Photo frames for all occasions

Prinz Ltd. has introduced about 500 items in its frame and album collections. New products have been introduced in each category: everyday, wedding, baby, juvenile, hobby and social expression themes.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Katie Brown launches line for Meijer

Read the entire press release here:

Lifestyle Expert Katie Brown Launches Her Signature Line of Design-Driven Home Products at Meijer -- GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 29 /PRNewswire/ --

Colorful wine carafes



Fiduz Design from Denmark launched its colorful bag-in-box wine carafes at the Housewares Show in Chicago this month. The "egg" is an alternative to serving wine from a box. Just remove the bag and place inside the dispenser. The base is detachable for cleaning. The product is available in eight colors.



Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you. 

Housewares and holiday items from Australia



Salt and Pepper is an Australian-based vendor of contemporary housewares. Available through Bambis, Salt and Pepper carries a broad line of dinnerware, stemware, cookware and holiday items. It exhibited at the Housewares Show in Chicago this month.







Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Saturday Special: 15 Visual Merchandising Tips

Gift & Home Today invited Christi Finch to share her ideas about store displays. Christi has worked on the wholesale and retail side of home furnishings. A 2005 graduate from Texas A&M University, she is studying for a masters in merchandising and marketing at the University of North Texas. 
Contact Christi at christifitch[at]hotmail[dot]com. Follow her on Twitter: @christifitch

When you think of visual merchandising in your store, you need to imagine it is like meeting someone for the first time – you want to make the best impression possible.
Customers entering a store are greatly influenced by the visual information they gather in the first split second. Think of what grabs people’s attention: bright colors, new shapes or groupings.
Use these simple tips to keep those first impressions fresh and new:
  1. Keep the merchandise looking full even if you don’t have the stock available.
  2. Use a visual triangle shape when merchandising. Keep the sides somewhat symmetrical and the center or item towards the back tall.
  3. Place new merchandise front and center.
  4. Never block any piece of merchandise with another.
  5. Organize merchandise in a shippable manner. Do not make it too cluttered.
  6. Avoid covering tables or massing-out decorative items on furniture.
  7. Merchandise items to give customers new ideas.
  8. Be ready for anything. Have a backup plan if the merchandise in your display is sold. Know what you will replace it with next.
  9. Keep it clean! Insure that the merchandise looks as new as the day you received it.
  10. Replenish and restock as merchandise levels diminish.
  11. You want the display to be as fresh for the last person who sees it as it was for the first person.
  12. Make each display approachable so your customers want to touch and feel your merchandise.
  13. Double-expose the merchandise because this helps customers visualize your merchandise in different settings.
  14. Keep bulk or excess merchandise in close proximity to the display they are featured on.
  15. Know what looks good. After all, this is your store, and you know it better than anyone else.

Vote in Homeworkshop.com's Imageglow Design Challenge

Homeworkshop.com invited its readers to submit original designs that could be used on a candle, made by Imageglow. It received 350+ entries from all over the world in its
"Imageglow Design Challenge."
A panel of judges (including me) narrowed the field to three. The winner receives a case of candles and royalties. That's a really good prize. Take a look at the finalists, then cast your vote. Voting ends Sunday, March 28.

Colorful Danish-designed housewares



Urban Butik is the North American distributor for Kahler Design, a Danish design studio. Among the many items shown at the Housewares Show in Chicago is the Mano teapot (top photo), available in turquoise, white and black. 
The Bulbino vases (second from the top) hold one stem. They are sold in pairs of one large and one small. The Cammeo boxes (above) are held together with rubber bands. Each comes with six bands to match the season.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Folding table and chairs for casual dining


The Brianna collection from Innobella by Meco is a new line of folding furniture to be exhibited at the High Point furniture market in April. The table and chair collection features clean, classic lines in a Chocolotto finish with black accents. The newly designed integrated folding mechanism is patent-pending.
The legs, frame and top skirt are made of solid hardwood. The center section is covered with a black faux-leather finish. The table measures 30 inches tall, 32 inches wide and 46 inches long. It folds to 3.25 inches.



Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Happy anniversary to Gift & Home Today

Gift & Home Today  has been publishing for one year now. This is our 387th post in the last 365 days.
Our mission is to present a new product every day (well, Monday through Friday at least), to connect buyers with sellers, and spread news of the gift and home furnising industries.
That's me on the right, celebrating a birthday with my cousin and sister back in the days of the Johnson Administration.
Thank you for reading and contributing to this blog. Suggestions are always welcome.
Jim Carper, founder, editor, publisher

Colorful salt and pepper grinders


There is PopArt and then there is PepArt. These pepper mills are designed exclusively for William Bounds by artist Robert Wilhelm. This is the first mixed-material PepArt design that combines painted wooden tops with metal bodies. The mills stand 9 inches and 12 inches tall. They are suitable for sea salt or peppercorns. The company exhibited the mills at the Housewares Show in Chicago last week.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Accessories for the bathroom


Simplehuman had a vertical tension pole. It turned it on its side and introduced a shower caddy (top photo) at the Housewares Show in Chicago last week.It fits spaces 55 to 73 inches wide. The aluminum rod is rust-proof and corrosion-resistant.
The company also introduced wall-mounted shampoo and soap dispensers (photo above). They come in single, twin and triple compbinations. The dispensers install with specially formulated waterproof silicone glue and double-sided adhesive tape.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you. 

Tableware by Alyson Fox



Ink Dish launched a new collection of tableware by Austin, Texas, artist Alyson Fox at the Housewares Show in Chicago last week. The dinnerware is microwave- and dishwasher-safe porcelain. Fox, who has been called a "darling of the design blogs," is working on a clothing line with Caitlin Mociun.The items will be available in April.
See Ink Dish on Facebook and follow on Twitter: inkdish.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Diner-style dinnerware

America’s Diner/Bistro collection is from the Homer Laughlin China Company (makers of Fiesta dinnerware). The Diner/Bistro collection is based on the original pattern made for restaurants and diners in the mid-1900s. Dinnerware will be available in Scarlet, Cobalt, Chocolate, Turquoise, Black and Cinnabar. The line coordinates with Fiesta colors. Dinnerware is lead-free, fully vitrified ceramic, microwave- and dishwasher-safe and oven-proof. It has a five-year chip-resistance guarantee.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Colorful picnic grill, kitchen items


Bodum's Fyrkat BBQ collection includes a tabletop charcoal grill and accessories in green, orange, blue, yellow, white and black. The grill measures 13.4 inches in diameter. The tools include tongs, a grill fork and brushes.

The French press ice coffee maker has a 51-ounce capacity. Add ground coffee and cold water, allow it to steep for 12 to 24 hours, then press and filter. The maker is available in seven colors; it will hit the market this spring.
At the Housewares show, the company also introduced e-Bodum, its line of kitchen electrics, consisting of a burr grinder, blade grinder, juicer, blender, mixer and two water kettles. The company also offers a toaster.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Folding kitchen cart

Oasis Concepts carries foldable furniture, including desks and kitchen islands (see video for a demonstration). They fold to a depth of 5 inches. The products are made of basswood on a stainless steel frame.The company exhibited at the Housewares Show in Chicago. If the video does not appear, click on this lin.

 Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Kitchen gadgets from Farberware

Lifetime Brands introduced Farberware kitchen products at the Housewares show this week. The Bagel Pod (above) is a safe way to slice bagels, muffins, buns and roll. The non-skid base has a built-in crumb catcher. The bag funnel (top) comes in two sizes to fit quart- and gallon-size bags. The funnel folds flat for easy storage.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.


Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Imax introduces accessories displays for retailers

from a press release
IMAX INTRODUCES NEW DESIGN SHOWCASES


­TULSA, OK – IMAX Worldwide Imports announces the introduction of “Design Showcases,” an innovative solution to help furniture stores increase traffic and build their decorative accessory business.

IMAX’s merchandising and design team has created 12 “Design Showcases” that incorporate top industry trends and designs, along with many IMAX best sellers. Each showcase is a 96 ft. display that portrays a distinct story and color theme. There are also 8 wall showcases available as well as the option to create your own “Design Showcase.”

“While this is a successful program for anyone selling accessories, furniture stores love it for its simplicity in execution,” states Bill Carpenter, VP of Business Development at IMAX and the man behind the concept for the Design Showcases.

IMAX will be rolling out the program in High Point (IHFC Wrenn Wing, W446) during the April market.

IMAX provides home and garden accessories from 12 countries around the globe and is a leader in the home accessory industry. The corporate headquarters and 500,000 square foot distribution center encompasses 4 state-of-the-art fulfillment facilities and houses nearly 200 full-time employees. Additional sourcing, product development and showroom facilities in the USA, India and China truly make IMAX a global source. Dedicated design and product development teams strive for creativity, taste and fashion trends – layering styles, periods, textures, and regions of the world – to create a visually delightful and meaningful environment.

For more information on IMAX Worldwide Imports, visit http://www.imaxcorp.com/.

tag offers drop shop, private label

from a press release

tag Launches e-tag to Service Direct to Consumer Retailers and E-tailers

tag will launch e-tag at the Chicago Housewares Show on March 14, 2010.

tag is a 35 year old wholesale company that offers thousands of tag branded housewares, tabletop, home decor and gift products along with the tfg branded furniture and home décor collection. tag and tfg’s mission is to produce products that are well designed, high quality, and affordable. tag introduces hundreds of new products every 6 months and there is product that sells everyday of the year and for every season of the year. In addition to the successful brands and great products, e-tag will provide services designed to help retailers and e-tailers grow their direct to consumer catalog and/or internet sales.

e-tag will focus on three points of value to help retailers and e-tailers grow their direct to consumer business.
1. e-tag DROP SHIP
The entire tfg Furniture and Home Décor Collection and close to 600 tag items can be drop shipped direct to the consumer.
2. e-tag PRODUCTION
tfg and tag products can be re-packaged to support direct to consumer shipping.
3. e-tag PRIVATE LABEL PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Private Label product design, development and sourcing services are available. Products can be shipped FOB factory port, US point of entry (POE), or FOB Woodridge, IL.

Norman Glassberg, tag’s founder, adds, “An ever increasing number of retailers are selling more and more product on-line, and many of the great catalog merchants now rely heavily on internet sales. We have spent the last 6 to 8 months building and testing our drop ship capability and we are really pleased with the results. tag has always offered private label and production services but the ability to drop ship completes the puzzle in terms of servicing the direct to consumer retailers and e-tailers. tag is definitely an e-business friendly company.”

About tag
tag, a Chicago-based home furnishings wholesale company, has been designing and sourcing gifts, decorative accessories and furniture with a distribution focus on independent and specialty retailers since 1975.
tag introduces two seasonal catalogs annually, and one catalog containing everyday products.
To learn more about tag, please visit www.tagltd.com.

Colorful pendant lamps


WAC Lighting's La Vie collection of pendants features art glass from the Pacific Northwest. Shown are two Mistica pendant styles in Red Flame and Blue Flame colorations.  The fixtures are supplied with low-voltage, 50-watt xenon bi-pin lamps.







Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite retailer to order this item for you.

Placemats, napkins and napkin rings




Chilewich introduces new colors and patterns in its Spring/Summer 2010 collection.  Items for the table include two woven mats, a print, a pressed, two shades of red, two grass- and sea-inspired colorways, as well as two neutrals for the napkins and a napkin rings. There is also a Pet Mat (above).

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: ASk your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Home decor from the movie 'Alice in Wonderland'

"Alice in Wonderland is being positioned as the grown-up's answer to Disney Princess, with licensing agreements that make Ed Hardy look restrained by comparison. The new "lifestyle program," inspired by the Tim Burton movie Alice in Wonderland, is aimed at consumers 12 through 34 and includes enough home decor, apparel and designer accessories to choke a Cheshire cat."
Read the rest of this article, "Marketing Wonderland" in the Calgary Herald.

Indie retailer takes on national chains with this video

Haupt Antiek, a retailer in Minnesota, created a two-minute video, which compares its prices to those of national chains.
Some browsers don't show the video. In that case, here is the link to the YouTube video "Haupt Antiek - Dare To Compare."


