This interesting company ran across our path & we felt it was worth sharing with our readers. Jetclass, a company out of Portugal featured a unique mirror/TV for those who aren’t thrilled about seeing an actual TV hanging on our walls. This chameleon design approach is perfect for those who love their electronics gadgets, but love making their wives happier. We encourage you to spend a few spare minutes & peruse through their website to view some of their unique home decor collections. It definitely has a stylized edge to the line for those who are attracted to a sleeker look & a twist with tradition. This European elegant approach for home furnishings is worth the look. See more JetClass here!
A classic side bedroom dresser with classic cab legs & scalloped base. This style dresser is a classic for any bedroom & vintage home decor lover! JetClass blends the traditional styles as shown with funky modern design for a distinguished, but all out gutsy design approach.
A classic style designer headboard with wild animal print fabric upholstery! JetClass blends vintage traditional with edgy details that do nothing short of stopping & catching a quick glance. Daring details may not be for everyone, but the frame alone is fantastic and toning it down a notch with simple fabric gives this bed frame another personality! Cheers to furniture that has character!
Some people like to golf. Others enjoy sailing or tennis. These hobbies are wonderful. But I like to put my spare time, spare money and spare energy into the ultimate hunting game. The hunt for uniquely fantastic old vintage style lamps. Don’t get me wrong, buying a new table lamp or traditional chandelier is still in the cards. But, when you want to find something that is completely different, there is nothing more interesting than searching for vintage lamps. Finding the really unusual lamps isn’t an easy as you think either and that is what makes it challenging. Even when you have found a perfect piece, then you must get it to work & find the right harp size and distinguished shade to make a perfect match.
The reason why I love home lighting accents is realistically you never really can have too many lamps! Let’s face it, when you look at a space (let’s say a living room) there are endless opportunities for the placement of funky lamps. You have the opportunity to place them on any and all end tables, any consoles, on pianos, on fireplace mantels and don’t even get me started on the really creative lighting you can impose for wall sconces. Search at your local estate sales, neighborhood antique shops and welcome to the world of lighting!
Once you’ve taken a ride around the block a few times, it isn’t hard to figure out. Either you climb on board with all the other retailers, including your competitors in your local area or now online, and carry the same product every one else does, slice and dice discounts to see who is cheapest (good luck with that method)…or you have vision. Yes, vision and we’re not talking about getting new glasses or contacts. The vision you need to swim in the ocean of minnows and sharks. The vision to understand what, how and why the consumer shops the way she does. The vision to deliver a product to an end user, from your design showroom, because the alternative isn’t even close to what you have to offer. This is the vision that sets the leaders apart from the followers and allows for survival and then prosperity.
Every profitable, savvy buyer I have met in my life has vision. Rarely, do they buy what they see and then just plop it on their retail floor. No, the ones who know how to turn a nickel into five dollars do not work that way. They have vision required to make change that will ultimately lead them to success and excitement in their business environment.
As we swim among the fish we don’t have names for now, (but they have big teeth and ugly skin), the smaller elegant independent fish need to figure out how to survive against these savage predators. They have to stick with the school, where they remain strong together. This means sourcing vendors that deliver and feed this articulate elegant school of fish what it needs, to flourish in the eco system. The only way to maintain that balance in a more complicated than ever furniture eco system, is to develop relationships and build product that sets you apart from the the nasty ugly fish that swallows up anything it its way . (I think we all get the idea about the fish here!)
Moving forward as you shop the High Point market, search out unique product and if possible, enhance your own proprietary touches to them & private label your order with your company brand slathered all over it. This is where the vision begins. It has never been more important than now for the smaller businesses to pull out every ounce of vision and creativity and YOUR name brand visible! You must set yourself apart from the ocean predators who think nothing of swallowing up delicacies if it is made possible for them. Find the furniture factories that are your advocates, think outside of the box & can maneuver quickly in changing tides. These are the guys that will get you through the eye of the storm as we are now entering a new era.
