Millennials Love Mid-Century Modern

To appeal to millennial buyers, many designers are thinking younger with streamlined looks.

For millennials, what’s old is new again.

Mid-century modern furniture could be seen all over High Point Furniture Market, the biannual trade show in High Point, N.C.

Perry Sigesmund, co-owner of PerLora, says millennials are looking for traditional with a twist — pieces such as leather sofas with metal or wood frames.
 

One of his go-to showrooms at High Point is Natuzzi, an Italian, family-owned company that sets up shop inside a building shaped like a ship.
 

Natuzzi designers have introduced a leather recliner with a back that was modeled after the human spine.
 

“This is not your grandfather’s recliner,” says Natuzzi Marketing Communications Manager Cameron Cook, noting there are no levers on the side. “You tell it how to recline [by your body movement].”

“What’s new is we are seeing a lot of designs being reproduced, but now you’re seeing new designs that are fresh — taken to the next level,” Sigesmund says.

Millennials also want functional furniture, says PerLora co-owner Lora Sigesmund. At BDI, desks for home offices (another trend as millennials look to work off-site) are height-adjustable with the push of a button. The Sequel Lift Desk is available in two desktop sizes and can be adjusted to stand between 23.75 and 49.75 inches high.

The Sigesmunds plan to open a new showroom, PerLora Loft, in a few months. One of the highlights there will be a new line from Ekornes, Stressless You. Ekornes representatives said they often hear feedback that their chairs look too bulky, so they’re streamlined the look to be more contemporary and appeal to younger audiences.
 

The chairs come in a variety of colors with a wood or metal base.