The Spa Cushion

What do you do when you go to the pool or beach? You read, right? The one problem Mike and I have is everything is fine while sitting up with our books getting tan.

What happens when you need to get sun on your backside? Those darn chaise lounges are just not made for lying on your stomach. Either I am hanging off the end with my book on the ground or I've twisted my back into a half loop!

Now there's a solution: Kami Gallaher has invented
Spa Cushion!



Gallaher says, "The design has 1 opening for your head which allows for breathing and ergonomic neck placement and 2 openings for your knees to allow relief from pressing into the chaise. The cushion also has a flip over pillow for when you want to lie on your back."

Great ideas triumph again!

Bev & Mike

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Making Homes Elder Safe

My parents are getting older and are starting to have health problems. Mike's mom and dad are still alive and knock on wood are getting around just fine. As they age, we know they want to stay in their homes, but we want them to be safe and have help if they need it.

As we age we our needs change and many in the design community specialize in redesigning homes so they are more elder friendly.

I was reminded of this when I read of national company that conducts audits of homes that might belong to our parents. Home Instead Senior Care

...does a thorough safety inspection of each client’s home, reviewing more than 50 different items. Areas such as the bathroom, bedroom or kitchen often receive additional scrutiny, as these are usually areas where the client spends the most time.

Things like safety bars in the bathtub, or removing trip and fall hazards might be obvious, but other items to consider are adequate lighting, lifting recliners and an elevated toilet seat.

One of the most dangerous items is a simple throw-rug.

Home Instead Senior Care has an office in Portland at 4415 NE Sandy Blvd Suite 208. There are a whole variety of services they can provide as this list points out.

Another local organization that can provide some of the same services and education is one that Mike's dad has been involved with for years; that's Elders in Action. They are at 1411 SW Morrison St. Suite 290 Phone 503-235-5474.

UPDATE: Betty Jung, a broker at RE/MAX, wrote along similar lines in: Baby Boomers Aging in their Homes

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Attic Gallery Hosts Judith Cunningham

Mike has been attracted to Judith Cunningham's paintings ever since her saw her painting of this place, Dead Horse Point . He was traveling in Utah a number of years ago when he met some people in Moab, Utah who invited him on a picnic at the point. I don't know if he has been the same since. He wrote this poem about the experience:


Dead Horse Point, Utah

At Dead Horse Point, great canyons stretch before me.
The setting sun backlights the scudding clouds.
A gentle breeze, wafts Junipers and whispers
of the desert to the south. The shawl of evening cloaks
the sandstone boulders.
Under the stars of Orion a red fox yips in the dying light.
I traveled much of a lifetime to this place to see a sunset.

Judith Cunningham captured the light and his feelings for that place. Now she captures the loneliness and majesty of the high plains in Wasco County


Canyon Shadows

She will be at the Attic Gallery tonight, 206 SW First Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204 beginning at 6:00 showing her latest creations and they will be on display tomorrow without her. She makes her home in Hood River.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Two Doctors, Both Interior Designers!

Here's an amazing coincidence. Back in 2005, we interview Lisa Seung, as part of recognizing local designers for their business with Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. (You can read that interview here.)
Here's a snippet of the interview:

LF+DG: We know you have a very interesting background. Please tell us about what you did before becoming an Interior Designer and your design credentials.
Lisa: People are usually a bit surprised when I tell them my background. I have a Ph.D in immunology and spent several years doing research.

LF+DG: In fact you and your husband share a common background.
Lisa: My husband is a radiation oncologist. He also has a Ph.D. We met doing research in the same lab in Chicago.

Today, I learned of Calvin Ashford Jr., the principal and design director of Gilmore-Ashford-Powers, who died at the age of 73 on June 24th.

After finishing high school early, he enrolled at Columbia University in New York City to study interior design, graduating at 18, his brother (Nickolas) said.

But Mr. Ashford, an African-American, found it difficult to find work as an interior designer, (Carol) Green, (a client and friend of Mr. Ashford for nearly 30 years) said, and opted to return to school to study microbiology.

After receiving a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a professor there asked him to help his wife decorate their home, reawakening his love of interior design, his brother said.

[...]

Over his career, he did design work for Whitney Houston, Maya Angelou and such athletes as Sammy Sosa and Jalen Rose.

Isn't that amazing, two doctors and both end up as interior designers!

Bev & Mike

Bridget Otto Thursday

Today Bridget Otto writes about Julie Kihlstrum and Stephen Francis who have a problem:

The family room off the kitchen has a row of windows that allow lots of natural light, a fireplace to warm the room and adequate wall space for a flat-screen TV.

...but it set up the perfect storm: competing focal points, awkward furniture placement and glare from the windows on the TV. The placement of the cable and the fireplace sticking out from the wall almost asked for little kids to bang their heads. There was no place to put toys away and limited ways to arrange furniture.

