BIFMA 2010 projections lower than earlier forecast

BIFMA has lowered its 2010 projections from earlier this year.
The IHS Global Insight industry forecast model was adjusted to focus on the value of the U.S. office furniture market defined as consumption rather than as the historical and traditional shipments, or production.
This change was due to the increasing significance of international trade and its impact on the domestic market.

2009 Production:
$7.79 billion
Percent change: -30.2%

Consumption: $9.22 billion
Percent change: -29.0%

2010 Production:
$7.43 billion
Percent Change: -4.6%

Consumption: $9.04 billion
Percent Change: -1.9%

Cabinet sales decrease 25.1% in Oct.

Cabinet sales for October 2009 decreased 25.1 percent compared to sales for October 2008, according to participating members in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association monthly Trend of Business Survey.
Stock cabinet sales decreased 23 percent, semi-custom sales decreased 25.9 percent and custom sales decreased 31.3 percent.
The year-to-date sales show a decrease of 30.2 percent, with stock sales down 25.6 percent, semi-custom sales down 32.9 percent and custom sales down 37.2 percent.
Survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent over 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.

Oh yes, bigger is better

Go big or go home.
Kindel Furniture Co. just shipped a gigantic round (12 feet in diameter) mahogany table for a December governmental dinner party in Kuwait. This mahogany masterpiece features 84 pieces of applied brass all around its apron with gilt leaf and a huge inlaid medallion with pieces of satinwood and ebony and at the center of the table. A rosewood inlay border completes the decoration.
The giant was built in two pieces and was completed in just eight weeks.
To prepare the table for its long flight, according to Mlive.com, it was dismantled into three pieces: the base, and the top’s two halves. The shipping crate is estimated to cost around $2,000 and is the size of a small house.
According to the furniture manufacturer, this is the most expensive piece of furniture it has ever produced out of its Michigan factory (Kindel pieces start at $10,000).
Maybe this is why gas prices are creeping up again?

August furniture orders down 12%

New furniture orders in August 2009 were 12 percent lower than August 2009, according to Smith Leonard’s Furniture Insights, a monthly survey covering the furniture industry.
However, new orders were 7 percent higher than July 2009 orders. Year-to-date, new orders are down 19 percent from the first eight months of 2008, down from 20 percent last month.
Year-to-date, 90 percent of survey participants reported lower orders compared to last year.
August shipments declined 18 percent from August 2008 but were 15 percent higher than July. The increase over July is normal considering, for most, July was a three-week month due to the vacation week. Approximately 90 percent of participants reported lower shipments in August.
Year-to-date, shipments remained 20 percent lower than the first 8 months of 2008. Approximately 93 percent of the participants reported lower shipments.
Backlogs increased 1 percent over July as orders exceeded shipments for the month. Backlogs were 7 percent lower than last August, down from a 13 percent decline reported in July.

Vintage with a modern twist

I have to admit it, I hate fall.

I like the colors and pumpkin flavored anything, but I hate what comes next--winter.

This vintage aluminum sofa with super chic modern fabric reminds me of better times (summer). As Chicago flirts with its first hard frost of the season, I will be dreaming of mojitos and hot summer days.

Furniture Buying Index remains flat

As of October 1, the Furniture Buying Index remains flat. Unemployment and job concerns are keeping the Furniture trends Index at the current level.
“With more consumers out of work and even more fearing for their job security, Americans are delaying big ticket purchases such as furniture,” according to Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group.
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America’s Research Group from interviews with 5,000 to 8,000 consumers across the country.

US furniture industry: One leg to stand on?

Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Management firm Anderson Bauman Tourtellot Vos and Michael K. Dugan, author of “The Furniture Wars: How America Lost a $50 Billion Dollar Industry,” have released the study, “The American Furniture Industry: What Will It Take to Survive?”
This state of the industry report chronicles a perfect storm of consumer trends, market forces and industry intransigence.
Of the furniture manufacturing companies surveyed, sales dropped more than 10% on average last year, with some of the best known brands taking the biggest hits. Focused niche players are faring better because they are more agile than large publically held companies. Retailers were similarly afflicted as housing construction came to a standstill and consumers made do with the furniture they owned.
The furniture industry also has some unusual challenges, such as the fact that well-made wood furniture doesn't wear out, and only goes out of style at a glacial pace.
However, there is hope—branding and marketing!
While some well-known furniture companies won’t survive the recession, those that invest in sales and marketing will win the hearts and minds of consumers and gain market share long after the economy rebounds.

Harmony with just a hint of Asian mystique

Fashionista Vivienne Tam’s new upholstery line for Rowe Furniture is not the traditional East meets West fare.
Known for her iconic “Mao” collection, Tam adapted some of her signature fabrics for her new furniture line.
“Designing furniture is such a natural extension and passion for me. I have been thinking about this and collecting archives for years,” says Tam. “I want to bring beautifully designed prints, fabrics, colors and textures to create a truly unique line with subtle and sophisticated pieces inspired by my Chinese roots.”
The collection features multiple sofa groupings as well as accent pieces and will start shipping in early 2010.

