While Romanians demand a modern design furniture, with fewer adornments, the major Western European markets, as well as the US and Japan see classic and art models in high demand, a trend capitalised on by Romanian exporting companies.
"Our clients ask for modern furniture, with a sleek design and few accessories and adornments. As for bedrooms, the wood - aluminium combination is fashionable nowadays: the drawer levers and chair legs must be made of aluminium," said Gheorghe Niculescu, director of Adorama, Romanian furniture importer.
Adorama imports kitchens and bedrooms made of particleboard from France, Italy and Belgium. Most of the products, some 95%, are imported from French company Gautier.
When it comes to kitchens, Romanians are willing to pay a higher price for flexibility: "Standard kitchens are no longer in demand. They are gradually replaced by those made to order, which allow the client to decide about the size, design, emplacement or accessories," Niculescu says.
Whereas the modern furniture is the best seller on the domestic market, the classic and art models are the top favourites of the international market. The financial data of the Mobex company based in T=rgu Mures come to confirm the statement above. Mobex sells 12 million euros' worth in classic and art furniture in various European Union countries, United States, Japan, and the former states of the Soviet Union every year.
"Whilst cherry used to be fashionable either in form of pieces of furniture made entirely out of it or just veneer or finishing until now, the oak is back in fashion on the international markets this year," said Maria Butunaru, deputy general manager of Mobex. The furniture made of beech and cherry mix has accounted for most of Mobex' sales thus far.
georgiana.stavarache@zf.ro
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