What is Ikat?

I was glancing through the May issue of Elle Decor, where "trend alert" tipped us to the hot, "exotic motif with ancient roots." Ikat! Then the next day I saw Heidi Klum pictured presenting the "Project Runway" award to Seth Aaron Henderson and she's wearing an Ikat fabric dress.

What is Ikat (ē'kät)?

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. A Double Ikat is when both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving.

Ikats created by dyeing the warp are the easiest to make. Before the warp strings are attached to the loom they are arranged into bundles. Each bundle is tied and dyed separately, so that a pattern will emerge when the loom is set up. This takes a good deal of skill. The tightly bound bundles are sometimes covered with wax or some other material that will keep the dyes from penetrating. The process is repeated several times for additional colors.

Here's an Ikat pattern in cotton by Duralee (#20774-57):
In December of 2008, Design*Sponge wrote "...even though ikat has had its run in the home design world over the past year or so (and has been in vogue many times before) the fashion world seems to bringing ikat back again with the spring/summer 2009 collections."

Guess people just can't get away from tie-dye!

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Seth Aaron Henderson Wins Project Runway

Seth Aaron Henderson is the Vancouver, Washington based designer who won the seventh season of "Project Runway" pictured here with Heidi Klum.

Congratulations to you and your family, Seth.

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Revisiting My Favorite Chair Design

One of my favorite chair designs is the Klismos. I've written several times about the design and history here and here. You'll know a klismos by its concave top rail that cups your shoulders and four curved saberlike legs.

Recently, in Elle Decor I saw another variation of the design. This time from Studio Works we have the Kyrelos chaise lounge.



In the same May issue Bernhardt Interiors shows the Decatur Chair in the driftwood finish.



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Craftsmanship of Furniture Helps To Get Industry Through Tough Economic Times

We don't often accept guest writers, but in this case we made an exception. This article is about the recovery of the furniture industry. It's about quality and it's written by Harden Furniture, one of the leaders of sustainable manufacturing and that's important this close to Earth Day.

A house isn't a home until it has furniture in it. -This is true for the basic reasons that everybody needs a place to sit down, eat, and relax. Without furniture a home isn't a home, it's literally just an open empty space. However, that statement also works on deeper level. Furniture shows who someone is and what their tastes can be. Simply put, you are where you sit. If someone chooses solid wood furniture over new aged designed (and often sometimes awkward looking) furniture, it shows that they have a respect for the old school craftsmanship of the form and want their homes to convey that. Yet, this same type of craftsmanship is also what's helping get the furniture industry through the current recession.

The recession has had a widespread reaching effect on almost every industry, and furniture is no exception. However, the furniture industry has shown that it can outlast the recession through focusing on customer service, creating business models that help protect the environment, and most importantly keep producing high quality products. Quirky designed furniture does have its place in the industry, but ultimately has not helped to keep the industry afloat during these tough economic times. This is why designers who are heading to furniture fairs like the Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano are struggling to get their state of art furniture to the public. As much as a trendy chair would fit in many situations it can't contend with the comfort and familiarity of well-made solid wood office furniture, especially during a time when comfort and familiarity is needed.

The argument can be made that well made products like solid wood living room furniture is helping to get the industry through the recession and into a successful future and this is because of quality. A focus on craftsmanship can break through any slump, economic or otherwise, and that's why the furniture industry has lasted through this recession and most likely will last through any to come.

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Rugs, New From High Point

Rug insider Chris Gigley reports on rugs from High Point:



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Ain't Technology Grand?

It's amazing what happens when energy prices go up. People go to work and invent new products that use less energy. We've seen it in the automobile industry with the advent of hybrids that get 40 to 50 miles per gallon; and electric cars soon to appear at home driveways. We've seen the trend to sustainable and recycled in furniture which save resources. Then came the CFL, which was eight times longer lasting than an incandescent light bulb.

We've read about LED lights, but they have not been either cheap enough or emitting the right light, but that's about to change. GE just presented a LED light bulb that emit as much light as a will 40-watt incandescent, but will only consume 9 watts. It will last 25,000 hours three times as long as a CFL and 25 times an incandescent. Philips, not to be outdone, will offer later this year a LED that will emit as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb, but consume just 12 watts of power and is dimmable.

Lighting consumes 22% of the electricity in the U.S., much of which gets wasted.

If the LED trend becomes a way of life, waste from light could be greatly eliminated

My main concerns are the color of the light and the cost. It can't be too white. It must be like the color of candle light and it must be affordable.

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Once Again It's Bridget Otto Thursday

Thursday, Bridget A Otto wrote about two designers and how they added color to the homes of their clients.

JJ De Sousa, owner of Digs Inside & Out was called in to do a consult for Sharon and George Alexander. In their home painted in neutral colors, "George grumbled over a living room he never used and Sharon simmered about how the house felt, well, not fun." De Souza picked up on the colors in the couple's art collection and used those colors in the draperies and furniture. After De Souza's work, "George says his home feels more contemporary and reflects the love of life he and Sharon share and their personalities."

Bridget Otto writes that Lori Land lived on a houseboat that was so drab, it "faded into the woodwork." She wanted to bring in more color, but was fearful of the leap. She'd scribbled down the phone number of an interior designer, Allison Smith who owns Allison Smith Design but had never called. By coincidence she came across Smith again and decided to meet.

"...over the next few months ... Smith helped Land turn her houseboat into a vibrant home that has Land's friends saying, "Oh, Lori. This is so you."

We love stories about designers, how they work and how they can change a house into a home. Otto comes up with some great examples of interior designers and the design process.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery supports the interior design community and encourages you to call one for your next project.

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Mattress Toppers

The results of this recent study don't surprise Michael who complains that our fairly new pillow top mattress is uncomfortable. He complains that the mattress is too firm and makes his body hurt and limbs fall asleep.

A new study of 2,043 U.S. consumers with an average age of 45 revealed that 65 percent of the respondents were unhappy with the current comfort and support performance of their mattress, according to specialty sleep innovator Sleep Studio LLC and A-ha! Insights, which sponsored and conducted the research.

A surprising finding of the research, however, was that only 5 percent of the respondents were considering buying a new mattress, whereas 60 percent said they would more readily buy a mattress topper.

Michael has thought about those foam egg crate mattress toppers, but there are many solutions available that are hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and eco-friendly. A little study reveals you can have a Tempurpedic-like mattress topper for $100 to $300

Sleep Studio thinks there are 33 million consumers who would likely buy a mattress topper today or tomorrow, but are not being satisfied by the traditional bedding retailer. We did some quick checking and found that both Costco and Amazon sell mattress toppers.

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New Lorts Pieces Introduced At High Point

Lorts introduces new case pieces at High Point that were an expansion of their existing transitional line that has been growing in popularity since it was originally introduced. Designers have been requesting more pieces that have clean lines, so these were developed in response to those requests. These transitional pieces can move from more contemporary to a classic styling depending on how pieces are specified to be distressed, finished, and waxed.



The Transitional Trestle Dining Table Top (#2103) and Base (2104) is shown in a new finish that has debuted at this Market—Portobello. Portobello has a metallic silver undertone and is a medium to light finish, which includes terra cotta water spotting to give a weathered, organic feel. It has been extremely well received.

The Transitional Table Base that Lorts introduced (2106) can be used with their existing round table tops, but is shown in photography with their new Transitional Square-to-Round table top (2105). It is also shown in the new Portobello finish.





The Transitional Television Cabinet that they introduced is both transitional in style and also a smaller scale than their existing TV Cabinet. It is shown in the Graystone finish.



In addition, this Market is the first time that Lorts has shown the transitional take on one of their best-selling pieces—the 48” cocktail ottoman.



The two upholstery pieces included are for the To The Trade Line Jordan Spencer by Lorts that was introduced at Las Vegas Market. The 821 sofa is shown in bleached canvas with a bench seat and nailhead detailing, with wood finished in Fruitwood.


The 995 Chair is shown in Tufted Navy Leather, in the Old World finish.


Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to carry the Lorts products for our clients.

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Wood Is Making A Comeback

Do you remember the days of knotty-pine basements and wood paneling in the den? If I recall correctly, it was a 70s thing. Then when we bought a house with paneling in the 90s, the first priority in a redo was to throw out those awful paneled walls. A recent article, Wood Design Focus: Kindling Comfort, in "Contract" magazine by Stacy Straczynski suggests wood for walls is back. Maybe, the only inhibiting factors are the economy and price.

Straczynski writes "... wood has taken root against today’s tight recessionary budgets to expand beyond its traditional use in the corporate sector. Now, wood is cropping up more frequently as a design staple in hospitality/restaurant, education, and healthcare projects, as well as in contemporary architectural structures..."

It's making a comeback because it's visibly green and manufacturers have made changes in the products that meet LEED standards. "The increase in FSC certification, renewable resources, and low- and non-VOC adhesives and finishes has played a big role in bringing this seasoned material back into the limelight as a viable, sustainable option. "

Straczynski tells us that not only does wood make a room feel warm, but is associated with comfort and quality. She then goes on to discuss which colors are being used in design. Gone are the dark woods. Now demand is for lighter hues and something called ceruse. Ceruse, I discovered, is achieved by applying a white material to the wood which is absorbed by the grain. "Known in Britain as “limed oak,” the finish was popular throughout the Art Deco era and employed by notable midcentury modern pioneers including Jean-Michel Franck and Paul T. Frankl. A version of the technique, with a whitened grain contrasting against a black stain, was widely imitated in the 1950s."

It seems the only thing holding back wider use of wood in design is the economy.

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New From Global Views At High Point

Highlights of High Point were posted at Apartment Therapy by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. This snap of Global Views caught my attention. Look at those chairs and the color on the floor!



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World's Ugliest Sofa

NY Times' readers on the 14th may have noticed (how could you not) the ugly sofa made from stacked books.



Jeff Daniels stars in "Paper Man" a movie about a blocked writer who will do almost anything to keep from writing, including replacing a loathsome floral-patterned sofa with copies of his dud first book.

We are looking forward to the movie.

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Use Twitter and A Blog For Your Marketing

If there's one question Mike gets asked the most, it's this one: "Do Twitter and a blog really lead to increased business?" Hubspot, a report at eMarketer, shows that

Among business-to-consumer (B2C) small and medium-sized companies studied, more than one-half of those using Twitter generated double the median monthly leads of non-Twitter users. That result held across company size.

For those of you with no marketing program or just waiting for referrals, by using Twitter and forming a community of followers, the study showed that you can double your leads.

Companies with 100 to 500 followers generated 146% more median monthly leads than those with 21 to 100 followers. Beyond the 500-follower mark, though, there was no further gain.

Blogging also increased leads, but here content and frequency of posting was critical.

Businesses must produce enough content for their blog to kick off growth in leads, which starts with about 24 to 51 posts. Blogs not only promote engagement but they also help companies increase the number of pages they have indexed by major search engines. HubSpot found that more indexed pages on Google also translates to more leads. Every 50 to 100 incremental indexed pages can mean double-digit lead growth.

The lesson is clear. The simplest and lowest cost way of increasing leads is using social media. It can be time consuming, but it is worth it. Happy blogging.

You can also find references to this post on Twitter, Facebook, and Linked in.

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The ChiliPad

First, there was the Sleep Number Bed, you and your spouse could each select the softness or hardness of the side of the bed you sleep on. Now from Chili Technology, comes the sleep temperature bed. You and your spouse each select the temperature. My husband likes piles of covers and sleeps cold. I continually throw off the covers. Even with the door to the deck open, I'm sweating.

Here's how the Chili/Bed with a ChiliPad works:



Why not just use a dual-control electronic blanket? The electronic blanket cannot cool and there nay be health concerns because of ELF (extremely low-frequency) magnetic fields given off by the device.

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Laura Kirar Teams With Tufenkian

I absolutely love the creativity exemplified in rugs from Tufenkian Artisan Carpets. Just introduced in wool and hemp are "The New Moderns by Laura Kirar."

(Laura Kirar) holds concurrent product licenses with all four of the Kohler Interiors Group companies: Ann Sacks, Baker Furniture, Kallista Company and McGuire Furniture. Her collections offer a full range of home products from tile and bath fixtures to seating, lighting and accessories. She has also collaborated with Boyd Lighting, Carnegie Fabrics, David Edward Company, Dennis Miller Associates, Tuohy Contract Furniture, Tufenkian Carpets and most recently Arteriors Home launching in the spring of 2010.

Over the last decade, Laura Kirar's designs have been profiled in many top publications including Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Interior Design, Met Home, Space, Self, Vogue Living, Women's Wear Daily, W, Wallpaper, The New York Times and Time.

Here are pictures of Kirar's unique vision for Tufenkian:













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U OF Nevada, Reno May Close Interior Design School

The state of Nevada has a law that says in order to practice interior design in Nevada, professionals must have a four-year Bachelor’s degree and pass an exam.


The 8,300-square-foot center is the first LEED accredited building constructed on the University campus. Photo by Jean Dixon.

The University of Nevada, in Reno, is responsible for turning out most of the working interior designers in Nevada. Now, prompted by budget cuts, this program is targeted for elimination.

Apparently, the need for future interior designers is great for the United States Bureau of Labor, expects the interior design field to grow 19 percent from 2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. There is an interior architecture program at UNLV , but it is very different from interior design and only graduated seven students last year.

It seems this situation might be like our government passing a law requiring all cars to run on sunlight, yet not having a clue how to accomplish the mission.

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SERA Receives Honorable Mention For p:ear

The winners of the second annual competition for the Inspirations Awards were announced on April 8. The Inspirations Awards celebrates leadership in socially responsible design among commercial interior designers and architects. Honorable mention went to SERA Architects in Portland, Oregon for their collaborative design to give p:ear, in Portland, a permanent home.

"p:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth, ages 15 to 24, through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives." Each year their programs serve more than 350 homeless and transitional young people.

SERA had this to say about the project:

“As a designer, the biggest benefit of doing pro bono work is giving back to our community in the most direct way possible—sharing our design services to those who don't typically have financial access to them...The design of p:ear’s permanent home has made them more visible to the community, generating a buzz around their programs and welcoming the public in for gallery openings and events.”

Congratulations SERA!

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Gales Steves Seminar At High Point: "Right-Sizing Your Home"

The editor of HOME magazine will be releasing a new book (pre-orders are now being taken at Amazon.com) titled "Right-Sizing Your Home: How to Make Your Home Fit Your Lifestyle."

She developed the concept of "Right-Sizing Your Home" in response to consumer queries about making their homes more livable. Steves recognized early on that bigger did not always make better houses and has been promoting Right-Sizing ever since.

Steves will be presenting a seminar during High Point Market, "How to Right Size Your Home," noon-1:30, Tuesday April 20, 101 S. Main St., Plaza Level in the former Noble's. A book-signing will follow.

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New From Wallpaper Collective

You know that wallpaper is making a come back. The public wants a wall in their home that isn't plain or painted a wild color. They want something contemporary or one wall that is striking in a big, bold print.

I've been meaning to mention Wallpaper Collective and my memory was jogged this morning when I received from them a notice of new designs. First, though, Wallpaper Collective offers Artisanal wallpaper. The Wallpaper Collective is on a constant quest for the most interesting, clever, hip and beautiful wallpapers they can find from artists from coast to coast in the United States, and throughout the world. Artists who may make small batch productions of gorgeous papers.

Here are three of their new designs:


MS. TREAT - whose love of carnivorous botanicals influenced Darwin's work,
has a luscious wall of Pitcher Plants and mischievous Venus Flytraps (and perhaps an ant or two).



MRS. WARD - who developed her passion for microscopy by magnifying and drawing bugs, blends late-Georgian silhouettes with a curious menagerie of over-sized insects.


MME. JEANNE - a French dressmaker-cum-Sicilian naturalist (and who invented the world's first aquarium), has her love of the sea reflected in an elegant, ascending mollusk scallop.

How about this wallpaper from the website of Aimes Wilder's Analog Nights in Chocolate:



or Christopher from Grow House Grow:



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Open Seven Days A Week, 24/7

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is pleased to be supported by the ayr1 system. ayr1 allows us to be a virtual store where you the designer or retail customer can pre-shop seven days a week, 24/7. All catalogs of all of our vendors are available on our site. You can search for a sofa, bed, night stand, mirror or lamp for example and compare one vendor to another. You can ask questions of us in the form of Buyer's Inquiries and we will answer them promptly. ayr1, for us, is our way of providing you with excellent service in the 21st century.

ayr1 has made several announcements recently that demonstrates their professionalism.

• The International Home Furnishings Representatives Association (IHFRA) has formed a strategic alliance with virtual store specialist ayr1 to provide a virtual store program for retailers. The system ensures that retailers are found online when consumers are searching.
• The Powell Co. has teamed with ayr1 that will place on the internet more than 10,000 pages of catalogs representing all possible product that a dealer has access to from all possible sources

Using ayr1 assures us that you can find us online and we can have a conversation that will help you with your pre-shopping.

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Time For Outdoor Living

That big, bright ball of light hanging in the sky, today, is the sun. With the cloudy and cool weather we've had lately, many of us have forgotten what it looks like. When the sun comes out we start thinking of using the outside again and that means outdoor furniture.

Two interesting articles online on Friday: Jean Patteson described how More color, better value are the trends this year in outdoor furniture and Melissa Rayworth wrote that Now's the time to do more with exterior spaces.



Patteson quotes Jackie Hirschhaut, spokeswoman for the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) in High Point, N.C. who says that makers of outdoor furniture are countering the gloomy economic scene with more color. Here's a hint of what you'll read:

...collections for spring and summer focus on "dazzling color to brighten our moods, plush comfort to ease our tension and increased value to minimize the impact on our wallets."

Cheerful reds and yellows are key colors for 2010, along with calming shades of leaf green and watery blue.

Rayworth helps us with the smaller spaces, the small balcony off the bedroom or the terrace that's part of the new condo. She believes those small spaces can be intimidating and offers some

...great design strategies for turning even the most unexceptional deck or patio into an inviting space for outdoor entertaining this summer.

Her design suggestions cover the gamut from flooring, color, wall decor, lighting and greenery.

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United Tile Features Crossville Tile

Thursday's NWSID meeting was hosted by Debee Larsen at United Tile. The featured speaker was Doug Ingram of Crossville Tile. Located in Crossville, Tennessee, Crossville, Inc., is the largest domestic manufacturer of porcelain stone.

Ingram introduced the audience of interior designers and industry associates to UltiMETAL seen here in the fireplace surround of grey-mixed mosaics and the floor in a metallic micromesh tile that has texture and subtle shine.



Ingram introduced us to Echo Recycled Glass which is 10 to 100% recycled glass, depending on the color. Pictured here is Peerless frost:



Another gorgeous tile is inspired by traditional architectural detailing. URBANRenewal combines intricate patterns with rich metal finishes:




Last, we met Empire, a design that echos 19th century France, has the look and feel of natural marble. Empire contains 20% recycled content:




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Best Interior Design Game

For the young budding interior designer, Bonniegames.com has introduced a free, online, interor design game. The player gets to design Cherry's room before her friends come over. If her room is not ready she will not be able to go out. Here's my try:



I added the window, added matching pillows and bedspread, chose the bed and yellow sheet, bookcases and picture above the bed. I would have liked to change the wall colors to a gray or yellow, but couldn't find the right button. I am sure many, more talented can make this a real show-stopper. Try your hand at it.

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HGTV To Give Away Green Home

This year's green home from HGTV is in Plymouth, Mass. in the Pinehills and the contest to win it begins April 16th.

The 2010 HGTV Green Home, just eight miles north of Cape Cod, will be a custom-built, shingle-style cottage with approximately 2,100 square feet of living space. It will feature construction and design elements that are known to contribute to an energy efficient, cleaner and healthier living environment.

The Pinehills in Plymouth, Massachusetts, winner of the National Association of Home Builders’ “Best Smart Growth Community” award and “Best Master-planned Community” award, features intimate neighborhoods of finely crafted custom homes, single-family homes, cottage style homes, townhomes and luxury leased apartments, created by eight award-winning builders, all sited for views and privacy.

The countdown is on! You can enter daily starting April 16 at 9 a.m. ET. Get reminders from our HGTV Ideas Newsletter.

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