US office furniture shipments down 31%

According to The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) Global Industry forecast model, U.S. office furniture shipments are expected to drop 31 percent this year, to $7.7 billion, when compared with 2008.
The decline in U.S. shipments is expected to slow to just 1 percent, at $7.6 billion, next year.
Until recently, Canada was the largest importer of office furniture into the U.S. decreasing from about 62 percent in 2000 to around 40 percent in 2009, while China has increased its share to about the same from less than 13 percent in 2000.
The overall Wood and Non-Wood product mix remains relatively constant at approximately 25 percent wood product and 75 percent non-wood product.

Herman Miller exhibit merges art with functionality

If you’ve been stuck for hours or days at Chicago’s O’Hare airport (hey, we all have to pay the piper sometime) then you’ve had the “pleasure” of experiencing Herman Miller’s Eames Tandem Sling Seating while eating overpriced McDonalds. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate good design but I want to napalm those chairs!!
The Muskegon Museum of Art announces the creation of the traveling design exhibition "Good Design: Stories from Herman Miller." The exhibit opened Aug. 20 in Muskegon, Mich., and will run to Nov. 8, 2009, and is scheduled to tour 15 cities into 2013 (tba). Overpriced McDonald's not included.

The exhibition explores the collaborative problem-solving design process employed at Herman Miller and presents viewers with four different case studies:
1. Ergonomics (Seating), Good Design Explores
2. White Collar Work (Action Office), Good Design Inquires
3. Graphic Communications, Good Design Engages
4. Mid-Century Classics, Good Design Endures

"Good Design" includes 30 pieces of furniture, prototypes and models along with more than 200 design drawings, sketches, photographs, oral histories and audio-visual materials to chronicle the evolution of Herman Miller's iconic furniture pieces.

iPhone apps for wood junkies

I have a confession to make, I don’t have an iPhone. I guess I’m just too thrifty to pay $200+ per month for a cell phone. If you’re one of the cool kids and love wood, I have two really sweet iPhone apps that may rock your world.
I.D. Wood is a pocket guide to species from around the world with samples and detailed information for more than 50 different woods. The app features, species names, origins, descriptions, properties, common uses, durability, sustainability and illustrations of lumber cutting techniques (to name a few). From the basic to the exotic, the app is a virtual guidebook for woodworkers, cabinetmakers, designers, artists, architects or anyone who loves wood. According to the developer, more wood species will be added in future updates.
The other iPhone app wood junkies will love is the ShopBot app. This app can control Shopbot's CNC router and emulates key strokes for basic commands. According to the company, the app allows users to program a CNC from anywhere in the world.
I just want a phone that doesn't drop my calls.

Bridging the natural, the constructed

Forrest Dickey’s inspiration for his furniture comes from historical hardwood barns of his youth in rural Wisconsin and New York's steel skyscrapers.
After reclaiming a large portion of red oak timber from a barn on family property, he began making furniture that brought together the warmth and history of the wood with urban architectural designs. Reclaimed wooden beams and timbers create the primary visual component of Varian Designs.
Dickey’s new furniture line Broen, which means bridge in Danish includes architectural tables and seating that blends natural and man-made materials.
“These designs combine the simplicity and beauty of natural materials with the contrasting complexity of architectural steel,” says Dickey. “It is a departure from past designs, but still maintains our trademark rustic‐modern feel and commitment to unique design and high-quality craftsmanship.”
The line is hewn from sustainably harvested walnut, white oak salvaged from whiskey casks, and recycled lasercut steel.

Pleasure, leisure, excess and all-out glamour

Even though the art deco period was cut short, its appeal continues to seduce generations.
Langin Design’s “Guggenheim" chair with its luxurious finish, streamlined form and exquisite materials is the epitome of the deco movement. The custom sexpot chair recently won 2nd place in the Classic Furniture category at the 2009 San Diego Design in Wood competition. According to the competition’s 16-person jury, “Elegant and powerful deco club chair with superb materials and craftsmanship throughout."
Francois Langin, owner of Langin Designs also won 2nd place in the Contemporary Furniture category for the “Gate”, a dining table.

The design house is launching a custom furniture fabrication line and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

New furniture orders down 17% in June compared to 2008

If the economy is improving, the furniture industry isn’t feeling it yet.
In June 2009, new orders were 17 percent lower than orders in June 2008, according to Smith Leonard’s monthly furniture survey of residential furniture manufacturers and distributors.
Year-to-date, new orders are down 21 percent, down slightly from the 22 percent reported last month. Approximately 93 percent of the participants have reported lower orders year-to-date versus last year.
Shipments in May were down 19 percent compared to May 2008. This compares to a 21 percent decline comparing April 2009 to April 2008. Year-to-date, shipments remained 21 percent lower than the first 5 months of 2008. Last year, shipments for the first 5 months were 7 percent below the first 5 months of 2007.
Backlogs were down 24 percent compared to May 2008. Last month, backlogs were down 26 percent so there was a slight improvement in these levels.

One good chair

Humans like to sit. And we all want to sit on a comfortable chair. However, I want my chair to be comfortable and look good.
I am not alone in my quest for beauty and functionality. The One Good Chair design competition focuses on lounge chairs or similar casual seating — to aid the body in the act of sitting.
For this year’s competition, designers and students were challenged to create sustainable chairs that meet the subtitled “Fit Right Here” criteria of Make good (Material conservation), Feel good (Physical comfort) and Look good (Emotional resonance).
Two chairs from Europe and one from a Florida designer are finalists in the competition, and the winner will be announced at the upcoming Las Vegas Market.
Select entries may be featured in Lance Hosey’s forthcoming book, “The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design.”

