5 Steps to Furniture Shopping Success: #3

#3: Locate Information to Help

Source: www.HomeFurnishings.com

by Deanna L. Thompson

The more the sales associate understands about you, your style and your home, the better. So do your homework–and bring it with you to the store.

“We want to find out what’s in your head, your vision of what you want,” says Rick Howard, owner of a Florida store specializing in contemporary furnishings.

Here’s what to bring along to the store:

•Pictures of rooms and furniture that reflect your style. Browse the image galleries on this site, as well as magazines and catalogs for ideas. Clip pictures from magazines and save your favorites from HomeFurnishings.com in the My Ideas section of this site. You or your sales associate should be able to pull the site up from the store.
•Samples of your paint, carpet and drapes. If you want to incorporate the colors, this will help you create a finished look.
•Room diagrams and rough measurements. This will help you map out room size and locations of doors, windows and built-in pieces. And bring measurements so you know your space limitations.
•Your goals for the room. For example, are you furnishing a formal setting for entertaining or a family room where comfort is king? Your salesperson needs to know if household members include a 6-foot-5 football player – or other high-wear users such as kids and pets, says Larry Klaben, president of an Ohio furniture company with 13 stores.
•Your budget. Don’t be reticent about sharing your spending plan. Your salesperson can guide you to choices that fit your budget. Beautiful home furnishings come in all price levels.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse our beautiful showroom. We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall.

We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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5 Steps to Furniture Shopping Success: #2

Source: www.HomeFurnishings.com

by Deanna L. Thompson

#2: Link with a Sales Associate

When you’re ready, connect for help. Sales associates know what’s in stock, what’s available via catalogue and what trends are hot.

Wendy McCloskey, who recently purchased a bedroom set for her Altoona, Pa., home, says her salesperson listened to her wood preference and budget – and directed her to several manufacturers who were a perfect fit.

“I told her what I needed, and she knew exactly what I meant,” McCloskey says.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse our beautiful showroom. We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall.

We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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5 Steps to Furniture Shopping Success: #1

by Deanna L. Thompson

Step 1: Leave Your Stereotypes at Home

So you’ve made the decision to buy a new sofa, a bedroom set or perhaps a whole houseful of furniture? It’s time to visit the furniture store and meet your new “best friend” – a sales associate or designer who will listen to you, offer advice and guide you through your purchasing decisions.

Here are five ‘L’s” of furniture buying to help you get the most from your shopping experience:

You may fear the salesperson will be more foe than friend–a sales hawk who swoops in when you arrive and won’t leave. Bury that stereotype in the recesses of the furniture you’re replacing. Today’s sales associates are trained to give you both the space you want and the help you need to create the home of your dreams.

If you prefer to browse on your own during your first shopping trip, just say so. Most stores encourage this. But be open to help. Don’t hesitate to say why you are there, so the salesperson can direct you to furniture that fits your space and your budget.

Bowen Town & Country Furniture has been a strong part of the community for more than 50 years, providing excellence in product, service and delivery.

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Cushion Options; What’s Right for You?

By: Keith Joyce
VP of Operations

Most people never give cushion construction a second thought when buying upholstered furniture.  We see a sofa or chair we like, we sit on it, and if it’s comfortable we buy it.  The question of cushion construction is rarely asked, and unfortunately most furniture salespeople don’t address it unless asked.  Let’s take a look at cushions so you can make an informed buying decision.

Cushion construction varies with the price of the sofa or chair.  The least expensive ones will have a block of polyurethane foam zipped inside the cushion cover.  As a rule, they won’t hold their shape very long and the welt cord of the cushion cover will “crawl” out of position.  “Crawling” is caused by the backing material of the upholstery fabric gripping the bare foam; every time you sit down, the cushion cover gets pulled toward the back of the sofa.  Over time, the fabric stretches a bit ( it ALL does) and the cushion cover begins to move toward the back of the sofa.  The result is that the welt cord ends up out of place and your sofa looks terrible.  The foam tends to hold its shape, but the cushion covers won’t.

Better sofas and chairs will normally have a poly-dacron or “PD” cushion.  PD cushions have a foam core wrapped with polyester fibers.  The best PD cushions are stitched inside a tightly-woven muslin casing before being inserted into the cushion cover.  This makes it almost impossible for the cushion cover to move; the fabric backing can’t grip the smooth surface of the muslin casing.  Some manufacturers offer cushions in standard or extra-firm versions.

Some PD cushions may have springs inside them.  A pre-formed set of springs ( sometimes called a “Marshall unit”) is inside the foam core.  This is a more expensive cushion that provides a lot of comfort.  Over time, the springs will lose some of their resiliency and the cushion will show contours where it has formed itself to you.

“Springdown” cushions are the next step up in price.  Springdown cushions have a spring unit inside a foam core and a polyester fibre wrap, but an outer layer of down and waterfowl feathers makes up the outer layer.  These cushions are stitched into a “downproof” muslin cover before being inserted into the cushion cover.  The downproof cover is very tightly woven to prevent the down from coming through the cushion cover, but expect to see a bit of down or a feather now and then.  You can’t stop them completely with fabric.  These cushions are extremely comfortable, but down and feathers don’t have the resiliency of synthetic fibers.  You’ll need to fluff them up regularly, and you’ll need to be prepared for the “comfort wrinkles” and contours that will be unavoidable with these cushions.

Lastly, we come to the champagne of upholstery cushions… “blended down” or “blenddown.”  Blendown cushions are made up of polyester fiber, waterfowl feathers, and down.  They are incredibly soft, luxurious, and rather expensive.  They will compress with every use and need to be fluffed up with each and every use.  Since we’re talking about champagne, we need to mention the finest… the Dom Perignon of cushions – pure down.  This is the height of luxury.  Incredible softness and comfort… and the cushion will be almost completely flat every time you get off it.  Be prepared to fluff… and fluff… and fluff some more. 

To sum it up… the cheapest cushions are bad.  The “medium” cushions are best for most people… they hold their shape fairly well and don’t require much upkeep.  The premium cushions offer a luxurious feel, but require more work on your part.  If you want your cushions to look new longer with no maintenance, the better quality “mediums” are the cushions for you.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse our beautiful showroom. We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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Hancock and Moore – A Passion For Craftsmanship

Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Hancock & Moore started with a vision to manufacture the finest quality furniture that would remain beautiful for generations. This became reality in 1981, when Hancock & Moore was founded. That vision is displayed in each piece of Hancock & Moore furniture through the skillful touch of master craftsmen like Jimmy Moore.

He grew up learning the skills of a carpenter, turning wood into artful creations. The desire to make distinctive furniture was an instilled value and the skill to make it was a gift. He spent hours carving, hand-sanding, sewing and upholstering handcrafted pieces. This, he decided, was the “ideal” way to build a unique brand of furniture. With the help of his fellow craftsmen, he transforms solid woods, soft leathers and fine fabrics into handcrafted furnishings no machine could ever match. Each piece of Hancock & Moore furniture bears the signatures of these artisans that created it. Whether it is crafting custom orders or surveying production, his skilled vision for perfection remains.

Jimmy Moore is one of the last to leave at the end of each work day, assuring that your handcrafted Hancock & Moore piece will result in furniture that you will enjoy and can be proud of for years to come.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse our beautiful collection of leather furniture by Hancock and Moore…some of the most exquisitely made sofas and chairs in the industry.

We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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Vaughan-Bassett: Committed to Sustainability

Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company is committed to manufacturing its furniture in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner. Through its “One for One” program, Vaughan-Bassett has contributed 150,000 tree seedlings in 2007 to the Virginia Department of Forestry.

The planting of these 150,000 maple, oak, ash, pine, poplar and applewood trees allows the replacement of every tree used in the production of the company’s bedroom and dining room suites. It covers the trees used in all domestic production (96 percent of our total) and the 4 percent that is imported. Carl E. Garrison III, a Virginia state forester, writes: “Your idea to plant one new tree in Virginia for every tree you harvest each year is sustainability at its best.”

Vaughan-Bassett has also installed $2 million state-of-the-art rough end systems in each of its two factories. These computerized rough end systems have increased the lumber yield by over 20 percent, thereby significantly reducing the number of trees needed to produce furniture.

Vaughan-Bassett is a leader in the “Buy Local” movement. Over 99 percent of its lumber comes from within 500 miles of its factories – 80 percent from within 200 miles, reducing the carbon footprint associated with the transport of primary raw material.

Vaughan-Bassett is a founding member of the Sustainable Furniture Council and is committed to a program of continuous improvement of its systems, striving to be an industry leader in producing environmentally responsible bedroom and dining room furniture.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse the Vaughn-Bassett collection in our beautiful showroom. We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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C.R. Laine – Made in the USA since 1958

HERITAGE
Proudly made in the USA since 1958. Hand-cut, hand-sewn, and hand-tailored in North Carolina. C.R.Laine’s team of the finest craftsmen available build exceptional furniture for your home.

