Furniture Today - January 24, 2005

As the style line between casual and formal dining has blurred in recent years, so has the distinction in terms of pieces and overall dining room configurations. The introduction of square tables by traditional dining room sources often with an option to take them up to counter height to achieve the "gathering table" effect that's permeated casual dining of late ...

• Bedding Today
• Hofmann enjoying his new life in mountains

• Editor's Desk
• Buhler dealer ignites hot idea

• Industry Numbers
• Hooker profit jumps 23.8%
• RPM 2Q sales rise 7.2% as profits plunge 74.1%
• Akzo Nobel sees return to growth
• Ethan Allen 2Q sales up 1.7%, profits dip 4.6%
• Steinhoff buys struggling Hukla
• Online sales boom during '04 holidays

• Insider's View
• Don't lose site of the human tragedy in Asia

• News
• Gautier rolls out first upholstery at Paris market
• Jerome's adding distribution center
• HomElegance sets bigger MAFEX space
• San Fran shopping lists
• First FR law on books
• Toronto: Solid 1st half
• Rug show points to busy year
• Growing IBC on bedding industry radar
• Superstyle opens factory for stationary leather line
• John Thomas offers online service center
• Rockford appoints C. Foster president
• Weave WeatherWize line adds cut yardage option
• Ennis Fine Furniture opening Thomasville store
• Waxman, Kaplan honored at GNYHFA dinner-dance
• Singapore show expanding
• SunBelt holds export workshop
• Mirador eyes growth in '05
• Product Lounge teaming up with Desilets on Lapidus line
• Sears Canada debuts appliance/mattress stores
• Sleep Country ranks 20th for best employer
• EQ3 rolls out Europe galleries
• Aktrin: Spending growth to slow
• Atlanta market draws fashion-forward crowd
• Therapedic offers low-priced FR line
• FR (mis)information
• D.C.-area seminar to offer retail ideas
• Kimball leaving Home
• Fairmont Designs taps Fonville as VP of merchandising
• Designer event set for High Point in Feb.
• Johnson exits Big Lots
• Obituaries
• Obituaries

• Opinion Today
• Big changes afoot in fabric arena for '05

• Special Report
• Update on FR compliance
• Volvo's safety mission
• Upholstery rules still under discussion
• Tanda: Safety can be sold
• Five brands make up IBC's arsenal
• Business Strategy
• Largo's path to success
• San Francisco Market Introductions
• San Francisco Market Introductions
• APA moves Encore factory from California to Nevada
• PLMresearch eyes furniture industry
• Toronto Winter Market
• Domestic bedding parries China's thrust
• Buhler combines cabinets with firebox inserts
• Sklar Peppler launches branding campaign
• Décor-Rest scores with first wood line
• CHFA recognizes excellence in Canadian furniture
• Warm social scenes in the cold of Toronto

• Store Openings
• Furniture Options installs DeCoro leather gallery
• La-Z-Boy adds 2 stores, gallery
• French Heritage has Chicago shop

• Supplement
• Fusion
• Drop-shipping spurs growth for Quebeko
• Ameriwood expands sales in office, electronics stores
• Function, fashion drive high end
• Cashing in on the test drive
• American works hard to keep current with fast-changing consumer needs
• Superstores: Little focus, but still selling
• Furniture plays key role in CE explosion
• Hooker Furniture gets a lift
• Encore! selling mechanisms
• Aktrin: Rising Canadian office furniture sales to ease in 2005
• New home buyers requesting built-in networks for computers, audio-video
• Eurway stores offer sales, service to small business
• La Difference stages home media month
• VIA dresses up office chair line
• Telecommuters' numbers growing
• Flatscreens dazzle at CES