Archive for November, 2009
By: Kate Ashford, Money Magazine staff reporter
For: Money Magazine
NEW YORK (Money Magazine) — Catalogues and giant anchor tenants in malls dominate the housewares industry, but while their purchasing power can mean lower prices on some items, most national retailers are locked into a rigid pricing structure, which means no haggling.
For independent retailers, however, haggling is not only permitted, it’s expected (figure on dropping the price by 15 percent to 20 percent).
Regardless of where you shop, remember that the only true judge of quality is you. It doesn’t make any difference if some salesperson regales you with tales of this cotton’s provenance or that sofa’s coil count – only your hand and keister can really tell.
Getting the best deal on a couch
The industry’s pitch Designer-name couch for $699! Marked down from $1,299! All prices are final!
Rebuttal Like clothing designers, furniture designers make different lines for different stores. So the couch you see at a discount store might look just like the posh store’s model, but the company took construction shortcuts to keep the price down. (Think outlet vs. retail stores.)
Also, about 85% of local stores will give you a discount if you ask (request 20% off), so don’t be shy.
And in the end, nothing is as important as how a couch feels.
The Verdict Sit on the couch. For a while. If it’s a sleeper, fold it out and have a lie-down. Make sure the springs are made of eight-way hand-tied coils for long-lasting support. Look for a kiln-dried hardwood frame (not steel) for durability.
Less assembly is good too – the more pieces there are, the more likely it is that things will jiggle over time.
A good retailer to start with? Ethan Allen, says Jennifer Litwin, author of “Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever!.” “Their sales staff is great and their furniture is well-made.”
Getting the best deal on bedding
What the industry says Thread count is king – the higher the better. The best sheets are made from Egyptian cotton.
Rebuttal Single-ply sheets (sheets in which single threads are used to weave the material) top out at a thread count of about 500. Any higher and you’re probably holding a double-ply or triple-ply sheet (in which two to three threads were wrapped together to make a thicker strand). This can be more durable than single-ply, but it’s also heavier, which some people don’t like.
Egyptian cotton is special only if it’s the primo extra-long staple (ELS) kind. Ordinary cotton from Egypt is no different from ordinary cotton from the U.S.
The Verdict Look for single-ply sheets made of 100% pima cotton (ELS cotton from around the world) or supima cotton (ELS cotton grown in the U.S.).
For extra softness, opt for 100% cotton sateen, such as what’s found in Sears’ Everyday Luxe collection, which costs around $100 for a queen set.
No matter what you buy, know that you don’t have to go much beyond a thread count of 300 to feel babied.
Getting the best deal on an oriental rug
Expert view from Bruce Kitney, a New York City rug store owner
Knot count, or knots per square inch, is frequently talked about, because it’s one of the few characteristics you can measure.
But it can also be misleading. A Baluch rug with a knot count of 95 is a pretty neat example of the type. But you don’t talk about a self-respecting silk rug until you’re at around 500 knots.
A high knot count doesn’t always mean better durability either. High counts tend to go with very complicated designs; the weaver will clip the nap to make it thinner, so you can really see the work.
A more loosely woven but thicker rug will last just as long.
The best-quality carpet is hand-knotted – not hand-tufted or machine-woven. Hand-tufted rugs are sometimes sold as “handmade,” but they’re one-sided, so they’re no different from carpeting.
Machine-woven rugs will usually have some surging, or hemming, and the design won’t be as colorful on the back of the rug.
Good-value rugs are coming in from China. They use quality wool, and it’s a well-made structure. A good Chinese rug is probably floral in design and 175 knots or so, and you’ll probably pay $2,000 and up for a typical eight-foot-by-10-foot carpet.
By: Cynthia Dermody
For: Reader’s Digest
The latest trend in baskets? Vertical shapes and all kinds of new materials, like cloth and metal. Jennifer Litwin, author of Furniture Hot Spots, found us the perfect bin for every room:
1. Living room
Aiko oval baskets from pier1.com; $15-$25. “I love the shape and versatility-great for storing the remote, pens and pads, and DVDs,” says Litwin.
2. Bedroom
Abaca 3-drawer storage chest from costplus.com; $50. It looks nice enough to be displayed, and the drawers slide open and closed easily.
