Norwalk Furniture Corp. will complete 82 orders that were pending when the Lexington franchise of Norwalk, The Furniture Idea, closed suddenly in April, Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced yesterday.

The store in Hamburg Place was operated by Danny Hillard, a veteran Lexington retailer whom the Herald-Leader has been unable to contact.

The attorney general received about two dozen complaints from consumers who said they had made deposits but had not received their furniture. Some told the Herald-Leader they had made down payments of $1,400 or more, and one business paid in advance for $17,000 in furniture. No total for all customers was available.

Stumbo said Norwalk Furniture now has copies of purchase orders from the store and will notify customers in writing within seven business days about the status of their orders. Read more »

Accessorizing an outdoor living area used to be pretty much limited to color-coordinating your citronella candles.

But my, how times have changed.

Manufacturers have taken the term “outdoor room” literally, creating decorative accessories and other items that make outdoor spaces just as beautiful and livable as indoor rooms. Here are some of the goodies we’ve found:

Outdoor lighting: Table lamps, floor lamps and chandeliers designed for outdoor use look almost identical to indoor versions, with shades made of weather-resistant fabrics. One table lamp we liked at B&G Fireplace & Patio, made by Catalina Lighting, is designed to fit into the umbrella hole of a patio table and has a clamp that holds it in place, even in the wind.

Umbrellas: Sure, you can buy an umbrella big enough to shade a table. But what about one that’s big enough to shade an entire deck or hot tub? Read more »

Whether it be furniture, food or a friend, the Salvation Army is there to help. But more people in need and one less source of revenue means tough times for the non-profit.

Lawrence Craney travels the City of Knoxville by bike and he says he wouldn’t have it any other way. But without the Salvation Army’s help, this Katrina evacuee says he wouldn’t be here.

Lawrence is just one evacuee whose decided to stay. Community Relations Director Amie Williams says, “We’ve had a lot of evacuees relocate, and they come in all throughout the year. They don’t just come in around that time.”

So, the organization is, itself, in need. Williams says, “We are very much in need of household items and furniture, especially.” Read more »

What quality to expect of patio, yard furniture in different price ranges and details to look for

All outdoor furniture looks good in the store. But how good it looks after a year on your deck depends on what it’s made of and how it’s made.

Here’s some guidance on what to look for and what you can expect to find at various quality levels.

Low-priced

What to expect: In the lowest price ranges (say, $300 or less for a five-piece table-and-chairs set), it’s hard to find pieces that can stand up to the harsh outdoors for long. Steel frames are typical, but you’ll need to touch up scratches and dings with paint periodically to prevent rust. Inexpensive molded plastic furniture continues to be a popular low-cost choice, and it’s now available in Adirondack chairs, Asian-inspired designs and other styles that are a bit more fashionable than the traditional white stacking chair. Read more »

Whether it’s a room fit for a princess, a cowboy or one cool dude, today’s youth furniture is keeping pace with a growing market.

In recent years, the trend has shifted away from disposable or pass-along furnishings toward children’s bedroom furniture designed to last more than 15 years — furniture that “grows up” with the child.

At the recent Spring 2006 market in High Point, N.C., furniture manufacturers trotted out their youth collections and it was clear companies recognize “parents and their offspring alike want furniture choices that are designed and build to last. They also look for style and an easy level of sophistication that’s appealing to the youngest tastes,” says Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance.

Quality, safety and convertibility are issues, although some designs take flights of fancy meant to appeal directly to the younger set. There also are grown-up pieces that look equally at home in an adult’s bedroom. Read more »

Will it be an ancient Greek marble sculpture of a lion, a majestic portrait by Titian of King Philip IV of Spain or a shoulder mask by the Baga people of Guinea? The choice is yours in the People’s Art Poll, in which the public is voting for the Cincinnati Art Museum’s No. 1 work of art. Museum curators sifted through the 60,000-piece collection to come up with the 25 nominees.

The Top 10 will be announced Aug. 6 and the winner Sept. 30. Each Sunday, we are profiling the 25 nominees in A&E.

BEDSTEAD, 1882-83

Artists: Benn Pitman (1822 -1910), Adelaide Nourse Pitman (1859 -1893), Elizabeth Nourse (1859 -1938).

Crossing the pond: Benn Pitman was an English expatriate who settled in Cincinnati in the early 1850s and was one of the fathers of Cincinnati’s art-carved furniture movement.

May-December romance: In 1882, Benn married one of his woodcarving students, Adelaide Nourse, 37 years his junior. To commemorate their nuptials, he designed this magnificent mahogany bedstead, which was carved by Adelaide. Read more »

TROUBLED furniture company, MFI has appointed Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, the investment bank, to auction its 200-strong chain of stores in a move to break up the group, which also owns Howden Joinery, the builders’ merchants.

A sale of the stores may lead to the disappearance of the famous MFI brand, which started in the 1960s making flat-packed furniture.

It provides confirmation of the revolutionary change sweeping through the retail sector, which is being forced to adapt to globalisation and cut-throat competition from more efficient competitors such as Ikea.

The decision to start a formal sales process comes just over a week after the group revealed it had received several bid approaches for all or part of its MFI furniture retail business. Interested parties include Swedish furniture group Nobia, which owns the Magnet kitchens business. Read more »

Big Island firefighters helped save a Hilo furniture store and most of its contents.

A fire started sometime after 11:00 last night in the back of Koehnen’s Interiors.

Officials say it started in a pile of discarded boxes, then spread to an outside wall and eaves of the roof.

They say the cause looks suspicious, but continue to investigate.

Damage is estimated at 20-thousand dollars. The property and contents are valued at 4 to 5 million dollars.

Where was Dawn Lanser when I was having kids? The first time I stepped into her new store, the Natural Way, 702 E. Jefferson Blvd., my mouth dropped. The furniture and unique child-related accessories blew my mind.

I admit I’m a little out of the baby loop, but I was astounded by the variety of unusual items. Now, I’m looking forward to having grandkids.

Then I can buy this darling little suitcase with the words “Ready or not, Grandma, here I come.” Or the comfy, overstuffed rocking chair. Or the mold sets to get the impression of tiny hands on the first five birthdays. Or the round baby crib draped with netting.

The beds! My word. I’ve never seen such a variety of baby’s and children’s bedding, much of which can expand as the child grows. (See accompanying story.) Read more »

An agreement has been reached in the case of a Lexington furniture store that closed it’s doors while still owing many customers merchandise.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced Friday that an agreement has been reached with Norwalk Furniture Corporation of Norwalk, Ohio. The corporation will fulfill outstanding furniture orders placed by approximately 82 customers of the Lexington Norwalk franchise store, located in Hamburg Place.

The operator of that franchise, Danny Hillard, abruptly closed the business earlier this month. Stumbo’s office received nearly two dozen complaints from consumers who made deposits but have not received furniture.

The written agreement, known as an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, has been submitted to Franklin Circuit Court. Under this agreement, Norwalk Furniture will complete the production and delivery of furniture ordered through the Lexington franchise, regardless of whether Norwalk received the deposit collected by the franchisee. Read more »