Monday, March 31, 2014



Bernhardt Furniture, one of the largest family-owned furniture companies in the country, will mark its 125th anniversary in 2014 with a year of activities to honor its culture, heritage and a legacy of giving.

“We are all very proud of our long heritage,” says Alex Bernhardt Jr., CEO and president of Bernhardt, Lenoir, N.C. “At this milestone, we reaffirm the company’s founding values of making quality furniture and building a strong community for our employees.” Central to the company’s 125th anniversary celebration is a new Web site, bernhardt125years.com, paying tribute to the company’s cultural legacy and to Bernhardt associates who are making outstanding contributions to improve the lives of people in their local communities.

The Web site will feature 12 individuals--nominated by their peers and chosen by a steering committee--in monthly segments, with the goal to engage and inspire people in the causes of community responsibility and cultural preservation. The company will make a donation to a charitable cause championed by the featured employees. This month features Dawn Barrett who founded "Dress to Impress." For over 15 years, she has organized an army of 70+ community volunteers to dress girls every spring who could not afford a prom gown.

Friday, March 28, 2014

A New Level For Uttermost Lamps

"Striking new introductions that feature unique materials such as rich gold leaf and organic cast iron are ushering in a new level of style and sophistication for the Uttermost lighting collection for 2014."

Here's an example:



Ferro

Hammered cast iron finished in an aged rust bronze. The round hardback drum shade is a rust beige linen fabric.
Designer:Matthew Williams
Wattage:150W
Number of Bulbs:1
Dimensions:35 H Shade 16 Dia. (in)


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Science of Eco-Friendly Furniture for Responsible Consumers

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/New_England_easy_chair.jpg/614px-New_England_easy_chair.jpg
Responsible consumers are able to do a number of things to cut down on their carbon footprint, such as reusing fabrics from old clothes (think thrift store vintage), reupholstering old furniture and staying away from vinyl at all costs but does everybody know why these things are important? The science behind responsible choices, such as furniture that off-gasses cancer causing VOCs, may be alarming enough to get America thinking. Something as simple as purchasing a new sofa can impact the environment in a number of ways depending on the material it’s made out of.

Bad material choices start with endangered species.
Too many consumers don’t know about the endangered wood species that make up their beautiful dining room table. Reclaimed wood or wood with a certificate from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified are the environmentally friendly options. Notice that a “chain of custody” (CoC) certification is not the same thing as an FSC, so don’t deal with retailers who promise this CoC.

Don’t close your eyes to the problem of buying exotic tropical hardwoods like Brazilian Cherry. This wood has become the number one export in Brazil, which is in extremely high demand and goes toward the support of illegal logging in the Amazon Rain Forest.  With all of the alternatives  on the market not contributing to the loss of unique ecosystems and the ever greater threat of global warming, why choose endangered wood?

Why vinyl should be a figment of our shameful past.
Vinyl is cheap, but it costs the environment a pretty penny. All of the vinyl patio furniture, table cloths, and toys are destined to lay in landfills till the end of time, or until they start to degrade. The degradation of vinyl gives off a poisonous gas that harms the liver, lungs, kidneys and cardiovascular system according to the EPA and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/hahatango/4210740970
Vinyl can seem like a harmless plastic, but it’s not a plastic at all. It’s just a chemical compound that is made using an extremely hazardous waste known as vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride is used to make the vinyl, but interestingly enough it is found in landfills. You might expect to find it near the manufacturing plants and hazardous waste sites, but the fact that it is found in landfills has tipped researchers off to the degradation of vinyl. How could we expect the apple to fall so far from the tree?

Shifting values with our power as consumers.
Part of the planetary health puzzle involves choosing wisely when making purchases and then again when something breaks or is grown tired of. Choosing durable, eco-friendly furniture that will last through generations will stop the landfills from piling up choices.
 
Furniture covers can extend the life of quality outdoor furniture and keep it out of the landfills for a longer period. In the technological age that we are in, is it really a surprise that eco-friendly options exist? Look for breathable fabrics like this alternative to vinyl or vinyl coated polyester covers that only breathe if vents are built into them.

The mindset of making repairs rather than dumping the old pieces for a new model also must be adopted. This mindset along with good choices in picking out the furniture in the first place and protecting it from wear can go a long way in reducing environmental impact.

Don’t get too excited about your VOC-free hairspray yet.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are everywhere. They are a family of chemicals that are off-gassed from manufactured products, the most common in households are flame retardants and formaldehyde. Cancer, birth defects, and endocrine disruption have all been linked to VOC consumption. Going forward, buy furniture certified by Greenguard which ensures low toxiciity or buy used goods.

Lisa Henfield is an environmental activist and freelance writer. She contributes to Mother Earth Living and spends her days thinking about her city’s carbon footprint. 