If you are a retailer that relies on selling the manufacturers brand, well we guess you would just like to invite the product you invested on your floor to get shopped all over the internet. Yes, this may sound rough, but if you haven’t figured this one out, you will discover the pleasure of consumers shopping the name brand you carry all over the country, take your time, enjoy your real estate location & order from somewhere where they may save twenty cents. (We just want to get to the point & save you a bit of frustration if possible) And if the local rep argues, “but you offer service…they’ll buy from you”, ask him or her to take their bag and go because they don’t get it or care to get it. These are livelihoods we are talking about here.
Believe us, manufacturers are also looking for the minnows as they also know they can be swallowed up by one big fish too. Work together with your sources intelligently and remember a lot of littles add up to BIG. Here are a few of our favorites. Feel free to email us if you have a unique furniture line where you offer private label & can customize product for your customers. Good Luck & Happy Hunting!
info@BuyFurnitureYouLove.org
Blog Contribution by: Frank N. Onnest, Industry Veteran.
Search for a High Point Furniture Designer Source; Burton James, a custom sofa manufacturer, at the High Point Home Furnishings Market Showroom (International Home Furnishings Center- D1105) at the Spring 2012 Furniture Show.
Search furniture online first today….work the feet second, tomorrow!
Yes, it is always around Easter time when the High Point furniture show begins to roll around. Spring time is in the air and it is time to work those buyers feet to make your company money from the next, best unique designer furniture source. Or is it? Maybe the feet don’t have to work as hard as they used to. Maybe your index finger just has to exert a little more energy to get to where you need to go. Yes, you know what we are talking about…that old invention the internet. Today in furniture we can connect very efficiently with minimal expense and time. We can find the sources that may have taken us days and thousands upon thousands of dollars to search out. It’s simple & you can find your nuggets of golden sources at midnight in your pj’s. What were we doing before the internet?
OK, if you’re a workaholic or don’t feel you have enough reps calling on you daily, jump on a plane and give those feet a workout, but be a smart shopper to search out all those funky designer sources first online. Search furniture online and be more efficient than your competitors to find even more cool sources than just what meets your eye in the main design wing hallway. The best sources often lurk in the dark dusty corners & they may be listed at BuyFurnitureYouLove.org !
Unique one of a kind rugs always catch our eye! At a recent trip to the Domotex Show in Hannover Germany, we found the company Ahtamara Carpets & Kilims of Turkey, and they had unique furniture accents to offer. Many of their rug pieces are meant as wall art home décor. You can also find their unusual rug styles for very special places on the floor of your home. If unique is your middle name or at least your clients middle name, here is a source to dive into.
This vendor source, Ahtamara carpets & Kilims, we stumbled across had a nice selection of these of one of a kind special rugs. Some of them are so special , you don’t dare put them on the floor, they go on the wall for art and admiration. These wall art pieces of home décor wholesale in the range of $ 2500.00 and up. They are extremely labor intensive and all hand done with tassles and trims that are candy for the eye.
If you go to the Ahtamara website it is plain and not the best representation of what we saw in person. We recommend you start emailing them for pictures of what you have in mind. Let them dig through their gems and send you pictures and prices. Keep in mind slick websites cost money, theirs is simple, so you are getting a good deal. Just make sure you do some digging with them via email or skype. The cool thing about rugs is they ship easy. These folks seem eager to do business, so I am sure you can negotiate a deal where it could be sent back if it isn’t what you expected or saw on their photography. But, this is a good source for unique types of kilims and rugs that have their own personalities.
One of our favorite little home décor accents was the every so practical and chic kilim ottoman. These small and great to pull up to a coffee table seating furniture accents (or serve as a coffee table in multiples) retail around $400.00. They are well made and cute, cute, cute! Reach Bazaar Ahtamara here!