3. Kitchen
Canvas stacking baskets from containerstore.com; $15-$18. “The cloth lightens the look of baskets you usually find in kitchens,” Litwin says.
4. Bathroom
Ito magazine rack from pier1.com; $35. “The metal weave gives this basket an updated look, and the vertical shape fits in tight spaces,” she says.
5. Kids’ room
Sabrina baskets, available in several colors, potterybarnkids.com; 2 for $44. Good for the “little stuff,” as well as bigger toys as kids grow.
By:Joan Raymond
For: Business Week
We asked entrepreneurs which books were most influential in helping them build their companies. The result: Our summer reading list
Carol Bartz
Executive Chairman, Autodesk
“A little book called THE CONATIVE CONNECTION, by management consultant Kathy Kolbe, has been by my side for years. It explains motivations and work styles better than anything else I’ve read. In any business, you have to bring out the best in people. The only way to do that is to understand them.”
Randy Boudouris
CEO, MAGNETNotes
“The story that keeps me going is that of Teddy Roosevelt in THEODORE REX, by Edmund Morris. Here was a President who had a ton of critics but kept moving forward with his vision. The message is good for all small business owners: It’s not the critic that counts.”
Larry Spear
Founder, BFE Telecom
“Stories of people’s lives give you inspiration when things get overwhelming. For me, inspiration came from WHY SHOULD WHITE GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN?, by Blair S. Walker and Reginald F. Lewis. Lewis, the first African- American billionaire, came from meager beginnings, like a lot of us. He climbed the ladder and led the first major leveraged buyout of Beatrice Foods. This book lets you know that sheer hard work really can make a difference. It’s inspirational no matter what color you are.”
Dan Thralow
CEO, Thralow Inc.
“By far, THE 22 IMMUTABLE LAWS OF MARKETING, by Al Ries and Jack Trout, has affected me the most. This book gets right to the heart of the issue of branding, which is simply staying focused. I’ve got a ton of ideas, but until I read this I didn’t know how to focus and stay focused.”
Davin Wedel
Founder, Global Protection
“When you’re a small business owner you have to do everything, and it’s the details that can kill you because you forget how to dream. I like books that speak to me about big-picture things, and I find that in literature, especially fiction. I was traveling to Asia recently and I read THE PIANO TUNER, by Daniel Mason. This is a story about self-discovery and passion, and it reminds you to think big.”
Harvey Mackay
Founder, Chairman & CEO,
Mackay Envelope
“I tell entrepreneurs not to read books. Rather, underline them. Beat them up. Turn the pages. And go back all the time for advice. A book that will stand the test of time and one that I absolutely devoured is Thomas Friedman’s THE WORLD IS FLAT. If a businessperson doesn’t understand that everything is portable and the world really is a very small place, he or she better read this book.”
Jennifer Litwin
President, Jennifer Litwin
Enterprises
“When I was in grad school, I read all the business books, but I’ve since discovered that I like books that are more personal. DECODING YOUR DESTINY, by Carmen Harra, is an important book that talks about free will and motivation. It is a kind of manual for an entrepreneurial tune-up, a guide to how to focus and live your dreams.”
Doug Ducey
CEO, Cold Stone Creamery
“No.1 on my shelf is THE EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE, by Peter F. Drucker. There was a time when the growth of my business was completely out of control and my time wasn’t my own. The business was essentially unmanageable. This book taught me how to be more efficient. I would have been lost without it.”
Sam Chapman
CEO, Berman Health & Media
“KANE & ABEL, by Jeffrey Archer, is a novel about two brothers vying for success — how they compete, and how that competition drives them. It grabbed my imagination as a young person and taught me how one could exercise power in entrepreneurship through self-confidence and imagination. The book also explored the ideas of the exercise of power and profit for personal gain and competition for its own sake.”
Dwight Aspinwall
Co-founder, Jetboil
“I’m a people-obsessed kind of guy, so it’s books about people that have really influenced and helped me out the most. EDISON: A BIOGRAPHY, by Matthew Josephson, has to be the most influential. Thomas Edison’s life story gives a lot of credence to sticking with an idea and then working hard to make that vision real. Edison is the classic American inventor, the hands-on guy. In any small business, you invariably need to be hands-on, and then you learn how to relinquish control.”