Enter interior designer Celeste LeDuke, who has a store in the southeast called Designing Women. Julie stopped in to talk and they immediately hit it off.

One of Julie's concerns: working with an interior designer would result in too much "frou-frou". This was her conclusion when it was all done:


Marv Bondarowicz / The Oregonian
After the makeover

"It's functional, but not too fussy," Kihlstrum says. "We watch TV with the kids and I love it. ... The built-ins are done so beautifully. The girls play and then put their things away. The ottoman has storage in it. ... And the swivel chairs? Love those. Absolutely just love it."

The designer: Celeste LeDuke
The firm: Designing Women
Contact: 503-232-9965 or celeste@designingwomenoforegon.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New From CBK

CONTEMPORARY-STYLE WALL CLOCK
with Straight Line Accents and Antique Pewter Finish, 50"D,
CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $140.00.




TROJAN HORSE FIGURINE
with Embossed Saddle Accent and Alpine Blue Finish, 10"L x 3.5"W x 10.75"H, Ceramic, CBK SUG. RETAIL $39.00.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry CBK.

Bev & Mike

Exhibit Passion

The International Interior Design Association Oregon annual dinner was held Thursday evening at the Governor Hotel. Katie Weeks, senior editor of Contract Magazine, spoke before several hundred designers and industry specialists. The Daily Journal of Commerce reports that Weeks said,

"Clients want to do business with people who exhibit passion. Your enthusiasm for what you do is contagious."

Seems like great advice!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Ollie & Lime

I came across the blog Green Your Decor, initially by the article on Flooring You Can Live With: Natural Cork. Mike and I have talked about ripping up the carpet, refinishing the hardwood floors underneath and using area rugs. This made me sit upright:.

..if you know anything about carpet, you know that no matter what it’s made of, even if it’s recycled or otherwise eco-friendly in terms of materials, it is one of the most unhealthy (though affordable) floor coverings you can have in your home.

I enjoyed that article. What else does this website offer. Then I was stopped in my tracks



There was something familiar about that wallpaper. Then it hit me. It's very close to the bubbles in our logo. The wallpaper is from a UK company called Ollie & Lime, Exclusively for Kids. I love the shoe wallpaper.



Two fun websites.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Pier 1 And Cost Plus, K I S S I N G!

Mike has posted about the latest offer from Pier 1 (PIR) to acquire Cost Plus (CPWM), of which Oregon has many stores, for $88.4 Million. It looks like a steal for PIR.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Fresh Dirt On Jennifer Leonard!

Our friend Jennifer Leonard of Nifelle Design is singled out for special attention at Sunset Magazine's Fresh Dirt section By Jim McCausland.

Visiting Jennifer and Justin Leonard’s garden in Portland yesterday, it occurred to me that this renovated garden is so inviting partly because it offers so many delightful places to sit.

Here Jennifer is pictured with her dog:



Jennifer is an interior designer, who it, appears, doubles as an exterior designer. She can be reached at:

Jennifer Leonard
Nifelle Design
The Portland Division of Wall Street Interiors
503.730.7117

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Two Takes On Martha Stewart Living Resignation

Susan Dickenson writing for Home Accents Today reported that the President and CEO of Martha Stewart Living, Susan Lyne, resigned and Mike followed up with some wall street takes on the resignation.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Products in Home Accents Today

Home Accents Today/Product Line features new products from a variety of furniture and accessories manufacturers. Here are samples of vendors represented at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery:

Chic cushion
Woven of natural abaca, the Aqua Bead Circle pillow from Palecek showcases an embroidered bead design ($138).

GOBLET-SHAPED VASE
with Brushed Silver Trumpet-Style Base and Turquoise, Beige and Chocolate Finish, 5.5"D x 11.25"H, For Decorative Purposes Only, Glass, Brass, BB, Cs pk/4, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $60.00.

WAVE-SHAPED TRAYS
with Light Blue and Light Green Reactive Glaze Finish, Set of 2, Lg: 20.75"L x 4.75"W x 4"H, Sm: 12"L x 3"W x 3"H, Ceramic, BB, Cs pk/4 sets, ©2008, CBK Exclusive SUG. RETAIL $34.50/ea. tray.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Curb Side Furniture

Have you ever driven around the city and seen furniture sitting on the parking or next to the street with a sign that says, "FREE". My husband does all the time from his big yellow bus. So many times it rains, then the furniture is of no use to anybody.

We recently donated a sleeper sofa to Oregon Community Warehouse. It was still in good shape, but we wanted a change in the den and with our remodel of the lower level, just didn't see the need for the sofa in the den.

