Easily accessible from the motorway and with ample parking everywhere, the 31 furniture shops in this industrial area undoubtedly represent the best selection of brands and products in not only the south of Tenerife, but the entire Island. And when it comes to finding that very special furniture or decoration item, there is no place better than at La Carpintería because they make most of it themselves!
La Carpintería has two shops – one in Central Santa Cruz and another one in Las Chafiras, just between the ITV garage and Iceland. From the outside it doesn’t look too much like a furniture shop, and many of us have probably never noticed it before. But when you enter their large showroom, you realize that this is an inspiring and different place to look for furniture and interior decoration. Read more…

Williams-Sonoma Inc. on Thursday gave a dismal forecast for the year, citing the weak economy, even as the home-goods retailer posted a higher profit in the most recent quarter. See full story.
In a statement, Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Lester said the company is operating in “one of the most challenging macro-economic environments we have seen in many years.” And said it was approaching the year with “a high level of caution.”
On a conference call with investors and analysts, Lester said the company was seeing consumer weakness in areas that were particularly hard-hit by the economic downturn, such as Florida, Atlanta, Southern California, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Areas that were more robust included Texas, Oklahoma and Chicago. Read more…

The Langston family didn’t set out to be “green” when they bought a home near Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

It sort of sneaked up on them.

“Initially, we weren’t looking for that,” John Langston says about their new home’s Energy Star certification and its EarthCraft status. “We were just looking at the quality of construction.”

“It’s all new technology to us,” his wife, Lindy, says of the environmentally friendly features of their home.
Read more…

The 12th International Exhibition on Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Manufacturing Equipment finished on March 10th, in China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC). About 600 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions participated in the exhibition, which took place on an area of 60,000 sqm, 36% larger than last year. The visitors and buyers from Europe, Southeast Asia and America were very active; about 35,000 professional visitors attended the exhibition.
Read more…

It’s time again for the Design Within Reach juried furniture competition, MODERN + DESIGN + FUNCTION 2008.

The application deadline is March 20, at 7 p.m. and entries will be judged by local design, architecture, art and fashion professionals. The top entries will be exhibited at the DWR showroom on April 24, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Judges are looking for innovative, sustainable furniture by emerging designers in Texas, so submissions must use “environmentally conscious ideas, processes and materials.”

Visit www.dwr.com/austin for the application and rules. Design Within Reach, 200 W. Second St., 472-7200.

Minimalist conservatory
Less is more in this elegant conservatory where off-white walls and white floor tiles have a fresh appeal. The rattan table and chair set is perfect for a spot of afternoon tea and the two bronze geese bought at auction make great conversation pieces.

Relaxing conservatory

Create a modern, relaxing conservatory space with a neutral coloured sofa from Argos, teamed with dark wood flooring from Quick Step. Create a feeling of comfort with cushions and a throw, and display your books and magazines for a relaxed feel to the room.

Want to get a feel for what’s hot in the world of home decor these days? All you have to do is visit a couple of model homes in your community and take a good look around. You’re sure to recognize a recurring theme.

The cabinets you saw in the high-end kitchen closely resemble the furniture in the adjoining breakfast nook, and the ceiling molding in the dining room matches perfectly as well. These days, designers are going out of their way to carry a single theme throughout the entire house. It’s a design trend called unification. Read more…

SIX OF Canada’s noted TV design personalities translated their talents for decor from the small screen into a live showcase, crafting personalized spaces celebrating the latest in trends, ideas and products in interior design.

Brian Gluckstein, The Designer Guys (Allen Chan, Matt Davis, Anwar Mukhayesh), Sarah Richardson and Lynda Reeves were each tasked with creating distinctive living spaces measuring around 70 square metres backing onto a common courtyard.

Their creations were featured at last week’s Toronto’s Interior Design Show.

“I took the challenge as being something that would in some way reach out to the viewers, reach out to the public, and be an expression of who we are,” said Richardson, host of HGTV Canada’s Design Inc., and Sarah’s House. Read more…