This week in design, ruffles are making a comeback, and chintz aficionados are wondering why exactly they’re getting a “thrill of frills.” Whatever happens next, stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches and events, recommended reading and more.
Economic news
Wayfair announced last week that it would cut 5% of its global workforce, or a total of 870 jobs, in a bid to reduce operating expenses. As CNN reportingCEO Niraj Shah attributed the layoffs to the company’s internal growth in response to the pandemic’s e-commerce boom – activity that has stalled in recent months as online shopping has declined. The news follows a difficult quarter for the retailer, which saw sales decline 15% year-on-year in the second quarter, as the platform also lost 24% of its active customers. Meanwhile, other major retailers have also been pressured to cut their workforces due to lower consumer spending, with Walmart recently cutting about 200 management positions and Best Buy cutting positions at stores across the United States. United.
Actor brad pitt agreed to pay a $20.5 million settlement after homes built by his now-defunct Make It Right Foundation showed water leaks, black mold and foundation problems, Dezeen reports. The foundation was created in 2005 by Pitt, architect William McDonough and Los Angeles-based studio Graft Architects to create 150 homes in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A variety of leading architects were brought in to design the structures, including Frank Gehry, David Adjaye and Shigeru Banthough reports of health risks and structural problems poured in shortly after residents began moving into the homes in 2009. Lawsuits against the nonprofit began in 2018 and will end when the settlement money is distributed through the California-based nonprofit Global Green, which also has ties to Pitt.
Furniture companies Ethan Allen, House of Markor and Rowe (a division of House of Markor) have been named on a recently released list of global companies suspected of using forced labor from the Uyghur population in the manufacture of their products. As reported by Home News Nowthe list was created by human rights organization Jewish World Watch and cites 800 different companies, including big-name brands such as Goodyear, Tesla, Nike, Coca-Cola and General Electric, as well as House of Markor and Ethan Allen (none responded to HNNrequest for comment). JWW has compiled its research based on company supplier lists, government records and independent survey efforts – its findings claim that 45% of the world’s supply of polysilicon (used in solar panels) is manufactured by forced Uyghur labour. Meanwhile, China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region, where the Uyghur population is based, produces 85% of the world’s cotton, leading human rights organizations to worry about the use of forced labor by industry in the region.
Vestaboard, the messaging display brand, completed a $5 million seed funding round with participation from Shopify’s VP of Engineering Farhan Thwar and Houzz Board Observer Hany Nada, among others. The company creates a wall chart displaying nostalgic station-style flip-up tiles that spell out customizable messages. To date, it has raised $10 million in capital and won a 2021 Red Dot Award and a 2022 IIDA/HD Expo Product Design Award. With the new funding, the brand plans to move from a pre-order to a model based on the inventory and start research and development on a second screen.
Global freight booking platform Freightos has announced plans to go public on the Nasdaq in 2022 or early 2023 by partnering with publicly traded special purpose acquisition firm Gesher Acquisition Corp. Founded in 2012, Freightos was established to provide on-demand freight pricing, booking and available capacity information to carriers, global freight forwarders, importers and exporters. As consumers’ volatile shopping habits have made the global supply chain increasingly unpredictable since the start of the pandemic, demand for Freightos’ services has risen accordingly – based on its results for the second quarter of 2022, the company saw its transactions increase by 163% year-over-year.
Launches & Collaborations
The HMI Group segment of Hooker Furnishings, which includes Accentrics Home, PRI, Pulaski and Samuel Lawrence, announced the launch of a warehouse storage program called Portfolio. The program is designed to provide retailers and designers with stocked inventory, product and customer service in a new 10,000 square foot pavilion at the HMI Group Showroom in High Point, where customers can choose from more of 1,000 SKUs among the four of the HMI group. brands with no minimum order.
Field + Supply modern manufacturers fair – the brainchild of an interior designer Brad Ford– announced the launch of a new vacation market in Charleston, South Carolina. Held at the Charleston Visitor Center from December 9-11, the event will feature live music, food and cocktails, interactive workshops, additional programming and a curated assortment of artisans showcasing products in the categories home design, tableware, fashion, beauty and well-being. , children, pets and more.
