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

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

The Yule log: there were stars that lit up retail registers ...(news)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Colin Cowie barware, Dirt Devil Kone vacs and micro-fiber throws--these were a few of their favorite things. That's what a chorus of retailers, who emphasized gift items more than ever this holiday season, said about their...

... But home was pretty ho-ho hum.(the markets: business & finance)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Home was not necessarily the place for the holidays. Home furnishings was one of the weakest categories for the holiday season, The International Council of Shopping Centers' chief economist and director of research Michael...

A look ahead.(home page)
January 1, 2007... The producer price index for December will be released by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics on Jan. 17. Maison & Objet will be held at Pads Nord-Villepinte in Paris from Jan. 26 to 30. Dillard's will report its...

A look back.(home page)
January 1, 2007... Nineteen years ago this week, HFD readers learned what it took to be a successful importer of Oriental rugs. "You have to enjoy the whole process," explained John Gregorian, a family member of one of the nation's largest hand-woven rug...

Home portfolio/HFN index.(home page)
January 1, 2007... What consumers and designers are searching for at HomePortfolio. corn (for HFN categories, November '06). Top 10 Furniture Searches 1. Console Tables 2. Fireplace Screens 3. Wall Units 4. Armoires 5. Bar Cabinets ...

The HFN stock index.(home page)
January 1, 2007... Manufacturers and retailers nearly mirrored the broader Dow Jones Industrial Average gain for the Dec. 21 to 28 period, both reporting approximately 0.66 percent increases. Applica led manufacturers with a 19.70 percent gain to close at $7.96....

Penney's new home GMM outlines growth plans.(news)
January 1, 2007... PLANO, Texax -- Jeffrey Allison, Charlie Chinni's successor, is looking to protect the retailer's hard-earned market share while steering the business through its next growth phase. Allison, who was named on Dec. 1, is sot on building up...

Pizzuto named HFN publisher/sales, Colangelo's responsibilities grow.(news)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Rob Pizzuto has been Named publisher/sales for HFN, responsible for working with the sales team to further develop advertising business at HFN and its related supplements and special issues. Pizzuto joined HFN in 2000 and,...

Top brands change hands during 2006.(news)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- In the history of home products, the year 2006 may well go down as watershed for the number of major brands sold or otherwise changing hands. Amana, Jenn-Air, Maytag, Hoover and Springmaid are only a few of the top names among home...

Launch site: new products at CES show influence of iPod and 1080p technology.(news)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- High-resolution 1080p technology televisions and the ever-popular iPod are both top of mind when it comes to new product launches at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Apple iPod's...

Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2007... january 8-11 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 cesweb.org 10-13 Tupelo Furniture Market 1879 N. Coley Road Tupelo, Miss. (662) 842-4442 ...

The 12 myths of Christmas.(opinions: home alone 2)
January 1, 2007... It ain't over till it's over is the way Rocky Balboa puts it, but when you're talking about the Christmas selling season, he misses the point by a mile. It's one of the dozen misconceptions, irrational appraisals and downright stupid...

Design inspiration.(trends)
January 1, 2007... From Nike to the Nano to Narciso Rodriguez to NASA, the "National Design Triennial: Design Life Now" exhibit now open at the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in New York, celebrates the most innovative in...

Down to the wire: shoppers fine bargains at retail when buying last-minute gifts.(the markets: textiles)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- According to a survey in mid-December from the National Retail Federation, 15 percent of shoppers, or more than 33 million consumers, were waiting until the last minute to do their holiday shopping. ...

Flammability issue continues to burn bedding industry.(the markets: textiles)
January 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- California has historically been at the forefront of consumer safety regulation. But its latest efforts to require flammability standards in the bedding industry have ignited controversy. In a letter to The New York Times in...

Milliken enters "Real World": the company provided carpet and broadloom products used on the MTV show, which is located in Denver.(the markets: floor covering)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DENVER -- Milliken provided more than 9,000 square feet of carpet panel and broadloom products for the current season of "The Real World: Denver," which airs on MTV. The company said it was pleased to be chosen for...

Flooring America raises $65,000 for heart promo.(the markets: floor covering)
January 1, 2007... MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Flooring America presented the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement with a check for $65,099.28, the result of a month-long fundraising promotion, its first for the benefit of the organization. A...

Bright future for young designers.(the markets: floor covering)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHICAGO -- Design students at the Harrington College of Design here competed not only for cash, but for the opportunity to see their concepts come to life in a Nepalese rug design competition sponsored by their...

A niche in time: with everybody entering the category, marketing luxury mattresses takes savvy strategy.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
January 1, 2007... ATLANTA -- Everybody's jumping into luxury bedding. But with so much competition, they've got to know their partners. "Luxury has been a trend for several years," said Gerry Borreggine, president of TheraPedic. "But niche marketing is...

An entertaining option: with more consumers staying in for fun, the casual industry is taking off.(CASUAL ENTERTAINING REPORT)
January 1, 2007... YOU CAN OFFICIALLY DISMISS THE butler and wait-staff. Casual entertaining is here to stay. At a time when the tabletop category as a whole is suffering through flat sales, the casual dining segment is growing, according to HFN statistics....

A down-to-earth approach: more basic hues, as well as an emphasis on hand-painted products, are standing out.(CASUAL ENTERTAINING REPORT)
January 1, 2007... EARTH-TONE HUES AND ORGANIC shapes are among some of the continuing trends in casual entertaining products next year, along with a stronger interest in hand-painted items. Younger consumers also have a strong influence over style direction, as...

NPD ranks top brands, patterns, January-June 2006.
January 1, 2007... ALTHOUGH IT IS VERY HARD to distinguish by register ring what tabletop products sold at retail are for entertaining purposes, NPD's lists of the top 10 housewares dinnerware, stainless-steel flatware and glass beverageware brands sold in the...

What's cooking in the kitchen: a new survey finds that the room is the new 'hub' for upper-income households.(the markets: housewares)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- A woman's place is still in the kitchen, according to upper-income women in a new survey released by Hearst Integrated Media. Almost two-thirds of them define their kitchens, with satisfaction, as the "hub" of their homes, and...

Bloomingdale's BlinQ line brings a little color into the kitchen.(the markets: housewares)
January 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- For consumers who want to add color to their kitchens, Bloomingdale's recently introduced its latest private-label cookware line to stores nationwide and on theweddingchannel. com. Called BlinQ, the line "is targeted toward a...

Williams-Sonoma's target lawsuit seeks to shield its brand image.(the markets: business & finance)
January 1, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO -- Williams-Sonoma is as mad as hell, and is not going to take it anymore. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The specialty retailer's move last month to sue trendy discounter Target for chronically copying its home product designs...

Pouring it on.(hf/end)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caffeine was not hard to come by in New York at Nespresso's opening party last month for its first North American boutique, which was filled with people welcoming it to Madison Avenue. The maker of pre-portioned...

It's in the cards.(hf/end)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Domino magazine and the New York Design Center hosted A Full House Beats All, a charity poker party benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities. A slew of well-known designers showed up at the Profiles and Odegard...

After the $210m man: rebuilding depot morale.(news)
January 8, 2007... ATLANTA -- Bob Nardelli may be most remembered for his $210 million exit package, but the ex-chief executive officer is leaving Home Depot in a stronger position than when he arrived six years ago. Still, Frank Blake, incoming chairman and...

HFNdex: retail confidence falls in 4th qtr.(news)
January 8, 2007... NEW YORK -- Confidence in the economy among retail executives, especially those specializing in furniture and mattresses, declined in the fourth quarter, dropping more than five points as the HFNdex slid to 50--the exact midpoint between...

A look ahead.(home page)
January 8, 2007... The Dallas International Lighting & Accessories Market will be held at the Dallas Market Center from Jan. 18 to 22. The Consumer Price Index for December will be released by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics on Jan. 18....

A look back.(home page)
January 8, 2007... Fifty-one years ago this week, a consumer in High Point, N.C., introduced a kind of self-service to the furniture industry. Backing his truck next to Howard Carpet Co.'s warehouse loading platform on North Main Street, he loaded a "dresser with...

Mediums.(home page)
January 8, 2007... West Elm's new spring catalog dropped, playing up the theme of "bold neutrals" in everything from furniture to tabletop and storage items. The 108-page book from the Williams-Sonoma spin-off chain includes items such as bamboo bath accessories,...

The HFN stock index.(home page)
January 8, 2007... Retailers led HFN Stock Index gains for the Dec. 28 to Jan. 4 period with a 1.87 percent increase. Dollar General topped the group with a 5.89 percent increase to close at $16.90 on news of a 7.1 percent December same-store sales gain....

Last-minute holiday shopping, gift cards help December sales.(news: quick takes)
January 8, 2007... NEW YORK -- Santa Claus put in some overtime this past season, as last-minute holiday shopping and gift cards helped lift retail same-store sales for December in the face of challenging unseasonably warm weather. Among the 22 retailers...

Correction.(Correction notice)
January 8, 2007... A caption in HFend, Jan. 1 issue of HFN, misidentified Nespresso executives. It should have read that Nespresso's Gerhard Berssenbrugge was on the left and Frederic Levy in the center, speaking with actor Michael Nouri.

J.C. Penney.(RETAIL)
January 8, 2007... J.C. PENNEY said it would revert to the executive management and reporting structure that was in place 18 months ago, prior to the employment of Catherine West as chief operating officer. West, who was terminated recently, oversaw the...

Hanover Direct.(RETAIL)
January 8, 2007... HANOVER DIRECT minority shareholders Glenn Freedman and L.I.S.T. Inc. filed an amended complaint related to Chelsey Direct LLC's proposed acquisition of the company. The amended complaint alleges, among other things, that "the consideration in...

Shaw Living.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... JEFF MEADOWS, a division vice president for Shaw Living, has left the company. Meadows joined Shaw in 1982 and helped guide his division's expansion and transformation from Shaw Rugs to Shaw Living. No further details were available at press...

Nambe.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... ROBERT VARAKIAN, a former lighting and housewares executive, has been named president of Nambe. Daniel Hillenbrand, currently director of Nambe's board, served as acting president of the company prior to Varakian's appointment. Varakian, who...

Demdaco.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... DEMDACO, a giftware and home accents company, has signed a letter of intent to acquire Silvestri, a giftware company, from eToys Direct Inc. The deal is expected to close by the end of the month. Financial terms were not disclosed. EToys...

International Furnishings & Design Association.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... SUSAN HIRSCH, president of the International Furnishings & Design Association's New York chapter, has been appointed to a second term.

Kreiss.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... KREISS announced that tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf will appear at the upcoming Las Vegas Market to debut a collection of furniture from high-end Kreiss for dining room, living room and poolside.

Simmons Bedding.(THE MARKETS)
January 8, 2007... SIMMONS BEDDING and Thomasville Furniture Industries have signed an agreement to offer the new Beautyrest Thomasville Limited Edition collection exclusively to Thomasville stores, beginning this month. The line will become the singular mattress...

Trade show calendar.(Calendar)
January 8, 2007... january 8-11 International Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas (866) 233-7968 cesweb.org 10-13 Tupelo Furniture Market 1879 N. Coley Road Tupelo, Miss. (662) 842-4442 ...

New year's non-resolutions.(opinions: home alone 2)
January 8, 2007... A week into 2007 and it's probably sale to say that most of us have already broken any well-intentioned but utterly unrealistic resolutions we may have made in the heat of an auld-lang-syne-induced bout of introspection last Sunday night. ...

European working vacation.(top story)
January 8, 2007... All eyes, and planes, seem to go across the pond at this time of the year for the European shows. Trendwatchers of nearly every home furnishings category can look this month for the next big thing at Heimtextil, Domotex, IMM Cologne, MACEF,...

A market improvement: Heimtextil restructures to reflect changes in the industry.(the markets: textiles)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANKFURT, Germany -- Heimtextil 2007, slated for Jan. 10 to 13 here, continues to take an increasingly global view of the marketplace. While many U.S. companies have opted out of the show, the U.S.A. Pavilion...

U.S. exhibitors and visitors have mixed agenda at Heimtextil.(the markets: textiles)
January 8, 2007... FRANKFURT, Germany -- While Heimtextil remains a major player in the textiles market, many U.S. exhibitors and visitors will have a different agenda than in years past. The show, which used to be a major resource for American manufacturers to...

Coordinated effort: designer Angela Adams heads to the Atlanta gift market for the first time, and she has new coordinated products in tow.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Angela Adams has made the move to exhibit at the International Gift and Home Furnishings market here for the first time, citing the cross-category coordination of her products...

ProSource expands showroom format for urban areas.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... ST. LOUIS -- ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings is growing its new showroom concept designed for metropolitan markets. The company opened four such showrooms this year and is scheduled to open a fifth in Bellevue, Wash., in February 2007, with...

Vinings, Kapoor to unveil Nomadi hand-knotted line.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Vinings Imports Inc. and Kapoor Carpets of Jaipur, India, are set to unveil The Nomadi Collection, a new line of hand-knotted carpets. The collection, developed and produced by Kapoor, will be shown at...

Flooring, carpet demand on the rise.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... NEW YORK -- World demand for flooring and carpets is projected to climb 4.1 percent annually through 2010, according to "World Flooring & Carpets to 2010," a new study from The Freedonia Group Inc. This continual growth will find the market...

Home Comfort sweetens Jellybean accent line.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... ATLANTA -- Home Comfort will unveil an additional 20 designs to its Jellybean line of accent rugs here this month. The expanded collection will be on view at both the International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and the International Area Rug...

Natural flow.(the markets: floor covering)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- Soft, flowing designs featuring a variety of flora are managing to take different directions from each other this season. While some modern versions are going for contemporary pop with stylized florals...

Light at the museum.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DALLAS -- Kichler Lighting will unveil lighting inspired by treasures from the Smithsonian Institution and Cooper- Hewitt Museum at the International Lighting and Accessories Market which opens here Jan. 18. ...

Tupelo market set to open inaugural January show: Kichler Lighting will launch Smithsonian Institution lighting collection.(the markets: furniture & lighting)
January 8, 2007... TUPELO, Miss. -- The Tupelo Furniture Market, in its inaugural January edition, will open here on Wednesday, Jan. 10. In a special drawing during the show, one furniture retailer will win a new Hummer, and the hospitality and entertainment list...

Tennessee enterprises to move headquarters.(the markets: furniture)
January 8, 2007... CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- To better service its existing customers and new accounts, wood furniture importer Tennessee Enterprises Inc. wi11 move all operations under one roof next month, between the January Tupelo Furniture Market and High Point...

Odegard salutes designer Mathieu.(the markets: furniture)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stephanie Odegard, chief executive officer of Odegard, recently hosted a party at Odegard's New York Design Center showroom celebrating her company's collaboration with designer Paul Mathieu on furniture and lighting...

Atlanta gift show has something for everyone: retailers and manufacturers will gather for a first look at what's bold and innovative.(the markets: tabletop)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATLANTA -- The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, set for Jan. 9 to 17 at the AmericasMart, is the place where retailers go to see what's new and tabletop manufacturers exhibit their more gifty...

A whirlwind of activity: cyclonic bagless technology is making a sweeping impact on other manufacturers besides Dyson.(the markets: housewares)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Since James Dyson, inventor of the bagless cyclonic vacuum, popularized this higher-priced upright in the United States, a bevy of floor-care makers have been swept up in the cyclonic consumer frenzy. ...

'Desperate housewares' line matches characters' style.(the markets: housewares)
January 8, 2007... NEW YORK -- Fans of the television show "Desperate Housewives" will soon be able to add a little bit of Wisteria Lane to their homes--without all of the drama. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alfay Designs, a global producer of housewares, and...

Wine enthusiast to retail line of branded products.(the markets: housewares)
January 8, 2007... ELMSFORD, N.Y. -- Already well known for its retail catalog, Web site and Wine Enthusiast magazine, The Wine Enthusiast Cos. is now offering its branded wine products to other retailers, and will showcase its complete collection at the...

Black & Decker products clean up after holidays.(the markets: housewares)
January 8, 2007... NEW YORK -- Black & Decker is helping consumers clean up this post-holiday season, having experienced strong sales of key new cleaning products at mass, officials said. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Featured in national advertisements were...

Alcan's solar cooker benefits rural Indonesia.(the markets: housewares)
January 8, 2007... SINGEN, Germany -- Alcan, a leading global materials company, announced it is providing solar cookers and pans to 1,000 rural Indonesian families in the country's Banda Aceh region to help lessen the area's dependence on traditional sources of...

Oggi.(the markets: hfnew)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oggi extends its stainless-steel barware assortment with a new array of lustre colors, including red, black, bronze, blueberry, pink, purple, royal blue and green. Oggi's 14-inch serving tray, 3-quart double-walled...

Designstyles.(the markets: hfnew)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Designstyles' new shadowbox accent table, to be introduced at the Atlanta International Gift & Accessories Market, can serve as a showcase for favorite collectibles and family treasures. This table also has a...

Marc Newson.(the markets: hfnew)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dom Perignon has collaborated with designer Marc Newson to create a limited-edition ice bucket in the designer's signature neon-green color that stands 2 feet tall and holds a magnum of Dom Perignon. The...

Gaggenau.(the markets: hfnew)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gaggenau's Modular Refrigeration and Freezer Columns function independently, allowing for wide-open kitchen layout options. The modular units can be placed side by side or in separate areas of the kitchen. The...

Toastess.(the markets: hfnew)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Toastess' new Party Grill & Raclette can entertain up to eight people with its reversible non-stick grill plate for Swiss-style raclettes, grilling food and preparing fondue. The sides of the ridges are designed to...

Cleaning up.(hfend)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Good Housekeeping magazine hosted the 12th Annual Good Buy Awards at the Hearst Tower in New York, honoring the best new household products of 2007. Rosemary Ellis, the magazine's editor in chief, presented awards...

Design life now: National Design Triennial 2006.(read all about it)
January 8, 2007... From publisher Assouline comes the new book "Design Life Now: National Design Triennial 2006" by Barbara Bloemink. Published in conjunction with the latest Installment of the Triennial series, a Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum exhibition,...

Party in Pink.(hfend)
January 8, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BoConcept and KolDesign hosted the fourth annual Pink Christmas party on Dec. 19 at the newly opened BoConcept store in SoHo. A silent auction was held benefiting the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club, which...

Asian persuasion ran strong for American visitors at Heimtex.(news: quick takes)
January 15, 2007... FRANKFURT, Germany -- When the two high-power U.S. textiles executives got to a crossroads at the big Messe Frankfurt fairgrounds--to the left, the Asian exhibitors, to the right the Europeans--they didn't hesitate for a minute: They turned...

For CEOs, home is where the start is.(top story)
January 15, 2007... NEW YORK -- After graduating from Boston University in the mid-1960s, a young man named Allen took a job as a trainee in the home department of Abraham & Straus department stores. A few years later, another young man named Michael accepted...

A look ahead.(home page)
January 15, 2007... The New York Home Textiles Show will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion from Jan. 28 to 31. Consumer confidence for January will be released by the Conference Board on Jan. 30. Sears Holdings Corp. is expected to report its...

A look back.(home page)
January 15, 2007... Thirty-five years ago this week, housewares manufacturers were proclaiming that the nation's first serious oil and energy crisis, while generally harmful to the economy, actually signaled a boon to the industry. A story in HFD on Jan. 14,1974,...

Home portfolio/HFN index.(home page)
January 15, 2007... What consumers and designers are searching for at HomePortfolio. corn (for HFN categories, December 2006). Top 10 Furniture Searches 1. Console Tables 2. Wall Units 3. Bath Vanities 4. Armoires 5. Fireplace Screens...

The HFN stock index.(home page)
January 15, 2007... Manufacturers led HFN Stock Index gains for the Jan. 4 to 11 period with a 1.53 percent increase. La-Z-Boy topped the group with a 6.71 percent increase to close at $12.40. Last week the manufacturer announced its first line of outdoor...

Dollar general TV ads drive traffic, tell clearance story.(news)
January 15, 2007... GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. -- Dollar General is ready for its close-up. The 8,200-store chain launched its first network TV spot in nearly a decade, kicking off a new advertising campaign designed to drive traffic to stores and promote its new...

As Engel departs, Lenox looks to Pfefferle for operations fix.(news)
January 15, 2007... NEW YORK -- It was time to call in an operations expert at Lenox. Saddled with the excess inventory that accompanied the acquisition of Lenox Inc. and which slowed sales at its outlet stores, and hampered by delayed overseas shipments to...

Deb Evans.(RETAIL)
January 15, 2007... DEB EVANS, divisional vice president of product development, soft home, for J.C. Penney, has left the company to pursue other interests, a company spokesman said. Evans joined the retailer in 2002. J.C. Penney is currently seeking a successor...

Mattress Discounters.(RETAIL)
January 15, 2007... MATTRESS DISCOUNTERS, based in Upper Marlboro, Md., has agreed to purchase Mattress World, a mattress retailer based in Dover, N.H. The deal follows on Mattress Discounters' aggressive growth strategy from 2006, which involved the opening of 23...

The Zrike Co.(THE MARKETS)
January 15, 2007... THE ZRIKE CO. has named Gary Darwin vice president of sales. Darwin succeeds Jack Kurilla, who left the company. Darwin joins Zrike from Lifestyle Home, where he was vice president. Prior to that, he was owner of Cardinal Inc. He reports to...

La-Z-Boy.(THE MARKETS)
January 15, 2007... LA-Z-BOY announced the launch of its first line of casual, or outdoor, furniture. Under a licensing agreement with Brown Jordan International, a leading manufacturer, the collection will make its debut in Sam's Clubs in the United States and...