HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from August 2008

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from August 2008

Mervyns' Chapter 11 filing not surprising, analyst says.(home page)
August 11, 2008... HAYWARD, Calif. -- Mervyns, the latest retailer to file Chapter 11, was hit hard by the challenging economy, especially as its stores are concentrated in a region that has been slammed by the housing crisis. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Ikea's 2009 Catalog drops.(home page)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The way you live everyday. That's the message of the new Ikea Catalog 2009. "We wanted to show that a home that works for everyone in the family doesn't have to be very expensive or very difficult...

Vegas Market as Glitzy as ever.(news)
August 11, 2008... LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Summer Market was a sea of newness. New Building C, new exhibitors, new products and new promotions to spur sales were the talk of the desert. In addition to some 300 new exhibitors, many existing tenants have...

Royal Doulton president Bylin set to step down.(news)
August 11, 2008... SOMERSET, N.J. -- Art Bylin, president and chief executive officer of Royal Doulton USA, is stepping down in the wake of parent company Waterford Wedgwood PLC's restructuring efforts in North America. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Waterford...

Linens'n Things reducing amount of store closings by 30.(news)
August 11, 2008... CLIFTON, N.J. -- Linens 'n Things said recently it will close fewer stores than originally planned. The ailing retailer will close 57 stores rather than 87, a sign of an improved outlook for the remainder of the year and for 2009,...

Build American.(MADE IN THE USA)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Rumors of the demise of American home furnishings manufacturing may be greatly exaggerated. With importing costs rising at an unheard-of pace while materials and transportation expenses skyrocket, domestic manufacturing is...

Greetings from Corning, N.Y.(Four Companies Show Their United States of Assembling)
August 11, 2008... Corelle dinnerware, with the exception of its mugs and cups, has always been manufactured in Corning, N.Y. The new Corningware Simply Lite bakeware line, which is made from the same laminated glass, is made in the same factory. Sister company...

Bringing it back home.(Four Companies Show Their United States of Assembling)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hollander Home Fashions attempted to move some of its production abroad, but then returned to domestic production. Currently, Hollander sources shells for pillows, comforters and mattress pads, and the fill for...

Sphinx makes U.S. Selling point for line.(Four Companies Show Their United States of Assembling)
August 11, 2008... The carpet industry remains one of the few that always maintained a strong showing in U.S.-based manufacturing, with much of that business happening in Georgia. Joining the fray in the broadloom business is Sphinx by Oriental Weavers with a new...

Cast iron and cornbread.(Four Companies Show Their United States of Assembling)
August 11, 2008... In the town of South Pittsburg, Tenn.--population 3,300--Lodge Manufacturing has made cast iron products for most of the 112 years the company has been in existence. And it's going to stay that way, as the board of directors has decreed that...

Ikea takes the U.S. factory plunge.
August 11, 2008... CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -- Swedish home furnishings giant Ikea opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Danville, Va.. this spring to support accelerated growth here and expedite merchandise shipments so that shoppers can get their orders that...

A full home.(trends)
August 11, 2008... The Las Vegas Market is increasingly becoming a venue for product debuts, and that was certainly the case this summer as major home furnishings producers unveiled new items. And if no breakthrough trend emerged, it was clear that introducing...

Baker's half-dozen.(HOME ALONE 2)
August 11, 2008... The retail business does not take kindly to strangers. It's not that the business of retailing is any more difficult or complex than most other businesses. It's not--despite what any retail executive worth his stock options will tell you....

Starting from the floor up: vendors are optimistic the business doldrums experienced in 2008 will be a thing of the past.(AREA RUG PORT)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THERE'S NO DENYING THAT IT HASN'T been the greatest year. But in any cycle, there is a bottom and there is a top, and the rug industry seems to have decided it's time to put the bottom behind it and move on. ...

Southern hospitality: at the Atlanta market, exhibitors pulled out all the stops and focused on helping retailers.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... CREATIVITY WAS THE MAIN THEME AT the Atlanta International Area Rug Market last month, but not just in the rug designs. Despite palpable nerves regarding the direction of the retail environment and the economy in general, exhibitors pulled...

Feeling the impact: as the housing market and architectural projects show decline, the rug industry suffers.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... THE DECLINING HOUSING MARKET HAS continued to take its toll on the rug industry, and the home furnishings industry in general, with foreclosures still making headlines and new home building showing declines for two consecutive years. ...

Source of concern: import changes grow with the rising cost of overseas business.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... DEEP INTO A YEAR THAT BEGAN WITH many rug importers finally giving way to rising prices due to the cost of importing and putting their own pricing adjustments into place, the continued difficulties with doing business overseas has begun to...

1 Hellenic rug imports.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 1 Hellenic Rug Imports Hellenic has expanded on its roots this summer with the expansion of its shag offerings, including the introduction of a leather shag line. The company has long been known for its flokati rugs. The Santorini...