Furniture Buying Index rises to 57

The Furniture Buying Index rose two points this month to 57, reaching the same level as July’s reading.
Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, said, “Although the Furniture Buying Index rose slightly this month, it is well below the 70 point level retailers need to see strong traffic in their stores.”

Blurring the boundaries

Paging Brad Pitt…

“Furniture Futures,” the first in a series at the V&A is tapping influential designers and industry heavyweights to discuss how contemporary furniture is blurring the boundaries among art, craftsmanship and design.
The event coincides with the growing awareness of furniture as an expression of contemporary culture, and is structured around three main themes: Creative Directions, Changing Practice, and Promotion and Communication. Additional topics include whether furniture is a new art form; what role new materials and sustainability play in making and design; and whether individual creativity or collaboration in the key to innovative practice.
The Symposium will be held September 18, 2009 and is part of the London Festival of Design.

Furniture Buying Index slides to 55

The Furniture Buying Index has fallen two points to a reading of 55, the same as this time last year, according to America’s Research Group.
“More and more consumers are concerned about the national debt and are worried about government interference,” said Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group.
“Job security is a major worry for many Americans,” Beemer said. “... These fears have many consumers much less enthusiastic about buying furniture."
While consumers are hesitant to invest in furniture, it's important to remember that you can only put off a purchase for so long. Eventually, you have to buy a new chair, bed or furnish a home. The purse strings will loosen but probably not until next year.

Mies van der Rohe Furniture Designs causes legal catfight

In one corner you have Knoll Inc. In the other corner you have Alphaville Design. And in the middle you have Mies van der Rohe’s iconic Barcelona furniture designs from the 1920s.
The trouble started when Knoll sued Danrick LLC, dba ModernCollection.com last July in New York because the contract furniture maker claims exclusive trademark rights to the Barcelona chair design. Alphaville Designs joined in the court battle with its customer Danrick and the suit was dismissed in January.
Now, Alphaville Designs has filed a declaratory relief lawsuit against Knoll in San Francisco. Alphaville Design's lawsuit seeks to overturn Knoll's trade dress claims that it has exclusive rights to the 1920's Mies van der Rohe Barcelona furniture designs.
“Our case will clarify the law and show that Knoll cannot keep others from using these 1920's designs that have been made by a myriad of manufacturers for over 40 years,” says David Lee, President of Alphaville Designs. “We seek a full cancellation of Knoll's trademark registrations with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.”
I guess this proves that good design is worth fighting for. Stay tuned.

Are you more talented than a 12th grader?

Before you answer, check out the 2009 Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge Woodworking Competition Grand Prize winner (see above), Andrew Prioli, a graduating high school senior in a WoodLINKS program at Cedar Ridge High School, Hillsborough, N.C. Prioli earned the top honor and $3,000 for “Inverurie,” a walnut dining room table with inlays of curly maple, cocobolo, maple burl and walnut burl veneers depicting three stallions and Celtic knots. Certainly Wood, distributor for the project, received a cash award of $2,000, and salesman Jim Carroll received $1,000, in recognition of their participation in the supply chain.
“We were very impressed with the caliber of the student work. They gave the pros a real run for the money,” says Will Sampson, editor-in-chief of CabinetMaker magazine, one of three judges for this year’s competition that rewards excellence in woodwork featuring natural veneer and wood product applications. “This speaks well for the future of the industry. We all should be looking over our shoulders at the up and coming talent.”
Prioli is headed to the Rhode Island School of Design in the fall aiming to be a furniture design major. He also was a 2008 Craftsman’s Challenge honorable mention winner in the Student Designs category.
This year’s competition category winners, each receiving $1,000, are:

*Architectural Woodworking, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork, Salt Lake City, for the Alice Tully Hall at the Julliard School of Music, designed by Diller, Scofidio & Renfro
*Cabinetry, Paul and Robin Mann of Paul Mann Custom Boats, Manns Harbor, N.C., for the sportfish yacht, Ann Warrick
*Furniture, John W. Harper of EMC Woodworking, Phoenix, for “Office Piece;” in Specialty Items, for the second year in a row, Geoffrey Kaiser aka Tockhwock, and Bruce Grimes, Santa Rosa, Calif, for “Sunset on the Aegean,” a reproducing grand piano
*Store Fixtures, Mark Ramsey of Tahiti Cabinets Inc., Anaheim, Calif., for “Something Silver;”
*Student Designs, Michael Poorman, Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C., for the dinner table “A Poor Man’s Legacy.”
*Honorable Mention, In recognition of his striking use of marquetry, Chuck Sharbaugh of Sharbaugh Woodwork, Holly, Mich, received a special judges’ plaque for his furniture entry, a standing cabinet titled “Tribute.”
The Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge entries for 2010 will be accepted beginning September 30, 2009. The results of next year’s competition will be announced at the IWFshow in Atlanta, Ga. CabinetMaker+FDM magazine again will be Craftsman’s Challenge partner sponsor.

