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

Patent Leather Covers Furnishings

According to Candace Olsen, patent leather is now making a strong push into upholstery.

"Patent leather is classy," says Candice Olson, who has fine-tuned the finish on selections for Norwalk Furniture. "I love it for seating because of its rich shine and totally unexpected, modern appeal." Olson is known for the ultra sophisticated and sexy interiors she creates on "Divine Design with Candice Olson" on HGTV. Her signature look is the use of glamorous, luminescent fabrics, which extends to patent leather.

"What makes this fabric unique is that it has the look of your grandmother's patent leather but, it feels like soft velvet or a micro-suede because of modern technology," says Olson. "It doesn't have that stiff, uncomfortable feel."

I received for Christmas from Michael, two pairs of boots for the price of one and both were trimmed in patent leather. Mike is on the cutting edge with Candace Olsen.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Nailhead Trim As Furniture Jewelry

Are we seeing more nailhead trim? Nailhead trim has always been an option, but we are seeing nailhead used in some new ways that is more like furniture jewelry, according to Carol Prisant writing in the February issue of House Beautiful.

"Nailhead trim is a decorative accent that is used to embelish upholstered furniture. The nailhead detail gives furniture a sophisticated look. Nailhead trim can accentuate the style of the piece, and it is usually used on arms and rails. You'll find it commonly used with leather-upholstered furniture, particularly leather sofas, chairs and ottomans.

"Nailhead trim dates back to the period of 1560-1643 and the advent of French Country Style during the reign of Louis XIII. The best-known innovation from this period is the Os de Mouton chair.



That piece marked the introduction of nailhead trim as well as upholstered backs and seats with the popular flame stitch pattern."

Prisant uses this wing chair from Mitchel Gold as an example classic nail heads to accentuate upholstery profiles. Notice how there is “air” or space left between the nailheads and no nails around the bottom edge.



Prisant uses this contemporary cabinet from Bungalow 5 to illustrate the use of nailheads as decoration.



Shown Below are more examples of the use of nailhead on a red leather wingback chair from Legacy leather


and nailhead as decoration from Sherrill.


Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The ARTs Award Nominations For 2007

The ARTs finalists for 2007 are out. ART stands for Accessory Resource Team and each year the Dallas Market Center and ART get together with an awards ceremony that rewards the best in the home and decorative accessories industry.

This year in the category of Decorative Accessories, two of the five companies nominated are carried at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery; Global Views and The Phillips Collection.

In the Wall Decor category, of the five nominated Roma Moulding is carried at our store. (Click here for a complete list of nominees.)

Both Global Views and The Phillips Collection are active eco-friendly companies. The Phillips collection is a founding member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, presents accessories as works of art.

"For the price of a good dinner out, people can own a piece of Phillips sculpture to marvel at every day and converse with their friends about." And thats how the company came up with their tag line "Every Piece a Conversation."

Global Views states on their website "All our products are made of natural materials and our packaging is recyclable."

Roma Moulding introduced over 350 new products each inspired by the changing world around us."

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Learning From Designer Linda Merrill

Here’s a blog that reaches out to two audiences, Surroundings authored by Linda Merrill, interior designer and owner of Chameleon Interiors, based in Masschusetts. She caters to the retail furniture and accessory buyer and she offers good information to the interior designer who reads her blog.

The first thing I noticed is an invitation to designers to compete and get publicity:

George Little Management, LLC (GLM), producer and manager of the ICFF, and Bernhardt Design announce a call for entries – deadline January 15, 2008. ICFF Studio invites submissions from designers working on any and all the product categories exhibited at the ICFF: furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath. Selected designers win a spot to display their prototypes at ICFF Studio, a group area with individual booths on the exhibition floor.

A ways down the page, Merrill lets us know that,

BravoTV is seeking undiscovered interior design stars for the second season of its hit competition series TOP DESIGN! They're looking for all types of artists, interior designers - up-and-comers, established professionals and those aspiring to greatness. The winner will receive a spread in ELLE DECOR, $100,000 and lots of media coverage.

Her appeal to the retail buyer is characterized by pictures of great design with a hook to something about which we have an interest. For example, she has some extrensive pictures of the mansion featured in the movie Atonement and the decorated White House.

She does one more smart thing. She has a company called To The Trade Buyer’s Service:

Ever see something in a magazine - fabric, furniture, wallpaper or accessories - that you just love, but it's listed as "To the Trade"?

If you've been frustrated by the fact that you don't want to hire a designer just to purchase a single item, then this service is for you.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

2008: Pantone Selects Blue Iris!

Pantone has selected the color of the year for 2008:



It called Blue Iris: A mix of blue and purple that suggests dependability and magic.

Pantone provides standardized palettes for a number of industries, mainly graphics, fashion textiles and interior design. Not surprisingly, Pantone’s competitors in the area of forecasting are skeptical of its choice, if not the motive behind it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Glass Pedestal Candy Jars

Surfing through Apartment Therapy, I came across these glass pedestal candy jars. Aren't they fun?



These vintage-style jars are suspended on graceful, footed pedestals. Inset domed lids are topped with thick knobs. They range in height from 7 inches to 18 inches and price from $34.99 to $44.99 each or the set of five sells for $179.99. Available at Chefs.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Stain Removal Guide

Here are the holidays at our door and so is entertaining. We go to all the work to make the house presentable for company, but what do we do for those accidents that can happen? Here are some of the most common stains selected from the Stain Removal Guide. If you go to the home page you will see on the left sidebar a list of possible staining agents:

ALCOHOL -

Always treat these as soon as possible. Often stains are almost colourless at first, but turn brown on standing, washing and ironing. Fresh stains can be removed by sponging several times with warm water. If there is any mark left, pour glycerine on the dampened stain, rub lightly between the hands and leave for half an hour. Rinse in warm water.

More stubborn stains may be sponged on dry fabric with equal quantities of methylated spirits (wood alcohol) and ammonia (test on colours first) or laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover). Rinse well in warm water. If any stain is left on white material, a laundry bleach may be used. Choose and use your bleach according to instructions given earlier.

CANDLE WAX -

Candle wax and chewing gum can be effectively removed by placing the object that has been stained into a freezer until the staining agent is quite hard, and brittle, then the material can be literally shattered off the object that has been stained.

...then treat any residue as follows: place the stain between clean, white blotters and press with a warm iron, changing the blotter as it becomes soiled. Then sponge with dry cleaning fluid or a laundry pre-soak (spot stain remover).

In the case of coloured wax there may still be a colour stain. Sponge with a liquid made by adding ½ c of methylated spirits (wood alcohol) to ½ c water.

COFFEE & TEA

Remove fresh stains from cotton and linen materials by first rinsing in warm water then pouring boiling water from a height of 2 - 3 feet onto the stain. Follow by washing in soapy water. If a trace remains, bleach in the sun, or with a diaper wash/sanitiser container sodium percarbonate. Tea stains on cottons and linens can also be removed by soaking in borax and water (1 Tbsp. borax in 1 c of warm water).

Stains on wool and silk or any fabric may be sponged with lukewarm water, then apply glycerine, rubbing lightly between the hands. Let stand for half an hour. Rinse with warm water. If a grease spot remains from cream, sponge with dry cleaning fluid.

Now, if you have a special friend that you like to pull little gags on, Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery may still have left, some of our tipped wine glasses of red wine. It looks like the real thing and can bring about the best high pitched screams All you have to do is place the party gag on a light sofa or light carpet. Once your host sees that it's not real you'll be rewarded with nervous laughter and a sharp kick in the pants for scaring her. Then she will ask, "Where did you get that? I want one!"

Landfair Furniture, of course.

Bev & Mike

Be A Green Barbecuer

From Casual Living, the Barbecue industry has felt the heat from governments over pollution:

Concerns about improving the environment and controlling air pollution are not new for the barbecue industry. More than 25 years ago, the government air quality watchdogs in California came after backyard barbecuing as a major contributor to the state’s smog and air pollution problems.

[...]

The barbecue pollution in question boiled down to the use of lighter fluid and the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that were being released in one minute of waiting time from when the lighter fluid was squirted on the charcoal briquettes until they were lit.

Now lighter fluid has been reformulated. No longer do you need to wait for absorption into the briquettes.

There are some new gree gadgets in stores:

A chimney, like this Grill Pro Chimney Style Charcoal Starter, shaves about 15 minutes off the time it takes to have charcoal ready for grilling without the use of a fluid chemical lighter.

The fuel-efficient Big Green Egg is fueled with natural lump charcoal which produces minimal ash. Unused charcoal can be saved for the next cookout by closing the top and bottom vents. And the ceramic EGG is a lifetime purchase, reducing the number of grills going into the waste stream.

Natural lump charcoal? Natural lump charcoal is made by burning wood in the near-absence of air to create lump charcoal. It is a natural product with no additives. It lights easily, burns hotter than briquettes for a great sear and produces less ash that requires disposal.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

What Is Eco Rowe?

The furniture buzz since High Point has been "green", sustainable and eco-friendly. I keep monitoring furniture sites to see if they have added anything new on the subject to their web sites. Here's one that has, Rowe Furniture has introduced Eco Rowe:

Sofas and chairs from upholstery manufacturer Rowe are more than just beautiful – they’re now kinder to the environment.

In a move toward more sustainable manufacturing practices, Rowe has introduced eco-friendly upholstery components, including two new cushions and 21 new fabrics made from 100 percent natural-fiber fabrics.

The “Eco-300CC” is a foam cushion in which a large portion of the traditional petroleum-based materials have been replaced with renewable, plant-based materials.

For rich, luxurious comfort there’s the “Eco-Down” cushion that combines recycled fibers with a feather and down blend. Products with these eco-friendly elements are identified with the new “Eco-Rowe” designation.

Members of The Sustainable Furniture Council and American Home Furnishings Alliance are both active in finding ways to help their members deliver environmentally friendly furniture to their customers.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to offer Rowe to interior designers and their customers.

Bev & Mike

Master Furniture Makers LLC

On the news stand right now is a feature article on Kai Fuhrmann owner of Master Furniture Makers, one of Portland's leading custom furniture companies. His company is featured in this weeks Portland Business Journal "Portland Executive Home & Life".



Pick up a copy if you have a chance and read about Master Furniture Makers.

Recently, we had a retail customer looking for a specific dining table with an odd height and size. We were not able to help, so we referred them to Kai Fuhrmann. He met their needs by completely designing and building a table to their specifications.

We heard back that they were very pleased with Kai's work. For the referral, Kai sent us a gift certificate to our neighbor's restaurant, Castagna Cafe and Restaurant

Castagna has been a culinary destination for more than seven years offering sophisticated dishes prepared simply with seasonal ingredients and influences from France and Italy.

Kai has great taste in food, also!

Mike & Bev
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Master Furniture Makers
Kai Fuhrmann
Castagna

Interested In A Better Sex Life?

I've heard it said, The secret to a great sex life lies between your ears."

Now there's news from the Better Sleep Council (BSC) that the real secret for a better sex life is under the sheets! According to new findings from a national survey by BSC, consumers revealed that investing in a new mattress can lead to a 26% improvement in your sex life. It also tells us that new mattress buyers experienced an improvement in sleep quality (52%), intimacy (40%), and personal health (27%). Now if I had put "sleep quality" first would you still be reading this far?

The BSC has a few questions to help you evaluate your current mattress and EASE you into a new mattress if needed:

Do you wake up with aches and pains?
Are you getting a better night’s rest somewhere other than your own bed?

Then Arm yourself with information to make the best decision.

Shop to find the right mattress to suit your individual needs, and be sure to “test drive” your new mattress when shopping in the store.

Ensure that you get the most out of your mattress with quality care. Make sure your new mattress and foundation are properly installed in your home, and be sure to use a good quality, washable mattress pad to protect your bedding system.

Bev & Mike (Recent buyers of a bowling ball, pillow top mattress)
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

A Double Helping of Bridget A. Otto (2)

In the second helping of Bridget A Otto, we meet Kim Foren who owns Geranium Lake Flowers.

BOLD AND BRASSY / This twig wreath wrapped in a shawl of fine copper mesh and accessorized with a garland of beads is the creation of Kim Foren of Geranium Lake Flowers. She loosely tucked ornaments and the garland into the twigs, then added the foot-wide mesh in a blowsy effect. Foren used floral wire to anchor it as needed. In Foren's mantel display, varied textures and heights keep the interest level buzzing. Dusty-copper pillars line up with radiant votives to throw a warm glow amid wired ribbons of copper, chocolate and tawny bronze.

In Dazzled By Copper, I was reminded of the Color Pulse 2009 event that predicts colors for more than a year out. Color Director Doty Horn of Benjamin Moore told us colors will tend to intense greens with a yellow base, mixed with cork, enlivened with copper and finishes will look wet or slick.

Here and here and here in pictures by Marv Bondarowicz is exactly what Horn was talking about.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

A Double Helping of Bridget A. Otto (1)

A friend of ours, member of NWSID, and interior designer, Deb Seeley, is featured by Bridget Otto in this feature about the Rowzee's need for space in a cramped NE Portland bungalow.

The single-story house with finished basement had been recently renovated, but the Southern transplants felt squeezed in the home's 840 square feet of main-floor living space.

The basement was the only place for their large-screen TV, cozy chairs and dining table -- an annoying situation at best.

Somehow, the couple found Deb Seeley of Deb Seeley Designs. She started with a questionnaire that outlined the couples goals and lifestyle. From that starting point, Seeley came up with a plan for a master bed room, a bigger shower, storage space, a dining room on the main floor and colors for the rooms.

It takes a special kind of talent to elicit these kind of comments from Robert and Elaine Rowzee

Elaine was blown away by the built-ins. "It was just phenomenal... It was way beyond what I ever expected."

Robert says their new retreat is exactly what he wanted but couldn't quite verbalize -- or visualize.

"For me, I really didn't have a vision of what I wanted. There was a feeling and it was hard to express that. This is it. . . . I wanted somewhere that would feel like a retreat. Somewhere sort of cozy and warm in the winter and cool in the summer. . . . I come down here and feel like, ahhh . .

Click here and here for pdfs of the pictures Marv Bondarowicz took.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Jamie Oliver: COOK with Jamie

Color me perplexed! I'm browzing through the latest House Beautiful, and there on page 56 in the December issue, is Jamie Oliver, once known as the naked chef. He has a new book out, COOK with Jamie, and on the cover of the book (and this is what caught my eye in the magazine) is a picture of Jamie with a butcher knife stuck, point first, in the butcher block counter!

One day I was cooking in the kitchen and Mike asked if he could help. I said sure and gave him a knife and he started to chop carrots. When he was done, as a goof, he stuck the point in the butcher block island he was cutting on. He pulled it out and then re-stuck it.

I said that was no way to treat a good knife and pulled it out, only I did not pull it straight out, but off to the side and broke the tip off; about a 1/16 of an inch.

I immediately saw red and blamed Michael. He admitted he shouldn't have stuck it, but said it was my fault. I didn't pull it out correctly. He said he would buy me a new knife for Christmas.

But now, we have Jamie showing off in the magazine and on the cover of his new book. Is it just the little boy that comes out when men get around knives?

I'm reading great reviews of the book. I have to have it. Penelope Green in House Beautiful says It is a happy, happy thing, a cookbook to be savored and read, generous in tone and spirit, like cookbooks published by two other terrific English sensualists, Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater. Oliver promises it is "my guide to making you a better cook."

What's Michael to think when he sees the cover? Maybe, I can find one of those covers we used for books in college. Or maybe, I should show the cover to Michael, and have a good laugh!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Nika Stewart Advice For The Holidays

Nika Stewart, the designer success coach, asks a good question in an email today!

How can you enjoy the holidays when you have so much to get done for other people? And how can you possibly be expected to also promote your business during this busy time?

Most of us don't. When we are busy with a lot of design projects, we don't have the time to do our regular business promotions. Some designers think: "I would like to do some promotions, but I simply can't find the time now."

Stewart says you must find the time and suggests some ways to see to your marketing efforts:

Set it and forget it - if you advertise in newspapers or magazines, use long term contracts, so your advertising doesn't lapse. She contends that ads build a foundation. If you stop because you are busy and then restart, you have to build the foundation from scratch.

Email newsletters - If you send out newsletters, don't neglect this month. To save time, you can recycle an old article (like I just did!). You don't need to write anything new. The most important thing is to get the newsletter out!

Just make a phone call - a wish for happy holidays to your best customers is quick and promotes good feelings. And what a great time of year to do that (bonuses are received now, and homeowners are fantasizing about what to spend theirs on)!

Bev & Mike wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

"Related Feature.

We Had Fun At Stanley 101!

Bev was very pleased to have so many interior designers and their clients attend Wednesday night's Stanley 101.

We added Stanley Furniture to our growing list of furniture vendors since the move to the Pearl and larger quarters. Bev thought it might be fun to get together over wine, pizza and Oreo cookies to learn about one of America;s finest furniture manufacturers whose website says

Stanley Furniture Company is known for creating timeless furniture that is practical, beautiful and stays relevant even as your taste and lifestyle changes.

Some things we learned that night:

• Stanley is an American company and the furniture is made in the U.S.
• Stanley ships fast - if the piece chosen is in stock, it will ship in 7 to 10 days. That's very important to many clients who don't want to wait six to eight weeks for special order deliveries.
• Stanley has a remarkable online presence with links to:

How furniture is Made
Construction Features
Color Coordination
How to Do a Floor Plan
Signs of Quality
Finishes

• Stanley has a drill down catalog on line. Find the room you are interested in, then the particlar furniture items. Do you want a dining room table? What shape? What size? Do you want to see it's dimensions? Large pictures of the piece? Do want to see it with other furniture? Basically, you have Stanley's catalog on line and the MSRP Prices.
• Finally, Stanley has introduced the Young America line - Young America easily adapts to these changes, and grows right along with your children. Imagine you can go from the changing station to toddler to teenager:

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

H2Okinetic Technology

The world from our perspective is going "green". The buzz words are eco-friendly and sustainable. We wonder, are at this point because the newspapers have emphasized the concept of global warming or the concept of "peak oil" or because of the droughts in various parts of the country. Whatever the reason, manufacturers are developing new technologies that give us greater comfort and a reduction in the use of resources.

Take for example, this innovation from Delta, H2Okinetic Technology™

By controlling the water’s shape, velocity and thermal dynamics, Delta Faucet Company has reinvented the showering experience — creating a warmer, more luxurious spray that blankets the body, giving the feeling of a high-flow shower with less water.

We don't want to take a shower under a low-flow shower head to save water and we certainly don't want to take a cooler shower to save energy.

It seems clear to us that we will be seeing more innovations in our cars, our homes, and our clothing to help us do more with less.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A Otto Thursday Two

The second article by Bridget Otto concerns the use and application of metallic paints. In the recent Color Pulse 2009 presentation at the Lawrence Gallery, we were told that galvanized metals and warm gold metal, copper and silver were the colors we would be seeing in 2009.

In this article Susan Lura Macdonald of Habitat Studio explains how these metallic paints are to be supplied. You can see an example of her work in this pdf, photos taken by Marv Bondarowicz.

It is real tough, I think, to paint a wall with these paints. Mike and I tried having it done in our bathroom several years ago and Mike has never been pleased with it. I don't think our painter was used to the paint and tried traditional applications. Not a good idea.

I had contact with another artist not long ago, and was struck by her work. Her name is Lucinda Henry of Shakti Space Designs Ms Henry can be reached at 503.998.2411

The old fireplace in this lovely Portland bungalow home was very ugly stone most likely installed in the 60s. The contractor built up the fireplace, covered with wallboard and skimmed it out. Then came time for our magic... a pounded copper faux finish leaving the client with a custom, unique treatment that blends in with their decor.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Bridget A Otto Thursday

We always look forward to Thursday, because, you guessed it, it's Bridget A Otto Thursday. Because she writes about real interior designers faced with real problems, and the designers are local, we get a kick out of giving everyone a little extra publicity. Our blog has steadily acquired more visitors each year who read what we write and these visitors come from all over the world.
This week Bridget has out done herself with two articles in Homes & Gardens of the Northwest (HGNW)and the first article, The Power of Color has three parts.

We found a woman who finally did away with her bland white walls, another who made her dark living room pop and a man who fearlessly captured the spirit of the Mediterranean in his Northeast bungalow.

Cathy Elkins had a home with bland white walls. She tried opaint samples on her own, but it wasn't just right so,

She turned to Patrick McGill, paint consultant at Pearl Hardware. He toured Elkins' home, took note of her furnishings, art and light, and came up with a palette for nearly every room, not just the kitchen.

Read what she says about her prints after the transformation.

In Muntaquim Chowdhury's home, the Bangladesh-born Intel engineer's love of color and adventure is painted on the walls and ceilings of every room.

When I bought the house, it was drab gray. And given the gray Oregon winters, it's just not a cheerful place to be. I love colors and wanted to make this place a place where I can come in and be surrounded by the color tones of the Mediterranean."

Read what the reaction is to his home, when visitors just know him as an engineer.

Collette Gray "liked the wood tones in her house but didn't know how to complement those hues with paint." If she used color the rooms were too dark. Collette found Patrick McGill at the Pearl Hardware. Read what he did with an oatlike shade called 'Fennel Seed.'

Like perfectly chosen makeup, the 'Fennel Seed' paint boosted Collette Gray's living room from attractive to stunning. The previously white walls had done nothing to accentuate the room's woodwork. Photo by Marv Bondarowicz

Patrick McGill can be reached at 503.267.8219 (mobile) - 503.697.3553 (land) or by
email: patrick@talkingcolor.com.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Today Is Bridget A Otto Thursday

On Bridget Otto Thursday in Homes & Gardens of the Northwest, in the Oregonian, our friend and interior designer Diane Keaton is featured in a redo of a kitchen in a home on Cooper Mountain.

Keaton's Philosophy

“I always tell people: ‘My goal is that it is your house. You have to live here when I’m gone, and I want you to love it.’ I’m always trying to dig out of them how they use the room or the feel they want or the colors they like. I’ll take what they want and massage it to be wonderful.”

Otto writes,

The Andersons had used designers in the past, but only for color. This was the first time they'd sought expert advice to this extent -- floor plans, materials, lighting -- and they're glad they did.

This story illustrates why we focus on interior designers at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. We read and hear all the time about how an interior designer has made this whole process of remodel, redesign and redecorating so much easier and less stressful. If you want recommendations that fit your style or personality, ask and we can refer you to a minimum of three designers that may fit.

Diane Keaton can be reached at Diane Keaton Interiors, 503-848-8045

Bev & Mike

Color Pulse 2009

Last night, hosted at the Lawrence Gallery, was Color Pulse 2009 attended by over 375 interior designers. Giving her fourth annual presentation, and the second annual in Portland, on the future of color, Color Director Doty Horn of Benjamin Moore wowed the audience with her pictures of things to come.
"Benjamin Moore's North American creative team continues to track emerging and cutting edge trends from around the world. For 2009, the overarching theme is Simplicity. Simplicity is intuitive and pure. It is Genius, It is essential in the world that we live in today and in the future. Color Pulse 2009 recognizes Simplicity in 4 distinct translations:

• Raw - you can see evidence of "Raw" in basic fibers, grays, sand colors, white tones, galvanized metals and warm gold metals. Raw reflects the green movement, where things are reused and recycled. It's authentic, honest, pared down.
• Urban Silence - It's slowing down, listening to nature, except nature is now the city and we will be bringing more of nature, trees and foliage, into our home and work environment. It's "slow food", unsight dining. Colors will tend to intense greens with a yellow base, mixed with cork, enlivened with copper and finishes will look wet or slick. Horn referred to this Urban Silence as an Amish ethic or Organic.
• Simplexity - one pattern that is repetitive, bringing order to chaos. Simplexity is where walls become fluid and fabrics become rigid. You see the colors mentioned above, but blackened; colors with complex undercurrents. Think origami and folding.
• Private Identity - our world is coming under influences from outside, think Spanish, Mexican, Latino, Dubai, think cultural fusion, YET, you want to maintain your identity. Maybe we see that in the tattooing or high end "one offs"

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to have once again helped sponsor Color Pulse. If you want more information, buy the book Benjamin Moore Color Pulse 2009:

Bev & MIke

Fresh 'green' designs from the October High Point Market

One trend out of Highpoint that is gaining momentum is "green" or "eco-friendly". FURNITURE/Today writes,

A wave of fresh, new eco-friendly “green” furniture – both wood and upholstery -- was introduced at the October High Point Market. The introductions reflected the growing interest in furnishings made of sustainably harvested woods, organic cottons and other natural or recycled materials.

Here are three highlights from Furniture/Today’s showroom visits during market that are vendors to Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

An organic hopsack of bamboo, linen, cotton and hemp from Molteni and 100% hemp fabrics from Enviro Textiles, respectively, are showcased on a new slipper sectional and mid-century lounge chair from Palecek Furniture.

The Phillips Collection’s Vine console is crafted from twisting and turning natural vines, carefully assembled to create an ecologically friendly design. Finished with a glass top, each piece is unique.

Rowe launched its Eco-Rowe collection at the fall market, including the Paige sofa in a cover of 100% hemp with a sustainable wood frame and eco-down cushion

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

A Triptych On Luxury

Mike has written three articles for his blog The Landfair Retail Focus on Home Accents Today's website concerning the luxury consumer:

The Luxury Consumer - Who are the luxury consumers? Where are they? Why focus on them?

The Luxury Consumer's Toys

Luxury Items As Gifts - I am not so sure it (buying luxury gifts) is “the latest fad”. I am beginning to think there may be a “clamour” for luxury for another reason. We are told by analysts, on talking-head TV shows, that there is no inflation; that excluding food and energy, the core rate of inflation is only 2% or so. I believe we are seeing a movement to hard assets; things that hold value.

Mike says he will continue writing about luxury consumers, including interviews with key players, coming soon.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Michelle Fernando: Home & Garden Blog

We are adding Smarter.com Home & Garden Blog to our blogroll. Michelle Fernando has an uncanny eye for the unusual and beautiful furniture and accessories.

Check out what would be my Mom's furniture from hell, “A Chair Only Medusa Would Love”.

But, also, check out this round table Michelle found from DB Fletcher Design that gains or loses size in 30 seconds:



The average price of the table ranges from $49,700 and $69,600!

And, finally, check out these luxury wooden tubs from Laguna





The table and tubs will be a wonderful addition to the yacht.

PS, LF + DG does not have a vendor agreement with either manufacturer, but with firm orders in hand, we will be happy to make contact.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New at High Point Market

From FURNITURE Today,

Fresh product on tap for the High Point Market A desire for casual living and the need for modern style blend this market to create a soft contemporary that seems — like the Energizer bunny — to keep going and going. New styles avoid being fussy but at the same time are anything but frumpy. Upholstery textures are soft and, with microfiber and performance fabrics, forgiving. And finishes seem to center on warm, soft brown tones rather than the starker black of previous markets. It’s great stuff for the family room and den — perfect for gatherings of family and friends.

Some vendors singled out that Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery proudly carry are:

ROWE FURNITURE

The Caren settee, 69 inches long, is aimed at the space-conscious consumer. Part of the company’s Mini Mod collection, the piece will retail for about $750.

PALECEK

Inspired by Swedish mid-century designs, this new chair from Palecek is constructed of plantation-grown wood and uses the newest green fabrics.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Team Effort

FURNITURE Today and Home Accents Today have teamed up and on October 22nd will bring you FT Tube & HAT Tube. It will put you in some of the top showrooms from the Fall 2007 Highpoint Furniture Market. You'll see new products and hear about what those featured companies are doing to help your business

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Pittcburg Gets A Chiluly

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is having a Dale Chihuly exhibit in their Botanical Garden:

Photo credit: Chihuly at Phipps, 2007, Terry Rishel

Here are some of the stunning sculptures:

Photo credit: Paintbrushes, 2007, Terry Rishel

Photo credit: Celadon and Royal Purple Gilded Fiori, 2007, Terry Rishel

Photo credit: Amber Cattails, 2007, Terry Rishel

To top off the show, "Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has acquired Dale Chihuly's glass chandelier as a permanent installation for the rotunda of its Welcome Center."

Photo credit: Goldenrod, Teal and Citron Chandelier, 2007, Terry Rishel

The two-tiered "Goldenrod, Teal and Citron Chandelier" was designed and created for Phipps to complement the 50-foot-high rotunda. The chandelier is part of the current exhibit.

We are in awe of his talent and use of color.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

5 showrooms take honors in High Point

From Home Accents Today, "Five exhibitors took the top awards in the High Point Market Authority’s first showroom design contest here, market officials announced."



Creativity: The Phillips Collection, International Home Furnishings Center, space C-202, designed by Jason Phillips.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery carries the Phillips Collection accessories.

Bev & Mike

Bridget Otto Thursday

The Pearl is the home for over 65 furniture and accessory stores, Todays Homes & Garden section in the Oregonian carries an article by Bridget A Otto that is an interview with Gerard Philippon, owner of Versailles in the Pearl, Patrick McGill, the paint guru at Pearl Hardware and Rosanne Sachson, an architectural interior designer.

Sachson wants people to understand what a skilled designer brings to the job.

"A professional can assist you in providing the skill and the knowledge and information that is required to make any place speak to the person who is going to be in there. Not to the designer or colorist, but the person who is using the space."

McGill would like to shorten the time it takes for people to embrace color.

Sachson has some interesting comments about "distressed furniture":

"Why would someone who is going to buy a new dining room table want it distressed?" she asks rhetorically.

Philippon's response: "The practicality of it. You're not afraid to use it. Those new shiny Chippendale tables? You have to use a pad. And, oh my! The kids are coming. Let's put three pads on."

But with a distressed French country table, there are no worries.

It can be used everyday, not just for holidays, Sachson adds.

The three would like you to attend "Design Classics for Today in the European Tradition" on Saturday Oct 6th from 4-6 PM. The seminar will cover topics from Philippon's and Sachson's knowledge of French furnishings, to McGill's ability to make color work regardless of setting, to history and architecture.

WHERE / Versailles in the Pearl, 904 N.W. Hoyt St.

(RSVPs appreciated: 503-222-2387)

While you are in the Pearl, before the seminar, de-stress at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. We carry traditional, transitional and contemporary furniture and accessories. Most of our furniture can be ordered lightly or heavily distressed.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

2007 NWSID Golf Tournament

Partial proceeds from this year’s tournament went to ReFIT (Remodeling for Independence Together). ReFIT is a non-profit volunteer organization providing home modification services for physically and financially challenged homeowners who wish to remain living independently in their homes. For more information go to www.ReFITPortland.org

All in all this year’s tournament was a testament to the dedication and commitment of the members in this organization. It is people like you that make it possible for us to achieve our goal of helping our community and showing the Portland area what a great organization NWSID is. If you would like to participate in next year’s tournament, e-mail us at nwsidgolf@msn.com.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Ottoman Bench - A Great Accent Piece For Any Room

Jesse Akre has written an article about the Ottoman Bench:

One of the best types of accent furniture that you can buy is an ottoman bench. Many people spend their furniture shopping time focusing on things like beds, cabinets, and desks. There are more furniture items out there that you need to consider, though. You can sleep in your bed, but you cannot play cards there. You can do some work at your desk, but it won't provide extra seating when you have guests over. Accent items are important pieces because they complete your home's look and they add to the primary furniture items that are already in place. The ottoman bench is one of those items that you don't have to have, but it adds something to your house that other furniture items cannot.

If you want an ottoman bench, you aren't limited to one size, color, or style. More and more people are becoming interested in buying these items, so there are plenty of options out there. If you like leather, then choose from many wonderful leather options for your ottoman bench. That isn't the most popular type of ottoman bench, though. Generally, people prefer softer upholstery for their accent items. Since these items will not be used in seating most of the time, they will be there for looks.

Generally, the ottoman bench is a big item that can seat up to two people. Unlike its smaller ottoman counterpart that attaches to a small chair, this accent item is meant to accommodate more than one person. Because of its bulky size, you will need creative when figuring out a good place to put it. Ottoman benches are usually found in large hallways towards the front of a home. Other families choose to include the ottoman bench as a part of its living room furniture. This is alright as long as it is simply an extra piece and not the actual couch.

As far as shopping for an ottoman bench goes, people have become very creative in the past few years. Around ten years ago, people would use furniture stores almost exclusively when shopping for an item like this. These days, folks are much more willing to use the internet in order to find a good deal on an ottoman bench. There are plenty of dealers on the internet that are willing to give you a good deal on one of these items. Others have done one better, bidding on items at places like EBay in order to find a great deal on an ottoman bench. This is probably a little bit irresponsible, though, as you are never sure what condition you will get on items like that.

An ottoman bench can do wonders for a home that is in need of a little bit of accent furniture. It can provide not only a good look, but a place for people to sit when they come to visit your home. Finding an ottoman bench on the internet has never been easier, as well.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery carries many styles of ottoman benches. Those pictured above are examples from Sherrill, Sam Moore, Whittemore - Sherrill, and the Moondance collection from Stanley.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Marriott Works With Hekman

Marriott has opened a luxury hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan reports Chris Knape and Jenna Carlesso.

From the giant Polish vases filled with locally provided flowers to the hundreds of photographs from sites in Ga District, Ghana; and Perugia, Italy; and other Grand Rapids sister cities, the glittering downtown hotel is a study in cosmopolitan fusion.

Local touches were everywhere during Monday's "sneak peek" media tour of the landmark $100 million, 337-room luxury hotel.

[..]

Furniture from local companies -- primarily Steelcase Inc. and Hekman Inc. -- is found around every turn.

Yes, Hekman is a local company in Grand Rapids, however Marriott is very sensitive to every detail in this spendy refuge for travelers and still chose Hekman. We are proud, as well, to feature Hekman products.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Sultry Shades of Gray

Tracy Bulla Senior Product Editor HOME ACCENTS TODAY.RELISH writes about "Smoke & Mirrors."

Gray, the color of the season, arrives in sultry shades of platinum, gunmetal, slate and anthracite. Poised between black and white, gray lends the illusion of mystery, intelligence and extreme sophistication with a silvery smooth, fluid presence. While subtle whispers betray an aura of cool, collected and infinitely understated richness. Whether applied to classic or contemporary designs, the result is effortlessly modern in the absolute.

Wow, all that to describe gray! Too bad you aren't able to see the two page photo layout of Smoke & Mirrors, but Relish is not online yet. I will tell you that I will keep the magazine in the store. You should also know that we ordered a gray sofa some weeks ago and it will be on our floor soon. Give us a call to see if it has arrived.

UPDATE: The sofa is here and it's Fantastic!

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Hekman: Tuscan Estates

At the October Fall Market 2007 Hekman will make some exciting new introductions.

Hekman has a long Heritage of shopping Italy for unique antique furnishings in the areas century's old estates or in the fine shops of the Tuscan Region running along the Tyrrhenian Sea trom Carrara to the north to Capalbio on the south, Cortona on the west, with Florence right in the middle.

This Tuscan area is full of fine artisans who reproduce and finish these antique finds in small family run shops where time honored techniques continue to be used to manufacture and finish furniture. It is not unusual for family members to labor over pieces for weeks using old world lacquer techniques and adding layers of color, sanding through the finish build up with river rocks and river sand to produce an exacting replica of a fine antique from one of the Tuscan Estates of the area.

Hekman over the years has stored in a warehouse their favorite samples of these fine antiques from the Tuscan Region and is reproducing them and some adaptations in a collection they are calling Tuscan Estates.

This collection consists of two dining rooms, four occasional groupings, entertainment and home office pieces totaling 31 items. The crafting of this collection reflects the use of the time honored techniques of the artisans of Tuscany using hand planed thick veneers randomly laid in horizontal and diagonal patterns and hand rubbed with bee's wax to reflect the patina of an old planked floor. This creates the core finish to the collection named Weathered Walnut. Then on a select number of pieces with generous turnings and carvings Hekman layered color and lacquer and then sanded through these layers using old world sanding techniques to create a rich Rubbed Onyx color.

Hekman married the Rubbed Onyx color in tandem with Weather Walnut to high light the carving details and the flowing lines of each antique reproduction. To finish the collection they have reproduced a jewelry finish called Tortoise Shell using hand detailing like, the ancient artisans to create the mix of colors necessary for this finish.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to have carried Hekman since 2001.

Bev & Mike

Get Out of Your Overwhelm!

Is this you? You are a mother to two children, a wife trying to find some quiet time with your husband, fitting in an exercise program, working 7 days a week as a designer, feeling lots of stress, and feeling guilty because you think you should be able to handle everything in your life better.

Nika Stewart, a Designer's Success Coach, writes

I know the feeling too well. I wish I could say that I don't, but I am prone to feeling overwhelmed. As designers and business owners, with so many external and internal factors to deal with - the economy, the housing market, our families, our own homes, the demands of our clients, backordered and discontinued fabrics...(oh my gosh, I am feeling anxious just typing this list!), we are bound to feel overwhelmed and stressed sometimes.

The experts say when you are feeling stressed, you should take a break, get a massage, or take a bubble bath. But, who has the time.

Stewart writes, "When I am too stressed and too busy to take even a little time for myself, that is when it is absolutely critical to do so!"

If you are feeling the stress, she recommends an Intention Break

• Step Away - you can NOT stop the ongoing overwhelm if you do not physically step out of the situation.
• Reflect on your goals - remember your priorities, think about your dreams. Write your intentions down, and keep this paper with you always. Post it where you can see them often.
  
• Go back to your regularly scheduled life - If you are continuously reminded of your business intention (reading it when you wake up, glancing at it from time to time as you work, saying it to yourself over lunch), you will make choices on a daily basis that bring you closer and closer to your goal - and further and further away from overwhelm.

I wrote down some of my goals for business and posted them on the kitchen cabinet. I see them all the time. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I remember one ofmy goals is to retire at 60. Retiring for me might mean working only two or three days a week. I don't know how yet, but thoughts of how to achieve the goal come to me while I shower or drive to the store and I make choices during every day that bring the goal nearer. I let go and let my subconscious find answers.

BTW, Stewart had an online seminar in which she discussed "how I turned my struggling 7-day workweek into a thriving, successful design business (where I work only 4 days a week, make lots more money, and enjoy my life more than ever!)." Maybe, she will schedule another or there may be slides available of her talk.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Phillips Collection

High Point is coming soon! Show dates are October 1st - 7th in North Carolina. We are receiving some very interesting marketing pieces from vendors and I thought this was unique for giving a flavor of a company's design. The Phillips Collection, where every piece is a conversation, has been in business for 20 years. We carry many of their accessories at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Hemlines Are Plunging

Check out this "Boomer" friendly news from The Wall Street Journal's Cheryl Lu-Lien: Tan

The fashion pendulum is swinging to extremes these days. Pants, which were super-skinny just this summer, are flaring out to sail-like widths this fall. Tent-like trapeze dresses are giving way to close-cut pencil skirts. And now — most dramatically — hemlines are dropping.

One of the biggest themes emerging at this year’s New York fashion week is the longer hemline. Here’s a peek at a few top designers’ sketches of this new look.

One of the biggest themes emerging this week at New York fashion shows, which are displaying styles for next spring, is much longer dresses and skirts, many extending to midcalf or even the ankles. Today, Badgley Mischka and Bill Blass are scheduled to present long dresses and skirts for the spring. In the following week, labels including Michael Kors, Donna Karan, Peter Som, Nanette Lepore and Tracy Reese are planning to show longer pieces, many of which are flowing dresses meant to be worn during the day.

The longer looks are a big departure from the micro-mini shifts and short, youthful baby-doll dresses that have dominated stores and runways for several seasons. Just this spring, thigh-skimming looks reminiscent of the mod 1960s were the big trend that retailers and designers were pushing.

Designers — who pooh-pooh the old stock-market adage that falling hemlines presage a falling market – say it’s only natural for the fashion pendulum to swing toward a new shape as the industry seeks to capture shoppers’ interest. Fashion has been careening from one extreme to another particularly quickly these days amid speedier clothing production and broader consumer interest in frequent updates.

As an unofficial and unelected member of the fashion police, I am charged with ticketing any violators of this new fashion, even though it will probably take a year for it to get to PDX. I will say this is great news for boomers and our gravity challenged skin above the knees.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Spotlight On Lighting

We received some lighting tips from Julie Johnson at Lux Lighting. There's some great information here about lighting your home interior:

To Make A Room Appear larger

• Use wall washers on a large expanse of light colored wall

• Use up lighting to bounce light onto the ceilings and walls

• Create panels of light at one end of the room - your eye will be pulled toward it, making the room appear larger.

To Make Your Room Appear Taller

• Use vertical light beams

• Hang pendent lighting low
  

To Make Your Room Appear Cozy

• Use several table lamps to create low pools of light

• Don't allow light onto the ceiling

Julie has many more tips to share and she's in the Pearl.

Lux Lighting
1333 NW Glisan Portland, OR 97209
503-299-6754 X110 or julie@luxlights.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Products at Las Vegas

Home Furnishings Business has photos of new products at the Las Vegas show in late July.

A small Arabesque table from Global Views offers an airy feel with a hand-tooled leather top.

Hand-decorated wooden vases from Bard International appear to float on black pedestal bases. Suggested retail is $229 for the set of three.

Part of the Candice Olson collection at AF Lighting, this clever lamp features natural horn on a square base.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, located in the Pearl Design Center, offers accessories from the vendors and much more!

Bev & Mike

SALI Interview Of Bev & Mike

Kathy Long of Passionate Interiors just lit up her MySpace page with an interview of Bev & Mike for Cascade Artisans Guild which is part of SALI.

Founded in 1984, the Stencil Artisans League (SALI) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the art of stenciling

Stencils include decorative painting, e.g.: faux finishes, murals and trompe l’oeil, stenciling, business and more.

We are pleased to be singled out for an interview and hope that interior designers and contractors will contact Kathy Long and her organization for some wonderful ways to decorate the walls of a home.

Passionate Interiors, LLC
11965 Northwest Kearney Street
Portland, OR 97229

(503)819-6758

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Hammary to roll out first retail display format

Thomas Russell at Furniture Today, writes that Hammary will show new contemporary collection.

Hammary Furniture is rolling out a new retail display format for a contemporary style occasional and casual dining collection.

The 40-piece Modern Hammary collection includes cocktail, end and accent tables as well as dining pieces, a low profile room divider and a sofa, chair and ottoman. Finishes are black, ash and merlot.

The group features a variety of items and price points ranging from a $179 glass top cocktail to a $1,400 two-piece home entertainment console with wine storage.

Other signature pieces include a $249 cocktail and a short profile room divider on casters that retails for $399.

Many of the items are sized to fit into smaller homes. For instance, one cocktail is 44 inches long compared with the usual 50 inches. The group also has a 36-inch round cocktail, compared to the normal 38- to 40-inch range.

“There is a real premium here on scale, function and price point,” Huff said, noting that this is the first time Hammary has launched such a merchandising concept for retailers.

Landfair Furniture is proud to carry Hammary Furniture. Come see Hammary and more at our new location in the Pearl Design Center.

Bev & Mike

Mondrian Art

What do you make of coincidences or are there such things?

Beverly and I were talking and she used the word "Mondrian" to describe a design she had seen. I asked her for a definition because it was a totally new word to me.

From Wikipedia:
Piet Mondriaan (March 7, 1872 — d. New York City, February 1, 1944) was a Dutch painter.

His paintings exhibit a complexity that belies their apparent simplicity. He is best known for his non-representational paintings that he called "compositions", consisting of rectangular forms of red, yellow, blue, white or black, separated by black rectilinear lines. They are the result of a stylistic evolution that occurred over the course of nearly 30 years and continued beyond that point to the end of his life.

Some examples of his art:

A couple of days later, a book I'd ordered, Spook Country by William Gibson, arrived in the mail. I sat down to read it and the second paragraph of the first chapter reads in part, "They'd had one previous conversation, the one which had resulted in her flying to L.A. and checking into the Mondrian." How weird is that?

I Googled Mondrian and found pictures of this fabulous new hotel.

Morgans Hotel Group arrived in Los Angeles in 1996, with the opening of Mondrian, located on the world-famous Sunset Boulevard. Mondrian presents the consummate expression of a balancing act between apparent contradictions – entertainment and spirituality, cutting-edge style and simplicity, fantasy and reality. The hotel perfectly captures the quintessential California lifestyle by uniting its deeply rooted appreciation of the outdoors and relaxed, casual living with a pervasive sense of magic, glamour and excitement.

After drooling over the L.A. hotel, and this Scottsdale Mondrian,



I found another example of this painter's influence. Contemporary Furniture.com has this cocktail table:



Is that it or will the word "Mondrian" lead me to some other unexpected places?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Mondrian