Archive for May 10th, 2006
Christine Brun
Copley News Service
If your place is small and has little space for storage, look for furniture pieces that work as well inside as out. That way, you expand your entertaining capability for every season.
Shopping for such indoor-outdoor furniture requires patience and restraint because some beautiful garden furniture would look out of place indoors. And the ubiquitous white plastic chairs available at discount and home-improvement stores definitely would not work.
Still, some of the features found in both of those options are worth trying. You need seating that is weatherproof and pet-friendly. Stackability is an added plus.
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Palecek’s Patio Stacking Chair is one handsome possibility. The body of the cafe chair is woven with high-quality UV-resistant plastic. A special coloring technique is used to create the wickerlike appearance over a frame of bent black rattan.
Investigate your finds carefully so you aren’t in for a surprise when they are exposed to the elements. Although the Palecek chair is constructed partly of natural rattan, which gives the chair its genuine look, you might not want to leave it outdoors year-round. This chair would do fine for the season, and you’ll get extra use if you buy plastic covers for all of your outdoor furniture.
Alfresco dining is also pleasurable in another Palecek offering, an aluminum-framed chair covered in an all-weather woven synthetic material that mimics the look of natural rattan peel. Aptly named Al Fresco Metro Chair, it is also conveniently stackable and has a more contemporary feel.
Shop with your pets in mind, too. Puppies chew on just about anything, so a metal model might be better for the household with pets.
Try to locate outdoor chairs that will be compatible with your existing indoor pieces. For example, if you already have wicker indoor dining chairs in a natural color, the Patio Stacking Chair would have the woven element in common.
Your eye will read the texture and color first before the differences in design detail hit your brain. In this way, whether you are inside looking out or outside looking in, if the colors and styles are compatible, the visual impression will be that the space is contiguous.
Another way to achieve this connection is to continue the type of flooring from inside to out.
The same rule also applies to your tables. A wood dining surface won’t endure the weather, but make sure other finishes are visually similar enough to allow for design flow.
Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and author. Send questions and comments to cbaintdes@aol.com or to Copley News Service, P.O. Box 120190, San Diego, CA 92112.
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May 10th, 2006
Thomas Russell
U.S. sales account for 90% of business
DONGGUAN, China — Samson Holding, owner of Chinese case goods manufacturer Lacquer Craft, says its sales increased 13% last year and profits rose 27%.
According to its recently filed annual report, sales grew to $517 million in 2005 from $457.5 million in 2004. Profits rose to $89 million or 38 cents per share from $70.1 million or 30 cents per share in 2004.
The annual report is the first one Samson Holding has filed since it became publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Nov. 17.
About 90% of its sales are from furniture sold in the U.S. market, the company said. Branded business, done through U.S. marketing arms Universal Furniture and Legacy Classic, represented 88.2% of total sales or $455.8 million, while OEM business accounted for 11.8% or $61.2 million.
In 2004, branded business totaled $405.6 million or 88.7% of sales and OEM came to $51.9 million or 11.3%.
Samuel Kuo, executive director and board chairman, said in a statement to shareholders that profits slightly exceeded the $88 million forecast in the Nov. 7 prospectus.
Kuo added that despite competition and consolidation in the furniture industry, the company is poised to continue its growth because of its Chinese manufacturing and warehouse facilities.
“Our principal goal is to maintain and strengthen our position as one of the leading wholesalers in the U.S. residential furniture market and to become one of the leading players in the furniture industry globally by increasing our market share in both our branded and original equipment manufacturer business,” he said.
He said the branded business would grow through innovative product design and the expansion of lines such as upholstery, home office, youth and home entertainment furniture. Kuo also predicted the company would be able to gain OEM business from high-end furniture companies by using its expanding manufacturing facilities.
The company’s plants in Jiashan and Dongguan, China, are adding production lines. When construction is completed in late 2007, they will produce an additional 1,000 and 1,200 containers a month or residential furniture. Just before the Nov. 17 prospectus, the two had a combined production capacity of 2,200 containers a month.
Kuo said other growth could occur through acquisitions. After the report was issued, Lacquer Craft announced it had acquired a U.S. upholstery manufacturer, Craftmaster.
He also said the company plans to boost procurement efficiencies and improve its supply chain management, which could lead to future cost savings and better delivery times. Moreover, he said the company strives to shorten product development cycles and streamline production processes through increased collaboration of engineering and design teams and by continuing to hire skilled workers.
“We believe that the ability to grow as a successful business depends on the quality of our management and employees,” Kuo said. “We are committed to recruiting, training and retaining skilled and experienced people throughout our operations globally to better serve our customers.”
May 10th, 2006
By: Furniture World Magazine
Service Lamp Corporation announced plans for the first Retail Showroom Lighting Symposium to be held July 18 at the Philips Lighting Applications center in Somerset, New Jersey.
The symposium will bring a broad range of retailers together to discuss retail lighting techniques and technologies. Ground transportation, meals and lodging will be provided to all participants attending the industry event.
Bill Tortora, Vice President, Philips Lighting Company will open the one-day symposium. Philips Lighting Company and Service Lamp Corporation announced a distribution partnership to improve communication between Philips and the furniture Industry in July 2005. The lighting symposium is designed to provide a forum for furniture retailers.
Following an informative exchange with lighting experts, furniture retailers will voice their opinions to a panel charting the course of retail lighting. Michael Konczyk, Regional National Account Manager, Juno Lighting and Leendert Enthoven, Phillips MasterColor Market Development Manager have been named to the industry panel. Service Lamp expects to name other panel members and speakers soon.
Invitations for a very limited number of seats are being sent to Top 100 retailers, regional chains and retailers with multiple stores. The goal of the selection process is to provide a wide cross-section of industry views. Retailers interested in participating can self-nominate by contacting Service Lamp at 800-222-5267.
Located at the Philips Lighting Company North American headquarters in Somerset, New Jersey, the Lighting Application Center offers more than twenty thousand square feet of demonstrations and applications. The Lighting Application Center is well recognized for its outstanding ability to communicate first hand—and in full scale—the art, science and experience of light.
About Service Lamp: Service Lamp Corporation is a distributor of lighting products specializing in the furniture industry. Service Lamp is supplier to National Home Furnishings Association, has national accounts with furniture manufacturers, and supplies Top 100 retailers and independent furniture stores. Service Lamp capabilities also include lighting design using computerized, CAD drawings. For more information call 800-222-5267 or email servicelamp@furninfo.com.
May 10th, 2006
Casual Living,
This is the retailer’s tenth store in Phoenix area
Paddock Pools, Patios & Spas officially opened another location at the end of April in North Phoenix, Ariz. Located at the Desert Ridge Marketplace, this is the 10th Paddock store in the Phoenix area, and the second Paddock store to be opened within the last six months.
The 13,500-sq.-ft. outdoor living superstore provides a one-stop shop for North Phoenix, Cave Creek and Scottsdale residents to fulfill all their backyard needs.
The superstore offers the Valley’s largest selection of unique products in a variety of categories, from patio furnishings and accessories, replacement cushions and umbrellas, to patio entertaining accessories and more. There is also a great assortment of the most popular and pool chemicals and supplies.
In addition to an extensive selection of products, store guests who do not own a pool or spa will be able to meet with onsite Pool Design Consultants. Those looking for a soothing spa experience will be able to bring a swimsuit and take a test dip in the largest selection of Sundance Spas in the Southwest. For anyone needing a little help creating an outdoor living environment, the store also offers free design services with Paddock’s Casual Living Designers. These designers specialize in creating personalized outdoor family rooms and assist store guests with coordinating furniture, fabric, lighting and accent accessories for a complete and inviting backyard living experience.
“We are very excited to be located in one of the most visible, highly trafficked centers in Arizona,” said David Ghiz, president of Paddock’s Retail Division. “This area of the city is absolutely booming and Desert Ridge area families are in need of having the Valley’s largest and only one stop source for complete backyard living and enjoyment. We are in the location on a temporary basis and if everything goes as we expect, we will completely remodel the store to represent Paddock’s full line Backyard Superstore concept.”
May 10th, 2006
Applicants for the year-long program, which begins in October, are due June 1.
by Meaghan O’Neill
Interior Design · May 8, 2006
A home that meets your needs is a luxury, but what about a home that would meet your needs over the course of a lifetime, from a toddler’s first steps to an aging couple’s orthopedic aids?
Is it possible to build a home for every age and every stage of life? Can a dwelling allow for the changes—both physical and aesthetic—that a lifetime requires, and still carry the opportunity for a complete redesign?
This is exactly the topic that the Universal Home program at the Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen in Essen, Germany aims to tackle. The program will dole out 10 one-year scholarships to upcoming and recent international graduates of architecture and design programs.
During the one-year research and development program, which will last from October 1 through September 30, 2007, 10 young designers and architects will develop possible solutions for a living space that grows with its inhabitants, is flexible, and is respectful of various circumstances. The scholarships allot 1,000 euros monthly for an entire year, including travel costs and workspace. Participants will be required to live on the Zollverein premises in Essen. The program will be accompanied by colloquiums held by Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator of the Red Dot Design Award.
Scholarship applications should be submitted to the Design Zentrum by June 1. Winners will be selected by an international jury in August. Applicants should be interested in challenging their industrial design, conceptual development, and design realization skills, according to press material. Project results will be published at the end of the term.
May 10th, 2006
Robert Brown is responsible for several furniture design innovations.
by Mairi Beautyman
Interior Design · May 2, 2006
The founder and lead designer of furniture manufacturer Brown Jordan has landed the Casual Furniture Retailers and Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association’s 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award. Robert Brown is honored for his “exemplary contribution to the casual furniture industry and to their communities,” according to press material.
In the late 1930’s Robert Brown and Hubert Jordan sold their first outdoor furniture collection to Bullock’s Department Store for $20. The duo made their big break in the early ‘40s with Morning Glory, a collection that has since become a collector’s item.
In later years, Brown’s visionary tactics inspired several design innovations, including cast aluminum reproductions of cast iron detailing, without the weight and cost, and woven lace strap seating. The firm’s use of brass tubing, reclaimed from sunken ships, served as a precursor to today’s interest in recycled and reused materials.
Brown Jordan, established in 1945 in Pasadena, California, features more than 30 luxury collections, mainly fabricated in stainless steel, teak, aluminum, and woven resin. The firm was sold to the Scott Paper Company in 1969, upon Brown’s retirement. He passed away in 2001.
“Robert Brown left a lasting impression on the industry with his ethics in business and his constant pursuit of perfection in design and quality. This industry is better because of him,” says Stephen Elton, Brown Jordan director of product development and marketing.
May 10th, 2006
— Furniture Today,
Will debut at Oct. HP Market
CINCINNATI – New York designer Carleton Varney will create a signature collection for luxury wicker and rattan manufacture Ficks Reed, to debut at the October High Point market.
Varney’s initial designs will be based on Dorothy Draper’s original works for Ficks Reed from the 1940s and ’50s. The 20-piece collection will include seating, dining, occasional tables and chairs, a hall chest, console and mirror set.
“For many years I’ve wanted to create a collection of luxury, casually themed furniture combining pieces inspired by the work my colleague Dorothy Draper did during her remarkable career, which spanned more than 40 years, as well as my own creations,” said Varney, president and owner of Dorothy Draper & Co. and chairman of the Carleton Varney Group.
Ficks Reed President Gene Saenger said the collaboration with Varney is “an incredibly fortunate opportunity.”
May 10th, 2006
By: Furniture World Magazine
High style furniture retailer High Fashion Home will host an in-store charity event and raffle along with event sponsor, Dwell Magazine at its new location to benefit the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA).
DIFFA is one of the oldest and largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide over $35 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide.
The event will take place Wednesday, May 31, from 7:00- 10:00 p.m. Guests who attend can browse the multi-level showroom floors, where American Leather classic and contemporary pieces will be on display. In addition, the evening will also include a raffle drawing with the chance to win a one-of-a-kind designed piece donated by American Leather. Other raffle items include a subscription to Dwell and a gift certificate to High Fashion Home, for an in-house shopping spree.
The new location of High Fashion Home can be found at 3100 Travis Street in Houston. For more information visit the Web site at www.highfashionhome.com.
For a preview of American Leather’s fashion and innovation collections found at High Fashion Home, visit: www.americanleather.com.
May 10th, 2006
– Casual Living,
Independent dealers can leverage national brand, expert business systems and practices
Fireside Hearth & Home, a leading hearth retail and service brand, added a Retail Partnership Program to give independent dealers an opportunity to leverage its collective power and brand promotion.
In addition, the program provides access to industry-leading business systems and processes, as well as marketing, merchandising and training best practices to enhance showrooms and the ability to sell hearth products and services.
“To get the most out of today’s fast-paced retail environment requires implementing best practices across an organization from operations to marketing to merchandising to training,” said Katie Erickson, vice president, Fireside Hearth & Home Retail Development, Hearth & Home Technologies. “We developed the Fireside Hearth & Home Retail Partnership Program as a way for independent dealers to tap the expertise of the nation’s leading fireplace retail brand and gain support in key business functions that will help grow their business. The program gives dealers the best of both worlds by allowing them to keep their independence as a business owner yet still be a part of a national branding effort.”
Dealers interested in the program should contact their Hearth & Home Technologies’ sales representative or call Brian Smith, director, business development, Hearth & Home Technologies, at 952-985-6547.
Fireside Hearth & Home is the retail and distribution division of Hearth & Home Technologies, offers more than 50 years of hearth experience, as well as one of the most recognized brands in the industry with Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire. For more information on Fireside Hearth & Home and retail locations, visit www.firesideusa.com.
May 10th, 2006
Heath E. Combs
Expects most sales reps to remain
HIGH POINT — Bermex International told the sales staff of just-acquired casual dining rival Dinec here that production should start soon at Dinec’s 80,000-square-foot plant in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
Bermex President Daniel Walker said he told 18 Dinec sales representatives that output would begin at “a very fast pace” to fill about a two-month backlog of Dinec orders.
Bermex closed on its purchase of bankrupt Dinec during the April market here.
Walker said he expects most of the reps will remain with Dinec, which will be run as a separate company.
“There’s a strong loyalty to the line from a rep perspective,” Walker said. “I explained that it will stay Dinec, that we will introduce new models in Las Vegas in July and that we’re putting together a plan to relaunch Dinec. The relaunch is starting now.”
He said Dinec will stick to casual dining and will not make bedroom or its contemporary chair, table and storage line called Diva.
“We think the backlog will be cleared in four to six weeks,” he said. “I would say even new orders at the beginning will be four to six weeks.”
Walker said he is interviewing potential replacements for Dinec founder and former President Patrice Gervais, and that a new leader should be in place before the Las Vegas market. Karine Larouche will remain as marketing director, he said.
Dinec will focus on better quality, better service and better delivery, and Walker expects the company to remain a design leader.
Dinec sought court protection under Canadian law in January, about nine months after moving to its Trois-Rivières factory from Louiseville, Quebec.
Bermex, based in Maskinonge, Quebec, acquired Dinec’s factory, equipment, inventory and trademarks for an undisclosed sum. Walker said the factory has a capacity of C$50 million annually. Bermex has seven other factories totaling 585,000 square feet, with 675 employees. Dinec had about 90 workers.
Walker believes there’s room for both brands. “Bermex had a very good year last year and our business remains strong,” he said. “We looked at their customer base and product line, (and) there’s no question there’s room for Dinec in the market.”
He said Dinec would return to the High Point market in October, and will show in Toronto next January. Bermex plans to exhibit in Las Vegas for the first time this July.
Canadian Correspondent Michael J. Knell contributed to this story.
May 10th, 2006