Home Comfort inks licenses for July debuts

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 6/2/2003 12:00:00 AM

ATLANTA —

Accent and area rug newcomer Home Comfort this summer will launch rug collections featuring licensed artists' designs.

Home Comfort is the sister company of Home Fires, both of which are owned by Cresc Corp., led by Edward Chu. Home Comfort will present these new collections in Atlanta at the Area Rug Show and Gift Show at the AmericasMart, both in Atlanta in July.

"We launched last summer and got off to a slow start, but now our merchandise and line is really growing," Bud Edie, president, Home Comfort. Edie was recently promoted from his former post as vp of sales and marketing for Home Fires. (In a related move, Renee Ringstad was promoted to president of Home Fires from her former post as coo of the same company.)

Edie said the Cresc Corp. created Home Comfort in order to expand its retail penetration beyond the independent floor coverings and gift stores its Home Fires rugs already service.

"Home Comfort's target customer is more upstairs specialty and department stores," he said.

This summer's introductions include designs for year-round and Christmas by artist Kimberly Hodges for the proprietary Jellybean construction — machine-washable, indoor/outdoor accent rugs made of a polyester and acrylic blend.

The company currently licenses designs from two other artists: Susie Muise and Deborah Jordan Bryan. But for the July events in Atlanta, three other artists' designs will be added to the line, bringing the total to six licensing partnerships with artists, Edie said.

Aside from the Jellybean rugs, Home Comfort also produces two other collections of accent and area rugs: Confetti, made of cotton jersey knit strips that are hooked; and Tango Shag, 100 percent acrylic shag rugs made with a variety of yarns that vary in thickness, length and density.

Although it started off focusing on accent rugs, the company is starting to add more area rugs sizes to its mix, Edie said — up to 5'' x 8' for all of its styles.

Home Comfort also offers a line of coordinating 9" x 13" decorative pillows and 54" x 63" throws — separate of the rug styles — it calls Casuals.

All of the company's wares are made in and imported from China.

Retail price points average $24.99 for 22" x 34" Jellybean and Confetti rugs and $29.99 for Tango Shags. For the Casuals collection, decorative pillows are set at $11.99 and throws at $59.99.