Monica Pedersen Tours The Las Vegas Market

Lillian August lighting collection

Currey & Company's Lillian August lighting collection includes portables and fixtures. The products incorporate August's Townhouse Collection of decorative fabrics. Crystal, porcelain, iron, marble and other natural materials are used in the lamps and chandeliers.




Retailers: Contact the company for prices and minimums.


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

Kitchen textiles by Jennifer Paganelli

Peking Handicraft Inc. introduces a line of textiles designed by Jennifer Paganelli. The kitchen towel, tablecloth and apron products show her distinctive style ofy coupling brilliant colors with vintage patterns, including classic paisley, delicate florals and picturesque birds, the company states.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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




More on turquoise, Pantone's color of the year

Turquoise is Pantone's color of the year. Read the announcement, from December 2009. Here is a link to a related article, from the New York Times.

"IF there is one color that deserves extra attention in 2010, it is turquoise — at least according to Pantone. The company has declared it the color of the year, citing its “serene” yet “invigorating” qualities, and Ghislaine ViƱas, for one, couldn’t be happier with the choice."

Click to read the rest of the article.

GuildMaster visual display contest opens

Retailers can begin uploading photos of their store displays today to the GuildMaster on Tour Facebook page The contest is intended to recognize the most outstanding retail displays across the U.S. and to support the favorite charities of the winning dealers.
Ten retailers from across the country will be named as winners based on voting by fans March 15 through 28. The awards for each winning display include a $1,000 donation made to the retailer’s favorite charity, 500 trees planted in their honor, and $1,000 in GuildMaster bucks for additional product.
GuildMaster will donate $10,000 to charity and plant 5,000 mahogany trees. As part of its ongoing commitment to reforestation, the company has planted thousands of trees in Indonesia in a one-for-one replacement for each tree that’s used.
1.At least 250 square feet need to be allocated to the display that is exclusively comprised of GuildMaster product in the following categories: accent furniture, accessories, wall decor, lighting and mirrors. Non-GuildMaster product such as upholstery, bedding, flowers, dinnerware, jewelry or rugs may also be included.
2. Only one entry per company may be posted.
3. Participants must submit a 5" x 7", 300 dpi photo, along with the name of the display and maximum 150-word description of why the display works, what they were trying to accomplish and the inspiration for the display, along with the name of their charity. (Videos to further support the entry may also be posted on the GuildMaster Facebook wall.)
4. There is no limit to the number of times GuildMaster on Tour fans can vote.
5. Promotion of the contest to employees, customers, local media and the community is highly encouraged.
6. Winning retail store displays must remain in place through April 15.

Porcelain vases and bowls

Middle Kingdom's Cold Mountain collection of vases and bowls are inspired by the Tang Dynasty poet Han Shan. The vases are 10 1/2 to 15 1/2 inches tall.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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

Miles Talbott in deal with Shabby Chic collection

from a press release

MILES TALBOTT TO PRODUCE SHABBY CHIC® COLLECTION


High Point, NC – Custom upholstery manufacturer Miles Talbott Furniture announces the launch of a new licensed upholstery line with Shabby Chic Brands, LLC. The collection will blend English elegance with California casual to create the unique and eclectic aesthetic made famous by designer Rachel Ashwell.

Ashwell’s original designs launched a brand that hit a chord with customers who have found her comfortable and relaxed approach to design both reassuring and achievable. “With this partnership we are building the “Shabby Chic® Collection,” said Jim Stokes, managing partner. “We are thrilled to be able to bring to market the brand’s current design inspirations.”

“Our strategy is to partner with the best talents in the industry who have distinctive designs that enhance our product offerings. The Shabby Chic® brand is a fabulous addition to our assortment” stated George Jordan, company president. “As a company, we are not satisfied with simply following current trends; we want our customers to come into our showroom because they expect to see the most exciting styles in the industry.”

