These long awaited traditional furniture pieces are being displayed at the High Point show in North Carolina. Here is some background information from the original press release from Highland House. Their website does not have the collection pictures up yet.
Highland House Announces a Licensing Agreement With Paul Burrell, English Lifestyle Expert and Former Personal Assistant to Diana, Princess of Wales Highland House announces a licensing agreement with Paul Burrell, English lifestyle expert, former butler to the Royal Family of England and former personal assistant to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. In March 2007 at the High Point Market, Highland House will introduce its first furniture collection in collaboration with Burrell - Royal Manner: The English Country House. This new collection will include approximately 60 pieces of upholstery plus wood and occasional accent furniture that evoke the relaxed elegance indigenous to English country houses.
"No country seems to intrigue Americans more than Great Britain, and there's no style of decorating more popular or more often emulated than timeless, classic British style," says Tom Staats, president of Highland House. "We're fortunate to collaborate with someone like Paul Burrell who brings with him 21 years in service to the English Royal Family and exposure to a wealth of expertise in all aspects of fine English lifestyles. Paul is an ideal consultant who brings with him a unique platform around which to create and market a collection of elegant-yet-relaxed country English furniture. This will be an ideal fit within our already well-established European Excursions marketing strategy."
Burrell was the trusted personal assistant to Princess Diana in the five years prior to her death, and it was Paul Burrell that Diana famously referred to as "my rock." Prior to serving as Princess Diana's personal assistant and confidante, Paul Burrell rose from member of the Royal Household staff to personal attendant to the Queen and then butler to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
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I have been closely involved in the retail furniture market from sales and buying, to management for the past 20 plus years. With that having been said, there is very little I have not seen on the merchandise side of the business. From the cheapest to the highest of quality products, it is true, you get what you pay for. As the one man complaint department I am overjoyed when a particular product has historically proven it's self as a trouble free experience for our customers. The Ekornes Stressless line from Norway is exactly that. Ekornes has produced the best leather recliners and living / media room furniture since 1972. The company has managed to fight off cutting corners to compete with the entire field of look a like cheaper copies, and there are many. In a vain attempt some companies have even tried to adopt the features that have made this chair legendary only to miss by a long shot. Meanwhile the Stressless line continues to evolve into a very ergonomic and stylish collection with comfort as the paramount goal.
The Stressless line has features that are way beyond the competition and it will be evident as soon as you take a seat. First of all, we're all different sizes and Ekornes makes their models in 2 and even 3 sizes to accommodate various height and width. Some of the features include a separate and active foot rest, active lumbar support, self adjusting headrest, and the new sleep mode which allows an almost flat position. I am most impressed with the quality components that make up the epoxy coated steel frame and how it smoothly adjusts to any position with very little effort. Surrounding their frame is cold cured foam which is injected into molds and takes the shape of the chair. In the curing process the foam develops a hearty shell that is most resilient creating a substantial base. This is then covered with several layers of less dense foam and padding to allow for a most conforming feel. Topped off with a fully surrounding top grain leather and external steam bent laminated beech wood frame, the chairs look as good as it feels. As an owner of two I can testify on a personal level, it is truly a stressless experience.
In every category there are true classics that will not be defeated by time, changing, trends, or fads. In a very design oriented market such as home furnishings, only the truly great designs will make the cut generation after generation. If you were to ask someone currently shopping for furniture who is Ludwig Mies van der Rohe or Charles Eames they would probably have little or no idea. Only after having seen their timeless creations would it be obvious that these great visionaries combined excellent quality withsuperb design.
The 1920's spawned a multitude of designers, whose work is still much sought after including the Barcelona chair, the Le Corbusier chaise lounge and Eero Saarinen's collection of tables. I love the look of a classic modern piece in just about any environment, and most of the styles are simplistic enough to be a perfect compliment without dominating the theme of the room. One of my personal favorites is Isamu Noguchi's rounded triangle coffee table. Designed in the 1940's it looks great with even the latest modern sofa designs.
As with anything, you get what you pay for. The originals as well as the current productions by the licensed manufacturers will cost you. It is important to realize that long after your other furniture has worn out or become outdated, the true classics will not only be around, but still in style. I talk with consumers all the time that brag about the Eames chair they have had for 40 years, or the Marcel Breuer black and chrome club chair that looks as good today as it did in 1925. Do be careful when shopping for these timeless beauties as there are a lot of knock offs and cheaper reproductions. The price is often enough to entice the consumer but know you are not getting the real deal and often the materials as well as the construction have been compromised. I have visited some resale stores specializing in the old classics and they do hold their value, but this may be an alternative to buying new if the cost is prohibitive. One company specializing in a complete collection of the classics is Alivar Museum. They consider the entire line to be a true "part of the history of furniture design" and "everlasting". I have seen some of their items in person and can vouch for the quality. No matter which way you go, enjoy your furniture and make the design an extension of your personality!
This month marks the first early start for the High Point Market, held March 26-April 1 in High Point, N.C. The change doesn't have any effect on the variety of outdoor products featured at the show. From outdoor lighting to full-scale casual furniture collections, there will be plenty to see in the Furniture Capital.
One of the multifunction items at the market this year is the Arizona range from Barlow Tyrie, designed by Vladimir Kagan, crafted of all-weather hand-woven resin and features a contemporary cube design. The modular design allows it to fit anywhere even in outdoors in covered areas for the ultimate in patio furniture. The woven resin is weather resistant under most conditions and is available in light or dark colors and various fabrics .
Foamex International Inc. announced the launch of Reflex® Natural™, a high-performance, environmentally-friendly flexible polyurethane foam for the furniture industry. Foamex will introduce the new product line at the High Point Furniture Market, the largest wholesale home furnishings show in the world, which opens March 26, 2007.
Reflex Natural is a unique, highly durable flexible polyurethane foam, made partially from plant-based renewable raw materials. In Reflex Natural foam, these natural ingredients replace significant amounts of the petroleum-based materials traditionally used in foam-making. In addition, Reflex Natural is manufactured using Foamex's proprietary Variable Pressure Foaming (VPF) technology, a virtually emission-free manufacturing process that creates significantly higher quality cushioning material in a wide variety of density and firmness, resulting in a product that provides consistent comfort. It also contains organic, halogen-free fire retardants. Reflex Natural is the newest addition to Foamex's Reflex product line, which provides the furniture industry a superior alternative to traditional polyurethane, fibers and synthetic fiberfills.
Andrew Thompson, Executive Vice President, Foam and Technical Products of Foamex, said: "Developing and manufacturing innovative foam products and solutions to meet the exacting demands of our customers is our priority and the cornerstone of our future. Reflex Natural will provide Foamex's customers with all of the physical properties they have come to expect from the Reflex line, while delivering a unique combination of significant environmental benefits as well. Reflex Natural provides the durability, comfort and feel our customers have become accustomed to and is a tangible example of our commitment to become the foam industry's leading environmentally-responsible company and supplier partner."
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