Your Best Selling Mouldings

[Teebizzoo]

Dear framers:

Hello! I am working on a moulding report for Framing Business News. I want to reach as many framers as possible to learn what moulding styles are selling in your store, in your local market.

Could you possibly take a moment to let me know:

-What moulding styles are your top sellers? Why do you think so? Is this a change from the past?

-What moulding colors are your top sellers? Why do you think so? Is this a change from the past?

-Has anything surprised you in the types/styles of moulding that have been selling well in your store in the past year?

-How does your local market influence the type of moulding you display in your store?

In the next two weeks, I'll be contacting as many framers as I can with these very questions! I hope that I can hear from you, to get as complete a picture as possible of what's happening in the United States, and if possible, beyond its borders.

Thank you very much for your time!

Tricia Bisoux
St. Louis, MO
TBisoux@mindspring.com

[Framing Goddess]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Teebizzoo:

-What moulding styles are your top sellers? Why do you think so? Is this a change from the past?

-What moulding colors are your top sellers? Why do you think so? Is this a change from the past?

-Has anything surprised you in the types/styles of moulding that have been selling well in your store in the past year?

-How does your local market influence the type of moulding you display in your store?

Tricia Bisoux
St. Louis, MO
TBisoux@mindspring.com<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I truly meant to respond to this LAST week. Oy, time is so slippery.
Black, black and black. Chunky simple square. Off black, also. Always was very popular, but now even more so.
White-washed (ramin, pine and maple) are staying surprisingly popular. I thought they died a few years ago, but no.
Natural maple is always a sure-hit. Chunky simple square again. Strong as ever.
Solid hardwoods in general. We sell Picture Woods' solid cherry with their "aged" finish (lighter) quite readily as well as their ebonized walnut. (see off-black above) I order a coupla hundred feet and it is gone before I get it unpacked.
All the natural finishes on ramin are doing well. I am thinking of several Studio lines that are popular with a large cross section of customers.
Those lovely aged Roma finishes have staying power beyond what I would have predicted. The "oxidized" colors on flat as well as ornate finishes...
Roma blacks are hot hot hot. Black polka dots, black "speed bumps," black triangles, black diamonds- we've sold one of each just this week.
I spose I do keep the local market in mind- a bit. We are lucky to be in an area where customers are educated about art and design and seem to expect to see "all the latest." I have been known to turn down corner samples if I thought they were ugly or cheap looking even if I am told that they are "good sellers." I figure that there are enough good-lookin mouldings out there to fill that void. And I am sure that we are all aware of the "look" that is associated with our respective shops.(and that that influences what we have on display)
Does that help?
Edie the fg

[AnneL]

Oak. In a light to medium finish. This has always been my best seller. Shape of moulding doesn't matter as much as "oak to match the woodwork". Rustic, distressed "country" mouldings do well also. This year I seem to be selling more metal frames, especially wide flat metals in a brushed metallic finish, gold or silver.

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Anne LeBouton

[tgfu408]

Unlike those in Cleveland, we here in Knoxville have a quite traditional market. Lots of LJ's Ascot, traditional cherry/mahogany/oak with the black beaded look.

Becoming popular is Larson's Pine River and complementing Studio's Beaches. Seems folks are now going a little more "country" or "rustic" Also good sellers in this field is Larson's Couleurs Provence.

In the golds we're selling lots of the traditional looks like Larson's Palais and Imperial, but seeing more of Chataeu for the higher end.

Soho, the contemporary black profiles with gold and silver, are also popular.

Finally, for my more "out of the box" or less traditional customers, we're doing well with Roma's Giovanni and Regatta

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Michael LeCompte CPF

[Teebizzoo]

That helps a lot! I've heard different things from different moulding suppliers--one said that the economy is affecting moulding sales aversely, in that less expensive mouldings are becoming more popular.

Another said that the economy is affecting it favorably, in that people are not spending large amounts on large items, but still want to put money into their homes. Therefore, they're buying nice custom framed artwork.

