Celebration of Creativity

On march 2-5, 2006, come to the 28th Annual Celebration of Creativity Fine Art Exhibit & Sale.

Southminster (Presbyterian Church)'s annual "Celebration of Creativity" fine art show and sale is a reflection of our belief that artistic creativity is a manifestation of God. The show occurs the first full weekend every March and features painters, sculptors, potters, jewelry-makers, fabric designers, and photographers from the Pacific Northwest who have been invited to participate.

The event begins with a "First Look" Gala on Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 ($10 at the door)

Friday an Exhibit & Sale from 10:00 to 5:00

a reception for the artists on Friday evening from 7:00 to 9:00.

Saturday the show is open all day from 10:00 to 5:00, featuring artist demonstrations

concluding Saturday night from 7:30 to 9:00 with a concert-where guests are surrounded by the art-in the evening ($8 to $10 at the door).

The Sunday worship services also occur in the midst of the art from 10:00 to 11:00.

The show closes Sunday afternoon at 4:00

Two friends of ours will be exhibiting, Darryl Ware and Kathryn Delaney.

Southminster Presbyterian Church
12250 SW Denney
Beaverton, OR 97008
503.644.2073

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

How Do You Feel About Discounts?

An article at Jim Logan got me thinking about the traditional retail industry. I noticed in the paper today that our competitors are offering special discounts and I got a flyer in the mail from Macy's (Meier and Frank) about a sale and on the radio was a sale for Gold Toe socks at Fred Meyer. I know that people wait until just before Christmas to shop because of the discounts.

What Jim Logan suggests in When You Can't Think Of Anything To Offer, Offer A Discount. Not. is don't offer a discount but an addition. He offers the opinion that if you automatically offer a discount of 20% you are saying, in effect, your product is over priced. Instead he suggests offering something free in addition to the customer purchase or savings of some percent on an additional purchase. He says

Instead of offering a discount, offer a bonus or premium to attract buyers. Offer something for free – a complimentary product or service, ticket, registration, subscription, etc. Partner with others in your or related markets and giveaway other products or services as a bonus for buying from you. People love getting things for free. Free continues to be the most compelling offer of them all.

What do you think? Assuming the offer has high value to begin with; would you rather receive a free bonus or a discount?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

discounts economics retail

The Portland City Grill

Here's a restauranteer on the top of his game, Walt Holman at the Portland City Grill.

For those of you outside of Portland, Oregon, the Portland City Grill sits on the 30th floor of the second tallest downtown office building, affectionately known as "Big Pink" for its light pinkish color. Your dining pleasure is enhanced by the view of the city at your feet. We have had several wonderful dinners with friends at the city grill and the bar is a favorite gathering place after work or on the weekends.

Michael isn't too impressed with most restaurants. He thinks most are forgettable and can number his favorites on one hand. So it was with considerable anticipation that we made reservations for our four person Christmas party last December.

Our reservations were at 8:00 PM and we arrived early. I asked if a window table was available and was told that it would be a few minutes. We went to the bar and waited. They gave us a little plastic block that lights up and vibrates when the table is ready. A half hour goes by and I get up and check with the hostess and it is not ready. Then it's an hour. Finally, we were presented menus at 10:00 PM. I was angry and said, "Well, I guess we won't be coming here anymore!"

Last week, our friends Suzanne and Jack Gallagher were dining at the Portland City Grill and they related our story to the manager, Walt Holman. The next day Walt called me and apologized for our experience and said he would like an opportunity to make it up to us. He invited us to dine again on the house!

I asked if Valentine's day was avaiilable.
He said he would make it available and asked, "What time would you like to eat?"
I said, hesitantly, "7:30?"
"Done, he said. We'll see you at 7:30."

Walt said that with so many fine restaurants in Portland, a restaurant gets one shot to get your repeat business.

We dined last night on teriyaki chicken rice paper spring rolls and Kung Pao calamari for appetizers, followed by caesar salad for me and a mango and macadamia nut salad for Michael. We each ordered the 10 oz Petite New York strip with peppercorn bandy sauce. I had scampi with my steak. The meal was more than wonderful! It regained its status as one of Michael's top five restaurants.

If you come to Portland and have dinner out, Michael suggests you dine at Jake's, Mint, Lucy's Table, Ciao Vito and the Portland City Grill.

By the way, we arrived early and we were seated early. Thank you Walt.

Portland City Grill
30th Floor
Unico/US Bancorp Tower
111 SW Fifth Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
503.450.0030

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Night Out at Lucy's Table

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night with friends at Lucy's Table on NW 21st and Kearney.

