Altstadtweib asked:

I’m looking for very modern furniture, but most furniture stores offer the same old fashioned look. I know there are a few stores which offer a modern & contemporary look, but overall I think Americans prefer a different look than Europeans for example. The furniture stores in Europe are all so beautiful and you go wild, but here it’s almost painful to select furniture.
I usually buy then over the internet, but it costs me a lot of money.
Why is it that even young Americans prefer to buy that old fashioned “oak-style” look??? Anybody from the furniture industry here on YA who wants to explain why stuff looks always so old-fashioned?

Powell Furniture This computer desk provides a unique perspective at counter height. It features a pull-out keyboard tray, 3 full extension drawers, a generous work surface and an open shelf. Heavy gauge powder-coated tubular steel frame, adjustable glides, chrome-plated textured drawer fronts and a laminated top and keyboard tray give this computer desk the rugged construction construction Read more »

Powell Furniture 502-579 This free-standing bookcase is styled to maximize space. Featuring a distressed antique black finish with traditional styling, scalloped edge framing, and curved edge shelves, this large bookcase is as elegant as it is functional. There are 5 shelves that are tiered from small to large from the top, giving you ample space to to Read more »

Powell Furniture 388-238 A truly elegant and functional piece of furniture, this desk from Powell is certain to dress up any home. Featuring a black rub-through finish with gold detailing, this wonderfully crafted desk is rich and hearty. It also has a fully functional pencil drawer. Features: -Black rub-through finish with gold detailing -Artificially aged to to Read more »

Powell Furniture This computer desk provides a unique perspective at counter height. It features a pull-out keyboard tray, 3 full extension drawers, a generous work surface and an open shelf. Heavy gauge powder-coated tubular steel frame, adjustable glides, chrome-plated textured drawer fronts and a laminated top and keyboard tray give this computer desk the rugged construction construction Read more »

Powell Furniture 354-238 With its stylish and contemporary design and finish, a stable of the Z-bedroom collection, this computer desk features a unique cantilever design, custom machined solid aluminum drawer pulls, and smooth high-sheen poly tops. This striking and innovative piece of furniture has extraordinary style, function, and storage capabilities, that make it a perfect fit fit Read more »

International Famous Furniture Fair (Dongguan), commonly known as 3F, is a leading furniture fair in China since 1999. This semi-annual exhibition held in March and August, now shifted to September, is a leading trade event serving the global furniture and furnishing community. The 20th 3F will be on from 6 through 10 September 2008.

General Information
Every year, over 700 exhibitors from 10 countries gather twice in Houjie and display their latest products in 9 exhibition halls covering 240,000sqm. 3F and its concurrent International Famous Furniture Woodworking Machinery & Material Fair, Dongguan Home Furnishings Fair touch every essential category in the home furnishings/décor marketplace, including bedroom furniture, living room furniture, upholstery, wall décor, decorative accessories, lightings, textile as well as woodworking machinery and materials. It is the most comprehensive home furnishings event in China and the most efficient trading and exchanging platform for the world’s furniture industry. Held right in the center of China’s furniture industry, 3F is the only furniture event in China supported by Ministry of Commerce of China and Hong Kong Trade Development Council. It is the only furniture exhibition receives UFI Approved Event endorsement in China. It is the Excellent Furniture Exhibition in Intellectual Property Rights Protection in Guangdong.

Attendee Information
International furniture and furnishing retail and wholesale trade, furniture importers and exporter, interior designers, architects, designers, joiners, carpenters, interior decorators.

Exhibitor Information
International suppliers of furniture, woodworking machinery, furniture accessories and components, lighting, home accessories, decorative items, carpets and home textiles.

Show Organizer (s): Dongguan Famous Furniture Association
Event Date (s): Sep 06, 2008 – Sep 10, 2008
Hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Venue: Guangdong Modern Internatioinal Exhibition Center
Address: Houjie Furniture Road, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
No. of Exhibitors: 746 , History Record: 746(in 2008)
No. of Attendees: 110000 , History Record: 110000(in 2008)
Exhibition Floor Size: (sqm) 240000 , History Record: 240000(in 2008)
Phone: 86 – 769 – 85900111
Fax: 86 – 769 – 85585780

The local government of Cebu was received warmly by Austrian traders who showed great interest in investing and importing furniture from the province.

Cebu officials led by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia were in full force during their visit to Vienna last month to present the province’s unique furniture business to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.

“I really make this a point na dadalhin ko ang ating furniture manufacturers to open more market for the Cebu furniture industry our furniture is a world class,” Garcia said.

Garcia’s group showed the audience the growing furniture industry in Cebu through a PowerPoint presentation.

“This is a business matching session for the Cebu delegation with Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the counterpart here in Austria is the Austrian Federation,” said Cebu Board Member Wenceslao Gakit.

Aside from Austria, the officials said they are also set to visit other countries in Eastern Europe.

The group hopes to establish more connections in other European countries like Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia and Germany.

Source

Interest in the benefits and use of environmentally friendly products continues to grow, making the green movement stronger than ever. This is especially prevalent for homeowners who are looking to build and decorate their homes in ways that support the environment.

Furniture found at a traditional retail store is often mass-produced and shipped half-way around the world to be manufactured and then shipped again — at least once — before actually selling. Green-minded homeowners look for locally built furniture that is high quality and environmentally friendly.

“There are plenty of reasons why people are drawn to this furniture,” says Scott Ekman, vice president of marketing for Rockler Companies, the national woodworking retailer.. “More people are recognizing its environmental benefits as a way to set it apart from the rest.”

Besides requiring less transportation and energy-use, locally produced handcrafted furniture also reduces waste. Through a combination of higher quality construction and heirloom value, it tends to last longer, easing a huge burden on landfills and other waste management facilities. According to the EPA, furniture and furnishings accounted for over 18 million pounds of waste in 2006, about 3.6 percent of all waste in that year — the most of any durable good.

With the interest in green decorating increasing, sometimes there is a barrier for homeowners who don’t know where to go to find these types of goods. The Web site, www.woodworking.com/green matches furniture shoppers across the country with woodworkers and carpentry shops in their area.

“We recognized a big void in the furniture industry,” says Ekman. “Handcrafted wood furniture has huge potential, but right now it can be difficult to find. All we’re trying to do is provide people on both sides of the fence with more opportunities to get what they want.”

According to Ekman, that means more business for local woodworkers and more convenient options for consumers. “There are thousands of professional woodworkers out there creating amazing furniture,” he says. “And even more consumers who, if they knew it was available so close at hand, would love to buy it. This Web site is designed to bring the two groups together.”

Visit www.woodworking.com/green to find a location in your area.

Source

1st International Conference on World Trade in Furniture, Home Designing and Interior Decoration will be held at IRIB International Conference Center in Tehran from July 9-10.

Announcing this on Saturday, head of the employer association of furniture producers and sellers noted that the conference aims to prepare the ground for cooperation among domestic and foreign companies engaged in this industry.

“Developing furniture industry and getting a foothold on markets in Middle Eastern and Central Asian counties are among other goals of the fair,” Ali Ansari said. Read more »