Old school millwork rocks theWit

Following the philosophy of ‘more experience than hotel,’ theWit’s millwork sets the stage for a dramatic 27-story sensory experience {see New Chicago boutique hotel features $2.4M in millwork }.
For almost a year, DeLeers Millwork, Green Bay, Wis. crafted a large assortment of furnishings that included drapery valances and bathroom vanities for 270 guest rooms, kitchenettes for 90 condominiums, gift shop display cases, closet shelving, and the lobby registration desk. All of theWit furnishings feature a modern, flawless high-end look to properly represent the personality of theWit.
On the assortment of furnishings, DeLeers used premium-grade wood finishes, rift sliced white oak veneer, custom-made chrome footings for bathroom vanities, high-gloss lacquer finishes, and used blueprint-match paneling and doors in several public spaces.
The project used a variety of the materials, which were hand sanded by DeLeers team members. The company also used a Global Finishing Solutions dryer, which created a harder, more protective finish, and reduced the cure time by 75 percent.
The project garnered DeLeers The Architectural Woodwork Institute’s ‘Quality Certification Program’ (QCP) certification, which includes comprehensive testing and inspection.
TheWit, a Double Tree hotel is located on Chicago’s historic State Street.

Eco-friendly elegance rewarded

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry awarded Superior Woodcraft Inc. 2009 Contractor of the Year in the category Residential Interior Under $100,000.
The library is an exquisite blend of luxury and sustainability. The project used ESP-certified (KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program) custom cabinetry from plantation grown lyptus (a highly renewable hardwood), domestic core no-added urea formaldehyde plywood, rapidly renewable cork paneling, low VOC finishes, as well as products and processes recognized and approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.
This green modern media room has all the trappings of a traditional library including wainscot paneling, cabinetry, and a coffered ceiling, which seamlessly integrates with state-of-the-art media. The contest was judged by an independent panel of industry experts who looked at functionality, problem solving, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation and degree of difficulty.

The Ferrari of wine cellars

When a bottle of wine costs more than what many people make in a week, a cheap wire rack just won’t do.
Revel Custom Wine Cellars provides high-end collectors a new spin on displaying and storing prized wine collections. Uninspired by traditional diamond bins and standard cork out storage racks, owner, James Cash designed a system that makes the wine the star not the rack.
Revel’s design uses dowel-bottom sliding drawers and carousels, which creates airflow between bottles and reduces wood consumption. It also provides improved bottle visibility and ease of access. All shelves higher than eye level can be stocked with labels facing downward, allowing them to be seen from below.
Similar to kitchen cabinetry, the design uses base units and upper units. Each unit contains a series of sliding drawers that holds multiple bottles as opposed to a matrix of stationary, single-bottle cubicles. Revel’s base units can accommodate either individual bottles or boxes, and are 25 inches deep. Upper units can either be hung from the wall or stacked upon the base unit and are available in 17 inches or 25 inches deep.
The Wine Wheel available in a base-unit height or in a floor-to-ceiling model can accommodate up to 18 standard bottles and operates like a Lazy Susan. The Wine Wheel allows collectors working with limited space to make efficient use of corner space that would otherwise be wasted.

Furniture buying index drops to 57, office furniture tanks

The Furniture Buying Index fell two points this month to a reading of 57, according to America’s Research Group.
“… more consumers have put discretionary spending on a complete and total hold,” Britt Beemer, chairman of the group, said.
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America’s Research Group from interviews with 5,000 to 8,000 consumers across the country.
The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association is forecasting a continued slowdown for the office furniture industry.
Orders and shipments of office furniture for the first quarter of 2009 came in below expectations, according to the association, which recently refined its forecast model to better reflect the image of some of the model’s drivers and improve accuracy.
The domestic market should improve as 2009 progresses, but recovery for the rest of the world will be slower.
Projections as of late May are:
*2009U.S. Production: $8.0 billion, a decrease of 28.6 percentU.S. Consumption: $9.4 billion, a decrease of 27.4 percent
*2010U.S. Production: $8.2 billion, an increase of 2.8 percentU.S. Consumption: $9.8 billion, an increase of 3.9 percent

Deep-seated eco silliness

Swiss artist and furniture designer Michel Bussien is an environmental matchmaker of sorts — his recent creation the “The Growing Chair” offers humans a reintroduction to nature.
A fast growing Willow tree and a Russian vine is planted into a chair-shaped plastic greenhouse. The Willow tree forms around the chair supporting the structure and the vine helps hold everything together.
When the flora outgrows its lush greenhouse, it can be snapped open and removed.
Awkward introductions aside, this living chair shows that environmentalists maybe have a sense of humor??!
According to the artist’s Nature Manifesto:
“… To move further we need to incorporate the living matter that surrounds us. Let us use the complexity of living nature and include it in our creations. These creations will then redefine the way we reconstruct nature. Only then will we truly move forward…”
Then again, maybe not.

If you've got it, spend it!

While Angela Jolie collects orphans, her other half, Brad Pitt collects high-end (not child friendly) contemporary furniture. During his shopping spree at Design Miami/Basel he purchased hundreds of thousands of dollars of contemporary furniture.

Here's a sampling of what he purchased:

I can’t help but wonder what this stuff will look like after it’s been exposed to their child army. Kudos to Brad Pitt for keeping the high-end furniture market rolling!

A cure for chair butt?