“The Shabby Chic® brand is one of the truly iconic home furnishing brands of the past 20 years,” said Ramez Toubassy, President of Brand Sense Partners, the brand management and business development firm that acquired the brand in 2009. Toubassy is also CEO of Shabby Chic Brands, LLC. “We feel that, now more than ever, the consumer is looking for design-driven and elegant, yet livable and casual, home furnishing products and that Miles Talbott is the best partner to deliver the brand’s core tenants of beauty, comfort and function as they relate to upholstered furniture.”
“We have worked with Miles Talbott to create a lovely collection of chairs, loveseats and sofas, each with the qualities the Shabby Chic® brand is famous for. An eclectic mix of leather and upholstered occasional chairs complement a sumptuous range of machine washable slipcovered furniture, both classically mushy and with a modern flair. Fabrics have been carefully chosen and include classic Shabby Chic® patterns as well as new introductions”, said Ashwell.

The collection will debut at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, NC this April. See the collection at IHFC’s InterHall, Space 202, as well as the Miles Talbott showroom located at 1690 English Road and the GuildMaster showroom located in the C&D building, 1A & 1G.

About Miles Talbott

Miles Talbott was founded in 1993 by Michael Thomas Furniture to expand its offering of top quality furniture for the growing market of lifestyle upholstery. On the web at www.MilesTalbottFurniture.com, the Miles Talbott High Point Showroom is located at 1690 English Street.

About Shabby Chic and Rachel Ashwell
The Shabby Chic® brand was founded in 1989 by designer Rachel Ashwell, who opened the first store on trendy Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, California with a line of slip-covered furniture, bedding, fabrics and vintage items. The brand quickly expanded and has been featured in top national home and lifestyle publications. The brand was acquired in 2009 by the brand management and business development firm Brand Sense Partners, who formed Shabby Chic Brands, LLC.

Rachel Ashwell has educated and inspired fans through a series of books – Shabby Chic, The Shabby Chic Home, Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic Guide to Treasure Hunting and Decorating, Shabby Chic: The Gift of Giving, Shabby Chic: Sumptuous Settings and, most recently, Shabby Chic Interiors. In addition, Ashwell hosted the former “Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic” television show on the Style Network and E!. Today Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic CoutureTM flagship stores are located in Santa Monica, California and Soho, New York, and London’s Notting Hill neighborhood.

Kitchen gadget stirs sauces

Hammacher Schlemmer's Autonomous Saucier automatically stirs sauces. The device stands on three stainless steel legs and spins and revolves smoothly around a pan, mixing sauce ingredients. A spatula on one of the legs rests flush against the bottom of the pan and lifts bits of food that would otherwise stick and burn.

New website to sell high-end home furnishings

from a press release

LUXFINDS.COM DEBUTS AS NEW SOURCE FOR LUXURY HOME FURNISHINGS

BOSTON, MA--LuxFinds.com will make its debut on Monday, 8 of February, 2010 with an online sneak preview offering of its products to approximately 2000 trade professionals. Very shortly thereafter, the site will open to the general public.
LuxFinds.com offers high-end manufacturers and distributors a venue to reduce inventories, while offering consumers products and discounts not previously available and not found elsewhere. Membership is free to both buyers and vendors.
Recent economic conditions have created a product glut throughout the industry. Manufacturers may be storing excess fabric for their upholstered product lines or may have too much stock of certain styles of tables or mirrors, all taking up costly warehouse space. LuxFinds.com offers manufacturers and distributors a marketplace for excess product by listing these products in virtual showrooms on its website and making them available to the consumer. Just recently, a prestigious custom furniture manufacturer turned a large amount of unused, excess fabric into a LuxFinds.com online listing of nearly 30 sofas and chairs offered to the consumer at a 60% discount.
Consumers will now have the opportunity to purchase high-end home furnishings that may have been previously inaccessible or unaffordable. In addition to its regular listings, the site will host a variety of other promotional activities such as a weekly “Super Sale” on selected products. LuxFinds.com offers White Glove Delivery service to consumers within the continental USA on all furniture purchases. International sales, container load sales and all commercial inquiries are welcome. Due to the extraordinary savings offered to buyers, all sales must be final.
LuxFinds.com was founded by Sandy Wilder and George Telheiro. Sandy was previously Managing Partner for Elizabeth Wilder, a major vendor of high-end imported hardwood furniture for Sarreid LTD. George Telheiro is the owner of Out of the Box Creative, in New Bedford, MA, a full service advertising agency serving clients throughout the United States.
To list your products on LuxFinds.com, contact Sandy at 508/237-1151 or email him at sandy@luxfinds.com. Or, go online and register as a manufacturer at www.LuxFinds.com. Connect with Luxfinds.com on LinkedIN, follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

