New Lorts Pieces Introduced At High Point

Lorts introduces new case pieces at High Point that were an expansion of their existing transitional line that has been growing in popularity since it was originally introduced. Designers have been requesting more pieces that have clean lines, so these were developed in response to those requests. These transitional pieces can move from more contemporary to a classic styling depending on how pieces are specified to be distressed, finished, and waxed.



The Transitional Trestle Dining Table Top (#2103) and Base (2104) is shown in a new finish that has debuted at this Market—Portobello. Portobello has a metallic silver undertone and is a medium to light finish, which includes terra cotta water spotting to give a weathered, organic feel. It has been extremely well received.

The Transitional Table Base that Lorts introduced (2106) can be used with their existing round table tops, but is shown in photography with their new Transitional Square-to-Round table top (2105). It is also shown in the new Portobello finish.





The Transitional Television Cabinet that they introduced is both transitional in style and also a smaller scale than their existing TV Cabinet. It is shown in the Graystone finish.



In addition, this Market is the first time that Lorts has shown the transitional take on one of their best-selling pieces—the 48” cocktail ottoman.



The two upholstery pieces included are for the To The Trade Line Jordan Spencer by Lorts that was introduced at Las Vegas Market. The 821 sofa is shown in bleached canvas with a bench seat and nailhead detailing, with wood finished in Fruitwood.


The 995 Chair is shown in Tufted Navy Leather, in the Old World finish.


Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry the Lorts products for our clients.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design gallery
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Rowe: Fully Upholstered Accent Tables.

From Rowe, we have word of a new introduction at High Point, an extension of the upholstery line with the addition of the Iris collection of fully upholstered accent tables.

Stefanie J. Lucas, President & CEO of Rowe Fine Furniture says, "You can achieve a harmonious décor by accenting your sofa with an upholstered table or introduce pattern and color in a subtle way with one of these tables. It's a great way to add a designer accent to your room."

Prior to the debut of these fully upholstered accent tables, consumers would select accent tables made from numerous woods, other natural fibers like bamboo, various metals, glass and manufactured plastics. All of these options offered varying degrees of color, pattern and texture but with a fully upholstered accent piece, the consumer could select a fabric that would simultaneously add color, pattern and texture to the room décor. The opportunity to create a unique and exciting home décor just became more interesting.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
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Second Industry Web Summit Set for High Point

The upcoming Web Summit runs 2-6 p.m., Friday, April 24 and Leslie Carothers, principal of The Kaleidoscope Partnership, will be speaking about social media conversational marketing.

In addition to Carothers,

Mary Frye, president of the Home Furnishings Independents Association, the Dallas-based association of independent retailers, will emcee the Web Summit. FurnitureDealer.net founder Andy Bernstein will help furniture sellers eliminate channel conflict by converting online leads into in-store sales; and Chris Millet, senior business consultant for PROFITconsulting, will demonstrate how to analyze, measure and improve your ROI through eMarketing. David Lively of The Lively Merchant and Rick Doran of R&A Marketing will join the panel for a question and answer session to conclude the Summit.

"The feedback we received after the first Summit at the Vegas market was overwhelming," Lively said. "Our industry is eager to learn how to engage the online furniture shopper. Without an online strategy, it's game over."

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
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The Armoire Is Dead

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reperts from High Point that the Armoire is dead. It is as old-fashioned as the telephone table.

...armoires were originally designed as gun cabinets. That is where they get their name. Later, when the French changed the tax code and began taxing the number of rooms, the aristocracy knocked down closet walls and replaced them with armoires or wardrobes.

Recently, meaning a five years ago, people bought armoires to hide the TV. Now, 42 to 50 inch flat screen TVs are considered status symbols, so there is a desire to show it off. Now we have media units or entertainment centers.

The latest solution is the low- to medium-height console, which is not necessarily dedicated to the flat-screen television.

"A console or buffet is a great way to anchor the flat screen, as well as a place for storage.

At Landfair Furniture, we see media centers of all styles from low credenza types to taller dresser type designs and from various vendors like Stanley, Dinec, BermanFALK, and Hammary. Come take a look at the styles on the floor and in catalogs, where you can select from many finsihes.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

High Point Observations

Since we went to Las Vegas Market at the end of July, we did not go to High Point, however here's what some are saying about trends at this fall's show.

Jean Greeson of Greeson and Fast Design wrote

As we saw in the spring, there were a lot of eco-friendly and natural materials, and on the other side of the fashion spectrum, a lot of glitz and glamour. Metallic colors and textures were featured in fabrics, rugs and even ceramics, and rich linens and velvets were employed in upholstery and drapery

Richard Fast of Greeson and Fast design noticed

an evolution in surface textures — a couple of years ago shiny black lacquer was popular, then it was replaced with shiny white lacquer, and this time there were some antique French reproductions finished in flat white. It gave them a contemporary look.

As for colors Greeson still saw blush pinks and earth tones, blacks and whites.

I should say “charcoal and white,” because charcoal seems to be the new black.

The Rocky Mountain News reports that Small is the new black.

