Archive for September 21st, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
Conlin’s Furniture, with 17 retail furniture stores serving North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, and parts of Canada, announced the launch of its new retail website that offers an extensive online catalog of furniture and a range of helpful features and services for their customers. The new site (www.Conlins.com) will allow customers to conveniently conduct research, access more selection, efficiently find solutions, and get better service.
The new Conlin’s site will focus on shopping rather than selling, and will be marketed locally rather than nationally. The new site was built to simplify the information intensive furniture shopping process, and to strengthen the company’s core competencies as a local brick and mortar retailer.
Most furniture shoppers need assistance planning their space and coordinating styles and colors; most want to visit a store to see products and verify comfort and quality; and most require in-home delivery and setup of their oversized, high value and often fragile furniture purchases.
WEBSITE AND STORES WORKING TOGETHER
The big online opportunity for furniture retailers is to help customers conduct research. The Conlin’s website is designed with that in mind, and was designed as a tool to help customers get ideas, learn what is available, find product solutions, educate themselves and get information. “The reason we chose Minnesota based FurnitureDealer.net to build and manage our new website,” said Joe Conlin, Chairman and CEO of the privately owned Conlin’s Furniture retail chain “was because of their multi-channel approach. Conlin’s has achieved growth and success over the years by having great sales people, stores, merchandising, service and delivery. We are 100% committed to our bricks and mortar business because we know that is what furniture and mattress consumers want, need and expect.”
The new website, noted Conlin, makes Conlin’s a whole lot better by offering a huge selection of products, tons of useful information and critical shopping functions to help consumers find, evaluate and compare.
BETTER SELECTION MEANS HAVING WHAT PEOPLE WANT
There are currently three to four times more products shown online than in the stores. According to Dave Schwartz, Conlin’s Casegoods Buyer, “Conlin’s has always offered the best selection of name brand home furnishings, such as Broyhill, La-Z-Boy, Palliser, DeCoro and Lane. Now we are able to offer so many more styles, features, colors and choices. Unlike a store, the website is not limited by inventory costs or showroom space.”
CONVENIENCE MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE
“Customers now can have much better access to our stores,” explained Joe Conlin. “We like to think of the new website as a way for our store to do ‘house calls,’ because customers can conveniently find products, educate themselves, and get information when and where they want it.” People today are busy. Many of our customers come from rural communities that are far from the store. People today expect to be able to research online for big-ticket purchases like furniture. After just two months, the company has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people calling the stores to get help over the phone. “Whether the customer is calling from the office during a lunch break or from home after putting the kids to bed, it is amazing how much can be accomplished over the telephone with the website,” said Conlin.
A SITE LOADED WITH HELPFUL FEATURES
According to Andy Bernstein, President and Founder of FurnitureDealer.net, “The website was designed to help streamline many of the most information intensive and time consuming aspects of furniture shopping. One of the unique and useful tools is “Narrow Your Search,” where people can efficiently navigate the extensive catalog according to product features (such as style, dimensions, wood type, and finish darkness). Each product is shown along with its matching/coordinating items and alternate finishes. Customers can view side-by-side comparisons. The site offers multiple navigation options to accommodate both those individuals who know what they want (item search) and those who don’t know what they want (browse through pictures of beautifully furnished rooms). Other helpful features include: a wish list to save items for consideration; an online credit application to take advantage of special financing; a free online room planning application to lay out a floor plan and arrange furnishings to scale; showroom photo galleries to see what is on display; links to key manufacturer websites for extended information and selection; custom upholstery tools to see what a sofa looks like with different fabrics, exclusive offers by email, decorating tips, rich product descriptions and tons of great item and room setting photos, and much more.”
INTERNET MARKETING IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE
The company is excited to leverage the internet to achieve its marketing goals. “In today’s world of online news, streaming media, email and iPods,” described Vicki Madding, Conlin’s Director of Marketing, “people are increasingly looking to the internet over traditional media for their information. FurnitureDealer.net’s skill at making the site search engine friendly has more than doubled the traffic on Conlins.com, and these site visitors are calling our salespeople, visiting our stores and buying furniture.”
About Conlin’s Furniture: Established in 1937, Conlin’s is a leading American furniture retailer and is routinely listed by Furniture Today as one of the country’s top companies to watch. The company operates seventeen stores in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Minnesota. The company offers a broad collection of furniture manufactured by some of the strongest brands in the country including, Broyhill, La-Z-Boy, Sealy, Simmons, Tempur-Pedic and Palliser. Additionally, Conlin’s offers its own Conlin’s Private Label brand of furniture. For more information on the company and its products contact Conlin’s Furniture at 763-559-3482 or visit their website at http://www.conlins.com.
About FurnitureDealer.net: FurnitureDealer.net builds and manages websites and provides internet marketing services for more than 25 leading furniture retailers across the country. For more information about FurnitureDealer.net, call 651-204-1925 or visit their website at http://www.furnituredealer.net.
September 21st, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
Furniture Brands International commented on recent business trends and operations in the third quarter of 2007.
W.G. (Mickey) Holliman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, said, “When we issued our second quarter results in July, we warned of a softening business environment and weakening order flow, and since then we have seen those trends continue. We now expect our net sales for the quarter to be down approximately 12 percent, and we now expect our net earnings per diluted common share to be in the range of a loss of 19 cents to a loss of 23 cents. This includes the effect of 22 cents in restructuring, asset impairment and severance charges. We will report the actual results for the third quarter of 2007 on October 31, 2007.”
Furniture Brands International is one of America’s largest residential furniture companies. The company produces, sources, and markets its products under six of the best-known brand names in the industry Broyhill, Lane, Thomasville, Henredon, Drexel Heritage, and Maitland-Smith.
September 21st, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
A stylish transformation of IHFC’s Designer Resource Center, designed and executed by High Point University interior design students, debuts at the October High Point Market.
Sitting strategically between the multi-million-dollar renovation of the Commerce Wing lobby (IHFC’s front door) and the newly expanded and completely renovated InterHall, the Designer Resource Center provides a 4,000-square-foot comfort zone for interior designers.
The center features comfortable seating and work spaces, coffee and refreshments throughout the day. And to make the market experience more efficient, the center offers a concierge service and highly qualified staff to assist designers; a catalog wall loaded with catalogs, brochures, DVDs and other helpful materials from designer-friendly exhibitors; and an updated list of companies that welcome designers and require low or no minimum orders.
“This beautiful renovation is another example of our commitment to making sure interior designers have a terrific experience at IHFC and in High Point,” says Tom Lindh, company president and CEO. “The design trade is certainly a growing part of this industry, and more and more of our exhibitors are offering programs geared specifically to interior designers’ special needs.”
The winning design by Patty Mayol of Fairfax, Va., and Laura Cook of Sayville, N.Y., emphasizes inspiration and rejuvenation with warm colors and comfort throughout the space. They each won $1,000 scholarships from IHFC. The renovation under the winners’ direction began immediately after the April High Point Market.
A three-judge panel of professional interior designers selected the winners after nine two-member teams presented designs at the April show. Thousands of interior designers attending the market were asked to vote for their favorite designs based on the students’ art boards displayed throughout the market. While the poll was nonbinding, the majority had voted for the entry selected by the judges.
The three judges were:
Christi Barbour, founder and principal at Barbour Spangle Design Group and member of ASID, who has specialized in showroom design during the past 13 years; Don Hekhuis, a graduate of the Kendall College of Design and IFDA member who has been in the business 35 years and recently completed design of a flagship store for Fine Furniture in Shanghai; and Catherine Joyce, who opened Joyce Design Group in Greensboro in 1981 and specializes in two areas of commercial design: showrooms and retail stores, and long-term care facilities.
“This has been a great learning opportunity for our students,” says Stephen Huff, who practiced interior design for 15 years before joining the HPU faculty eight years ago. “It is a keystone in their design education. Many of our students are involved in the High Point Market. This space will constantly reinforce the importance of our program in the interior design community. It becomes an emblem of what our program can accomplish. … And, of course, it was a chance for students to network with professionals from all over the world.”
