Daily News Archive
Brought to you by Home Furnishings Business
September 28,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on September 29, 2011
Home furnishings retail giant Ikea has powered up the solar energy system in its Covina, Calif. store.
The Covina store is Ikea's 12th completed solar energy project in the United States. Additional installations currently are underway at eight more locations in the Eastern U.S.
The 57,000-square-foot PV array consists of a 451-kW system, built with 2,002 panels. Ikea Covina's program will produce approximately 651,800 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 495 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 88 cars or powering 55 homes yearly, according to EPA clean energy equivalents.
For the development, design and installation of this customized solar power system, Ikea contracted with Gloria Solar, the U.S. operating group focused on the photovoltaic business within the family of E-Ton Solar Group. This project is the second Ikea installation in the 50,000-square-mile service area of Southern California Edison, the utility providing electric power to approximately 14 million people throughout Southern California.
"Our mission is to create a better everyday life for the many people, and at Ikea Covina, we just added to this effort," said Kristien Verbeke, Ikea Covina store manager. "A solar energy system will help reduce our store's carbon footprint and represents another investment toward our future in this community. We appreciate the continued support of the City of Covina, Southern California Edison, and Gloria Solar, our partners in this project."
September 28,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Business Strategy on September 29, 2011
In the quick-paced world of furniture retail, its all too easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Every decision and movement along the way determines the overall success or failure of your operation.
We're here to help.
Home Furnishings Business has teamed up with
FurnitureCore to put together a free webinar series with the purpose of gaining a better understanding of the many factors that impact the success of a retail operation. Join us for the first in the series Thursday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. The first presentation will focus on marketing.
Registration is free and available online.
The series will use a case study approach with fictitious company USAville Furniture as its subject. The first webinar will guide you through an analysis of the retailers market. In this webinar, youll learn:
* How the retailer compares to its competition in the buying process
* Consumer perceptions of the retail experience factors that they think matter most
* A quantitative approach that both amplifies and challenges the traditional qualitative from my experience mindset
The webinar series will continue with merchandising, advertising and finance and will conclude with operations.
September 28,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on September 29, 2011
Eco-friendly upholstery manufacturer Bkind3 has moved its High Point Furniture Market showroom to spaces 5E and 5J, Commerce & Design Building.
Bkind3, Concord, N.C., will exhibit there with Urbia Imports, which specializes in furniture crafted from reclaimed and re-purposed wood, as well as select plantation-grown resources.
Bkind3 founder and upholstery designer Carl Gustafson said the C&D Building is a perfect showcase for his company and Urbia Imports, since the complex attracts retailers and designers seeking original designs and sustainable products for their customers and clients.
"With Bkind3's focus on creating eco-friendly upholstery built by North Carolina craftsmen and the wonderful wood products that Urbia Imports produces, our shared showroom is a showcase for embracing a sustainable philosophy," Gustafson said. "The shared showroom also puts a spotlight on designs that fit together in a natural way because of the eco-friendly approach of each of our companies."
Bkind3's focus has been to produce well-styled, affordable seating and enable customers to make a conscious choice that is eco-friendly, green and sustainable; and to bring jobs back to North Carolina.
Bkind3's frames are PlyFrame harvested in U.S. SFI-certified forests. Seating is made in part with soy-based BiOH polyols that leave a smaller environmental footprint than the petroleum materials they replace. Bkind3 is a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
September 28,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on September 29, 2011
Dallas Market Center and the Accessories Resource Team have announced improvements to the ARTS Awards submission and judging process.
Judging now will include a panel of judges, a peer panel of five ARTS Awards Hall of Fame members, and an ART membership vote. All finalist categories will have a digital component to streamline and enhance the process.
The judging process will include three elements. As in the past, a panel of judges, including a designated Green Award judge, will commence in Dallas in November to independently review submissions and manufacturers' product samples. Each judge will award up to a maximum of 100 points per finalist. The judges previously announced are: Martha Griffin, executive editor of Design Guide; Donna Moss, interior designer, retailer and star of HGTV's "Donna Decorates Dallas"; Melanie Belew, interior designer and owner of Belew Design Studio; and Susan Inglis, producer, importer, sourcing agent and broker in the home furnishings, fashion and gift industries and director of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
Next, a peer panel of five ARTS Awards Hall of Fame members will judge a digital, edited version of the submissions. Cumulative scores will count as one judge, a maximum of 100 points. Peer panel companies or individuals with known affiliations will be excused from judging any category of conflict. Those on this year's peer panel are: John Clements and Bill Fortson, co-owners of BJ's Home Accents; David Gebhart, CEO of Global Views; Lendall Glassco, president of Paragon; Tom Hoffman, vice president of sales and marketing of Distinctive Designs; and Mary Taylor, consultant and former CEO of Montaage.
Finally, the membership of ART will vote anonymously via an online ballot including links to finalists' Web sites and biography information. Finalists may receive up to five bonus points based on the membership vote. Like the nomination process, self votes are not accepted and only members in good standing are welcome to vote.
Every category now has a digital component to facilitate the new voting process, and sales representatives and designer submissions are now entirely digital. This allows sales representatives the opportunity to incorporate a three to five minute YouTube video.
The awards will be presented during a gala event on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the ARTS Awards new location, the Hilton Anatole Hotel.
September 28,
2011 by in UnCategorized
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on September 29, 2011
Case goods vendor Stanley Furniture and Coastal Living magazine recently sponsored the 15th annual Boston Pops concert benefiting the Nantucket Cottage Hospital.
In addition to raising nearly $2 million for the facility, this year's event also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the hospital, which has served as the island's primary source of health and wellness services since its founding in 1911.
"We're very grateful that the people of Nantucket continue to recognize the importance of having advanced health care facilities and equipment in their local community," said Judy Biondi, executive director of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Foundation. "While this hospital has seen a lot of changes over the past century, one thing has remained steady--the unwavering support of Nantucket residents. Thanks to events like the Boston Pops concert and the sponsors who make it possible, we're able to provide quality care to patients year after year."
The Aug. 13 event, which was held at Jetties Beach in Nantucket, Mass., offered attendees a concert by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra led by Conductor Keith Lockhart, a performance by special guest Carly Simon and fireworks at the end of the night.
To provide guests with a place to relax before and after the concert, Stanley Furniture partnered with Acton, Mass., furniture retailer Circle Furniture to outfit the event's general admission and VIP guest tents with selections from the company's Coastal Living furniture collection. The displays included 26 distinctive pieces that featured a palette of white, blue, cream, tan and gray tones, which are colors traditionally associated with the New England coast. While most of the furniture was arranged in dining and living room vignettes, stand-alone accent pieces added a special touch of coastal ambience to the VIP tent.
"Since launching the Coastal Living collection, we've made a conscious effort to become involved in events that celebrate the coastal lifestyle," said Stanley Furniture Director of Marketing Neil MacKenzie. "The Boston Pops on Nantucket concert has become a new tradition that the island looks forward to each summer, and we're proud to have participated in such a worthwhile event. It's rewarding to know that the funds raised by the concert will help the Nantucket Cottage Hospital keep residents in good health so theyre able to enjoy the pleasures of a coastal lifestyle."
Circle Furniture, acting as Stanley's on-site liaison with the event, delivered the Coastal Living collection pieces and staged the room vignettes on behalf of the manufacturer. In addition, Stanley gave away two VIP tickets to the concert and a subscription to Coastal Living magazine through an in-store sweepstakes conducted by the local retailer.
"Circle Furniture is committed to helping local charitable organizations, which made participating in the Boston Pops on Nantucket concert a natural fit for us," said Peggy Burns, co-owner of Circle Furniture. "It's a privilege to support the Nantucket Cottage Hospital in their mission to promote wellness. We're honored to have been a part of this event, and we hope it was an evening to remember for all attendees."
Other concert sponsors included Chase Sapphire, Crystal Light Pure, Fiberon and Green Mountain Coffee.