By Carole Sloan -- Furniture Today, October 14, 2001
VALENCIA, SPAIN —
Case goods and occasional furniture were the clear fashion standouts at the 38th Feria Internacional del Mueble de Valencia here last month.
Moving upscale from their traditional rustic roots, a number of Spanish furniture manufacturers offered sophisticated rusticana — more polish, more refined accents and less heavy carvings — at the Valencia International Furniture Fair.
In addition, the rustic, country pieces definitely were scaled down.
Beyond the upscale rustic looks were a number of unique pieces within case goods collections. Those pieces included multi-tiered, open-shelf bookcases, virtual clones of antique pieces also shown at the fair; narrow but high pieces that were higher than a conventional sideboard but designed to serve as a bar, bedroom chest or accent piece; and low breakfronts.
Also much in evidence here was iron used as an accent on case pieces.
Moving away from pine — a Spanish standard — many companies used mixes of wenge, rosewood, mahogany, maple, cherry, walnut, beech and oak to create fresh looks in standard case pieces as well as for special occasional pieces.
Lacquer and polyester varnish finishes added a new luster to wood, and many pieces featured intarsia effects in patterning, as well as innovative treatments of the woods themselves.
To enhance the wood mixes, pulls and handles were simpler, more contemporary and less bulky. They ranged from basic iron to more elegant silverplate embellishments.
Chairs, bars, book stands and planters were important items in the occasional category, with iron featured as an important fashion statement along with the myriad woods.
In upholstery, leather was clearly the dominant cover story, with naturals and neutrals commanding the most attention. Where colors were featured, primarily in the blue, red and yellow families, they often were used as showstoppers rather than as covers most people would want in their homes.
Fabric covers stood out mainly because of the variety of treated fabrics with sleek, shiny surfaces — almost like a patent vinyl. And faux skins, also sporting sleek surfaces were much in evidence.
Another notable fabric development here was a series of velvet motifs on open grounds of jacquards in a variety of designs.
Varo Valenti makes comfort a key feature of its leather chair with a wide basketweave leather back.
A high chest or bar, named Elysee, creates an elegant look in mahogany accented with silver plate at Mobil Fresno.
Italy's BRF designed this offbeat chair in red leather for Forum Internacional.
Coleccion Alexandracreates a showstopper with its super-high chair covered in a faux zebra skin and trimmed in hand-painted gold.
Artes Moble sets separate and revolving bookshelf tiers on a stationary drum chest in beech and walnut.
Becara's curved, carved and painted chair — used alone or with a companion dining table — offers a look of rustic sophistication.
Separate interlocking tables are shown with cushions that offer almost unlimited seating and table variations at El Moble Va.
Colombo Mobili creates an elegant planter of cherry and myrtle burl with a brass tub insert.
Nova Fundex creates super comfort in an iron rocker, offered painted or weather-finished with a striped cotton cover and fringe trim.
Tecni Nova uses a collection of unusual velvets on an open herringbone jacquard ground with a stripe, leaf and flower motif.
Cherry and walnut are combined in a subtle blend in a series of contemporary case pieces by Alto Tera.
Pressed and hand-painted leather in the Cordoban tradition highlights this gold painted chair from Coleccion Alexandra.
Exaggerated curves form the headboard and foot of this iron bed, finished in a matte gray, at Maggioni.
Interi shapes oak into an interesting form in a nightstand or side table, part of a collection of bedroom, dining room and occasional furniture.
A fashion color favorite — watermelon — is used on the cover fabric, an embossed cotton with a clear, shiny finish, for a loveseat designed by Antonio Saturnini for Gaminter.
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NAPLES, Fla. — Industry executives and guests took the opportunity to network and play golf during down time at Furniture/Today's 13th annual Leadership Conference here this month.
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