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The trend toward “stay-cations” started in the mid-2000s, but stay-at-home vacations really gained in popularity at the end of the decade when the recession slashed budgets every which way and consumers had to cut back on travel. As consumers embraced the thought of spending more quality time at home, outdoor living became a much larger focus, and now decks, porches and backyards are frequently transformed into comfortable living spaces. Since 1953, Homecrest Outdoor Living has been creating luxury products that ensure time spent outdoors is quality time. 

Mert Bottemiller and Al Engelemann were running a retail furniture shop in Minnesota when, in 1953, they set out to build a better ottoman than their vendors could provide. Their venture was well received, and they soon expanded to manufacture a growing line of indoor and outdoor patio furniture.  

In 1956, Bottemiller patented his swivel rocker mechanism, which became the foundation of the Homecrest outdoor patio furniture line. Sales of Homecrest’s products took off and distribution was extended throughout the United States as backyard dining and recreation became popular in the 1960s. As its retail sales grew, Homecrest expanded into international distribution and became a contract manufacturer for the resort, restaurant and healthcare markets. Product innovations included the self-adjusting chaise, swivel rocker recliner, gliders, padded slings, technically innovative fabrics, low-maintenance aluminum mesh and the Comfort Recliner. 

There was another boom in consumer spending on outdoor environments in the late 1990s, but at the same time, Homecrest and the U.S. market faced increased competition from lower-priced import products.  Homecrest evolved to meet the needs of the market, however, and the company continues to combine trend-driven design with its heritage of quality, performance and comfort. 

Quality and Innovation

Based in Wadena, Minn., Homecrest manufactures 30 collections of affordable luxury patio furniture. Featuring durable aluminum, steel and cast and wrought iron-frame construction, its product offerings include tables, chairs, chaises, sofas, ottomans and bar stools. Each piece can be customized with a variety of frame finish colors and fabrics, and its tabletops are made of metal, glass, granite or faux products. 

“We are the only manufacturer that still makes replacement cushions and slings for furniture built more than 50 years ago,” COO Mark Fillhouer says. 

The swivel rocker mechanism Homecrest introduced in 1956 is one example of the company’s history of innovation and quality, and Homecrest continues to use the mechanism in new collections. The swivel rocker has four elements that ensure its quality and durability:

• Top swivel plate – This is electroplated with zinc prior to painting, which aids in protecting the welded surfaces from outdoor elements.
• Triple coil – The three springs in this coil provide enhanced durability and a smooth rock for the user.
• Ball bearings – The stainless steel bearings are on a nylon race and placed between two swivel plates to ensure a smooth swivel action. 
• Comfort adjustment – Tension-setting adjustments are located on the mechanism’s undercarriage and allow the preferred rocking motion for each individual.  

In addition to the swivel rocker, Homecrest has many other quality characteristics in its products that set it apart, such as its sling seating options, which feature comfortable design and require minimal maintenance. 

“Customers today have hundreds of choices,” Fillhouer says. “We design and build durable outdoor furniture that will offer the highest level of comfort for any sized customer with minimal maintenance. That means it has to withstand Minnesota winters and Arizona summers without worries about sun, moisture, cold or wind. At the same time, it must have a pleasing design that won’t fall out of style over the life of the product.” 

Homecrest was one of the first manufacturers of outdoor furniture in the United States, and it was the first outdoor furniture manufacturer to use Sunbrella fabrics. The company’s collections now are available in 145 resilient outdoor fabrics and 10 finishes, which come in a variety of colors and textures. Homecrest allows consumers to customize chairs, sofas and lounges with comprehensive fabric and finish offerings via its online Interactive Design Center. 

Green Living

Since Homecrest aims to promote healthy and comfortable outdoor living with its products, it is no surprise that the company is dedicated to using environmentally friendly processes, systems and practices throughout its operation. In its manufacturing plant, for example, Homecrest uses heat captured from its ovens to heat the factory during the cold Minnesota winters, reducing the site’s carbon footprint.

Homecrest eliminated chromium from its paint line, which reduced its oven usage by 50 percent, and it converted its factory to use high-efficiency light bulbs, which provide 50 percent more light while using 50 percent less energy. 

Additionally, Homecrest uses water from its cleaning and finishing systems to reduce VOC emissions and eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals for worker and environmental safety. To cut down on paper usage and mailing waste, the company is focusing more on electronic methods to reach current and potential distributors, instead of printed promotional materials. 

Its cardboard cartons are designed in-house to perfectly fit the products’ dimensions, and chairs, chaises and tables are packed in multiple units when possible to reduce shipping waste.

Within its operations, Homecrest has shown its dedication to the first and third parts of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” maxim, but the company is focused on reuse, as well. To start, Homecrest’s quality procedures ensure its products are sturdy and have a long lifespan, instead of being disposable furniture that is meant to last only a season or two. On its website, the company also allows end-users to order replacement slings to extend the life of their Homecrest products. 

Its focus on quality and green action is fully illustrated in its “Survival of the Fittest” program, which was introduced to the retailers last year. In celebration of its 60th anniversary in 2013, Homecrest is buying back pieces from its Vintage Wire line, refurbishing them and returning them to the marketplace. 

The Vintage Wire line was introduced more than 40 years ago and was produced for 10 years in the 1960s and ’70s. It is a 15-piece collection that includes a small-scale sofa and loveseat, barrel chairs, a high-back swivel rocker with ottoman, dining chairs, coffee tables and end tables. These pieces contain the patented Bottemiller swivel rocker mechanism, and were made with welded-steel construction, smooth swivel bearings, floating-comfort rocker springs and baked-on powdercoat paint over Autopheretic-primed steel. 

“Our retail partners are very excited to get this collection into their stores,” Fillhouer notes. “We plan to release it this fall at our market.”