Furniture News Blog

Furniture Buying Index Up 2 Points To 83

2007-02-08T02:21:00.000-08:00

The Furniture Buying Index increased two points this month to a reading of 83. This Furniture Buying Index gives retailers a good outlook for the upcoming Presidents Day Weekend. Britt Beemer, Chairman of Americas Research Group, said, With the Furniture Buying Index moving upwards this February, Presidents Day Weekend shoppers should be at a near all-time high. Beemer added, Furniture stores seeing more shoppers in January will continue to see even more shoppers in February. The Furniture Buying Index is compiled each month by America=s Research Group from interviews with 5,000-8,000 consumers across the country. In a typical month, 80 percent of the consumers interviewed can name a specific furniture item they intend to buy. The Index=s mark signifies what percent of the benchmark 80% actually have a particular item in mind.

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Do up your living room with Shekawati furniture

2007-02-06T02:23:00.000-08:00

BANGALORE: Unique and creative furniture from Rajasthan is on show in the city. The Shekhawati antique furniture is on display at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium on Mahatma Gandhi Road till February 12. There is said to be a lot workmanship that goes into making this furniture. The joints in the furniture are said to be almost invisible, giving the wood an unbroken look. And the drawers are designed not to jam. Accessories such as hinges, knobs and knocker-style handles are all in antique mould. On display are tables with matching chairs, side tables with wooden inlay work, chests with stark iron handles and knobs, cupboards, bookshelves, television cabinets, low stools and many more utility items. . The exhibition is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Printer friendly page Send this article to Friends by E-Mail Karnataka News: ePaper | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements | Advts: Classifieds | Jobs | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News | .

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Federal Furniture Reinventing Itself For Brighter Future

2007-02-02T02:22:00.000-08:00

PETALING JAYA, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- Federal Furniture Holdings Bhd (FFHB), a company which has carved out a reputation as one of Malaysia's top furniture-making and interior fit out group in the last three decades or so, has undergone the process of "reinventing" itself to position itself for future growth, says its group managing director, Choy Wai Hin. "It has been a total paradigm shift in many areas of our business model" he said in an interview with Bernama, adding that the group has discarded old practices which no longer brought any benefit so that it could move to areas where it could grow speedily. "In 2002 we started the process of changing our business model. Gone is our old business of mass producing low end rubber wood furniture for the U.S. market. The basic economics of that business model does not work for Malaysia anymore." FFHB, he said, has instead focused its resources and skill set in new areas that could maximize returns like producing specialized commercial shop fixtures such as food service stations, merchandising counters for retailers, jewellery display cases for jewellers, book shelves, clothes display racks, CD display towers in music stores and food kiosks, to name a few.

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New furniture additions to ‘liven up’ Commons area

2007-01-31T02:25:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to liven up the Commons area and make the convenience of surfing Myspace and Facebook more comfortable, the library administration added the new furniture. The furniture was brought mainly to assist in group work, and we plan to add more during the summer session, said Associate Dean of UT Libraries Jillian Keally. The storing of the old furniture is still undecided, but for now it will be moved to the ground floor and into the Media Center, Keally said. Students have reacted positively to the new furniture. Amanda Crisp, senior in hospitality management, said she enjoys the chairs but wonders why money was not spent on other necessities. The new chairs are better on the back, but with the wheels I lose the opportunity to lean back in my chair.

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Furniture brings outdoors indoos

2007-01-29T02:24:00.000-08:00

If for reasons of climate or cost you can't have an outdoor living room in your backyard, it's still possible to bring the backyard into your home — with organically oriented furniture and accessories. An example: Evoke the look of Mother Earth with stools that are real tree stumps, lamps with gnarled tree roots for bases, serving bowls carved from hollowed-out root balls, and screens that resemble creeping ivy. The New York linens design team Dransfield & Ross recently introduced a collection of furniture featuring a red-lacquered carved-root footstool (Horchow.com, $439) made from the roots of trees that would ordinarily be discarded by the lumber industry. .

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Nicolette Jewelry Box

2007-01-23T02:38:00.000-08:00

The Nicolette Jewelry Box features a walnut finish and antiqued brass drawer pulls. This jewelry box has a center necklace carousel, dual side necklace doors, ring rolls inside right door, two open drawers, and beautiful flower etched glass. It has a cocoa sueded fabric interior and the dimensions are 10.5W x 5D x 13H (inches).

