HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network articles from January 2006

HFN The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network archives from January 2006

A SEASON SETTLED; HOME FURNISHINGS WERE AMONG RETAILING'S LEADING CATEGORIES THIS HOLIDAY.(home furnishings marketing)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Retailers flexed their advertising muscles this holiday season, which fueled home furnishings sales of textiles and home decor, and helped revive the cookware business. That was the word from a cross...

CLARIFICATION.(Correction notice)
January 2, 2006... The Waterworks luxury bath towel shown on page 98 of Home Furnishings Now's Winter 2006 edition featured geometric designs that were inspired by Chanel. The caption information suggested that the designs came directly from Chanel

ANALYST: LNT PROMOTES HEAVILY TO MEET ACQUISITION NEEDS.(Linens 'n Things Inc.)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Linens 'n Things recently stated that it expects to meet the financial conditions required for it to be acquired by Apollo Management for $1.3 billion. The home furnishings specialty retailer must have...

NEWS: RETAIL COST PLUS...TEXTILES MERCHANDISE MART PROPERTIES INC...CCA GLOBAL PARTNERS.(Thomas Willardson as executive vice president retail cost plus )
January 2, 2006... RETAIL RETAIL COST PLUS will hire Thomas Willardson to serve as its executive vice president and chief financial officer. Willardson, current chief financial officer of online marketing firm WebSideStory Inc., is expected to join Cost Plus...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
January 2, 2006... 2006 january 5-8 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 cesweb.org 5-9 Salon du Meuble de Paris Paris Expo Paris 011-33-01-40-76-45-00 salondumeuble.com 10-13...

FEDERATED'S NEW MACY'S TEAM INCLUDES EX-MAY EXECS.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Federated Department Stores' newly formed senior management team reflects the integration of its Macy's divisions and the acquisition of May Department Stores Co., with a number of May executives landing...

POKER PHASE.(Influence of poker on Home furnishings industry)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Michael D. Devine The renewed craze for the game of poker, and gaming in general, has reached dizzying heights across the land. With dedicated television shows, Internet games and more, it stands to reason that the passion for the...

PIER-ING INTO THE FUTURE.(natural disasters and gas prices led to decline in housing)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Arnold J. Karr It's official-2005, with its natural disasters and high gas prices, is over. Welcome to 2006, a year so fraught with uncertainty as to make prognostication pointless. Of course, it's tempting to get a bit gloomy...

SAM'S CLUB, COSTCO LUXE ASSORTMENTS DIFFER VASTLY.(Costco Wholesale Corp.)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Sam's Club)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini MEDFORD, N.Y.-The warehouse club stores here may be selling a lot of similar products in bulk, but when it comes to home textiles, Sam's Club and Costco have vastly different assortments of luxury products. ...

SUPPLIERS KEEP CAREFUL WATCH ON SPREAD OF AVIAN FLU.(marketing of bedding products)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The recent outbreak of avian flu in Asia has not negatively impacted supply and demand of down and feather bedding products here in the United States. But suppliers said they are carefully monitoring any...

PILING ON SUCCESS.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Broadloom vendors finished the year with a collective smile. Executives said the category had a very satisfying year, and they are looking to this month's Surfaces show to kick off an even stronger cycle....

UTTERMOST TO ENTER FIXTURE BUSINESS.
January 2, 2006... NEW YORK-Uttermost is looking to fix a place for itself in the lighting business. Less than four years after its introduction of lamps under the Uttermost Lighting name, the company will introduce lighting fixtures during the Dallas...

METEORIC MULTIMEDIA.(big-screen television)(Brief article)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Karl Kunkel HIGH POINT, N.C.-Sales of flat-screen televisions have enjoyed a meteoric rise this past year. And with those sales come purchases of TV stands and entertainment centers on which to display them. According to a...

HI, RESOLUTION; HFN ASKS EXECUTIVES WHAT THEIR HOPES AND GOALS ARE FOR 2006.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan, Contributions from Sharyn Bernard and Thyra Porter NEW YORK-A new year means a new start. Whether it's quit smoking, lose weight or some other goal, it's been an annual tradition since the days of ancient...