Tony Hsieh
CEO, Zappos.com
“THE TIPPING POINT, by Malcolm Gladwell, talks about the power of word of mouth, and that’s exactly what we’ve built Zappos on. Rather than spend a lot of money on marketing, we instead focus our resources on providing the best online shopping experience, which results in more word of mouth and therefore more customers.”
Sean O’Leary
Co-founder & CEO, Genscape
“When we started out, there was a point at which we were in debt, couldn’t make payroll, and were about ready to toss in the towel. Then I read INTO THIN AIR, by Jon Krakauer. Here was a guy who was left for dead on Mt. Everest, and if you need a story about survival and beating the odds, this is it. This is a great read for anyone in business and can certainly give you the motivation to keep on trying.”
By: Diana McKeon Charkalis, Lifestyle Editor
For: Los Angeles Daily News
Inside out.
That’s the theme in outdoor furniture this season, as designers borrow what’s fresh and fun from interior design and put it on the patio.
And outdoor rooms aren’t just for dining and entertaining anymore. This summer, the focus is on relaxing in sumptuous comfort. Still, it’s not all about indulgence. There’s also an emphasis on sturdier, and more eco-friendly, materials.
And worshipping the sun? That’s so George Hamilton. Instead, be on the lookout for innovative awnings and umbrellas that stylishly block out the glare.
Here’s a more detailed look at what’s new under the sun:
MODERN LOVE: The midcentury modern look is moving out – to the backyard. And there’s nothing subtle about this trend. “We’re seeing great, molded heavy plastic furniture that you can keep out year-round,” says Chicago-based home furnishings consumer expert Jennifer Litwin. “It’s strong and sturdy, and it comes in a lot of funky colors. It’s like planting a beautiful flower in your yard.”
SWEET SANCTUARY: The concept of the outdoor room has expanded from living to lounging. It’s bedding in the backyard, with an emphasis on comfier yet still weather-resistant materials. Among the hot items? Tandem chaise lounges.
“We sell more double lounges than single,” says Brendan Barry, owner of Barong Furniture and accessories in West Hollywood, whose outdoor furniture offerings are primarily teak and iron. What does this say about the L.A. lifestyle? “Let’s just say people like to cuddle,” he says with a laugh.
GOING GREEN: Eco-friendly style is gaining in popularity, but it’s not always easy to find. Here in the Valley it can be had at Modern Outdoor, based in Van Nuys. Their furniture has a sleek aesthetic with clean, simple lines. And one key material they use is Ipe, a sustainably harvested wood that’s three times as dense as teak. “It’s one of the best woods you can use to make outdoor furniture,” says company vice president Brett Himmel. “Our furniture is designed for heavy commercial use. A 20-mile-per-hour gust of wind won’t blow your chair into the neighbor’s yard.”
GIMME SHELTER: We all know it’s not safe to stay in the sun. That’s why more designers are creating furniture with awnings, privacy drapes and canopies for protection. Umbrellas are also especially big this year, showing up in a variety of bold colors. The Visor, from the Walnut Creek-based D’Firo Design, comes in white, parrot green and turquoise, and was created to block sunlight, not just when it’s directly overhead, but throughout the day. “You can protect yourself from the sun conveniently and stylishly,” notes D’Firo partner David Lenahan.
IN A FIX?
Need to replace vinyl strapping, fabric slings or other outdoor furniture parts? Check out chaircarepatio.com, suggests furniture consultant Jennifer Litwin. The Dallas-based company can ship parts anywhere and offers an affordable way to fix up your old favorites for the summer season. “You can replace straps or other parts for just a few dollars,” says Litwin. “And they come in lots of colors.”
REFRESHER COURSE
Keep your outdoor furniture looking fresh with these tips from the American Home Furnishings Alliance:
Aluminum frames: Clean with mild soap and water. For nontextured surfaces, apply an automotive wax every few months. On textured finishes, periodically apply baby or mineral oil. Occasionally spray oil lubricant on chair swivels or glides.