We were interested to learn that the Community Warehouse has a need for lots of furniture and it's a shame to see it sit outside in the rain when there are so many in need.

I called Sharon and found out they don't need more sofas. They need beds and dresser drawers, and tables and chairs. They may drive by with one of their trucks and pick up your used items if you call. They may even take your sofa if you have additional furniture items items.

Won't you pick up the phone and call Sharon at 503-235-8786 or the other volunteers about your gently used items before putting it on the curb.

Their web site says

Clients include women escaping domestic violence, individuals and families who have been homeless, elderly persons on limited incomes, people with mental and physical disabilities, refugee families from all over the world, youth and adults recovering from substance abuse, and the working poor.

Community Warehouse
2267 N. Interstate Ave.
Portland, OR 97227

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Cool Cat Furniture

So, you bought one of those sleek, contemporary, lots-of-glass condos in The Pearl or in South Waterfront. What are you going to do for your cat? Are you going to bring that carpet covered cat tower from your old home to the new digs?



Is their an alternative? Decidedly, Yes! I received an email from Dan Lilly at Modern Cat Designs in Oceanside, CA about Designer Cat Furniture for the Choosy Feline and Owner, and liked the lines of the furniture. Take a look:



No, Lilly didn't pay me to write this and I don't have a cat, just a big, goofball golden retriever who loves to chase cats and squirrels.

Dude, Bev & Mike do not sell furniture for cats at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Just furniture and accessories to "cool cats".

Two New Posts at Home Accents Today

Mike has posted at Home Accents Today about his circuitous path to finding Abundance.

He also posts about Nichols & Stone.

Nichols & Stone, the only sizable furniture manufacturer still operating in the "chair city" of Gardner, is poised to quit making products from scratch.

Nichols & Stone is a premier manufacturer of furniture and the only sizable furniture manufacturer still operating in the "chair city" of Gardner, Massachusetts.

Are we seeing the end of Nichols & Stone? We certainly hope not. They have been a wonderful vendor of tables and chairs and we are proud to offer them to our customers.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bombay Co. News For Gift Card Claimants

Mike has written an important post, Bombay Co. Plans Repayment Of Up To 31.5 Percent To Creditors, that includes information about gift card claimants of bankrupt retailers like Bombay Co. that may apply to other retailers in Chapter 11 that offered gift cards and certificates.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Eleven Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Interior Designer.

Back in January 2006, we wrote a post entitled Eight Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Interior Designer. The eight questions were part of an article in Home magazine and we linked to the magazine.

We like to link to an article and highlight several questions in our post, rather
than list all the questions. That way people go to the linked site and we both benefit from the traffic. One of our frustrations looking back at some of our posts is that not all articles are archived. If you click on the link above, you land on the magazine’s website, but it’s the June 2008 issue and the “Eight Questions…are gone!

It’s been awhile, so, because of inflation, we’ve come up with our own eleven questions:

1. Do I like the designer? Can I spend a lot of time with him/her? Good communication is a must. Working with an interior designer involves some give and take. You will share ideas, and the designer will contribute insights and advice based on his or her talents, knowledge and experience. Depending on the scope of the project, you could be working with your designer a couple of weeks to many, many months.

2. Do I get that he/she is trying to understand me by asking a lot of questions? The key to success is really getting to know you in the early stages and how you and your family use your home and your interests.

3. Does the scale of my project really warrant an interior designer? Even if you think you could accomplish the redesign, do you have the time and inclination? You need to be realistic about how much money you are willing to spend. Include in this estimate the cost of all raw materials, new furniture, labor for installations, and possibly a designer.

4. How do you charge for your time? Designers may charge by the hour, which can be anywhere from $35 to $300, and these costs can quickly mount up. Others may offer a free first consultation, and then quote you a flat fee on the basis of your discussions. Some may charge for the first meeting in advance and then a fee for the whole project based on the estimated hours. Some may bill you for hours used each month. Some may bill each month a level amount. Some may get a designer discount and pass some or all the savings on to you. Whatever the basis on which your interior decorator is paid, make sure you both agree on the budget.

5. Can we accomplish the redesign and stay within my budget?

6. I can’t decide if I like the design. Do I still have to pay for it? “Yes! When you decide to hire an interior design firm, you have decided to trust the design recommendations of that firm.”

7. Are you available for conversation about changes and fine tuning? A good designer knowing you may present you with several options and give you the choice of one or the other. ASID recommends: “Minimize changes to your plan. Each part of the design will affect the whole. Changes or special requests can require any number of adjustments that will add time and expenses to your project.

8. My friend doesn’t like your ideas. Why shouldn’t I listen to her/him? If you have to ask this question you should probably have hired your friend.

9. Can I go to the local Design Center? With or without you? Of course, just let them know that you are working with a designer and his/her name.