Which has been your experience?

[John Richards]

We're out here where Oak is king. Embossed or decorative oaks are going very well. Blacks, large small simple and ornate are moving. Anything with an African or Egyptian feel are doing well. We just launched three very ornate Italian mouldings, the pewter with red and squash colors have really been moving well. Simple, small furniture finsh mouldings are doing well. We've seen a higher demand for small inexpensive mouldings and for the very high end. 2"-3.5" is down. These are typically mid-level. I'm going to side with the distributor that said less expensive mouldings are selling better than mid to high end.

John Richards
TC Moulding

[Amy]

Teebizzoo,
We have been selling alot of ornate golds, acid washes and distressed rustics. How's that for across the board? We have been selling less of the true wood finishes, accept for Burls, which have always been tried and true.
We have "upscaled" in the last few years, moving from a Do-it-yourself shop to a custom only. Re-educating our clientelle and staff to the finer things in framing. I remember asking our sales reps for a green frame about 5 years ago....now we have every green in the spectrum! When it rains it pours.


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Amy, CPF
CBF Portland,Maine
right on the Bay

[Reynard]

I use absolutely masses of the four inch wide obeche mouldings.I finish them myself usually but they have sold well for several years.Artists can`t get enough of them.

[Kit aka emrr]

Welcome Reynard - it's lovely to see another Grumbler from across the pond as well as another fox.

To answer the original question - wide mouldings (4 - 6") are my biggest sellers. Black, silver and gold are the colors of the moment, with black #1; silver and gold tied for second.

I'm not selling anywhere near as much oak as I used to, possibly because I took the samples off the wall and hid them. (I'll get them out if the customer insists that's that what they must have.) The rustic, shabby chic look seems to be over.

Exotic woods are selling well and, as Amy said, the burls are a standard classic.

There doesn't seem to be much of a concensus on this thread; the results might be more interesting if they were broken down regionally.

Kit



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Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana

[Teebizzoo]

Kit,

You're right, it's hard to get a consensus, simply because parts of the country are so different in terms of economic AND aesthetic tastes! I will seek commonalities where I can, but hopefully also break things down by region.

Also, Reynard, I was very glad to hear your input from Scotland! I would like to also include an international point of view.

If those responding see commonalities between their businesses and the descriptions posted here, I'd love to hear about them!

Tricia

[rosetl]

I decided to respond as my trends seem to be quite a bit different.

Seem to be moving more wormwood type rustics as predicted nationwide and Asian feeling still doing well...tho little bamboo.

Blacks and simple woods--and more economical lines. Feel trend is changing away from square and more interest in some small detail and/or softer feel. Soho or Nurre one's with the red edges, for example.

Roma and Romaesque were high sellers last year but surprised with the poor sales this whole year. No whitewash and modest maple sales. I don't even show any burls anymore and avoid the few oaks on the wall.

A lot more interest in fillets.

Since Sept. people here seem to want things simplier with cleaner lines--at all ends of the price charts. More interest in width proportional to the picture and overall thinner frames. In August I would have said the wider the better. Not now.

[This message has been edited by rosetl (edited November 30, 2001).]

[PAMELA DESIMONE,CPF]

Moulding styles: very simple styles to more "funky" styles a la Roma. Ornate does not sell like it used to, but still okay. Very traditional styles not good for me. My customers like "different". Traditional can be bought anywhere.
Colors: silver better than gold. Acid wash good. Mahogany, walnut, cherry, all good. Natural colors do not sell.
Surprises: nope
Local market: Of course it influences what I show. People have been more willing to buy the expensive mouldings, so I am showing more of it.

[Kit aka emrr]

Rose - Thanks for reminding me to mention fillets. I'm selling a tonof them; one out of every two or three orders includes a filet in either the mat or the frame. Larson's new line of enhancers are also selling well, especially the silver.

My customers really seem to enjoy the idea of designing their own frame-enhancer-fillet stack. And isn't that what 'custom' framing is all about?

Kit

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Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana