1 | Kontextur
Inspired by the bold yet minimal and functionalist aesthetic of Eastern European motorcycles, the x3 indoor watering can from designer Paul Loebach is available in solid copper or painted steel. kontextur.com

2 | The Rug Market America
Always a popular theme for kids, cars were among The Rug Market’s juvenile designs launched earlier this year. The Crazy Cars design in turquoise is shown here. therugmarket.com

Catch the Wave in Frankfurt

Villeroy & Boch’s popular New Wave Cities Of collection continues to grow in popularity. At this month’s Ambiente fair in Frankfurt, Germany, the company will introduce four cities, including New York, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Sydney, to the collection. villeroy-boch.com

At a loss for words? Take a look at the growing trend for text appreciation in home décor. Whether the words are used as inspiration or as a design element, they all make for great conversation starters.—Andrea Lillo

1 | Vietri
The Metro collection was inspired by Vietri founder Susan Gravely’s world travels. Each mold is handcarved from Italian stoneware and glazed in white or neutral taupe. vietri.com

A Slice of “Pi” from Gilt Home
Those who loved “Life of Pi”—the fictional story of the Indian boy who was lost at sea with a Bengal tiger now in theaters—had a chance to recreate the adventure for themselves, as several props from the movie were offered in a limited sale to members last month on Gilt Home’s website. Clothing, furniture—such as this tiled table—and the 25-foot lifeboat (tiger not included) were on sale. gilt.com/home

Colonial Candle has officially opened the doors to its first and only luxury candle retail and research boutique in Charleston, S.C.

The 3,000 square-foot flagship store is the candle company’s first and only boutique featuring uniquely designed fragrance rooms. These rooms allow customers to explore new scents and share their feedback to influence future candle fragrances and products.

JANUARY

Fans of “The Good Wife” who have coveted the decor of their favorite characters on the show can now buy these same looks for their homes.

Interlude Home, which has supplied decor for the show’s sets since the beginning, debuted the show’s licensed line of accessories, lighting and accent furniture at High Point Market.

Bond, James Bond
To commemorate James Bond’s 50th anniversary, Christie’s auction house is offering the chance to acquire a piece of James Bond memorabilia through Oct. 8, including the ice coffee table, candelabra, champagne bucket and prop champagne bottle shown here from “Die Another Day.”

Cookies for Brains
The Bone Collector Cookie Jar from Boston Warehouse serves up sweet treats with a ghoulish grin. Happy Halloween! bwtc.com

Christine Lemieux, founder and creative director of DwellStudio, has made Fortune magazine’s 2012 list of most powerful women entrepreneurs.

Lemieux is the only honoree from the home furnishings category. Fortune recognizes 10 female entrepreneurs each year “who are outstanding game changers, groundbreakers and innovators,” according to a DwellStudio statement.

By Andrea Lillo

Its sights set on becoming a premier destination for the gift and home industries, the International Market Centers will implement changes to World Market Center Las Vegas’ Gift + Home Market in a three-phase process, with the first being unveiled in January 2013.

The new strategy broadens Las Vegas Market beyond furniture. Half of the furniture buyers who come to Las Vegas Market buy only that category, but the other half is open to other products, according to Bob Maricich, CEO, IMC. “We’re building tomorrow’s marketplace.”

Starting next year, GLM plans to launch Sources, an exhibition connecting international and domestic manufacturers, artisans and producers of materials, home decor, accessories, gifts, private label apparel and handcrafts, with U.S.-based importers, wholesalers, volume buyers, product designers and U.S. retail chains. The semi-annual event will first take place as SourcesNY at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Sept. 18-19, 2013; SourcesLA will launch in February 2014, at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.

By David Gill

For the past several years, homeowners have been treating their outdoor spaces as another part of their indoor spaces. As such, they are putting an ever-greater premium on fashion and style for the furnishings on their decks, patios, gazebos and pool sides. This has created a tremendous opportunity for vendors of outdoor furnishings—one that has proven profitable in the fast few years, and that should produce even more to their top and bottom lines in the years to come.

New York in Bloom

Macy’s New York took its famed flower show outdoors this year, offering the natural beauty of Brazil as a theme. The tented display, situated in the pedestrian-friendly Herald Square, complemented store window displays, Bouquets of the Day from some of New York’s top floral designers, and floral tablescapes from Lenox and Portmeirion inside the store.

Macef, the International Home Show, is gearing up for its September edition, scheduled for Sept. 6-9 in Milan, Italy.
Featuring Italian-made and Italian-designed items in home decor, tableware/kitchenware, accessories and gifts, this fall marks the 93rd edition of the show.

“Macef is not a mere exhibition of products,” said Giustina Li Gobbi, exhibition manager, Macef. “Macef is an open window on the world, and on the Made-in-Italy sector.”

The best of the best in the decorative accessory and lighting industries were honored in at the 23rd annual ARTS Awards. Awards in 26 categories in retail and manufacturing were presented, as was the Academy of Achievement Award, given to Allan Palecek, founder, CEO and lead designer of Palecek, for his impact on the industry.

By Andrea Lillo

Inspired by belly buttons and baby bottoms, Eva Zeisel, who passed away in December at the age of 105, left her iconic mark on the home furnishings industry.

By Andrea Lillo

For companies looking to expand their reach in Europe, Messe Frankfurt’s Tendence was the place to be in August. The show was fully booked up this year with 2,100 international exhibitors showcasing the latest worldwide trends and products in home and gifts.

Attendees to Tendence, scheduled for Aug. 26 to 30, 2011, in Frankfurt, Germany, will not only see worldwide trends and products in home furnishings, but also new show features, such as the debut of a new Home&Trend Award, as well as special focuses on Austria and Africa. More than a month before the show opened, show organizer Messe Frankfurt announced that Tendence was already fully booked up, with 2,100 international exhibitors registered for the show.

By Allison Zisko

Ambiente’s global reach, the window it provides into other cultures and cuisines, and its reputation as a trend incubator have cemented its position as one of the most important international shows for tabletop and housewares executives.

The trade fair, which takes place in Frankfurt, Germany Feb. 11-15, has grown as an international event in the housewares category, and has evolved as a critical platform for both tabletop and housewares vendors eager to expand globally.

Colonial Candle

These new metallic candles will add holiday design, style and sparkle to any table. The collection features different formats including 12-inch handipt tapers, pillars in 3-by-4 and 4-by-6 inches, and 1.5 and 2.8 inch ball candles. Festive colors include silver, gold, red, green and platinum. The new metallic candles are made in Colonial Candle’s facility in Elkin, N.C., recognized for it’s green manufacturing, using the same high quality materials as Colonial’s fragrance collection. colonialcandle.co

By Andrea Lillo
Laura Ashley’s classic feminine touch is familiar to several generations of women, and this venerable brand continues to evolve to meet contemporary needs.
The home textiles category has had a close and cozy relationship with the brand for decades. Rich Roman, president and chief executive officer of Revman Intl., estimates more than half a billion dollars of Laura Ashley home textiles products have been sold over the nearly three decades the brand has been around.
That’s a lot of Laura.

By Jennifer Boncy
Decorative accessory and gift vendors are touting the Las Vegas Market as the optimal opportunity to give their buyers all-important face-to-face time and to connect with the bicoastal, international crowd expected to attend.
Putting aside concerns about the economy and its affect on trade show traffic, many exhibitors are optimistic about the potential for good business at this September’s market. They are also committed to the fledgling market and have high hopes that with time, it will prove to be a must-attend bi-annual event to all in the industries.

The Williamsburg Festival at Pine Tree Barn in Wooster, Ohio, celebrated its 17th year this month.
The festival features distinguished guests and re-enactors, visiting artists displaying their trades, activities for children and 18th-century-style fare.
Home stylist Cindy Cragg gave two demonstrations each day showcasing Williamsburg style and offered visitors information about incorporating American tradition into their entertaining and decorating. Cragg focused on simple and easy ideas to recreate 18th-century style.

By Andrea Lillo
Though the business environment continues to be challenging, manufacturers feel that the decorative accessory category still has opportunities for growth.
As they get ready to exhibit at the Las Vegas Market, several manufacturers mentioned benefiting from a significant lift in their West Coast sales from the show, as they gain exposure to new accounts they otherwise wouldn’t have access to, and they hope that continues.