Tempered glass tabletops: Clean regularly with a soft cloth, a mild detergent and warm water. Buff dry with a clean, lint-free cloth. Commercial glass cleaners also may be used.
Outdoor wicker: Vacuum gently or brush with a soft bristle brush. Hose off every few weeks and clean periodically with mild detergent and water. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.
Vinyl straps: Wash with mild detergent and warm water, using a soft sponge or cloth. Rinse thoroughly. To remove scuff marks, apply toothpaste or gentle abrasive and rub gently with a dry cloth. To remove mildew, use a solution of warm water, mild detergent and bleach (no more than 1/4 cup to 3 gallons of water). Apply vinyl protectant to the straps after cleaning.
Sling furniture: Wash with mild soap and water. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.
Cushions: Vacuum as needed to remove organic material. Clean by sponging with mild detergent and warm water. Rinse thoroughly. Air dry. If mildew occurs, use a solution of 1 cup bleach and a squirt of detergent per gallon of water. Scrub with a sponge or soft brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and air dry. Always test an inconspicuous spot first to make sure the color won’t fade. Bleach may not be suitable for some fabrics.
Wrought iron and steel: Clean with warm, soapy water. To maintain the gloss on nontextured surfaces, apply automotive wax. On textured finishes, periodically apply mineral or baby oil. If rust develops, clean area by sanding lightly, then wipe thoroughly and apply touch-up paint (from manufacturer).
Hardwoods: Clean with mild detergent and water. Rinse well. Some manufacturers recommend an occasional application of oil. Teak and Jarrah can stay outdoors year-round. Pine, oak and cedar should be stored for the winter. Painted woods require painting every year.
Umbrellas: Wash covers with mild soap and water, using a long-handled brush. Spray silicone on the joints of wire frames. Use wax or furniture polish on wooden umbrellas.
- American Home Furnishings Alliance
By: Molly Millett, Pioneer Press
For: Pioneer Press
Jennifer Litwin, a consumer expert in the home furnishings industry, is a furniture detective. When she scouts out stores, she dresses down and shops anonymously. She asks a lot of questions and makes notes on prices, personnel, ambiance and, of course, quality.
Her research has been published in her new books, Furniture Hot Spots: The Best Furniture Stores and Websites Coast to Coast (published by the Lyons Press, $14.95) as well as Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever!: Learn How to Buy Furniture Like the Experts! (published by House of Collectibles, $14.95). Litwin plans to write regional Hot Spots guides, including one for the Twin Cities, in the future.
Litwin, a contributing writer for Consumers Digest magazine and a television consumer reporter, hopes her guidebooks will become to furniture what Zagat guides are to restaurants.
During a stopover in the Twin Cities recently, the Pioneer Press sat down with the Chicago writer to talk about furniture.
Q: What’s your background in the home furnishings industry?
A: It started when I bought a house while I was working on a trading floor of a bank. In the process of shopping for furniture on the weekends, I visited a lot of furniture stores but I found I didn’t know the questions to ask to make wise buying decisions.
When you’re shopping for a car, you know what you’re looking for, and you compare apples to apples. But in the home furnishings industry, there’s cotton, polyester … I had no idea what questions to ask a store salesperson about what goes into a better fabric, for example, what makes it last longer, to ask whether a fabric has been tested on a machine for wearability or for fading.
As I learned more, I found I was fascinated with the home furnishings industry. Eventually, I changed careers and trained at Sotheby’s. Since then, I’ve seen the industry from many angles. I had my own furniture store for years, and traveled all over the world to find furniture, from flea markets to antique stores to furniture shows. Now, I work as reporter for Consumer’s Digest in the furniture category.
Q: What’s your mission in writing these books?
A: I was the only person in history to travel across the country, undercover, to see what it’s like to be a consumer in the unregulated, $71 billion home furnishings industry. I ultimately want to make store owners more accountable for what they sell consumers.
Q: Is the home furnishing industry really unregulated? Can’t consumers find recourse, say, from the Better Business Bureau or through their credit cards?
A: What I mean by unregulated is that there’s no governmental agency overseeing it, to complain to if, say, you thought you were buying a piece of wood furniture, but it is really particleboard. It’s not like food, where the Food & Drug Administration gets involved if something isn’t labeled properly, and you end up having an allergic reaction. That’s unfortunate, since furnishing a home is the third biggest expense a person will ever make, after buying a house and a car.