High Point University has a strong bond with the home furnishings industry. Participating students are interior design majors in the Knabusch-Shoemaker International School of Home Furnishings and Design, named after La-Z-Boy founders. The school, housed in a building bearing the name of La-Z-Boy Chairman Patrick H. Norton, has approximately 125 students majoring in interior design and home-furnishings marketing, the only program of its kind in the nation.
Opening in 1921, IHFC was the original showroom building in High Point and after 85 years of expansion remains the centerpiece of the world’s largest home-furnishings trade show that attracts more than 90,000 participants twice a year to 2,600 showrooms covering 11.5 million square feet. IHFC alone is home to 650 of the leading home-furnishings manufacturers, including 13 of the top 20 companies, and covers 3.5 million square feet.
September 21st, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
Framed portraits of Hall of Fame members, including the 2006 inductees, are on sale now at the American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. (AFHF).
“These individuals have made significant contributions to the development and growth of the American furniture industry,” says J. Don Coleman, president of AFHF. “What better way to honor them than with this print in a corporate office for associates to appreciate the stature of the former leader or in the home office of Hall of Fame members.”
Framed Portrait Prints of all 71 members inducted between 1989-2006 are available for purchase for $500. For more information call 336.882.5900 or e-mail info@furninturehalloffame.com.
Inductees for 2007 will be announced and officially inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame at the annual banquet celebration on October 2 at the High Point Market.
Membership includes eligibility to vote in August for inductees into the American Furniture Hall of Fame, and are $250 and $500 at the individual level, and $500 and $1,000 at the corporate level. All contributions are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. and sent to P.O. Box 2011, High Point, N.C. 27261.
The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. is an international, industry-wide effort organized to honor those individuals whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the continued growth and development of the U.S. furniture industry, as well as to research, collect and preserve the cultural, economic and artistic history. Membership includes eligibility to vote for inductees into the American Furniture Hall of Fame, and the opportunity to help preserve the history and heritage of the industry. The organization is based in High Point at 202 Neal Place, and can be reached at 336.882.5900.
September 21st, 2007
China exported 17.4 billion U.S. dollars of furniture in 2006 and the figure is expected to reach 48 billion dollars in 2010, according to the industry association.
Zhang Zhongling, a senior official with the China Building Decoration Association, said China had become the world’s biggest furniture exporter.
The mushrooming furniture industry has also driven expansion of the woodworking machinery industry.
The 12th Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Fair China (WMF), to be held in Beijing next year, is expected to attract more than 600 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions.
The WMF has become the largest woodworking machinery expo in Asia, and fourth largest in the world.
Source: Xinhua
September 21st, 2007
By: Furniture World Magazine
On October 3rd, Celebrity interior designer Kenneth Brown will present “The Celebrity Designer Within Us All,” in conjunction with the Carolinas Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA). Lunch is $15 and reservations are required. Call (336) 888-3751 or email akelley@ihfc.com.
Brown believes it’s important to make every client feel like a star. But there’s very little mystique left to celebrity these days thanks to TV, paparazzi cameras and the newest wave of insider gossip blogs. We know what the stars wear, what they eat, how much they weigh and why they’re going back to rehab. All that’s left is literally what’s behind the closed doors of their homes.
As someone who’s been invited inside many of these palatial pads as both guest and designer, Brown says for many of the uber-famous, it’s become all about luxury beyond expectation. “Many celebrities these days want to live larger-than-life and there’s not a single room in the house that’s left behind.”
And that can mean designing dining rooms that comfortably seat 40 for an “intimate” dinner party, creating a closet that’s automated with wardrobe-tracking computers, or seeking out custom-designed, gem-laden chandeliers.
“People used to talk about the $10,000 sofa, but now it’s the $50,000 sofa,” he says. “It’s not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. It’s keeping up with the Cruises and the Pitts.”
But since few clients can afford to request a diamond-encrusted coffee table, for designers, Brown says, the challenge becomes this: What can you do to treat every client like a star and bring a little painless pampering into their life?
It doesn’t matter if it’s a multi-million dollar project or a room renovation on a shoestring budget. Kenneth Brown believes good design can change lives. Whether he’s creating a new dining room for a recently divorced mom so she can entertain on her own terms, or helping tormented teen sisters make peace with each other by redesigning their shared bedroom – he’s seen it happen.
