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Posted by Mike Landfair on February 8, 2010
 Three months ago I asked the question Is it time for the To The Trade only business model to die? Our store is modeled after the design center model in which we heavily discount to the trade while showing only retail prices to the public. We do everything we can to encourage interior designers and architects to experience our showroom including membership in AIA, ASID, NWSID, IDS, etc and we attend rheir meetings meetings. We advertise in their trade newsletters, but we do not do the heavy TV advertising for retail customers of a typical retail furniture store. We prefer instead to use alternative social media to drive traffic to our store an...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 6, 2010
In a post at Landfair Furniture (Blog) about the new discovery of NUSA Furniture, I wrote: My, My, My!!! Now this is furniture design! The same goes for their home accents. Take a look at some beautiful designs.    ...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 4, 2010
 As you know from reading this blog and design information elsewhere, this is the Year of the Tger and it's the year of metallics. I was intrigued to see that even carpet manufacturers are involved. Tufenkian Artisan Carpets announced some new designs with this thought: right now Silver is HOT. Whether silver is the primary or secondary color in the design, we love how it can fit into any interior. Bold or subtle, contemporary or modern, incorporating this metallic color can really make a statement.I love the designs. They would look perfect in our dark gray-walled...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on February 3, 2010
I've wondered about the business model of online sales, specifically can an online retailer make any money at it or are the margins just squeezed like a dried up orange?Now RetailWire has an excellent discussion about Why You Should Abandon Having an Online Retail Store. The initial article was written by Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor who wrote "...if you can't be as committed as Amazon, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us, and the big boxes to deliver a seamless experience, then don't tip-toe around it. Oh and one more thing: to build fans, many of these big guys are selling merchandise online at a loss."Phibbs says the easy money is past; you need a major financial commitment now t...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 30, 2010
 I just finished reading an article in The Prescott News, The Joy of Living Accents in our Homes, by Ken Lain, the Garden Guy. Lain tells us that house plants are soothing, create fresh air, filter pollutants. Plants such as English ivy, scheffleras, spider plants, and philodendron absorb large quantities of airborne formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and benzene. The plants most effective at removing air pollution are spider plants, pot mums, snake plants, and aloe vera.Coincidentally, I just put down a new book "Hothouse Fl...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 28, 2010
 The fun parts of market involve the product introductions from manufacturers. World Market in Las Vegas begins this weekend and ends February 5th. So far I've been invited to help launch the "Michael Amini & Jane Seymour, a design collaboration from AICO." Officials of Softline Home Fashions, manufacturer of textile and home fabrics have invited me to discuss the new products they will be showcasing, as well as their upcoming designs and featured lines." Lumisource, Inc, maker of Furniture, Barware, 'Tween, Lighting and Novelty has invited me to "Come check out all o...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 23, 2010
 Yesterday, several blogs wrote about some amazing outdoor furniture called Radici by De Castelli. DigsDigs said The main idea of Radici is an amazing symbiosis of elegant furniture and beautiful plants. The charming white and black furniture is the plant trellis at the same time.It was written in Homedug.com that Patrizia Pozzi designs this awesome outdoor furniture which is named Radici....Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 23, 2010
The award winners for the 21st ARTS awards are out and I mistakenly looked first at the 20th ARTS winners and was prepared to write. "Once again, the Portland entry was a finalist but did not walk away with the top prize at the 21st Accessories Resource Teams (ARTS) Awards. Last year Landfair Furniture + design Gallery was a finalist in the best West Furniture Retailer, We were beaten out by Interior Illusions..."But lo and behold Bravado Home & Design in Portland, Otegon was the winner as the Rising Star Retailer. You can visit their facebook page and view the video...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 18, 2010
 TODL hit my email box this morning. TODL stands for Trade Only Design Library. Exclusively servicing the trade since 1997, TODL provides design professionals and specifiers access to more than 260,000+ products for their residential, contract, commercial, hospitality and green projects.I get some of my best ideas of new products here for Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery. If I like something I see, I go to the vendor's web site and see if their products are sold locally. I then check with Beverly to find out if this is a vendor we want to approach for inclusion in our showroom. Most of the time one of our existing vendors offers similar designs, so she passes. However, from t...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 18, 2010
Matt Pillar, Editor In Chief, Retail Solutions Online/Integrated Solutions For Retailers magazine writes about the three major themes coming from the National Retail Federation (NRF) convention:
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 16, 2010
 I first became aware of Pendleton fashions in high school. Every girl I knew had a Pendleton skirt that was reversible that she wore with saddle shoes and bobby sox. We boys wore dark Levis with a Pendleton shirt over a white T-shirt. The clothing was made from 100% wool and it seemed every pattern of plaid was different. Pendleton Woolen Mills was based in Oregon. In fact, Thomas Kay, an English weaver, began making woolen products in Oregon in 1863. I was amazed to see that not only does the privately owned Pendleton make shirts and skirts and blankets, but sells furniture and home decor in their 70 outlets around the country and in Canada, Europe and Japan. You can see ...Read More
Posted by Mike Landfair on January 15, 2010
In my last post "2010: Year of the Tiger," I said that metallics were in as is gold and silver. Here's a great example of the use of metallics in furniture design by Polidor. 4319 Door Chest All Finishes: Only Etruscan/Gold Leaf 51 x 22 x 37H Copyright 2004-2009 Polidor  4183SL Chest Finish: Only As Shown 51 x 20 x 40H Copyright 2004-2009 Polidor These beautiful chests are part of Polidor's European Casual Collection Elegant yet in...Read More
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