10. What if a piece of furniture comes damaged? The furniture store should inspect the furniture when it arrives. The designer should also inspect the furniture before it goes to the client. If something is missed or it breaks when it is used, the designer and the furniture store will work together with the vendor to resolve any problem.

11. How long does it take to receive things, once they are ordered? Here’s a guideline (though individual vendors may vary):
Upholstered Furniture: 10-16 weeks depending on vendor.
Casegoods – Chests, bookcases, tables, hutches, etc.: 8-12 weeks depending on vendor.
Window Treatments: 6-8 weeks depending on size of job
Accessories, Lamps, Art Prints, Silk Flowers/Plants: 4-6 weeks or less.
Rugs: If machine made, 2-4 weeks. If hand knotted, 3-4 months
Wallpaper/Fabrics: 3-5 days.

Several websites contributed to this list of questions and their answers:

Apartment Therapy LA Good Questions: Hiring an Interior Designer
ASID Working with a Designer
Nancy Werneken Interior Design Frequently Asked Questions
Lynle Ellis Designs Before You Hire an Interior Designer
NWSID Why Hire an Interior Designer?
CCIDC Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Interior Designers
Directory M articles Interior Decorator

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

5 Things You Can Do To Survive and Thrive

Mike at the Landfair Retail Focus has posted about 5 Things You Can Do To Survive and Thrive in Today’s Challenging Economy! Written by George Whalin, President and CEO of Retail Management Consultants, it offers five tips:

Be True to Your Principles.
Take a Critical Look at Every Expense.
Support Your People.
Get Closer to Your Customers.
Fix What’s Broken.

Good advice from an expert.

Bev & Mike
Landfair furniture + Design Gallery

Tom Ford

For my birthday, Mike bought some Gwen Stefani "Lamb" perfume for me.

Last week, after visiting the Nordstrom's perfume section, I came home smelling like Tom Ford, the perfume! It was in my hair and on my neck and on my pillow where Mike could smell it during his afternoon nap. Tom Ford, it turns out, was nominated The Menswear Designer of the Year by Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).



"Lamb" has company on my vanity. Mike bought some Tom Ford "Black Orchid" for his sweetheart!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Frederick Cooper Pendant Lamp Wins Award

Metropolitan Home magazine in their Year's Best Design 100 have selected Alexander and Meagan Julian for creating a winning pendant for Frederick Cooper.

The editors considered all items in the "art of making" which include architecture, interior décor, home furnishings and gadgets.

The pendant is a reductivist take on one of the Julians' favorite textile patterns. The work is hand cut brass with a rich bronze finish. The white linen drum shade provides texture to an otherwise sleek silhouette. View this pendant and other Julian designs at www.frederickcooper.com or download the brochure.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to have Frederick Cooper lamps as a vendor.

Bev & Mike

The Landfair Retail Focus Is About Rising Costs Of Furniture

Over at The Landfair Retail Focus, Mike has posted about the Rising Cost Of Metal In Furniture and its implications for future furniture.

Portland Coffee Tables

The Oregonian's HGNW has an article today written by Nanine Alexander entitled A Table For Your Coffee, And More. The article has pictures of eight coffee tables that offer "...a place to set items you want within easy reach, a drink, a magazine, the remote control." Alexander doesn't mention my main reason for a coffee table, a place to rest my feet in front of the TV.

The article pictures all the coffee tables that are in the Portland area! Remember that old Johnny Carson routine. Johnny's sidekick, Ed McMahon, would repeat that remark: "All the coffee tables that are in the Portland area!" Johnny would say, "Wrong horses' breath!" So here are a few more that you can find on our showroom floor:

Global Views 8.80818 Surfboard Cocktail Table 60"L x 28"W x 19.5"H Retail Price $1,050.00

Sherrill CTH 310-822 Small Oval Cocktail Table Wooden Occasional Tables W28 x D20 x H21 Retail Price $920.00

Hammary Opus Collection Round Cocktail Table W38 D38 H19 Retail Price $599.00

Moondance 2 x 2 Cocktail Table 2 cushions with Bellagio Crosta leather 44 1/2"W x 44 1/2"D x 15 1/2"H
MSRP: $1,199.00

Hudson Street Warm Cocoa Oval Cocktail Table One stationary shelf 46"W x 28"D x 19"H
MSRP: $929.00

Alexander lists a few things to consider when you buy a coffee or cocktail table. My main hint: If you are going to prop your feet on the table, make sure it doesn't have a raised lip. Otherwise, it will be very uncomfortable on the backs of your feet.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery has all these tables on the floor currently. Come in and sit a spell.

Bev & Mike

Design Star 3 on HGTV

The third season of Design Star 3 on HGTV premieres Sunday June 8th at 9pm.

