Condos and Small Spaces

News about condos and small spaces caught my eye these last two days.



Pearl District Monthly shows 179 Condos in January/February are sold or pending sale or in late stage of selling.

Seattle Journal of Commerce has this article

While many people gravitate to a particular condominium development because of its exterior architecture or fabulous location, it is the interior design that should really be the focus.

In smaller units, interior designers focus on an open-plan concept.

The focus is on minimizing walls and enclosures to maximize the feeling of openness and spaciousness. This concept is also successful in two-bedroom homes, where one bedroom is treated as a flexible space with a movable partition or sliding panels that connect with the larger great room living space.

In larger residences, the bedroom and bath can be used to create

a feeling of retreat within the residence, a personal oasis for homeowners to keep out of sight from visitors.

Then Home Decorating Reviews has an article about Decorating Small Living Rooms and I thought some of the tips were very useful:

* Keep it bright
o Use natural light if it is available, and hanging lights or chandeliers or sun lights if not but keep the room as bright as possible

* Keep it open
o Whenever possible use the space efficiently leaving easy access in and out of the room in the direction of flow you wish to encourage

* Make a focal point
o If you have a focus such as a large picture, a fireplace or a window make that a focus to help expand the room into that ‘space’ and draw attention away from the limited size of the room

* Use light and airy colors
o Using dark woods and darker shades will make the room feel ‘closed in’ while neutrals and shades of white or café’ or even yellow whenever appropriate will lighten the room and make what would be stifling feel ‘cozy’ instead

* Avoid Clutter
o Most important in a small space is to avoid clutter or crowding in to many items or pieces

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is moving to the Pearl Design Center at 1636 NW 15th. We have scheduled the movers for March 15th!

Bev & Mike

The Latest Look in Mirrors

Tracy Bulla writes Wall Decor: Riveting Reflections in todays Home Accents Today:

Get ready to be dazzled by the latest looks in mirrors. A neutral palette and dramatic frames render stunning styles, whether traditional or transitional.

One example Bulla uses of this new trend in mirrors is this Uttermost design:


Dainty rosettes accentuate the classical style of Uttermost's antiqued mirror, finished in distressed silver leaf with black undertones.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry the Uttermost brand of lamps and accessories.

Bev & Mike

SE Portland Art Walk

I hope this isn't too late, you do have five hours:

...the SE Area ARTWalk...March 3rd and 4th from 10-5. Start your walk at David Duck's house at 3550 SE Tibbetts and pick up your map for the other 80 artists. You can also plan your walk...preview the art online...or print a map at www.seportlandartwalk.com.

David Duck has some great new photographic water images that are well worth seeing in person.

Looks like a great day for a walk.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

A Resurgence of White

Recently, I was quoted by Bridget Otto in an article, Pink has punch -- or does it? at predicting the new color(s)

Taking her shot at predicting color, (Bev) Landfair votes for white.

"I'm seeing a resurgence of white -- especially in contemporary furnishings," she said.

Interior designer Kimberlee Jaynes just added some new photos of the Lee residence and guess what's featured, white!



What a lovely place to live and such a view.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget Otto Thursday

Once again on Thursday, Bridget A. Otto delivers an interesting article about the use of color and texture. She interviewed Stephanie Ness and Erin Davis of Mosaik Design about the use of color and texture in a kitchen remodel. "Variations kept the room from being boring", said Ness.

Michelle Rolens of Neil Kelly Co. says people tend to go for the monochronmatic because it's safe.

Diane Plesset of D.P. Design and Publishing says, "Using color and texture requires rhythm."

Designer Nancy Mitchell of Nancy Mitchell Interiors says people make a mistake by adding too many colors. She suggests creating a more generic backdrop of earthy colors that can be accessorized today, tomorrow or later, but still look current.

The article is called Bold Harmony and offers some interesting perspectives.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A. Otto Mosaik Design Diane Plesset Nancy Mitchell
Bev & Mike

Citrus Punch

From Casual Living by Courtney Mueller

Perfect for the summer months outdoors, stripes, solids and a variety of patterns are brought to life in colors such as watermelon pink, lime green, bright yellow and more. Perfect to decorate furniture by the beach and along the coast, these fabrics pack a colorful punch, bringing to mind the sand, surf and sea.

Two examples of the trend are by Duralee which is carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery:


Duralee. 14248-642 in Daiquiri. 100% acrylic.


Duralee. 14261-601 in shades of green. 100% acrylic.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Our Search For A New Location

In January of 2006, Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery celebrated its fourth year in business. We had sublet 2,000 square feet plus some warehouse space from Macadam Carpet in Sept, 2001. A prime location on Macadam Avenue, between downtown and Lake Oswego, near South Waterfront, next to Starbucks and Martin Scott Fine Furniture all with plenty of parking. We began to think we should expand. We had no impetus to start looking for alternatives and really, in the back of our mind, thought Macadam might make another 1,000 square feet available to us that would be carved out of their space. Then Brett, owner of Macadam Carpets called me in and said, "Bev, we are running out of space and we might like to have your space. No hurry, but you might start looking."

We had initially signed a three year lease, but it lately had been year to year, with each business requiring notice of impending change by the other. Then Martin Scott went out of business so we took a look at their space and liked what we saw, but they required a minimum 8,000 sq. ft. in front and someone was looking at it anyway and that left 4,000 sq. ft. in the back. The back part had very little display windows, very little parking and a terrible delivery situation. We hired Jack H. Gallagher, III and J.J. Unger of commercial real estate broker, Norris, Beggs & Simpson and began our search.

One of the first places we looked at was a building just south of us that was formerly occupied by Healthy Legs. The rent was reasonable, we wouldn't need much in Tenant Improvements (TI) and we could even buy the building. It was fully occupied and the space available was 4,500 sq ft. However, the more we looked at the more we realized that designers could park there, but would have to exit the parking lot by backing out onto busy Macadam, and there was no way to receive deliveries except by parking the truck on Macadam and block one whole lane. Rejected!

We had a budget in mind for rent. We didn't want to pay more than $5,000 a month or $15 a sq ft. That eliminated many locations. We looked at the Willamette Week building, just off 23rd, it had parking, the right rent, the right space, the right windows, but inadequate delivery. We looked at a building on Sandy and SE 8th. It had the right space, adequate parking, great windows and great price. We could even team up with friends at Art*Home Company who were looking to downsize. The one problem: it was a welding supply company building, the TI could be open ended because of city requirements, earthquake protection and an owner unwilling to help with any of the improvements and they didn't want to sell.

We looked at a building at the end of NW 14th. We called it the Halloween building because it was painted orange. The rent was right, parking was iffy, windows were great, it was near Kravet and Goldsmith's and it was for sale or lease. The big problem was the owners wanted to lease the whole thing and the building was 6,400 square feet, that meant $10,000 a month. Art*Home Company could take 1,400 sq ft, but that would mean their rent would double and we would still have a second story to rent out.

Initially we wanted to remain on Macadam, but we would consider the eastside near CFM or the Pearl because of accessibility. We even considered for a moment a location on Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. that used to be a interior designer's furniture store. In the beginning of our search, we heard about the Pearl Design Center which represents an extension of the Pearl District to I-405 and to Naito Parkway.

The Pearl Design's initial phase offered up to 9,000 sq ft with a minimum of 3,000 sq ft. The whole block was taken up by a welding supply company and going to be restyled to accomodate retail and the design community. The more we talked with our clients the more we heard, "I'm in the Pearl area almost every day." Or we heard how out of the way our Macadam location was or we heard how easy it was to get to the Pearl from almost anywhere, because of the freeways. That cinched it! We asked Jack and J.J to begin lease negotiantions with Tami Wood and Mark Madden at WDC Properties.

Tomorrow Lease negotiations and decorating.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Environmental Building Supplies

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 StoneCounter 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."


shown: Obsidian Bar Closeup

Slatescape and EcoCem are cement-based materials that are heat-resistant and have a casual, natural look. This man-made stone is manufactured in large sheets, and custom fabricated for each installation. It is available in a range of colors and thicknesses. Fabricated, finished and installed slatescape costs between $85.00 - $125.00/sf.



An innovative material that is manufactured in the Northwest, PaperStone is made using a proprietary blend of post consumer recycled paper and resin. PaperStone is sold by the slab (1"x30"x10') for $975.00, or can be fabricated, finished and installed for between $85.00 - $125.00/sf.

The products are either sold, manufactured or both at Environmental Building Supplies (EBS) who bills itself as a local and regional source of environmentally sound building products.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Environment Green Bev & Mike

Color in 2007

On Bridget Otto Thursday, the topic is color and pink in particular, in Pink has punch -- or does it? Is "Pink" the color of the year, 2007? Glidden thinks so when a press release says "pink is causing 'quite a stir among designers and homeowners alike'." Otto asks, Is it really?"

... although pink does seem to be popping up in clothing accents and midcentury modern furniture design, it's anyone's guess whether the color experts' prediction of pink -- "a truly worthy renaissance of a colour so long constrained" -- will catch on.

Otto quotes the Color Marketing Group and they see different colors for 2007:

* softer, more botanical greens inspired by nature.
* true blues from nature will be everywhere.
* the colors of rock and stone and soil.
* Deep, rich ethnic reds and warm, glow-y oranges
* No mention of pink.

Otto talked with interior designer Kimberly Jaynes

Not afraid of unusual and bright colors -- "In the Northwest, we need color" -- Jaynes used hot pink in a home in the Pearl about four years ago. It was a shocking pink, she says, that she tempered with chocolate brown and mixed in some blues and greens.

and Otto quoted yours truly,

Bev Landfair with Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery isn't exactly thrilled about softer pinks making their way back. They're hard to work with, she says, and remind her of the last time pink was big.

"You get that poodle feeling."

Taking her shot at predicting color, Landfair votes for white.

"I'm seeing a resurgence of white -- especially in contemporary furnishings," she said. "

In another article in today's Homes & Gardens, Bridget A. Otto visits the home of Bob and Stevie Burke.

It took more than two years to create the Burkes' home on the property they bought six years ago. The original structure, a three-story cabin, was demolished -- save for part of the entryway and some of the framework -- and removed from the hillside nearly piece by piece before the site could be excavated.

Just look at the front door. It reminds me of doors we saw in Florence, Italy.

The photo taken by Marv Bondarowicz shows the front door found in India

I noticed that Stevie credits interior designer Karol Niemi "...for infusing the house with color."

Bev & Mike

Duralee Fine Furniture acquires Owners Select

Duralee Fine Furniture, owned by high-end fabric supplier Duralee, has acquired the assets of upscale upholstery producer Owners Select.

Bruce Narolis, former president of Owners Select, has joined Duralee Fine Furniture as director of manufacturing.

Owners Select, which relocated its production this month from High Point to Duralee’s 180,000-square-foot facility in Morganton, N.C., features kiln-dried hardwood frames, eight-way hand-tied seat suspension, premium fiber back cushions and throw pillows, as well as exposed mahogany, European beech and maple.



Owners Select, now a separate division within Duralee, will continue to operate under its own name. Its product will be sold exclusively to the trade through its sales representatives.

Robin Gordon, director of marketing and advertising for Duralee, said the Owners Select brand is “poised to reach a larger, high-end clientele and is the perfect complement to Duralee and Highland Court fabrics.”

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry the Duralee Furniture line along with Duralee fabrics.

Bev & Mike

It's Official. Landfair Moving!

The Pearl Design Center is the newest addition to the growing
Home Design area in the northern end of the Pearl District. With over 47,000+ sf, it's a great location for retailers, showrooms, and studios specializing in home furnishing and design.

At this time we'd like to announce the first Tenant to Pearl Design
Center: Landfair Furniture & Design Gallery. Currently located on Macadam, Landfair Furniture & Design (Gallery) showcases high end furniture and home furnishing lines, and is a favorite of local Interior Designers. Pearl Design Center is proud to be their new home.

Pearl Design Center is being completed in phases, with just over 6,000 sf currently ready for Tenant Improvements. An additional 18,500 sf is being pre-leased, with 15,000sf slated for completion in Spring 2007, and 13,500 sf, slated for completion in Summer 2007.

For more information call or email.

Tami Wood
WDC Properties
1205 NW 14th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
(503)221-2900 phone
(503)223-2567 fax
twood@wdcproperties.com

We are very happy to be almost doubling our size and are looking forward to being near other designer destinations.

The new address is 1636 NW 15th, Portland, OR 97209

Bev & Mike

R.I.P. Ed Zieg

Our friend Charles Edward "Ed" Zieg, born in 1941, husband of interior designer Nancy Zieg, died this past week of lung cancer. Ed was a tall drink of water, a good ole boy and we loved his wry sense of humor. Mike and I are happy we got to know Ed over dinners with Nancy.

About two years ago, while out walking with Nancy, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He had it checked and doctors discovered lung cancer on a lobe of his lung. He had it removed and underwent chemo and hoped they had the cancer licked. A subsequent checkup by the doctor last summer found that the cancer had returned. This time the doctors didn't give him much time to live. We will miss him and miss the dinners we could have had together. Our hearts go out to Nancy and their four children and their extended family.

A celebration of his life will be held at 1:00, Tuesday Jan 16th, at Adams Chapel in River View Funeral Home on SW Taylors Ferry Rd.

Bev & Mike

Updated 12:45 on 1/14/07

Artichokes At Risk!

One of my favorite sights is to be in QFC or Fred Meyer and see Artichokes 10 for $10! I get my Mike to put one on a 5:30 PM in a pan of boiling water with some special herbs and olive oil. About 7:30, I am ready for a "prickly" feast. That's what Mike calls them, as in, "Do you want me to fix you a "prickly" for dinner?"


I read today that the cold arctic air that passed through Portland is now as far south as the Artichoke fields in Castroville, California and the farmers are working hard to save the crop from the cold.

...beefed-up field crews raced Thursday to behead the prickly buds before Mother Nature leaves them rotten to the core.

The stakes are high. At Ocean Mist Farms, a grower whose name is synonymous with this 'choke-crazy town of 7,000, they're bracing for more than just a frigid weekend.

``We expect to lose as much as $1.5 million if we freeze,'' said vice president Dale Huss, who's bracing for temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s today and possibly through Sunday.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Artichokes Castroville, CA Bev & Mike

Barware: Alluring Accessories

From Home Accents Today by Tracy Bulla:

Eye-popping accents stock the bar this season with the emphasis firmly on chic. Decorative trays, wine stoppers and ice buckets boast animal prints and lavishly shimmering metallics to amp up the glam and glitz.