2 Orian Rugs.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 2 Orian Rugs Orian Rugs aimed to add a little fun to decorating with its new Shagadelic Collection. The contemporary-styled rugs combine 12 shades--such as raspberry red, robin's egg blue and chocolate brown--with high-pile, heat-set...

3 Liz Claiborne.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 3 Liz Claiborne Nourison adds to its licensed Liz Claiborne Home Collection with Landscape Stripes, a pattern developed with versatility in mind. The nature-inspired palette and subtly graded stripes create depth for the wool design, which...

4 Balta U.S.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 4 Balta U.S. The modern Buttons design is from the new Vibe Collection at Balta U.S. and the result of Belgian parent company Balta Group's decision to design specifically for the U.S. customer. The rugs are of heat-set olefin and use...

5 Walt Disney.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 5 Walt Disney The focus is on sophisticated, non-character designs for The Rug Market's licensed Walt Disney Signature Collection of area rugs. Designs are inspired by Disney's classic films, but interpreted into patterns that are...

Groups look for 'net gains.(AREA RUG REPORT)
August 11, 2008... TODAY'S CONSUMER IS SAID TO BE more educated than ever: more often than not researching a product prior to purchasing and, typically, before even setting foot into an actual brick-and-mortar location. Recognizing the increasing roll the...

Counting down: is thread count still a deciding factor in consumers' choice of which sheets to buy?(textiles)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Thread count has occupied a primary position in sheet marketing for at least the past two decades. Now, however, a new division has opened among vendors of sheets. One side holds that thread count...

Nate Berkus' 'far-reaching' line set for HSN close-up.(textiles)
August 11, 2008... ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Nate Berkus, who came to prominence as an interior-design guru on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," is preparing to become a featured performer on HSN as well. The television shopping channel will debut Berkus' line of home...

Joe Boxer founder Graham to create brands for CHF.(textiles)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Nicholas Graham will soon be back in the home textiles business. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Graham, owner of brand developer 100 Minute Co. and founder of the renowned Joe Boxer label, has signed an exclusive licensing and...

1 Pine Cone Hill.(textiles: new york gift fair)
August 11, 2008... 1 Pine Cone Hill The company will add a new colorway, cafe au lait, to its Madeline quilt collection at the show. The quilt is a woven floral reversible to a stripe pattern, and follows the design focus of Annie Selke, Pine Cone Hill's...

2 Blissliving Home.(textiles: new york gift fair)
August 11, 2008... 2 Blissliving Home A Blissliving Home signature oversized print, the Amelie duvet was inspired by the image of a forest on a cool autumn day. The duvet features a familiar scene from fall, with the leaves changing as winter approaches, but...

3 DwellStudio.(textiles: new york gift fair)
August 11, 2008... 3 DwellStudio Inspiration is the goal behind the corn Geometry crib bed ensemble. Hand-drawn and painted circles, hexagons, triangles, rectangles and squares work together seamlessly to create an imaginative landscape designed to inspire...

4 Sferra Bros.(textiles: new york gift fair)
August 11, 2008... 4 Sferra Bros. Inspired by the glamour of Las Vegas in the 1950s, the Mai Tai bed ensemble is part of 1891 by Sferra--The High Life Collection. Designed to evoke the nightlife in a Las Vegas lounge, Mai Tai is geared toward bringing out...

Town & Country to launch Royal Velvet kitchen textiles.(textiles)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Town & Country Living will introduce a licensed collection of Royal Velvet kitchen textiles and table linens at the September New York Home Textiles Market. The kitchen program includes a collection of terry towels in six solid...

Guzzetta named president of Ralph Lauren Home Collection.(textiles)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. has named Frank Guzzetta as president, Ralph Lauren Home Collection, reporting to Roger Farah, president and chief operations officer, Polo Ralph Lauren. Succeeding Barbara Deichman, who retired last...

Casual encounters: with buying for 2009 summer on, outdoor furniture vendors offer salable styles.(furniture & lighting)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- 'Tis the season for seasonal. With the hardware show and casual furniture premarkets just passed, buyers and vendors have outdoor and seasonal products on their minds and order pads. For those...

Heath making headway: the independent retailer adds even more products to the mix.(tabletop)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SAUSALITO, Calif. -- In Sausalito, a small city on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge with a history of ship building and small industry, there is not a lot of foot traffic. But consumers with a penchant for...

New York gears up for latest gift week.(tabletop)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- New York's temporary spaces and permanent showroom buildings are in full show mode this week, preparing for the biannual flood of retailers that will be searching the city for the perfect gifts. GLM has broadened and deepened...

Setting off for new territory.(tabletop: tribute)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Behind every successful stage production is a multitalented, multitasking stage manager who makes the whole thing look effortless. Behind every successful tabletop show at 41 Madison Avenue is Carole Dixon. As senior vice...