Inspired by the playfulness of an orange peel, Varier Furniture is unleashing its Peel Club chair at NeoCon, June 15-17.
This chair is more than good looking—it’s a pleasurable experience for the body. Goodbye chair butt??! The organic shape allows users to vary their sitting position while lounging, reading, listening or plotting evil (my personal favorite).
The ergonomic chair has been wildly popular in the European contract market, selling more than 55,000 units in 10 months. To translate: If you don’t like this chair, then you’re not as sophisticated or cool as our chain-smoking, swatch car driving, and beret wearing brethren across the pond.
The Peel Club is made from 100 percent recycled materials and is available in eco-friendly wool and hundreds of color and fabric combinations.

Recession Smession: DVF boutique channels white hot glamour

Design maven Diane Von Furstenburg has never been afraid to take risks—including expanding her brand in a recession.
DVF recently teamed with Storetech+Co to create a posh, high-style shopping experience. The design focal point, a custom Swarovski chandelier features suspended crystal droplets against a contemporary white interior. The soft metallic finish absorbs and softly reflects a continuously changing color palette. Adding to the glamour are Venetian plaster ceilings and gleaming white terrazzo flooring adorned with exotic skin rugs.
Plasma screens are strategically placed to showcase DVF runway shows, and her designs and accessories are shown on floor-to-ceiling custom millwork throughout the boutique.

An ode to breezy summer days

After working in the world of loveless high-volume manufacturing, New Zealand native Jolyon Yates wanted to create some soulful and distinctive low-volume furniture.
In 2008 he started ODE, a venture that specializes in one-off distinctive, eco-friendly furniture.
I especially love his Breeze or Savannah Rocker. Its flowing surfaces lead the eye on an easy journey into a slower era. The Breeze is sculpted from Birch Plywood and stands approximately 1,000 mm tall by 520 mm wide by 1,000 mm deep. It’s finished with a strong satin lacquer to draw out the subtle natural colors of the wood.

Pimp my outdoor space: Green edition

Vacations are so last year.
According to a recent survey, almost one-third of consumers are staying home during vacation time and 59 percent are cutting back on vacations. Enter the staycation, a fancy term for hanging out in your backyard. Many retailers are hoping staycations will translate into increased outdoor furniture sales.
To help cut through wooden outdoor furniture greenwashing claims, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has released its third annual Garden Furniture Scorecard. The Scorecard catalogs 16 retailers selling Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified garden furniture at various price points.
Retailers such as Cost Plus World Market, Crate & Barrel, The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Pottery Barn all scored 4 stars or better, which means that more than 70 percent of their tropical wood garden furniture is from responsible sources. This is the largest group of retailers to attain a score of 4 stars or better.

According to the NWF, The U.S. is the world’s largest single importer of wooden furniture from tropical timber-producing countries, with garden furniture representing about one-fifth of the wooden furniture market. U.S. imports of all tropical wood products have increased four-fold over the past decade. As a result, the once biologically rich forests of countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil are being depleted at an unprecedented rate.
NWF plans to continue its annual surveys of major outdoor furniture retailers to track the progress of making FSC-certified products available to consumers.

Little space, big idea

Instead of offering out-of-town guests the couch or a blow up mattress, now you can offer them the ottoman.
Hollandia International has designed a convertible ottoman that folds out into a twin bed. The space-saving furniture trend is available in more than 250 fabrics, and features a Vita Talalay Latex mattress that is specially ventilated for increased air circulation. It also has a flexible shoulder zone (a softer area where shoulders can press further into the mattress without resistance). The bed is designed to alleviate back pain and numbness for side-sleepers.

Once your guest is over the shock of sleeping on the ottoman, it may encourage them to ante up for a hotel room next visit. Well played.

Super sneaky vacuum

I don’t mean a dog. But, if you have a dog, you know whatever food hits the floor will be “taken” care of. Think of the Vroom as a dog you never have to walk.

This sweet vacuum is hidden in a kitchen or bathroom cabinet and is ready to suck up your latest mess. I think I’m in love!
The Vroom features a 24-foot-long hose, and automatically turns on when the hose is pulled from the base and shuts off when it’s put back in place. It also has a built-in crevice tool for hard-to-reach messes and has more suction than handheld or upright vacuums.

Not your father's Murphy bed

When you live in a small space it must take on multiple personalities during the day.
A Murphy or hideaway bed is one way to incorporate another personality into a small space. Thankfully they’ve come a long way from a small wire-frame mattress hidden in a closet.
This new generation furniture trend is all about stylish storage. The functional and luxe Habersham Augustine bed with bookcase is the Ferrari of Murphy beds. The design clearly conceals your sleeping quarters and will leave guests wondering, “Where do you sleep?”
The Augustine bed comes in various hand-painted finishes to match almost any décor.

Furniture visionary Maloof dies at 93

Sam Maloof’s wooden furniture was much like the man graceful and creative, has died. He was 93.
As a newlywed in the late 1940s’ Maloof couldn’t afford furniture and set out to build his own using discarded fir plywood and oak shipping crates. Soon after his friends and family started asking for copies of his pieces.
Maloof began his career as a full-time woodworker in 1948 and was completely self-taught.
In 1949, Better Homes & Gardens magazine published photographs of his furniture to show readers how to decorate on a budget. Less than 10 years later the American Craft Museum in New York displayed his work in its first studio-craft furniture exhibition. Maloof also was the first craftsman to receive a MacArthur Foundation grant in 1985.
Over the decades his handcrafted furniture sells for more than 100 times the original purchase price and can be found in the Vatican, the Smithsonian and the White House.
His signature design was a rocking chair with elongated rockers jutting backward. While the feature looks to be sculptural it was incorporated to keep the chair from tipping over.

