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Thos. Moser announced that The Moser Room at Freeport, Maine's Harraseeket Inn was named "best designer room in Maine" by Yankee Magazine.
Thos. Moser partnered with the Harraseeket Inn in 2008 to create the room. It features wood furniture pieces from Thos. Moser's collection, which the company says are valued at more than $50,000 total, as well as furnishings by other New England companies and the works of several Maine artists.
“Thos. Moser and the Harraseeket are honored to have been singled out as the best designer room in Maine,” said Steve Wyman, manager of Thos. Moser's Freeport showroom. “Feedback from the guests who have stayed in the Moser Room has been universally positive and it’s great to have this additional stamp of approval from one of New England’s favorite magazines.”
Cabinet sales decreased 2.9 percent in March 2011, compared to March 2010, according to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assocation’s monthly Trend of Business Survey.
The survey also found that for March 2011, stock cabinet sales fell 9.6 percent, semi-custom sales increased 5.3 percent and custom sales fell 10.4 percent.
The 2011 year-to-date sales showed a decrease of 4.5 percent overall, with stock sales down 7.9 percent, semi-custom sales down 0.8 percent, and custom sales down 5.7 percent, according to KCMA’s survey.
Glacial Wood Products teamed up with master wood carver Konstantinos Papadakis to create a wall of wood icons that will be featured in a Rochester, Minn., church.
Papadakis, of Minneapolis, began carving wood at the age of 9, and has had his work featured in churches, homes, offices and buildings around the world. His latest project is to create an iconostasis, which is a wall of icons separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Glacial Wood's Dick Johnson is working with Papadakis on the creation, which is expected to be completed in summer 2011.
“[Glacial Wood Products] does what I ask them to do. You see I’m an old man with an old tradition. I like the old traditional way. I like things to be done the correct way. Glacial Wood Products communicates well with me and they do what I’m asking for. They do my job well,” said Papadakis.
Once the wood carving project is completed, photographs will be displayed on Glacial Wood's website and Papadakis' website.
Money can’t buy you love, but tens of thousand of dollars can buy you a mini playhouse mansion complete with petite custom furniture.
These tricked out playhouses can feature air conditioning, electricity, running water and 8-foot-tall ceilings for any adults who stop by. Custom upholstered furniture is also a must have along with kitchen accessories, rugs and window treatments. These playhouses are nice and bigger than any apartment I've ever lived in.
The barbarians are at the gate.
The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association released its monthly Trend of Business Survey, which showed a decline in cabinet sales for February 2011.Participants in the KCMA survey reported that cabinet sales decreased 7.3 percent compared to sales for February 2010. Stock cabinet sales decreased 10.9 percent, semi-custom sales decreased 3.6 percent and custom sales decreased 9.6 percent. The year-to-date sales decreased 5.7 percent, with stock sales down 6.9 percent, semi-custom sales down 4.9 percent and custom sales down 3.6 percent.
Survey participants included stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent over 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.
Leda Furniture will debut its "fresh" collection at High Point Market in April.
This new condo-scaled furniture collection features Zebrano veneers with complementing paint trim colors of silver, black and pink as well as Amaretto and Mahogany wood finishes.
“You always hear the furniture industry described as a fashion industry, yet whenever there is a new collection introduction it’s always in some shade of the safe brown and beige tones," said Marco Confalone, president of Leda Furniture. “It doesn’t matter what name you give the finish, it’s still brown. We wanted to showcase something fresh as part of our new introduction, hence the inclusion of the ‘pink & black’ bed option.”
Leda Furniture will debut "fresh" in High Point, N.C., at H-1112, IHFC Building.
I don't know what it is about the tropics but that style of furniture makes me want to fall in love over and over again and never leave the bedroom. If you're lucky enough to have someone who feels the same way, invest in some romantic furniture and keep those flames of love burning.
Stanley Furniture Co. will introduce two new styles to its Classic Portfolio at High Point Market: British Colonial and Bungalow.
The British Colonial and Bungalow styles will join Stanley's European Cottage, Louis Philippe and Transitional furniture design offerings.
“The experience of owning fine furniture is sensory,” said Adam Tilley, vice president of product management. “Not only does fine furniture feel soft and luxurious to the touch, it has to be graceful. Your eyes should melt into the layers of finishes that glow in the light. These patterns were designed to envelope you in the total experience of finer furniture. The closer you study a piece, the more it should reward you.”
High Point Market will take place April 2-7, in High Point, N.C.
The Institute for Supply Management's index of manufacturing activity climbed to 61.4 in February from 60.8 the previous month, which is the highest reading since it reached the same level in May 2004. The index indicates expansion in manufacturing, with February's new orders index rising to a seven-year high along with shrinking inventories and the highest level of order backlogs in a year. Export orders rose to the highest level in over 22 years, boosted by growth in developing countries like China, Brazil and India, according to the Institute for Supply Management.
Despite this expansion, commodity prices for raw materials rose for a third straight month, which may spark higher inflation and slow growth. The price increase was felt in the construction industry, as the US Commerce Department reported that spending by builders fell in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $791.8 billion.
"While there are many positive indicators, there is also concern as industries related to housing continue to struggle and the prices index indicates significant inflation of raw material costs across many commodities," said Norbert Ore, chairman of the institute's survey committee.
What do you do with old office furniture? In the states, we have a magical website called Craig’s List. On Craig’s List you can sell or give anything away and someone will take it. Of course, the people who come knocking on your door may make you want to reconsider the whole landfill thing.
South Coast Office Furniture, a UK-based office furniture manufacturer, has created a not-for-profit recycling service for unused and unloved contract furniture. The company will pick up the items for free and list what they currently have on their website. This perfectly usable furniture is for businesses, charities, schools or anyone who needs the equipment.
According to the company, 500,000 tonnes of office furniture is being landfilled (new British slang, anyone? Anyone?) each year, the aim is to reuse and recycle it in large quantities.
Well done old chaps!
FurnitureLab is hosting a national graphic table top design contest for the chance to win a trip to the Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas on May 18-20.
Contestants are encouraged to use collages, illustrations, artwork or photographs to illustrate what the contest theme of "travel" means to them and effectively display it on a table top. FurnitureLab staff will judge all entries and select a winning design to be displayed on a 24-inch table at the company's booth during the HD Expo. Entries will be judged on creativity, aesthetics and how well the design translates on a horizontal table surface.
Entry to the contest is free and the deadline for submission is Thursday, March 31. Visit FurnitureLab's website for contest rules or to submit an entry. The winning designer will receive free admission to the HD Expo, a special award during the show, a $500 gift prize to cover round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations in Las Vegas, a feature on FurnitureLab's website, and the actual table on which their winning design is displayed.
"We have been passionate about custom tables since the day we started because they let you make something that is truly unique," said Gregory Rapp, president of FurnitureLab. "This contest has been such an inspiring process and it reminds us that tables can do more than just support plates and elbows, but they can be a medium for expression, communication and truly make a place feel special."
Quality furniture is still manufactured in the United States, but to turn a profit one furniture maker is using the Web instead of traditional retail channels.
The retail-marketing model has served the furniture industry well; however, the people who make the furniture never got a chance to speak directly with the consumer. However, all that is changing thanks to the Web and social media.
CarolinaChair.com, is a direct-to-consumer custom furniture manufacturer that takes orders via their Web site and over the phone. The Hickory, N.C., based shop handcrafts one piece at a time and lets customers create the sofa, loveseat or chair that they want. Because the middleman is gone (the retailer) custom is more affordable. This is a smart business model and it’ll be interesting to see if other furniture manufacturers pull up their traditional marketing roots and try something new.
Most people won’t admit where their source of inspiration comes from (it starts with a b and ends with a room).
However, design student, Alix Armour was inspired by a pine cone, created a “pine-scale cocktail table” and won the 2011 Student Design Competition, sponsored by the American Society of Furniture Designers. Armour's table was prototyped and displayed at the High Point Market. According to the designer, she would like to create a furniture line based on the form, shape and colors of the pine cone. Nature is the original artist.
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum purchased a rare Zodiac settle designed by a 19th century Gothic Revivalist, William Burges. Designed for his personal residence, the Zodiac Settle (built around 1869) is an ornate canopied bench that combines an Italian Renaissance day bed with a castellated canopy.
The settle is made from painted, stenciled and gilded wood and decorated with rock crystal and vellum. The central panel features the sun on a throne surrounded by the dancing signs of the zodiac. The Settle’s other panels show the planets as musicians and female figures.
The art piece is extremely rare because it was an experiment and the design was never repeated.
More consumers are turning their home into a calm oasis, a respite from the chaos, according to Kelly-Moore Paint’s Top 10 Home Design Trends for 2011.“… Consumers have reached a point of 'frugal fatigue' -- they're ready to spend and take risks again in their homes, with a desire to revitalize, renew and restore their spirits. This shift is demonstrated in today's home design trends as we move towards a cleansing future," says Mary Lawlor, manager of color marketing at Kelly-Moore Paints.
A cleansing future…not sure, where she’s going with that, but here’s my take on her top four home design trends.
1. Home Design Element: Handcrafted goods. Handcrafted goods are experiencing a resurgence.
It’s a true fact that if you sprinkle glitter on anything it looks artsy.
2. Home Design Element: Furniture. Instead of designer couches or tables, homeowners will repurpose garage sale finds and family heirlooms.
Milk crates and lawn chairs they aren’t just for college anymore. Yippe.
3. Home Design Element: Imperfect natural materials. Nature's imperfections, such as wood flooring with knots and color imperfections in leather are now valued.
I believe this is called texture or distressing and people usually pay more for that.
4. Home Design Element: Furniture "Botox" -- or "Fotox". Families will make small upgrades around the home repurposing what they have. Lawlor calls this "furniture Botox" -- or "Fotox." Instead of buying a new piece of furniture, homeowners can upgrade existing ones -- a new slipcover or Granny's bureau painted high gloss black with decorative glittery knobs.
I’m not sure how much paint was huffed to come up with "furniture Botox." I’m guess this is where frugal fatigue sets in and you go out and buy something you really like.
According to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s monthly Trend of Business Survey, participating cabinet manufacturers reported sales totaling $4.5 billion for 2010, down 4.1% compared to total sales for 2009.
According to the survey, stock sales were down 6.7%, semi-custom sales were down 0.5% and custom sales were down 13.2%. December 2010 monthly sales were down 9.7% compared to December 2009. Stock sales for December 2010 were down 5.2%, semi-custom sales were down 13.5% and custom sales were down 9.5% compared to December 2000.
In kitchens, Shaker style has gained popularity, taking over contemporary style as the second-most popular look. Dark was the most specified finish at the end of 2010, and LED lighting was listed by 54% of respondents as the most requested lighting type. Unchilled wine storage, French-door refrigerators, induction cooktops and efficient trash methods like pull-outs, disposals and compactors all increased in popularity in the last three months of 2010.
Quartz countertops in bathrooms are closing in on the more popular granite style and greens were included with whites, off-whites, beiges and browns as popular bathroom color palettes. Vessel sinks and satin nickel faucets (the faucets are also a popular choice for kitchens) both saw an upswing in requests in the last quarter of 2010.
The most recent quarterly MADA/OFI Trends Survey indicated that trends were positive for the office furniture industry. Michael A. Dunlap & Associates, LLC completed the survey in January 2011 to measure the activity of the office furniture industry and its suppliers. The survey's January 2011 overall survey index is 57.01 (all numbers are on a scale of 1 to 100), which is the highest since the July 2007 Index of 58.49. Overall index value in October 2010 was 56.65. Gross shipments measured 65.00, well above the previous survey average of 57.41 and order backlog was 56.47, nearly identical to the earlier survey average of 56.46. The employment index increased to 55.77, which is the highest since the survey began. Hours worked rose to 59.09, the highest since the January 2007 index of 61.30. Capital expenditures rose to 58.24, the highest since achieving 55.75 in April 2006. New product development accelerated to 66.12, the highest since July 2007 at 66.32.
“Although I am very pleased in the results this quarter, as well as the past three quarters, I remain ‘cautiously optimistic’ for 2011 and 2012," Dunlap said.. "The improvements are nearly across the board for office furniture manufacturers and suppliers."
Dunlap said that suppliers and manufacturers both appear to share the same level of optimism, but he is not convinced that the industry can return to the same sales levels experienced in the late 1990s.
The majority of respondents cite increased material costs (steel, copper, and resins), energy costs, and increased health care costs as the “largest threats to the industry."
The January 2011 MADA / OFI Trends survey was sent to more than 600 individuals involved with office furniture manufacturing and suppliers from Asia, Europe, North and South America and from companies ranging from more than $1 billion in sales to less than $10 million in sales. The next survey will be in April 2011.
When you live in a 20,000-square-foot mansion a regular bed is like drinking tap water or flying commercial—it’s just not done!
Stuart Hughes (the British guy that blings out multimillion-dollar iPhones and flatscreens for the uber rich and flashy) and Hebanon by F.lli Basile Interiors of Nocera Superiore Italy have designed the world’s most expensive and exclusive bed, the Baldacchino Supreme. I know this bed sounds like an awesome new pizza creation, but it’s for real.
The bed of all beds is smothered in Italian silk curtains; the canopy bed is a luxe pairing of crème and gold hand carved from chestnut, ash and cherry woods. The Parisian influenced headboard is a capitonnè, button-punctured fabric that can be customized with diamond buttons or another stone for that extra flash.
If you covet gold, I mean COVET gold then hold on to yourself— this bed is covered in gold leaf (107kg of solid 24-carat gold). Only two Baldacchino Supremes will be made at a cost of $6.4 million to start. Anything and everything can be customized on this bed, and one has already been ordered by an Italian businessman.
As you lay in your common bed tonight with no gold leaf or diamonds and dream of the Baldacchino Supreme, don’t be surprised if you wake craving pizza.
Paula Deen, the patriarch of the Food Network, is taking a break from her Southern cooking to create a line of furniture so comfortable it’ll melt you like butter.
Known for her comfort food and southern charm, Deen is expanding her empire by collaborating with Universal Furniture to create pieces that are comfortable and casual with a bit of coastal style. Unlike some celebs who lend their name to a project, Deen helped design the collection and some of the pieces are similar to plantation antiques in her own home.
The Paula Deen Home collection includes furniture for the bedroom, home office, dining room, living room and home entertainment. The line’s wood furniture comes in a distressed tobacco finish, and accent pieces are available in painted finishes such as linen, Spanish moss and sea-oat.
According to Deen, life revolves around family and food—thow in some butter and I couldn’t agree more.
Everyone should experience a little “la dolce vita” every now and then.
Heather Dempsey and Massimo Mallamace, owners of San Francisco home furnishings shop Fatto a Mano are offering a select few the opportunity to experience Tuscany in a 500-year-old stone country house, Podere Erica.
The country house recently underwent a $1 million renovation and is packed with antique furniture and décor. A few amenities include a huge claw foot tub, working fireplaces in the bedrooms, air conditioning and a dreamy wisteria-covered pergola.
However, a little “la dolce vita” will set you back a few Euros, (6,685 Euros per week during the high season).
According to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association monthly Trend of Business Survey, overall cabinet sales for November 2010 decreased 4.1 percent compared to sales for November 2009.
Survey participants reported that stock cabinet sales decreased 8.8 percent, custom sales decreased 6.0 percent and semi-custom sales increased 1.4 percent. Respondents reported year-to-date sales also declined 3.0 percent, with stock sales down 5.5 percent, custom sales down 13.2 percent and semi-custom sales up 1.8 percent.
Survey participants included stock, semi-custom and custom companies with combined sales representing over 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.
It’s hard to find anything especially furniture that is actually Made in the USA, until now. Pacific Hospitality Design Inc. is the first U.S. custom furniture and furnishing manufacturer to earn the license to use the Made in the USA Certified Seal. In an industry where outsourcing has become the status quo, it’s nice to see some manufacturing is still thriving in the US.
If you read the fine print on many items you buy, you’ll find phrases like designed in California or Assembled in the USA (clever marketing trickery). Made in the USA Certified is a non-partisan leader in independent third-party assurance verification for genuine ‘Made in USA’ products and services.
The Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers is now accepting entries for the 2011 Fresh Wood Student Woodworking Competition. The competition, which will be showcased at the 2011 AWFS Fair, July 20-23, in Las Vegas, has six categories at both school levels: case goods, chairs, open, production/contract, reproduction and tables. Entries will be rated by a panel of ten judges who represent different aspects of the woodworking industry:
*Margaret Casey, director of programming for the World Market Center in Las Vegas and president of the Sustainable Furnishings Council Board of Directors;
*Andy Glantz, owner of Zenith Design and current president of the board of trustees of The Furniture Society;
*Alan Harp, an Atlanta-based furniture designer and former instructor of the Georgia Tech Advanced Wood Products Laboratory;
*Garry Knox Bennett, an Award of Distinction winner from The Furniture Society and Fellow of the American Craft Council;
*Greg Larson, director of the New England School of Architectural Woodworking;
*Merry Mabbett-Dean, owner/interior designer of Absolute Office of Oregon and a Fellow and past president of the International Furnishings and Design Association;
*Juan Morales, principal/VP operations of Contract Resources/Villa Hallmark;
*Jason Phillips,vice president and creative director of Phillips Collection;
*Marc Spagnuolo, owner and creator of TheWoodWhisperer.com; and
*David Wade, master craftsman at Maloof Woodworking.
The competition is open to full-time students in an accredited high school or post-secondary woodworking or related program and part-time students in an accredited post-secondary woodworking or related program that are transitioning into a career in woodworking or design. Entry applications will be accepted until May 2, 2011.
Looking for clues to what may be the next “it” color—look no further than your local grocery store. Blue may be the world’s most popular color, but the one to watch for 2011 is actually Magenta, according to DayGlo Color Corp.’s Brand Action Team. Product packaging, paint, cosmetics and clothing are all indicators of color trends that will eventually show up in furniture.
Pantone is also jumping on the pink hue bandwagon, declaring Honeysuckle the 2011 color of the year. According to Pantone, Honeysuckle is upbeat and dynamic…a conversation stimulant when used on dining room walls. I can almost hear the conversation now…
Frightened dinner guest: “Oh, you repainted your dining room…it’s…uh, a bold choice.”
Trendy host: “Yes, the color elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.”
Frightened dinner guest: “Do you talk to Elvis, too?”
However, with bold color comes great responsibility. Pantone warns, once you try this arresting shade, it can become addictive. We may need a colorvention, an intervention for good colors gone bad.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has banned in the United States any crib with a side rail that can be raised and lowered — also known as drop-side cribs. Hotels and daycare centers have two years to replace this style of furniture for a crib with four fixed sides.
Texture and natural imperfections are what gives wood its character. Mike Messer, owner of Great Lakes Rustics likes to take a living piece of wood, imperfections and all, and turn it into a functional piece of art otherwise known as a coffee table.
Great Lakes Rustics specializes in hickory, pine, red cedar and white cedar log furniture. The furniture line covers beds to dining tables to accessories. My favorite part of this rustic furniture line is the barn wood end tables. These end tables are made from historic Michigan barns that have been marked to be destroyed. The design varies somewhat because all salvaged wood is one of a kind.
No, I’m not talking about the Brooklyn Bridge. New Yorkers and New Yorkers at heart now have an opportunity to own a piece of historic NYC. Made of New York furniture is constructed out of old Manhattan lumber using as few machines as possible. This eco-friendly furniture line rescues 19th century lumber and wood materials that would end up in a dump somewhere in Jersey. The geometric collection’s simple lines complement the charm of the old wood. Prices range from $200 to $1,200 and the collection can be found here.
Modern furniture doesn’t have to be sterile and cold. Light Vintage from Italian design firm Moda offers an ornate, classic wood furniture line paired with bold, colorful modern fabrics. The result is a playful mix of old and new that would fit in a European palace and a loft in Chicago. The furniture line features chairs, sofas and my favorite the fainting couch.
Looking for new ways to incorporate your favorite pictures into your space? Two designers, have created the Lumi Process, which uses photo-realistic images and prints or ingrains them in the fiber on natural materials (denim, wood and raw leather) in an eco-friendly way (no harsh chemicals or processing).
If you’re a luxist, then the Lumi Process isn’t for you. The process can only be used on materials that can handle heat such as polyester or polyester-coated goods. Kind of a buzzkill, but I can see this high-art process, which is currently used on furniture going low-brow commercial in the next 10 years.
Nevermind those extra holiday pounds you packed on, Dutch designer Carolien Laro has released a series of stools with flexible seats created by cutting slits into their solid ashwood tops.
The seating collection includes a three-seatbench and three stools, one on wheels, one without and another with folded steel legs. To create the Springwood effect, each seat has 480 CNC-milled cuts.
