Allowing emotional reactions to the modern day economic situation, natural disasters, and political and ideological upheaval for motivation, British artist, Nick Davis was able to channel and capture the beauty of destruction. With his new line debuting at the 2011 New York Architectural Digest Home Design Show, Nick’s work is sure to be one of the show’s highlights.

The Fragmentation Table, as seen in this blog post, is a cast bronze table creating the illusion of an earthquake shattering the ground to pieces. Polished in a high finish, the table stands about 40cm tall and has a width of 94cm. Nick Davis’ Fragmentation Tables can also be created in cast silver upon commission request.

In addition to the Fragmentation Tables, Nick offers a number of other incredible pieces such as his unique Tower Lamps, Saddle Stool, and Geometric Table. For more information on Nick Davis’ designs, visit his website at www.nickdavisart.com.

~ECPR

Haddonstone, considered the U.S.’s and U.K.’s leading manufacturer of fine cast stone landscape features, is preparing to launch a new collection of busts and statues at the 2011 New York Architectural Digest Home Design Show this coming spring. Many of the company’s pieces are re-creations of famous collections throughout Europe. For example, the marble statue featured on our blog, Apollo Belvedere. This stunning statue is modeled after Leochares’ original, located at the Vatican Museum in Italy. The Apollo statue embodies masculinity and beauty, a perfect combination to feature as an indoor focal point or in a European garden setting.

Additionally, Haddonstone has once again partnered up with Robert A.M. Stern Designs to launch two new series of pedestals, the Olympian and Athenian, which will also be featured at ADHDS. The Olympian Planter Collection includes two graceful bowls, two elegant urns and a tall, slim amphora. Each piece in the collection is designed to interpret the unadulterated shapes of ancient vessels from the Neoclassic era from a more clean and contemporary perspective. The three designs from the Olympian Pedestal Collection have been molded to represent the Ionic column designs from ancient Greece.

The Athenian Planter Collection includes numerous urns in two designs, stimulated by the pure forms of Art Deco and Art Moderne ornaments from the early twentieth century. The Athenian Pedestal Collection is comprised of three elegant, tall plinths. When paired together, the Planter and Pedestal Collections can complete a unique theme for any indoor or outdoor design.

Both collections by Haddonstone and Robert A.M. Stern Designs are suitable for formal and romantic gardens as well in modern landscape designs. Furthermore, the Olympian and Athenian Collections can be showcased in not only residential areas but can also be used for commercial and indoor design.

The extensive collection from Haddonstone is available online or by catalog. For more information visit the company’s website at http://www.haddonstone.com/.

Since we work across several industries, our blog and other social media channels encompass news, coverage and trends not only for our clients but also for other leaders of those industries. One of our channels is the popular photo sharing site, Flickr. Each week, we post new pictures, ranging from plants to furniture to appliances, and much more. The Bronze Eagle Statue from Englishman’s Fine Furnishings pictured to the left is one of our newly posted pictures. As a reader of our blog, you might enjoy our Flickr page…Let us know what you think of the pictures we posted this week as well as any of the others!

~ ECPR

Three consumer trends identified by Thorsten Platt, vice president of Liebherr refrigeration North America, for 2011 are simplification, value and health. With consumers leading increasingly busier lifestyles, Platt points out that people will profit from the innovative organizational design of Liebherr products. With budgets being tighter, consumers are doing more research to make purchases that ensure quality and performance over time. And, with more of the nation focused on fresher, locally grown food, Liebherr advanced refrigeration technology will be implemental in storing delicious produce. All around, Liebherr refrigeration products are becoming trendier, which is why we wanted to continue our “Sneak Peek” series with this inventive company.

Liebherr is a worldwide leader in premium refrigeration. This German manufacturing company brings European innovation and design to the U.S. market, providing built-in or freestanding refrigeration units as well as wine storage units.

At the 2011 Architectural Digest Home Design Show, March 17-20 in New York City, Liebherr plans to showcase two new refrigeration units- the CS 2060 and the HC 2060. The 2060 series offers substantial storage capacity and accommodating shelving in the top refrigeration section and double freezer drawers located directly underneath. Freestanding, fully-integrated or stainless integrated, the 2060 series will appeal to consumers as either refrigerator can fit into most any kitchen or home design. Both refrigerators are ENERGY STAR® rated and will be available at appliance retailers across the U.S. and Canada beginning April 2011. – Designers, retailers, media members, and others…Liebherr’s display at the show will be a must-see for all of us.

Keep checking back here for more of our “Sneak Peeks” as ADHDS attendees plan a schedule of booths and exhibitors to see. There certainly are more “Sneak Peeks” to come, so if one of these amazing companies hasn’t peaked your interest yet, we have more to spotlight in the coming weeks and months.

