Outdoor statuary standing firm

DSN Retailing Today, March 22, 2004

Making a style statement in home decor has moved from the inside out. More and more, consumers are adding creative garden accents such as statues and fountains, driving a booming retail market for increasingly elaborate outdoor decor.

A strong housing market and continued, steady growth in sales of lawn and garden products are fueling this outdoor room renaissance. This category cuts across multiple channels, with expansion noticeable among mass retailers, home improvement chains, garden centers, craft chains, home specialists and even dollar stores.

"Decorative outdoor products remain extremely strong, especially ones that have function," said Mark Zieff, director of marketing for outdoor decor manufacturer Opus. "We live in such a high-tech world that people feel the need at times to connect with nature."

One retailer noting double-digit growth in sales of garden accessories is Frank's Nursery. This hot business has prompted Frank's to expand its garden decor offerings by about a third and bring items in earlier in the season than it has historically. The company has also been aggressive at trend spotting, trying to be first to market with each new season's fashionable looks and themes in outdoor decor.

Frank's buyers Mike Serinaldi and Crystal Wygal said some of the items expected to be popular this year include glazed statuary and "toads that meet reality," meaning they depict characters such as firefighters, gardeners and bird watchers. The two also noted a trend toward more color and detail in traditional pieces, such as birdbaths with a sunflower motif and windchimes featuring stained glass.

At the mass level, larger and more detailed resin statuary is making its way onto shelves, such as angels on swings, ship captains and children playing on a teeter-totter found at Wal-Mart. Branded items are becoming scarce at mass as discounters move increasingly toward private label lines in garden decor. Target's collection is almost exclusively under its own Garden Place label and this spring is grouped by themes that include Casual Garden, Garden Classics and Exotic Rendezvous.

Variety is key in garden accessories, though certain themes emerge as popular each year. Fountain and statuary supplier Henri Studio sees strong demand for classical and weathered looks in accents, picking up on the vintage trend in home decor.

"There is a very strong appeal for the instantly weathered and aged look. Each year the finishes we bring out look older, aged, earthy and weathered," said Bob Borta, vp of marketing at Henri Studio.

Art Line, a company known for its colorful garden statues made out of polyvinyl chloride, has noted similar trends. Looking ahead to 2005, the company's new themes in decor such as statuary, bird baths and fountains will include American Eclectic, Classic, Heartland and Serene Garden. The eclectic line relates to "shabby chic" or vintage items with weathered finishes, while classic includes traditional pieces inspired by English and French gardens. Serene captures the still-popular Asian influence, and Heartland relates to whimsical figures.