Q: What are some of the furniture shopping secrets you’ve uncovered in your research?
A: With the increase of production happening in China, what is happening is you can’t be sure of the construction techniques, so you want the store to give you a warranty that goes beyond the manufacturers’ warranty. That should be a written warranty.
Another thing is, somewhere on the purchase order should be a list of the materials – you don’t want to think you’re buying solid wood and then find out it’s plastic. Also, shop online first. Retailers often offer deals online that they don’t offer in stores, up to 30 percent.
And – before you buy – find out if you will be charged a restocking fee if you return something.
Also, many of the big retailers – usually not the smaller, local retailers – offer special credit cards that may entitle you to a greater sales price or money back or a rebate at the end of the year. For example, Pier 1 offers you rewards for the more money you spend. Costco has an American Express card that offers points back toward purchases, that has been very successful. That doesn’t mean you want to finance your furniture through one of these cards, which generally charge high interest rates, but use it with the intent to pay it off right away and enjoy the perks.
And, many furniture today requires assembly. That’s OK if it just involves screwing in legs, but find out if the piece you want to buy will come in 50 boxes – it could be too complicated and time-consuming for the average consumer to assemble. I once spent $75 on a desk from Pottery Barn that was a major headache – it was so complicated to assemble that I had to pay a carpenter $200 to do it, and then I ended up having to saw off part of a leg to match the other end. It wasn’t worth it.
Q: Give us an example of how to save money when shopping for furniture.
A: Did you know that most furniture dealers, as opposed to chain stores, will give you a discount if you just ask for one? In my research, I was given one about 85 percent of the time. Ask for a 15 percent discount. This may also work at smaller, mom and pop type furniture stores.
Q: What’s one of the more highly rated stores you reviewed?
A: Ethan Allen has a good value for the money. They manufacture all their own merchandise, their salespeople are well trained and professional, and their furniture lines are more contemporary and less fussy than they used to be. Plus, they don’t charge shipping fees and their pieces come assembled. It’s a simple, no-frills store. And, a lot of their lines are constant, which is a nice feeling if you are building your home slowly over time. You can go back later and get a complementary piece for what you’ve already purchased.
Q: How is furniture shopping changing?
A: Today, many people think of furniture as disposable. They’ll purchase it from Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart. They’re not willing to wait six months for a piece to come in. They want to take it home on demand. That’s why companies like Target and Costco have stepped in to create home furnishings divisions.
Q: You mention that online furniture auctions are really popular, especially with the younger buyer. What’s your opinion of this way of buying furniture, say through eBay?
A: The problem with eBay is they’re just offering a venue. The customer is selling their own goods, so it can be very sketchy to try to return things.
Q: What do you think of IKEA?
A: IKEA is a place for disposable furniture, to get you through messy toddlers and sloppy teenagers. Some of the furniture I reviewed, though, felt wobbly, and not stuffed so comfortably. By removing the filler and putting in new cushion stuffing, you can make a $500 or $600 IKEA couch feel like a $5,000 couch.
But some of their pieces are very good for the price, like their kitchen chairs and tables and lamps. They produce a lot of good lamps in the $15 or $20 range.
Q: When will your book on Twin Cities furniture hot spots be published?
A: I’d like to publish a book about Minneapolis and St. Paul in 2008. I also hope to issue books for Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, as well as the South, Southwest and Southeast. In total, about 25 cities.
Q: Do you review online sites in your book?
A: Yes, and discount retailers. You know, a lot of people tell me they are afraid to shop for furniture online, they don’t know which companies are reputable. In my book, I’ve reviewed the stores as well as their Web sites, including chain stores.
Q: Just like fashion, people shop name brands when it comes to furniture. Can you trust a name?
A: Just like clothes, furniture designers offer different product lines for different stores. Don’t research the designer; research the elements of the line you’re considering.
Q: What are some of the questions you need to ask when shopping at the furniture store?
A: The most important thing you should do before you buy is to ask, ‘Has this been discontinued?’ Make sure it’s still going to be available six months out, in case you need to replace any knobs, pulls or legs, for example.