I just took a look at the competitors and only a few are designer "want-a bees", meaning they don't have any formal training.

Here's a rundown of contestants:

Trish Beaudet - Owner and Designer of Finishing Touches Interiors by Design, Inc.

D. Paul DeRouen - Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Profession: Architectural Designer

Matt Locke - Bachelor's degree in history from Princeton. Current Job: Designer

Michael Stribling - Interior design major from Wade College. Current Job: Interior Designer/Business Owner

Jennifer Bertrand - Bachelor of Arts in education with an emphasis in ceramics; master's degree in teaching and leadership from University of Kansas. Current Job: Interior Decorator/Owner of Bertrand Designs

Tracee Dore - Bachelor of Arts in interior design from the University of Kentucky. Current Job: Residential and Commercial Interior Designer and Builder/Renovator, Tracee Dore and Company

Jerome Scottie Miller - Master of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. Current Job: Regional Property Manager at Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Schools.

Mikey Verdugo - High school diploma from Hialeah High School. Current Job: Police Officer

The winner will host their own show on HGTV. In addition, starting June 6th, viewers can begin entering for a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree to Sears or a $5,000 gift card from Lumber Liquidators.



If you want to root for someone local, I'm afraid Matt Locke's home is the closest: Los Angeles, CA. Go Matt!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget Otto Thursday

What a nice way to begin the day. Open The Oregonian and see a picture of Beverly Landfair gracing the pages of HGNW.

Photos by Marv Bondarowicz THE OREGONIAN
Moving to the Pearl Design Center allowed Bev Landfair to more than double the space for her store, Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

It's an article by Bridget A. Otto on the Pearl Design Center.

In early 2007, the question was asked, "Why doesn't Portland have a Design Center like San Francisco and Seattle?"

Debbie Madden, whose husband, Mark, is a principal in the development company Stark Group LLC, had spent an entire day crisscrossing the greater metropolitan area to look at fabrics and furnishings. After cruising nearly every county -- and enduring a car accident to boot -- she lamented Portland's lack of a design district where a person could see all these things at once -- hopefully without incident.

So, in classic Portland fashion, Stark Group bought a city block under the trusses of the Fremont Bridge and transformed buildings that once housed Quimby Welding into the Pearl Design Center.

Photos by Marv Bondarowicz THE OREGONIAN
Studios and storefronts now occupy the Pearl Design Center. The space used to be Quimby Welding.

Set between Northwest 14th and 15th avenues and Northwest Raleigh and Savier streets, the approximately 34,000-square-foot showroom and studio space opened last spring and is about 60 percent full, says Tami Wood of Stark Group.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, a showroom of furniture, fabrics and accessories, is its largest tenant. A handful of other businesses -- Architectural Elegance, Quince Flowers & Events, Studio Olivine, Northwest Framing Commercial, Progress Construction, Intrinsic Design and WDC Properties (which manages Stark Group) -- are scattered about the complex.

Bev is excited about the opportunities to be part of a Portland Design Center and is enthusiastic about the coming housing planned for the Pearl.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Copy Successful Designers

Nika Stewart has an email that echoes some of the thoughts of KP in The Luxury Consumer Part 2: Interview With Kathie Pozarich

Stewart, Designer' Success Coach, tells us "if you want to run a successful design business, copy what successful designers are doing, and you'll achieve the same success." So, what are successful designers doing? How do they work, think, act? Here are Stewart's three traits that are common to successful designers:

Successful designers have systems
What do you do when a call comes in? When you measure a room? When you hire a contractor? Do you have specific steps to follow for every part of your business? Or do you wing it? I used to! But I learned that "winging it" leads to chaos and confusion, and you certainly can't grow from there. Successful designers handle each part of their business the same way every time. They follow a system for everything. Systems lead to consistency, organization, and effectiveness.

Successful designers study marketing
Unfortunately, being a terrific designer doesn't necessarily make you successful. In order to succeed in business, we need to be super marketers. Successful designers are either great at marketing, or they hire people who are. The most lucrative design firms actually spend more time and energy on marketing than they do on studying design.

Successful designers are detail- oriented
This may seem obvious, but are you doing it? Successful designers take care with every detail of the business - from all aspects of office work to each element of design projects. This doesn't mean they do it all themselves (in fact, profitable design companies delegate a lot of the details.), but they always make sure that every part of their business - down to the smallest details - supports their exceptional image.

Lots of great advice!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A. Otto Thursday

Bridget Otto shows how two professionals, Jon and Julie Nordby, owners of Nordby Design Studio, solved the design problems of a house bought by ex-Minnesotans Keith Halasy and Erin Tripp. They loved the view through the large windows and the acreage.