Free-standing sculptures in silver or gold leaf

The Bandit sculptures from The Phillps Collection are available in white lacquer with silver leaf and black lacque with gold leaf. They are made of resin/fiberlass with a lacquer and foil applique. Each piece measures 18 inches in diameter and 72 inches tall.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and dimensions.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Alexandra Dymowska, Alexa Hampton talk design

At the October 2009 High Point market, General Motors designer Alexandra Dymowska talks with designer Alexa Hampton, president and owner, Mark Hampton LLC about the intersection of design and innovation across industries.
If the video does not appear, click here.

Salt and pepper shakers inspired by Alice In Wonderland

Flora Lam designed this salt-and-pepper set for IMM Living.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Meyda Lighting acquires 2nd Ave. Lighting

from a press release
YORKVILLE, NEW YORK---2ND AVE.™ LIGHTING has reported that the company is under new management, with its manufacturing, design and distribution activities operating smoothly and efficiently. 2ND AVE. LIGHTING is a prestigious manufacturer of over 20,000 interior/exterior custom lighting designs, including chandeliers, wall sconces, pendants, lanterns, and street lighting.

Since 1979, 2ND AVE. LIGHTING has manufactured a full range of lighting products in the United States, and its fixtures have been specified in high profile projects all over the world. The company offers state of the art custom capabilities, quick custom quoting, budget sensitive designs and value engineering.  All products can be specified by style, size, finish, shade or crystal package, to customize a variety of fixtures, from that personalized, one-of-a-kind design to a custom theme for an entire home, hotel or restaurant.

2ND AVE. LIGHTING, which was based in Mesa, Arizona, has been acquired by Meyda Lighting and will operate in the Meyda manufacturing and distribution facilities at One Meyda Fine Place, 55 Oriskany Boulevard in Yorkville, New York. For customers' convenience, the 2ND AVE. contact information will remain the same for orders, quotes and inquiries.  

"2ND AVE LIGHTING is open for business," explains Robert Cohen, President of Meyda Lighting.  "This company is a natural fit for us and we have made an easy transition. With more than 35 years of designing and manufacturing expertise, we are re-launching the brand leadership, original designs and custom capabilities of 2ND AVE."

The 2ND AVE brand values personalized lighting, with each fixture created as a unique, work of art, using only the finest materials, including handcrafted iron and exquisite crystal. For lighting infused with passion, creativity, and quality, the company creates quality American-made, handcrafted products.  The Classics Collection offers traditional and elaborate sconces, pendants, and chandeliers, while the Art of Lighting Series features truly unique, one-of-a-kind lighting pieces. The Weekend Retreat Collection delivers a superb selection of designs inspired by nature and the rustic wilderness.

Its portfolio of projects includes standard and custom lighting for upscale residences, senior living homes, hotels, casinos, country clubs and restaurants.  In addition, the company has developed streetscape lighting designs for planned communities, resorts and cityscapes.

"The 2ND AVE national sales force is in-place, unchanged and entrenched within the lighting specification, distributor and hospitality communities," continued Mr. Cohen.  "Key employees, including top designers and engineers, have been retained, as well as all 20,000-plus designs, including molds and tooling."

Meyda Lighting is a privately held company.  Terms of the acquisition are not available.

"2ND AVE. has successfully relocated to One Meyda Fine Place," concluded Mr. Cohen, "And we are eager to share it with the world."

Gifts and accents for spring

Two’s Company has a variety of accents for spring, including plush, ring holders and wall décor.
 
The porcelain Ring Me Flower Ring Holder is designed by Marilyn Davidson. There are four assorted designs--tulip, lily of the valley, crocus and foxglove. It comes in a gift box.

  
The Cottontail Plush Bunny in polyester/polyester fill is available in three assorted colors: white, pink and blue.

The set of eight “In Full Bloom” prints includes begonia, pyrethrum daisy, rhododendron, nasturtium, phlox and rose. Items measure 9 inches by 13 inches.



Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Area rugs


Capel Rugs is introducing new area rug designs at next month's furniture market in High Point. The Orchard House rug (above) is from the Biltmore For Your Home line. It is hand-tufted in India. This rings style come in colorways of maize, flax and persimmon. Another style is available in honey, blue sprice and barley.
Graphique (above) features hand tufting and carving. It is made of wool and viscose.
Woodcut (above) is a Jane Seymour design, made in China of 100% wool.



Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Sunbrella Brand Goes Mobile

from a press release


Sunbrella® Brand Goes Mobile: Hand-Held Application Designed for On-The-Go Inspiration

The new Sunbrella mobile Web site, which can be viewed at www.sunbrella.mobi, includes a searchable fabrics library, where-to-purchase directory, care and cleaning tips, warranty information and contact us data. Compatible with all handheld devices, Sunbrella Mobile automatically adjusts to fit the screens of most devices. 

(Vocus) March 3, 2010 -- Because you never know when the urge to redecorate will strike, Glen Raven has launched a mobile version of its popular Sunbrella (http://www.sunbrella.mobi)® fabrics Web site. From your hand-held device, you can search a fabrics library and locate the nearest Sunbrella fabrics resource.



“The wealth of information and services available through hand-held devices today is exploding, and we want the Sunbrella brand to be totally accessible on-the-go,” said Gina Wicker, design and creative director for Sunbrella Fabrics. “Our initial mobile offering includes the five most popular portions of our Web site and gives consumers a powerful decorating resource they can take anywhere.”

The new Sunbrella mobile Web site, which can be viewed at www.sunbrella.mobi, includes a searchable fabrics library, where-to-purchase directory, care and cleaning tips, warranty information and contact us data. Compatible with all handheld devices, Sunbrella Mobile automatically adjusts to fit the screens of most devices.

“We can envision a consumer shopping for furniture or other home décor items and wanting to learn about Sunbrella fabric options. Or, maybe she’s chatting with friends and wants to brainstorm on decorating options and ask their opinions,” Wicker said. “It’s like having a full-color Sunbrella catalog in the palm of your hand.”

For fabric searches, users key in colors or style descriptions, such as “red” or “stripe,” and the search brings up all Sunbrella fabrics matching the search parameters. One of the primary goals in going mobile was to make Sunbrella fabric search – the most frequently used Web site function – available in a mobile app.

“Sunbrella Mobile is an incredibly flexible and powerful reference tool,” Wicker said. “Whether shopping, traveling or working, the fabric search function of Sunbrella Mobile allows you to research color and design options and locate just the right fabrics.”

The mobile where-to-buy function is equally easy to use. Simply type in your zip code and you can locate the nearest locations for Sunbrella awning, marine and furniture fabrics.

“Sunbrella Mobile is another way in which we are responding to how people want to receive information today,” Wicker said. “Not only that, it’s fun to shop and dream whenever and where inspiration strikes.”

Glen Raven revolutionized the way the world thinks about how beautiful fabrics perform with the introduction of the Sunbrella (http://www.sunbrella.com)® brand in 1961. Today, durable, easy-care Sunbrella fabrics are available in thousands of sophisticated styles, patterns and colors for wherever people live, work and play. On the Web at www.sunbrella.com.

New accent furniture from Bobby McAlpine

The newest additions to the growing McAlpine Home Collection of case goods and home accents from MacRae will make their debut during the Spring 2010 High Point Market. Among the new items designed by Southern architect Bobby McAlpine are: 

The Great Scott console. The Cabriole legs and planked back on this piece reflect 17th century design standards. It measures 48 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 37 inches tall. There is a pullout drawer on the front and each side for added storage. Available in weathered oak, ebony, limestone or branch finishes.

The Museum Crate side table can be used as a console, kitchen island, coffee or side table. The table measures 26 inches wide, 25 inches deep and 28.5 inches tall. It is available in weathered oak, ebony, limestone or branch finishes.

The William & Mary console table measures 49 inches wide, 25 inches deep and 37 inches tall. It, too, is available in weathered oak, ebony, limestone or branch finishes.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Sculpture and art for the wall

 

Nova adds to its N Studio and Art Studio collections of wall decor. Shown above is item  #11144, the Ribbons Wall Sculpture. The pieces will debut at the spring High Point market. The company will also introduce new lighting and accent furniture designs.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.
Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.


    #11789 SILVER BRANCH WALL ART

  
#11791 COLORED WINDOWS WALL ART

  
#11268 SCRIBBLES WALL ART
  
#11558 ARISE WALL SCULPTURE