The Las Vegas Market

We returned from the Las Vegas Market last night. We had a great time. Not only did we celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary on Sunday with dinner at the Mesa Grill, but we saw Rod Stewart in concert and Mike was invited to the world premier of Andre Agassi/Stephie Graf new furniture collection.

We visited all our vendors and found some new things you will absolutely love.

When you go to market, you get a real feel for the quality and range of styles available at each vendor's showroom.

For a review of Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, check out what Mike wrote at Home Accents blog, The Landfair Retail Focus.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Hekman Asher Benjamin Collection

Back in April we reported that Hekman had teamed up with Peter and Meg Strattner, creators of the Crate and Barrel look, in a new collection of casegoods, the Asher Benjamin collection.

The clean-lined design for Hekman features American Cherry veneers with walnut accents and a natural cherry finish.

“I think what’s happening is we’re slowly seeing a transition to another generation of potential customers. It’s a customer who is more interested in an urban lifestyle within their home than an actual urban geographic location. It’s cleaner lines, cleaner finishes and less encumbered.”

We now have pictures of the designs on the Hekman website.

The table at the top is:

* Select solids, flat cut cherry veneer, and walnut bead
* Three 18" leaves
* Extends to 102" with all three leaves
* Asher Benjamin finish on select hardwood solids and veneers

Dimensions

* Height: 29" (74 cm)
* Diameter: 48" (122 cm)

The finish is called Asher Benjamin:



Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Norwalk Update

Click on picture for a larger view.

Mike has an update on the situation at Norwalk at Home Accents Today entitled Norwalk Is On Knife's Edge

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Norwalk Suspends Operations

Mike has written a piece on Norwalk suspending manufacturing operations over at Home Accents Today and how it may affect local franchisees.

In Oregon Norwalk is located in Lake Oswego, Eugene, Bend and Glen Eden Beach. The stores in Oregon are franchises and while Norwalk supplies the upholstery products, the stores carry vendors for bedroom and dining furniture, window treatments and rugs. If Norwalk ceased manufacturing upholstery, the franchisees would be looking for a vendor to replace Norwalk.

Losing Norwalk upholstery would hurt, just like losing Nichols & Stone did for us at Landfair Furniture. One is never happy at losing a vendor.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Raschella Added

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to add Raschella, one of the leaders in the home furnishing industry, to our list of vendors.



Bev & Mike

Duralee "Memo" Samples Now Available

In March we announced Landfair Furniture's showroom would 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. We were a little behind schedule, but the memo sample room is now complete

Since March Landfair Furniture has featured a display vignette of Duralee Fine Furniture. One look at the Duralee furniture and you notice beauty and craftsmenship of this furniture manufacturer.

Laurel Sprigg wrote in Threads, the magazine for people who love to sew, "Even if you've shopped the finest fabric stores in the land and rummaged through dozens of "home-dec" outlets, if you've never peeked into the world of professional interior-design resources, well, you simply haven't been to Fabric Paradise!

Sprigg writes that there are some amazing designer fabrics that you must see and mentions "Great Plains, Henry Calvin Fabrics, and Rogers and Goffigen, which all specialize in natural fibers. Their linen collections in particular will amaze you, ranging from tissue weights to the heaviest upholstery fabrics, with soft textures you must feel. See Larson Fabrics, Bart Halpern Fabrics, and Donghia for fabulously inventive, contemporary fabrics; Bergamo for beautiful silks, sheers, and incredible upholstery fabrics; and Robert Allen Fabrics, F. Schumacher, Scalamandre, and Brunschwig and Fils for marvelous traditional fabrics."

Portland has a professional design center, really started by Wayne Martin, then Kravet and Goldsmiths, then Landfair Furniture and now Linde Ltd. The design center features many of these design fabrics. While Sprigg doesn't mention Duralee Fabrics, we invite you to experience these fabrics now with our memo samples.