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‘Made in Viet Nam’ furniture holds Russia’s home decor market

2007-01-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

Viet Nam's furniture exports broke into the Russian market in the mid-1990s, when the bamboo and rattan style became a favourite among Russian artists and politicians. Vietnamese furniture has expanded its market share in Russia over the past several years partly thanks to competitive pricing. Director of Phamico home decor company, Pham Quang Hung, said his enterprise began trading in Russia three years ago. "I passed through Chuong My, Ha Tay northern Province during a visit back to Viet Nam and saw local craftsmen making some attractive-looking rattan furniture," said Hung. "I began by exporting a pilot batch of 39 sets of tables and chairs." "They sold quite well so I continued ordering furniture from Chuong My craftsmen and registered a trademark under The World of Rattan and Bamboo in Russia." However, gaining a firm toehold in the Russian market wasn't easy for the product.

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Seminar for furniture contractors

2007-01-21T02:26:00.000-08:00

Pune, January 20: The Furniture Contractors Association is organising a seminar for furniture contractors, workers and interior designers. The seminar will also be based on the topic Non-payment of labour wages: A serious problem. Subodh Sapatnekar, President of the Indian Institute of Interior Designing, Pune, will be the chief guest for the event. Abhijeet Abhayankar, president, CITU, Prakash Paranjape, General Secretary, BMS and Sulbha Joshi, member of the Grahak Takrar Nivaran Nayamanch will also be participating in the seminar. .

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Hooker Furniture Exits Domestic Wood Furniture Manufacturing ...

2007-01-19T02:28:00.000-08:00

It has never been our desire or intention to exit domestic wood furniture manufacturing. We have reacted to the demand of our retail customers and the consumer for high-value imported products and the changing business model in our industry. Paul B. Toms Jr., Chairman, CEO and President, Hooker Furniture .

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Opportunities expand for West Coast Casual Furniture Pre-Market

2007-01-17T02:31:00.000-08:00

Casual furniture, patio products and accessories manufacturers may reserve booth space at the 2007 West Coast Casual Furniture Pre-Market Show taking place July 31 and Aug. 1 at the Ontario Convention Center in California. There are expanded exhibit options this year with four booth dimensions offered. Manufacturers may download exhibit registration forms by visiting www.westcoastshow.org. This growing and popular show provides an opportunity for dealers to examine debuting casual furniture, umbrellas, grills and other high-end home and outdoor products from respected manufacturers. "This showcase of the newest styles and lines from key manufacturers continues to grow each year," said Ken Burrows, president of the Western Home & Outdoor Association. "For 2007, exhibitors can choose from four different sizes of exhibit space." Links to the Web sites of manufacturer exhibitors will be featured on the 2007 West Coast Casual Furniture Pre-Market Show Web site. Last year, more than 200 dealers attended the Ontario pre-market.

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Furniture brings the outdoors in

2007-01-15T02:31:00.000-08:00

The Carmel Highlands collection from Bernhardt Furniture Co. brings the grandeur of the Monterey peninsula to your home. This collection brings the natural elements indoors, creating a rustic yet elegant retreat in your house. Burnished birch, laser-cut wood and tooled leather speak of a well-worn luxury. Carved hardware with a dark patina highlights Carmel's Spanish history. .

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Made in Vermont: Ski Furniture

2007-01-13T02:23:00.000-08:00

They're happy to hit the hills, but skiers and boarders want more snow. As Vermont resorts wait for white gold to fall from the sky, a small Morrisville business sees profit in old ski gear. Toby Hirchak started Vermont Ski Recyclers more than a decade ago. At first, he made a few pieces of furniture for a friend at a major ski manufacturer, using discarded equipment. When that order was a hit, the company started branching out. They developed nearly twenty different pieces of furniture, with real, brand-name skis as chair backs and seats. Hirchak says, "The fact that most people buying it really like it for what it is is cool." Vermont Ski Recyclers has deals with national companies to take their faulty gear: second quality stuff not worth the hefty price tags.

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Chris Burton : SCAD Furniture Design Student Turns Waste Into Art

2007-01-11T02:23:00.000-08:00

As recycling is a significant and important part of society today, one Savannah College of Art and Design student has made a difference by transforming Savannah landfill and dumpster debris into art. M.F.A. candidate Chris Burton presents "Upcycle of Waste," his furniture design thesis exhibition that features construction and demolition debris made into furniture and furnishings. "Upcycle of Waste" will be on display Jan. 8-19 at Red Kite Studio, 1522 Bull St. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Coming from a family of avid woodworkers, and growing up in environmentally conscious California, Burton developed a passion for woodworking and creating sustainable products at a young age. As a former construction worker, Burton saw the potential of massive amounts of waste accrued at job sites.

