Penn & Teller and David Copperfield may be hot tickets in Vegas, but they’re not the only pros with a few tricks up their sleeves here this week. The executives at Twin Star Home have come to Las Vegas Market with a “fool the eye” Trompe L’oeil Collection, a more-than-meets-the-eye double pedestal executive desk, and a soft launch of virtual reality technology designed to make magic happen on traditional retail floors. The marketplace leader in electric fireplaces has been on a fast track for the past 15 months, redefining its brand by integrating home furnishings designed by creative strategist and furniture industry icon Jena Hall.
“As the market leader in electric fireplaces, we understand that consumers want more out of their electric fireplaces than just the fire effect itself,” says Lori Gonzalez, chief executive. “That’s why we have invested so heavily in designing a whole environment that marries fire with furnishings.”
With a consumer-centric strategic approach that focuses not just on selling in, but on selling through, Gonzalez has assembled a largely female leadership team with a strong consumer products background. While the company may appear to be pulling rabbits out of hats with a slew of product innovations like components that easily switch out to transform a piece (a single cabinet can double as a fireplace or wine storage depending on mood or need), everything is driven by insights revealed through consumer research and segmentation. No sleight of hand involved.
Targeted for Consumers
The aforementioned double pedestal desk for example was designed to appeal to a group of consumers known as Premium Stylers. Twin Star calls them Mike and Alexa. Generation X and above, the Premium Stylers gravitate toward “beautiful things,” according to Lisa Cody, Vice President of Marketing.
“We seized on that opportunity with a product that is substantial and beautiful, but also functional, integrating hidden adjustable height capabilities into an elegant executive desk that includes an equity technology feature of ours known as Active Life, a timer that built into the desk that lets you know when it’s time to stand up."
“We’re leaning into the fact that people are trying to be healthier,” she continues. “We already offer plenty of height-adjustable desks that are designed for the younger generation. By reaching into the older generation, we know from all the data, backed up by CNN and other media reports, and companies like Apple that are now putting everybody at standing desks, there is an opportunity to appeal to these consumers who have a preference for luxury, and who like to be able to say, ‘I am the first to have this.’ It’s capitalizing on a trend that is very important, but at the same time, we are able to tell our dealers why it’s important, what motivates these consumers and what inspires them to buy.”
The new Trompe L’oeil Collection is designed to offer consumers many of the features of custom furniture at a fraction of the cost. The collection, veneered in warm walnut, takes its name from signature panels of the 3D, geometric marquetry executed in walnut, bird’s eye maple, and American cherry that give the illusion of three-dimensional depth. Flagship pieces include a multifunctional TV cabinet with a center compartment that can be used for storage or can be upgraded to accommodate a 26” quartz electric fireplace that features Spectrafire 3D™, a patent-pending three-dimensional flame effect that can be adjusted for color, brightness and speed. The fireplace’s 5,200 BTU heater provides supplemental zone heating for up to 1,000 square feet and can be operated with or without heat. A second TV cabinet can accommodate an 18” fireplace insert and comes with Bluetooth™ speakers, making it ideal for small space consumers who need every piece they purchase to perform in multiple ways.
Twin Star Home on Virtual Reality
Yet the ultimate magic trick here may be the virtual reality program that the company was quietly testing here with dealers in preparation for a major launch in High Point this Fall. The hope, of course, is that the wow factor will intrigue and engage shoppers in a traditional brick-and-mortar furniture setting and enable dealers to maximize floor space by enabling customers to truly visual what pieces will really look like in a different finish. Now you see it, and now you see it…like this!
