HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from December 2007

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from December 2007

Huh? Sears' restoration play puzzles the industry.(news)
December 3, 2007... HOFFMAN ESTATES, IIl. -- Industry insiders were collectively scratching their heads last week over Sears Holdings Chairman Eddie Lampert's surprising bid for Restoration Hardware. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sources speculate that...

Inventory's up, business down: welcome to q4.(the markets: business & finance)
December 3, 2007... NEW YORK -- With the holiday selling season well under way--and generally underwhelming--most of the big retailers are weighed down by heavier-than-usual inventory levels. An HFN study of inventory-to-sales ratios for major retailers that...

A look ahead.(home page)
December 3, 2007... The October balance of trade in home furnishings and other sectors will be released by the U.S. Commerce Department on Dec. 12. Advance retail sales for November will be released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Dec. 13. The Consumer Price...

A look back.(home page)
December 3, 2007... Thirty-one years ago this week, Macy's New York executives found themselves facing an angry group of shareholders who wanted to know why the department store replaced a tried-and true budget shop the month before, down in The Cellar, with an...

Mediums.(home page)
December 3, 2007... "Architectural Digest: Private Views Inside the World's Greatest Homes" Edited by Paige Rense Abrams, 224 pages, $50 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Delving into the archives of Architectural Digest, "Private Views" takes readers on...

The HFN stock index.(home page)
December 3, 2007... Retailers led HFN Index gains for the Nov. 22 to 29 period with a 3.83 percent total average increase. J.C. Penney's 11.13 percent increase to $44.53 per share topped the group. One notable retail stock down- turn was Sears Holdings, which slid...

Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
December 3, 2007... december 2-5 Showtime Fabric Market High Point, N.C. (336) 885-6842 itma-showtime.com january 7-10 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 ...

New York store marks start of Muji's U.S. plans.(news)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The launch of Muji's New York store last month marks the first step in the Japanese specialty retailer's expansion into the United States. Although Muji home products have been sold at places such as...

Passage from India.(top story)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW DELHI, India -- The image of India as the nameless, brand-less third-party source for a variety of home furnishings products is slowly changing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Recent concerted efforts by some...

IHDP tenants: timing right for business hub.(top story)
December 3, 2007... NOIDA, India -- Sometimes a dream just makes sense. It certainly seems to be the case for here, where the International Home Deco Park has gone from a mere vision for change to a realized business hub for the Indian home furnishings business....

Indian expressions.(THE India ISSUE)
December 3, 2007... Long relied upon for its handicrafts and exceptional weaving abilities, India is a rising star in the global marketplace. New trade markets and permanent showrooms being established in major business hubs of the nation are working to secure its...

The ghost of Christmas future.(opinions: home alone 2)
December 3, 2007... So, here we are once again in the middle of the single-most important season in the retailing and general merchandise businesses: the Christmas business prediction season. Every consultant worth his weight in PowerPoint presentations is...

Straight from the source.(the markets: textiles)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Just as U.S. textiles vendors are clearing a passage to India, textiles suppliers there are spreading their American wings. U.S. vendors are increasingly sourcing product from India, wooed by the...

Vrinda overseas working to protect its employees.(the markets: textiles)
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, India -- Working conditions and the welfare of Indian workers in general continues to be a topic on the minds of both U.S. importers and Indian business owners. Many executives here are taking matters into their own hands with...

A show of strength for India in Vegas.(the markets: textiles)
December 3, 2007... LAS VEGAS -- India's growing reputation as a major international player in home textiles will receive a further boost next spring, as some 50 corporations from that country are expected to participate in the Global Home Textiles trade show here...

Going beyond borders.(the markets: floor covering)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- It's difficult to pin down one way of doing business with today's Indian rug community. The bulk of the product is still brought here by way of importers, who then do business with U.S. retailers, but...

From their cottage to the world: Kalra deals with a global clientele.(the markets: floor covering)
December 3, 2007... AGRA, India -- There is much talk in the Indian rug business of "cottage industries" and the use of local artisans who keep the tradition of rug weaving thriving in the country. A common business practice here, the cottage businesses often...

Untapped resources abroad.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- While India has a long tradition of supplying fine textiles to the U.S. market, the country is a significant untapped resource for decorative accessories and lighting products. To put India into the...

