HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from February 2005

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from February 2005

PIERCED DE RESISTANCE.
February 7, 2005... For highlights from Maison & Objet, including this pierced sette from Gilles Nouailhac, see pages 8 and 10.

WILL P&G SHAVE BRAUN FROM ITS NEW LINEUP?
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White CINCINNATI-Procter & Gamble's acquisition of Gillette is all about brand names such as Duracell and Gillette razors, but once the $57 billion transaction is done there may be one less name on the consumer products...

RESTORATION DISCOVERS HOW TO GO UPSCALE.(Restoration Hardware Inc.)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jo Fleischer CORTE MADERA, Calif.-After a four-year extreme makeover, it's as easy to see what's missing from Restoration Hardware as it is to see what's been added. Out are the toy departments, the Moon Pie snacks and the...

OFFICIAL PILLOWTEX TAKES CONTROL AT ROYAL VELVET.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Official Pillowtex LLC is opening a Royal Velvet showroom this week in time for the winter textiles market as it asserts its control over the brands it acquired from defunct Pillowtex. Rick Platt,...

IN BRIEF: REPORT: PRICE SLOWS MAY, FEDERATED... LINENS SEARCHES FOR CHIEF MERCHANT... MAYTAG WEIGHS HOOVER'S FUTURE.
February 7, 2005... REPORT: PRICE SLOWS MAY, FEDERATED The price for May Department Stores Co. is going up, and Federated Department Stores is not expected to seal a deal to buy its archrival anytime soon -- though negotiations are still under way -- according...

BLOOMINGDALE'S MODEL BEHAVIOR: LUXURY ROOMS GO ON DISPLAY.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Only in New York kids, only in New York. Bloomingdale's has created "fantasy model apartments" in a new 27-floor luxury condominium across the street from its iconic Manhattan flagship store here. The...

JONATHAN ADLER, ROWE TEAM ON UPHOLSTERY.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... McLEAN, Va.-Upholstery producer Rowe Furniture is teaming up with potter, retailer and recent hotel designer Jonathan Adler to produce a line of upholstery. Adler, who opened his first studio in New York's SoHo neighborhood in 1998,...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
February 7, 2005... february 8-11 Ceramex Int'l Exhibition of Interior Decoration Lisbon, Portugal 351-218921500 ceramex.fil.pt 8-12 Cevisama Feria de Valencia Valencia, Spain 34-963-851-100 feriavalencia.com 11-15...

MAISON ACCOMPLI.(Maison and Objet)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine Maison & Objet continues to thrive and grow season after season. Celebrating its 10th year, the show has come a long way. This season, purple and turquoise took center stage in the color story, with all shades of...

FORECAST 2005.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... As the housewares and tabletop industries get ready for the major trade shows, executives sound off on currency issues, materials costs and design trends that will make the biggest impact in 2005.

DOLLAR ON THE ROPES; NO EASY RESPONSE TO RISING RAW-MATERIALS COSTS, FALLING PRICES.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty, Jennifer White, Thyra Porter, Sharyn Bernard contributed to this report. Even in these times of falling prices, rising materials costs, closing factories and the declining dollar, a recent headline was stark: "Trade...

FALLING PRICES WILL BE TOAST; SUPPLIERS SAY THEY'RE FORCED TO RAISE PRICES -- AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White The forecast for the small appliance industry calls for a patch of blue sky beyond the storm clouds. Suppliers say the climate is improving -- no doubt it can't get much worse, with raw materials cost soaring....

THE NEXT METAL; MANUFACTURERS ARE PREPARING FOR WHEN STAINLESS STEEL COOLS OFF.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White What comes next after stainless steel? Don't know? That's OK -- for now -- because housewares suppliers and retailers say stainless steel isn't going anywhere soon. But eventually it will go the way of avocado...

TRY THIS AT HOME; MORE HIGH-TECH MEDICAL EQUIPMENT IS ON THE MARKET, BUT SOME WELLNESS WANES.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White Personal care will get even more personal this year, as a growing number of consumers will pay attention to their doctors and take managing their health needs into their own hands. However, the same formula for...

SMART, BUT NOT ALOOF; PRODUCTS GET THE NEWEST BELLS AND WHISTLES WHILE REMAINING FUNCTIONAL.(home wares)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer White Housewares designers are thinking up products suitable for keeping pace with our busy, workaholic lifestyles, not life in outer space -- at least not yet. For the most part, tomorrow's housewares will look pretty...