Unfortunately, he says, the execution of the design was not very good. Take the relationship -- or lack of it -- between the living room and adjoining TV/office space, which was accessed from a hall around the corner from the living room.

I love to read about the design process and the problem resolution. The clients are happy and have handed out NORDBY DESIGN STUDIO cards to all their friends.

NORDBY DESIGN STUDIO
The team: Jon and Julie Nordby
Years in business: Jon has been an architect for 20 years. Julie has been an interior designer for five.
Specialty: The ability to bring the perspectives of both an interior designer and an architect to the job.
Contact: 9900 S.W. Greenburg Road, Suite 285; 503-968-8906; nordbydesignstudio.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Good Friends

I consider myself fortunate to have so many close friends. These three women have been my close friends since the eighties (Gail on the left), since the seventies (Sandy on the right), and Marsha in the middle since first grade. That's me in the yellow coat.

The four of us have been in a book club for too many years and recently, Gail moved to Boise. Do we replace her? We decided no, we will just all fly to Boise once a quarter and have our meeting there.

It's not all work. Here, we visited a winery and posed in the sun.

The book club has been wonderful. We've each read books we might not ever picked up, both fiction and non-fiction, our friendship has deepened, and we are the richer for it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Time For Outdoor Furniture

I know summer is going to be here soon and I want to get the deck outside looking good.

Heather at The Inside Store-y has some tips on cleaning the furniture that you will lie on to get that suntan and sit on to chat or eat that BBQ:


5 piece teak set in Bali design by Faraway Furniture.

Cleaning Methods

It's as simple as soap and water. It's all you need for most outdoor furniture. You may want to ...pick up a power washer.

She covers cleaning

• Acrylic Cushions
• Resin Furniture - Resin furniture is easy to clean. Spray off dirt and grime and let dry. If there are scuff marks, use a gentle abrasive to remove. To remove mildew, follow the instructions above.
• Wicker -You can use a hose or pressure washer.
• Wrought Iron, Steel Frames & Aluminum -Use mild soap and water to clean.
• Fabric
• Umbrellas
• Wooden Furniture

Faraway in About Teak has a lot on its website regarding teak care including this bit of advice:

The only maintenance we recommend for your teak furniture is occasional cleaning. This should be done with a mild soap (such as gentle hand cleaning soap) and warm water to preserve its natural elements.

There are some new ideas in outdoor furniture from The Modesto Bee, for example:

Chat tables are new this year, says Jan Booth of Patioworld in Fresno. These tabletops are higher than coffee tables but lower than dining tables. "It's high enough that you can put a cup there, but it's not like sitting at a dining table," she says.

Mesh on metal or wood pieces: Patio pieces that have mesh-type material over metal or wood frames also are popular.

"You can lay a towel on it or go without a towel, and you can lie on it. You don't stick to (the mesh), and it's very comfortable. You don't lie there and get sweat on your back and tush."

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Get Your Chi Moving

Lalainya’s Weblog caught my eye with Feng Shui for Summer! My first thought was "I didn't know we could use Feng Shui for a season." My second thought, with the cold spring we've been experiencing, "What's summer!"
Dragon devas writes

When a residence or business is blocked by clutter, emotional residue, incompletion, or actual furniture placement, a less than excellent quality of life is experienced.

The blogger Vikki Anderson writes about chi or positive energy that needs to get stirred around. Here are some of Vikki Anderson's summer tips to bring about positive energy:

• Keep a small overnight bag packed for you and your family and place it in your car’s trunk. If an unplanned getaway or you get an overnight invitation for your kids (or an emergency arises), you will have all essentials already in the car and ready to go.

With all the earthquakes in some parts of our country, this is a great idea for any time of year.

• Let the light into your home. Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and immediately feel re-energized.

• Hang beautiful chimes from your deck, trees or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you. Always have a book on hand that you’ve always wanted to read and didn’t have time. The sound of the chimes will de-stress you and you will be learning from or enjoying a good book at the same time.

We have a wonderful wind-chime on our deck outside our bedroom. Every time Mike hears the soft, gentle chime he gets a smile on his face.

• Have your home and deck power washed. Then you can seal your deck for many hours of fun without damaging it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

domino's Top Ten Decorator Tricks

Domino, The Guide to Living With Style, is a magazine and website I visit frequently.

Domino is published by the people that publish Concierge, Epicurious, Men.Style.com, Style.com, Wired.com, Lipstick.com, NutritionData, YM, Allure, Architectural Digest, Brides, Condé Nast Portfolio, Cookie, Glamour, Golf Digest, Golf for Women, Golf World, Gourmet, Lucky, Men's Vogue, Self, Teen Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and W.

Most of us subscribe to one or more of those magazines or pick up a newstand copy from time to time.

The latest issue has an article that caught my eye: domino's Top Ten Decorator Tricks. Here are their ten tips:

1. invest in the best
Instead of filling a room quickly with things you can afford, enjoy the process and slowly add pieces you absolutely love.
2. borrow your own clothes
If you love the hue of a blouse (or anything smooth-textured), bring it to a paint store to be scanned and reproduced.
3. lighten up
Reflective, sparkly fabrics and wallpapers draw light into any space.
4. work with what you've got
Play up a room's assets. If it has high ceilings, put up really tall curtains. If it's a dark box, don't try to alter it—painting it bright white will only make it seem dingy; instead, go for cozy.
5. lights!
Even in small rooms, aim for at least three light sources—ideally a floor lamp and matching table lamps—to banish gloomy corners.
6. go antique-chic
Invest in one fabulous antique per room, to set the tone for the entire space.
7. think outside the welcome mat
Don't neglect your entryway! Think of it as an appetizer for what comes next. It should reflect your home's overall style but also contain something special, so guests want to see more.
8. collect more
Collect something that speaks to you. No matter what it is, there's impact in numbers.
9. skirt the issue
Skirted tables in offices or entryways can hide all manner of ills: shoes, kids' backpacks, mail—even filing cabinets.
10. beyond wallpaper
Upholstering, rather than papering, walls yields a layer of softness and luxury for about the same price.

I particularly like 8. collect more. We recently had dinner with Cheryl and David Leland in their beautiful condo. In every room are framed art pieces or art pieces from places they've visited. The design of the rooms reflects colors of their favorite places in Mexico.



When Mike and I visited Italy we purchased a small painting from an artist in Florence. It was titled "Door of the Supplicant". We had it framed and it hangs in our living room. Not only is it a wonderful painting and not too expensive, the framing was more, but it brings back fond memories.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Dan Carithers In Atlanta Home Tour

"You need $4.1 million for the keys, but only $20 for a tour of the Regents Park home..." The posh development in Atlanta was chosen by Southern Accents magazine

...to establish an elegant alternative for urban dwellers. Made up of 23 luxurious town homes and flats, the development has the familiar feeling of tradition with modern-day conveniences.

(The) magazine called on renowned Atlanta interior designer Dan Carithers to oversee the home's interiors. A walk through the home is a visual feast of design finery, with everything from floors to ceiling provided by vendors like Stone Age Designs and Hickory Chair. Carithers' own furniture line by Sherrill Furniture is on display throughout the home

Several things stand out in the tour and the photo tour here:

• Fabric, fabric, fabric: Carithers uses repetition of fabrics on linens, upholstery and walls.
• Seats for all sizes: Little ones like luxury, too. Throughout the home, child-size chairs were sprinkled among traditionally sized pieces.
• Button-tuft this: Carithers' use of button-tufted pieces gives the home an instant dose of comfort and glamour.

Bev & Mike
Proud to carry Sherrill at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

What’s The Difference Between Wicker And Rattan?

Over at Home Accents Today, Mike has posted an article entitled What’s The Difference Between Wicker And Rattan?



The post features pictures of Palecek wicker furniture all available at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Is Your Wallpaper Running?

We don't know how it's done, but this is the latest lighting technology, wallpaper light:



Hat Tip: Engadget

KP Design And The Luxury Consumer

Over at Home Accents Today, Mike has written a two part article about the luxury consumer.

In part 1, the luxury consumer is defined, here by Relish as those with household income between $250,000 and $500,000 and the extremely affluent as those with a net worth of $10 Million or above.



In part 2, Mike interviewed Kathie Pozarich, Portland interior designer to the luxury consumer and learns what it takes to be successful in that market. She offers tips, also, to the new up and coming interior designer.

KP Design Group, Inc.
Kathie Pozarich, Interior Designer
Tel: 503.635.3400
Email: kpdesigngroup@comcast.net

Mike writes three times a week about retailing and furniture and accessories at Home Accents Today in a blog entitled The Landfair Retail Focus.

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

New From Jimmy Choo

American Idol is dominating the TV and now Jimmy Choo has this for you Idol fans:

Jimmy Choo's Idol shoes

WHY: Because it's high time we owned something this lethal. Not only do we adore the platform sole, the thick heel actually renders these...comfortable. Weird, we know. In true chicette fashion, these look best with tattered cutoffs or a miniscule mini. Talk about illegally chic. PRICE: $775

Back in August we posted about Mondrian Art.
Jimmy Choo has this for you:

Spring/Summer 08 sees the introduction of the new 'Mondrian' heel. This distinctive graphic heel gives an architectural boldness and a modern edge to designs from peep toe pumps to strappy platforms. PRICE: 375 Euros

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Start With Art! Seminar

Suzanne Gallagher, author of "The Fine Art of Wall Design", will inspire you on April 26th with creative tips and valuable interior design nuggets about art imagery, framing design and placement!



Begin your design project poised for success. You will learn how art can be the catalyst for the design of your interior spaces. It can also be the focal point that pulls your existing design elements together.

Saturday April 26th 10:00am to 11:30am

Door Prizes and Refreshments!

$10 Space is limited REGISTER SOON!

www.walldesigndiva.com 503-579-2787

Special added incentive: Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery offers 20% off purchases the day of the seminar.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Coffee Tables From Calligaris

Searching the internet as much as I do, I come across a lot of interesting sites. For example, here's one I found today, Freshome. It had pictures of a coffee table from one of our favorite contemporary vendors, Calligaris



Freshome writes

The Retro contemporary coffee table by Calligaris is both stylish and practical having a central open compartment under the top and two side drawers that open by a rotating pivot pin. The Calligaris retro table features a wenge finish that will easily match any home decor. The clean lines and smooth elegant curves make this a collection of pure design classics. This is Italian furniture design at its most architectural. New ideas in materials, techniques and shape combine to make a clarity and purity of form that is fresh and truly modern.

We like furniture pieces that can serve several functions.



Calligaris also offers Kobe, a contemporary coffee table in wenge, or rovere, with translucent glass



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Musical Furnishings

Are you like me? You sit in your car waiting for the light to turn green and “1973” by James Blunt starts on the radio and you start finger tapping the steering wheel, keeping time to the beat. Sure you are.

You sit at home playing Bridge with friends. Before the cards are dealt, that song is played on the stereo, the one Michael Jackson danced to on his “Thriller” album. Your feet start moving and you imagine yourself playing the drums on the table edge. Isn’t is limiting to have only one note on that table?

Well, NW Artist Tor Clausen in his studio in Olympia WA., has a solution. His company Musical Furnishings is very excited to introduce the Musical Rumba Series. You now can have “your own personal drum table with durable, interchangeable and rearrangeable percussion inserts.”



What will they think up next?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Pictures Of Uttermost Accent Furniture

On Tuesday, March 11, 2008, we posted Uttermost To Debut Accent Furniture! We now have some pictures of the new designs:

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

.


Click on the picture for large, beautiful images. We will be ordering samples!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Landfair Adds Duralee Memo Sales

Yesterday morning Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery hosted Scott McKay, Duralee Sales Representative, in a meeting for Oregon interior designers. We announced that Landfair Furniture would be the Oregon "To The Trade" showroom for Duralee fabrics and will offer memo samples. Already we have expanded the scale of fabric samples and Scott told us that another eight boxes of samples are on the way.

Scheduled for completion by June of 2008, our showroom will feature an extensive display area for Duralee fabrics, Highland Court luxury fabrics, a library area with Highland Court and Duralee sample books, and a brand new memo room. Landfair Furniture will feature a display vignette of Duralee Fine Furniture enabling more customers to experience the custom fine furniture brand.

In addition, McKay announced that Philip Gorrivan has partnered with Duralee and announced a new line of Luxury Fabrics!

Philip Gorrivan Design is based in New York City specializing in high-end residential interiors and commercial projects including hotels and offices. The firm is known for its unique and clever use of color and a polished and refined eye for objects, art and furnishings.

A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE FABRICS FROM PHILIP’S FABRIC COLLECTION FOR DURALEE/ HIGHLAND COURT. THE FABRICS ARE AVAILABLE IN EARLY 2008.

Gorrivan has created a 5-book set of woven color books featuring the Philip Gorrivan signature style of fresh, modern designs with a touch of the past and punches of color.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Check Out Kim Seybert!

Here's a NY fashion designer that has moved from the runway to the tabletop, Kim Seybert.

Handmade placemat of smooth oval hand dyed wooden beads with a cotton backing.

As a successful designer working on Seventh Avenue, Kim's specialty was beaded and embroidered dresses and evening- wear. In 1998, Kim redecorated her apartment, reinvigorating her creative energy and enthusiasm for design. She decided to take this expertise and her lifelong passion for fashion and translate them into a collection of similarly embellished coasters, placemats and pillows.

Hat tip to Lizzie Garrett at DESIGNwatcher

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Turn Signal Jacket

Click photo for more information.

Clothing is becoming more functional, growing beyond the original intention of covering your nakedness before the eyes of the Creator and now providing for your safety.

Two-wheelers are nimbler and faster but they'll always be less noticeable and that's a bad thing on our increasingly congested roads. This jacket provides another mechanism for catching the eyes of sleepy-eyed commuters. Controls are on the wrist.

(hat Tip to productdose.com)

I need a jacket to wear for summer bicycle rides to the furniture store!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery