Hearth & Home July 2017

Illusion is a hand-made (in Germany) side table of 3mm acrylic. The design gives the impression of a tablecloth on a round table, however, the “tablecloth” itself provides the structural strength.
Visit www.essey.com/illusion.

Parting Shot: Far-out Furniture

If you’re in the patio furnishing industry, you certainly have seen your share of chairs and tables. But every once in a while along comes a design that stops you in its tracks. That’s the way we felt about the following items.

A. Inspired by road sweeping machines, Jason Taylor asked the company that made those machines to create brushes strong enough to hold a person’s weight for use in a stool design. The Scrub Together Bench/Table is made from polyester and birch plywood.

www.jasonmade.com

B. The task of an artist is to create a new way of looking at the world around us. So it is with this coffee table; the Taj Mahal, a wonder of the world, is turned upside down. The piece is of polished and patinated bronze by Studio Job, based in Antwerp and Netherlands. In the U.S. it has been exhibited at Design Miami, Basel-Miami, and The Salon, New York.

www.studiojobgallery.com

C. Wave Sculpture. The fluid dynamics of the classic pipeline wave have been captured here by Lee J. Rowland in this remarkable example of advanced polymer engineering.

www.leejrowland.com

D. The Ripple Series was first created in 1994 by Lee J. Rowland as a fashion accessory. The concept moved to furniture in 2009. The droplets are classically frozen in solid aluminum, precision polished to preserve subtle outer ripples, and finished in bright nickel. The center drops are supported on hair-like filaments of carbon steel.

www.leejrowland.com

Perspective: Going Viking

Say or hear the word “Viking” and your thoughts most likely turn to ruthless, seafaring warriors who terrified Europe from about 700 to 1100 AD. In the “Old Norse” language it also means a pirate raid.

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Trends in Fabric

By Mark Brock

There’s a vast array of casual fabrics launching for the 2018 season, with colors and textures for every taste.

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A Win-Win Transaction

By Bill Sendelback

The purchase of Regency Fireplace Products by Swedish company NIBE is apparently a winning proposition for both parties.

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Noticing Outdoor

By Tom Lassiter

As formal dining and living rooms give way to Outdoor Rooms, full-line furniture stores are becoming increasingly receptive to the casual industry’s message.

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The Sweet Spot

By Tom Lassiter

SunVilla’s business model is to produce and present a limited number of transitional collections in the best-selling price points to the specialty retail network. In other words, it wants to make your life easier.

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The Short-Winter Blues

By Bill Sendelback

The need is for cold weather, and high prices of fossil fuels. Barring that, manufacturers and dealers of pellet appliances are just singing the blues.

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A Tale of Two Coasts

By Bill Sendelback

Being in the pellet fuel business may be one of the most frustrating and unpredictable endeavors that any sane person can enter of their own free will.

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Re-imagining Retail

By Tom Lassiter

At Imagine Backyard Living, David Ghiz has created a new business model – no warehouse and no inventory.

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The Great Outdoors

By Mike Beirne, Senior Editor Professional Builder

The home building community shares insights about using outdoor living features to help market and sell new homes.

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Accentuate Accessories

By Lisa Readie Mayer

Barbecue accessories help to retain customers, boost sales and, perhaps best of all, draw customers back to the store.

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Vignette with Variety

By Richard Wright

Making use of a “bad corner” of his store, Buzz Homsy presents all the elements of an Outdoor Room® in little space.

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2017 May Business Climate

In early June, Hearth & Home faxed a survey to 2,500 specialty retailers of hearth, barbecue and patio products, asking them to compare May 2017 sales to May 2016. The accompanying charts and selected comments are from the 196 useable returns.

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