Archives for 2010

With less than one week until Casual Market, we have this week to wrap up our “Sneak Peek” series with some more amazing companies. For all the posts regarding Casual Market “Sneak Peeks,” simply scroll down and read previous entries all the way back to our introductory post about Casual Market and the series on Sept. 2. But, moving on…This special “Sneak Peek” is about Highwood USA’s Adirondack Collection, that will displayed at booth 8-1063 at Casual Market.

Highwood is a manufacturing leader in synthetic wood structures and furniture, which can be more beneficial for homeowners due to its long-lasting attributes. Synthetic wood is less likely to loose its color and more resistant to water and stains all while being extremely easy to maintain. We think it’s fantastic that Highwood has taken its knowledge of synthetic wood and applied it to a classic style chair like the Adirondack. The Adirondack Collection features pieces handcrafted here in the United States available in a natural toffee color or crisp white finish. The product as a whole is fully recyclable and weather resistant. And, we like that all the items in the collection – the adult chair, ottoman, table and the child chair – completely fold for convenient storage when not in use.

For those attending Casual Market, Highwood’s booth is surely one to visit. And, feel free to leave any comments now or post-Casual Market regarding the Adirondack Collection.

~ Jeff

Part of our “Sneak Peek” series is previewing new, exciting companies or pieces that will be featured at Casual Market. Another part of our Casual Market work is previewing the trends forecasted for 2011, with the goal of assisting our media contacts to acquire glimpses into the casual and outdoor furniture companies’ latest introductions and insights. Pride Family Brands, showing at booth 1747-48, will be exhibiting several collections that follow in the Pride Family Brands’ tradition of durable casual furniture. We want to highlight some of these products that clearly represent trends we’ve been gathering during our “Sneak Peek” series process.

One of Pride Family Brands’ new collections is the Veranda Collection with its old world detailing and deep cushion seating. Decorative arches with rivets support the baluster-style arm and legs of each seating piece. Given our research and the many articles on outdoor rooms we have written, our team expects the deep seating pieces like the ones in the Veranda Collection are going to be popular among attendees at this year’s Casual Market. As more and more people are embracing the backyard as an additional room of the house, outdoor furniture is reflecting extra comfort and durability for everyday use and special occasions entertaining guests. The trend of staying in homes longer and working to redecorate or enhance existing décors is paramount to this kind of livable setting, and to the growing success of the Casual Market for 2011.

Another trend we’ve been noticing is the increase in details and carvings for table pieces. Small intricacies like these encourage more elegance in casual furniture. As an evolving trend, elegance and detailing are being showcased unlike in the past few years. Pride Family Brands will be introducing its Pedestal Table and Romanesque Tabletop at Casual Market. The Pedestal Table base features urn-like, scrolled feet and has been finished by a hand-applied antiquing process for an old world look and feel. The Romanesque Tabletop is a stunning carved design available in multiple sizes including Pride Family’s extension-sized table. With a deep, hand-tooled motif, we love this tabletop’s balance of flourish and linear elements.

Editors and producers, keep these pieces and us in mind for features on which you are working about how to add touches of elegance with durability for outdoor rooms. Stay tuned to our blog until the market’s opening day for more Casual Market “Sneak Peeks,” and look for our updates and byline articles about new products and exciting trends post-market.

~ Don

Stylish, comfortable outdoor furniture from Ebel Inc. will be introduced at Casual Market next week, including its four new collections, two of which fall into the aluminum category, a new venture for Ebel. What you’ll expect to see is classic design throughout each collection that is sure to please any homeowner’s style taste.

The Veronne Collection features Ebel’s first swivel recliner as well as a variety of dining and modular pieces that can be used to create the ideal seating arrangement. We are working on an outdoor room design article for Dallas Homes, and you can imagine this type of lifestyle setting would be a good example for consumer readers.

The Porte Collection is available in both Walnut and Black weave colors and is comprised of seating pieces that are almost all stackable, making the collection as much resourceful as it is enjoyable and beautiful.

The Messina Collection is one of the two new aluminum categorized sets from Ebel. With a sleek, woven aluminum detail in the backrest, Messina pieces translate Ebel’s signature look into a new medium. This example of woven aluminum will set trends in 2011, and we hope to feature it in one of our Good Housekeeping magazine photo-sharing online content posts.

Finally, the Salerno Collection is the other introductory collection into the aluminum category. With an aim to address the trend of livable elegance in outdoor spaces, Ebel created pieces in this collection with details like a twisted-metal base and hand-applied Antique Copper finish.