One of our favorite parts of our day is our commute to and from the Domotex show. Yes, typically an American (like us) dreads the idea of commuting to work and the raging headache begins as you buckle up. But, again I don’t know if it is just the change of scenery or the fact of not sitting in a car, Hannover provides an interesting commute to the show that is refreshing. When you are walking to the train and grabbing a cup of coffee from a on of many boutique coffee shops (BTW, no coffee shop chains we could see…all so different ) each decorated with cheerful individual, personality, you then begin to notice the beautiful old historic buildings as you sip your tasteful morning brew. In Hannover there is a building called the town center. This is like their village hall & it is a beautiful piece of architecture with elegance. If you are an architect, interior designer or well seasoned buyer with a keen eye… you will love, love, love this building! They can try to create this stuff in Vegas or the over the top malls, but when you see the real deal of classic, original old world architecture with deep history you get the serious vibe of its authenticity! Although, traveling is fantastic, it still feels good to come home to good old USA. She will always be our first & ultimate love!
Jaipur Rugs of Jaipur, India is a gem with their new Jenny Jones Collection that was first launched in Europe & soon to be introduced at the High Point Furniture Show and then the Atlanta Rug Show at Americas Mart this year. See some of Jenny Jones Jaipur fabulous designs here and see the Domotex Jaipur video, this company is a premier company who puts their money where their mouth is and is Living, Giving & Doing Business!
We consider ourselves fortunate when it is possible to taste so many different flavors of life. You must wonder what we mean by that? Well, there are those who think with the right side of the brain and those who have greater strength on the left side of the brain. It is considered that the right side of the brain subjects focus on aesthetics, feelings and creativity. Where as the left side of the brain is focused on logical thinking, analysis and accuracy. Hmmm. Which one are you? Or are you a talented duo thinker?
In our world we have been allowed to experience the delight of knowing very different left brain and right brain thinkers and view other peoples spectacular thought processes from afar and also with direct involvement. Starting from exceptional photographers, incredible art directors or fine precision programmers who each look at their subject matters through a very different lens that you and I would. Some of these creatives & techies who get the big bucks, well they earn it because they arrange and configure their thought process a bit differently. They stand out from the crowd because they simply think otherwise. They take it a step further than the average Joe or Jane. Next, they invite the other side of their brain to bring out the best in their projects, unusual developments and escalate these efforts to the highest level they can. End result, if it meets their expectations… they share it with the rest of us! Hence, these stars are always bearing sweet fruit and enlightening us, and it seems, we thirst for more!
A great example for one of the more recent innovations using the left side and right side of the brain would be giclee art. Painting on canvas is an art that will never go away, it will always be the true essence of artistry. But, we know realistically original art is expensive because of the time and labor intensity that goes into it. And if there is a name behind that canvas you gaze at that carries some weight, well open up your pocket book a lot more.
With giclee art work you combine the best of both worlds. If you have an eye for hip art, but don’t want to drop thousands for every room, or have secondary rooms that can’t support a big art budget this is a solution to consider, giclee artwork.
Through giclee art, which is a printing process on canvass, then stretched (which many times can be made to order in custom sizes) you can find some unique and chic subject matter at an affordable price for the sake of decorating your walls with lively artwork that has a pleasant visual experience.
Gasp. Did you ever walk into a space and project a blank glaze on your face because you wanted to be polite? I have. (deep down & you know this is true…you think to yourself, how can these people function like this? This is crazy land!) Yes, many of you who go on house calls for a living for your furniture store or design business KNOW EXACTLY what I am talking about. When you are hired to be the miracle maker, it sometimes takes all the energy you can muster up to think positive and know you can create an organized, well thought out space and make yourself proud of your work and the client happy, but miracles take a bit of time and money.