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

Sprigg wrote "The downside of all this magnificence is that you can only buy from these wholesale resources through an interior designer or architect, or anyone else with both a resale number and an established business, plus an understanding of fabrics for the home."

She continues "You can ask for large samples (called "memo" samples) to take home and live with for 30 days while you make your decision. The fabrics are first-quality; carefully designed to allow for efficient repeats...You can even ask for a "cutting for approval," or CFA, which will be taken directly from the piece they plan to send you. This may be from a different dye lot than your memo sample, so a CFA is always a good idea, allowing you to make sure any difference in the two lots is acceptable.

A design center is a wonderful resource for Portland, allowing you easy access to fabrics that previously were available only in the larger cities. We are pleased to have Duralee Fabrics, Sherrill fabrics and others at Landfair Furniture and we are open to interior designers and the public.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

From Drab to Fab in 7 Steps.

Mark your calendars ladies and gents for August 23rd, Saturday 10:30 to 11:30 am. Donya Wiland, one of 2007's Top Designers at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, will conduct a free seminar for the public, but not interior designers, called From Drab to Fab in 7 Steps..

You'll love Donya. She has lectured in Portland and Tucson about maximizing interior design investment and shopping wisely. Utilizing her 7 steps you will have a design
that will come together to give you a complete plan.

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From Drab to Fab in 7 Steps.
When: August 23rd, Saturday 10:30 to 11:30 am.
Where: Landfair Furniture at 1636 NW 15th Portland, OR 97209
Phone: 503-249-7951
Register online:
Please Register Me

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Our last interview of Donya took place in 2006. She arrived for the interview in a white 52 MG TD with the top down. Her hair was done up in a kerchief like a biker, the kind we saw traveling through Yellowstone in August. She’s the type of woman who could wield a wrench one day and belly dance, her hobby, the next day after a manicure.

She believes every one can benefit from using a designer to save time and money. Her motto is: “Maximize the outcome, minimize the investment.”

Bev & Mike

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Charred Corn

Mike and I has a wonderful dinner last night with our neighbor from next door, in our backyard. We served Sockeye Salmon baked on a cedar plank on our BBQ. The salmon was served atop a charred corn relish, garnished with a slice of watermelon and a side of crunchy buttered toast, also fixed on the grill.

I came across this recipe for Charred Corn Salad from William Sonoma. It is very similar and looks wonderful with all the colors.

Charred Corn Salad

Tossed with a sprightly vinaigrette, this salad makes a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats and poultry.
Ingredients:

* 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
* 1 Tbs. fresh orange juice
* 1 tsp. diced chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 Tbs. adobo sauce
* 2 tsp. salt
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 tsp. honey
* 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 6 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
* 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro leaves for garnish
* 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
* 1/2 cup diced jicama
* 1/4 cup diced red onion

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, 1 tsp. of the salt, the garlic, honey and the 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth. Set the vinaigrette aside.

Prepare a hot fire in a grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat.

Rub the ears of corn with the 2 Tbs. olive oil and the remaining 1 tsp. salt. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cobs and place the kernels in a large bowl. Add the black beans, chopped cilantro, tomatoes, jicama, onion and vinaigrette and stir until well combined. Garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve the salad at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Bev & Mike

Sherrill Prices Increases

It's a sign of the times, isn't it?

Sherrill has announced price increases across the board effective July 21st!

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Sherrill is our most popular vendor. Many of you have sat in a Sherrill and loved it and many of you have held off buying yourself a Sherrill. Don't you want the quality of a Sherrill sofa with an opportunity to save a little money?

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This is the final week that all Sherrill Upholstery products can be ordered at today's prices. After the 17th the Sherrill price increases will be effective.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

The Spa Cushion

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

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

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



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

Great ideas triumph again!

Bev & Mike

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Making Homes Elder Safe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Attic Gallery Hosts Judith Cunningham

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


Dead Horse Point, Utah

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

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


Canyon Shadows

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

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Two Doctors, Both Interior Designers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[...]

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

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

Bev & Mike