Wall decor's new lifestyle.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Wall decor appears to be more prominent in lifestyle specialty stores these days. While certain specialists like Z Gallerie have always been strong merchants in wall decor, others such as Crate &...

Dogwood Publishing.
December 3, 2007... DOGWOOD PUBLISHING, based in Los Angeles, has unveiled Art-A-Peel, wall decals that are repositionable, removable and serve as an alternative to traditional wall decor. Consumers can accessorize their walls, laptops, or any smooth painted...

Graham & Brown.
December 3, 2007... GRAHAM & BROWN, based in Cranbury, N.J., has recreated 17th-century flocked wallpaper that was once seen only on aristocratic walls and updated it for today's consumer. The flocked texture, color and pattern adds a visual dimension to walls...

Freedonia Group.
December 3, 2007... FREEDONIA GROUP, a market research firm based in Cleveland, says the overall light bulb market is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 2011. The growing popularity of energy-efficient lamps, plus building construction in the nonresidential...

Adesso aids a worthy cause.
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Adesso President Peggy Traub enjoys a visit with Nathaniel Barnes, Liberian ambassador to the United Nations, whoso New York office was recently furnished with a gift of Adesso home decor products. Traub had served...

A place at the table.(the markets: tabletop)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- India is not the new China. Not yet. Tabletop vendors who have worked, or attempted to work, in India say that several factors prevent it from being a major sourcing partner. Tabletop, with the...

Burnes rebuilding continues.(the markets: tabletop)
December 3, 2007... AUSTIN, Texas -- Burnes Home Accents, excluded from the sale of C.R. Gibson, has been left behind but not forgotten. The frame and album company, which has been rebuilding since it emerged from a Chapter 11 filing in the summer of 2006, is...

Tabletop show dates revised.(the markets: tabletop)
December 3, 2007... NEW YORK -- New York's permanent tabletop showroom buildings have revised future dates of the biannual tabletop show, sticking with the new Wednesday-through-Sunday format, but pushing the fall show one week later in the month. The 2008...

Certified International adds two licensed collections to product lineup.(the markets: tabletop)
December 3, 2007... PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. -- Certified International added two popular designers to its list of more than 20 at the recent tabletop market, highlighting new lines from April Cornell and Jim Shore. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cornell, known for...

Pushing ahead with promos.(the markets: housewares)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Vacuum cleaners may not always be the first item on holiday shopping lists, but floor care manufacturers have stepped up their efforts during this period of heightened shopper...

All-Clad's latest cookware line to make its debut at Williams-Sonoma.(the markets: housewares)
December 3, 2007... CANONSBURG, Pa. -- With the last All-Clad collection introduction six years ago, the high-end cookware company has released its sixth line under its brand name, exclusive to Williams-Sonoma. Called the Brushed Stainless Steel Professional...

Brady Marketing names Stafford new president.(the markets: housewares)
December 3, 2007... WALNUT CREEK, CALIF.-Pamela Stafford has been named president of Brady Marketing Co., a position formerly held by Frank Brady, who remains chief executive officer and to whom Stafford reports. Stafford was previously vice president of sales and...

Pitching in.(hfend)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sleep America and Major League pitcher Randy Johnson hosted their annual shoe drive in Phoenix. Shoes were collected at all Sleep America locations, then presented to more than 500 children...

Sitting pretty in Pittsburgh.(hfend)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PerLora, a contemporary furniture store from Pittsburgh, launched a 2,500-foot Metropolitan Home Collection gallery with an afternoon soiree and an evening black-tie cocktail reception. Both sold-out events raised...

Honolulu for the holidays.(hfend)
December 3, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hawaiian retailer C.S. Wo started the season with a Home for the Holidays event at its Honolulu location. Helping to celebrate were local celebrities, including Jim Nabors (surprise,...

Retail: these are a few of our favorite home things.(news)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- Although 2007 is poised to go down in the retail record books as a ho-hum holiday, there have already been some notable bright spots in home furnishings sales. KitchenAid stand mixers, fleece throws and digital frames are some...

Testing 1, 2, 3: Sears rolls out room concepts.(news)
December 17, 2007... HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears is testing a pavilion-like concept of room vignettes to jump-start its ailing home business. The retailer has erected kitchen, laundry, garage, kids and apparel pavilions in three Cincinnati-market stores that...