One of the vendors featured is this accessory from Global Views:

Picante Red trim spices up the retro hexagonal frame of Global Views' walnut trays and coasters

Global Views is a featured vendor at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Global Views BarwareAccessories Bev & Mike

Voluptuous Vines

From Casual Living:

The graceful, meandering lines of the vine come front and center in home accents this season. Equal parts rustic and sophisticated, vines are showcased in ultra-modern prints or classical translations. The real thing also gathers steam in other interpretations, feeding into the eco chic, renewable resource movement. Whatever the case, vine-themed designs are heavy on style and substance.

An example of "voluptuous vines" from Palecek:

Palecek's dimensional Vine wall art is crafted of all-natural, renewable resources for an eco-friendly alternative that packs plenty of style.

Palecek is featured at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Palecek vine-themed designs Vines Bev & Mike

New Planters and Container Designs

From Garden Decor,

New planters and container designs seem to fit into two categories these days antique, distressed interpretations and contemporary styles. There’s room for both as homeowners interpret their gardens to reflect their own styles and taste.

Beaded rim detail and a scroll leaf band accents classic pottery from Pacific Rim. Made of glazed ceramic, the collection is available in eight pieces and five colors.

Pacific Rim is carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Amelia Update

Nice write up in The Oregonian's A&E about our favorite Portland group, Amelia.

With a new CD and a national push planned for 2007, everything seems to be falling into place for Amelia. "You know when a band is working when you can't tell who wrote the song," (guitarist Scott) Weddle says.

See them 10 p.m. Jan. 27, Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi Ave., 503-288-3895

Online: To listen to Amelia's songs or watch a concert video clip, go to A&E Now at www.oregonlive.com/entertainment.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget Otto Thursday

In Thursday's Homes & Gardens section Bridget Otto features the collaboration of Eric and Angelika Holzapfel
and designer Joelle Nesen of Maison Inc.

Red rose hips create a natural wreath in a traditional holiday color.

I was particularly struck by the rose-hip wreaths that "whispers tradition with their rich, red seedpods." Just this morning as I walked the dog, I noticed that our rose bush in the front yard needs cutting back, but it has such a wealth of rose-hips that it gives color to the winter bleakness.

Interior designers Joelle Nesen and Alexandra Reck started Maison Inc. in 2003 and is located on Northwest 21st Street in Portland, Oregon.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Judy Sturm Redecorates A Loft

When last we wrote about Judy Sturm, she had just completed a year in a guest house while creating a little piece of Italy in a 1950s-era clapboard house in the heart of Portland Heights.

Today, Carolyn Donohoe Marieb has written about Judy Sturm, owner of Judy Sturm Design Studio, in the latest Homes & Gardens section of The Oregonian. Sturm has just moved into a chic one-bedroom loft in the heart of the Pearl District she has decorated.

When she started planning changes, she took into account what would work well for everyday living and entertaining. Judy's approach was to establish distinct areas, defined by carpets, which flow from one to the other. The result: Her L-shaped main room successfully plays the role of kitchen, dining room, living room, office and TV den.

Judy didn't stop there; she made numerous visually appealing, party-friendly alterations. For instance, in the Old World kitchen she designed -- she likens it to a kitchen in an upscale Italian apartment -- Judy removed a large, square island. In its place, she positioned a pair of Italian chests, forming a long, slim island that occupies little real estate yet serves as both an extra kitchen work surface and a dining buffet.

How to make a loft inviting

Judy Sturm offers some tips for creating a loft that works well for everyday living and entertaining:

Establish distinct areas within the open space. Because most lofts have few rooms, Sturm advocates creating areas defined by carpets or a screening element, such as floor-to-ceiling curtains (much like those installed in Pearl restaurant Bluehour). In her loft, Sturm has strategically placed area rugs and furniture groupings within the open, L-shaped space. This way, she says, "During a gathering, people can be together, yet doing different things -- like a good beach house."

Opt for fewer, larger furnishings. Resist the temptation to decorate with small furnishings. Slightly oversize furniture, and less of it, can make a smaller place appear more spacious.

Consider architectural embellishments to soften the hard edges. Sturm's goal was to moderate the industrial look of her loft. She added details you'd expect to find in a traditional house, such as tall baseboards, a concrete-and-plaster faux fireplace and a built-in bookshelf capped with substantial crown molding. Well-chosen elements, such as midnight-blue silk drapes and a romantic chandelier of rock crystal and beaded iron, complete the eclectic interior.

Make sure you have extra seating handy. Sturm has accomplished this with her whimsical grouping of suspended dining chairs, but you can simply use folding chairs that tuck away in a closet. One tip: Choose narrow chairs so you can fit more around the table. Sturm says it's perfectly fine, and sometimes adds to the fun, if guests have to crowd in, bumping elbows.

Have fun. Whether decorating for the holidays or the other days in the year, feel free to inject some humor. "You've got to take chances or it's boring," Sturm says.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Judy Sturm Interior Designer Carolyn Donohoe Marieb
Portland, Oregon Bev & Mike

Outsourcing the Ornaments

A special section in The Oregonian called Ultimate has an article by Cathy Lamb that features interior designers Susie Buchanan and Richard McQuerry who can decorate your home for Christmas. They have some tips for decorating:

You can reach Richard McQuerry at Linde Ltd. - (503) 299-6655.

Susie Buchanan can be reached at Finishing Touches - (503) 203-1273

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery


Update 1/24/07 at the request of Cathy Lamb

Have You Heard Ray LaMontagne?

The Washington Post has discovered Ray LaMontagne. Mike and I found his first album, the one with the song "Trouble" on it and it gets played in our store. Then his second album came out, Till the Sun Turns Black and "Can I Stay" just tears out my heart. WaPo says

According to LaMontagne, such soulfulness was there "even on the first demos I made. It's just the way I sing. In order to get a note out, I have to dig deep, and I mean that on an emotional level. To physically sing, I have to get somewhere deep before I can do it. I can't dial it in is what I'm trying to say. It's just impossible, and I think that's what has translated live."

LaMontagne will be in concert Monday at the "9:30 Club" in Washington D.C. and will be streamed live on NPR starting about 9 p.m. EST and archived for on-demand listening at http://www.npr.org/music.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Ray LaMontagne 9:30 Club Bev & Mike

Bridget A Otto: Chef's Touch

It's been awhile since we celebrated "Bridget Otto Thursday". In today's Homes & Gardens section of The Oregonian, Bridget covers the remodel of the kitchen in Southwest Portland of Philippe Boulot, chef at The Heathman, and his wife Susan, a graduate of The Culinary Institute in New York. They chose designers Stephanie Ness and Erin Davis of Mosaik Design after seeing their work at a neighbor's.

The story reads as a classic example of how designers work with clients to incorporate needs and desires in a kitchen renovation. The chefs had some specific needs:

The stove: Philippe liked not only the design of the Wolf range, but also its precision and rustic appearance.

The exhaust: After years of cooking with a downdraft exhaust, both Philippe and Susan wanted a stronger, more efficient hood.

The island: Because they cook and entertain a lot, the Boulots wanted the large island for folks to gather around while food is being prepped.

Slab countertops: Both Philippe and Susan wanted a smooth surface for easy cleanup.

Storage: The drawer system throughout the cabinetry is designed for easy access, with pullout shelving and deep drawers for large stockpots and appliances.

Placement: Two pullout racks, one on either side of the range, hold spices and oils. Cooking pots and roasting pans are also stored within easy reach of the range. Dishes and silverware are stored near the dishwasher. Baking utensils and ingredients are also within reach of the island.

Lighting: Improved canister lighting replaced the older models; task lighting was added under the cabinets. All lighting was put on dimmers.