~ Sarah Kate

The inner connection we share with the environment is sacred, and what better way to capture that bond than the unique glass sculpture collection by David and Jennifer Clancy. Introducing their new Landscape Series at the 2011 New York Architectural Digest Home Design Show, this indoor/outdoor collection ranges from breathtaking exotic floral arrangements to harmonious Japanese gardens- exactly why we wanted to include them in our “Sneak Peek” series.

The Landscape series is a body of work that uses nature as its language. Each hand-blown glass piece aims to express the intimate relationship humans have with the environment. Whether the sculpture is showcased as an individual focal point inside a home or integrated into outdoor gardens, Clancy Designs express the fragile beauty of our eco-systems, as testifies the featured Wetland Series piece below.

Clancy Designs are carefully crafted in the United States. These pieces are ideal for retail stores and designers aspiring to promote aesthetic tranquility and a deeper connection to the environment, all by enhancing home or commercial space décor. Bases can be ordered in enamel-coated steel, stainless steel or bronze. All sculptures break down to easy-to-ship parts.

In addition, each Landscape Series sculpture can be custom-made or custom-sized to fit any location. Every piece is unique, providing a personalized touch to its final destination.

We’ll have more “Sneak Peeks” in a few days, so please stop back by our blog for exclusive looks at unique design companies ranging from furniture and lighting to kitchens and baths.

~ Dominique

A world of design awaits at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show this year. For those not familiar with New York’s most anticipated design show, here’s a quick rundown of the show’s happenings. With more than 300 exhibitors housed at Piers 94 and 92 along the Hudson River, the show, ADHDS for short, brings together all parts of the design industry- from manufacturers to retailers to design firms. There will be a fantastic lineup of designer seminar series sponsored by The New York Times and other events / parties taking place over the weekend. The dates for the show run March 17 – 20, 2011, but we will be doing “Sneak Peeks” of exhibitors posted on our blog beginning now. This will lead to some of the featured products being included in select print articles our team (and some of our editor contacts) will be writing in 2011. Watch for other general show news and updates here, too. So, onto the first “Sneak Peek”…

Artist Jamie Harris knows glass. He designs sophisticated pieces like these sculpted Rock Pendants, new this year to add to the collections at Jamie Harris Studios. Harris uses design inspiration drawn from the intricate process of glassblowing to create a modern collection of glass-form light pendants. Each piece twists and hardens into a unique sculpture, but all are similar in style to Edison-style light bulbs. Harris’ artistic sense for fluidity and energy come together in these Rock Pendants. They are available as individual lights (pictured) or together as a custom chandelier.

All of the lighting created by Jamie Harris can be custom designed- the size, shape and colors easily adjusted to cater to any specific taste. The Rock Pendants pictured above (from left to right) are dazzling in brown, alabaster and steel gray. And, the metal fixtures are fully UL compliant as well as being available in a brushed nickel, black or white finish. To see more of Jamie Harris’ work in custom lighting or his other works, visit www.jamieharris.com.

Keep checking back for Sneak Peeks in the days and weeks to follow.

~ Sarah Kate

The statistics are in, and consumers have spoken high hopes despite the weighty words of “economic recession” that have become an American culture catch phrase. Casual Living magazine teamed up with HGTV to produce the 2010 Outdoor Furniture Survey, sponsored by our friends at Pride Family Brands. This exclusive survey is based on the responses of more than 9,000 U.S. consumers via an online questionnaire from April 2010. It examines main casual furniture topics like conversation groups, product selection and service, imported furniture, and the industry as a whole. We are happy to report there is a good deal of positivity in the data and interpretations from the study. We’ve seen people in the industry making some pretty tough adjustments at times but also becoming more creative and purposeful when it comes to marketing and selling products for patios, decks, porches, pool areas, sunrooms, etc. We’ve posted what we think are some of the survey’s high points.

Conversation Groups:

• 29% of surveyed consumers planned to buy conversation groups this year while 37% plan to do so in 2011.
• The most popular places that consumers listed to shop for these groups included home improvement centers, discount department stores and casual furniture specialty stores…mostly noting these places for their convenience and low prices.
• $1,000 – $1,999 is the most popular price bracket that consumers chose when asked how much they expected to pay for conversation group seating.

Product Selection and Service:

• 59% of the survey’s respondents would prefer to buy less expensive outdoor furniture so they later can change it and be more flexible.

• The remaining 41% prefer to spend more because the purchase is viewed as an investment.

• Colors in which consumers are most interested: Browns, Black, Metallics for furniture frames. Greens, Browns, Blues for cushions. Browns, Greens, Neutrals for slings.

Imported Furniture:

• Top 5 countries for the source of U.S. imported outdoor furniture and principal products (in 2009): China, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico, and Taiwan

To read all the reports online, simply click this link http://bit.ly/hie5Ds. Comments, thoughts and questions are welcome! In closing, let all of us in the industry make creative strides to proactively market our products and services in new and fresh ways. We stand the chance to continue increasing the positive numbers in the industry during 2011, but this won’t happen without new types of marketing strategy…mixed with a small measure of risk. What are you trying that is new for 2011?

