Universal Furniture Promotes Janine Wagers to Vice President of Visual Merchandising

Furniture World News Desk on 5/7/2024

Universal Furniture’s Janine Wagers took on the title of Vice President of Visual Merchandising, effective May 1. During her more than 20 years with the company as Director of Visual Merchandising and Creative Director, she’s created the face of the Universal brand as it’s presented to customers at High Point Market.

“Janine is an industry veteran and an expert in her craft,” said Universal Furniture President Sean O’Connor. “That’s evident to everyone who steps through the showroom doors. Her ability to create a visual story and make the collections come to life inspires our customers.”

“I never work in a silo,” said Wagers. “It takes everyone in the organization to make Universal look and feel like Universal — to have the showroom design tell a story, and create an immersive experience for guests.” 

Wagers oversees a team of four, directing strategy and the visual representation of the Universal brand. She works closely with product development, sales and supply chain partners, using data and trend research to determine what’s most important in each room of the 115,000-square-foot showroom.

She finds inspiration everywhere: from nature, international trade shows, antiques shows and even restaurants.

“Design inspiration comes from facing challenges, but that’s what makes it exciting,” said Wagers. “Designing a space that has that wow factor while also fitting into the parameters of budget, timeline, and other logistical considerations is a challenge. But when it all comes together beautifully and seamlessly, leaving people talking about the space afterward, that’s what makes it all worth it.”

Wagers graduated from the University of Georgia in 1985, where she received a BFA in interior design with a minor in furniture design from the Lamar Dodd School of Art. After graduating, she began working with Bassett Furniture, designing furniture and then retail spaces for its gallery program, and later moved on to designing showrooms and running her own interior design business. In 1989, she started her career at Universal as a showroom designer, working her way up to become the company’s first creative director, and now its first female vice president.

About Universal
 Retailers and interior designers around the world trust Universal Furniture’s award-winning, smart and stylish designs to create modern, well-appointed living spaces for the whole home. The company’s casegood, upholstery, accent and outdoor designs are developed under the brand names Universal Furniture, Miranda Kerr Home and Coastal Living.

Universal Furniture, founded in 1968 and based in High Point, N.C., is the recipient of 14 Pinnacle awards for design excellence from the International Society of Furniture Designers. It is a brand of Samson Holdings, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated furniture manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.universalfurniture.com, or find us on  Facebook, Instagram, and  Pinterest @UniversalFurn.