As I reported in last month's issue, several home accents vendors have taken the plunge into the contract and hospitality side of the business.

Truth be told, once I started researching that article, I was amazed at just how many of “our” companies are playing that side of the field. A glance through the 2007 buyer's guide from the Las Vegas HD Expo showed me dozens and dozens of them. And this year's exhibitor list adds a whole lot more.

It's embarrassing for me to admit, but I had no idea.

Having that article under my belt, I went on to the High Point Market. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was visiting showrooms with a new set of eyes — thinking of a lamp's use in a hotel room, or imagining the fabulous bar incorporating a cool set of stools.

In this issue, we are taking our coverage a step further, with our first-ever preview of this month's HD Expo. We have about 30 new products to show — and while that is a mere drop in the old contract bucket, I think it gives a pretty good idea about who is doing what in that side of the business.

If you happen to be a buyer or a specifier who has picked up this issue at the Expo, welcome to Home Accents Today.

We also have something new online to offer the contract and hospitality market this month. Home Accents Today, in conjunction with our sister magazines Furniture/Today, Casual Living and Home Textiles Today, debuts hospitalityfurnishingstoday.com. I know that's a lot of letters to type, so you can just link to it from the HomeAccentsToday.com homepage. This “Web event” is a brand new site, with lots of photos and articles about what is going on in the business from all the major product categories.

I admit this is still a learning process for us residential-types, but what all this coverage has shown me is the importance of looking into new and different marketplaces — especially when the economy is tough. And it never hurts to look at something from a fresh point of view.

Those are lessons we can all use, no matter what side of the business we are on.