We are swooning over the simple, elegance that radiates from each of these four new collections and are looking forward to seeing them at Casual Market. Ebel Inc.’s booth number is 15-121 for those attending Casual Market. But, what we like most about Ebel is the eco-friendly responsibility the company maintains for each collection. All Ebel’s aluminum and wicker is 100% recyclable, and the teak that is used comes from sustainable plantations. Beyond the materials used to create the furniture, Ebel conducts environmental practices in other ways, like its partnership with Trees for the Future and its move in 2009 to print all marketing materials in a factory certified method by the Forest Stewardship Council.

~ Sarah Kate

We continue our IFCA “Sneak Peek” series with a company that manufactures outdoor furniture made of aluminum frame, teak wood and rattan synthetic fiber weaving. The Bohdeline brand distributed by the company PT Sumroes Karya Utama will be showing outdoor furniture at Casual Market, booth 8-7030, under the name Bohdeline. We wanted to feature one of its furniture sets, the Alaska Living Set.

This Alaska Living Set encompasses the latest trends in outdoor furniture as well as the design characteristics of comfort and durability. The Alaska set features details like the oversized arm rests on all the pieces, the use of high quality, long-lasting synthetic material, and the stylish choice of twisted-cord detailing. We love how appropriate this Alaska set and other Bohdeline pieces are for hotel or building’s with casual lobby settings as well as for backyard homes. The company offers a rare combination of elegance and durability in this outdoor furniture line.

~ ECPR team

Fire pit tables are taking a strong place as a frontrunner in the outdoor accessories category as a clean and safe alternative to fire pits alone. With these tables, heated by propane, there is no need to worry about smoke, ashes or embers, yet they offer the same benefits of a wood-burning fire…even roasting marshmallows. This “Sneak Peek” entry is all about one such fire pit table, the Oriflamme Fire Table. It is a new introduction from Designing Fire, an exhibitor during next week’s Casual Market at booth 8-1093.

The table sits at coffee-table height with a propane tank concealed in the base. We like that the Oriflamme Fire Table is completely customizable. Choices include burner designs, granite or Tuscan stone finishes, round- or square-shaped tabletops, and over 24 types of colored, artistic fire glass.

We were pleasantly surprised to find the Oriflamme Fire Table not only lightweight and portable but also easy to assemble (no tools required). If you’re looking for more about this amazing product, click the following link for a video of the Oriflamme in action, including a look at the different burner designs that can be inserted into the glass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qJQ5Kqqv_4&feature=player_embedded.

Designing Fire’s Oriflamme Fire Table definitely provides ambiance and warmth with unique style unmatched in today’s gas fire table market. – For our editor contacts looking for fire pits to address any last minute October or November editorial features, email or call us, or you may post comments here.

~ Sarah Kate

Our “Sneak Peek” series continues today with Terra Furniture, a company whose founders have been in the business for over 40 years and focus on providing high-quality casual furniture and accessories. At Casual Market this year, Terra Furniture will be showing off two such products of high quality- the Regent Dining Collection and the Anastasia Outdoor Deep Seating Collection.

We are particularly fond of the Regent Dining Collection, Terra Furniture’s newest dining set that can transition from outdoor to indoor. The dining chair pictured is made of tubular and cast aluminum, and is available in 20 different finishes. For those of you who are hoteliers, restaurateurs, spa owners, and designers working in commercial spaces, Terra Furniture offers a creative choice for the back of the chair. It can be customized to include a company logo or initials, another reason to love the Regent Dining Collection!

Just looking at the Anastasia Outdoor Deep Seating Collection and we’re convinced the club chair, loveseat and ottoman will be favorites for any homeowner looking to create a relaxing setting on a verandah, patio, or in most any outdoor room. Terra Furniture covers each comfortable piece’s cushions in durable, all-weather Sunbrella fabrics, leaving the choice of 200 possible fabrics to the customer. Our take on the best part about this collection: the pieces can be left outdoors year round, without worry of fading.

If you are attending Casual Market, stop by Terra Furniture’s booth, 8-2050. And, for more information, visit www.terrafurniture.com.

~ Sarah Kate

NorthCape International specializes in furniture that ranges from traditional to contemporary. Every piece created with high-quality manufacturing, its pieces are meant to stand the test of weather and wear. At the same time, in selecting the company for inclusion to our “Sneak Peek” series, our team agreed NorthCape’s furniture can make a true design statement in any setting. And, two of NorthCape’s collections we’re excited to see at Casual Market are the Berkshire Collection and the Cabo Collection.

One of the most versatile elements of NorthCape’s Berkshire Collection is the choice to accessorize the pieces with sunny shades of fabric and bold patterns or neutral-toned fabrics and earthy trimmings. After conducting much casual furniture trend research last year on the part of our team, the Berkshire Collection options act as an indicator the trend of bold-to-traditional colors and styles is still present.

