American Furniture Manufacturers Association names Meg and Steven Roberts as spokespersons for Fall 1999 Tour

Furniture World Magazine

The Echo Design Group announced its participation in the American Furniture Manufacturers Association's (AFMA) Fall 1999 satellite media tour. Steven Roberts, co-president and chief marketing officer, and Meg Roberts, senior home designer, were the exclusive spokespersons for the 12-city tour, which was broadcast in August. This is the first satellite media tour for the couple and for the design company. The AFMA's tour aimed to encourage more men and women to shop together for home furnishings and to prove that there really is "common decorating ground." Meg and Steven Roberts, a married couple who have worked together for 18 years and co-authored the best-selling home-style book, A Home for All Seasons (Abrams, October 1998) offered viewers advice on how couples can work together and choose home furnishings that both partners can enjoy. "Our work is something we literally take home with us which made this a perfect fit for Meg and me. The messages we conveyed to readers through our book were the mirror image of the AFMA's philosophy on creating a comfortable home together," said Steven Roberts. "A couple spends too much time at home not to be happy with their surroundings," he continued. The media tour took place in Washington, D.C. where the Roberts were interviewed live via satellite in 12 national markets including Phoenix, Miami, Seattle, Sacramento, Detroit, Tampa, Honolulu, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The partnership was so successful that other national and in-market appearances are expected to be added to the schedule this Fall. Meg and Steven, in conjunction with the AFMA, will be interviewed by local broadcast and print press in each city. The media tour was born based on the AFMA's most recent discovery that men and women don't always agree where shopping for home furnishings is concerned. According to the AFMA's survey, about three out of four women find shopping for the home a "favorite" activity while the same percentage of men would rather do something else-although both men and women care equally about the final result. "The trend today in decorating is toward an eclectic mix of styles which is great news for couples with different tastes. At Echo, we've recently introduced a range of products that not only works with a variety of styles but is also "couple friendly" - from our "modern-classic," unisex Black Tie bedding, to a terrific collection of directional, textured woven fabrics." The Echo Design Group, now in its 76 th year, is one of America's oldest running family businesses. Founded in 1923, Echo has expanded beyond its heritage in the scarf industry to encompass men's neckwear, umbrellas, paper goods (licensed with CR Gibson) and home design. Echo's home design categories include wallcoverings and printed and woven fabrics (licensed with the Gramercy division of FSC Wallcoverings, a division of F. Schumacher & Co.), and bed linens, decorative pillows, and towels (licensed with Revman Industries). Headquartered in New York, all Echo products are available nationally under the Echo brand name in better department and specialty stores. Wallpapers and fabrics are available through Schumacher showrooms and better wallpaper and fabric stores. Steve Kincaid, President, CEO, Kincaid Furniture, Hudson, NC, has been named President of the International Home Furnishings Association. Kincaid was serving as Vice President of IHFMA prior to the resignation of the presidency in August by Jeff Young who has left the home furnishings industry to pursue other interests. The Home Furnishings Marketing Association is the sponsor of the International Home Furnishings Market, the largest trade show for home furnishings in the world.