Cabinetry brand Semihandmade has teamed up with Shelfology for a curated selection of customizable shelving and storage solutions. The collaboration includes seven shelving styles, 10 hook options, 12 steel colors and six wood finishes, plus eight new colors exclusive to the Semihandmade collection.
Model houses
Beautiful house announced that its fifth annual Whole Home will return to Atlanta for its 2022 edition. In partnership with Ladisic Fine Homes and Pak Heydt & Associates, the show home will reimagine a historic two-story Chastain Park Tudor with over 11,000 square feet of interior and exterior spaces. The list of 12 interior designers transforming space includes Ariene Bethea, Ashley Gilbreath, Brynn Olson, DuVal Reynolds, Jonathan Savage, Keia McSwain, Leanne Ford, Lisa Adams, Mark Williams, Niki Papadopoulos, Whitney Parkinson and Zoe Feldman.
House Beautiful has announced the lineup for its 2022 Whole Home show homeCourtesy of The Beautiful House
recommended reading
Classic blue and white Delft tiles are steeped in history – the earliest forms date back to the mid-17th century, when ceramics were made in former breweries turned factories in the quiet city of Delft in the Netherlands, and often featured sweet images of milkmaids, windmills and dogs. For The New York Times, Max Norman explores how today’s Delft tile makers put a more racy spin on the form, rendering nude figures and subversive scenes designed to draw attention to the history of Dutch imperialism.
In recent years, Airbnb has attempted to reduce noisy events held at properties listed on its platform, first through a 2019 ban on “party houses” (houses listed specifically to host events), then by enacting a total ban on parties across the council in 2020. For fast company, Jessica Bursztynski explores the company’s latest effort to limit unapproved large gatherings – the rollout of an anti-party technology pilot initiative, designed to flag “potentially high-risk bookings” based on reviews and guest history. a user with the service.
Call for applications
The National Kitchen & Bath Association is now accepting nominations for inductees into the 2023 Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame. Recipients will be recognized for their significant and lasting contributions to the development of the kitchen industry. kitchen and bathroom, and will be celebrated at the NKBA Design & Industry Awards on January 30, 2023 in Las Vegas. To submit an application before September 30, click on here.
In memory
Interior decorator Robert Kimewho decorated the high society homes of patrons as socialite Daphne Guinnessthe Duke of Beaufort and even the Prince of Walesdied at the age of 76. According Tatler, Kime studied ancient history at Cambridge before starting his career as an antique shop operator. In the early 1980s, the Prince of Wales called on Kime to transform his Highgrove home and later to lead a complete renovation of his London residence, Clarence House, as well as the Queen’s Birkhall estate on the Royal Family’s property. at Balmoral in Scotland. Beyond his regal design efforts (which earned him the distinction of Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order), Kime has been hailed for his comfortable and soulful aesthetic. In recent years, her style has caught the attention of fashion designers Tory Burch, who collaborated with Kime on the redesign of her French country home as well as a collection of fabrics and wallpapers inspired by Japanese documents. Kime is survived by her two children, Hannah Kime and Tom Kime.
Ancient Veranda design director Suzanne Noli died at the age of 62. According to Society of Publication Designers, Noli graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1984 before embarking on a successful early career designing book covers for publishers such as GP Putnam’s Sons, Warner Books and HarperCollins. Soon she was enjoying even greater success during a second career in magazine design, as art director for Oh, Oprah’s Magazine; creative director for Aptitude; and most recently as Design Director at Veranda. “This is how I always want to remember her,” the former Veranda editor wrote. Catherine Lee Davis in a tribute post on Instagram alongside a photo of the two. “Sarcasticly witty, effortlessly cool, talented, funny and oh that amazing laugh.”
Homepage image: Shelfology and Semihandmade have teamed up for a collection of customizable shelves | Courtesy of Semihandmade
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