A look ahead.(home page)
December 17, 2007... Housing permits and starts for November will be released by the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau on Dec. 27. Consumer confidence for December will be released by The Conference Board on Dec. 27. Existing home sales for November...

A look back.(home page)
December 17, 2007... Sixty years ago this week, readers learned that "The discount house is back in force," according to a story in Retailing Daily in mid-December 1948. "In New York City it is already so potent a factor in the sale of home furnishings that a...

Pen in hand.(home page)
December 17, 2007... Letter writers deserve a distinctive writing instrument. HFN, in conjunction with Recife, makers of pens and other writing instruments, will send a Baby Press Rollerball Pen to each letter writer who is published in HFN. This offer is limited...

The HFN stock index.(home page)
December 17, 2007... Both retailer and manufacturer stocks struggled over the past week with manufacturers leading the HFN Index fall for the Dec. 6 to 13 period with a 3.58 percent decline. Helen of Troy dragged down the group with a 10.89 percent decline to close...

Chef Flay added to mix of Kohl's product line.(news)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. -- Bobby Flay is the first chef to collaborate with the Food Network on a branded line of kitchenware and casual entertaining products to be sold at Kohl's. Representing Flay's flair for...

Las Vegas market deadlines.(news)
December 17, 2007... HFN is preparing its Viva Las Vegas special section for the January Las Vegas Market, and invites all exhibitors to submit new product photography and press releases to us by Jan, 71 Please e-mail high-resolution images (jpegs preferred;...

Correction.(news)(Correction notice)
December 17, 2007... The company name of the Andros Sofa and Ottoman featured in the Nov. 26 issue of Home Furnishings Now was misidentified. It should have read BJI Alliance. The correct phone number is (502) 471-3606. The correct Web site address is bji.com.

Big dreams on full display at bridal mag showcase.(news)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- The link between bridal and home gets stronger every year, and there is no better example of that than the Conde Nast Dream House. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Dream House, the largest promotional effort to date from the...

Through the looking glass.(trends)
December 17, 2007... 'Tis the season when retailers flaunt their visual flair with a host of holiday windows both fantastical and festive. New York merchants are telling a variety of seasonal stories that range from dreamlike to whimsical and modern. ...

Presents of mine.(home alone 2)
December 17, 2007... Yes, dear friends, it's that time of the year again. Time to recognize who's been naughty, who's been nice and who's been just downright incomprehensible. For as long as I've been doing this thing I do here, I've used this last column of...

The roads more traveled.(top story: TRADE SHOW PREVIEW)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] January not only marks the beginning of 2008, it also heralds a whole new year of trade shows for the home furnishings industry. This year's trade show season is packed with both domestic and international...

Frette's Americana splendor.(the markets: textiles)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MANHASSET, N.Y. -- Just in time for a luxurious holiday rush, Frette opened a 1,200-square-foot boutique at the upscale Americana mall here. The Frette shop is a showcase for such items as the quality linens for...

Clodagh for Homestead collection bows at Bed Bath & Beyond.(the markets: textiles)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- The Clodagh for Homestead collection of duvet covers, decorative pillows and pillow shams has made its debut at a number of Bed Bath & Beyond locations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Designed by Clodagh, the Irish-born designer...

Claiborne comes through: Nourison's new collection is paying off for the company amid a difficult retail environment.(the markets: floor covering)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SADDLE BROOK, N.J. -- Launching a new branded product in a retail year that was less than spectacular is no small feat. Having that launch actually live up to expectations is another story. Entering its second year...

Stanton acquires Antrim Carpets.(the markets: floor covering)
December 17, 2007... SYOSSET, N.Y. -- Stanton Carpet Corp. has acquired Antrim Carpets USA Ltd., an importer and wholesaler of hand-loomed carpets and custom rugs from India for the residential and commercial markets. Antrim will continue to be led by...

Momeni in growth mode as company moves headquarters to New Jersey.(the markets: floor covering)
December 17, 2007... CARLSTADT, N.J. -- Momeni has moved its corporate offices and primary showroom to a 50,000-square-foot space here. The company had been headquartered in Manhattan since 1975. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The new space, which more than...

Artistic Tile lays down new space in New York.(the markets: floor covering)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- Artistic Tile has opened a 4,000-squarefoot showroom in Manhattan's Chelsea district. In designing the new space, Artistic Tile founder and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Epstein, who has designed the company's previous...

Will the future be bright? The economy, housing market and instability in China are top issues facing the lighting industry for the new year.(FORECAST)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- By the looks of it, the same troubles that plagued the lighting industry in 2007 will continue well into the new year. Lighting executives polled...

Simmons gives its management staff an overhaul.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
December 17, 2007... ATLANTA -- With the appointment of Steve Fendrich as president and chief operating officer, Simmons has set an altered organizational structure as it marches into 2008. Fendrich, who had been executive vice president of sales, will assume...

Howard Elliott buys R&R Collection.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAROL STREAM, Ill. -- The Howard Elliott Collection has acquired R&R Collection, a moderate-to-upper end accessory importer, from its founder and president, Ryan Sala, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition...

Sales reps: the magic link.(opinions)
December 17, 2007... In an ideal world, sales representatives serve as the magic link between manufacturer and retailer, true business partners in a venture that benefits all parties. These days, with improved technologies, consolidation at retail and...

Macy's makes way for Martha: a tabletop collection created by Wedgwood will be the latest addition to the Stewart home line at the retailer.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The second phase of the Martha Stewart collection for Macy's is about to launch. An extensive formal tabletop collection, created by Wedgwood with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. debuts next...

French firm acquires Arc's Salviati brand.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... ARQUES, France -- Arc International has sold Salviati, the Italian art glass brand, to JL Coquet-Jaune de Chrome, a small French Limoges company. Arc characterized the sale as part of an effort to refocus on its core business and "reach...

Melding art and nature.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Parisian designer Emilio Robba, who designed the Sequoia Collection for Daum, examined one of his creations at the Daum Boutique at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan last month. Famous for being a sculptor of flowers,...

For etabletop, no stop to the pop-up.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- Life in cyberspace can be lonely sometimes. So when Christmas rolls around, some e-tailers like Christina Norsig, founder of etabletop.com, find it exhilarating to get out there and rub elbows with the customers they typically...

Portmeirion founder Susan Williams-Ellis dies.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... STOKE-ON-TRENT, U.K. -- Susan Williams-Ellis, who founded the Portmeirion Group in the 1960s and designed such commercial successes as Botanic Garden and Totem, died Nov. 27. Semi-retired from the company and living in Portmeirion Village in...

Waterford's having a ball.(the markets: tabletop)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- The glittering presence of the actual Times Square Ball the one that will drop in two weeks to usher in the new year-inside Macy's Herald Square store here is having a profitable spillover effect on the...

Can history repeat itself? The industry is expected to maintain its level of resiliency and see growth, executives predict.(FORECAST: HOUSEWARES 2008)
December 17, 2007... "CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC" HAS BEEN a favorite assessment used by executives in viewing the future of their industries throughout the years--and it certainly applies to housewares executives' forecasts for the coming new year. In interviews...

NPD: stand mixers top small electrics gift lists.(FORECAST: HOUSEWARES 2008)
December 17, 2007... PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- Stand mixers and waffle irons finished numbers one and two, respectively, in a poll of consumers' 2007 gift purchases of small kitchen electrics, conducted by The NPD Group. The remaining products in the top 10 were...

Retailer bankruptcies hurling credit health for manufacturers.(business & finance)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- The sharp increase in retailer bankruptcy activity was just one contributor to manufacturers' credit weakness in November. The bankruptcy filings category within the manufacturing sector of the Credit Manager's Index plunged 7.9...

Freestanding retail REITs positive on credit, leases.(the markets: business & finance)
December 17, 2007... NEW YORK -- Freestanding retail real estate investment trusts have managed to stay in the black while shopping center and regional mall investments sink. Healthy national retailer credit and longer-term leases associated with these...

Hello, good buy award winners.(hfend)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Good Housekeeping magazine saluted the winners of its 13th annual Good Buy Awards recently at its Good Housekeeping Research Institute in New York. The award winners included several home products, such as the Halo...

Best of the rest.(hfend)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Slumberland Furniture, based in Little Canada, Minn., is providing families in need with new beds through its annual Making Homes for the Holidays program. The 108-store chain donated 1,800 mattresses, box springs,...

A howling good time.(hfend)
December 17, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sub-Zero/Wolf hosted a grand-opening party to show off its news showroom in New York. From left: Coleman Teitelbaum, Sub-Zero/Wolf; Jill Davie, Fine Living TV Network; Debra Brandt, Traditional Home; and David...