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

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

What's in stores? Other stores: more retailers are playing host to outside shops in a move that benefits both.(home page)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RETAILERS ARE TAPPING UNLIKELY PARTNERS TO SPICE up their stores: other retailers. Lord & Taylor plans to add Fortunoff-branded home shops to the department store chain next year, J.C. Penney is rolling out more...

Not in the cards? A survey predicts sales and use of gift cards will be down this holiday season.(in home)
December 8, 2008... THE ECONOMIC MALAISE WILL SLOW SALES OF GIFT cards--one of the decade's fastest-growing holiday bright spots--and gift card home furnishings purchases are expected to plummet, according to Deloitte's Annual Holiday Survey. The expected...

Specialty's effects.(trends)
December 8, 2008... 'Tis the season for holiday gifts. And this year, specialty retailers are injecting some glamour and whimsy into their holiday assortments. The retail gift basket for 2008 includes Salvador Dali-esque spoons by the MoMA Design store and...

Scott to retire as Wal-Mart CEO.(in home)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EFFECTIVE FEB. 1, LEE SCOTT WILL RETIRE AS PRESIDENT and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart. He will be succeeded by Mike Duke, who heads Wal-Mart's international operations. At the same time, Eduardo...

Let there be joy.(in home)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Waterford's newest Times Square New Year's Eve Ball is twice the size of previous balls, and its thousands of crystals and LED lights can create innumerable colored patterns. Waterford created an exclusive "Let There...

Home deals for the holidays: putting the emphasis on affordability takes center stage in store merchandising.(in focus)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FORGET THE MUST-HAVE KITCHEN appliance or dishes with the hot design motif....

The ghosts of Christmas present.(HOME ALONE 2)
December 8, 2008... Twas 'bout three weeks before Christmas when all though the store, not a creature was stirring, not even a shopper. It's going to be one of those seasons when it's not exactly the most wonderful time of the year. While I don't believe...

It's showtime: nothing sparks consumer spending like new products, and the parade of introductions starts in January with a near-explosion of domestic trade shows. By the end of the first quarter, nearly every home furnishings category will have experienced a major trade show. So pack those suitcases and shine those shoes. Safe travels and happy hunting.(Trade Show Preview)
December 8, 2008... TEXTILES Trade shows featuring home textiles frontload the first half of the calendar of every year. The 2009 trade-show year for textiles begins with the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, managed by AmericasMart...

A fresh start for Croscill: new ownership looks to recharge an iconic textiles brand.(textiles)(Company overview)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE LATEST CHAPTER OF THE CROSCILL SAGA has begun--with its new owner, Patriarch Partners, looking ahead to revamping and re-establishing the company's brand. It's also the first chapter in Croscill's history...

Frette works toward U.S. growth.(textiles)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRETTE, ONE OF THE HIGHEST-PROFILE LUXURY textiles brands, has also distinguished itself by becoming its own chief retailer. And the company is eager to expand this part of its business in the United States. ...

The outside looks in: new designs, colors and textures stand out in outdoor rugs.(floor covering)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RUG COMPANIES, BANKING ON A CONTINUED TREND TOWARD HOME-BASED recreation and entertaining, are applying styles, texture and color once reserved for rugs used only inside the home for ones...

Floor planning at the Gift Fair.(floor covering)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT DOESN'T HAVE THE WORDS "AREA RUGS" anywhere in the title, but rug vendors find that the New York International Gift Fair is a venue worthy of their time and effort and one that allows them the opportunity to...

Safavieh brings couture to the Atlanta market.(floor covering)
December 8, 2008... SAFAVIEH WILL LAUNCH SAFAVIEH COUTURE, a new brand-name and operating division devoted to the company's growing stable of licensed designer programs, in January at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market. The company's newest design...

The spirit of giving: companies exhibiting at the New York gift fair hope buyers are in a spending mood.(furniture & lighting)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS HOME FURNISHINGS, DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES and lighting companies head to the New York International Gift Fair in January, they're hoping to see buyers that are more confident than in previous months, who are...

AHFA's sustaining momentum.(furniture & lighting)
December 8, 2008... CAN TODAY'S HOME FURNISHINGS COMPANIES' BOTTOM LINES AFFORD extensive, ongoing and in-depth sustainability program commitments and still remain competitive globally? For the nearly 100 home furnishings executives and environmental managers...

All the trimmings: Christmas ornaments represents for branded companies, but will they sell this year?(tabletop)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS FOR 2009 ARE ALREADY IN THE BAG AND READY TO ROLL IN Atlanta next month, but one little detail remains: Those 2008 ornaments still have to sell. There are a few critical weeks left in the...

