My Design Secrets

Remember us mentioning My Design Secrets written by Lorrie Brown? We signed up for her newsletter and we are glad we did for we just love her pictures. It works the same way we our vendor Global Views. The photos just make you grab your ordering pen.



Here are some photos from My Design Secrets:









Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Take A Look At Artisan House At High Point

Xporadical
Dimensions
inch: 45 x 3 x 20

When Bev and I attended Las Vegas Market, we were invited to stop at Artisan House. We were very impressed! Today Casual Living reported that Artisan House will make some major product introductions at High Point.


Autumn
Dimensions
inch: 18 x 4 x 43

"To address continued customer interest in vibrantly-hued pieces, several of Artisan House's new metal sculptures will be alive with color," Artisan House President John Shilling said. "These splashy color additions will attract the eye - and encourage our customers and their clients to be a shade less color conservative when decorating their homes and offices."

These metal sculptures were introduced in April of '08 and are included here to illustrate the quality and fibrancy of the colors. We were excited because the line was affordable for consumers in today's marketplace.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Fennell House

While surfing, I came across the blog Desire To Inspire. Written by Midcenturyjo and Kim, they have pictures of interior designers' work, including Roland Emmerich, Lars Ranek, James Mohn, and Michael P Johnson. That's when I came across this Portland floating home:



That's the Fennell House designed by Robert Harvey Oshatz, Architect.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Fashion And Interior Design

The other day we posted here and here about the fall fashion shown in Fashion Week Daily. Our intent was to give you a first look at trends in fashion you will see in furniture in two years or less. Now check out Coco & Kelly. This blog pairs fashion and room design, showing how the fashion is used in the room.

Caring For Our Retired Parents

I've a sinking feeling that my parents' health may require my siblings and me to step in and relocate our parents from their home to some kind of assisted living arrangement in the near future. I hope not right away, because both want to stay in their home. If they do need assistance, we hope that it can be some kind of in-home care. But, Pop was just diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and needs full time oxygen support and Mom will be having hip replacement surgery on October 29th and will be living temporarily in a nursing home, afterwards.

Ellen James Martin just wrote a piece titled How to help retired parents prepare for a sale.

They're pre-boomers, usually 75 or older. They've lived in their current home for a couple of decades or longer. But an adverse health event — perhaps a broken hip or a cancer diagnosis — means they must sell their home and move. To whom do they turn for support during this difficult transition? Nearly always, it's their grown children.

Michael Dean, a real estate broker who specializes in the senior market, notes that things can change quickly with our parents and he recommends tackling the problem as soon as you know they must move.

The article offers some pointers for people helping their elder parents prepare for a major move:

• Acknowledge your parents' deep attachment to their home.
• If your parents have been in the house for a long time, it will be difficult to decide what to keep and what to sell or give away.
• Be careful with the decluttering process, if done by the children, for it can lead to family disagreements. It might be best to hire a professional.
• Assure your parents you'll honor belongings they consider precious.
• An estate sale may be a good idea, however your parents may be offended at how their possessions are displayed and handled.
• The stager may want to update the house and that could ruffle your parents feathers.

As we boomers get older, we may experience these kinds of situations while caring for our aging parents. This is a time for tact and quiet persuasion, rather than demands.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Products

From Uttermost:



The Atara
Table Lamp has a crushed, amber-gold glass body with dark bronze details and gold highlights. The oval, semi drum shade is a silkened chocolate bronze textile. This Billy Moon design is 33" tall.




Set of Six, Paris Scenes monotone prints are accented by wooden frames with a black finish. The frames inner lip has a glazed champagne finish. These Grace Feyock prints each measure 19"W x 24"H.

From Palecek:

Woven wonder
A basket weave havana rope top and bridge leg design combine to create the sleek bench from Palecek.

Both company's products can be found at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bev & Mike

BermanFALK Will Make News At High Point

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

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Loft Living 101

Click on image to enlarge.

We almost missed it, but in the latest Explore the Pearl magazine, there's a sidebar titled Loft Living 101 written by Monica Spoelstra that features a picture of me in the research and fabric section of our store.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

I came across My Design Secrets written by Lorrie Brown, an interior designer in South Florida. Here's an unusual post about the front door, How to Create a Welcoming Front Door. She goes on to tie the article to online sales of products for the front door area. However, she has three points worth considering:

1. The Door - Choose a front door that reflects the style and personality of your home and paint it or stain it in a contrasting color to make it a focal point. My favorite colors? Red, Black & stained finishes.
2. The Accessories- Just like any other room in the house, the accessories are the finishing touch and there are quite a few to consider: door hardware, house numbers, door knockers, door bells, mailboxes, doormats, lighting and plants. Since it’s a small space, try to keep finishes and styles similar.
3. A Commitment - Keep the area neat and clean. A simple sweeping up and wiping down will usually do. Flowers & plants are a bonus. It brightens up the area and shows others that you take pride in your nest.

Whenever I have my camera out, I love to photograph doors. Doors keep us from secrets, or magical gardens or mysterious people with lives totally different from our own. Here are some front doors from My design secrets:


Click on the image to enlarge.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Mart Visser show in Amsterdam

David Nicholas said in a comment, he saw Mart Visser show in Amsterdam. "Check it out." So we did:



Mike said he loved the confident strut of the models to the music: today's woman. Sort of reminded him of Sarah Palin or what she would wear.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture +Design Gallery

More Fashion Week Daily

Maybe we spoke to soon about short skirts and what it means for the market. Fashion Week Daily has more runway reviews from New York Spring 2009. Take a peek:

Proenza Schouler

Jack and Lazaro took their collection to new heights-outer space, to be exact. Jumpsuits in tech fibers, belted or beaded, drew adoring stares. "They were the best jumpsuits I've ever seen," raved Allure's Linda Wells. "These guys really are the next generation of style setters."

Malandrino

"I was inspired by a new dawn-the sun rising and the woman awakening," cooed the sultry Catherine Malandrino, who now has 10 years and 9 stores under her belt.

Ports 1961

We saw fitted skirt suits, printed dresses, and light and airy trousers in metallics, cobalt, scarlet, and taupe. Statement accessories were also in the mix-ballet flats, sculpted wooden wedges, corset belts and an array of chunky necklaces.

Remember, style elements you see on the runway one year make their way to your furniture the next year.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Fashion Week Daily

Fashion Week Daily has pictures of the New York Spring 2009 fashion Reviews in a three parts; here, here and here.

Mike particularly liked the idea that short skirts are still in. He thinks that means the stock market will stay high and his eyes low.



This little number is from Hervé Léger by Max Azria.

He took the bandage dress and pushed forward. Aside from the iconic cinched mini, this season brought forth innovative fabrics, geometric color blocking and leather. A beaded one-shoulder minidress glistened on the runway.

Among those attending in the front row were Kate Mara, Joy Bryant, Maria Sharapova, Lou Doillon and Michelle Trachtenberg.

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For more about color and style, mark your calendars for Color Pulse 2010, featuring Doty Horn, Benjamin Moore's Director of Color Design, on October 1st at the George Morlan arena at the Northwest Design Centerfrom 5:30 to 8:00.

We suggest you email your intent to attend as early as possible to portlandcolor@benjaminmoore.com.

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Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Out Of The Box!

They are more slender generally than the lamps you see today and the bases are smaller, but what a find. I'm talking about the lamps Ed Sexton and Doug Taylor found all crated and untouched in the Edward P. Paul Company's east coast warehouse.

The Edward P. Paul Company originally imported these gorgeous high-end lamps from the 40s, 50s and 60s, from the finest Venetian glass houses including Barovier & Toso, Barbini, Seguso, and Venini. They were marketed under the BALBOA trade name and were sold exclusively at their New York City store. Later, BALBOA lamps were offered at fine department stores such as Macy’s, Bloomingdales and Marshall Fields.

Changing tastes and mass production techniques in the 1970s compelled the Edward P. Paul Company to focus fully on their gilded iron furniture business, leaving hundreds of beautiful Murano lamps ...all but forgotten.

Ed and Doug purchased the entire contents of the warehouse. They took seven months to uncrate these timeless works of art and then completely restored the Murano lamps using UL Certified hardware. That's when Swank Lighting was born.

Now, Swank Lighting is working with MaterialGirls to sponsor a ‘virtual’ design contest. Their contest was inspired by the collaboration between Metropolitan Home Magazine and SHOWTIME to create ‘Metropolitan Home’s SHOWTIME House’.

You must design your own room based on one of your favorite tv characters! Your design must be from a a pretty well known tv show, new or old, but the winner will be the one whose room captures the tv character’s personality the best, AND you must include a pair of Swank Lighting lamps in your design board.

After MaterialGirls gets all the submissions via email (laurenehayden@gmail.com or emily@ejinteriors.net) by November 1st, they will announce a winner on November 15th!

Do you want to know what you are competing for?

**The winner will receive a pair of lamps (valued at more than $2,000) from Swank Lighting!**

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Welcome Greentea Design

We have another new advertiser on the Landfair Furniture (Blog), Greentea Design, your online source for Japanese furniture.

Why Greentea?

Exclusive Designs
Designs like the Mizuya Kitchen are available nowhere else in the world.

Flexibility
Need custom designs? Special considerations? No problem! Greentea strives to exceed your expectations whenever possible.

Think Green
All their furniture is built from reclaimed wood salvaged from Korean farmhouses.

Greentea has four collections:

Living room furniture




Bathroom furniture - If a stylish bathroom is what you are after, then this is the place to look. The pieces that make up their bathroom furniture collection feature warm, solid woods and rich patinas.

Kitchen cabinets - The emphasis is on the natural beauty of the elm wood and hand-forged iron hardware.

Antique furniture



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Art Glass Offerings

Lindsey Strader writing for Home Accents Today notices art glass offerings are being shown with asymmetric configurations, abstract patterns, undulating edges and bold colorations. One design featured is from Globval Views carried at Landfair Furniture.



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Stanley Teams With Coastal Living Magazine

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

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

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

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

Landfair Furniture proudly carries Stanley Furniture.

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

What Is Magnetic Induction?

Mike came across an article today at Wallstrip Today about how Intel, using some new technology called "magnetic induction" has demonstrated a prototype system that could power gadgets without having to plug them into a wall socket. Imagine that! No more charging stations for cell phones and laptops, maybe even electric cars.



His research into "magnetic induction" led him to another article, this time about a new cooking surface.

Magnetic Induction Cook Tops uses technology that transfers heat to the pan through magnetism. Even when the cook top is on, it is cool to the touch because the energy transfer only affects magnetic objects. This is of great value for homes that have kids with curious hands!

GE is selling the GE Profile:

The GE units have a whole lot of smarts added in, especially when it comes to safety. If you remove the pot or pan while cooking, the surface detects its absence and cuts off. If you place something with less mass on the surface such as your ring or a spoon, it won't heat up. Only pots and pans will be allowed to generate the cooking heat. There's even a setting that lets you lock the cooktop's controls.

The neat thing is, it can boil water in 15 seconds and heat control is much more precise than with gas or electric burners. Think of the fossil fuels that can be saved! The GE website shows the cooktop has a retail price of $2549.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Products

Lindsey Strader at Home Accents Today Product Line has singled out some new products and two are from Uttermost, whose products Landfair Furniture carries on our showroom floor.



Tree Panels
Set of 2 are frameless hand painted oils designed by Grace Feyock, and feature an array of natural earth tone colors. Each measuring 20"W x 70"H.



The Jannik
Hurricane Candleholder features an old barn finish with bronze metal details and clear seeded glass. Designed by Matthew Williams this candleholder measures 11"W x 25"H.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Landfair Furniture Finalist In ARTS Awards

We are very pleased to be nominated as a 20th Annual ARTS Awards Finalists; the winners will be announced in Dallas, Texas on January 17th.

The ARTS Awards is the premiere awards program dedicated to the home decorative accessories industry. Twenty-six categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Sales Representative, Rising Star and Academy of Achievement. Manufacturers and the Rising Star award are nominated by retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants and other industry officials. Retailers are nominated by manufacturers, sales representatives and other industry officials.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is a finalist along with Interior Illusions in the West.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The CCR And Its Contents

When Mike and I signed the lease a little over a year ago, in the Pearl Design center, we wanted to know about the covenants, conditions and restrictions, (CCR).

Alex Veiga, business writer for WTOPnews.com has some five good questions to ask when buying a condo. You are entitled to a copy of the CCR and Veiga says you want to know what's in it.



Every time the CCR subject comes up, I am reminded of a book I read, a while back, called "The Association" by Bentley Kittle. Publisher's Weekly describes the book this way:

With this haunting tale, Little (The Town) proves that he hasn't lost his terrifying touch. Barry and Maureen Welch are thrilled to exchange their chaotic California lifestyle for the idyllic confines of Bonita Vista, a ritzy gated community in the unincorporated fictional town of Corban, Utah. But as Bonita Vista residents, they're required to become members of the neighborhood's Homeowners' Association, a meddling group that uses its authority to spy on neighbors, eradicate pets and dismember anyone who fails to pay association dues and fines. Maureen, an accountant, and Barry, a horror writer who is banned by the association from writing at home, soon find themselves trapped in the kind of deranged world that Barry once believed existed only within the safety of his imagination. The novel's graphic and fantastic finale demonstrates the shortsightedness of the Association and will stick with readers for a long time. Little's deftly drawn characters inhabit a suspicious world laced with just enough sex, violence and Big Brother rhetoric to make this an incredibly credible tale.

It made quite an impression on me. I will never again be complacent about the CCR and its contents.