July 26th, 2007
9:13 pm by Sandra F
Sauder is recalling about 414,000 Model 400205 Universal TV Stands as they have been reported to collapse after assembly.
Here is the latest information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission news release:
Hazard: The TV stand can collapse if the fasteners used to connect the metal legs to the lower shelf are not completely tightened during assembly, posing a risk that the TV set can fall onto children or adults.
Incidents/Injuries: Sauder has received 43 reports of TV stands collapsing. Most of the reported incidents involved stands that had recently been assembled. Three injuries required medical treatment including a broken arm, a torn rotator cuff with a concussion, and an injured finger. These injuries occurred when consumers attempted to prevent a TV from falling off the stand. In addition, a 6-year-old child received a bruised shoulder when the stand collapsed and a TV fell on her.
Description: The recalled TV Stand measures 23 ¾ inches (h) x 38 ½ inches (w) x 19 ½ inches (d) with a brushed maple finish. The stand has criss-cross, black, wrought-iron legs, a pull-out drawer, and a lower shelf. Model number 400205 and UPC number 42666 01958 are located on the product’s carton and instructions.
Consumers are advised to stop using the TV Stand described above immediately - if it’s wobbly - and contact Sauder for instructions on how to check and tighten the fasteners.
You can phone Sauder at 1 (866) 218-8312 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET Monday to Friday, and between 9 a.m and 5 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Additional info is available from the Product Safety Notice on the Sauder website.
June 27th, 2007
10:07 am by Sandra F
Transitional style design is an emerging trend gaining momentum in furniture and interior design circles. It is neither traditional nor contemporary but a blending of the two. Definitions for this vary …
Traditional with a twist. A bridge between traditional and modern. Postmodern. Contemporary for people who don’t like the word “contemporary.”
- McClatchy-Tribune article
Transitional style is hot because it
takes the stuffiness out of traditional styles and the coldness out of modern to create an environment that is personally meaningful.
- tidg.ca
Transitional style is clean, serene, minimalist, and inviting. Simple, uncluttered, and sophisticated. Timeless, classical, and tasteful.
Neutral Colors & Contrasting Textures
Colors are neutrals and earth tones - ivory, taupe, beige, and tan. If you don’t like the word beige (it got a bad rep in the last century), try vanilla, pewter, wheat or sandbar. Color is actually very important but subordinate to the neutral. Isolated splashes of color are common: “There may be bright orange, but only in the bookshelf or on a pillow or a piece of sculpture.”
This “absence” of color creates more opportunity to work with texture in terms of fabric choices for accents, etc. Typical transitional fabrics?
- Chenille
- Corduroy
- Mircofiber suede
- Leather
- Cotton
- Twill
- Denim
- Raw silk
- Tweed
- Woven reeds
- Woven rope
- interiordesign.lovetoknow.com
Clean Furniture Design
Transitional furniture design combines both straight lines and curves.
The look balances both masculine and feminine attributes for a comfortably contemporary design. The scale of the pieces is ample but not intimidating. A lack of ornamentation and decoration keeps the focus on the simplicity but sophistication of the design.
- HGTV online
Which brings me to …
Comfort
Yes comfort. Transitional style is “inviting”. “Transitional is about lifestyle, not design for its own sake.”
Minimal, Tasteful Accessories
Carefully chosen. “Transitional rooms always have art - good art…” albeit in an understated context.
The new black? Or just plain boring?
See HGTV’s transitional style interior design portfolio for more examples. I like this slideshow better as it leans more to the contemporary. Boring or the new black? You be the judge. My verdict is that it’s smart. The smart homeowners decor choice, one that will both age and show well, especially if you are interested in selling your home in the near future. The trend may be to make a personal statement with your decor but …
Catlin worries these personal statements will date quickly and alienate future buyers. “You have to think how it’s going to translate for the next owners,” Catlin said. “You may love your dark green countertop, but the next owner’s favorite color could be yellow.”
That’s why Catlin advises homeowners who care about resale to choose more neutral colors for floors, countertops and other hard surfaces, using easily changeable paint and accessories to infuse personality.
- The hottest remodeling trends for 2011
Sounds transitional to me …
April 15th, 2007
10:43 am by Sandra F
In recent years the trend has been to live more outdoors, by blurring the lines between what we do “inside” and “outside” of the home; the patio has become an extension of the living room and dining rooms. Now in 2007, your patio can become an extension of your bedroom. Sleep under the stars. And I don’t mean in a sleeping bag. The hot new trend this season is weatherproof mattresses with teak, metal or woven-resin frames, mildew resistant cushions, and mosquito netting canopies (for obvious reasons).
Called sunbeds, daybeds, or lounges, furniture in this new category is now available at a major retailer near you. The Del Mar Daybed, from Restoration Hardware is pictured top left. Bottom left, the Royal Hall Sunbed from Smith & Hawken.
Why the big move outside?
“There is a total celebration of nature going on,” says Marian Salzman, executive vice president at J. Walter Thompson and coauthor of Next Now, a book on forces shaping our culture. “We are so worried the environment is a precarious place, we want to embrace nature whenever we can. There is something very special, even mystical, about anything that we do outdoors.”
Of course, there’s also this compelling reason to move outside: “We already have so much stuff that they could not sell us anything more to put inside the house,” Salzman says. “So where else can we go but outside the walls?”
Read more: What’s new in outdoor furnishings? The bed.
March 10th, 2007
1:16 pm by Sandra F
Furniture made from reclaimed wood, sustainably harvested wood, and twig inspired pieces & accessories and are very fashionable right now. In the home décor world, green is the new black, so to speak. “Green” furniture was once only found in trendy, cutting edge stores but now more mainstream retailers like Crate & Barrel are taking notice.
“I think it’s all part of this back-to-nature movement,” said Betty Kahn, spokesperson for Crate & Barrel. “Now, it seems very important that people just feel, inside or outside, that they’re going back to nature. People want to live green and this is part of that.”
– Julie Young, Times-Dispatch
Crate & Barrel have just introduced a new line of furniture made from sustainably harvested wood and recycled fill.
If you enjoy the look of wood, you should check out the VivaTerra catalog online. It features a wide range of striking pieces made from sustainable wood (the Twisty Stool made from Monkey Pod wood is a favorite, right), reclaimed woods with a more rustic feel (weathered hardwood salvaged from old houses, railroad ties, teak planks, barn beams), and twigs. See more at VivaTerra …
Looking for custom and one of a kind pieces? Or feeling crafty enough to make your own? Then check out the Twig Furniture Directory which features unique furniture made by artisans and how-to resources. Also check out this tutorial on How to make twig furniture on instructables.com.
