mirrors, natural woven panels, multi-unit shadowboxes or plaques, and even messages that adhere to the wall and collect images thematically.

Palecek product developer Andrew Palecek said the old days of the standard print on the wall are giving way to new possibilities. “People are being a little more creative and taking a little more of a risk with standout pieces,” he said.

But the print is not taking the competition lying down: New treatments in frames and subjects are adding options for every taste. John Runyans, principal of The Ashton Company, said the company tracks fabric colors and trends and looks for artwork that mirrors them. The company may look each year at some 20,000 to 30,000 artworks to pick out about 2,000.

This is all good news for wall decor buyers who are ready to offer their customers something new.

Last year brought with it uninspiring sales for most companies. “It was a hard year for most retailers. We definitely felt it as well,” Runyans said, though he added he foresees an upturn in sales as people concentrate on the home. “That tends to help accessories.”

Wall decor, widely available at a variety of price points, is the fourth-largest home accents category, according to Home Accents Today's exclusive 2006 Universe Study. Sales in 2005 were $6 billion, with $6.1 billion estimated in 2006 and $6.4 billion projected for 2007.

Wall decor items can be found through a host of channels, the largest of which is the discount/off-price store. The study reported that the next three largest channels — direct to consumer, home accent/gift stores and lifestyle stores — represent about 37% of the market and were expected to grow in 2006 “at a rate well above the entire category rate of 3.2%.”

But a market flush with product is only as robust as its new designs, manufacturers said. As the year opens, companies are rolling out fresh ideas and styles.

Erik Jacobson, marketing director for Danielson Designs, based in Trinidad, Colo., said the company is introducing Walligraphy, a self-adhesive stenciled message that creates a theme and focal point for displays. “It's been great for over the mantel or in the guest bedroom. It's so easy on, easy off,” he said of the product, which he likened to a temporary tattoo for the wall.

Also new is the Room Service line, which jumps into the home labeling trend. It's “somewhat sophisticated and a little fun,” Jacobson said. From signs for powder rooms to storage cabinet labels, “I think once people see the application and how easy it is, it's really going to take off.”

The company is also introducing Architectural Salvage, a classic vintage sign with a touch of whimsy. Styles range from French restaurant to coastal resort to apothecary themes. Along the same lines, Schoolhouse “flash cards” give a nod to a time-tested educational tool: plaques combine symbols and words to create humorous messages. The Memoirs line pairs a sentiment and space for photos to create a sentimental theme. “The combination of the sentiment and the pictures allows someone to tell a very meaningful story,” he said.

And the theme is key for many consumers in the wall decor category. “People want a story and want to be able to piece together a look,” Palecek said.

Among Palecek's top hits are themes with an eco-friendly bent: a set of wall plaques that combine to create an image of a silhouetted tree; freestanding shadowboxes with varied seashells, which can sit on a table or hang as a group on a wall; and multiple panels adorned with graphic leaf patterns.

Palecek also brings in natural elements such as palm ribs and rattan to weave and coil into striking designs. Twining vines in panels create impact when multiplied across the surface of an entire wall, he said. “It couldn't be more simple,” he said, but it creates a contemporary textural statement.

The company has also adapted some of its bold sculpted metal pieces for use outdoors. Specially treated leaf plaques coordinate with planters and other accessories for the up-and-coming outdoor room, he said.

John Campbell, executive vice president of Masterpiece Art Gallery, which provides wall decor collections to big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby primarily, said alternate treatments of wall decor are popular, including high-gloss lacquered shadowboxes with simple, graphic designs. The company, based in Vernon, Calif., offers a little bit of everything, from the traditional framed print to old-fashioned metal signs, which are another big seller for his company. “It's a great impulse item,” he said.

The company has weathered the recent slow economic times because it offers such a variety of items. “I think our strength is the whole breadth we can provide,” Campbell said.

Runyans of The Ashton Company, which is known for a wide array of prints and interesting framing options, said his company debuted about 260 pieces in Atlanta, among them vintage-feel signs that share positive messages about adopting a slower lifestyle. Also new are sepia-tone photographs that feature a contemporary frame treatment of a traditional subject, such as farm scenes and winding roads.

While contemporary is growing, he said, its popularity varies by region of the country. Lodge is also on the upswing.

Designers watch fabrics for cues on color. The challenge, Runyans added, in this fashion-driven category is trying to keep on top of styles and a little ahead of the trends.