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Agassi and Graf Create New Furniture Collection For Kreiss

2007-01-09T02:31:00.000-08:00

The first piece of furniture Andre Agassi bought when he won his first major tournament, Wimbledon in 1992, was a Kreiss sofa. In the following years, he and his wife, Stefanie Graf, became ardent devotees of the Kreiss aesthetic. For years they talked about designing a custom collection with Kreiss for their own home; instead Agassi, Graf and the Kreiss family decided to launch a furniture line for the public, together as partners. It felt like a natural extension of our long-standing relationship, says Mike Kreiss, President of Kreiss. The result is a unique collection that captures the dynamic couple's indomitable energy and spirit while remaining true to the classic Kreiss style. The collection combines the couples differential design sensibilities; featuring pieces for the dining room, living room and poolside; complete with a novelty tennis ball chair for indoor-outdoor use.

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Mike Pound: Furniture expedition doesn't sit well

2007-01-07T02:30:00.000-08:00

We spent last Saturday wandering furniture stores desperately looking at couches and chairs, much like nomads wandering through a desert looking for water. It was not as fun as it sounds. The reason we spent last Saturday looking at couches and chairs is because the couch and chairs currently in our living room are starting to show their age. Well, to be honest, the couch and chairs in our living room starting showing their age about 10 years ago. See, we have cats. And a dog. And an 8-year-old daughter. Plus, my wife and I tend to be somewhat casual housekeepers. So if you add cats, a dog, an 8-year-old daughter and causal housekeeping, your get furniture that is old before its time. Think of our furniture as Cher's face. Now think of my wife and me as Cher's plastic surgeons.

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Examine the Market Shares of the World’s Major Furniture ...

2007-01-03T02:33:00.000-08:00

Market shares of the major furniture exporters are provided by geographical region and developed countries/emerging countries. The analysis of the opening of furniture markets covers the past nine years, with data on trade balance, imports/consumption and exports/production ratio. Statistics and outlook data are also available in a country format: origin of furniture imports, destination of furniture exports, historical series on furniture production, consumption and trade, country rankings to place all statistics in a broad worldwide context. The report provides a picture of opportunities for furniture exporters arising from the increasing openness of markets and a rich collection of key country-data, allowing comparisons among specific interest areas. The sixty country tables have been expanded to include three additional items: Total household consumption expenditure (in billions of US$) Total GNP at purchasing power parity (in billions of US$) Per capita GNP at purchasing power parity (in US$) Countries covered: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam.

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Italian furniture's leading edges

2006-12-30T02:26:00.000-08:00

Followers of Italian design are familiar with the big manufacturing names such as B&B Italia, Cassina, and Kartell, but many believe it is the many small and medium-sized furniture companies that form the backbone of the Italian sector due to those companies' particular attention to materials and new product development. As design legend Gaetano Pesce has noted, "The owners of (smaller) companies fuel the progress of design through research, experimentation, and the use of new materials." One such company is Pordenone-based Horm, specialists in wood furniture. The small manufacturer created an industry buzz when it enlisted the talents of acclaimed Japanese architect Toyo Ito. The collaboration yielded designs such as the Ripples bench, a striking limited edition consisting of five woods: beech, cherry, mahogany, oak and walnut.

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Making Furniture From Human Hair Carries A Smaller Carbon Footprint

2006-12-28T02:28:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered what happens to all your hair cuttings after you've been for a trim? Well, you could soon be sitting comfortably on someone else's locks thanks to a London South Bank University entrepreneur's chair made from human hair. Ronald Thompson, ex-assistant hairdresser to John Frieda and Nicky Clarke, has invented an eco-friendly material from hair clippings that could eventually replace products such as fibreglass which carry a huge carbon footprint. The 49 year old is currently developing a range of chairs - using his new hair mat product - under LSBU's Enterprise Associate Scheme. There are 10,400 tonnes of spare hair in London alone and Ronald has been out and about collecting samples from salons in the Savoy, Covent Garden and Wimbledon to mould into his biodegradable invention.

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Store puts furniture in needy stockings

2006-12-26T02:30:00.000-08:00

Ashley Furniture HomeStore's general manager Paul Bowman, left, and owners Wanda and Bob Bowman sit on a set of couches similar to those they donated to three families in need at the store on Friday. Ashley Furniture HomeStore began its first annual "All I Want for Christmas," giveaway this year, which brought joy to the three families who each received a $3,800 gift certificate to the store. .