DYSON U.S. PRESIDENT EAGER TO KEEP PAST SUCCESSES ROLLING.(Gordon Thom)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan NEW YORK-The new president of Dyson U.S., who takes the helm of the American branch of the U.K. vacuum cleaner company at the start of 2006, said his biggest challenge is finding ways "of keeping that...

RUBBERMAID RECONFIGURES, EXPANDS ITS CLOSET ORGANIZATION LINE.(Rubbermaid Inc's home product line and consumer branding campaign)
January 2, 2006... Byline: Sharyn Bernard ATLANTA-Rubbermaid Home Products has revamped and expanded its Configurations line of closet organization systems to include more accessories and to sell at a lower price point. The plan is part of Rubbermaid's...

REPORTS: HOME PRODUCTS PUSH HOLIDAY SALES.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Consumers have looked to the home for the holidays this year. According to some sales reports, home products have been strong drivers of holiday sales this season. SpendingPulse, an affiliate of...

QUICK RATIOS SHOW LEANER BALANCE SHEETS FOR RETAILERS IN RECENT QUARTER.
January 2, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-The quick ratio is considered the acid test of a company's liquidity and balance sheet strength. Based on this measure, the top home furnishings retailers are slightly less liquid on paper than last year....

THE HFN STOCK INDEX.(Brief article)
January 2, 2006... Retailers partly dragged down the HFN Index, slipping 0.91 percent for the Dec. 22 to 29 period. Wal-Mart, which projected a 2 to 4 percent December same-store sales increase, slid 2.30 percent to $47.48 for the period. Linens 'n Things served...

HOMEPAGE: A LOOK AHEAD...TEN YEARS AGO...QUESTION OF THE WEEK.
January 2, 2006... A LOOK AHEAD Retailers will release December same-store sales on Jan. 5. Helen of Troy will report its third-quarter earnings on Jan. 9. Advance monthly retail sales for December will be released by the U.S. Commerce Department's...

ATLANTA ON THEIR MINDS.(Home Furnishings Marketing)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... The hot spot for buyers is the winter edition of the Gift & Home Furnishings Market. Caption(s): 1 Mocha cups from Alessi / 2 Department 56's Baseball Stadiums / 3 Grand Baroque alternative metal serveware and giftware from Wallace / 4...

LOTS OF LUXE HELPS LIFT RETAILERS' COMP SALES.(sales of home furnishing industry)(gift-card sales)(Industry overview)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick, Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Home furnishings retailers' same-store sales in December were partly boosted by the luxury retail and wholesale channels. Home retailers logged a 2.3 percent total average same-store sales...

A LOOK AHEAD...A LOOK BACK...QUESTION OF THE WEEK.
January 9, 2006... A LOOK AHEAD Monthly wholesale sales and inventories for November will be released by the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau on Jan. 10. The nation's balance of trade, showing imports versus exports for November 2005, will be...

TRADE SHOW FEVER.
January 9, 2006... The January trade show calendar is as busy as ever. New features and events provide added excitement for the 2006 versions. Heimtextil Jan. 11-14 Frankfurt AM Main Frankfurt, Germany Heimtextil recognizes its 36th year with...

HFNDEX: HOME RETAILERS RAISE VIEWS OF ECONOMY.(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Nathan Weber NEW YORK-Retailers of home furnishings revised upward their evaluation of the economy in the fourth quarter of 2005, ending a trend that began with the fourth quarter of the prior year. The exclusive HFNdex, which...

THE HFN STOCK INDEX.(Stock price indexes & its Forecasts and trends)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Retailers led the HFN Index's downward slide, as the group declined 2.16 percent for the Dec. 29 to Jan. 5 period. Kohl's weighed down the sector, falling 9.98 percent to close at $43.94 on news that it lowered its upcoming earnings and sales...