The color: It was Susan's idea to bring some blue into the kitchen to complement her collection of blue and white china.

Overall: Neither Philippe nor Susan wanted a stark, sterile kitchen. They both wanted a variety of textures and surfaces and a room that was both functional and comfortable.

Check out the special section in The Oregonian for pictures of the finished project.

Are you planning a major remodel or an update?
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery can recommend an interior designer to meet your needs.

Bev & Mike

Bridget A Otto
Philippe Boulot Susan Boulot
The Heathman Mosaik Design Bev & Mike

Spice Route

Maybe all the news about Iran or Persia has inspired designers. From Home Accents Today by Tracy Bulla ,

With world or global style now a part of the design mainstream, the multicultural mélange adds up to nothing less than exquisite exoticism. Step into the souk with Persian patterning and lattice motifs or enjoy India with ornate floral designs. Streamlined accents, geometric themes and earthy hues bring out the best of this spicy hot tour.

Several companies were singled out including two that are carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery:

Overlapping star motifs come to life in this large-scale, statement-making mirror from Palecek, crafted of carved wood.

J.D. Chamberlain's lattice-patterned accent table mimics the ornate style of Middle Eastern gates.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

HDTV IS Coming!

The December/January issue of Metropolitan Home just arrived in the mail and includes an interesting article, HDTV Prepare for a Big Change, TV as we know it is about to change forever.

On February 17, 2009 the analog signal will end and the digital signal will take over. By March of 2007, every TV sold will come with a digital tuner that will allow you to receive digital broadcasts.

Metropolitan Home has a shopping guide and explains that HDTV comes in a variety of flat screens including LCD (up to 60 inches) and Plasma (wide viewing angle and 40 to 80 inches), rear projection, direct view and front projectors.

Then there is the audition.

Before you leave home, measure the viewing distance from your couch (sofa) to your current TV. At the store, stand the same distance from the screen. You should see a seamless picture without visible lines (or Pixels) in the image. If you want the TV to be viewable over a wide area-say from the kitchen and the family room-walk to the far sides of the screen to see if you have a good view off-angle.

Ask to see both HD and standard programming.

Consider bringing a DVD to see how it handles content that you know.

If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Picture Quality is subject to three versions:

SDTV - your least expensive option. These sets generally measure 32-inches or less and picture quality is on a par with DVD (480 scanning lines).

EDTV - better resolution than SDTV, but will not give you full benefit of HDTV

HDTV - best of the best. While more expensive, they can fully display all types of high definition (720 by 1080 lines of resolution).

Remember: 1080p

You may need new furniture to accomodate your new TV. Look for a cabinet or wall unit with a large enough opening for your new TV. You might make a cardboard template of your cabinet when shopping for a TV or vice versa. Allow 2 inches around the cut out for ventilation.

Look for furniture that has wire management solutions built in. Holes in the rear accomodate wires and provide ventilation.

Make sure the cabinet allows the TV to sit flush with the front of the shelf so it can be seen from all angles.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery features Hekman, Hammary and Nichols & Stone that have styles specifically geared to flat screen TVs. Hekman has consoles that conseal the TV until you are ready to view your program.

Bev & Mike

UPDATE: Kevin Hunt has further thoughts about HDTV in What You Should Know About HDTV, From A Guru

Tips for a Good Night's Rest

With the busy holiday season approaching, it’s easy to fall off the good sleep wagon. So to help consumers get reacquainted with a good night’s rest, the Better Sleep Council (BSC) recently released a number of tips and easy steps to improve how Americans sleep on its website: http://www.bettersleep.org.

1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bed time routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

5. Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleep environment.

6. Finish eating at least two or three hours before your regular bedtime.

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.

8. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep.

9. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake.

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. It can lead to disrupted sleep later in the night.

Mike and I have some further suggestions:
Don't have an argument with your spouse before turning in.
Keep your work out of your head when you head to bed.
No TVs in the bedroom.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Help Wanted!

First, I was in denial about needing help to run the business. Then Allson came to work for Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, over the summer, and I said how did I do it all without her. Now she's back in school and I am in need again. So here we are:

Wanted: Self-starter - to work in fun atmosphere - update catalogs, discontinue fabrics, work with interior designers, assist owner, unpack new product, be able to lift 50lbs.

Maybe, you are in school taking preparatory classes for a career as an Interior Designer and want to work 20+ hours. Or maybe, you have started your career as an Interior Designer and are looking for clients, an office and want to supplement your income as you are build your paractice.

I need you! Send your resume or come into the shop. I will start at $8.00 an hour. Think you deserve more to start? Convince me.

Mike says I should clone me. Are you me?

Bev Landfair
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery
(503) 245-4222
bev@landfairfurniture.com

Spineless!

Many thanks to the Happy Booker for noticing a trend in decorating that has to be stopped: white pages on bookshelves, as in books turned backwards in these Pottery Barn photos:



Even Mitchell Gold got into the act in one of their ads.

If you like the spines out design, but are unsure what books to place on those shelves, here's an answer Dummy Books.

Our faux book products have graced everything from television and movie studios to the finest homes, hotels, yachts and restaurants. ...supplied in approximately one foot sections, to any length required, the book spines are manufactured in England from resin material which is handpainted, gilded and polished to simulate in authentic detail the look of time worn handcrafted leather books.Our essence is to allow the eye to feel that it is seeing real leather bound books.

I love to see real book spines on book shelves with their differing heights and colors. Of course, I just love the smell of a new book and I'm always curious about what's under the dust jacket, always hoping there will be some great secret.

There's this wonderful book Mike and I read recently, Shadow of the Wind.

Young Daniel's father runs a used bookstore in Barcelona; his mother died when he was 4, and he misses her desperately. One afternoon in 1945 the older Sempere informs his not quite 11-year-old son that he is taking him to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books. "You mustn't tell anyone what you're about to see today." They wander through narrow winding streets, then finally stop before "a large door of carved wood, blackened by time and humidity. Before us loomed what to my eyes seemed the carcass of a palace, a place of echoes and shadows." Inside "a labyrinth of passageways and crammed bookshelves rose from base to pinnacle like a beehive woven with tunnels, steps, platforms, and bridges that presaged an immense library of seemingly impossible geometry." Daniel's father tells him that "according to tradition, the first time someone visits this place, he must choose a book, whichever he wants, and adopt it, making sure that it will never disappear, that it will always stay alive." Daniel chooses -- or perhaps is chosen by -- "The Shadow of the Wind," by Julian Carax.

Don't you just want to hug your favorite book to your chest and hope you find another as good...soon?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Yahoo Search Marketing

Where do you put your online advertising dollars?

According to a recent comScore report focusing on Internet Yellow Pages searches, 68 million U.S. Internet users performed an Internet Yellow Page (IYP) search online in July.

This represents a 46 percent increase versus year ago. When analyzing the total share of IYP searches, which by their nature have local intent, comScore's data reveals that Yahoo! Sites and Verizon SuperPages garnered the largest share, with 23.9 percent and 20.1 percent, respectively. Google Sites ranked third in IYP searches, capturing 12.5 percent, followed by Yellowpages.com with 12.0 percent.

Landfair Furniture advertises on Google and Verizon's Superpages. When I saw that Yahoo has a 23.9% share and I don't advertise there, I immediately "Yahoo"ed Furniture Portland Oregon. I had to search many pages to find us. We now have a Yahoo account for a reasonable amount of money per month and I can find Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

After I signed up, Yahoo designed my ad based on our web site and then Tara Ramachandran, Inside Sales Representative for Yahoo called me and walked me through all the reports. They are there 24/7 to help me make Yahoo work for us.