As we all know having the right sources is also half the battle. Bookshelves aren’t always the most popular category for wood makers and furniture factories. It seems there isn’t the vast level of choices for unique wooden bookshelves as there are for dining room tables, solid wood buffet sideboards or even classic wood dining room chairs. Yes, bookshelves seem to be the lost cousin to the case goods family. Just kind of left in the backseat to fend for themselves.
Well, here is a cool furniture design source tip we would like to share with you! If you are in search online for an old world traditional or even just simple, zen design like classic designer book shelves, take a look at French Heritage products in our home furnishings buyers guide & design directory. They have a nice look and don’t have the mass produced approach. They have a lovely distribution to independent stores through out the USA to find their products and buy the French Heritage Collection. (who distributes out of High Point North Carolina)
Jenny Jones Collection in partnership with Jaipur Rugs of India. This beautifully designed rug collection in inspired way down under, in Australia. Jenny Jones has a successful retail boutique operation with her family in breathtaking Australia and has brought her design talent, years of experience and fluid designs to the global market place. Japuir is one of the largest rug manufacturers from India that has so much to boast about, yet remain humble and quiet of the good deeds they perform for their people of India, like building schools and hospitals in the towns where their people work. Giving back for the greater good has the karmic delight of returning this company with a robust 45,000 employees with further plans for making a better tomorrow with the Jaipur Rug Families children now leading the social movement.
The recent line of Jenny Jones was first released at Domotex Rug Show (a Hannover Fairs Show) located in Hannover, Germany. Some of the most sophisticated and hottest stores, design teams and buyers attend the show to find the newest styles first and claim their stake. Europe has set the trend in fashion and there is no dispute that rugs don’t show fall short of that reputation. Jaipur unveiled the Jenny Jones collection first at Domotex and will next unveil this specialty line at High Point , North Carolina at Spring Market of 2012.
If you are a designer showroom, interior designer searching for Unique, take the time to visit this showroom early and claim your stake in your territory for this rug line. Distribution will probably limited to some degree as this is a quality higher end line with complete customization for the Jenny Jones Collection with lead times of up to 9 months. (But truly worth the wait when you see how original and gorgeous these rugs are)
See a small sample of some of our favorites from Jenny Jones here and learn more about this fascinating company making global change through the art of rugs!
Jan Kath Rug Designs. When you walk through Domotex it is pretty clear Jan Kath evokes a strong impression of, “We’re hip, we’re quality”. (without saying one word) The visual impact of simplicity and urban edginess leaves anyone to wonder, what more can I see? This unusual blend of urban decay, art and custom hand made rug designs leave any interior designer or residential architect with the feeling that they have scored a pretty important source here.
Jan Kath isn’t for everyone, but lobster tail and filet mignon aren’t either. It’s rich in detail, clean in design and you use these masterpieces where they are going to be seen and truly appreciated. We can’t express enough these custom rugs by Jan Kath aren’t typical run of the mill , my eyes are getting blurry from seeing to many rugs, kind of designs. No, you stop in your tracks, turn your head and stare, then ask how can I see more?
Now this is even more interesting, Jan Kath is kind of like the Rug nightclub of the Domotex show. Not that there are drinks flying or loud music, but rather your credentials are rather well checked out by the bouncer at the door before you can see his new pieces. It isn’t a surprise that these designs probably get knocked off quickly (we did see similar flavors later) but of course, they can never hold a candle to the mastermind. Jan will always be a leader in his rug domain.
There is even a small special room as you navigate through the maze of open loft like gallery style rooms where you can see the hidden treasures. You could easily spend your entire show time at the Jan Kath booth if you have projects and clients who you know get this. This is the rug playground for the rich and hip. Learn more about Jan and this very hip rug line that is taking Europe by storm here.
Jan opened a New York Showroom in the Fall of 2011. He has taken the American plunge in the big apple. If his success in Europe is any indication of what lies ahead for him in the United States, he will be a rock star here too. We wish this gracious German rug star the best of luck in the USA and he always knows he has friends at BuyFurnitureYouLove.org