~ Sarah Kate

Here at ECPR we are introducing a new series of ongoing posts called Product of the Month. We’ll feature different products that relate to the home, garden, design, or agribusiness industries. Client and a few non-client products will be featured. Readers, if you would like to contribute to this series or submit a product to be considered for inclusion, please contact us at info@eberlycollardpr.com or post your comments below. Enjoy the inaugural post!

While people are gearing up for the holidays and New Year, magazine folks are gearing up for the spring season. Planning, writing and interviewing for stories that will be published months from now. Our first Product of the Month captures that same “early bird gets the worm” spirit. We want to share with everyone a peek at a new Terracotta container for plantings that Englishman’s Fine Furnishings will be selling to trade and consumers during 2011.

Englishman’s Fine Furnishings weather- and frost-proof Terracotta Collection includes stately plaques, planters, urns, and fountains to add a touch of classic English style to any yard, verandah or deck. These modern adaptations of favorite designs stemming from the epoch of the Greek and Roman civilizations reflect the beauty and grandeur of those times. Practical for exterior use and meticulous in detail, the Terracotta Collection can be viewed online at www.englishmansfurniture.com/catalogview.asp. And, look for Englishman’s new Terracotta pieces like the one pictured above on our social media channels in the upcoming weeks and months.

If you are attending the Atlanta International Home Furnishings, Gifts & Rug Market in January, you can find a comprehensive collection on site in Englishman’s expanded showroom. Let us know if you will be attending. We hope to see you there.

~ ECPR

Important to consider when planning the design of a garden or landscape is the interest the space will yield not only during spring and summer but also all year round. It might be easier to choose some plants during their blooming or primary growth seasons to see their fine form and foliage and a bit tougher to choose the right plant combinations based on their dormant characteristics. Still, many plants show their best characteristics during colder seasons and winter. It’s what people in the green industry call choosing plants with winter interest. Sometimes it is plants which transition to a new leaf color or triumphantly flower through the snow and ice. Other winter interest plants can be those that simply look radiant among winter elements- the green leaves and red berries of holly bushes against white snow or fountain grasses icy with winter frost. There are several of these kinds of plants available through Terra Nova Nurseries; pictured below are a few examples including a Bergenia, Helleborus and Heuchera. If anyone would like additional high-res. photos of these plants or others, please feel free to contact us.

~ Jeff

The changing of seasons is truly magical. There is something sacred about the first winter snow, the first blossoms of spring, and the first long summer day when the sun sets late into the evening. Every fall, I marvel at the changing leaves, and while it is a ritual that is predictable and seemingly nonchalant, I along with many others am happy to be reminded of how incredibly beautiful nature can be. So, fall leaves have become my inspiration for this week’s blog post…a special post for a special fall holiday, Thanksgiving. It’s a Thanksgiving round-up from us here at ECPR, featuring everything one could want or need for a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. So, we hope everyone enjoys our leaf-land, fantasy Thanksgiving dinner!

This refectory table, crafted by Englishman’s Fine Furnishings, is a perfect table for friends and/or family to gather round, and we adore the carved fleur-de-lis details. Fleur de lis translates from French to mean “flower of the lily”, but we like how the symbol resembles three delicate leaves…a perfect base to start with.

Next on our list is the food. Because what is Thanksgiving without incredible side dishes and the showstoppers: the turkey and pumpkin pie. How pretty is this Pumpkin Pie (recipe courtesy of Country Living)?! And, we all agreed that a no-fuss turkey recipe was in order so that the juicy flavors would standout even more so. We found this recipe for a Roast Turkey with Oranges, Bay Leaves, Red Onions and Pan Gravy thanks to Epicurious.com

Hopefully, you all are catching our leaf theme so far 🙂 Next, we moved on to decorating and setting the table…

Imagine our Englishman’s table decked out with beautiful leaves, collected straight from the outdoors. We like the idea of mixing autumn-colored maple leaves with plant leaves, like Heuchera leaves from Terra Nova Nurseries. Scattered along the middle of the table and surrounding dishes of food, these bright, bold leaves would add such festivity to the tablescape. Plus, collecting the leaves is such a fun idea for the kids to do during Thanksgiving Day down time!

We also found some other leafy touches for the table like these Leafy Napkin Rings from Crate and Barrel and this pretty set of Leaf Flatware available through Neiman Marcus. It’s extra decorations like these that guests will see and be impressed by even the little touches.

Finally, we are in love with this Martha Stewart craft project to create a table runner from colorful fabrics resembling leaves on a branch…so pretty.

These are just a few of our ideas for a unique and seasonal tablescape, easy enough for anyone to create yet special enough to use for a holiday like Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at ECPR!