Why not give Tara a call at (503)615-3784 for Yahoo Search Marketing?

Bev and Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Next Hot Thing In Furniture

INFURNITURE has an article about "the newest furniture and hottest style directions taking shape at the fall High Point Market Show. Landfair Furniture is proud to carry some of the furniture and accessory lines singled out.

Resort Redefined:



PALECEK has one foot in the office and the other in the sand with the Metro swivel chair in woven abaca with chrome legs.

Real Mods Have Curves:



CALLIGARIS offers the Jam dining chair that pairs a chrome base with a seat available in 18 colors.

Understated Explorer:

SHERRILL offers a tall 8 drawer chest in a variety of rich wood finishes and golden metallic detail (see the catalog in our showroom).

The Emperor's New Ohs

In this category JD CHAMBERLAIN was featured offering a tailored, but exotic new sideboard (in the style of this rattan server cabinet:

Savoir Faire Never Sleeps:

HAMMARY goes back to the scroll in a striking bed with rubbed through black finish.

Downtown Truly Brown:

BERMANFALK launches the Parisian Sleeping and Living collection by Joel Dessaule that includes this six-drawer dresser.
(hit the "zoom" link to see a larger picture)

Gotta Getaway:

LEGACY LEATHER in a new move debuts the Tack Room collection that includes a hearty credenza with leather fronts on the doors.

Stop in to Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery to see other new styles for fall, all of course Chosen by Beverly.

Bev & Mike

PALECEK CALLIGARIS SHERRILL JD CHAMBERLAIN HAMMARY BERMANFALK LEGACY LEATHER
Bev & Mike

The Pinnacle Design Achievement Awards.

Congratulations!

Stone Sculptures by Yuri Zatarain for The Phillips Collection took top honors including Capital Balcony by Jodell Clark for Global Views
in the The Pinnacle Design Achievement awards.

The Pinnacle Design Achievement awards were created in April 1995 by the Board of Directors of the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) to promote better design quality and encourage the recognition of furniture designers within the retail home furnishings industry. As such the awards are intended to celebrate designs that are produced in large numbers for sale to customers through retail stores.

About the Stone Sculptures, the judges praised Zatarain for the his novel use of ceramics; artistic interpretation of human form; saying it was interesting, and a delightful conversation piece.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is delighted to offer accessories from these two vendors.

Bev & Mike

Accent Chairs

From FURNITURE Today,

For consumers looking to dress up a room, accent chairs remain a viable and often affordable alternative. The style mix continues to expand as well, giving them plenty of options to choose from when selecting a piece.

Sam Moore's Grasshopper club chair is a modern-style chair, here in a raven finish. It features exposed wood arms and legs shaped like a grasshopper. The fabric shown here is a faux animal skin in a blend of polyester and acrylic fibers. It retails for $799.

Sam Moore Furniture is doing well with traditional-style leather club chairs. But it, too, is seeing the market shift more toward transitional and contemporary-style frames.

"That's a big category for us," said President Mike Moldenhauer, noting that wing chairs only represent 7% of sales, down from 19% a decade ago. "It seems like when we introduce a new style, it does well for us."

Its line of 300 chairs is mostly sold as proprietary products for various retailers, at retail price points ranging from $399 to $999 per chair.

Sam Moore still produces 80% of its line in a 400,000-square-foot factory in Bedford, Va. That domestic operation allows it to customize orders, with 500 fabrics and 100 leathers. It also has 30 custom finishes, all of which also are offered by suppliers in China and the Philippines for the remaining 20% of its line that's imported.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is pleased to carry Sam Moore.

Bev & Mike

What Not To Serve At A Dinner Party

Back in June we quoted from an article in House Beautiful by the Barefoot Contessa about Tips for Entertaining at Home. A recent issue has an article entitled What Not to Serve at a dinner party. The Contessa has read my mind.

1. Appetizers that require two hands! You know the party. You take a napkin or a little plate and help yourself to crudites with ranch dressing, some meat balls, maybe those little cocktail wienies and a fork. There you are with a drink in one hand and your napkin and the plate in the other. In order to eat or shake hands you must put your drink down.

2. Beets or red wine! We never serve red wine in our showroom. However, we do have several overturned wine glasses with acrylic red wine that makes a frightening gift for use on a light sofa or light carpet.

3. Three rich courses!

If you're serving a rich main course, start with a salad and end with some fruit and a delicious cookie. Your friends will thank you.

4. Garlic and raw onions! Mike and I always ask, Are you eating onions?

5. Spinach! No one wants to ask if they have spinach between their teeth.

6. Corn on the cob! (See Spinach.)

7. Two fish courses!

8. Offal! They always looks so good, those bacon wrapped somethings. I take a big bite and it's liver! Gag me. Contessa says same goes for "tongue, tripe and sweetbreads."

9. Nuts! Skip dishes made with nuts as ingredients. People may be allergic.

10. Blowfish!

Here are a few of our own:

1. Skip the dip that consists of a brick of cream cheese and some green or red sause poured on top.
2. Skip serving grapes with seeds or cherries.
3. Make sure any meat you serve has no gristle.
4. Avoid low quality non-alcoholic beers.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Elegance in Furniture Design

From Home Accents Today an article on Accent Furniture - The Chic Corner by Tracy Bulla

Elegance reigns with tailored, sophisticated styles that draw on both European and Asian influences. Graceful curves and flowing lines add to the impression of welcoming hospitality.

An example of graceful curves is this piece from J.D. Chamberlain with a slight scalloping that lends a sophisticated edge:


Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry the furniture of John and Dori McKearn founders of J.D. Chamberlain.
Read "Sharing a company and a life together" on their website and experience their call to distinction and quality.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Tracy Bulla Accent Furniture J.D. Chamberlain Bev & Mike

Top Designers of 2005: Interview with Donya Wiland

Resuming our interviews of Top Designers for 2005, we are pleased to speak with Donya Wiland / Twilight Design. You know it is going to be an interesting interview when your subject arrives in a white 52 MG TD. Donya’s hair is in a kerchief like you would see on one of those bikers we saw traveling through Yellowstone in August. She’s the type of woman who could wield a wrench one day and belly dance, her hobby, the next day after a manicure.

LF+DG: Donya, thank you so much for making time to answer some questions about your design practice. Tell us something about your background and what are your credentials?
Wiland: You know, I just felt that I had a knack for interior design, but I needed training, so over six years ago I went to the Heritage School of Interior Design and graduated with an ICD.

LF+DG: You are one of the savviest marketers of your services? Tell us about how you get clients.
Wiland: The best sources of new clients are referrals. I also teach seminars at the Home & Garden Show twice a year. Topics include:
# Seven steps to interior design. Before you start spending money and the science behind it.
# Quality vs Price
# Proportion and Scale
# How designers work
# Where do you start, how to implement a design and how to finish.

I believe every one can use a designer to save time and money. My motto is: “Maximize the outcome, minimize the investment.”

LF+DG: Who or what has been an influence in your design?
Wiland: Communication is important with clients, especially when a couple have different views. I use the same communication style as Michael Payne the host of Designing for the Sexes. We share the same skills. He’s a nice guy.

