Lilly's Kids diversifies with home

By Andrea Lillo -- Home Textiles Today, 6/24/2002 12:00:00 AM

RYE, NY —

Along with pirate outfits, play vacuum cleaners and pool toys, the most recent Lilly's Kids catalog from Lillian Vernon has begun emphasizing home decor, dedicating 20 pages to the category in its latest offering.

"Decor is a natural category to include in our Lilly's Kids catalog," said David Hochberg, vp, public affairs. "We've always offered a wide variety of products, such as educational toys, outdoor toys, Back-to-School accessories, luggage, Halloween costumes and selected home decor, so featuring a wider assortment of themed and decorated rooms was a logical next step."

Each layout in the home decor section features a coordinated bedroom look, in such themes as sports, cowboys, ballerinas and transportation, incorporating textiles as well as rocking chairs, sleeping bags, clocks, toys, organizers, hooks and other items. Ten top-of-bed patterns are highlighted in the section as well as on the back cover. They include one or more textiles coordinates such as rugs, sheet sets, decorative pillows, window, and towels and bath accessories, as well as crib quilts and accessories.

And a lot of the items can be personalized for no additional charge, according to the company.

Targeting parents of 3-to-10-year olds, the section will vary in the future, Hochberg said, though the company plans on expanding it. Initially, customers have responded well to the section's personalized quilts, shams and towels, he said.

One bedding pattern called the Butterfly collection includes handstitched cotton quilts and shams, retailing at $149.98 for a full/queen quilt and two shams, $19.98 for a quilted throw pillow, $9.98 for a butterfly shaped pillow, $29.98 for a sheer organdy window panel, and $49.98 for a butterfly-shaped wool rug.

For the boys, the Racecar collection includes a twin quilt and sham set for $109.98, a three-piece twin sheet set for $39.98, a twin bed skirt for $19.98 and a racecar-shaped wool rug for $19.98.