Monday, March 24, 2014

The Stress Of Downsizing



We hadn't thought too much about downsizing until Mike's step mother decided to sell the big house after his father died. People accumulate "stuff" over 30 to 40 years. When the house just becomes too big or maintenance overwhelms, a smaller place is logical. Then the stress builds. It's not just the elderly, but 80 million boomers will retire over the next ten years. Many will want to move to warmer weather and smaller quarters. It can be painful to worry about all the collectibles, the furniture, and clothes in the smaller space. Naturally, the person downsizing wants to make the smaller space look bigger.

This is my cue to mention how an interior designer can help you in this situation. Interior designer Donna Overly, ASID, of Vogue Interiors in Bonita Springs, Florida helps relieve the stress. She's mentioned in an article in The Naples Daily News.

An interior designer can show you how to make a space look bigger by using colors, arranging furniture, and picking a few of your precious articles for display. How about closets? An interior designer can help with closet systems to "...triple the usable space and storage capacity of any closet..."

Until now, I hadn't given any of this much thought. This article opened my eyes.

For more on downsizing, WikiHow has 12 steps to downsize your house.

Friday, March 21, 2014

What To Know Before You Buy A Sectional



Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer, and Houzz Contributor has written a fine and detailed article that just appeared in Forbes Magazine titled "What To Know Before You Buy A Sectional."

She concludes her article with this advice, "Don’t even consider sectional shopping without a meticulously drawn floor plan. The good news is that the right sectional will bring comfort, style and function to your room that few other furnishings can provide."

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Five minutes and $10 can save you $1,000


I had no idea what a little damage in a shower can lead to and is easily preventable. Steve Cloninger Special to the Post-Dispatch has written an article that we all should read if we are responsible for the maintenance of our abode. He writes:

A small hole in the grout will allow water from the shower to get in. It may not be much at first, but chances are the damage is already beginning. Water getting to the drywall behind the tile will damage the drywall, even if it is “water resistant” drywall. When drywall continues to get wet, it has a consistency of something like wet cardboard. When it gets to that point, the tile won’t be able to stick to it any longer and your shower wall will feel soft and moving somewhat. At this point, the only thing keeping the tiles from falling down is the small amount of grout that surrounds the tile. But, this won’t last long, and the tiles will begin falling.

I am grabbing my flashlight before the Blazers play tonight.

Friday, March 07, 2014

From Zillow This Week

Synergy Staging
Oregon City, OR


Website: http://www.synergystaging.com
Portland Oregon area Home Staging company specializing in showcasing vacant homes for sale with beautiful and stylish staging.

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

TOP 5 TRENDS IN OUTDOOR FURNITURE FOR 2014

Mona

Darksky Blog has an article about the top five trends in outdoor furniture that I found useful:

  1. Exterior design - Outdoor furniture must be more than merely functional and durable. Exterior living is an extension of the interior living.
  2. Deep seating - No longer do home owners want a park bench feel when doing outdoor activities. They want outdoor seating options which include the deep, comfy cushions.
  3. Mix and match furniture - The eclectic look is taking off in 2014.
  4. Bold textilesbold prints is an emerging trend.
  5. Refurbishing - If budget is an issue, buy one key piece, like a couch or a dining table, and then supplement your set with used chairs. 

Sparks To Close

Steven Lane/The Columbian)

Sparks Home Furnishings, downtown Vancouver's oldest business, is closing after 132 years. The economy and the high sales tax were to reasons mentioned by Tom Craig. The building at 1001 Broadway is being sold to a downtown developer for $1.7 million in a deal expected to close in June.

We bought our Woodard outdoor furniture from Sparks many years ago. We had our own furniture business on Macadam before we represented Woodard. We were struck by Sparks' refusal to give us a designer discount. The Woodard outdoor furniture still serves us well on our deck and looks as good as the day we brought it home.

One more furniture store lost to the economy and the big box stores.

See related story:  Old cash register found in store wall (at Sparks).

Sunday, March 02, 2014

Porter Chairs

I was looking at Pangaea Interior Design and came across a post about "porter chairs."
porter's chair was a type of chair used in medieval England and later France. Usually formed in a high-grade leather or red velvet, it was placed by the front door of an estate or home for use by a gatekeeper servant who was in charge of screening guests and visitors. This was necessary since the door knocker might not be heard throughout the house.
Since there were often cold breezes near a front door, the chair was designed to envelop and keep the servant relatively warm in his task of remaining at the door for long periods. It is best described as a hollowed-out egg shape, very high and enclosed back, standing on end, four legs, with handrests and usually with a notch for a lantern at the side, allowing the person to sink back into it out of the wind and await visitors' knocks. 
Here are two examples of a beautiful porter chairs; a single porter and a double porter::


Five Design Trends For 2014

According to mosaik design & remodeling five design trends have emerged for 2014:

  1. Blues
  2. Drama & Glamour
  3. Lighter Wood Tones
  4. Charging Stations
  5. Quartz Countertops
There are some very nice photos illustrating the trends.