LF+DG: How do you define good design?
Wiland: It’s not what you spend. It’s how you spend it

LF+DG: If I were to hire you to decorate my home, would people who visit say, "Ah, this is a Donya Wiland home?"
Wiland: No, it’s my job to pull together the look the client wants.

LF+DG: Do you come up with a presentation board?
Wiland: After the free consultation, I do a complete design book, which includes the client concept, design suggestions, color palette, color shopping card, floor plan with measurements, paint map and helpful hints.

LF+DG: How do you charge for your services?
Wiland: After the free consultation, my fee is $95 per hour. I pass on any designer discounts to my clients and will go shopping with them. Shopping is a sport for me. I love to win for my client. I believe one should never pay retail!

LF+DG: What other creative things do you do?
Wiland: I am involved in Yoga for fitness and I meet in a Mid-Eastern restaurant to belly dance with a dance troupe. I love to travel and I love cars. I am currently helping my husband Craig restore a 1957 Chevrolet Nomad. And, and, I watch Storm Large compete in Rock Star: Supernova.

LF+DG: Were you disappointed that she lost and Lukas won?
Wiland: No, I rooted for Storm, but Lukas will fit right in with Supernova. Remember, Craig and I and you and Mike have a date to see Storm perform next time she's in Portland!

LF+DG: Donya, where can people reach you?
Wiland: Bev, they can reach me at

Donya Wiland / Twilight Design
Visit my web site: www.donyatwdesign.com
or
Email me at: msmgdiva@yahoo.com
or
Call me at 480-247-2513

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Donya Wiland Twilight Design Top Designers for 2005
52 MG TD 1957 Chevrolet Nomad
Storm Large
Bev & Mike

Palicek Featured in HAT

From Home Accents Today Mirrors - Natural Instincts by Tracy Bulla

Shells, bark and bamboo update mirrors with a little sass and sophistication. The more decorative the treatment, the greater the visual pop.

Tiny iridescent squares of capiz form a chic mosaic tile accompaniment to Palecek's rectangular mirror.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to offer the full line of Palicek, distinctive furniture, lighting, and accessories.

Part of Palicek's distinction for years has been their ability to mix and weave natural fibers into unique statement pieces out of materials such as wicker, rattan, abaca, seagrass, leather, wood, and bamboo.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Mirrors Palicek furniture, lighting, and accessories
Bev & Mike

Kokanee Café in Camp Sherman

Saturday night we had dinner reservations for six at Kokanee Café in Camp Sherman. Kokanee Café is a fine gourmet restaurant since 1992, and Paul and Denise Mercer have managed this rare find for the last five years. My husband told me when we were done that the food at Kokanee Café was some of the finest he has ever eaten.



Here's a map to the restaurant and be sure to take your time getting there. The speed has just recently been posted at 35 MPH and go 47 MPH and a mustachioed sheriff will ask you your opinion of the speed limit and tell you that the restaurant will wait.



What's so special about the food?
We started with a house salad - crisp romaine, mixed field greens, dried cranberries, roasted hazelnuts with bleu cheese vinaigrette or marionberry vinaigrette. We had the bleu cheese vinaigrette. The salad was not too dry or too wet and chilled. The flavors were divine.

Connie had crab cakes and said they were delicious. The chef uses fin fish, fresh ginger lemon grass and fried lotus root. The presentation was excellent.

Bev had Idaho Rainbow Trout grilled in a pouch over an open flame combined with lemon verbina, basil and citrus curry butter, candied peppers and arugula salad.

Bill, Nancy Lou and Mike had a 8 0z. beef filet laid on a hill of mashed potatoes. The beef was smoked in a bleu black truffle butter combined with a fig demi-glaze and topped with a cherry compote. All dinners had a serving of brocholini which the men promptly gave to their wives. Mike ordered his steak medium rare or slightly pink. The steak was pink to just slightly red one one side however it was so tender and flavorful that the slight red didn't detract. Mike said he could almost cut it with a fork and the cherry and the mashed potatoes set it off beautifully. City Grill's New York steak in Portland is comparable in quality and price.

The menu has changed since the web site went up and Denise said it will change for fall this Friday. I asked what one menu item can't be missed and she volunteered, The Wild Escolar, a white pacific fish. It is prociutto wrapped and pan roasted served on a bed of squash risotto and piquillo peppers.

Did I mention the salt encrusted bread served with a pepper butter? Desert was heaven: Peach and Marionberry Cobbler with a dash of whipped cream and a scoop of Bill's ice cream.

Don't expect to just walk in at 5:30 and expect to be served. One party was told it would be a four hour wait. Be smart and call ahead.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Kokanee Café Camp Sherman Oregon Paul and Denise Mercer Fine Dining Bev & Mike

Clear Lake 0131

Clear Lake 0131
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

Mike at Mover Mike has posted comments about the Clear Lake trail loop we hiked with friends on Sunday.

For other photos of Clear Lake visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11145551@N00/tags/clearlake/

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Wall Design Diva, Suzanne Gallagher, Seminar and Book Signing

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a treat for you.

Prior to her appearance on AM Northwest KATU Channel 2 on October 2nd at 9:00AM, Suzanne Gallagher, author of The Fine Art of Wall Design will be appearing at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery for her Start With Art seminar (Featuring ROMA Framed Art!) and Book Signing on Thursday, September 28th, from 5:00PM - 7:00PM. Refreshments will be served, but seating is limited.

In the words of Suzanne Gallagher:

Do you know where to start when tackling an interior decorating project? It can be a challenge. Don't design your room around the sofa... Start with Art! Art is the perfect inspiration for your décor. It reflects your personality, your style. You can determine the colors and style for your interior space from a piece of art that you love. Art is the glue that ties all of the elements in the interior space together. When the art image and color, framing design, and placement in your spaces work together, something terrific happens! It is called The Fine Art of Wall Design.

You Will Discover from the seminar and The Fine Art of Wall Design:

# How to select art images that work.
# Confidence in knowing where to find art.
# Basic understanding of art and value.
# The secrets to good classic art framing design.
# Simple design principles of placement.
# How to create PIZZAZ and "Ooh la la" in your interior spaces!

Where:
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery,
6140 A SW Macadam Avenue, Portland, OR 97201
When: Thursday, September 28th, 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Registration Fee: Free

Call 503-245-4222 or email Bev for reservations

Bev@landfairfurniture.com

Daniel Masters Of Hekman On Quality Woodwork

We see a lot of interest in Hekman Furniture via Google web searches at Landfair Furniture (Blog) and our other sites. I want to share some consumer information that will help you navigate our furniture store and others stores you may contact when you begin to shop for furniture for various rooms in your home.

Daniel Masters is the president and owner of Hekman furniture. He is a 29-year veteran of the furniture industry. As an expert, he has written many articles that will help you in your shopping. Here he is on the topic of: How can you tell quality woodwork?

I think it is really important for a consumer to stand back and look at what you are going to buy. Back up in front of the piece of furniture and touch it in the following ways. Run your hands across the top, underneath the edges, and underneath the bottom. What do you feel? The top should be smooth to the touch. When you run your hands around the edges or the sides, there shouldn't be a rough feeling. Sometimes, you feel scratchiness, almost like stubble of a beard. Those are indications that the furniture was not sanded. Now after you have looked at that and gotten a feel for it, you want to stand up to the top, come up and look at the top and inspect the top of the furniture. How or what does the top of the furniture look like? When you walk up to a piece of furniture, you look down at the top and what do you see? Well, here are some things that you should see. Is the wood on the top of the furniture? Can you see small little pieces of wood formed together with little finger joints? That's called finger joint construction and generally speaking, it allows you to use more small wood parts that make it more affordable. When you finish that wood whether it is a light finish or a dark finish, you should be able to see those little joints.