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Vandals smash up 'friends' furniture

2006-12-17T02:29:00.000-08:00

RESIDENTS at Gilbert Court in Bromsgrove will no longer be able to enjoy a chat and a cup of tea with friends outside their sheltered accommodation when the sun shines. Over the weekend vandals smashed tables and chairs, worth £350, which had been bought from the proceeds of social activities. A spokesman for Bromsgrove police said: "We have had reports that wooden garden furniture at Gilbert Court has been damaged and our inquiries into this incident are on-going. As part of this, we are appealing to anyone with information to pass it on to police at the earliest opportunity. "We understand the impact that anti-social behaviour of this nature can cause and local residents can be assured that we will be working hard to identify those responsible and that we'll be increasing patrols." .

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Furniture retailer makes a move into the S?Mall

2006-12-15T02:28:00.000-08:00

The local branch of furniture manufacturer and retailer Coricraft has moved premises and is now situated inside the Somerset Mall shopping centre. Previously located in the Habitat Centre, adjacent to the main centre, the relocated store is packed with Coricraft products as well as new lines. The store is located at the Pick 'n Pay entrance, between Clicks and Boardmans, and opened in time for festive season shopping. The showroom manager is Cia Brand, a qualified interior decorator who has been with Coricraft for more than five years.She is fluent in German, had her own business for many years and was also a member of the Guild of Interior Decorators. She says her team would like to welcome customers to the new shop, but that "many bargains" are still available at the former store in the Habitat Centre, which is temporarily serving as the Coricraft Clearance Centre.

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Argos seizes MFI's furniture market lead

2006-12-13T02:31:00.000-08:00

Argos has moved to the front of the furniture market, ousting MFI from the leadership that it has held for 20 years, as the catalogue retailer seizes market share through a policy of aggressive expansion. Argos, a unit of Home Retail Group, the company spun out of GUS, is tipped to control 6.2 per cent of the furniture market by the end of this year, pulling ahead of its peers. It compares with a market share of 5.9 per cent last year and is up from 3.3 per cent in 2000. .

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Maskreys moves to sell furniture online

2006-12-09T02:30:00.000-08:00

Contemporary furniture and home furnishings retailer Maskreys is focusing on the internet to deliver increased sales. And as part of a wider growth strategy, the Cardiff- headquartered company has appointed Marc Le Peltier as its new managing director. Mr Le Peltier, 41, has 20 years' experience in the furniture industry and takes over the reins following the retirement of Trevor Catton after 26 years with the company. Robert Maskrey - the company's sole owner - continues in his role as executive chairman, with overall responsibility for the business and merchandise. Mr Le Peltier has worked for top-end commercial furniture brands, including six years at South Wales-based Orange Box (formerly Giroflex) as a director and three years at Midlands-based Boss Design as commercial director during a period of increased sales, from £11.1m to £18.8m.

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Days numbered for old Cambridge furniture store

2006-12-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

It's down to the last four days at Mannion's Furniture, after 138 years in business. Bargain hunters are expected to swoop in and barter for whatever is left, said owner Chris Mannion. Sunday will be the last day the store is open to the public, noon to 5 p.m. "It should be crazy in here. They want to pick it up for the rock bottom price." Competition from stores selling low-quality goods for low prices was too much Mannion's. Many people wouldn't pay the higher price for his better quality goods. The new owner of the building hasn't decided what to do with it. .

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Business owner checking United Furniture building

2006-12-03T02:28:00.000-08:00

The former United Furniture building downtown has caught the eye of a local businessman whose looking to centralize his company's operations in Monroe.Kenyon S. Calender, head of the KC Group trucking firm, recently issued to city leaders his interest in the vacant building at 14 E. First St. In a letter dated Nov. 6, he inquired about a meeting to discuss the prospect with the mayor and city council.City officials say no formal offer has been made for the property, which was purchased by the Port Commission last year for about $260,000.Port Commission chairman Thomas Krzyston said Mr. Calender has been talking with officials for several months to find a suitable location for his administrative offices. Noting the interest in United Furniture building, he said marking the talks as anything beyond preliminary discussions would be premature."I don't think I would characterize it any further than an interest in the building," he said.However, the bid of interest has raised concerns from those associated with the project.The Monroe County Library System had lobbied to use the space as an expansion to the neighboring Dorsch Memorial Library.

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