Clever felt breadbasket

The Avva Felt Breadbasket from Teroforma is made of 100% wool felt. The colors coordinate with the company’s linen collections. It is available in white, green, brown and gray. The baskets hold four bagels or equivalent size breads.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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

Trends in ceramic tile

Last week I attended Cevisama, the tile show in Valencia, Spain, I was a guest of Tile of Spain, a marketing organization representing Spanish tile makers. I was part of a delegation of architects, designers and journalists. Following are some scenes from the show floor.
Booths (or stands, as they call them in Europe) are as large as houses.

This wood inlay is actually ceramic tile. The design is ink-jetted on to the surface.

This is at a booth, not a bar.

Karim Rashid's Ceramic Tiles Debut In Spain

Karim Rashid is designing ceramic tiles for Porcelanatto, a division of Tau Ceramica. He debuted his No-stalgia collection last week at Cevisama, the ceramic tile show in Valencia, Spain.
The tiles are available in a 60 x 60 centimeter (about 23.6 inches) format. He calls the collections Sensory, Poetic, Emotion adn Desire. According to press material, the tiles "have been especially designed for architects, decorators, interior designers, etc." who have "a clear design vision."
The company will be exhibiting at the 2010 Coverings show in Orlando.

More top products from Gift & Home Today

Gift & Home Today is off today. It will return next week. In the meantime, please enjoy these top products from the month of December. Continue to the top products.

Visual merchandising

Gift & Home Today is taking the day off. Please enjoy this feature from an earlier posting.

Staged vignettes take the guesswork out of the shopping experience, as customers are able to visualize how they would show merchandise in their homes. Inviting displays like the ones below incorporate merchandise that can easily be mixed and matched—and that look natural, functional and pleasing. Why buy just the sofa, when that end table looks so nice next to it? Click to continue.

Top products

Gift & Home Today is taking the day off. Please enjoy this earlier feature.

Here are the five most-viewed products posted in November. Click the link to see the entire write-up, and for links to the manufactuer. Go to feature.

A retailer to know

Gift & Home Today is taking the day off. Please enjoy this feature from an earlier posting.

Mark Duffield said a wise man told him long ago, "Don't make a sale. Make a friend." So when Duffield and business partner Jennifer Hill bought Blackstone's of Beacon Hill in April 2006, they put that maxim into practice. Read the rest of the feature.

Furniture from award-winning designer

Jason Phillips of The Phillips Collection was named product designer of the year in the 2010 ARTs Awards competition. A sample of his designs is below.


Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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






Contemporary furniture

New furniture from Roberta Schilling is made of smooth metal, exotic woods, leather and fibers. The pieces make up the Moderna collection.





Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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

A new source for artificial plants

Imax Worldwide Imports silk plants
IMAX Worldwide Imports, has added a line of permanent botanicals. The company says its new collection of potted silk foliage is designed for use with its planters and containers. Imax also carries furniture, lighting, and decorative accessories for indoors and outdoors.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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

