July 5,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on July 6, 2012
The Sustainable Furnishings Council will host a free Sustainability Essentials webinar at noon (EDT), Monday, July 16.
This one-hour webinar provides a grounding in the environmental issues related to home furnishings, including the factual basis for climate change, problems with indoor air quality, toxic waste, and water conservation. Source documents are public records such as the U.N. IPCC 4th Assessment Report and the U.S. EPA, translated from technical jargon into easily understood concepts with common references all explicitly linked to the home furnishings industry.
Content also includes a synopsis of GREENleaders, the industry first certified sustainability training course. This webinar is intended to give participants useful information they can begin using in their business immediately as well as answer any questions about getting the most out of SFC membership and participating in the full exam program to receive credentials as a local expert in green furnishings.
To reserve a seat at the webinar, follow this link.
July 5,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on July 6, 2012
Bedding industry non-profit WorldBed will launch Project Beds for America at the upcoming Las Vegas Furniture Market.
WorldBed will debut its newly designed Shelter Bed and donate up to 2,000 of these mattresses to homeless shelters across Las Vegas as part of the launch.
While we will continue to answer the call of those in need around the world, Project Beds for America puts an emphasis on helping those here in the U.S. who do not have a proper bed to sleep in, said WorldBed President Laura Castro. Project Beds for America will streamline our efforts domestically to provide mattresses to homeless shelters and other facilities where people are impacted by poverty, disaster or conflict.
WorldBed is working with the state of Nevada, the city of Las Vegas, local chapters of the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities and other local charities to distribute its goal of 2,000 mattresses to six shelters around Las Vegas during the summer Market. These shelters serve the estimated 44,000 homeless men, women and children in the city.
The Las Vegas community is very thankful for Project Beds for America, and we are honored to be the launch city for this national initiative, said Major Robert Lloyd, Clark County Coordinator for The Salvation Army. During the hot summer months and year-round, the need for beds in our shelters is critical, and these mattresses will be a tremendous asset for those who use our services.
In conjunction with the unveiling of Project Beds for America, WorldBed will introduce its new Shelter Bed, a modified twin-size mattress suitable for bunk beds in transitional living shelters, such as facilities that offer work-training programs. The Shelter Beds will also be used in some residential settings, such as converted hotels and apartments where homeless individuals and families are housed temporarily.
The Shelter Beds feature an easy-to-clean, water-resistant medical-grade nylon covering, a vinyl underside and an anti-bacterial foam core. The sides are sealed to resist bed bugs and reduce cross contamination. Because of the materials and design, the Shelter Bed does not require a mattress cover, which saves a significant expense for the shelters.
The shelters are grateful that WorldBed has created the Shelter Bed to fit their existing frames, said Castro. "Currently there are a dozen or more styles and sizes of mattresses in the citys shelters which did not always fit the frames at the shelters. These old mattresses will be replaced by uniform Shelter Beds."
As part of Project Beds for America, WorldBed will also donate traditional World Beds, which can be placed on cots or directly on the floor and rolled up for storage, to be utilized in emergency situations such as during times of extreme weather, when the shelters have an overflow of homeless people seeking temporary lodging.
While WorldBed has expanded its mission to reach U.S. homeless shelters, it will continue to aid victims of disaster around the world and across America, such as it did in March 2012, when WorldBed shipped more than 500 World Beds to the Midwest and South after devastating storms displaced thousands of U.S. residents.
WorldBed will officially announce the launch of Project Beds for America at a reception at Market at a space donated by World Market Center, C-1096, on Tuesday, July 31, 5-8 p.m. WorldBed will also host an exhibit during Market at the Specialty Sleep Association showroom at C-1350 where representatives from the non-profit will be available to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
"We enthusiastically support the efforts of Project Beds for America as a wonderful opportunity for World Market Center and the participants at Market to give back to the Las Vegas community," said Dana Andrew, vice president of global marketing and communications for International Market Centers, owner of WMCLV. "The city has been a fantastic host to the Market, and we are glad to see residents of Las Vegas benefit from this worthy cause."
WorldBed, founded by industry leaders in 2005 to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina, has steadily expanded its purpose of giving mattresses to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. In 2012, WorldBed reached the milestone of 30,000 beds delivered throughout the world, across the U.S and in Japan, Haiti, Pakistan, Africa, and Chile. Soon WorldBed will also provide its first shipments into Vietnam and Lebanon.
WorldBed is funded primarily by donations from the home furnishings industry, including manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and individuals.
A growing list of local, national and international charity partners, including community groups and churches, The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and global non-government organizations, such as World Vision, CARE, Giving Children Hope, World Hope and Mercy Ships have helped WorldBed to advance its mission by providing resources and channels of distribution.
July 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Financial Reports on July 5, 2012
Bassett Furniture Inds. (NASDAQ: BSET) reported second-quarter 2012 sales of $67.5 million, up 1.8 percent from same the prior-year period.
Company-owned store delivered sales increased 12.6 percent in the second quarter, with a 7.9 percent increase from the 43 comparable stores.
Bassett received a $9 million cash distribution from U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the second quarter, which was the final distribution due the Company as part of the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000. As a result, the company recorded net income of $8 million in the period.
"Our second quarter was highlighted by an overall sales increase and an increase in consolidated operating profit," said Robert H. Spilman Jr., president and chief executive officer. "Perhaps more significantly, our Corporate Retail Division generated its first ever operating profit. Moving forward, we will continue to vigorously pursue our strategies designed to grow the Company through sales to our store network, independent accounts, and our new partnership with HGTV. Although it is difficult to gauge the strength of the overall economy at the moment, we are encouraged by the improved traffic in our Bassett Home Furnishings (BHF) stores and by our efforts to increase our business with independent furniture retailers. We believe that our strong balance sheet in conjunction with our service levels in both our domestically produced and imported products are enabling us to take market share."
Click here for the complete Bassett Furniture second-quarter release.
July 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on July 5, 2012
Reclaimed teak furniture vendor Groovystuff will feature a new collection from student designer Abigail Buchanan at the July 30-August 3 Las Vegas Furniture Market.
The Enclosure Collection by Abigail Buchanan, one of the many new Groovystuff products aimed at providing retailers with designs to fill the trend gap between emerging young adults and established consumers, will be on display at the vendor's showroom, World Market Center, B-0146.
Buchanan is pursuing a degree in Interior Architecture at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. After graduation she plans to pursue a career in the field of visual displays and temporary installations.
"The Enclosure Collection focuses on the use of rectilinear planes intersected by the curvature of reclaimed teak logs," Buchanan said. "Inspired by the natural beauty of the teak, this table cradles the branches, further highlighting and showcasing the beauty of the teak. The contrasting iron frame wraps around the table top, suspending the wood and further accentuation the wood's natural beauty."
July 3,
2012 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in on July 4, 2012
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z6768962238&z=1600249512
LEFT: Tuscan Alley recently opened at 301 U.S. 41 S. in Ruskin. The store features furniture, art and home decor and accessories. RIGHT: Remember this building? It used to be blue with lavender trim before Terry Trekas did renovations to bring the Tuscan Alley to Ruskin.
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