News from Casual Living
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 17, 2008
New ICFA appoints executive committee
At its first meeting Feb. 20 in Las Vegas, the board of directors for the new International Casual Furnishings Assn. named an executive committee and initiated strategic planning.
Dudley Flanders, president of Lloyd/Flanders, was elected chairman of the new organization. Vice chairman is Petey Fleischut of Casual Marketplace in Hockessin, Del.; she recently completed her term as president of the Casual Furniture Retailers Assn.
Also on the executive committee are retailer Gary Ecoff of Carls Patio, Coconut Creek, Fla., and vendors Bill Echols of Tommy Bahama, Palm City, Fla., and Dean Engelage of Woodard, Chicago.
As adopted by the ICFA Board, the organization's mission is to "create the desire for quality outdoor furnishings through industry partnerships." Membership will be open to all key partners within the casual furnishings industry.
Joseph Logan serves as ICFA's executive director. He is based in High Point, N.C.
Among the first actions taken by the new board of directors was a decision to initiate strategic planning and develop plans for several new member benefits. Details will be announced at a later date.
The board also agreed to host one or more member events at the upcoming ICFA Casual Premarket in July and/or at the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago this September. The ICFA Board agreed it would host the Apollo Awards dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Pride Family Brands taps Rehmert as VP of sales
Effective March 3, Rory Rehmert became vice president of sales and marketing for Pride Family Brands' specialty store and contract divisions, which include Castelle, Prestige, Expressions and Summerwinds brands.
"We couldn't be more excited or happy to have a professional of Rory's caliber joining our management team," said Jamie Lowsky, CEO of Pride Family Brands.
"I'm looking forward to it," Rehmert said. "I think it's a great opportunity."
Rehmert, who began his career as a specialty retailer, was vice president of sales and marketing for Meadowcraft for many years until he left the company this year. He served as president of the Summer and Casual Furniture Manufacturers Assn. and has been actively involved with its reorganization as the International Casual Furnishings Assn.
Home textiles sources expand range of products for indoor-outdoor use
Suppliers unveiled a plethora of highly styled home textiles designed for indoor-outdoor use during January's New York International Gift Fair and Home Textiles Market Week.
"In general, the distinction between inside and outside has dissolved," said Soraya Chemaly, owner of Soraya Jones. "I believe our placemats and trays have great consumer appeal because the outside entertaining space is really an extension of people's inside entertaining spaces. So, from a decorating and accessorizing perspective, it makes more sense to have tabletop accessories that do double duty and make the two spaces work elegantly and dynamically together."
At the show, Jones introduced more than 30 designs of vibrantly colored reversible placemats, with one side featuring a bold contemporary painting and the other a simple, contemporary graphic design. The company also offers nine styles of melamine trays in coordinating colors and designs.
A number of other suppliers featured fashionable table linens designed for outdoor living. Pacific Merchants, for instance, presented two collections of placemats constructed from polyvinyl placemats, runners and coasters made from outdoor furniture fabrics, as well as a collection constructed of polypropylene. Styles include wicker weave, basket weave and sisal weave, in 60 different colors.
Chilewich, known for its high-fashion, contemporary placemats, table runners and floor mats, offered new styles that emulate woven grasses, as well as looks reminiscent of embroidery, all in sun- and water-resistant vinyl. "New homebuilders are spending more on outdoor living spaces with outdoor kitchens and fireplaces," said Marcie Parmet, marketing director.
Also in a contemporary vein, Design Ideas unveiled environmentally friendly EcoTwine placemats, coasters, rugs, baskets and storage items. The EcoTwine material is made from scrap sheets of plastic labels for soda bottles and candy wrappers. The plastic "twine" is woven into richly-hued home fashions that are both functional and artistic.
At the show, a number of other sources offered traditional indoor products such as throws, accent pillows and draperies suitable for outdoor use.
Ultrafabrics promotes Wyckoff
Ultrafabrics, a leading manufacturer of high-end polyurethane products, has promoted Paul Wyckoff to vice president of sales. He will have the primary responsibility of sales in the contract, residential and casual furniture markets.
"Paul has been a key part of our success, and we are thrilled to promote him to this important position," said Clay Rosenberg, CEO of Ultrafabrics.
Wyckoff joined the company in 2003 as a national sales manager.
Prior to Ultrafabrics, he was a partner in charge of sales for Maharam.
Suncoast opens retail outlet
Patio Now, a new company owned by Suncoast Aluminum Furniture, has opened a retail outlet in Fort Myers, Fla.
"Patio Now will be used as a retail outlet to sell items with discontinued fabrics and furniture lines (for which) we have extra inventory, or one-of-a-kind items," said Rick Baker, national sales manager of Suncoast.
"We have no interest in competing with our valued dealers."
Before joining Suncoast, Baker was head of a major patio furniture retailer that won the industry's Apollo award.
Located in Fort Myers, Suncoast Aluminum Furniture manufactures cast and extruded aluminum furniture. Two years ago, Suncoast opened Suncoast International LLC to offer its customers value-priced, foreign-sourced products.
Colonial Mills keeps rug prices flat
In celebration of its 30th anniversary year, Colonial Mills Inc. will hold 2007 pricing on all of its products throughout 2008.
The Pawtucket, R.I.-based manufacturer of braided-texture area rugs and accessories also embarked on a direct-mail campaign designed to encourage retailers to take a closer look at braided-texture rugs. One mailer includes an Adirondack chair and conveys a message that braided texture rugs are ideal for outdoor living spaces. Other mailers emphasize Colonial Mills' quick turnaround time, shipment tracking and new Web site with online ordering.
"We make a creative, high-quality product manufactured entirely in the United States so we wanted to show the different braided-texture collections and their variety of colors, styles and textures up close and in all their glory," said Donald Scarlata, president and CEO. "We feel these mailers communicate this message in an interesting and fun way while also driving home our company's experience and service themes."