New York gift show to reorganize in 2013

from a press release

NEW YORK CITY, February 1, 2010... "Focus Forward NYIGF 2013," a strategic reorganization of the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), comprising a series of considered changes to product categories and layout, was announced today by GLM. These changes, which will be implemented over the next three years, will position NYIGF as the defining marketplace for fashion-forward and design-driven home, gift and lifestyle resources.
This transformation will result in the creation of four comprehensive market collections - NYIGF Home, NYIGF Lifestyle, NYIGF Handmade and NYIGF New! - each with defined and carefully-edited product categories. NYIGF Home will encompass home furnishings, home textiles, decorative accessories, tabletop, gourmet housewares and Accent on Design®; NYIGF Handmade will include designer-maker and global resources; NYIGF Lifestyle will present personal care and wellness, gift and stationery, fashion accessories and Baby + Child (a new juried category debuting in summer 2010); and NYIGF New! will feature New York's Newest. The changes are engineered to expand resources, spotlight new product and innovation to best advantage and create cross-marketing opportunities.
"This strategic reorganization will enhance NYIGF's position as the premier U.S. home, gift and lifestyle market and will strengthen show performance for buyers and exhibitors alike," said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. "By improving category adjacencies, refining existing offerings and introducing new in-demand product categories, NYIGF will offer comprehensive and trend-forward product collections for home, lifestyle, and gift in a clear, navigable and energized layout." (NOTE: The NYIGF summer 2013 floor plan is available online at
http://www.nyigf.com/Home/FocusForward2013/Summer2013Schematic.aspx)
Beginning in 2010, and culminating at the summer 2013 event, temporary and permanent NYIGF floor plan changes will align with planned construction and renovation of New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center - the home of NYIGF since 1986. The transformation of the Javits Center will include installation of a new green roof - the largest of its kind in New York City; construction of the new Javits Center North which extends the building North to 40th Street; and major renovations to building systems, skylights and roof. (NOTE: Renderings of the Javits Center North are available online at http://www.nyigf.com/Home/FocusForward2013.aspx#javitscenternorth)
Initial changes, in effect as of summer 2010, will include: the introduction of a new juried category, Baby + Child, for upscale baby and children's products; reorganization of the existing Handmade® division to more effectively define and showcase designer-maker craft and global resources categories; and the reintroduction of New York's Newest at Pier 92.
Within its new Baby + Child category, NYIGF will present a comprehensive collection of well-designed, sophisticated and purpose-driven products for babies, toddlers and kids (through age 10) and their families. The range of featured products will include arts & crafts, books, music, toys, games, puzzles, dolls and plush, gear (diaper bags, stroller accessories and feeding accessories), wearables and accessories, layette, bedding accessories & blankets. Ultimately, Baby + Child will feature some 200 companies on Level One of the convention center.
Beginning in summer 2010, NYIGF's Handmade will present two distinct categories of handcrafted merchandise: Designer Maker and Global Resources. NYIGF Handmade: Designer Maker will include some 360 designer-makers from across the United States and around the world, and Handmade: Global Resources will include some 200 imported resources featuring traditional designs and craftsmanship and Fair Trade production from around the world.
New York's Newest, showcasing companies new to the New York market, will be reintroduced to NYIGF in summer 2010. The division, which will feature some 200 newcomers to the Fair, will be housed at Pier 92.
NYIGF is the nation's premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,700 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. Some 31,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected.
In summer 2010, NYIGF runs Saturday, August 14, through Thursday, August 19, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.

Movable art hides the television


The Eclipse Art Lift from Media Decor holds artwork, then, at the touch of a button, moves out of the way to reveal the television. Lifts can also be used to conceal wine racks, in-wall safes and more. The company makes a mirror, too.

More than 500 frame styles, ranging from traditional to contemporary, and more than 2,500 works of art are available.



Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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

Pillows, barware, jewelry accessories

Global Views introduced colorful home accessories at the winter markets.
The Tangelo pillows are available in two sizes: 20 inches square and 12 inches round. The Great Continent pillow is 20 inches square.

The wrapped-handle tray in coral leather comes in two sizes: 24 inches square and 18 inches long by 14 inches wide. The ice bucket is nickel-plated.



The Zig Zag jewelry box in fiery red glass measures 14 inches long and 10.5 inches tall.

Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

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