Favorite Resources
A preferred upholstery supplier at Dwell Living is Thomasville, North Carolina-based Younger Furniture. “I’ve sold Younger since 1991,” says Eaton. “Meredith Younger is just a dynamo – she knows everything about the operation, runs the factories, designs product, and has her finger on the pulse of trends.”
The retailer also considers Lazar to be a favorite upholstery source. “They’ve been around since the 1960s and one of my best-sellers is theirs,” says Eaton. “It’s a simple sofa with no arms and two removable back cushions, which you can take off to sleep on it. You can put it together in so many ways – with a chaise, double chaise, or create your own sectional.”
For decorative art, Leftbank Art is a go-to vendor. The California-based supplier offers art in a variety of formats, including original hand paintings, giclées, prints on canvas, and other materials. The company’s model makes customization simple, a feature Eaton appreciates. “I can take a picture and sell the same picture to different customers just by changing the size and frame. The ability to customize is huge. I try to look for vendors who understand that.”
At Dwell Living, art is shown with most vignettes as an example, and then ordered to suit the customer’s exact needs. The store’s older shoppers like smaller art with traditional frames, while its younger customers often prefer oversized, unframed canvases, says Eaton.
“Our business comes down to listening to what customers want and then showing them how to do it,” Eaton says, and he is glad to have found a single event with all of the products his customers need, “Every year, High Point Market gets bigger and better and more organized. Everyone is so polite, they make it a pleasure to visit.”