But in each category, the forms have been softened or made more casual to appeal to consumers who are either looking for a reason to trade up, or buying their first bedroom or dining room set.

On the contemporary side, that translates to looks with rounded edges on table tops and convex or concave shapes on dresser fronts. In some cases, finishes also are lighter, appealing to more feminine tastes.

In traditional styles, lighter-tone cherry or brown finishes are more prominent, as are multi-media elements like shapely metal accents on headboards, nightstands and bookcases. And some collections are bringing a fresh, even raw look to wood forms with a mix of wire-brushed tops and sides bearing natural, earth-tone finishes.

These and other style directions emerged at last week's Premarket in High Point.

In the Bernhardt showroom, the 34-piece Monterey Collection mixed West Coast and contemporary looks with the use of quartered white oak veneers in two finishes, a light silver oak and a white painted finish called Dove. The contemporary Western combination is further seen in the elongated X-shaped back of a sculpted dining chair and the scalloped edges on case pieces.

Legacy Classic's 0441 is a soft contemporary collection made with cathedral cherry veneers in a mid-tone cherry finish. Signature pieces include a rectangular leg dining table with curved edges and side dining chairs with a floating back panel.

"Dealers want a softer transitional contemporary that is in not as dark a finish," said Lee Boone, Legacy's president.

A second collection by Legacy also is contemporary, and features design elements such as black nickel hardware and a floating top on a leg dining table. Functionality is another key aspect of this group as seen in the optional storage footboard and hidden jewelry storage in the back of a second drawer of a bedroom chest.

Pulaski is introducing Tangerine, which softens contemporary forms through a range of design elements such as scooped-out drawer fronts. It also has a contemporized Dutch-inspired plantation shutter effect on the headboard of a wall bed.

Meanwhile, Schnadig's Carleton is a Hollywood Regency style collection with contemporary Greek and Roman influences. It has case pieces with concave fronts and a cream-colored upholstered panel bed featuring nailhead trim and a Greek key-shaped design in the headboard. Companion bed benches have curved X-shaped legs in a matching finish.

Hooker Furniture's Dawson is a 36-piece transitional collection made of New Zealand pine. The group has some country and traditional design elements, but these are complemented by hand-planed surfaces and metal accents on pieces such as a mirror and panel bed that give it a broad lifestyle appeal.

With Sanctuary and other collections, the finishes complement the natural wood species, with textured and in some cases wire-brushed look similar in appearance to many reclaimed woods in the market.

Stanley's 50-piece European Farmhouse features bedroom, dining room and occasional pieces with a casual European influenced design. It has four finishes, including a light blond; a darker brown finish called Terrain; a dark gray, almost black finish with white highlights called Chalkboard; and a Belgian gray finish called Tempe.

Universal Furniture has a new program called Great Rooms that offers three earth-tone finishes called Oaken Bucket, Whiskey Barrel and Hickory Stick. These are available on individual pieces ranging from tables and desks to larger pieces such as armoires with wine storage. Other accent finishes include French linen, charcoal and provincial gray.

"I think the finishes are really consistent with the softer edges and the more casual relaxed style of the furniture, and I think there are various reasons for the market trending that way," said Kevin Miller, brands manager at Universal. "Consumers are spending more time in their homes, and they are trending towards more causal, comfortable and relaxed furniture and the finishes follow suit with that."

Collections from Schnadig, Pennsylvania House, A.R.T., Kincaid and American Drew also draw on traditional design inspirations from France, Italy and Spain. In some cases, the forms are updated for today's marketplace.

A key example is Pennsylvania House's 29-piece New Lou collection. The solid alder group features updated classic forms, including a shaped bombe bachelor's chest that doubles as a nightstand, a shaped footboard on a modified sleigh panel bed and mixed media design elements such as a cast iron base on a trestle dining table.