ONE DAY, YOUR APPLIANCES WILL RUN WITHOUT YOU.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... The fact that consumers aren't clamoring for homes built like the space station hasn't stopped designers from thinking about what housewares and appliances may look like in the distant future. Designer Karim Rashid has many ideas about what...

SHOW TIME WELL SPENT; ORGANIZERS LOOK TO MAXIMIZE A SHRINKING RETAIL BASE WITH NEW CROSS-MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES.(home furnishing industry)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter As retailers send fewer buyers to shows -- or not at all -- trade show organizers are looking for ways to make their events more valuable and time spent at the housewares shows more productive. New exhibitions,...

HITTING THE HOT SPOTS ; VENDORS STRIVE TO STAND OUT IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter In a cookware market that is expected to maintain a fairly flat overall performance this year, buyers are looking for the next hot pan. In searching for something new, suppliers are freshening classics like the...

GADGETS GALORE HIT THE SHELVES; INTENSE COMPETITION FUELS PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUISITIONS.(kitchenware industry)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter Product diversification is the catch phrase for kitchenware companies this year as the competition to grab space on the gadget wall heats up. Kitchenware manufacturers are seeking that diversity through new...

COMFORT ZONE; PAST WEATHER CYCLES OFFERS CLUES TO THE FORECAST.(home furnishing industry's sales)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty In home comfort, the weather is usually the key. But beyond a short-term forecast, it is difficult to predict. A look back may offer some clues to the future. Much of the nation coped with wet and mild conditions...

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE; DYSON'S EMERGENCE HAS MOVED THE CATEGORY UPSCALE, BUT OVERALL STABILITY IS LOOMING.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty For an industry seemingly in constant turmoil, there seems to be a touch of stability on the horizon. You'd never guess that from the latest round of executive changes, but low-end prices have stabilized at last,...

STICKING WITH IT ; TRADITIONAL SUPPLIERS SAY THEY'RE FINALLY GAINING GROUND AGAINST DISPOSABLES.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Sharyn Bernard The traditional stick goods industry, which has faced an onslaught of competition from behemoth consumer products companies' disposable cleaning products in the past few years, is seeing the light at the end of the...

SHOWING OFF; FOR TABLETOP EXECUTIVES, DEALING WITH THE CLUSTERING OF TRADE SHOWS IS ALL IN THE TIMING.(International Home & Housewares Show)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko Bring up the topic of trade shows to a tabletop industry executive and you'll get two immediate responses: too many and too close together. There will be changes, big and small, in the tabletop trade show circuit...

START SPREADING THE HUES; TABLETOP TRENDS TURN ON INTENSE COLORS WITH MORE BASIC SHAPES.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko, Carla Webb contributed to this report Color and shape are always the biggest buzzwords in tabletop, and this year vendors say solid colors and more standard shapes are what is being served up. Turquoise is...

REPRESENTING THE FUTURE; SALES GROUPS AND INDEPENDENTS CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko As retailers consolidate and vendors close or move their showrooms, the nature and role of the sales representative continue to evolve. There are, of course, two different types of rep: the one who presents...

THE TEXTILES ZONE.(Heimtextil - International Trade Fair for Home and Household Articles)(Column)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead -- your next...

VERBAL REMEDIES; SUPPLIERS OF HOLIDAY-THEMED PRODUCTS ARE EXPRESSING THEIR DESIGNS THROUGH WORDS.(Arlee Group)(Creative Home Furnishings)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens EW YORK-"Ho Ho Ho," said The Arlee Group, a simple enough greeting embroidered in a decorative pillow that ushers in that holiday feeling. This week, in time for the winter market, Arlee, as well as other...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Michael Graves Design Group)(Dansk Graves Studio)(Santens N.V. )(Trendex Home Designs Inc)
February 7, 2005... BARDWIL LINENS said it has teamed up with Dansk and the Michael Graves Design Group to produce a new line of table linens and kitchen textiles. Inspired by Dansk Graves Studio, a collection of tableware products developed by Dansk and the...

FIRMS WEIGH VEGAS GAMBLE.(Las Vegas Furniture Market)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini, Jennifer Quail contributed to this report. LAS VEGAS-The decision of whether to gamble on showroom space at the new Las Vegas World Market Center, future home of the Las Vegas Furniture Market, is weighing...

LOLOI'S ONE-YEAR GROWTH SPURT; THE COMPANY MARKED A HAPPY AND PROFITABLE FIRST ANNIVERSARY BY TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN A HUGE NEW ATLANTA SHOWROOM.(Loloi Rugs)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail ATLANTA-Amir Loloi, founder and president of Loloi Rugs, celebrated the company's one-year anniversary in a very big way at the Atlanta International Area Rug Market. It moved into a new showroom, quadrupling its...

CAPEL TO DONATE PORTION OF Q1 PROCEEDS FOR TSUNAMI RELIEF.(Capel Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini TROY, N.C.-Capel Inc. said it would join the widespread relief efforts for tsunami victims by donating a portion of its 2005 first-quarter proceeds. Capel will donate a portion of its proceeds from the sale of...

SHAW UNVEILS STAINMASTER AREA RUG LINE.(Shaw Living)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini ATLANTA-Using the recent Atlanta International Area Rug Market as the venue, Shaw Living introduced its first collection of Stainmaster area rugs. The Versant collection, made of a multilevel, textured...

NEWS BRIEFS.(furniture industry news)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
February 7, 2005... FURNITURE BRANDS INTERNATIONAL named Denise Ramos chief financial officer, senior vice president and treasurer. She succeeds David Howard, who has resigned from the company. Before joining Furniture Brands, Ramos was chief financial officer of...

A NEW PLAN IN SAN FRAN; FACED WITH DEFECTIONS, ORGANIZERS MULL WAYS TO KEEP THE CITY'S MARKET VIABLE.(San Francisco Winter Market)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jo Fleischer SAN FRANCISCO-At the San Francisco Winter Market, talk centered on light attendance, the organizer's efforts to breathe new life into the 90-year-old event and a rival market making its debut this July in Las Vegas....

DEPARTURES PROVIDE WAKE-UP CALL FOR ISPA.(International Sleep Products Association)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Karl Kunkel ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The International Sleep Products Association, reeling after the departure of three of its biggest members, said it remains adequately funded and will continue to work as an advocate of its 643 members....

NEWS BRIEFS.(W.A.C. Lighting appoints John Camp as product manager)(Kichler Lighting Inc. appoints Bruce Pazula as vice president )
February 7, 2005... WILD APPLE GRAPHICS has released a six-minute DVD of artist Albena Hristova, capturing her creative process on film in her Southern California studio. Wild Apple, which serves as Hristova's licensing agent and print publisher, is distributing...

RETRO ACTIVITY SHOWCASED AT NEW YORK GIFT FAIR.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-Vintage chic, retro glamour and Asian decor were among the most prevalent lighting and accessory trends at the New York International Gift Market here last week. Highlights included vintage etched glass in...

MASS CHANNEL PROMOTIONS MOVE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD.(lamps)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Nancy Meyer NEW YORK-The mass channel has made great strides over the past year in raising the visibility of lighting, thanks to cross-merchandising, special events and promotions. This year promises several more advances,...

WINDY CITY SHOW BECOMES A BREEZE FOR MIDWESTERNERS.(gift industry)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Carla Webb CHICAGO-The desire to cut down on traveling and the growing regionalization of trade shows around the country has contributed to the growth of the Chicago Gift & Home Market, which took place at the Merchandise Mart here...

A BIG APPLE BONANZA; THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR REWARDED ITS OVERFLOW CROWDS WITH FORWARD-THINKING AND FASHIONABLE INTRODUCTIONS.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko NEW YORK-Business was brisk -- surprisingly so, to hear some vendors tell it -- at the New York International Gift Fair, which took place here last week. Whether due to low retail inventories, general optimism...

AMERICANS AND EUROPEANS FIND RIGHT MIX AT AMBIENTE.(trade show)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko FRANKFURT, Germany-Ambiente, billed as the one of the world's largest trade fairs, continues to be one of the biggest draws for American retailers, who reinforce their relationships with European vendors. But the show...

SNEAK PEEK AT A 7 W. 34TH SHOWROOM.(tabletop and gift industry showroom)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... With the April tabletop market only a few months away, the transformation of the upper floors of 7 W. 34th St., the new permanent showroom building for the tabletop and gift industry, has begun. Visitors recently got a preview of a future...

WATER PIK SEES PERSONAL BUSINESS DECLINE IN Q3.(third quarter, Water Pik Technologies Inc., earnings)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.-Water Pik Technologies said its Personal Health Care business suffered a 19.0 percent decline in sales during its third quarter ended Dec. 31. Gross profit dipped 13.2 percent, but operating income grew 32.7 percent. ...

AMBIENTE'S AMBIENCE; U.S BUYERS AND RETAILERS HEAD OVERSEAS FOR SOME QUALITY TIME.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Thyra Porter FRANKFURT, Germany-U.S. firms heading to Ambiente this week cite face time with U.S. retailers as a key reason to attend the international trade show. Though manufacturers said building European business remains the...

RESTRUCTURING HELPS NEWELL TURN 4TH-QUARTER PROFIT.(Newell Rubbermaid Inc., earnings)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... ATLANTA-Newell Rubbermaid's restructuring plan has helped the company bolster its fourth-quarter earnings, even as it reported a slight drop in sales. Earnings rose in the fourth quarter of 2004, reaching $124.1 million, compared with a...

NEWS BRIEFS.
February 7, 2005... CAPRESSO is lowering the price of two items: Espresso Classic and the Infinity Conical Burr Grinder in black, creating new opening price points for Capresso's assortment of pump espresso machines and professional-grade conical burr grinders.The...

HFN SEEKS PRODUCT INFO, PHOTOS FOR HOUSEWARES SHOW PREVIEW.
February 7, 2005... You've worked hard getting your collection ready for the International Home & Housewares Show, so why not let HFN tell retailers what you've got in our show preview issue? Send in pictures and press releases with details about products...

BUILDERS' SHOW WAS COOKING WITH NEW APPLIANCES.(International Builders' Show)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gerry Beatty ORLANDO, Fla.-The revived International Builders' Show, held Jan. 13 to 16 here, reflected the current strength in major appliances. More vendors exhibited before bigger crowds, adding novel products and categories to...

SPEAKERS FOR THE HOUSE; RETAILERS LOOK TO RECHARGE THE AUDIO CATEGORY BY CROSS-SELLING SOUND SYSTEMS WITH FLAT-PANEL TVS.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-If you buy the flat-panel TV, they'll throw in a brand-new speaker system. Consumer electronics retailers are attempting to master the art of the cross-sell to revive a somewhat soft home audio...

SHORT WAVES.(Best Buy Company Inc. to open new stores, Sharp Corp. earnings, Casio Inc.'s new digital camera)
February 7, 2005... BEST BUY CO. announced last week that it expects to open 73 new stores in the United States and Canada during its 2006 fiscal year beginning Feb. 27, 2005. The big-box consumer electronics retailer will open 60 new domestic stores and 13 in...

BEST BUY VS. CIRCUIT CITY.(Best Buy Company Inc., Circuit City Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... ON THE COVER Best Buy: Zenith 52-inch Widescreen LCD Projection HDTV Monitor, $2,299. Circuit City: Philips 60-inch Widescreen HDTV Monitor, $1,297.99 PORTABLE DVD PLAYERS Best Buy: Dynex 5-inch Portable DVD Player, $119.99...

BAIRD: 2004 RETAIL M&A DOLLAR VOLUME UP NEARLY 300 PERCENT.(retail store mergers)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick MILWAUKEE-Consolidation seemed to be contagious in the retail arena last year, as merger and acquisition dollar volume elevated nearly 300 percent over 2003. Dollar volume from announced U.S. retail mergers and...

HOME FASHIONS SOFTNESS HURTS SEARS' Q4 SALES, PROFITS.(Sears Canada Inc.)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick, Barbara Thau, Vicki M. Young contributed to this report HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-Sears, Roebuck & Co.'s total revenues for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 1 slid to $11.23 billion, compared with $12.25 billion for the...

CMI SHOWS DECLINE IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR.(Credit Manager's Index)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael Rudnick COLUMBIA, Md.-Sales within the manufacturing sector slid to a two-year low in January, as the sales index section of the National Association of Credit Management's Credit Manager's Index was 48.4 points, down from...

NEWS BRIEFS.(Sears, Roebuck and Co., securities listing)(Kmart Holding Corp.'s Harold Lueken resigns)(Hanover Direct Inc., securities)
February 7, 2005... SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO. will move its listing to the NASDAQ Stock Market following the completion of its merger with Kmart Holdings Corp., according to a Feb. 1 Sears filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The department store giant's...

EXECUTIVES: QUOTA-LIFT PRICE BREAKS WON'T BE AS DEEP AS ANTICIPATED.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Scott Malone NEW YORK-The windfall for importers from the end of the global quota system probably won't be as great as originally anticipated, as reported by HFN sister publication Women's Wear Daily. Most executives predicted...

PLAY AT THE GALLERY.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine The Ralph Pucci gallery was the place to be recently. Pucci, along with Town & Country, hosted an event for furniture designer Chris Lehrecke's collection. The place was packed with a downtown crowd of designers...

24-HOUR PARIS PEOPLE.
February 7, 2005... Paris was packed with Americans during the Biennale Fabric show and Maison & Objet home show. Among the cortege of people spotted at the shows were Carolyn Sollis, Karen Carroll, Betsy Sandberg, Amy Churgin, James and Nancy Druckman, Deborah...

PAGE PRESENCE.
February 14, 2005... Shelter magazines continue to rebound as issue frequency and a focus on design help the category. For the exclusive HFN Marketing & Media report, See pages 8-10.

SEARS GETS DOWN TO THE ESSENTIALS IN NEW FORMAT.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.-The home department in Sears Essentials, the midsized freestanding format to launch this spring, will feature a scaled-down mix of all the home products available in Sears' mall-based stores and...

GLOBAL GIVES NEW LIFE TO OLD NEWELL BRANDS.(Global Home Products )
February 14, 2005... Byline: Allison Zisko, Jennifer White COLUMBUS, Ohio-What Newell Rubbermaid wasn't willing, or able, to do, Global Home Products is determined to accomplish. Nearly one year after acquiring the venerable but faltering trio of Anchor...

IN BRIEF: SALONE DEL MOBILE'S NEW YORK PLANS... VEGAS MARKET ADDS GLOBAL TOUCH... SPRINGS TO CLOSE TWO TOWEL PLANTS...
February 14, 2005... SALONE DEL MOBILE'S NEW YORK PLANS The Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan, Italy, is launching a traveling version of the show, the first stop slated to coincide with New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair in May. At a...

MAY DOING ITS HOME WORK TO REVIVE SALES IN CATEGORY.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau ST. LOUIS-May Department Stores Co. executives, reporting an earnings slide of roughly 25 percent and on the hunt for a new chief executive officer, said the fall launch of its House Beautiful program should help...

YOU, TOO, CAN BE A STAR.
February 14, 2005... Want to live like a hip-hop diva? How 'bout a basketball star? J.C. Penney's new Cribs bedding and accessories collection, based on the MTV show of the same name, could help you replicate the home life of a celebrity -- at a fraction of the...

TABLES OF CONTENT.(Elle Decor's annual dining)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine When it comes to putting together a stellar party, it's hard to beat Elle Decor's annual Dining by Design. Held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, this year's event featured some of the most creative tables...

BUILDING SHELTER; PUBLISHERS HOPE FOR MORE OF THE SAME AS THE MAGAZINE CATEGORY CONTINUES TO PICK UP MOMENTUM.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen NEW YORK-The shelter magazine category is continuing to regain its footing after starting off the decade on shaky ground. Publishers were intent on looking on the bright side of gaining a few points in a...

WAL-MART, VA., MY HOMETOWN.(virginia)(wal mart new stores)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Duke Ratliff They tore down my hometown and put up a Wal-Mart. While plenty of folks might say this hypothetically, I say this in a more literal sense. And no, this is not another one of those "let's bash Wal-Mart" columns. ...

HEAVY MERGE AHEAD.(between Procter & Gamble and Gillette)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg For all of those who still don't get what's going on in American business when it comes to merger and acquisition activity, please go out and buy a bottle of Tide and a pack of Mach 3 razor blades. Ta-da! ...

LI & FUNG LOOKS TO PLAY THE NAME GAME WITH HELP FROM ROYAL VELVET.(marketing popular brand)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Li & Fung USA is banking on the popular name of Royal Velvet and hopes to market its bedding and bath products across multiple channels of distribution. "We are betting that we can take it across...

SIGRID OLSEN HOME LINE DEBUTS.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Sigrid Olsen's style for home is tailored, elegant and casual. The bedding, bath and table linen collections, which the artist and fashion designer, along with supplier partner W-C Designs, introduced...

PARISIAN SPLENDOR; VIVID COLORS FROM THE APPAREL RUNWAYS WERE AGAIN THE INSPIRATION FOR HOME COLLECTIONS AT MAISON & OBJET.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Michael D. Devine PARIS-Color galore was the story at Maison & Objet, the French home furnishings show recently held here. Reds continued to dominate several collections, with pinks being the favorite shade for many and some...

PENNEY GETS CRIBS IN THE HOUSE.(J.C. Penney does marketing for bedding accessories names cribs)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Barbara Thau PLANO, Texas-I want my MTV. That's how J.C. Penney hopes shoppers will respond to Cribs, a new bedding and accessories collection based on the network's hot show, where celebrities like hip-hop diva Missy Elliot...

SHAKLEY LEAVING EX-CELL AS RUG UNIT FURTHER INTEGRATED.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Warren Shoulberg NEW YORK-Mark Shakley, who was brought on to run the Glenoit rug division of Ex-Cell Home Fashions a year ago, is leaving the company as part of the ongoing effort to integrate that unit into the overall Ex-Cell...

VERSATILITY, VALUE OF RESIN CONTINUES TO OFFSET HIGHER COSTS OF POPULAR MATERIAL.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The cost of resin may be higher, but that has not stopped bath accessory manufacturers from using the versatile material in their new and upcoming collections. Blonder Home Accents introduced several...

NEWS BRIEFS.(appointments)
February 14, 2005... THE INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE MARKET ASSOCIATION, sponsor of Showtime, the semiannual fabric market, is changing the dates of the event to better accommodate the production schedules of buyers. Instead of the January and July dates, the shows will...

BEDDING INDUSTRY STAYS MAD FOR PLAID OFFERINGS.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-Manufacturers of sheets and blankets have taken the tired, old grandfather plaid and given it a fresh look. The colors used for last week's winter market were much warmer than the traditional palette. The...

BURLINGTON'S CLOSURE NEAR.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... MONTICELLO, Ark.-Burlington Rugs will close its doors for good in two months time, according to Gary Brookshire, chief executive officer of the company. Brookshire said as the company "wind[s] down over the next eight weeks," it will be...

GIFT FAIR BRINGS JOY TO VENDORS; RUG COMPANIES RECEIVE THE PRESENT THEY HOPE FOR MOST: BRISK BUSINESS AT THE RECENT NEW YORK SHOW.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-The New York International Gift Fair brought glad tidings to rug companies who participated. Vendors reported booths busy with both appointments and walk-ins, as well as business that was up from last year....

MOHAWK INDUSTRIES ACQUIRES WAYN-TEX.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... CALHOUN, Ga.-Mohawk Industries Inc. has purchased Wayn-Tex Inc., a manufacturer of carpet-backing materials. Wayn-Tex operates manufacturing facilities in Waynesboro and Hillsville, Va., and employs approximately 50 individuals. "Wayn-Tex...

BED BATH, LINENS ALSO OFFER CONSUMERS A VISUAL CHOICE.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini LAKE GROVE, N.Y.-The Linens 'n Things and Bed Bath & Beyond stores here sell many of the same products and are only about a half mile away from each other, but the specialty stores' approaches to merchandising...

DESIGNERS AT SURFACES SWEET ON CHOCOLATE AND MODERN LOOKS.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Quail LAS VEGAS-Texture and color were the topics at hand for broadloom exhibitors at Surfaces Expo late last month. Designers and manufacturers in this end of the business followed suit with those in the area rug business...

FASTER DELIVERIES SPEED UP SALES FOR RETAILERS.(furniture stores)(Mealey's Furniture)
February 14, 2005... Byline: Jo Fleischer HIGH POINT, N.C.-Furniture retailers are picking up the pace of deliveries, with same-day and next-day deliveries becoming important selling tools, especially in the most competitive markets. Same-day delivery has...

MISSISSIPPI OPPORTUNITY; BUYERS AND EXHIBITORS ARE OPTIMISTIC GOING INTO THE TUPELO FURNITURE SHOW.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Sheila Long O'Mara TUPELO, Miss.-Retailers planning to attend this week's market here and exhibitors armed with new product are looking forward to a strong first half of 2005. By most accounts, the Tupelo Furniture Show, which...

NEWS BRIEFS.
February 14, 2005... MOHAMAD AMINI was named president of Lacquer Craft, a leading Chinese supplier of furniture to the U.S. market. Amini reports to Samuel Kuo, chairman. He was previously executive vice president, a position that has not been filled. Lacquer...