Q: What’s some other advice you give people when shopping for furniture?
A: I’ve watched hundreds of couples shopping for sofas on showroom floors. All they do is sit on the furniture. They don’t pull out the cushions, they don’t ask the salesperson to flip the piece over and see the construction underneath. These are things you need to do. My book, “Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever!” tells consumers how to determine if furniture is well constructed.
Q: What does your own home furniture collection look like?
A: Everyone always wants to see my house. But I’m not a furniture style person. I’m more a consumer reporter.
Q: But when you do shop for furniture for your own home, where do you prefer to go?
A: Actually, I don’t have a lot of space left in my house. I inherited a lot of things from my grandmother. But the pieces that make me the happiest are the ones I wasn’t looking for, the ones I paid under $100 for, whether it’s an old chair from an auction that we fixed up or something from a flea market. The worst purchases I’ve made are when I’m out on a mission, hunting for something in particular. The ones I’ve spent the most money on make me the least happy.
By: Sue Doerfler
For: The Arizona Republic
Next to our homes and cars, furniture likely is the most expensive purchase we’ll make.
And just like with home- and car-buying, it’s best to make informed decisions when purchasing sofas, chairs, chests and dining tables.
What should you look for? Comfort, style and function top the majority of most people’s wish lists, according to the American Home Furnishings Alliance, a trade association based in High Point, N.C.
Quality construction is equally as important, says Jennifer Litwin, a consumer advocate who writes furniture reviews for Consumers Digest. Litwin, whose Web site is jenniferlitwin.com, recently published Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever! (House of Collectibles, 2005, $14.95).
Also important:
- Written warranties.
- Free or reasonably priced furniture assembly.
- Shipping that is free or minimal in cost.
- Salespeople who know their merchandise.
- Price. Buy the best quality piece that you can afford, advises Jackie Hirschhaut, the alliance’s vice president.
Upholstered-furniture construction
Corner blocks – Used to strengthen the corners of seat frames. Can be attached with glue or screws, or both.
Down – Soft, fluffy feathers. Used by itself, down creates a luxurious, soft seat cushion. Down-covered foam is less expensive and offers more support.
Eight-way, hand-tied springs – Each coil spring is placed in the seat by hand and tied into place with twine using a series of interlocking knots.
Flexible polyurethane foam – A synthetic foam used in almost all upholstered furniture. Generally, the higher the density FPF the more durable and more expensive the cushion.
Natural fiber – Cotton, linen, silk and wool are natural fibers used to create upholstery fabric.
Synthetic fiber – Acetate, acrylic, nylon, rayon and polypropylene are among synthetic fibers used to create upholstery fabric.
Source: American Home Furnishings Alliance, High Point, N.C.
Wood-furniture construction
All wood – All components in the piece are wood. May be a combination of solid wood and engineered wood.
Artificial laminate – A surface of plastic, foil or paper that is printed with a wood-grain pattern and bonded to a composite such as particleboard or medium-density fiberboard.
Bird’s eye – Markings of small spots that resemble bird’s eyes. Often found in sugar maple. Prized as a decorative feature.
Burl – A tree knot or protruding growth that shows up as a pattern in the grain when sliced. Used for inlays and veneers.
Dovetail – A wedge-shaped tenon that fits into a corresponding cut-out space to form an interlocking joint.
Dowel – A wooden peg that fits into a corresponding hole to reinforce a joint.
Dust panel – A horizontal panel that is placed between drawers to keep dust out of the drawers.
Engineered wood – Wood made from slices of lumber (plywood) or the chips and fibers that remain after a tree is milled into lumber (particleboard or fiberboard).
Hardwoods – Trees, including oak, ash, cherry, maple, walnut and poplar, that lose their leaves in winter.
Inlay – A design of contrasting wood.
KD – “Knocked down.” Furniture sold unassembled or partially assembled. More commonly called RTA.
Kiln-dried – Wood that has been dried to resist warping, splitting and cracking.
Medium density fiberboard – Made by breaking down wood chips into fibers, mixing the fibers with glue, and fusing the resulting mixture under heat and pressure to produce a board.