NEWS: SUPERCENTER RETAILER MEIJER....THE WORLD MARKET CENTER...TEX-STYLES INDIA 2006.
January 9, 2006... RETAIL SUPERCENTER RETAILER MEIJER has named Mark Murray its future president. Murray, currently president of Grand Valley State University and a member of Meijer's board of directors, will join the company at the end of the academic year...

DAN RIVER ACQUIRED BY INDIA-BASED MANUFACTURER GHCL.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-GHCL Ltd., an Indian manufacturer and distributor of inorganic chemicals, has taken control of Dan River, maker of Martha Stewart bedding products and the third-largest domestic mill in the United States...

THE SHADE OF THINGS TO COME.(works of fashion designers: Michael Vollbracht and Lela Rose)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Spring '06 is shaping up to be a season of toned-down, more muted colors, according to Leatrice Eiseman of the Pantone Color Institute. Pantone's Fashion Color Report surveys top American fashion designers on the color picks for their upcoming...

THE MEGA-MERCHANTS OF MAJOR APPLIANCES.(Lowe's Companies Inc.)(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(The Home Depot Inc.)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick Major Shifts NEW YORK-The major appliance retail landscape is in a state of flux as home improvement retailers and specialty players wrestle to gain market share from longtime leader Sears, which has recently...

OUT WITH THE HOME-HUM.(trends of Home furnishings stores)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Arnold J. Karr As things worked out, 2005 ended quite nicely. There was no major end-of-the-year retail meltdown, as has been the case in years past when, for instance, Montgomery Ward failed to make it to New Year's Day. ...

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT RELAXES 51 PERCENT RULE FOR HEIMTEXTIL.(United States. Department of Commerce rule for Heimtextil)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-The U.S. Department of Commerce said that starting at this week's Heimtextil show, it is relaxing its rule for U.S. companies to exhibit at its pavilion. While U.S. pavilion exhibitors must continue to...

MANUFACTURERS PONDER QUOTA COST ON TOWELS.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Suppliers that want to buy towels from China may now pay 20 cents to 25 cents more per item. Chinese manufacturers said the nation's government awarded a big portion of the quota rights to large mills...

FARIBAULT MILLS HAS HEIMTEX COVERED.(Faribault Woolen Mill Co.)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Faribault Mills is introducing three types of blankets at Heimtextil this week, where it will exhibit at the U.S. Department of Commerce pavilion for the fourth time. Mike Harris chairman, president and...

COMPANY C GOES ON SANTA FE TRAIL.(agreement with Museum of New Mexico)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-Company C has signed a licensing agreement with the Museum of New Mexico Foundation to develop a collection of rugs, bedding and pillows. The source of inspiration for the products, which will debut...

KARASTAN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PARTNER ON NEW LINE.(National Trust for Historic Preservation)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Karastan has a new licensing partner in The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the non-profit organization dedicated to saving America's diverse historic places. Branded as Design in America-The...

SURFACES EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR FREE EXHIBITS, DISCOUNTS.
January 9, 2006... Time is running out to register for free exhibits admission and discounted pricing for the conference program at Surfaces 2006. The show's organizer has extended the deadline to Jan. 11, due to what it called "overwhelming response." With...

QUOIZEL TURNS THE SPOTLIGHT ON CHANGE FOR '06.(Quoizel's lighting equipment introdution)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict NEW YORK-Quoizel steps into the new year with changes at its helm and a new campaign to move the company into the future. Effective Jan. 2, Todd Phillips resigned as president of the family-run company, passing the...

CHINA'S EXPORT STATUS IMPACTS U.S. LANDSCAPE.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Nathan Weber NEW YORK-When several large furniture manufacturers, including La-Z-Boy and Bassett, announced in 2004 that they were shutting large-scale plants, thereby dismissing hundreds of employees, they pointed to one...

REPORT: FURNITURE SALES TO GROW FASTER IN '06.(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... NEW YORK-Furniture sales should grow at a faster pace in 2006 than during the past few years, owing largely to the growth of real disposable income, according to a newly released report by a leading furniture research organization. Aktrin...