“It’s amazing to see how these positive changes in the home can also really transform the people within it,” says Brown.
With his stylish mop of blond hair and winning smile, Brown radiates star appeal as host of the popular HGTV series reDesign. But it’s his keen sense of design and color combined with sincerity and enthusiasm that have made him one of Southern California’s most sought-after designers. Named one of the top 100 designers in America by both Western Interiors and House Beautiful, he’s also been featured on Oprah Winfrey’s “Live Your Best Life Tour.”
All budgets deserve good design, says Brown, who’s working on a book series that illuminates his design process and is also creating a product line that will be available through a major retailer. And with an eye to the future, he continues on, calmly changing the world one room at a time.
For more information on Kenneth Brown please visit www.kennethbrowndesign.com. To arrange an interview please call Valerie Allen Public Relations at 310-264-1888.
September 21st, 2007
TORONTO, Sept. 20 /CNW/ — The Bombay Furniture Company of Canada Inc. (”Bombay-Canada”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bombay Company, Inc. (”Company”), today announced that it has obtained an Order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice providing it with protection from its creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051026/BOMBAYLOGO)
As previously announced, the U.S.-based parent company also filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code for itself and its U.S. subsidiaries in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division.
The Company has taken these actions after determining that this restructuring is in the best long-term interests of the Company, its employees, customers, creditors, business partners and other stakeholders. During this process, the Company intends to continue normal business operations.
“After considering a wide range of alternatives, this course of action was seen as the best route to help preserve our internationally respected brand while working to secure our future,” said David B. Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the Company. “With a tremendous talent pool and an excellent selection of high quality home accessories and furnishings, we are confident that our business will emerge from this process stronger and more competitive. We are very grateful for the dedication and hard work of all our employees and look forward to providing them with a clear road map for success.”
To help fund the Company’s business during the restructuring, GE Corporate Lending and GE Canada Finance Holding Company have expressed a willingness to provide a $115 million debtor-in-possession (”DIP”) financing facility, of which up to $15 million would be for the benefit of the Canadian operations. The Company will be seeking Bankruptcy Court approval of the DIP facility on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, and Bombay-Canada will be seeking Ontario Superior Court of Justice approval on September 26, 2007.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada (collectively, “forward looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon the Company. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company’s expectations concerning the bankruptcy process and the continuation of its day to day operations and payments to vendors and employees in the ordinary course. Actual results may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern; the ability of the Company to obtain approval of the DIP facility; court approval of the Company’s first day papers and other motions prosecuted by it from time to time; the ability of the Company to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate one or more plans of reorganization with respect to the Chapter 11 cases; risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period for the Company to propose and confirm one or more plans of reorganization, for the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee or to convert the cases to Chapter 7 cases; the ability of the Company to obtain trade credit, and shipments and terms with vendors and service providers for current orders; the Company’s ability to maintain contracts that are critical to its operations; potential adverse developments with respect to the Company’s liquidity or results of operations; the ability to fund and execute its business plan; the ability to attract, retain and compensate key executives and associates; the ability of the Company to attract and retain customers; and other risk factors identified in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2007, the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended May 5, 2007 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements that are in this news release.
About Bombay-Canada
Bombay-Canada sources and markets a unique line of home accessories, wall decor and furniture through 50 retail outlets throughout Canada.
Further information on The Bombay Company, Inc. can be found on the Company’s website at http://www.bombaycompany.com.
For further information
Investor and Media Relations, Michael J. Veitenheimer, 1-800-991-4441, mveitenh@us.bombayco.com Web Site: http://www.bombaycompany.com
September 21st, 2007
A fire department that lost 9 of its members in a furniture store blaze in June is facing thousands of dollars in fines for allegedly violating safety standards.
State regulators in South Carolina fined the Charleston Fire Department, as well as the furniture store where the blaze broke out.
The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration isn’t saying that the four violations cited directly led to the nine firefighters’ deaths.
