 Special Section - April 2008  |
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A Fine Tour of Market Tasting Last month’s tour of the market gave me a tasting of furnishing delicacies from across the country. Exquisite pairings of innovative constructions and materials from a variety of eco-friendly and socially conscious companies created quite a smorgasbord for a market hungry for new and exciting product. Raging Mod
Company C pieced together different materials to work in harmony for its Sunkissed bedding collection. Corduroy with bold colors, textural fabrics, stitching and yarns in a quilt are inspired by gardens on the New Hampshire Coast. Retro and modish rugs are created to coordinate, inspired by a swatch of ’60s flowers. Earth tones mellow the boisterous flowers, cording bedding and 100 percent wool tufted rugs. Experimental Chic
Caldeira introduced interesting constructions for its decorative pillows. Lurex paired with either chenille or velvet then colored with gray tones in the ground make Floral Metallic Shadow and Small Floral Metallic stand out. Making Waves
Particles and Waves is a new company from veteran textile designer Kevin O’Brien. Its line features hand-tufted rugs, folding screens, bedding and wall art. Fabrics are adorned with velvet, burned away and colored by hand. Fabrics and materials are produced in Pennsylvania or in a fair-trade fashion from Nepal, Mongolia, Vietnam and Guatemala. O’Brien’s designs offer a touch of the exotic with great versatility. Romantic Fusion
For the edgier romantic, The Elizabeth Allen Atelier Collection is a great find. The bright color palette of the 100 percent combed-cotton percale lends a touch of trendy, but the French-inspired motif For The Kiddies
CHF Industries’ Green Gorilla juvenile bedding utilizes clean designs popular with the juvenile sector and makes it eco-friendly. CHF understands how most consumers buy new bedding—they look for fashion, quality, value, good pricing, and then eco-friendliness. CHF’s six new collections combine all these elements in one. Celebrity Spotting
NexCen Brands Inc., the parent company of Waverly, signed Food Network celebrity, Sandra Lee (shown right with me) as its new spokesperson. Lee will help Waverly celebrate its 85th year with webcasts on Waverly.com and print advertising brimming with decorating advice on how to accessorize the home with fabrics like Waverly’s new Deluxe II, a collection spiced with Asian flair in a Mandarin print, touched with metallics for glamour, all in deep jewel tones. Green And Serene
San Francisco-based, year-old Goldie Home’s organic modern luxury bedding was another baby-face at the NYIGF, incorporating soy-based inks, recycled paper buttons as embellishments and organic cottons into lines. The design
of its Stripe bedding collection simulates the aerial views of crops in two Durable Décor
Hable Construction constructs “crafts with a conscience” because it works with a women’s cooperative in Hungary to develop wool felt collections of pillows and personal accessories. At the NYIGF, Hable introduced whimsical prints and patterns in yellow and green tones on canvas and cotton/linen for those who appreciate durable accessories with fine details. Daily Fix
As a new-comer to NYIGF, Tanunchai’s back story is just as interestingly crafted as its hand-spun and hand-loomed decorative pillows. All products are sourced out of little towns in rural Northern Thailand, giving women in the region a secondary income. The colors of Tanunchai are sedated because of the natural dyes used. I found Tanunchai ideal for pairing with interior décor that exudes “everyday luxury.” Resources
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