Does the top run very uniformly? Do the edges appear to run at different grain directions? In other words, are they running across and all of a sudden you look at the edge and it is running up and down. That would indicate that this has been neared top. At that particular point you could have two different constructions on the edge. It could be a wood construction that's well done. Or it could be what they call a filled edge, and that is just basically where somebody literally painted on a veneered look, almost sort of like a plastic type of feel to that look. All of those things are determining what the sale price is because there is cost in doing more work to create a piece of furniture. So when you look at that veneer top or wood top, how does it appear to you in looking down at it? Can you sort of pick the edges off? Feel the flip edges of veneers and that type of thing. So at that particular point you should have an idea of what the construction of the material is, or the tops of the furniture you are looking at which is the most important thing.

Right now each of those various constructions are fine. They are all stable. What really happens now is that as your furniture ages, it starts deteriorating. This is a real thing. A piece of wood is cut out of a tree and the tree continues to live in some vague shape or form in your home. It absorbs moisture. When your house is humid, when your house is dry, it dries. It expands and contracts even though it is not a living thing. Over time and usage, the things that are better-built are going to last longer. And so are you buying heirlooms or you are buying things that you want to just give to your kids when they move out on you?

Now, let's move on. When you see the color, does the color look uniform across the top? When you walk around the table, looking down again at the color, can you see shifting light? This would indicate flip in the veneers which is something that the salesperson should be explaining to you. Light will hit the top of the veneered table and give you a different color from different angles. But the most important thing is that when you are looking at this color on the retail floor, is the color uniform from piece to piece? In other words, do you have dark spots and light spots?

As a consumer, when you get that in your home, it is going to age differently. Over time in a home, light will come in and out and the furniture will get either richer or warmer or start to get bleached out. If you are going to start with somebody delivering furniture to your house that is not uniform in color and appearance, it is going to age just like different people age.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery always has a number of Hekman pieces on our floor and we invite you to compare the quality and the price. Do the "hands on" tests that Masters suggests. Did we mention the furniture is beautiful, to boot?

Bev & Mike

Hekman Furniture Daniel Masters Interior Designe Bev & Mike

Rowe Companies files for Chapter 11

There's good news and bad news today from Rowe Companies. In a press release Rowe said they are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Upholstery manufacturer and retailer The Rowe Companies, reeling from declining sales, import competition and lingering problems from a faulty enterprise resource planning system, said today it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and that it plans to sell its Storehouse retail division.

We expect no disruptions in service from Rowe at Landfair Furniture and there should be no effect on special orders.

Now for the good news. I looked at the Rowe site and discovered they are running a contest for a new sofa.

So, tell us a little about yourself and we'll put your name in the hat for a drawing to win a free sofa! The drawing will be held on September 29, 2006. No salesman will call and we will not share your personal information with anyone.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry Rowe Furniture as part of our commitment to provide a range of price points for designers, their clients and the retail public. While LF + DG specializes in working with the interior designer, we are open to the public and can provide as much design help as you may require. For those special projects ask about "referral to a designer" program.

Bev & Mike

Rowe Companies Rowe Furniture Upholstery Win a free sofa
Bev & Mike

Furnishings For Your Garage

A few years ago, Mike and I converted the detached car port into a garage that matched the style of the house. Since it was a one car garage, we wanted the space to be more than a place to park the car. We wanted a place to store used paint, gardening tools and fertilizer, the lawn mower and bikes. Like many people, we bought some of those shelving systems you can get at Costco and one of those metal tool benches. The tool bench has heavy particle board for the top and has since bowed from the moisture. The floor is the typical cement that gathers stains over time.

Designer Donya Wiland and her husband Craig have a two car garage and have three cars in it. An original Morris, a 1957 Chevy Nomad, which Craig is restoring and a red convertible Corvair. There is barely enough room to walk around the cars and Craig would love to have room for a shop.

At the dog park Helen and Joe are selling their home by Grant Park and moving to the South East part of Portland. Joe has a strong desire to have a multiple car garage with a shop. He figures if he doesn't restore the panel truck he owns, he never will.

Where am I going with this talk about the garage?

Well, there is a new company in town, Vault, led by Chad Haas that offers "An Ultra-Premium Line of Furnishings For the Dream Garage."



And you should see the color palette. In addition Vault offers flooring. To quote their web site

Every element of your home is a reflection of your lifestyle, including your garage floor. So, if you dislike coming home to an unattractive and dirty garage floor, we have the perfect solution. Our Garazzo™ flooring system will transform an ordinary concrete garage floor into a decorative statement that is difficult to stain and easy to clean.

Take comfort in coming home to the cleanest and nicest garage on the block.

Vault has broadened its product offerings to include carriage-style doors, flooring products, wall treatments and period furnishings – to put it more succinctly, everything needed to outfit the dream garage.

Now all the men I know will soon be saying, I want a bigger garage. I want a Vault garage!

Chad Haas is in Beaverton, OR and can be reached Toll Free at (866) 828-5810.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

"It isn't easy being green."

Kermit the Frog, in his latest commercial says, "It isn't easy being green." Bridget A. Otto in the Thursday Homes & Gardens section of The Oregonian sympathizes:

Consumers like the idea that bamboo grows so quickly, thus being sustainable. But, ...some companies in China are pushing the bamboo bandwagon off a cliff by selling products made from plants harvested at three or four years. If left to grow 10 years, bamboo's density improves, giving it the characteristics that make it as durable as hardwoods for flooring....

So, if you have to replace that dented and scratched bamboo floor sooner, is your use of a sustainable product for naught?

If you buy furniture made from reclaimed wood, is it still green if it's been trucked here from North Carolina?

It's about balance, says Alisa Kane with Portland's Office of Sustainable Development.

"For me, it's making sure that what I was purchasing was durable, and the resources were respected and the people involved were respected," she says. "Ask the question: Where did it come from; why do I need it; will it last?

We know at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery that being green is more than a color. One of our many encounters with "green" came in an interview with interior designer Marcie Harris in which she said:

My interpretation of Green Design is that designers and architects need to be educated about the 'lifecycle" of the products they specify. This is not only the recycling capability of products, but thinking about what it took to make the product in the first place. Obviously we can't evaluate everything - but if more pressure were put on manufacturers from designers and architects regarding "green design", I believe the industry would react accordingly. I have a client with a child that came down with environmental sickness after they moved into their new home. The off-gassing of VOC's from the various products (osb board, carpet glue etc.) was enough to keep her out of one whole year of high school. This was 8 years ago and things are improving - but it is still a huge concern.

Bev & Mike

Green Bridget A. Otto Interior Decorating Design Bev & Mike

New Home Decor Blogs

Every week it seems that new blogs are springing up dedicated to interior design, furniture and accessories. Here are a few of our latest finds:

MoCo Loco - Modern contemporary Design.
Take a look at this hand truck/chair:

Is this for the co-worker not pulling his/her weight?

Funfurde - Funky. Furniture. And. Design.

Design*Sponge - Design*Sponge features store and product reviews, sale and contest announcements, new designer profiles, trend forecasting and store/studio tours. In addition, Design*Sponge features a unique section dedicated to covering student design, national and international design shows.