Gift show presents more vendors.(tabletop)
December 8, 2008... TABLETOP RESOURCES AT THE NEW YORK International Gift Fair continue to expand with the addition of more luxury and home entertaining lines at the January edition of the show, "The New York International Gift Fair offers buyers a depth of...

Prepping for the gift show: vendors are ready to roll out a range of production for the event.(housewares)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH THEIR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION FROM GIFT SHOW BUYERS, VENDORS READIED THEMSELVES for the New York International Gift Fair amid a challenging economy environment. J.K. Adams has displayed at the show for five...

Cleaning products hold steady.(housewares)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EVEN IN THIS ECONOMY, HOUSES NEED TO BE CLEANED, BUT BOTH retailers and consumers are more careful about how they are spending their money now. Vendors of cleaning products find business is stable in the niches...

California dreaming at Furi.(housewares)
December 8, 2008... NOW THAT THE COMPANY HE FOUNDED just more than 12 years ago has been acquired by Marlin Equity Partners, Furitechnics' Mark Henry can go back to what he loves doing hill time: designing. "I've always just wanted to be a designer," said...

Whitford avoids sticky situations.(housewares)
December 8, 2008... MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO PFOA/PTFE NON-STICK COOKWARE coatings over the past few years, and now Whitford has added non-PFOA versions of its top five brands: Excalibur, Halo, Eclipse, QuanTanium and Quantum 2. Already, PTFE...

Lenox files for Chapter 11.(business & finance)
December 8, 2008... LENOX GROUP INC. HAS FILED FOR CHAPTER 11 bankruptcy protection and is seeking court approval for $85 million in debtor-in-possession financing. The company will continue to pursue a sale while under Chapter 11 proceedings. Through an...

Gottschalks gets $30m infusion from Everbright.(business & finance)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GOTTSCHALKS HAS SIGNED A DEFINITIVE agreement to receive up to a $30 million investment in the retailer by Everbright Development Overseas, a British Virgin Islands corporation that offers trade facilitation, credit...

Pennsylvania comes to Boscov's aid.(business & finance)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Pa., will provide $300 million of aid to help Boscov's department store chain avoid bankruptcy, according to published reports. About $100...

Hold on, help is on the way.(opinions)
December 8, 2008... Maybe I am going too far out on a limb here or I am just an eternal optimist, but I think the worst of this economic upheaval is just about over. As we prepare for what is certain to be one of the most tumultuous holiday selling seasons in the...

Designing women.(HFend)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A spirited discussion on interior design ensued at Elle Decor magazine and Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum's "Women in Design," a new annual event that recognizes outstanding female achievement in the product,...

Cause celebration.(HFend)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ABC Carpet & Home recently held a special evening at its New York City flagship to "Celebrate Women." Several hundred people attended the event, which featured music from singer Angelique...

Starring roles.(HFend)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association held its "Rising Stars of Interior Design" event at the New York Design Center recently to honor three new designers handpicked by design...

Wal-Mart enters the Duke era.(home page)
December 22, 2008... WAL-MART'S APPOINTMENT OF MIKE DUKE as its new leader signals a heightened focus on the company's next big growth vehicle: the international market. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Beyond steering the international business with a sure hand as...

Perfect matching.(home page)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "House Beautiful: Colors for Your Home" Hearst Books, 288 pages, $14.95 This fully illustrated guide is designed to make selecting colors for the home a breeze. Filled with more than 300 colors used by...

Dubai dreams for Bloomingdale's.(in home)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN BLOOMINGDALE'S FIRST international store bows in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2010, the home store will be like "walking through a wonderland of excitement... reminiscent of Bendel's in the old days," said...

Fux returns to Sleep Innovations.(in home)
December 22, 2008... MICHAEL FUX, FOUNDER OF SLEEP Innovations, will return to head the company when it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Fux founded the company in 1996, spearheading its entry into memory-foam bedding products and building it into...

Through the holiday looking glass.(trends)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The economy might be in a "Bah, Humbug" mood, but retailers brought some holiday cheer to the streets of New York with festive Christmas windows. From the...

Presents of mine.(HOME ALONE 2)
December 22, 2008... Ho-ho-hum. 'Tis the season for gift-giving and such, but frankly it's a pretty tough assignment this year for one particular Santa. It seems just about everyone is going to get a lump of coal in their stockings, regardless of whether...

Around the world in six months.(Trade Show Preview INTERNATIONAL)
December 22, 2008... INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOW ATTENDEES HAVE A LITTLE SECRET: Their business travel can be quite glamorous. While it's, "Oh, another bade show," to their bosses and associates, to friends it's more like, "Can you believe rm going to Milan, Paris and...

New York state of mind: the gift fair is expected to be packed despite the rocky economy.(textiles)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EVEN WITH THE ROCKY STATE OF THE U.S. CONSUMER economy, the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) will take place in late January in a mood of "cautious optimism," as expressed by show organizers GLM. ...

Threads for 2009.(opinions)
December 22, 2008... In a little more than a week, 2008 will transform into 2009. The new year will bring a new presidential administration, but whether it will be able to solve the old problems with the economy is, of course, open to question. Even with the...

This time with feeling: texture becomes a popular option to entice consumers.(floor covering)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A RUG'S GREAT COLOR palette or stunning design can certainly catch a customer's eye, but many rugs engage the shopper on another plane entirely--texture. Rug makers are finding new ways to add dimension and...

BoConcept's big comfy couch.(HFN: furniture & lighting)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BOCONCEPT RECENTLY DELIVERED THE world's largest sofa to Boston's Harvard Square. The extra-long version of BoConcept's Indivi 2 sofa is 213 feet long, weighs more than two tons and has 68 legs. Each person that...

Companies look for brighter days ahead.(furniture & lighting)
December 22, 2008... THE LIGHTING CATEGORY IS REACTING to raw material increases from earlier in the year, but manufacturers are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel as more recent falling prices in oil and other raw materials have yet to be seen in the...

Relaunched and rejuvenated: designer Marc Blackwell's partnership with Woodmere promises new opportunity.(tabletop)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TABLETOP DESIGNER MARC BLACKWELL RECEIVED AN early Christmas gift this year in the form of a new partnership with Woodmere China that resolves previous delivery issues and secures the company's future. The...

The future is now: promoting new items for nesting consumers is the industry's plan for the year ahead.(FORECAST)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MANUFACTURERS ARE BUCKLING DOWN FOR THE TOUGH ROAD AHEAD in 2009, and for many that means promoting product to entice consumers. A bright spot is that consumers might be willing to spend at least a little,...

Retailers share holiday highlights.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... EVEN WITH THE TROUBLING ECONOMY, RETAILERS ARE finding bright spots within the housewares department, as consumers are driven to buy items that help prepare holiday meals this season. People tend to buy what they need when the economy is...

The Hannon Group.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Made with durable zirconium oxide, the Todco Advanced Ceramics Knives have blades with a diamond-strength hardness and a long-lasting sharp cutting edge. The initial launch of nine rust-free knives have a...

Jokari.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... For those consumers craving mini-burgers, Jokari's The Slider Maker is ideal, as it can make and store 18 miniature hamburger patties. Consisting of a tray with purple snap-on lids and a meat press/patty separator, The Slider Maker is...

Jarden.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... ELume is Jarden Consumer Solutions' most recent innovation in terms of touch-screen technology for small electric kitchen products, and the company is featuring it on a number of new items. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Oster Countertop...

Changing of the guard at Wilton Products.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... WILTON VETERAN STEVEN FRASER HAS BEEN SUCCEEDED by Richard Conti at Wilton Products, 18 months after Wilton Industries was purchased jointly by private-equity firm GTCR Golder Rauner LLC and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and then renamed....

Structurally sound: Saeco is poised for growth with a new corporate reorganization.(housewares)
December 22, 2008... WITH A RESTRUCTURED ORGANIZATION BASED on geographic zones, Saeco is prepared to attack new opportunities in the international marketplace, according to Mark Buss, the new president, chief executive officer and general manager of the company's...

Kohl's, Iconix partner on merchandise.(in home)
December 22, 2008... KOHL'S CORR AND ICONIX BRAND GROUP have reached a multiyear licensing agreement through which Kohl's will be the exclusive U.S. retailer of merchandise under Iconix's Mudd brand. According to a joint statement from Kohrs and Iconix, the...

Salton private with Harbinger deal complete.(in home)
December 22, 2008... HARBINGER CAPITAL PARTNERS HAS finished a deal that has taken Salton Inc. private. As a result of the transaction, Harbinger now owns 100 percent of Salton's outstanding stock, according to a statement from Salton. Salton merged with...

A great time was had by all.(HFend)
December 22, 2008... High-end kitchen appliance company Dacor hosted an exclusive cocktail event for Los Angeles area design, culinary and appliance professionals last month to celebrate The Great House in America showcase. Held at the historic Greystone Estate in...

Driving traffic at Macy's.(HFend)
December 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Popular NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently made a public appearance at Macy's Herald Square store in Manhattan to promote Godinger's new NASCAR-Iicensed line. Macy's featured 20 NASCAR items and 15 of them...

Ain't no mountain high enough.(HFend)
December 22, 2008... Some people take their vacations by the beach. Others go to the mountains. But Aditya Gupta, of the International Home Deco Park in India, the new showroom building for the home furnishings industry in Delhi, really goes to the mountains....