Location – C.R. Laine’s  manufacturing facilities and corporate offices are located in the foothills of North Carolina’s Appalachian mountains, in the city of Hickory. Their High Point showroom is located in the IHFC building, space H-1004.

Leadership – Founded in 1958 by Clarence Roseman, C.R. Laine continues to be family owned and operated upholstery manufacturer. C.E. “Sonny” Roseman, Jr. is now the president and a third generation of family members are actively involved in daily operations. Chief Operating Officer, Warren Frye, is a third generation family member.

Mission Statement – C.R. Laine’s  mission is to bring comfort and joy to each family’s home by providing exciting, high quality custom home furnishings crafted and supported by their family for yours.

Environmental Statement – C.R. Laine is committed to preserving the resources of our world for future generations. It is their goal to minimize the environmental impacts of our company through the continual improvement of waste reduction and use of sustainable practices.

Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and browse the C.R. Laine collection in our beautiful showroom. We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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Environmentally Friendly Mattresses…at Bowen Town & Country

What makes a Nature’s Image mattress by Carolina Mattress Guild environmentally friendly?

The answers are simple…bamboo and soy.

Nature’s Image mattresses are eco-friendly, biodegradable and naturally anti bacterial.

Nature’s Image utilizes fabrics made from Bamboo fiber, Soy-based foam, natural silk & wool fiber, as well as natural talalay latex.

Our medley features a foam encased, coil-on-coil design, which uses encased coils in the box top as well as coils in the body of the mattress.

All these work together to increase the sleep surface, encourage pressure relief and provide more comfortability.

So, there is such a thing as a “green mattress.” Visit us today at Bowen Town & Country Furniture and check one out for yourself.

We are located at 1910 Mooney Street, right off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. We’ll make you feel at home while you shop and you’ll like living with us.

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Dispatch From Market: “There’s No Place Like Home”

By: Keith Joyce
VP of Operations

One of the most pleasant surprises at Market was an announcement from Stanley Furniture Company that they were bringing all their manufacturing operations BACK TO THE U.S.A.!  Stanley never ceased production in the States, but they had shifted the production of all beds to China.  After several years of experimentation, Stanley discovered that there is, indeed, no place like home.  The Chinese workers are diligent, smart and hardworking… but the challenges of distance proved to be too much for them. 

Once a group of furniture is in production, it is sometimes necessary to make changes to the designs or to various engineering factors.  Making those changes in a domestic factory is as simple as the boss walking out of his office and on to the plant floor and having the changes implemented.  Those same changes are vastly more difficult to make when your “plant floor” is nine thousand miles away in a radically different culture with an extreme language barrier.  I’d compare it to stopping an ocean liner… it can be done, but it takes a while.  There’s no stopping the process in “mid-stream.”  As a result of this and other factors, the cost savings gained by the use of cheap labor are often lost.

The management of Stanley made it perfectly clear that this change wasn’t made for patriotic reasons; it’s purely a business decision.  As someone once said, “You can have it better, faster, or cheaper… but not all three.”  Stanley chose better and faster – and for them that means “MADE IN USA.”

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Dispatch from the Front – High Point Market October ‘09

By: Keith Joyce
VP of Operations

I’m happy to report that my 58th High Point Market has been one of the most exciting and enjoyable markets of my long career.  The crowds are back and there is a tangible feeling of electricity in the air!  I’ve seen more merchandise that I’d like to “bring home” than I have seen in the last two or three years.

The economy has been difficult to say the least and most people – and furniture manufacturers – have been extremely conservative.  For furniture manufacturers, that means sticking with brown case goods and neutral upholstery… safe, but not exactly thrilling.  Consumers looking for new furniture saw the same safe (read that as dull) looks everywhere they went, and I think a lot of them threw in the towel and went home.  If you can’t find something you like better than your old stuff, why buy anything?  I’m willing to bet that a lot of dollars once earmarked for furniture ended up being spent on something else or simply stayed in the bank.

What we’ve seen this market has been anything BUT dull!  Fabrics and leathers feature brilliant colors and bold patterns.. wood pieces offer dozens -sometimes hundreds- of new finishes in every color under the sun.  Form and function has been affected as well… we saw many upholstered pieces without a straight line in sight… media furniture with built-in IPod docks… amazing finishes in gold burnished silver and other metallics… widespread use of stone, copper, and iron… charging stations for your electronics built into night stands and other pieces… ingeniously designed home office furniture… the list is endless.

Market winds up in a few days, but I’ll be sending more dispatches from Market with more specific information about our finds.  We can’t wait to get these wonderful new products on our showroom floor so we can share them with you!

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