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

Best Places to Find Color Inspiration

One thing caught my eye in the latest HGTV decorating news. David Bromstad shares tips for the Best Places to Find Color Inspiration.

Who is Bromstad? David Bromstad is the season one winner of HGTV Design Star.

Here are his tips:

Get Outside -

Nature is the most amazing place for color inspiration, since each season offers different and amazing color combinations. The warmth of the summer and fall, the cool colors of winter and the fresh hues of spring are the perfect examples of Mother Nature's work. Color doesn't just exist in the growth of nature, but in every aspect. A stormy sky against fall leaves is unbelievable, while a yellow rain jacket on a gray, rainy day is the perfect color combination for spring.

There is one color of green I just love and it comes this time of year and that is the new, fresh, rain-washed green of budding leaves.

Go Shopping -

Take a look at the fresh produce aisles at your grocery store. Nature went crazy with the most amazing and vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables. Grab a few of your favorite shades and see how you can make them work together in your home.

I'm reading "On Mexican Time" by Tony Cohan. In it he and his wife are shopping in San Miguel de Allende. Can you picture these colors: "...when a willowy Indian girl in a green sweater showed up at the door with buckets of bright orange-yellow calabaza flowers



and blue corn tortillas." or "Beneath a canvas awning we pick ripe yellow mangoes



and magenta cactus berries called garambullos for Susana's mousse."



Read the Fine Print -

My greatest color inspiration comes from fashion and magazines. First, it's the best way to stay on top of color trends and styles, since fashion is always the forefront of what then comes into interiors.

Take a Stroll -

All the colors you see in everyday life can be a part of your home. Carry a camera to take snapshots whenever you find the perfect combination.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Ruth Mullen Features Jennifer Leonard

Today is Ruth Mullen Day. In a nice piece about interior designer Jennifer Leonard, entitled Twin Set, Mullen shows how a "striking white Colonial Revival and "a matching playhouse" were restored.

With Jennifer's design touch and green thumb, and her attorney husband's affinity for manual labor, the couple have tackled some daunting tasks, such as taming their half-acre landscape, ripping up old carpet, scraping wallpaper, and painting inside and out. With 3,500 square feet, four full baths and five bedrooms, they have their work cut out for them.

[...]

It's also an intimate showcase for Nifelle Design, the interior design business that Jennifer runs from home. Rich custom fabrics and high-end designer furniture mingle with antiques, refinished castoffs and treasured heirlooms, such as the andirons that belonged to her grandmother.

Here's how you reach Jennifer Leonard

Nifelle Design
www.nifelledesign.com
503-730-7117 * jennifer@nifelledesign.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Uttermost To Debut Accent Furniture!

From Home Accents Today:

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

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

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

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

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Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Hot Products In Home Accessories

Home Accents Today's weekly email of hot products in home accessories singles out several vendors carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery:

Textural trophy



Topped with an oatmeal colored loomed linen shade, the Carob Medallion lamp from THE NATURAL LIGHT Prince of Wales Collection features a hand-formed clay base with a splashed glaze.

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We are excited to have next month, on Saturday March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Kimberlee Jaynes sharing "Designer Secrets" - "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!" See Kimberlee Jaynes' we site: www.kimberleejaynes.com. Seating is limited so register soon at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery or call 503-245-4222

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Shell style



Beads from natural polished coconut shells embellish the pillows from Palecek with woven natural abaca cases.

Embossed Glass Lanterns from CBK



Antique Copper Finish, 6"Sq x 8"H, Glass, Iron

Lanterns from CBK



Stone Bronze and Luster Finish, Set of 3 (Amber, Blue, Green),6.5"D x 14.5"H, Glass, Iron

Taking shapes



Open blocks create the base on the Sunray cocktail table from Global Views.

Geometric looking glass



Pyramid designs finished in hand-rubbed mahogany red with burnished details and gold accents create the frame on the Conley mirror from Uttermost.

Enjoy!
Bev & Mike

The Precedent eCollection

If you have been to Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery recently or to our web site, you know we've added Precedent Contemporary Upholstery to our collection of upholstery vendors. Precedent is a division of Sherrill. We added the line first, because we know that high quality is what Sherrill stands for. Second, our customers were demanding a line of contemporary furniture and third, our customers were asking for a way to be "green".

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We are excited to have next month, on Saturday March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Kimberlee Jaynes sharing "Designer Secrets" - "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!" See Kimberlee Jaynes' we site: www.kimberleejaynes.com. Seating is limited so register soon at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery or call 503-245-4222

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Precedent Contemporary Upholstery is doing all it can to reduce waste and reuse materials and innovate products and processes that are better for people and our planet. For example:

Frames are made with low-formaldehyde engineered hardwood responsibly harvested from sustainable forests.

Glues and Finishes are water-based and VOC and formaldehyde free.

Seat Cushions are made from foam that utilizes soybean oil as a substitute for some of the petroleum normally required to produce foam.

Fabrics are woven from recycled or sustainable fibers like hemp, bamboo or organic cotton. Almost all are dyed with low-impact dyes that reduce or eliminate harsh chemical discharge into the earth.

Quality Craftsmanship minimizes the impact on the environment now and in the future.

To read more and wander through the styles see the Precedent Contemporary Upholstery website.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

"Greek Key Motif"?

House Beautiful has an article about The Greek Key Motif by Carol Prisant. What is "Greek Key Motif"?



Prisant describes it as "a rectilinear meander pattern: one very long and continuous line that folds back on itself repeatedly. " It meanders or wanders like the river, Maeander River in ancient Anatolia.

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We are excited to have next month, on Saturday March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Kimberlee Jaynes sharing "Designer Secrets" - "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!" See Kimberlee Jaynes' we site: www.kimberleejaynes.com. Seating is limited so register soon at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery or call 503-245-4222

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Prisant says it is also called "fretwork". "Patterned ornament composed of only straight lines is termed fretwork."

You'll see Greek key on accessories, fabric, and fabric tape, furniture and as Jackie Blue Home points out, on screens or room dividers, tile and rugs.




A Greek key design from House Eclectic.

UPDATE: We just ordered a new product from Global Views that fits right in with the Greek Key Motif, this Greek Key Step Table (30"L x 19.75"W x 22.75"H)



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

"Design Secrets"

Last month we had a great turnout for the seminar conducted by JoAnn Rouza, "The Art of Flawless Accessorizing!" We held the seminar over three different days and times. Due to popular demand we will bring JoAnn Rouza back possibly in May.

We are excited to have next month, on Saturday March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Kimberlee Jaynes sharing "Designer Secrets" - "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!" Seating is limited so register soon at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery or call 503-245-4222



Kimberlee Jaynes owner of Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs is among Portland's most talented designers. Her work is a combination of comfortable sophistication and confident simplicity. An associate member of Northwest Society of Interior Designers, Jaynes has practiced interior design for 17 years. She has been quoted in the Homes & Gardens section of The Oregonian as well as Oregon Home Magazine. She is a featured designer in "The Fine Art of Wall Design", a book about hanging art.

Reserve your seat for Saturday, March 15th from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Bev & Mike

Bridget A. Otto Thursday

This is like Howdy Dowdy Time.

What time is it boys and girls? IT'S BRIDGET OTTO THURSDAY, UNCLE BOB!

And today is the best day in a long time because Bridget Otto called Bev Landfair, You know her boys and girls. She's the owner of Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Why would Bridget call Bev Landfair, and Amanda Klash, owner of Montgomery Klash Interior Design, and Todd Dewey Jantz, owner of JD Madison? She wants to learn from three in-the-know Portlanders what they see headed our way for 2008 in terms of color.

Bev Landfair of Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery sees the organic elements in accessories as well as upholstery. She also swoons over the staying power of antiqued brass and the patinas of bronze and copper.

"Shiny brass is past," she says with a laugh.

Jantz couldn't agree more, but it's platinum he swoons over. Not the icy, cold gray from the '80s, he says, but the pewterlike platinum finish.

Landfair sees accents of marine blues and yellows on the horizon, as well as Art Deco designs, such as chairs embellished with nailheads.

All three design professionals echoed one another on the importance of details.

Whereas Landfair might add a "cool, wacky table with a copper top" and Klash might pull out a pewter-colored, cut-velvet fabric, they all agree the delight in a room comes from the details.

Landfair simply says: "It's style."

Thanks Bridget! BTW, check out our website for a new seminar scheduled for Saturday March 15th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

"Designer Secrets" Kimberlee Jaynes shares "Insider tips on transforming difficult design challenges into stylish solutions!"

Bev & Mike

The Step Chest

We received an email from Michael Ramsey of Greentea Design out of Toronto. The Canadian based Asian furniture retailer deals in both antiques and contemporary pieces with customers throughout North America. Their main claim to fame is that their contemporary pieces are made from reclaimed wood so as to be more environmentally friendly. We were intrigued by one of their pieces and the history behind it, The Step Chest:




History of the Step Chest

The most recognizable piece of Japanese furniture is the Kaidan Dansu or Step Chest. It first appeared in the late 1700s in stores and homes with loft spaces.

The idea was simple -- why not have a staircase that could actually act as storage space as well?

These giant pieces (usually about 7 ft. high) would be constructed by the local carpenter who would build it to the owner’s specifications.

The chests would usually consist of a combination of sliding doors and drawers and different-sized storage spaces.

Then the next clever idea was spawned. Since the government at that time taxed owners on their livable floor space, someone thought of making the step chest in pieces.

The idea was be that when the tax inspector came around, you would simply disassemble your staircase and claim that your loft was only storage and had no permanent access. This worked for a while until, predictably, that loophole was closed.

These antique step chests remain one of the most unique and collectible pieces of Japanese furniture. Because of this, prices remain very high and availability is limited.

Isn't it amazing how people work around intrusive government?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A Otto Thursday Two

In the second Bridget A Otto article entitled From 'funky' to fine, the NW Pro is Keri Davis of Keri Davis Design.

The Problem: The master bedroom was poorly configured, the bathroom needed an update and the closet was insufficient.

The second-story bedroom had an exterior door that led to a deck with stairs down to the backyard....There was no real place for the bed and it was awkward.

The bedroom also needed better lighting.

What's the value of a good designer?

Lisa gives full credit for the success of the remodel to Davis, who quietly steered her through the choices of materials and finishes. Having a designer with Davis' experience and ability, Lisa (McBee) says, was essential.

"When you're busy and trying to work, but there are so many choices, you need someone to steer the helm," Lisa says.

Most clients haven't seen what a professional sees in years of design work. So when you ask if they want dark floors with lighter cabinetry, says Davis, they can't visualize it.

Keri L. Davis, CKD, can be reached at
(503) 475-5883
Email: keridavisdesign@aol.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A Otto Thursday

You know what day it is, it's Bridget A Otto Thursday and she has been busy. First an article on finding the perfect chair, entitled Take a seat. She has some nice pictures in pdfs here and here of some chair styles. There are no pictures from Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. How did that happen?

How about this chair and ottoman from Sherrill?



Someone said recently that they tried a lot of chairs for comfort. Everytime there was item we liked, it was a Sherrill!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

JoAnn Rouza, "The Art of Flawless Accessorizing!"

Landfair Furniture will host JoAnn Rouza of JoAnn Rouza Interiors as she speaks about the "Art of Flawless Accessorizing!"

JoAnn of JoAnn Rouza Interiors will share her tips and tricks that Interior Designers use to put the finishing touches on their clients' projects. In just one hour, you will learn how to perfectly accessorize a fireplace mantel, tabletops and bookshelves.

If you have a particularly challenging area to accessorize, bring a digital photo and JoAnn Rouza will offer suggestions as time allows. You will be able to go home and immediately apply your new knowledge for stunning results!

The program is free, but seating is limited, so call or go online to reserve your spot today!

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery – January 26 10:00 to 11:00, January 29 10:30 to 11:30 and January 30 7:00 to 8:00

Bev & Mike

Seminars In The Pearl

Design Within Reach - Wednesday, January 16, 6:30–8:30pm

DWR Portland invites you to the first of our bi-monthly architecture and design lecture series, Designs on Portland. Topics will vary, but stay topical as we take the pulse of our thriving design community. The first lecture will focus on Portland’s growing reputation as an architectural center and how we can all play a role in the media’s perception of our progress.

Randy Gragg, former Oregonian architecture critic and editor-in-chief of Portland Spaces magazine will join us to discuss the surge in media attention and the portrayal of Portland in the press. Local journalist (Metropolis, Dwell), author and blogger Brian Libby (portlandarchitecture.com) will serve as moderator. Refreshments will be served. Call for reservations at 503.220.0200

Versailles in the Pearl – Thursday, Jan. 24, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

“An evening with” one of the region’s foremost experts in the art of Faux Painting, Lorie Wolff, One Horse Studio, demonstrating the art of adding texture and patina to interiors to complement eclectic and traditional European settings.

The latest innovations and study of the oldest techniques will be demonstrated by transforming a showroom wall. A variety of techniques will create a historical “story” of a (newly) aged and layered wall that, if viewed in a century old European building, could have taken years to develop. Champagne, Hors d’oeuvres. RSVP’s appreciated (222-2387)

Please, support businesses in the Pearl.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Margo Jacobsen Gallery To Close

Just received this email:

Dear supporters, I am writing this letter to let you know that I will be closing the gallery for good, as of January 31st. It has been a very difficult decision for me. I love the business but it is time for me to make a change in my life. If you have time please stop by before the month is up, as we would love to see you again before closing. The best of the New Year to all of you. Cordially, Margo Jacobsen

In August of 2003 Margo Jacobsen moved to Singapore with her husband and closed the gallery which she opened in 1992. After returning to Portland in 2005, she opened the new gallery/art dealership with the focus on nationally recognized artists as well as representing artists from the Northwest.

Stop by before January 31st and wish her well, as we do in whatever comes next!

Bev & Mike

Interior Designer Survey

I was shocked, only 4% of responding households used an interior designer in 2007!

Home Accents Today has published the Industry Report for 2007 about Interior Designers and the biggest reason households didn't use a designer: they wanted to decorate myself. The second biggest reason: too expensive.

The survey's meaning to me: designers and their organizations are not doing enough to educate the public on the value of their services and how using a designer can save money.

When I ask designers how they get new clients, many will say "word of mouth" and that is supported by the survey. Many respondents used a designer because the designer was on staff at the accessories or furniture store.

Once respondents used a designer, 85% would use a designer again.

At Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, our specialty is working with designers and we are open to the public asking if they have a designer. If they do not have a designer, we find out if they are looking for help and we offer suggestions, to fit designers with the customer's needs.

Bev & Mike