Top Outdoor Trends of 2016 Outdoor Furniture In 2016 the outdoor industry evolved in some very subtle, but interesting ways, most notably in the outdoor furniture industry. Over the past few years color has come into the industry in a big way, and nothing has changed in 2016. To fit the summer party aesthetic consumers have begun implementing aqua marine colors to accent their patio or backyard. These colors perfectly​ accent the already popular dark colors found in cushioned patio furniture. Windy Valley Woodworks and Elm Crest Furniture carry lines featuring these colors, contact them to...

Introducing our "2016 Trends" Blog Series It’s hard to believe, but 2016 is coming to an end. Throughout the year we have seen some great new trends immerge in the furniture, outdoor, and gift/craft industries. Over the next three weeks we will discuss these trends, how to implement them at your retail stores, and predict some new trends to look out for in 2017. We wrote a similar blog series in 2015 and got some great feedback from our readers. We want this site to be a resource to retail stores, exposing them to products and manufacturers that are following the most recent trends. If you...

Gift and Craft Retailers Find Unique Way to Combat E-Commerce in 2015 2015 has been another interesting year in the gift/craft wholesale market, seeing E-Commerce continue to grow in popularity. Despite the amount of customers utilizing the Internet to do their shopping continuing to increase, brick and mortar stores are continuing to succeed. This can in part be attributed to one-of-a-kind pieces that can’t be sold effectively online. I am fortunate enough to share an office with Lancaster County’s Wholesale Mall, and was able to gain some insight into this trend. Their manager Craig...

2015 Furniture Trends Feature New Colors, and a Return to Minimalism 2015 has been an interesting year in furniture design. I am given the pleasure of updating manufacturer profile pages with new products, and attending trade shows where manufacturers showcase their newest pieces. Being relatively new to the wholesale market, it has been very interesting getting the opportunity to follow furniture trends over the year,(and noticing how out of touch I am with my apartment furniture). As I was browsing the booths at the 2015 All American Furniture Expo with a friend, I noticed a new stain that...