The collection is defined by its thick, hand-woven
weave in a rich cappuccino color. The rustic feel of the weave combined with the rich brown hue really allows Berkshire pieces to be beautiful and functional. Matched with other pieces from the collection or mixed with other coordinating accessories, NorthCape’s Berkshire Collection can yield a timeless look for any backyard, patio, porch or terrace.

The Cabo Collection exudes a more luxurious resort feeling as a collection but at an affordable price. This modular collection’s pieces are crafted with a lightweight aluminum frame and covered with a Jacobean flat weave. The fabric for the cushions is completely durable due to its UV-protected PE woven resin, and NorthCape has a fabric library of over 150 textures and colors to use for the cushions.

If you’ll be attending Casual Market, stop by booths 16-112 and 16-130 for NorthCape International’s selection of furniture, lamps, rugs and accessories.

~ ECPR team

With so many diverse companies exhibiting at Casual Market, we continue our “Sneak Peek” series with hopes that everyone attending the show, or not, will enjoy reading about select new products and interesting trends surrounding this year’s Casual Market. A leading designer in casual furniture products, California Outdoor Concepts will be showing one-of-a-kind fire pits at booth 8-2012. The fire pit category at markets and trade shows is a growing trend, as more of a focus is put on backyards being functional living spaces.

We gathered some feedback about this from Clint Blevins, president of California Outdoor Concepts. He shared with us that when he and his team started the company almost 10 years ago, they felt they were providing a product that gave additional heat for backyard activities. But, they know today the fire pit is really a gathering place; a place to share conversations and maintain relationships. The modern and sophisticated appearance of their fire pits is a tell-tale sign they know all about creating warm atmospheres for homeowners and business owners in need of fire elements. We, here at ECPR, want to share two particular fire pits from California Outdoor Concepts – the Monterey and the Del Rio – that really captured our attention.

The Monterey is a multifunctional fire pit table reminiscent of California style and feel. With dark mahogany footing and basket weave base, the Monterey combines aesthetic beauty with practical needs of an outdoor table. An individual could easily rest his/her feet up on the top for extra warmth and comfort or set a plate and glass on the edge for a fireside dinner with guests.

The Del Rio from the La Costa series is fashioned from its Spanish name meaning “to or from the river”. A coffee table in shape in size, this fire pit is made of sleek, modern details, like the granite top sourced from actual mountains. Media members, if you have editorial needs for what’s hot in outdoor fire pits for your fall and winter issues / editions, please comment here, or you are welcome to email or tweet us.

~ Jeff

Here, we have posted another “Sneak Peek” from a shade design company, TUUCI. This innovative shade product company will be participating in the fall 2010 Casual Market beginning September 21. And, with shade options continuing to evolve in outdoor room importance, TUUCI is clearly staying on top of market and design trends.

TUUCI’s newest introduction is its Ocean Master MAX Cantilever Classic Parasol from the Ocean Master MAX Cantilever Collection, designed and inspired from marine elements. The automatic telescope mast supports the shade parasol that provides 200 square feet of uninterrupted shade and ambiance. TUUCI blends style and function together with the MAX Cantilever Classic as it combines beautiful aesthetics with solid engineering features, like the tandem-retrieving crank system, for the ultimate shade experience. We really admire the product because it is a timeless piece that eludes sophistication and contemporary comfort. We believe the nautical look and easy to operate features makes it an ideal shade choice.

TUUCI is a leader in shade products furnishing cafés, hotels and resorts while also focusing on environmental sustainability. See more of TUUCI’s products at booth 8-7038 at Casual Market or visit www.tuuci.com for more information.

~ Don

The quaint yet thriving French city Marseille, located on the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean coast, is the essence of European spirit and style. This same refined, bucolic spirit is captured in the Marseille Collection created by Century Leisure Furniture. Century Leisure will be showing this collection and more at Casual Market, beginning September 21, at booth 1700.

The look of the Marseille Collection is clean and linear with subtle details that enhance its sophistication, according to Eric Graham, the senior director for Century Leisure. And, the collection includes dining and lounge chairs, bar stools, loveseats, chaises and tables all in hand-wrought steel with a pewter finish. Each of the seating pieces features Century’s distinct bull nose cushion details, and, the tables are topped with brushed White Carrara marble.

We hope everyone is enjoying these amazing “Sneak Peeks” before Casual Market begins just around the corner. Designers, retailers, manufacturers, and media members, keep reading our blog for more product spotlights and new trends in casual and outdoor living! There are many more Sneak Peeks to follow soon.

~ Sarah Kate