Furniture styles move toward contemporary

Less is more theory dominates in case goods, upholstery debuts

Jenny Heinzen York -- Home Accents Today, 4/1/2007

Simplicity is definitely in vogue for the High Point Market, with fresh contemporary looks, rooted in uncomplicated style, leading the pack in major case goods and upholstery introductions.

True contemporary is hot again, but more dominant are slightly softened versions that are adaptable to more decor styles.

Transitional is still popular, rooted in the urban simplicity of mid-century modern looks and a less-is-more attitude. The look includes uncomplicated covers in neutral hues on upholstery, enlivened by pillows that pop.

Traditional takes the form of classic looks updated with cleaner lines for a more laid-back formality, or Euro-traditional with influences from England and France, with decadent detail but less layer-on-layer. Carved wood and flowing curves are major elements. Design elements are invigorated with unexpected colors and modern details, and hand-painted designs and heavily carved elements lend a taste of old Europe to many consoles, accent tables and chests.

Asian and ethnic forms figure into a number of collections, adding both style and a sense of history to the category.

Spicy shades of red and orange remain strong in leather and upholstery introductions, with tasty apple greens and spa blues balancing the spectrum. Leather and fabric collages continue to mix it up, aided by embossed croc, wicker, velvet, silk, mohair and other textural applications.

Following is a look at some of the furniture introductions from around the marketplace, as compiled by the editors of Furniture Today and edited by Jenny Heinzen York.

AICO, IHFC G-777 — Introducing Romanza, 25 pieces in European classical design made of birch solids with mahogany, elm burl and cherry veneers; bedroom includes panel bed with dresser, decorative mirror and men's chest; dining includes trestle table, sideboard, decorative mirror and curio; exaggerated bombé cases with multi-media, such as brass, leather, cast metal, marquetry and beveled glass.

ASPENHOME, IHFC M-604, M-1301 — Expanding several collections, including Centennial, a popular oak home office and entertainment group expands into bedroom, dining and occasional; and Potomac, a 15-piece bedroom inspired by its Pinnacle Award-winning youth group offering transitional Federal-inspired group featuring distressed cherry finish and neoclassical carvings. Barolo adds a new lodge group inspired by Grandfather Mountain and the western North Carolina mountain resorts.

BERNHARDT, IHFC D-601 — Mozambique veneers decorate a round table which swings open. In upholstery, a number of casual contemporary frames debut in the Area program, along with leather and fabric combos, and a couple of casual traditionals, including a curved-back frame with scatter-back pillows in a mushroom polyester velvet; a clean traditional with a Southwest flair, English arm; and a bench seat in washed cotton with a double nailhead band and bun feet.

BROYHILL, IHFC C600 — Brighton Hill Collection debuts, offering a full line of relaxed traditional, town and country English lodge look, using figured cherry veneers with a medium cherry finish. A new veneer pattern features burnishing and antiquing on individual veneer pieces, a first for Broyhill. Avenue is a full line group in Art Deco styling, using bird's eye and Sapelli veneers, mother of pearl inlay, shapely curves, brushed brass jewelry hardware and dark brown finish. McKenzie Place is a full line in a heavily distressed pine with a warm finish, rustic and casual stylings creating an urban lodge look.

CENTURY, MS 500 — Introducing two groups with transitional styling and cera jera wood. Each group has about 30 pieces and offers a mixture of veneers from certified sustainable wood sources. One group has a larger scale than its typical offerings, while the other is smaller.

DESIGNERS & MAKERS, 330 N. Hamilton S-201 — A number of accent furniture and dining pieces debut, including two ladderback chairs with waved seagrass seat covering, walnut frame and hand-applied finish; a pair of French country armchairs, hand-carved walnut with waved seagrass covering; and an Art Deco-inspired mahogany dining table with high-gloss finish.

DURHAM FURNITURE, Market Square 410 — Debuting Chatham Classics, 12 bedroom pieces in relaxed traditional, solid beech with warm midtone finish, moderate distressing and custom hardware.

ELLO FURNITURE, IHFC D725 — Introducing a pair of Starlight vitrines, display cabinets in satin chrome or Moroccan oak, mirrored back, as well as the Pacifica entertainment center in Moroccan oak or 10 other wood finishes. >

EXCELSIOR DESIGNS, IHFC D1110 — Ceriana offers seven bedroom pieces in olive ash burl and tanganika with a warm honey finish, polished stainless steel arcs and hardware.

FINE FURNITURE DESIGN & MARKETING, US 302 — New lines include a British Colonial group, featuring 25 case pieces with a mix of Caribbean and British West Indies influences, including walnut solids and veneers, such as crotch walnut, turnings, floating pillars and hand-carved accents. Oyster Bay case goods and occasional debut, offering relaxed American with cottage elements in hardwoods with cherry veneers in Rustic Cherry, Oyster White and Sea Grass green.

GAUTIER USA, 220 Elm S-326 — Extreme includes living room pieces with imaginative storage; offered in three finishes: Coral, White and Terracotta. Neos offers 20 dining and occasional pieces, in a modern yet restrained, walnut finish with modular design, thick edges and linear stainless steel handles.

HAMILTON & SPILL, CP 118 — Fielding Square is a contemporary bedroom in Asian hardwood with quartered oak veneers and brushed silver accents. In upholstery, Telluride is a generously scaled seating group combining synthetic leather and Culp fabrics with nailhead trim on wood legs.

HEKMAN, 200 N. Hamilton, N-107 — Additions to Mountain Retreat, a popular group using Old World construction, feature hand-hewn tops, pegged joinery, generously scaled turnings, rogue cherry veneers and knotty birch solids, plus a hand-rubbed oil finish with wool and beeswax buffing. Moderne is contemporary with minimalist elements like tapered legs, relief tops and frame molding in alder with walnut veneers. Asher Benjamin includes dining, occasional, home office and entertainment pieces and offers simple but sophisticated look in American black cherry veneers with touches of walnut accents and borders.

HIGHLAND HOUSE, MS 414 — Royal Manner is a full line of redesigned English antiques licensed with Paul Burrell, former butler to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. Case goods feature hardwood solids and select veneers; style influences include Tudor, Jacobean, Chippendale, Chinese chinoiserie, Adam and Queen Anne. Individual pieces use Windsor, an aged mahogany finish; English Manor, a warm, lighter finish used on olive ash burl and mahogany; Pagoda, chinoiserie-inspired aged black, with gold brushwork; Devon, aged taupe with gold brushing; or Highgrove, rusted iron with distressed gold brushing.

HOMERIVER, SMS 1-848 — Several contemporary collections are introduced, all in wicker and rattan. Leon includes contemporary dining and living room furniture, made of solid wood and wicker with Cappucino wood finish. Also Trenzzo, case goods with elegant pieces in Halifax Brown, and Valence, a transitional bedroom in hardwoods and cherry veneers.

KATHY IRELAND HOME BY STANDARD, IHFC M735 — Mission Hills is a bedroom group with wood frames and veneered side panels inspired by the American Arts & Crafts movement with bungalow lifestyle; three-drawer nightstand and nine-drawer dresser.

LANE HOME FURNISHINGS, IHFC C-800 — The National Geographic Italia collection is new, including case goods, upholstery, occasional and entertainment. The 18th-century Italian design is drawn from the magazine's archives of exploration and treasured discoveries and offered in traditional walnut in warm espresso, decorative inlays, stylized frescos, stone and marble details and aged bronze finishes.

LEDA FURNITURE, IHFC G576 — Uptown is a transitional/contemporary dining group using subtle geometric shapes, lattice table bases and chair backs, inlaid square details on the table surfaces, and cherry veneer with warm Scotch Mist or three other finishes.

LEGACY CLASSIC, PS C100 — A case goods, occasional and home entertainment collection sports traditional style with Spanish and Mediterranean influence in pine solids and radiata pine veneers with a medium brown finish. A European traditional group incorporates ash veneers and hardwood solids in a lighter golden honey brown finish.

LEXINGTON HOME BRANDS, 1300 National Highway — Trump Home, the Donald Trump-licensed collection, starts with two groups in case goods, home office, entertainment, occasional and upholstery; Westchester offers grand classic styling that is opulently scaled, inspired by mansions and historic properties restored by Donald Trump; Central Park is more contemporary, reflecting Trump's New York roots and his real estate properties in the city, showcasing cutting-edge designs accented with a little Art Deco. French Evolution is a new 42-piece full-line group for Liz Claiborne Home using updated Louis Philippe styling.

MAGNUSSEN HOME, IHFC M1010 — Four new bedroom collections debut, including Arazzo, an upscale Mediterranean feel in pecan veneers with Tobacco finish, hand carving, walnut and olive ash burl inlays, gentle distressing and burnishing and serpentine silhouettes. Also new is Midtown, sleek and sophisticated, adapted 1930s styling in a sable finish with rounded pilasters, shaped aprons and coved tops, hand rubbing, while satin nickel teardrop hardware. Newbury redefines traditional with classic silhouettes, slip-match cathedral cherry veneers in a clear chocolate finish, carved rosettes, turned pilasters and satin pewter hardware. North Park is a fresh take on Arts & Crafts with framed door panels, curved pilasters and hand-planked effects.

MASTER DESIGN, 101 N. Hamilton St. — New collections include Grand Isle bedroom and formal dining with transitional styling, warm cherry finish with walnut inlays and the Winchester bedroom with lifestyle design, black rub-through paint finish with cherry veneer tops.

NICOLE MILLER COLLECTION, IHFC D1110 — A collection with six bedroom and eight dining pieces debuts in macassar ebony with black lacquer accents and stainless steel hardware.

ORLEANS FURNITURE, 233 S. Main, Third Floor — New designs include Hummerz, a bedroom group in transitional style of solids and veneers and a warm cherry finish. Bordeaux dining, in a European traditional style with a Caramel finish, features burl accents and marble inserts.

PADMA'S PLANTATION, MS 43 — New furniture pieces include the Pineapple side dining chair, with cocoa palm micro denier cover, rattan pole construction framing and hand-carved hardwood pineapple details with seagrass accents. Park Avenue comprises three chairs in contemporary styling softened by the contrasting use of wild rattan with ecru micro denier.

PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE, IHFC C-700 — Manor Place bedroom features updated Louis Philippe styling in swirl mahogany veneers with a mid-tone finish. Also new is an antiqued traditional case goods group with heavy distressing on a mid-tone alder finish.

PULASKI, IHFC M-300 — New collections include Toscano Vialetto, a bedroom group featuring heavy wood frames, moldings and custom hardware with a cherry finish. Also new is the Murano bedroom line, using solids and veneers with metallic accents on detail moldings and fluted column pilasters, done in a cherry finish with gold and silver highlights.

REVCO INTERNATIONAL, IHFC H107 — Charlotte dining is added, using solid, hand-planed mango espresso, mahogany and honey finishes.

RIVERSEDGE, 233 S. Main, 5th floor — Several case goods collections are debuted. Highlands is an English country collection in cherry veneers with primavera inlays. St. Moritz is European traditional with pecan and olive ash burl veneers, while Sedalia is a lodge collection with flake oak and ash veneers, accented with leaded glass on many pieces.

STANLEY FURNITURE COLLECTIONS, IHFC C1158 — Two major collections are added this market. Hudson Street uses mid-20th century contemporary inspiration adapted for today's urban lifestyles. Case goods are made of maple solids and walnut veneers with dark espresso and warm cocoa finishes and feature curved fronts, gently splayed legs, beaded details and chestnut goblet hardware. Sunset Key is a tropical case goods group combining British Colonial and West Indies styling with maple solids and rogue maple and cherry veneers. The pieces are finishes in a Rum Maple finish that is lighter than usual British Colonial and use woven cane panels, beaded drawer fronts, abaca accents, split rattan, and pineapple and bamboo turnings.

STICKLEY, 225 N. Elm St. — A new Mission collection premiers, including a reissued china cabinet (circa 1910) in solid quarter-sawn white oak with tongue-and-groove glue joinery as well as pinned mortise-and-tenon joinery. Other pieces added are a Harvey Ellis fall-front desk that can also be fitted as a bar unit, a smaller Harvey Ellis fall-front organizer and other accent pieces. New additions join the 21st Century collection, including a double-pedestal dining table with fully upholstered arm and side dining chairs, four-door buffet, office credenza, blanket chest, two occasional tables and landscape mirror.

UNIVERSAL, 2622 Uwharrie Road — Introducing three collage leather groups in the Estate Collection and five all-leather groups in the Loft Collection. Eight-way hand-tied springs, down-blend cushions and better leathers. Highlights include River Bend No. 539L, a leather collage for casual family lifestyles. Covered in rug-inspired kilim patterns and semi-aniline leather with nailhead trim.

WYNWOOD, PS 407 — New collection 21 West is an Arts & Crafts case goods line contemporized with bronzed metal and cane accents, framed door and drawer fronts, pine solids and alder veneers in Bourbon finish.