The report includes a “willful” violation for having an inadequate command structure that could affect firefighter safety during an emergency. In all, the fines against the fire department were over $9,000.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
September 21st, 2007
PRESS WIRE SERVICE
For millions of children, being sent to their room is no longer a punishment. That’s because, according to the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, kids are being encouraged to furnish and decorate their bedrooms in ways that express their own style and personality.
TV shows and teen magazines are among the resources inspiring kids to visualize and explore their personal spaces, according to the AFMA. “Furniture manufacturers are introducing a wide range of product styles — from whimsical to sophisticated and everything in between — to help kids make those visions reality.”
Interestingly, according to a recent AFMA parents’ poll, more than half of the furniture bought for children in the last year was purchased with no input from the kids at all. Fifty-two percent of parents described their child’s role as “passive,” while only 13 percent said kids played an “active” role picking out the furniture and making a final decision. Twenty-two percent of parents said their children were “helpful,” assisting with research and having limited decision-making power.
“We expect to see changes in the future, with children playing a more important part in decorating their space,” said Hirschhaut. “With a little forethought, there’s no reason the furnishings your child helps select for his or her dream room today can’t transfer to a guest room, home office or hobby room later on. It can be a win-win.”
The AFMA survey reveals that about one-quarter of the parents who bought children’s furniture last year furnished an entire bedroom using matched pieces from a single collection. The majority of parents report that their kids’ rooms are works in progress. These parents purchased one or two pieces to add to the existing furniture in their child’s room.
“There is no wrong way to decorate a child’s room, just as there is no wrong way to furnish the rest of your home,” said Hirschhaut. “The key is to consider your child’s needs, your needs and your budget.” According to AFMA, parents’ top priorities should always be a high-quality sleep experience, meeting storage requirements and providing adequate study space.
From video games and DVDs to toys and school supplies, all the trappings of youth make clutter control the number one challenge when furnishing kids’ rooms. While chests of drawers and nightstands are the most frequently selected storage solutions (59 percent and 36 percent), bookshelves (30 percent), desks (27 percent) and entertainment centers (11 percent) follow closely behind.
“Parents should take pleasure in creating organized rooms where their children can feel comfortable and be themselves,” said Hirschhaut. “They will feel empowered being able to do schoolwork, relax and entertain friends in their own personal environment.”
When space is limited, loft beds, compact armoires and under bed drawers offer the most function while using the smallest square footage. But parents are also urged to look beyond bedroom walls for additional storage opportunities. Today’s youth furniture collections contain a host of smartly-scaled pieces that are ideal for unfurnished nooks and crannies throughout your home — some in very practical places like the foyer, laundry room, hallway or kitchen corner where kids deposit coats, shoes, backpacks and toys.
“Corner desks, storage benches, partitioned bookcases and slender trolleys with catch-all drawers are just a few of the sensible accessory furnishings you’ll find in current youth furniture collections,” Hirschhaut said. “They’re sensible because they will not only store your kids’ cargo today, they can meet a host of other storage needs later on.”
And, while furnishing your child’s room, don’t be surprised if you also find an ideal solution to some other decorating challenges. “Today’s youth furnishings are stylish enough for any room in the house and are designed for maximum versatility,” Hirschhaut added.
September 21st, 2007
It’s never been a better time to buy furniture, according to The New York Times. Imports from the Far East have cut costs dramatically and retailers are feeling the pinch. So, what’s bad for them is good for you. Also, furniture discount sales that were once only available in August, January, and February are now offered almost every day of the week.
Here are some essential things to keep in mind when buying furniture:
1. Researching brands and retailers. Use the Internet to search for big savings and increase your knowledge (that is, your leverage) in negotiations and decisions.
2. Making room plans. Using a service like FloorPlanner can help you layout your furniture before buying.
3. Paying a visit to the store. You never know how comfortable the piece you want will be until you sit in it. And it’s much easier to pick up on the piece’s quality in the showroom rather than from an online photo.
4. Paying in cash or using a credit card. Although always available, “layaway or other store-based financing is almost always a mistake,” according to James Hood, editor of ConsumerAffairs.com.
Following these tips can help you make the most out of buying furniture. Be sure to cash in.
Author: Dave
Posted: September 20th, 2007
More Info: The New York Times article
Categories: Decor
September 21st, 2007
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