Reduce, reuse, then what?

Furniture designer Hugh Hayden’s Tennis Ball Chair is as green as it gets. Instead of throwing out flat tennis balls, she turned them into a chair. It’s eye-catching and clever, but what do you do with the chair when it’s ready for the curb? I know this chair is art and would never get thrown out, but it does stop and make you think.

Can a recycled product be recycled again?

A royal “garage sale” of sorts

Rich people are just like us. They like to get rid of stuff, but instead of having a garbage sale (typo stays), they opt to sell their unwanted treasures at auction.
According to an article in the Telegraph, four items (fine furniture and accessories) purchased after Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 are up for grabs. The items include a pair of giltwood chairs, green silk screen, table and a pair of cabinets. All the furniture is from the Victorian period.
The standout piece is a gilded center table made from amboyna wood and was specially made for Queen Victoria. The table is stamped with the Queen’s crown, the initials VR 1866 and Windsor Castle – Room 243.
The auction will be held May 29 at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

A chair with Daddy issues

Meet Daddy’s chair, a Danish modern recliner with a sense of humor. Designed by De Vorm, Daddy’s chair is a bold, sophisticated armchair with a steep recline. The low-slung chair was designed with an optimal angle to be the perfect reading chair.
Unlike a real daddy, this armchair features no-sag springs and foam cushions which can be covered with any fabric. The design is available with no armrests and a couch can be created by attaching two or more chairs to one another.

New Chicago boutique hotel features $2.4 M in millwork

Millwork sexes up a room.
I love mouldings, wainscot, coffered ceilings, and built-ins— anything ornate and pretty. This is the main reason why I prefer older hotels versus gleaming modern behemoths. Millwork is everywhere not just the bar, lobby and some ballrooms.
TheWit Hotel, a boutique hotel opening June 4, 2009 in Chicago, features $2.4 million in millwork. The project includes sleek bathroom vanities, 'barn door' valances for all rooms, and chic kitchenette cabinets for all five floors of the downtown Chicago condominiums.
I will post more millwork shots and info as soon as I get it.

Magical table expands at the push of a button

I remember my Mom wrestling with extra dining room leaves for every major holiday. Besides being a hassle to install, it was always a chore to dig them out of the storage closet. Those days are over for anyone who can afford The Fletcher Capstan Table, a round table that can double its seating capacity at the push of a button.
What makes this table so very amazing is that it stores its expansion leaves within itself. According to DB Fletcher Design, the table can go from seating six people to 12 in a matter of seconds. When small, the top is made up of six pie shaped leaves, and an outer skirt in the manner of a drum table. Under this first layer lie two more layers of leaves, the first strata made up of six arrow-shaped leaves and, under that, a large star shaped leaf. The table operates electrically from a small remote, and bases can even be made to vary in height.
The motors controlling the mechanism run on low voltage, which can be supplied from a re-chargeable battery housed within the table’s base. This battery is easily removed for re-charging and installation of the second supplied battery.

For yacht installations (I told you it was pricey), the table can run on its own batteries, or be connected to the ship’s electrical supply.
All tables are individually designed and built, and each is one numbered.

Furniture Buying Index rises to 58

The Furniture Buying Index inched up two points this month to a reading of 58 as of May 1.
“We will have to continue to watch the index in the coming months and hope that this trend continues,” Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, said.
“Hopefully the index will continue to rise and will get above the 70-point level by the end of the year.”
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America’s Research Group from interviews with 5,000 to 8,000 consumers across the country.

Sustainable cabinetry options grow

While the environment and sustainability have taken a backseat to the economy and a potential global plague on the evening news, when it comes time to buy cabinetry or furniture consumers want green options. And manufacturers are listening.
Superior Woodcraft, a custom cabinet manufacturer announced all its products and processes have been certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). The ESP promotes the use of lumber from recognized forestry programs, such as the Forest Stewardship Council, and low formaldehyde-emitting wood products. Other features of the program include rewards to manufacturers who implement educational and community outreach programs, and the requirement that companies annually review environmental practices.
Certification is just the latest step in Superior Woodcraft’s environmental efforts, in 2004 the cabinetmaker partnered with the KCMA and The National Arbor Day Foundation to help plant 50,000 trees. The company partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in 2005 to support the Hardwood Forestry Fund by planting more than 19,000 trees in the Susquehannock State Forest.

Sex, lies and office furniture

Apparently more than furniture making is on the mind of top brass at KI.
The former president of the Green Bay manufacturer has filed a lawsuit claiming his was wrongly fired in May 2008 after confronting his boss, Richard Resch, CEO and “philanthropist” about his repeated affairs with female staffers, according to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Roderick Ganiard makes the claims in the lawsuit against Resch that at least five women have brought sexual harassment complaints against KI, and that Resch forced him out after he led the company to record sales. It also claims that Resch’s alleged relationships with female employees disrupted day-to-day operations. Ganiard seeks several hundred thousand dollars in lost wages and benefits he claims he was denied as well as unspecified punitive damages.
Attorneys for Resch deny the claims, according to court records.
The lawsuit’s timing also could affect a potential sale of KI. In the current economy, many office furniture manufacturers are laying off workers, cutting plants and scaling back product offerings. However, Resch and KI are no strangers to sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuits. This sounds like great fodder for a reality show or at least a Lifetime movie of the week.

Flotation device or eco-chic chair?

Norwegian artist and furniture design student, Camilla Hounsell Halvorsen created an eco-friendly chair made out of recycled upholstery material and inner tubes.

Drop chairs have stainless steel legs with an inner tube covered with fabric. The seat is not permanently fixed to the under frame so it can be tilted by the user. The seat also can be removed from the frame and used as a cushion.
“The chair’s design has been inspired by the process behind making tassels. Drop introduces elements of childish delight and colorfulness into the user’s everyday life,” according to Halvorsen.
I just have one question: Can the chair’s cushion be used as a floatation device in the event of a water landing????

Casegoods companies build on sustainable practices

La-Z-Boy casegoods companies American Drew and Lea Industries have achieved Sustainable by Design registration.
The American Home Furnishings Alliance’s Sustainable by Design program aims to create a culture of conservation and environmental stewardship with sustainable business practices, according to the association.
“… American Drew and Lea Industries have realized a 12 percent reduction in electrical energy used over the past two years,” said Stephanie St. Pierre, environmental and safety manager for the two companies.
The companies also are reducing water use, resulting in a savings of 3 percent, or 300,000 gallons, in the first year. Also, 140 tons of solid waste was diverted from landfills to a recycling center during the past year.
As part of the program’s audit, the companies established several goals, including:
*Supply chain management
*Energy conservation, water conservation, recycling and solid/hazardous waste minimization
*Use of low-VOC/low-HAP coatings, certified lumber, low-emitting UF resins
Kincaid Furniture, also part of the La-Z-Boy casegoods division, previously passed the sustainability audit and Hammary is slated to complete the program later this month.

Furniture Buying Index remains at 56

The Furniture Buying Index remained unchanged this month at 56, according to America’s Research Group.
Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group, said, “This is somewhat positive for the furniture industry since at least the index did not go down …”
The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America’s Research Group from interviews with 5,000-8,000 consumers across the U.S.
This may be an indicator that the recession has bottomed out or at least stabilized. While consumer confidence remains low, I think furniture manufacturers will have to offer rock-bottom prices to get customers into showrooms.

Fairfield Chair makes green strides

Fairfield Chair has completed the Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture program for environmental management at its two upholstery plants and its Lenoir, N.C., headquarters, according to the American Home Furnishings Alliance.
Fairfield President Dick Posey said the program took more than a year to complete and during that time the company reduced its landfill tonnage by 28 percent, water use went down by 14 percent and kilowatts of electricity used was reduced by 5 percent.
EFEC stresses employee education, using environmentally friendly components and sustainable lumber.
Fairfield’s lumber is from sustainable U.S. forests, and plywood meets CARB requirements.

Extreme makeover: Adirondack furniture

This is not your traditional sitting by the lake Adirondack-style furniture.
The Adirondack Museum asked six modernist and postmodern architects and designers and six Adirondack rustic furniture makers to create a new, modern aesthetic. The results of the collaborations have reinvigorated rustic furniture trends using traditional methods and materials.
The "Rustic Tomorrow" collection features a desk by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill consulting partner David Childs that was built by Wayne Ignatuck with red oak salvaged from his yard and walnut castoffs from a nearby farm. A table by Shope Reno Wharton Associates’s Allan Shope was constructed in black walnut by Judd Weisburg, according to Interior Design magazine.
Other contemporary designers include, Michael Graves, Nils Luderowski Architect and Dennis Wedlick Architect, and 20th Century Fox art director Thomas Cardone, according to Interior Design.
This exhibit will travel to:
Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute, Utica, New York — February 14 through April 19, 2009.
D. Wigmore Fine Art Inc., New York, New York — April 22 to May 6, 2009.
"Rustic Tomorrow’s" one-of-a-kind pieces will be sold at auction to benefit Adirondack Museum on May 6.

KI hosts universal design series

Instead of style over substance, universal design is style with substance.
Award-winning designers Dan Cramer and Paul James will discuss universal design principles at the first “Night of Universal Tastes," April 30 in Chicago for architecture and design (A&D) professionals.
Sponsored by KI and Pallas Textiles, the event focuses on furniture design that can accommodate various body types and allow interior designers to create a consistent aesthetic. The event series is designed to familiarize the A&D community with this concept and offer immediate solutions that can be used in projects.
In addition to remarks by Cramer and James, who designed the industry’s first universal seating collection, KI’s Arissa Collection, a tasting of wine and hors d’oeuvres from around the world will follow the presentation.

For more information, contact Christina Sorbello, csorbello@mower.com.

Networking site for woodworking professionals launches

I just found a great new place to network with other professional woodworkers—Sawdust Soup. While other networking sites receive tons of press (facebook, myspace and linkedin) this site is just for us! So far, more than 140 woodworking professionals have joined Sawdust Soup and counting.
It costs nothing to join and you can share photos, videos, chat with other shop owners and join forums. Some of my favorite forums include: Finishing, CNC Circle, Software Geeks, All Things Hardware and Custom Furniture Makers.
Of course, if you have an idea for a forum you can start your own group. I also found you can blog (and who doesn’t have something to say!). Check it out and let me know what you think.
See you at Sawdust Soup!