There is a nice bar inside the front door where you can sip and eat. Inside the restaurant, the space is lit in a pinkish hue, very flattering. It was busy, perhaps the tables a touch too close together, but with all the people still not overly loud. Maybe its the drapery and carpeting. The wait person was knowledgeable about the food and how it was prepared.

The whole menu is varied, something for everyone on one sheet of parchment. We chose an Arigula salad with orange slices and cashew brittle. Excellent! Our server knew we were splitting the salad and brought it on two separate plates. For the main course, I ordered Oregon Salmon served on a pureed celery and spears of asparagus. Michael ordered the grilled “Painted Hills” beef Rib-Eye on a bed of Macarpone Potatoes and a gorgonzola butter & beet-enriched demi sauce, topped with “Smoky” Onion Rings. Donya ordered braised rabbit in a Chardonnay-Dijon broth including Applewood bacon, pearl onions, green olive, and fennel served on crispy white polenta and Craig ordered a double cut pork chop stuffed with spinich and arugula. The presentation of the meals was beautiful and all meals were done perfectly to our tastes.

I said there was something for everyone on the menu. There was lavender blackened Ahi Tuna, Grouper, vegetarian “meatloaf” and wild boar ravioli. One of the specials was a rack of venison. The meal was wonderful and with drinks came to $150 for four a far cry from the $150 for two we experienced in Cabo San Lucas in January.

Would we go back? In a heartbeat! Would we change anything? Maybe the dessert menu this night seemed a little limited.

Lucy’s Table is located at 704 NW 21st Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209 — Telephone: (503) 226-6126

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Glass Furniture

We are seeing more glass used in furniture everyday, especially in contemporary furniture.

The magazine PURE CONTEMPORARY has an article entitled Furniture of a Better Glass by Caroline Kooshoian.

The curves of Curvet's Fiocco table take a delicate design detail and make it useful: the bends double as magazine racks.

The magic of glass has been admired since its discovery in about 5,000 BC and has lived on in everything from children’s tales like Cinderella to the imaginations of architecture’s giants like Philip Johnson, who used the stuff to create his masterpiece Glass House in New Canaan, CT. But the grandiose history and ingenious applications of glass do not stunt the imaginations of newcomers to the material. Rather it inspires them to test glass for what has not yet been done, resulting in pieces as exciting and innovative as the first hand-blown vessels of 27 BC.

Kooshoian shares information about grading quality of glass in furniture.

When you’re deciding on a piece of glass furniture, notice the detailing. If it has polished edges, beveled edges, is etched, colored, textured, or tempered for added strength it will cost more. But, the extra cost is well worth it. Tempering can be expected to add about 30% to a product’s cost. A small sum compared to the expense of replacing a chipped or damaged piece that, with the treatment, might have remained intact. (If broken, tempered glass will break into pebble-like pieces that greatly reduce injury.) The thickness of glass also contributes to a higher cost that pays back the owner by hiding wear and tear.

A coffee table and dining table, both are extendable from Calligaris

The article emphasizes that glass furniture is costly, yet at Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery where we recently added Calligaris to our lines, glass is used for many of the table tops. It is tempered glass and the prices are reasonable.

BTW, PURE CONTEMPORARY has a special section Ask The Experts. If you are a designer with a special interest in contemporary design, the magazine is looking for designers to help answer questions. To be considered as an industry expert, send your bio, areas of speciality and contact info to Be An Expert.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

BERMANFALK Coming to Landfair Furniture

We are adding a new line, BERMANFALK at
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery.

Located on Canada’s west coast in beautiful British Columbia, BERMANFALK has been designing and manufacturing high-quality, all-wood furniture for over 20 years.

Gary Berman and Paul Falk have assembled a team of experienced furniture makers who carefully translate their clean, distinctive designs into furniture that is both elegant and timeless.

BERMANFALK furniture is synonymous with luxurious living. Ideal for creating expressive, enduring interiors that define individual style, their furniture is characterized by the extravagant use of solid maple. Their collections add beauty and comfort to your living space.

HOM by BERMANFALK is their line of contemporary furniture. Designed for modern living, the HOM collections are akin to BERMANFALK in quality and beauty, yet deviate in style and occasion.

Exceptional workmanship and the use of durable materials are the foundation of their furniture. With an all-wood construction, drawers that have fully dovetailed joints and silky smooth undermounted slides, high solids stains that are carefully hand-rubbed, and the use of only the best conversion varnish, their dedication to quality is obvious in each BERMANFALK piece.

Catalogs are in the showroom, fabric samples are on the way and wood finish samples are here. We hope to place our opening order soon. Wanna help?

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Future Colors

In case you missed it, in todays Oregonian, in the special advertising section Autos/DriveTime, Dee-Ann Durbin writes

Auto colorists paint future in shades of blue, brown

Only a handful of people know what new vehicles will look like in 2009. But automotive paint supplier PPG Industries already has a good idea what colors those vehicles will be.

Blue will get more popular in the next four years as more dramatic shades are introduced. Yellows and oranges will get richer and warmer. Reds will glow in deep shades of cranberry and wine, and dark brown will make a comeback.

"Not everything in here is gospel, but it's a general direction," said Lorene Boettcher, PPG's manager of global design and color marketing.

Each fall, Pittsburgh-based PPG hosts a color tour for auto industry officials so they can look at upcoming trends and choose colors they can refine further in their own studios. Future colors are identified from trends in fashion, interior design, architecture and even cosmetics, Boettcher said. (Emphasis added)

As hybrid vehicles get more popular, drivers may be looking for earthy, natural tones. Luxury makers, always looking for ways to set their vehicles apart, might choose rich blends that change slightly depending on the light or paints with flecks of silver-coated glass.

PPG has 20 colorists in North America, Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, India and Australia. They work separately to identify trends and then bring all their ideas together for the show. This year's show features 130 new colors.

Silver is the worldwide favorite right now, making up 37 percent of vehicles produced. White is second at 14.4 percent. Blue and black are right behind, at 12.7 percent and 11 percent.

Silver will remain popular for several more years, Boettcher said, and PPG is trying to enhance it by experimenting with blends like silvery green and technology that makes paint look like liquid metal.

Boettcher said natural tones will be a hit, including leathery browns and sophisticated, muted metallics. One color she showed was inspired by cappuccino, another by burlap.

Many auto executives have steered away from brown because it was a popular color when the industry went through tough times in the 1970s, she said. But that will start to change.

"That's going to start at the high end and work its way down to the mainstream," Boettcher said. -- By DEE-ANN DURBIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Who is Maryann Fielder?

Are you familiar with Maryann Fielder? Nancy Zieg and I have worked with Maryann on several projects. Nancy is the interior designer, we provide furniture and Maryann is commissioned for art for some of the walls. I just added her web site to our blogroll and was captivated by some of her original paintings.

Maryann Fielder asks:

What is the sum total of one's life, knowledge, observations, perceptions?

My painting continues to evolve in direct resonse to my experiences and environment. The central question of my painting is: "what does it mean to be human?"

You can reach Maryann Fielder at 503-869-9527 or maryannfldr@hotmail.com

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

CBK and Cristina

From Home Accents Today in Las Vegas, CBK expands Casa Cristina line. Casa Cristina is the line of accessories licensed by Hispanic superstar Cristina Saralegui.

CBK has expanded its Casa Cristina line by adding pieces to the most popular styles. The pieces added about 110 SKUs to the collection. Pulaski Furniture has added a new bedroom group to the Casa line, called Urbana, which is geared toward smaller, less opulent homes.

Landfair Furniture+Design Gallery has access to the complete CBK line of accessories and has many examples on its floor.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Mirador Chosen for Design Gallery

From Home Accents Today, Design Gallery focal point for trendy looks in Vegas

The Design Gallery, a juried exhibit area featuring stylish products and displays of up-and-coming trends, was created as the centerpiece of the temporary venue at this week's Las Vegas Market.

The Design Gallery will be located in a dedicated section of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and will feature a broad cross-section of new designs.

Companies and products were hand-selected for inclusion in the showcase by an internal show management committee.

"At the Design Gallery, attendees can expect to see more of the high-style products that represent home decor and furniture," said Babs Blair, director of leasing at World Market Center. "We want this area to be a destination that showcases trend-setting products and serve as an incubator for unique new companies. Even companies selected more than once will be moved to different locations within the Design Gallery to keep it fresh and exciting.

"We use our collective knowledge of what is being promoted at different shows - including European fairs," said Blair. "In addition, we look at the quality of the exhibitors displays and review their catalogs as part of the basis for our criteria."

Lois Richards, trade shows and temporary leasing manager at World Market Center, stressed the Design Gallery is not simply a collection of trendy furniture or home decor products.

"It is more visual merchandising," she said. "The companies merchandise in unique ways, using the layouts of their booths to make it aesthetically beautiful so the booth is part of what they're showing. The whole ambience of their location, their booth, their stage and how it's designed is what's trendy - not specifically a piece of furniture or a designer color. It's more of a total look."

Richards said market attendees won't want to miss this innovative gallery. "It is going to be fresh, new and vital," she said. "It's an ever-changing area that is a must-see."

The selected exhibitors at this market's Design Gallery include: Antiques 2000, Bojay, Bull & Stein, Charles Carol Design, CTC/Chicago, Dare Deco, IDS Interior Design Source, Ital Art Designs, Leftbank Art Company, Mel V, Mila Brown International, Mirador Furnishings, Pulvermacher Designs, Rags, Roberta Schilling, Shawna Stoney, Sweet Smiling Home, Texture Home Decor, Thumprints, Van Teal, Wallternatives and Zambezi Trader.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery carries the Mirador Furnishings line and is pleased that a jury has selected Mirador to appear in the Design Gallery.

Bev & Mike

Flat Screen for Super Bowl XL

From the SacBee (registration required),

The new dilemma in home decor: Finding the right spot for flat screens

The 55-inch plasma screen at Joe and Patty Caldero's house in Elk Grove found a home over the fireplace. Increasingly, new houses are being built to accommodate both flat-screen TVs and the hidden wiring they require. Sacramento Bee/ Lezlie Sterling

Before opting for over the fireplace, try sitting and looking over the fireoplace for an extended period of time. You may find you get a crick in your neck, because the set is too high.

Credenzas, long and low cabinets sometimes also called buffets or sideboards, marry well with flat-panel TVs.

[...]

Install a flat-panel TV on a wall and you gain usable square footage. Big-screen behemoths of the past protruded as much as 30 inches into rooms. They dominated and were considered an unsightly focal point by interior designers.

[...]

After a flat-panel (or two) is purchased, its placement and installation likely will require professional help. Wires need to be hidden, sometimes in walls, and component installation of a home theater system often requires a pro. You don't just plug everything in and adjust the rabbit ears. There never have been more options for installing a TV.

CNET has some great information about getting HDTV and their recommendation for Flat-Screen TV's

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Eight Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Interior Designer

It seems that every day a new magazine comes in the mail detailing home decorating ideas. I'm having trouble keeping up with my reading!

Home, in their January 26th issue has an article entitled Hire It Out: Interior Designer. The lead paragraph asks a great question:

If you're a regular Home reader, you may be thinking, "Interior designer? Why?"

After all, each month our editors work to give you the know-how to design and decorate with confidence. But a day may come when scheduling constraints, blocked creativity, or a thorny layout problem makes hiring an interior designer the best option.

The article makes some very good points.

First, make sure the scale of the project really warrants an interior designer.

If you just want to add a piece or two to a room, many furniture stores have in-house stylists who can advise you. On the other hand, if you're talking demolition, you'll need an architect. Interior designers fall somewhere in between: They create furniture plans, coordinate colors, handle purchasing, and manage the installations through a rolodex of reliable subcontractors. To find a pro, peruse shelter magazines, seek recommendations from folks whose homes you admire, and check the American Society of Interior Designers website's (asid.org) referrals page. Meet at least three candidates who satisfy your style and budget needs, and trust your gut on rapport. "You have to like the person; they have to like you," says Debbie Wiener, of the Washington, D.C.—area firm Designing Solutions. "After all, you're hiring a new best friend for the next six months—and that's assuming it's a short project."

Second, get a contract.

Third, how much will it cost?

Four, Eight must-ask questions for the designer, plus the answers you want to hear.

Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery has an interior designer on staff Mondays and we specialize working with designers and their clients. In addition we are members of NWSID and ASID. Because of these associations, we believe we are in a unique position to recommend designers that may fit your needs if the scale of the project warrants.

Bev & Mike

It's Bridget Otto Thursday!

Thursday is becoming "Bridget A. Otto Thursday". Today via The Oregonian's Homes & Garden section, Otto captures our attention with the article
Color vision, Forecasters home in on future trends.

Color is big business.

Steve Noble, with the Luxury Marketing Council, told people at a 2004 interior design seminar in Seattle that accurate forecasting translates to fortunes. He talked about an ad featuring a chartreuse Saab. Looking back over my notes from that seminar I find this notation next to chartreuse: "sleeper color."

He called it.

Color Marketing Group uses a democratic approach, as Conroy calls it. Each year, during conferences in the spring and the fall, members break into workshops and, before discussing color, consider what key influences will drive color direction.

Those influences can come from the economy or world events, such as Hurricane Katrina.

"These things dramatically impact how people look at the world," Conroy said. Sad news keeps people closer to home, which, in the color forecasting world, translates to more soothing colors.

Conversely, just like the expression "the future looks rosy," colors brighten when things are going well.

Cultural influences also have an effect. As technology knits the world more tightly, we see, taste and feel other countries' influences more quickly. This plays out in a category the color group labels "Hybrid."

The bottom line for 2006:

"Colors for 2006 will be warmer, clearer and brighter," the color forecasters report. "Reddened oranges will replace coppery hues; yellows will gain importance; blues will dramatically recede; and complex neutrals will add sophistication and luxury to the 2006 Consumer Color Palette."

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

Online Spending in 2005 Up 22%!

Here's some very heartening news for our on-line furniture and accessories store, Landfair Furniture Annex, from comScore Networks.

comScore Networks just released holiday season and annual online spending figures for full year 2005, concluding that total Internet spending for the full year, including travel, reached $143.2 billion, up 22 percent over the $117.2 billion spent online in 2004.

Non-Travel (Retail) spending for the Holiday season was up year over year by 25%! For the full year of 2005, Non-Travel (Retail) spending increased to $82.3 Billion, up 24%.

Within the Non-Travel (Retail) Home & Garden spending was up 32% in 2005; and spending on Furniture increased 24% in 2005 (and "they" say that furniture is not sold over the net).

Further, according to data from Goldman, Sachs, Nielsen//NetRatings, and Harris Interactive eSpending Report, the distribution of spending in stores over the last four years has declined from 78% to 68% and online has grown from 16% to 27%.

What do we conclude from all those numbers? The internet is increasingly a place where people shop for their homes and Landfair Furniture will continue to emphasize the internet for awareness of our offerings. We will continue to use our blog to deliver information that based on your feedback, is useful, entertaining and valuable.

We will continue encouraging you the interior designer to get a web presence; web site and/or blog. Based on visitors to Landfair Furniture+Desugn Gallery. your future clients need your input. Some don't want to rely on their judgement when it comes to spending money. Some are not familiar with many of the terms you use. They want to see examples of your work and read about your design philosophy. The market is relying more and more on the web and you need to be there.

Bev & Mike

UPDATE: In a recently released Memo/Report on the use of the Internet by both men and women, the study found

women are catching up in overall use and are framing their online experience with a greater emphasis on deepening connections with people.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Items: Sonoma Large Urn with lid

New Items: Sonoma Large Urn with lid
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

Yipes Stripes!
Absolutely stunning color. If you need a punch for your room, this is it.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Items: Three Vases

New Items: Three Vases
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

16" orange orange
and two 20" one is orange orange and the other is orange red.

These vases would be great in any setting from mid-century to now.

Notice the colors, Orange, light blue and Chocolate are the latest interior colors.

New Items: Three Vases

New Items: Three Vases
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

16" orange orange
and two 20" one is orange orange and the other is orange red.

These vases would be great in any setting from mid-century to now.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Items: Two Ceramic Canisters

New Items: Two Ceramic Canisters
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

One is 22 Inches high with lid
Second is 16 Inches high with lid
Color: Caramel

The lids are cool and impressive.

Lamp can be used with Asian or Transitional. Ask for details.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery

New Items: 22" Ceramic Charger with Stand

New Items: 22" Ceramic Charger with Stand
Originally uploaded by gily122000.

Caramel in color on stand, 22 inches in diameter.
Great large accessory for transitional to European environment.

Do you send enough "Thank You" notes?

I was impressed recently, by my brother's fiance. She held Christmas dinner at her house for the whole family of about 30 people. She asked me to bring a salad. Three days after the dinner, I received a thank you note in the mail for bringing salad. Now here's a woman with three girls, she's an emergency room nurse, she's planning her wedding on January 1st, hosting a large dinner, and she finds the time to send a note. The wedding took place, there was a honeymoon and yesterday a thank you note came in the mail, thanking us for the wedding present.

Mike has a friend in Bend, Billy Two Hawks, who is also very good at sending notes thanking us for something or other. Recently, we received a note thanking us for attending his 60th birthday party.

I raise the issue of "Thank You" notes because I came across Jim Logan's Blog and he writes about 8 Tips To Writing Personal Notes Of Appreciation. He writes:

Personal notes of thanks are probably the most powerful thing you can do as a person in a relationship. The goodwill represented by taking the time and personal care to write a note is incredible.

Check out his web site for the eight tips here.

Bev & Mike
Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery