Office furniture study results 'mixed bag'

Michael A. Dunlap & Associates recently released the results of its quarterly MADA/OFI Trends Survey, designed to measure the business activity of the office furniture industry and its suppliers. This survey was completed in January.
Survey results include:
*Gross shipments have improved, but order backlog has declined
*Employment is steady (but below 50), while hours worked has increased above 50 for the first time since October 2008
*Capital expenditures and tooling expenditures declined significantly in the 4th quarter of 2009
*New Product Development has increased significantly
*Raw material costs and employee costs have risen, but not to alarming levels
The Personal Outlook Index remains below 50, but with little change from the October 2009 Survey
“I’m a little disappointed in the results this quarter. It’s a real 'mixed bag.' I was expecting to see improvements in order backlog and personal outlook. I am surprised in the decreases in capital expenditures and tooling expenditures, but I think this will bounce back in the next quarter. The low Personal Outlook index puzzles me, but I think that OFM’s (office furniture manufacturers) are more optimistic than suppliers or service providers. That’s the norm,” said Michael Dunlap.

Nov. 2009 cabinet sales down 15%

Cabinet sales for November 2009 decreased 15.4 percent compared to year-earlier figures, according to participating members in the KCMA monthly Trend of Business Survey. Stock cabinet sales decreased 13.5 percent, semi-custom sales decreased 17.6 percent and custom sales decreased 14 percent.
The year-to-date sales show a decrease of 29.2 percent, with stock sales down 24.7 percent, semi-custom sales down 32 percent and custom sales down 35.6 percent.
Survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent more than 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.

Residential furniture orders don't retreat in October

I would like to interrupt this recession with a bit of "good" news.
For the first month since October 2007, new orders for residential furniture were not lower than the same month a year ago, according to Smith Leonard's most recent Furniture Insights survey of residential furniture manufacturers and distributors.
October 2008 was the first month that year in which orders fell 20 plus percent, but for October 2009, 41 percent of survey participants reported increases in orders from the previous year, up from 33 percent in September and 20 percent in August.
Year-to-date, new orders were 16 percent lower than a year ago, compared to 18 percent in September and 19 percent in August. Currently, 93 percent of those surveyed are reporting lower orders compared to the same period a year ago.

Have we just run out of good ideas?

Sao Paulo Fashion Week 2010 began Jan. 18 in Brazil's largest city. The six-day event is a showcase for the fall/winter 2010 collections of 38 designers, who take their inspirations from such sources as animals and furniture.

I wonder who will wear this to the Oscars?

Putting the ‘love’ back in loveseat

Martini (check)
Soft music, low light (check)
Drunken special someone (check)

Loveseat signed by Hugh Hefner?

Attention all you groovy cats even if you were born in the decade of greed, you can still own a piece of the 1960s’. “The Hef,” an iconic sofa will set you back a mere $15,000.
But can you put a price on mojo? Apparently you can.
Each sofa is covered in gray mohair, with nail head detailing, rosewood side panels, down-wrapped 2.0 density foam seat cushions and all-down back cushions. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s signature is under the cushions and sewn as a permanent label. Only 50 loveseats will be made and can be found through HazelnutNewOrleans.com.
Is mohair stain repellent?

NKBA unveils 2010 kitchen, bath trends

Even though the economy is sputtering, kitchen and bathrooms continue to be rooms that homeowners want to trick out, update or gut. Here’s what the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is predicting for 2010 kitchen and bath trends based on surveys from its members.

Traditional is cool again. Traditional is the most popular kitchen design style but contemporary isn’t far behind. Shaker cabinets are experiencing a strong resurgence and neutral tones are favored. Shades of white and off-whites are the most popular kitchen colors and brown, beige and bone hues are also finding favor.

Cherry rules. Cherry is the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry followed by maple and alder is also gaining ground. For finishes, medium natural, dark natural, glazed and white painted are preferred. Other colors of painted cabinetry and light natural finishes are in decline including distressed finishes.

Tile trumps wood. Ceramic, porcelain tiles and natural stone remain popular for kitchen floors. As for countertops granite is still the most favored, edging out quartz. For backsplashes, ceramic, porcelain tile and glass are most wanted.

Cabinet trends. When pitching a new kitchen design, here are a few options to mention: under counter refrigeration and dishwasher in a drawer. Both will require special cabinetry and electrical and plumbing considerations.

Bathrooms

Traditional beats edgy. Maybe it’s the economy or maybe people don’t want industrial looking bathrooms anymore. Traditional is the most popular design style for 2010 with a neutral color scheme.

Hard surface flooring. Ceramic and porcelain tile is the dominate flooring material for bathrooms this year including natural stone. For vanity tops granite is king but quartz and marble are also popular options.

US ER’s treat 31,500 table saw injuries per year

What’s your most valuable tool?
Your hands.
A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that from 1990-2007, an estimated 565,670 non-occupational table saw-related injuries were treated in US hospital emergency departments, averaging 31,500 injuries per year.
According to the study, lacerations (66 percent) were the most common type of injury while amputations (10 percent) were the most serious. The majority of injuries (86 percent) were to the fingers or thumb. Males (97 percent) and adults (97 percent) accounted for the majority of table saw-related injuries. In comparison to adults, children were more likely to injure their heads, faces and necks and to be injured at school.
Most of the table saw-related injuries resulted from contact with the blade of the saw. In cases when the mechanism of injury was documented, kickback was the most common mechanism (72 percent), followed by debris being thrown by the saw (10 percent), lifting or moving the saw (6 percent), or getting a glove or clothing caught in the blade (4 percent).