Trendir - Trendir is an online magazine about the latest Home Decor Products and Trends. We cover High-End Luxury products. Think of us as having both style sense and the ability to identify new and cool things. Just take a look at this most unusual kitchen sink:



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Furniture Home Decor Interior Design Bev & Mike

New Textiles From Phillips!

From Phillips Lumalive a new fabric for clothing and furniture.

Lumalive textiles make it possible to create fabrics that carry dynamic advertisements, graphics and constantly changing color surfaces.

[...]

Lumalive fabrics feature flexible arrays of colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fully integrated into the fabric - without compromising the softness or flexibility of the cloth. These light emitting textiles make it possible to create materials that can carry dynamic messages, graphics or multicolored surfaces. Fabrics like drapes, cushions or sofa coverings become active when they illuminate in order to enhance the observer’s mood and positively influence his/her behavior.

It's not in the showroom yet, but count on it coming in the near future. You just need to be creative in how you use it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Phillips Lumalive Light Emitting Fabrics Textiles Home Decor
Bev & Mike

Jimmy Choo

So what do the stars wear when they walk on the red carpet?
If you said Jimmy Choo you are correct. Many, like Charlize Theron who wears ‘Paris’ a satin sandal with ornate jewel detail set in antique gold, choose Jimmy Choo for the walk.

The mere mentioning of the name Jimmy Choo has women worldwide drooling. The Chinese born, London based shoe designer is at the very top of brilliant shoe fashion.

Now you can browse his collection and dream, dream, dream.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Jimmy Choo Fashion Shoe Designer Bev & Mike

Bridget Otto Thursday on Saturday

Bridget A Otto had a beautifully illustrated article, Mirror Mirage, in Thursday's Homes & Gardens section in The Oregonian.

Our mirrors remind us of who we have become, but

A strategically placed mirror won't make you look younger, but it might lighten that dark corner near the entry or make the small guest room appear larger.

You can even create the illusion of a window.

We learn from the article that Suzanne Gallagher's new book is out: "The Fine Art of Wall Design" (Alta Press, 2006).

Bridget quotes designer Patti Marvitz.

A reflection doubles what's in the room, so you'd better like what you see in the room.

Gallagher notes

And just as that mirror in the bathroom has a practical purpose, so does the pretty one in the front hall.

That way you'll never end up saying, "I didn't know that was sticking to my skirt!"

The Bridget Otto article also has some practical advice for hanging those heavy mirrors on drywall (see pdf).

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Fads or Trends?

The Sacbee has an interesting article about fads and trends entitled
Can you separate the oh-so-trendy from the tried-and-true timeless?
By Alison apRoberts.

...there are ways to identify style trends that are likely to have staying power.

Two current themes promise to wear well. One is the Arts and Crafts style, which hews to the traditional, yet its simplicity and use of natural materials make it feel up-to-date and timeless.

...the other style du jour as "sleek, modern urban loft design." Again, simple designs and natural materials can keep the style from looking dated.

I liked this idea

"The shell of your home is like your body and the furniture is like the clothing, and the accessories are like the jewelry...

To avoid fads buy a few pieces of quality furniture that is timeless and change small things around it; throw pillows, wall colors, accessories.

Then apRoberts remembers the fads and trends of the past and what is fashionable today

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Art Glass: Contemporary Assessories

From Home Accents Today, Art Glass: Avant Garde Art Glass by Kara Cox

With art glass maintaining its contemporary appeal, these colorful pieces add a touch of eye candy to the mod mix. Abstract designs grab your attention in electric hues of red, blue and green or with graphic touches of black and white. Art glass is an easy way to update the home with a touch of modern appreciation.

Global Views' tall oval bowl in a fiery orange hue has a playful iridescent touch.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry Global Views.

Bev & Mike

Art Glass Contemporary Interior Design Mover Mike

Swan, ID and Square Scoops

Yellowstone 056
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

Bev & Mike traveled over 1000 miles to see and taste the ice cream at Rainey Creek in Swan, ID.

The story is: In 1943 the owners decided to expand into selling ice cream and Gracie ordered an ice cream scoop from back east. When it arrived it was a square scooper and she was very upset. Her husband said why don't we try it. That happy accident and some great flavors like Moose Tracks, Cotton Candy, Play Doh and Huckleberry & Cream have attracted visitors from all over. The present owners may go through 30 tubs of Huckleberry & Cream a week, and some are so taken with the flavor that they will walk out if their favorite is out.

Swan can be reached on the road from Jackson Hole, WY to Idaho Falls. The Swan Valley is one of the prettiest we saw on our road trip to Yellowstone.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Yellowstone 055

Yellowstone 055
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

Bev in front of Rainey Creek in Swan, ID, home of the square scoop ice cream in a cone. She has been to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole and is on the way home.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

San Gimignano Is Under Siege

One of our favorite cities is under siege. Three million tourists come to San Gimignano each year (compare that to two million visitors to Jackson Hole) and they come in fast, take a quick picture of themselves against a tower and whisk out to another city in the triangle.

“Some people, jokingly, say that we have to get out of the ‘Bermuda Triangle,’ a reference to the hordes of tourists in sandals and shorts who migrate between St. Peter’s in Rome, the Uffizi in Florence and Piazza San Marco in Venice,” said Francesco Rutelli, deputy prime minister and culture minister.

In 2000, when Mike and I went to Italy to celebrate my 50th birthday, we flew into Venice, spent several nights there, drove to Radaa and spent a week there driving to the Uffizi in Florence, San Gimignano, Siena, and many of the towns in Tuscany, then we drove to Rome for another week.

If you have the time, I would encourage you to get to know these medieval towns, enjoy lunch and dinner there, sit in the sun and sip a cup of coffee, enjoy the Gelato, talk with the Italians, practice your limited Italian and marvel at the ancient buildings and the light.

“The problem is hit-and-run tourism, which doesn’t create wealth or guarantee the preservation of a beautiful but delicate city,” said Sabrina Benenati, the town counselor responsible for commerce and local productivity. “If all you want to do is get photographed in front of a tower, I’m sure there are computer programs that can do the same thing with no damage to the town and without spending much money.”

Don't be a hit-and-run tourist!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Do you love Watermelons?

Are you frustrated with the fruit because they roll around when you are slicing them? Do you hate it that they roll around in your fridge? Well Brazil has come up with



Square Melons!

Tesco exotic fruit buyer Damien Sutherland: 'We’ve seen samples of these watermelons and they literally stop you in their tracks because they are so eye-catching.

'Melons are among the most delicious and refreshing fruit around but some people find them a problem to store in their fridge or to cut because they roll around.

In Japan they sell for about $75 a melon. We'll wait until the price comes down.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Square Watermelons Watermelon Bev & Mike

Is it time for wallpaper again?

Pure Contemporary thinks so in We're Stuck on Wallpaper all over again!

Button Up from Tracy Kendall is a bespoke look with buttons (large or small, plain or detailed, delicate or chunky) and their holes sewn into plain or textured wallpaper.

Caroline Kooshoian writes

...wallpaper's surging toward a comeback, and it’s left the brash, fussy and fuzzy behind.

[...]

It gets bold with stark geometric prints, fun with abstract flowers and artistic in hand-painted sheets. But it's the organic warm looks in cork, wood, grasscloth, textiles, even mother of pearl and glass, that have helped lead wallpaper manufacturers to almost $8 billion in sales last year, and showed the faux finishing crowd that walls can shine with luminous depth sans telltale sponge marks.

Exciting isn't it?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery