When looking at used furniture it is important to keep an open mind. I can think of countless images in my mind where I saw furniture and said to myself, "I would not have that in my house". I might see that furniture being moved in the back of a pickup truck or in a second hand resale shop. Often these pieces look so old, used and dusty with the colors of the upholstery faded. Again the thought in my mind is no way in my house.
I read an article in last month's issue of Metropolitan Home where a prominent interior designer purchased an older upholstered sofa. He wrote that upon seeing the piece, he knew it would be perfect for his Manhattan apartment. Of course, the designer saw the piece for what it could be and not for the condition of its current state. He recognized the make and manufacturer immediately and knew that in its day it was an expensive piece of furniture constructed with high quality standards and top grain woods.
We should not forget that upholstery and cushions can be replaced. Colors, fabric types and fabric patterns change style constantly. In particular when looking at an older piece, envision it with more modern and up to date fabric and colors. Recovering furniture is a common practice to keep the piece in style as well as remove the look of "wear and tear". Recovering furniture may also be more cost effective consideration than replacement.
Second hand bargains can be found in upholstered furniture pieces. Owners are more inclined to dispose of these pieces more cheaply, than solid wood pieces such as dressers, chests and tables. The next time you are shopping give upholstered furniture pieces a second look and envision them in stylish trendy new colors and fabric.
If you're in Milan and notice that the streets are ablaze with well-groomed people wearing fancy sunglasses and ergonomic shoes and lugging designer bags loaded with media kits, it's because the city's most anticipated annual event -- the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, a k a the Milan Furniture Fair -- has once again descended.
Held from April 18 to 23, it is a design marathon of exhibitions, installations, and cocktail parties scattered across the city. The center of the action is the official fair in the New Milan Fairgrounds in Rho, about 40 minutes northwest of the city by metro. (Last year, 223,138 people attended.) Built two years ago, the fairgrounds is a massive, futuristic glass-and-steel complex designed by Massimiliano Fuksas. Clusters of pavilion pods are strung along an open-air walkway, with a lot of places to stop for espresso, panini and, this being Italy, cigarette breaks.
The grounds are expertly laid out, and with numerous maps posted, it is easy to check out the latest offerings from Vitra, Kartell, Zanotta and more than a thousand other design firms. To spy on emerging talent, head to Salone Satellite, a special pavilion where 500 designers and 200 students from 22 of the most prestigious international design schools show off their wares. Unfortunately, the fair is open only to people in the trade, except on Sunday, April 22 (9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Tickets for two are 30 euros, about $41 at $1.36 to the euro. For details, see www.cosmit.it.
Luckily, the furniture fair also spawns hundreds of outside exhibitions -- many free and open to the public -- in design showrooms, stores and temporary spaces throughout Milan. So it's possible to bask in the fair's glow without actually trekking out to the trade fair.
The largest concentration is in Zona Tortona (nearest metro stop: Porto Genova), where you'll find the little storefronts of Via Tortona, the main street, taken over by well-known companies and independent designers.
Don't miss Superstudio Più (Via Tortona, 27), a large warehouse with a grassy lawn, cafes and trend-setting design firms like Moooi, Tom Dixon and Bisazza. Admission is free, and it's open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. At Via Tortona, 54, you'll find exhibitions by Marcel Wanders, Fritz Hansen (10 a.m. to 8 a.m.) and Moss (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.). And around the corner, at Via Savona, 56, is the Swarovski Crystal Palace with imaginative crystal chandeliers designed by Yves Behar, Patricia Urquiola and Ronan & Erwan Bourroullec (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.).
For more information, the pocket-size Interni guide is mandatory. It has day-by-day listings of exhibitions and events, along with detailed maps. You can find it at most corner newsstands in Milan in April. Published in Italian and English (www.internimagazine.it).
Source: JULIA CHAPLIN - NY Times
The last thing a visitor to Geneva -- city of luxury watches and United Nations pronouncements -- expects to find is a tucked-away shop with an eccentric collection of vintage industrial-design furnishings and midcentury modern gems.
But that's exactly what Jackie Occelli-Oberli has created at Collection Privée. Just blocks from the commercial area around Cornavin, the city's main train station, is the almost-secret Place Grenus, and there, for the last four years, Ms. Occelli-Oberli has sold the sought-after work of the Scandinavian designers Arne Jacobsen and Alvar Aalto -- like Mr. Jacobsen's chair, below -- alongside Danish sideboards and desks.
Recent items included a 1960s Danish teak dining table with six chairs for 1,500 Swiss francs ($1,200 at 1.27 Swiss francs to $1) and a beautifully restored Art Deco leather armchair for 2,500 francs ($2,000). Her stock is increasingly devoted to "mobilier industriel" --work tables, shelving units and safes rescued from closing factories (some items date from the '70s and '80s but already look like objects from a bygone era).
Like an obsessive cat lady rehabilitating strays found on the street, Ms. Occelli-Oberli, spry and plain-spoken, combs through cast-off industrial detritus, looking for the likely specimens that can be cleaned up and patinated. The pieces come from Holland, Germany, Belgium, Spain -- but not Switzerland. "This is a little country, and the industry -- watchmaking -- was little, so there was not much of this sort of thing," she explains.
Born in St.-Tropez, Ms. Occelli-Oberli is the granddaughter of a painter whom she credits with opening her eyes to the visual world. When she moved to staid Geneva, she decided to open a shop and was determined that the location be in a neighborhood where people worked. This way they could stop by and browse on their way to or from lunch at places like the nearby Alliance Gourmande, which serves plates of tortilla (the potato and onion cake that is a tapas mainstay) and more elaborate meals; La Belle Epoque, a great stop for a beer or coffee; and tiny Amaretto, with a selection of bruschetta and salads.
Collection Privée, 8, place de Grenus, Geneva, Switzerland; (41-22) 738-7569.
Source: Christophe Margot New York Times
Features return to traditional furniture
HIGH POINT -- Formal dining had been a slow category for a couple of markets, but new directions in styles and function steered buyers back into some showrooms here.
The casual contemporary trend that dominated much of the past few markets declined as new groups came to the forefront. A return to traditional furniture with carvings and intricate finishes was first seen at Las Vegas and continued here, and modern/contemporary made a strong run as well.
While casual contemporary lends itself readily to smaller dining options, the new styles shone with full-sized formal sets.
Royal Patina was pleased with the market even though traffic was off 4% from a year ago, said Rick Stroud, executive vice president of sales and marketing. Dining and other case goods in the Caspian Way collection performed well, he said -- not quite as well as the Spanish-influenced Andalucia last year, but a nice follow just the same with its traditional European silhouettes, distressing and hand-painted details.
Some companies have moved away from formal dining, saying new homes have smaller dining rooms. But executives at other sources, like AICO President Larry Rinaldi and Ed Tashjian, Century corporate marketing director, said builders are still putting up plenty of big houses, too.
Century showed some pieces that are smaller than the company's usual scale, but also had some big groups because owners of palatial homes are an important part of its demographic, said Tashjian.
A hot piece at Century was a round pedestal table at 54 inches to 60 inches with perimeter leaves that take it to as much as 80 inches. The table has a regal design with turned base or tulip base. The top can feature burl veneers and ebony line inlays and book-matched veneer center.
Other examples of formal dining's resurgence were seen in the new French Evolution for Liz Claiborne Home from Lexington and all three groups for Better Homes and Gardens from Universal.
Counter-height dining continues to grow, but some consumers don't like the plain design of many groups. AICO introduced a 60-inch square gathering-height table with the upscale traditional feel for which the company is known.
Bigger sizes haven't done as well in some groups for Klaussner, said Darren York, vice president of merchandising for case goods. The new 995 Renaissance with heavy carvings and marble accents was a hit in bedroom, but not as popular in dining.
On the other hand, Klaussner's Old World dining set, introduced last fall, has picked up steam thanks to its merging of smaller dining size with a dressier style that feels formal. This inspired the company to introduce three new smaller dining tables, with more planned for the fall High Point Market.
Leda introduced three new dining groups this market, drawing attention with the Uptown transitional/contemporary group inspired by Charles Rennie Macintosh.
Also attracting buyers was Leda's expansion into multiple finishes. Groups can have four finishes, plus fabric options, said President Marco Confalone. About 90% of these goods are available for quick shipping in two weeks, he said.
Speed also was a factor at Magnussen Home, as the company prepares to launch a quick-ship program for case goods May 7. Case goods will be loaded onto a container in one or two days after receiving the purchase order. The container goes onto the next ship leaving the new distribution center in Vietnam.
It takes an average of 31 days for goods to reach the West Coast and 45 days to the East Coast, said Chairman Richard Magnussen.
A strong marketing push before market helped drive traffic to Zocalo, which introduced an Art Nouveau group, Belle Noir. The collection was a hit as buyers liked the fresh look, said Danny Olivas, Zocalo director of marketing.
Source: Furniture Today
I was browsing some images of products from the Casual Living section from a furniture Expo recently held in Reno. I found these lounge chairs to be interesting. I am not sure if these lounge chairs are available on the market currently, but they certainly have style.
