Universal Furniture Appoints Rick Lovegrove as VP Upholstery

Universal Furniture has appointed industry veteran Rick Lovegrove as Vice President of Upholstery. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to enhancing its upholstery business, which has seen remarkable growth during the past few years, according to a news release.

This expansion includes introducing new frame options, seat depths, retailer programs, COM and a selection of more than 500 new fabric choices.

Lovegrove joins Universal Furniture from Four Hands, where his leadership as president of upholstery grew the category to the largest revenue segment at the company, according to company officials. With a career distinguished by domestic and imported furniture expertise, Lovegrove brings a unique skill set to Universal Furniture, which is poised to drive innovation and growth within the upholstery segment.

“The upholstery business at Universal has been a focal point in our growth strategy, aimed at expanding design appeal and growing sales,” said Sean O’Connor, President of Universal Furniture. “The rapid expansion of this division necessitated the creation of this role, and Rick’s extensive industry experience positions him perfectly to lead and further accelerate our momentum.” 

Universal Furniture started its upholstery program in 2015 and saw substantial growth in 2019 when it acquired Southern Upholstery, according to a news release. This acquisition allowed Universal to develop domestic upholstery options starting in 2020.

In his new role as Vice President of Upholstery, Lovegrove will collaborate closely with Sean O’Connor and Shannon Lookabill, Vice President of Product Development, to drive strategic initiatives and innovation within Universal Furniture’s designs. Together, they aim to capitalize on emerging trends, enhance product offerings, and reinforce Universal Furniture’s position as a whole home leader in the furniture marketplace, company officials said.

“I am truly excited to join the Universal team,” Lovegrove said. “The growth of the brand over the last couple of years has been exciting to witness, and I can’t wait to build and scale the next generation of the upholstery business.”