Particleboard – Chips of wood coated with glue and pressed into a board.
Plywood – Three to five thin slices of wood glued together like a sandwich under high pressure.
RTA – “Ready to assemble.” Furniture sold unassembled or partially assembled. Sometimes called KD furniture.
Softwoods – Trees, including pine, cedar, redwood and spruce, that remain green in winter.
Solid wood – Can mean one board or plank of wood or several wood boards or blocks glued together.
Tropical hardwood – Hardwood from a tropical forest, the most common of which is mahogany.
Veneer – Thin sheets of wood applied to a core, which could be solid wood or engineered wood, for decorative effect.
Source: American Home Furnishings Alliance, High Point, N.C.
Upholstery fabric
Brocade – Originally, heavy silk with an elaborate pattern in silver or gold threads. Has an embossed appearance.
Chenille – From the French word for “caterpillar.” A plush, fuzzy yarn used to create upholstery fabric, which also is known as chenille.
Chintz – Originally, any printed cotton fabric. Now refers to fabric with a glazed or “polished” surface.
Damask – Named for the ancient city of Damascus, where elaborate floral designs were woven in silk. Flatter than brocade and reversible, though the pattern changes color on the reverse side.
Jacquard – Damasks, tapestries, brocades, matelassés and all upholstery fabrics with elaborate figures woven on a Jacquard loom.
Matelassé – French, meaning “to cushion or pad.” Refers to fabric with a quilted surface produced on a loom.
Moire – A fabric, particularly silk, with a watered or wavy pattern.
Toile de Jouy – A fabric of cotton or linen printed in a single color with scenes of landscapes and people, especially from 18th-century French prints.
Source: American Home Furnishings Alliance, High Point, N.C.
By: Nicole Tsong, Seattle Times staff reporter
For: The Seattle Times
Unlike New York or Los Angeles, Seattle’s home-store scene is not typically populated by owners trying to sway shoppers with the latest designer names. Instead, most offer well-made but still stylish furniture.
At least that’s the assessment of furniture consumer advocate Jennifer Litwin, who spent a year trolling the country, including a stop in Seattle, for her favorite furniture stores, which she included in her book Furniture Hot Spots, released last year (The Lyons Press, $14.95).
“I don’t think the focus (in Seattle) is on designed furniture,” she said. “It’s well-made furniture.”
Litwin was in Seattle recently to promote “Hot Spots” and her most recent book, Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever! (House of Collectibles/Random House, $14.95).
She sat down for an interview that included discussions about Seattle stores and style and the practices of major furniture chains.
Seattle style
Seattle boasts a remarkable selection of interesting Asian furniture at fair prices, Litwin said. Seattle stores have a deeper selection and include styles beyond Chinese.
Seattle importer David Smith & Co. (1107 Harrison St., Seattle, http://www.davidsmithco.com/) is one of her favorite stores in the country with its eclectic collection of Indonesian imports and knowledgeable staff.
But Litwin pegged Seattle shoppers generally as practical, more interested in well-made furniture than in trends. They like value.
“You don’t see a lot of sleekness here,” she said. “It’s very functional, and that’s where Seattle differs.”
Chain-store shopping
But like the rest of the country, Seattle also has an abundance of chain stores. And those vary in quality.
Litwin prefers local stores because store employees tend to be more invested in getting their customers to return.
But some stores like Ethan Allen (http://www.ethanallen.com/) have knowledgeable staff who spend time with the customers. She is less fond of what she calls “lifestyle” stores, like Pottery Barn (http://www.potterybarn.com/) or Crate & Barrel (http://www.crateandbarrel.com/).
Shoppers are paying for the “lifestyle” experience, she explained, with a staff that often doesn’t know as much about the furniture.
Furniture isn’t labeled well, many items require additional assembly at home and shipping charges are higher, she said.
The benefit, Litwin says, is that these chain stores are convenient and have put together a complete look for their customers.
“You can buy anything you want there,” she said.
But many Seattleites clearly enjoy quality furniture, supporting high-end stores like those along Western Avenue in downtown Seattle, Litwin said.
And, she added, Seattle’s furniture industry has picked up in recent years.
“I talk about Seattle all the time.”