Would You Like to See Your Business Grow?

If you’re like many interior designers, you might be wondering where your clients have gone. We’d like to encourage you to attend the Interior Design Summit. There is still time to take advantage of the $50 early bird discount.
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Don’t miss out on hearing from David Bassett-Parkins - the founder of AvaLiving, the world’s premier website for interior design. David is going to show you how to easily get and do business in foreign countries! And can you imagine if you missed out on listening to Gail Doby, a successful ASID designer who has worked on multi-million dollar design projects? She is generously sharing the most profitable and effective ways to work with builders and contractors.
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- If you want more clients…
- If you are worried about the economy…
- If you need support and encouragement and real, effective, immediately useful strategies and advice for growing your design business, please do yourself a favor and invest in yourself.

For a small fee, you will get immense value. In fact, it’s guaranteed! For more info, go to the Interior Design Summit information page:

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Don’t miss this great opportunity - and take advantage of the early bird savings!

21 Tips for Downsizing!

I want to call your attention to the latest issue of Oregon Home. They have a very interesting article titled 21 Tips for Downsizing. They interviewed "a designer, two real estate brokers, an estate sale organizer and a downsizer for tips to ease the move from living large to living small."

Our friend RayAnn Bogert owner of 12-year-old Bizy Girl Interiors in Lake Oswego,OR. was the designer interviewed. She offered this advice:

1. Fill your new pad with furniture that's properly scaled to it. - Like a Dachshund trying to push a Great Dane-sized doggie bed into its diminutive crate, you can end up with the same old cluttered-to-the-rafters feeling if you don't consider the scale of the furniture that will decorate your new digs.

Others interviewed for the article are Kent Mathews, a real estate broker at The Real Estate Firm, Karen Young Estate Sales and Appraisals in Beaverton, OR, Connie Osborne, Kim Childs, and a real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty in Lake Oswego, OR.

If you're thinking of downsizing check out the 21 suggestions. Our 22nd suggestion: come see us after the move. You might find your old furniture and accessories a little shabby in you sparkling new digs. Come see us. We'll help you brighten things up!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Purity to Forbidden: From Tinted Neutral to Deep Jewels

Global Apparel Trends Inspire the early '09 Robin Bruce Collections

According to trend expert Kai Chow, Rowe Fine Furniture, the manufacturer of the Robin Bruce collection of upholstered furniture,

Home furnishings décor trends for early 2009 will revolve around two fundamental concepts: Purity and Forbidden. The color and texture of fabrics will offer a range of Tinted Neutral to Deep Jewels textiles with both simplicity and boldness.

Purity: Tinted Neutral

The emerging trend for early '09 of Tinted Neutral is best described as a search for a pure, soft aesthetic. Ninety natural fiber fabrics, including eight new certified organic cottons, are the foundation of this trend. The colors range from pure white to creamy vanilla to barely blue and natural ecru. A washed, soft hand to the fabrics add a pleasing touch to compliment the lightness in color. Floral patterns are more in silhouette and contemporary.

Forbidden: Deep Jewels

Simultaneously, early '09 trends point to a desire for more Deep Jewels epitomized by richer colors and handcrafted textures. Asian and Far Eastern influences are noticeable and a bold approach to pattern is desired. Colors range from rich reds and golds to accents of black and intense blues. Such home décor statements create iconic pieces in a room setting rather than a more harmonious tonal palette.

These seemingly contrasting trends both point to a desire to define home furnishings with more fashion sensibility. The Robin Bruce collection was conceived as a custom upholstery line of furniture to allow consumers to explore, imagine and create unique home environments.

Robin Bruce offers a distinctive, designer's approach to custom upholstered furniture with a selection of over 200 fabrics. Robin Bruce is manufactured by Rowe Fine Furniture, Inc., a leader in custom upholstered furniture in the United States. Established in 1946, Rowe offers a wide range of styling in sofas, sectionals, chairs and ottomans with hundreds of fabric selections.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to offer Rowe furniture.

Bev & Mike

Kimberlee Jaynes' New Blog

Here's a designer that "gets it". Kimberlee Jaynes took my advice an started a blog and she's continuing to brand her name and business as Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs Inc with her blog. The great thing about her blog: we get to know about her and decide if we like her and want to hire with her.

Check out that beautiful and totally different Christmas tree and the view of the river from their home.

I know there are many interior designers out there with blogs. Let me know who you are and we will feature your blog here as well.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Lorts Added

The move of Goldsmiths from a To the Trade establishment to just Contract has allowed Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery to add Lorts to our list of case goods manufacturers. Lorts was founded in 1966 by Andrew Lorts and is a family owned and operated furniture manufacturing company.

Lorts in 1990 began producing a stylized collection of furniture distributed through the finest higher-end furniture stores and designers across the country. Beginning with rustic, country styles, Lorts soon experimented with different finishes. Several other manufacturers answered to an increased demand for finish options, but their prices were astronomical.

Lorts responded to customers wishing for designer style and flexibility at reasonable prices. Soon word spread about the company producing hardwood furniture in several premium finishes at prices far below similarly styled product. Gradually, the product line developed and now includes dining furniture, stools and game sets, occasional pieces, bedroom furniture, armoires, and home office and wall units.

Lorts makes customization a reality...

Lorts prides itself on finding a niche in the market. Homeowners desire the ability to create furniture themselves by customizing finishes and sizes, and Lorts strives to make this a reality. From size changes on items currently in the Lorts line to new ideas sketched out on a napkin, Lorts allows customers to make each piece unique.

In a world where each furniture piece tends to look like every other, Lorts' customers can create furniture personalized to each individual need and style at a value unsurpassed within the industry.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Indoor/outdoor Furniture In New Material

In February of 200, when we were preparing our new location in the Pearl in Portland, I wrote

There can be disagreement about global warming and its causes, but there is no denying the Green Movement. Our bookkeeper, Helen Pilgrim, sends us a note about Slatescape, EcoCem and Paper Stone (for) Counter tops. She says she first heard about it in the Oregonian Home & Gardens section. "I don't know how this compares to granite, but it looks great."

We fell in love with PaperStone and used the chocolate color as the reception and work counter top in the showroom front area. It's warm and satiny smooth to the touch. When we first saw the material, it was only available in slabs of several thicknesses.

Now, thanks to Material Process Systems, there is indoor/outdoor furniture available in material similar to paperstone with the same outstanding features. Take a look:



The company writes

The material is waterproof so it does very well outside. Over time, it acquires a natural patina, but the integrity of the material is never compromised. Variations of this material have actually been used for decades in the marine industry and in the manufacturing of skate ramps -- that's how durable it is.

If you have questions write:

Niina Pollari
Material Process Systems, Inc.
niina@materialprocess.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Futniture + Design Gallery

$22,000 Picnic Basket

Some think the economy is bad. Maybe it is, but just maybe IT'S OVER for conspicuous consumption.

Several months ago the New York Observer wrote about Margaret Russell, Elle Décor’s editor-in-chief, who ran a story about a picnic basket that sold for $22,000!

In contrast The Sale Rack went to the Strasburg Antique Market in Strasburg, PA, where Natasha bought an all-inclusive picnic basket for $25.



Did some of us just go bonkers for awhile? I think so. Its akin to an investor switching from go-go growth stocks to book value and dividend paying stocks.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, where we offer value.