Gifts for all occasions.(tabletop)
August 11, 2008... NEW YORK -- Whether looking for a last fill-in item for fall or the perfect way to kick off spring 2009, the New York International Gift Fair offers myriad tabletop and gift options in every imaginable style, color and material range. There are...

Experiencing a slow burn: as the economy continues to sag, candle sales are showing signs of dimming.(CANDLE REPORT)
August 11, 2008... THE CANDLE BUSINESS IS NOT IMMUNE to the rapidly weakening American economy: Sales have slowed this year and fourth-quarter prospects have dimmed slightly. Candle sales generated $2 billion last year, according to the National Candle...

1 Colonial Candle.(CANDLE REPORT)
August 11, 2008... 1 Colonial Candle Colonial Candles' re:VIVE is a new line of odor-eliminating candles that incorporates the latest in candle technology to eliminate unpleasant odors rather than cover them up. Re:VIVE works by releasing "good" molecules...

2 Peugeot.(CANDLE REPORT: hfnew)
August 11, 2008... 2 Peugeot Among Peugeot's new wine accessories are these wine-scented candles. There are three red wine versions--pinot noir, merlot and cabernet sauvignon (shown here)--and three white wine versions--sauvignon blanc, riesling and...

3 Vance Kitira.(CANDLE REPORT: hfnew)
August 11, 2008... 3 Vance Kitira New Winter Melon candles are part of Vance Kitira's Nature's Treasures Collection. They are made by hand-pouring fragrance-infused soy wax into cup-shaped ceramic goblets, reminiscent of ancient Asian cups used for beverages...

4 Michael Aram.(CANDLE REPORT: hfnew)
August 11, 2008... 4 Michael Aram The lotus blossom candle is one of five candles from Michael Aram launching this fall with different scents and decorative lids that correspond with his various tabletop and home collections: Lotus Blossom, Pomegranate,...

5 Pearlessence.(CANDLE REPORT: hfnew)
August 11, 2008... 5 Pearlessence Pearlessence's handmade flower, part of its PE Botanicals line, diffuses a hint of essential fragrance to freshen a space. It is derived from natural material treated to enhance the wicking and dispersing of fragrance....

6 Joya.(CANDLE REPORT: hfnew)
August 11, 2008... 6 Joya Joya will launch two additions to its Perfume in Porcelain collection: unique fragrance blends called "Jasmine Absolute & Sugar" and "Bois de Rose & Cedar Leaf." These are a sophisticated take on the gourmand and holiday scent...

Cooking up something new to sell.(housewares)
August 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The sounds of sauteing and simmering will be joined by beeps and clicks as the technology that has so enveloped other parts of the house finally heads to the kitchen. Several manufacturers have...

Hamilton Beach looks to broaden brand through more licensing.(housewares)
August 11, 2008... RICHMOND, Va. -- Through its efforts to license the brand, the name Hamilton Beach could eventually be all over the kitchen--and in other rooms of the house. That's the goal of Hamilton Beach, the kitchen-electrics arm of NACCO Industries,...

WMF, Kaiser merger leads to WMF Americas.(housewares)
August 11, 2008... CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- WMF/USA and Kaiser Bakeware--both divisions of the Germany-based WMF Group--have merged together to become WMF Americas. The new combination reduces overhead and consolidates sales and distribution, said Mark Harris,...

U.S. distribution of Scanpan changes hands.(housewares)
August 11, 2008... TORRANCE, Calif. -- The U.S. distribution rights to Scanpan, the line of cookware, bakeware, cutlery and accessories from the Denmark manufacturer of the same name, has switched from Scanpan USA to HWI USA, based here. Scanpan USA had...

Three retailers announced for CHESS event.(housewares)(Conference news)
August 11, 2008... ROSEMONT, III. -- Amazon, ShopKo Stores and Dominic's Kitchen Store Hill take part in a panel discussion at the International Housewares Association's 2008 Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession from Sept. 9 to 10 in Chicago. Chris...

Corning to sell Steuben division.(news)
August 11, 2008... CORNING, N.Y. -- Corning Inc. has reached an agreement to sell its Steuben Glass division to Steuben Glass LLC, a newly formed affiliate of Schottenstein Stores Corp., a multibillion-dollar private-equity company with such retail and luxury...

Jarden reports increases for 2nd quarter.(news)
August 11, 2008... RYE, N.Y. -- Jarden Corp. saw its net income for the quarter ended June 30 increase to $43 million, compared with net income of $16.7 million last year. The income increase was from a net sales leap of 30 percent to $1.4 billion for the...

The ABCs of the Las Vegas Market.(HFend)
August 11, 2008... Some call it the Entertainment Capital of the World, the home furnishings industry calls it party time; Here are some examples: 1 At the official opening ceremony for Building C, ribbon cutters included, from left, WMC's Shawn Samson and...