Meet&CoHIGH POINT — With consumers tightening their budgets, furniture brands are working harder to make their products feel essential. One growing area of focus: a younger demographic with strong influence but no income of their own.
At the recent High Point Market, Meridian Furniture unveiled a new line of beds aimed at “tween” consumers—defined here as kids roughly between age 8 and the college-bound years. Funded by parents but heavily driven by personal taste, these younger shoppers are known for keeping up with style trends.
(source: Meridian Furniture)
“Girls are looking to grow up faster culturally and want more sophisticated options beyond the usual princess-themed beds,” said Mitch Hodges, VP of sales. “They’re moving from Squishmallows to Sephora quickly, and this line responds to that shift.”
The upholstered tween beds are priced between $499 and $799, offering both vibrant and neutral color options. Designed for flexibility, they feature a solid slat system and are available with or without a boxspring—crafted to adapt as décor preferences evolve. Meridian chose not to pair them with matching case goods, giving consumers the freedom to mix and match as they see fit.
“These beds are made to last and to move,” Hodges said, emphasizing how easily the designs can keep up with social media-driven trends.
Strategy Beyond Beds: Appealing to a Visual Generation
Meridian’s tween collection is part of a broader effort to engage a new generation of consumers while supporting a multigenerational strategy. With a catalog of over 12,000 SKUs, the company offers fast fulfillment—including 24-hour shipping from its East Coast warehouse—making it easier for retailers and designers to meet the demands of today’s speed-oriented buyers.
“We tell our story mainly through our website,” said President Michael Rosilio, “which gives buyers and designers a custom-feel shopping experience—without the cost or lead time of custom work.”
The brand’s approach is heavily informed by real-time feedback from Meridian’s young executive team and their networks, giving the company an edge in identifying emerging preferences in furniture design. “Even when they’re renting or just starting college, Gen Z wants better quality and flexibility—they know cheap furniture won’t last or move with them,” Rosilio noted.
That thinking has shaped Meridian’s development of modular upholstery and versatile case goods, including occasional tables in trending colors and materials like pink, panda, and cherry marble—typically seen only in high-end design.
“We’re bringing rare, visually striking materials to market at accessible prices,” Rosilio said, aligning with the expectations of image-conscious shoppers.
Hodges emphasized that the tween collection reflects Meridian’s commitment to developing “must-have” products for younger shoppers—an area where big-box retailers often fall short.
“Younger buyers don’t want what their parents had,” he said. “They’re influenced by designers and social media, and they expect to see that style in-store or online. That’s why we invest so much in making our website a strong visual and functional experience—it’s where the journey starts.”