BUYING TIME.(Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor, Allison Zisko contributed to this report. NEW YORK-While the big gift-shopping season has just ended for consumers, retailers and manufacturers are embarking on theirs at the Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings...

ATLANTA'S WINTRY MIX.(Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor NEW YORK-While some manufacturers are taking the opportunity at next week's Atlanta Gift & Home Furnishings Market in the AmericasMart Atlanta to showcase new product categories, such as Gien with its candles;...

NEW GOALS FOR MANUFACTURERS IN THE NEW YEAR.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor NEW YORK-Whether it is entering new product categories, pushing established ones or simply building business, manufacturers are entering the new year with hopes to meet certain goals in 2006. Below are just a...

CASABELLA, REAL SIMPLE OUTLINE THE BENEFITS OF NEW PARTNERSHIP.(Casabella Home and Garden Decor and Real Simple Magazine)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Sharyn Bernard ATLANTA-Casabella and Real Simple magazine's licensing deal, under which Casabella will produce a line of cleaning products under the Real Simple brand name, fulfills two goals: Casabella can gain inroads with...

NPD SHOWS SLOW COOKERS GROWING FAST IN THE KITCHEN.(market research of appliances)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan NEW YORK-Slow cookers and food steamer/rice cooker appliances were among the fastest-growing kitchen appliance categories last fall, according to The NPD Group. The market research firm found that slow...

GOURMET CATALOG STILL CARVING INDEPENDENTS'.(Interview)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan NEW YORK-Gourmet Catalog, a catalog service and buying group that has helped numerous independent specialty retailers stay competitive and profitable, is marking 25 years of business in 2006. Founded in...

ELECTROLUX REVAMPS EXECUTIVE STAFF.(appointments)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan NEW YORK-Electrolux Home Care Products has realigned three executives in the marketing, sales and product development areas of its business, giving each of them new titles that better reflect their existing...

DIRT DEVIL'S REACTION READY TO HIT THE FLOOR.(Kmart Holding Corp's new vacuum cleaner)(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Byline: Jessica Goldbogen Harlan NEW YORK-Dirt Devil's new Reaction vacuum cleaner, which launches exclusively in Kmart on Jan. 16, represents a new technological advance for the company as well as a step up in price point for the...

REPORT: SHAVING MARKET EXPECTED.(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... NEW YORK-Today's image-conscious metrosexual is helping to drive the shaving market, which may have reached $3.1 billion in 2005, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com. Packaged Facts...

ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN CITED IN CREDIT INDEX PLUNGE.(Credit Manager's Index )
January 9, 2006... Byline: Michael Rudnick NEW YORK-Manufacturers have suffered lately as the National Association of Credit Management Credit Manager's Index logged its lowest manufacturing sector results since August. The CMI's December manufacturing...

PILAR OF SOCIETY.(Brief article)
January 9, 2006... Design journalist extraordinaire Pilar Viladas of The New York Times has penned a new book on interiors. "Domesticities At Home With The New York Times" is an ode to all the stylish interiors loved by the Gray Lady. It was toasted recently at...

DERIAN DO.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Michael D. Devine The annual holiday party of designer John Derian is always a good time. Packed this year with great friends, it was a great way to wind down the holiday season. The prevailing look for the night was Nanook of the...

ENESCO RECEIVES AMENDMENT TO CREDIT FACILITY, ADDS TO BOARD.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Carla Webb O'Connor NEW YORK-Ending what was already a news-filled year for the company, Enesco received an amendment to its current U.S. credit facility with Fleet National Bank and LaSalle Bank N.A. late last month and named a...

A CENTURY OF PROGRESS FOR LIGHTING COMPANY.(Progress Lighting Inc.)
January 9, 2006... NEW YORK-These days, companies often harken back to their pasts when they've got an anniversary to celebrate. But what happens when the celebrant is a lighting firm and that process takes you back before electricity was part of the average...

TOTALLY DALLAS.
January 16, 2006... The lone-star state shines as the lighting industry descends upon Dallas. HFN's exclusive Totally Dallas section previews the bright ideas on display.

PIER 1 LOOKS TO SPRING AHEAD WITH MODERN MIX.(Pier 1 Imports Inc.)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Pier 1 Imports, battling sales and earnings declines, plans to sharpen its contemporary edge for spring with a look it has dubbed "modern craftsmanship," said Cary Turner, chief financial officer of the...

WILLIAMS-SONOMA TO CLOSE HOLD EVERYTHING BY YEAR'S END.(upscale storage retailer)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Nathan Weber NEW YORK-Williams-Sonoma Inc., the multi-unit housewares and home furnishings chain, will shut its Hold Everything division, an upscale storage retailer, and will transfer the product lines to its other units,...

THE HFN STOCK INDEX.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Manufacturers buoyed the HFN Index for the Jan. 5 to 12 period, rising 5.09 percent. Waterpik Technologies Inc.'s stock skyrocketed 27.72 percent to close at $27.28 following news that a private investor group is preparing to acquire the...

HFN HOME PAGE.(Calendar)
January 16, 2006... A Look ahead The Atlanta International Area Rug Market will be held at AmericasMart from Jan. 20 to 23. Costco's annual meeting will be held at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, Wash., on Jan. 25. Sales of newly built housing...

SPECIALTY HOME CEOS TALK STRATEGY AT CONFERENCE.(chief executive officers)
January 16, 2006... Byline: HFN Staff, Nathan Weber, Michael Rudnick and Barbara Thau contributed to this report. NEW YORK-Cost Plus will stoke its global flavor via its new World Market moniker, Williams-Sonoma will finesse niche merchandising of its spinoff...

QUICK TAKES.(retail trade)
January 16, 2006... RETAIL LINENS 'N THINGS said it has met the fourth-quarter sales requirements established by Apollo Management LLP for a merger with the investor group to proceed. The home furnishings retailer's sales for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31...

SUPER MARKETS.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Michael D. Devine The Dallas lighting and Atlanta rug markets are soon going to be in full swing for 2006. This year, buyers will have a wealth of contemporary designs to choose from across both classifications. Geometry seems to...

NEW SAKS CEO MULLS PARISIAN SALE TO LIFT FIFTH AVENUE CHAIN.
January 16, 2006... Byline: Barbara Thau NEW YORK-Saks. Inc. is intent on unlocking the value of its $700 million Parisian specialty department store chain-which could mean a sale of the company-to nurture its core asset: the tony, yet underperforming, Saks...

TRADE SHOW CALENDAR.(Calendar)
January 16, 2006... january 16-22 Imm Cologne The International Furniture Fair Koelnmesse Cologne, Germany 011-773-326-9920 imm-cologne.com 17-19 Direction International Textile Design Show Spring 2007 Collections Penn...

TOTALLY DALLAS.
January 16, 2006... A Total Guide to the January 2006 Dallas Lighting and Accessories Market

THE HEART OF TEXAS.(Dallas International Lighting and Accessories Market)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict Welcome to Totally Dallas, HFN's semiannual comprehensive overview of this week's Dallas International Lighting & Accessories Market. Featuring special events, seminars and training sessions chock full of...

REFINED ELEGANCE.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict 'Tis the season for old Hollywood glamour. Rubies, jewels and crystal accents are embellishing lighting fixtures, and designers are holding nothing back. Shed a gleam of grandeur with these vintage-inspired...

NATURAL INSTINCTS.(lighting and drawing inspiration from nature)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict DESIGNERS ARE USHERING IN A NEW CROP of lighting and drawing inspiration from nature. Meandering vines, calming colors and unruly husk-style embellishments achieve a natural and relaxed ambience. Caption(s): 1...

TWO-STEPPING AROUND TOWN TO CATCH THE EVENTS.(Calendar)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict Good Morning Buyers Breakfast Wednesday through Sunday, Jan. 18-22 8:30 a.m. World Trade Center, Trade Mart, IFGC and all F!NDS locations Get going at market with complimentary Krispy Kreme donuts and...

ROBB & STUCKY'S LUBNER TO RECEIVE ACADEMY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.(Clive Lubner)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Nathan Weber NEW YORK-Clive Lubner, chief executive officer of upscale furniture retailer Robb & Stucky Interiors, will receive the Academy Achievement Award, given by the Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team. ...

GLASS MENAGERIE.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict RUNNING THE GAMUT FROM ETCHED and patterned to colored and textured, glass once again proves to be a transforming medium with endless possibilities. Designers are taking note and presenting an array of lighting...

WILD, WILD WEST.(wagon wheel-styled bases and decorative uplights)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Kelly Benedict LIGHTING DESIGNERS ARE BRINGING A TOUCH of the American wild west to new designs, featuring wagon wheel-styled bases and decorative uplights radiating off the "spokes." Whether it's a traditional, contemporary or...

SHED A LITTLE LIGHT.(specialty stores' sales results)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Arnold J. Karr It just so happened that December's so-so comparable-store sales results came out just as the staff of HFN was gearing up for this edition's Totally Dallas section, with its focus on lighting. The two concepts...

MARSHALL FIELD'S ANGELA ADAMS BEDDING LINE TO BOW.
January 16, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-Marshall Field's will add the Angela Adams bedding and decorative accessories line to its offerings starting on Jan. 27. Heidi Dierking, spokeswoman of Marshall Field's, said that the line is an...

LEARNING CURVE.(Savannah College of Art and Design)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Leticia Leizens NEW YORK-A team of students at the Savannah College of Art and Design have created a contemporary line of decorative home products that will be showcased at the upcoming New York International Gift Fair, Jan. 29 to...

SOUTHERN COMFORT.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Welcome back to Atlanta. As ever, the year kicks off in Atlanta for the floor covering industry with the International Area Rug Market, the show insiders maintain is "the" market for this business. With...

VENDORS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT MARKET PROSPECTS.(Atlanta International Rug Market )
January 16, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-The outlook from vendors attending the Atlanta International Rug Market this week is positive and upbeat, despite some signs of a slowing economy. Mark Ferullo, vice president of 828 International...

SPRING IS IN THE AIR.(Atlanta International Area Rug Market)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-New designs and collections ready for the Atlanta International Area Rug Market this week are acting as harbingers of the warmer weather that lies ahead in the coming season. Designers anticipated the soft...

ANIMAL MAGNETISM.(Atlanta International Area Rug Market)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-They're coming from places far and wide-the great forest, the family farm and the deep blue sea. But one thing is certain: Animals of all kinds have made a place for themselves in the introductions for this...

ALL FIRED UP.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Fiery reds and oranges are powering up the season's introductions. While reds have long been strong, these bold hues infuse the spirit of sunlight and add warmth to a given setting. Many current designs are...

AMERICASMART'S MUSEUM OF INTRODUCTIONS MAKES RETURN ENGAGEMENT.(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-For the second time, AmericasMart Atlanta will open MOI: The Museum of Introductions, a showcase of area rug innovation and design, at the Atlanta International Rug Market. MOI, originally known as...

SOFT STAPLE.(home decors)(Brief Article)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Quail NEW YORK-Rich yet basic, ivory serves up a perfect backdrop for many of today's patterns, managing to emphasize the crispness of a line and help to keep it soft all at once. Many a traditional pattern is well-served...

NOURISON RESTRUCTURES KLEIN LINE FOR THE MASSES.(Calvin Klein area rugs)
January 16, 2006... Byline: Rosamaria Mancini NEW YORK-Four years after Nourison introduced its collection of Calvin Klein area rugs, the company said it has made the adjustments it deemed necessary to take the line from being an exclusive player in the...

THIS WEEK IN ATLANTA...(home furnishings)
January 16, 2006... CAPEL RUGS unveils four collections at the market and makes additions to existing lines as well. The new collections are the braided Honeycomb, making its debut in the capel kidz collection; Pebbles, hand-knotted in India of 100 percent New...