Remember the McMansions, now we are seeing baby boomers and tight-fisted consumers down size to smaller homes, condos, apartments and flats. Oversized furniture is out. Now we are seeing smaller arms on sofas. Customers are asking for tables where the leaves are hidden. Storage in condos is at a premium. They also want furniture pieces to "do tricks", meaning be a coffee table and a dining table or at least have multiple functions.

Furniture manufacturers are responding to downsizing baby boomers and the growing appeal of urban living by reducing the scale of dressers, coffee tables, nightstands and the like. They're compressing home offices into a single fold-out cabinet. And they're cutting back the length of sofas and entertainment centers that sprawled across the length of wall in McMansions.

If you were at High Point, do you have some other observations?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

BermanFALK Will Make News At High Point

High Point starts October 20th and BermanFALK has a new buffet, in the background, and chairs.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Stanley Teams With Coastal Living Magazine

FURNITURE Today reports that Stanley Furniture and the magazine Coastal Living have partnered "on a new line of relaxed, cottage-inspired furniture. Cottage-inspired groups are second only to traditional among Stanley's best-selling styles.

This desk from Stanley’s new Coastal Living collection, in a Sea Grass painted finish, features a drop-front keyboard drawer with cord management opening.

"Published by Time Warner division Southern Progress Corp., Coastal Living is a lifestyle magazine geared towards readers who live at or near coastal areas. It covers subjects ranging from homes and travel to food and entertainment."

"The domestically produced collection has about 80 pieces, all of which will be available in 13 painted finishes and one wood finish. Categories include bedroom, dining room, occasional and accent furniture, as well as home office and home entertainment."

Landfair Furniture proudly carries Stanley Furniture.

UPDATE: FURNITURE Today has further information about the partnership and more pictures.
Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

News From Market

From FURNITURE Today,

Sam Moore is taking a dozen of Hooker’s best-selling dining and accent chairs and making them available in 25 finishes, more than 800 fabrics and 100 leathers. The program also offers contrasting seat and back fabrics, contrasting pillows, nail-head options, welts, fringes, cords and tassels.

Also new for Sam Moore this market is about 20 frames, seven benches, three upholstered headboards, and 73 fabrics targeting interior designers.

From FURNITURE Today, Hekman is making a major contemporary style statement with its Asher Benjamin collection, designed by Peter and Meg Strattner, creators of the Crate and Barrel look. The clean-lined design for Hekman features American Cherry veneers with walnut accents and a natural cherry finish.

Retailers have been requesting more modern looks, said Neil McKenzie, Hekman’s vice president of product development.

“Not to say that the traditional look is going away, it’s just that there is a niche in the marketplace that is evolving and becoming more evident as this customer gains economic power,” McKenzie said.

“I think what’s happening is we’re slowly seeing a transition to another generation of potential customers. It’s a customer who is more interested in an urban lifestyle within their home than an actual urban geographic location. It’s cleaner lines, cleaner finishes and less encumbered.”

McKenzie added that Hekman still sees lots of customers who want more traditional home office looks and scaling. But he said that creating more modern looks with a compact scale, a good functionality story and clean lines makes sense in this changing market — without compromising quality.

Like Hooker and Aspenhome with its small-scaled Kensington home office introduction, Hekman continues the push into smaller functional desks this market, offering 48-inch and 60-inch footprints.

Those sets feature classic traditional and transitional designs, but are scaled down.

“I’ve had customers saying they’ve seen a transition in customers desiring smaller desks. Is it the economy where a smaller desk is less expensive? I don’t know. We know the request is real and it’s going from coast-to-coast,” McKenzie said.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to feature Sam Moore and Hekman in our showroom.

Bev & Mike

Uttermost To Debut Accent Furniture!

From Home Accents Today:

Uttermost will make its accent furniture debut in High Point this April, after nearly a year in development.

The 50-piece furniture introduction includes everything from stacking tables to tall chests to upholstered chairs. All furniture is either in stock or will be by late April.

We can't wait to show you pictures. Stay tuned!

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There's still time to register! On Saturday March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Kimberlee Jaynes will share "Designer Secrets" - "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!" See Kimberlee Jaynes' we site: www.kimberleejaynes.com. Seating is limited so register soon at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery or call 503-245-4222

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Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

What Is Eco Rowe?

The furniture buzz since High Point has been "green", sustainable and eco-friendly. I keep monitoring furniture sites to see if they have added anything new on the subject to their web sites. Here's one that has, Rowe Furniture has introduced Eco Rowe:

Sofas and chairs from upholstery manufacturer Rowe are more than just beautiful – they’re now kinder to the environment.

In a move toward more sustainable manufacturing practices, Rowe has introduced eco-friendly upholstery components, including two new cushions and 21 new fabrics made from 100 percent natural-fiber fabrics.

The “Eco-300CC” is a foam cushion in which a large portion of the traditional petroleum-based materials have been replaced with renewable, plant-based materials.

For rich, luxurious comfort there’s the “Eco-Down” cushion that combines recycled fibers with a feather and down blend. Products with these eco-friendly elements are identified with the new “Eco-Rowe” designation.

Members of The Sustainable Furniture Council and American Home Furnishings Alliance are both active in finding ways to help their members deliver environmentally friendly furniture to their customers.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to offer Rowe to interior designers and their customers.

Bev & Mike

Hekman: Tuscan Estates

At the October Fall Market 2007 Hekman will make some exciting new introductions.

Hekman has a long Heritage of shopping Italy for unique antique furnishings in the areas century's old estates or in the fine shops of the Tuscan Region running along the Tyrrhenian Sea trom Carrara to the north to Capalbio on the south, Cortona on the west, with Florence right in the middle.

This Tuscan area is full of fine artisans who reproduce and finish these antique finds in small family run shops where time honored techniques continue to be used to manufacture and finish furniture. It is not unusual for family members to labor over pieces for weeks using old world lacquer techniques and adding layers of color, sanding through the finish build up with river rocks and river sand to produce an exacting replica of a fine antique from one of the Tuscan Estates of the area.

Hekman over the years has stored in a warehouse their favorite samples of these fine antiques from the Tuscan Region and is reproducing them and some adaptations in a collection they are calling Tuscan Estates.

This collection consists of two dining rooms, four occasional groupings, entertainment and home office pieces totaling 31 items. The crafting of this collection reflects the use of the time honored techniques of the artisans of Tuscany using hand planed thick veneers randomly laid in horizontal and diagonal patterns and hand rubbed with bee's wax to reflect the patina of an old planked floor. This creates the core finish to the collection named Weathered Walnut. Then on a select number of pieces with generous turnings and carvings Hekman layered color and lacquer and then sanded through these layers using old world sanding techniques to create a rich Rubbed Onyx color.

Hekman married the Rubbed Onyx color in tandem with Weather Walnut to high light the carving details and the flowing lines of each antique reproduction. To finish the collection they have reproduced a jewelry finish called Tortoise Shell using hand detailing like, the ancient artisans to create the mix of colors necessary for this finish.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to have carried Hekman since 2001.

Bev & Mike

The Phillips Collection

High Point is coming soon! Show dates are October 1st - 7th in North Carolina. We are receiving some very interesting marketing pieces from vendors and I thought this was unique for giving a flavor of a company's design. The Phillips Collection, where every piece is a conversation, has been in business for 20 years. We carry many of their accessories at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

High Point Market revamps Web site

The High Point Market’s Web site, highpointmarket.org, has been redesigned to improve its functionality and ease of use.

The site will include guest columns by leaders from throughout the home furnishings industry, as well as clips from the weekly “High Point Market Live” video-cast.

The market’s weekly e-newsletters will also be archived there under the “Industry Insights” tab. Site visitors can register on the home page to receive weekly updates.

If you go to the front page of The High Point Market, you will see an a column entitled Encouraging Eco-Friendly Lifestyles by Sarah Barnard ASID, an interior designer specializing in sustainable design. She and Mike are both writing about "green" furniture. See his blog at Home Accents Today entitled Is Your Furniture "Green?"

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture & Design Gallery

Storefronts

by ANNE LAUFE

LANDFAIR FURNITURE AND DESIGN GALLERY

What's new: This spacious furniture store, the first tenant in the new Pearl Design Center, opened in March on the northern edge of the Pearl District.

Where & when: 1636 N.W. 15th Ave. at Savier Street under the Fremont Bridge, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

What's cool: Landfair carries an eclectic array of home furnishings -- from traditional to contemporary -- from designers such as J.D. Chamberlain, Sherrill, Rowe and Hekman. It also plans to add a line of durable, affordable children's furniture.

Who: Beverly and Michael Landfair opened their first store on Macadam Avenue in Southwest six years ago. Beverly says she travels to High Point, N.C. -- "the daddy of all markets for furniture buyers" -- every six months.

Why here: When the Landfairs lost the lease on their first store, they looked around for something bigger and more accessible. This section of the Pearl is becoming known as the Design District, with Globe Lighting, Bedford Brown, Kravet and other related businesses within a few blocks of one another.

Quote: "We have animal crackers out and water in the fridge," Beverly Landfair says. "We try to make it kind of homey." Get in touch: 503-245-4222

ANNE LAUFE Have a Storefronts tip? Send details to Portland@news.oregonian.com

Hot products in High Point

Courtney Mueller in Casual Living outlines some of the hot products at High Point:

This month marks the first early start for the High Point Market, held March 26-April 1 in High Point, N.C. The change doesn't have any effect on the variety of outdoor products featured at the show. From outdoor lighting to full-scale casual furniture collections, there will be plenty to see in the Furniture Capital.

Several vendors whose furniture is carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery are singled out:

Part of the Outdoorables line of outdoor lighting, Frederick Cooper's The Golden Stalk lamp is crafted from unique porcelain with hand-painted Tuscan leaves over black marble, topped with a sesame fabric round stretch shade.

Palecek's Al Fresco Marina Collection features a unique variegated gray and brown finish over an all-weather weave.

CBK's garden-style bench, formed with wire and iron, has an antique gold finish with a scroll design, creating an elegant piece for the outdoors.

Bev & Mike