Fine furniture maker relocating to N.C.

No, the headline is not a typo. Ava Design, a start up high-end custom furniture manufacturer is relocating from New Jersey to North Carolina not China or the Philippines--North Carolina.
Owner, Matt Carfaro plans to start production during the first week of June in a former Belmont textile mill and display furniture at a South End showroom, according to the Charlotte Observer.
North Carolina has lost tens of thousands of furniture-making jobs over the past decade, mostly to Asian countries where labor is cheaper. The N.C. Commerce Department estimates the state now has 1,450 furniture companies employing 63,300 workers.
However, Carfaro wants to tap into a trained labor force. More than 65 experienced cabinet makers have applied for 15 jobs he plans to fill. In the future, he hopes to employ 35 to 50 people.
Ava Design is focusing on capturing the boutique furniture trend niche. The heirloom-quality furniture is made from American walnut and American white oak, and consoles, dining room tables and small tables can run from $600 to $3,600.
Made in the U.S.A will cost a bit more, but you get what you pay for.

Furniture Buying Index drops to 56

The Furniture Buying Index fell three points this month to a reading of 56, according to America’s Research Group. The index is compiled each month by America’s Research Group from interviews with 5,000 to 8,000 consumers across the U.S.
In a typical month, 80 percent of the consumers interviewed can name a specific furniture item they intend to buy. The index’s mark signifies what percent of the benchmark 80 percent actually have a particular item or furniture trend in mind.

Meet the easy chair’s hot European cousin

There’s nothing like sinking into a comfy chair after a long, stressful day at work and zoning out on trash TV with a box of Girl Scout cookies. Of course, our European brethren like to relax just as much as we do, but they do it with a bit more style.
The Scharly Designer Studio is debuting the Frankfort Factory chair at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) from May 16 to 19 in New York. The modern chair was designed with a Zen concept—its ultra soft backrest adapts to everyone and memorizes the most comfortable position with its intelligent surface, creating an extraordinary relaxing sensation.
This lounge chair is manufactured with a very smooth foam that is covered by a fine layer of latest-generation soft polyurethane, which provides elasticity and light reflection. The seat is made with a very resistant yet lightweight material.
The chair was produced under conditions in line with sustainable and environmental development. Greenhouse gases not included.

Bentley car switches gears to fine furniture

Bentley, James Bond’s favorite getaway car, is giving drivers and admirers more wood. Because of the global economic crunch, veneer artisans are repurposing off-cuts from walnut used for the luxury car’s dashboard and trim to make cabinets, occasional tables and furniture for showrooms in the UK. The manufacturer is planning to eventually sell off the fine furniture to the pubic, if there is a demand.
Bentley also designs and sells luxury cigar boxes, jewelry boxes, matchboxes and writing instruments.

Chicago throws down: Green Office Challenge is on

Why so grim? Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s press conference cronies look like they just witnessed the killing of the world’s last panda bear. Instead the City of Chicago, ComEd and various Chicago business leaders launched two environmental projects, the Green Office Challenge and Earth Hour, at the OFS Brands showroom in the Merchandise Mart.
The Green Office Challenge encourages tenants and operators of high-rise office buildings to save energy, increase recycling and water efficiency and reduce paper consumption. OFS Brand’s office furniture showroom has improved its recycling program for office materials including paper, electronics, light bulbs and construction materials, which is diverting 748 tons of materials from landfills per year. As a result, the showroom has achieved LEED Gold Certification.
Earth Hour to be held on March 28 is a nationwide event in which lights are turned off for one hour to call attention to the fight against global climate change. In 2008 more than 2.8 million Chicago-area residents turned out their lights for Earth Hour, which resulted in a 7 percent reduction in electricity usage during that time. Represent!
According to Daley, more environmentally efficient office buildings are critical to helping Chicago reduce its impact on the planet’s changing climate.
Special note: No pandas were harmed during the writing of this blog.

Gag me: The 80’s are back!

While Nostradamus may not have predicted this, the 1980’s are back.
I have scary memories of me in checkered vans, acid wash jeans, a brightly colored sweater vest, neon gummi bracelets running up my arm and a retainer.
Karim Rashid, known for his cheeky designs for Alessi, Dirt Devil and Prada has created a new line of beds for Hollandia International that incorporate the best? of 1980’s fashion and design. This totally awesome collection features edgy looks with multifunctional appeal, such as a collapsible desk, night stands and even a retractable TV.

‘Rock star’ chair smashes record

Furniture is art.
Sometimes the art is bad and occasionally it takes your breath away. At the Yves Saint Laurent art collection auction, an art deco armchair by Irish designer Eileen Gray fetched $43.2 million dollars—a record for a Gray design, and the second largest sum ever paid for furniture.
The one-off rounded brown leather piece called “the Dragon’s Armchair” features arms that morph into sculpted dragon’s heads. According to several written reports, the record holder was an 18th century "Badmington cabinet" which sold for $36.6 million in December 2004.
I’m not sure why anyone would want a "Badmington cabinet,” but that chair ROCKS my world!
All the bidding debauchery went down Feb. 23 – 25 in Paris at Christie’s.