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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Jaymar Furniture - The Contemporary Leader

In the world of contemporary furniture, there are a lot of wannabees.  The most common issue are those vendors that design something contemporary and think that gives them a right to charge through the roof.  There are also a number of lower end brands that source their modern furniture from abroad and end up delivering quality that is shocking to the trained eye and built to make it through your front door and the first 6 months....just after the warranty ends.

There are however a few brands that offer modern cutting edge design at a price that will not leave you speechless.  Keep in mind though that they are not cheap but they are not over-priced for what you get.  They present exceptional value and are what I would consider as a great discovery.  Jaymar Furniture is such a brand and is based in Canada and produces furniture that will last forever and never age from a style perspective.

Here is a picture of one of their pieces that is simple and elegant and can live in my media room any time it wants.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Berkline Introduces 50 New Models

The International Furniture Market in High Point offers some exciting news from the reclining furniture leader - Berkline.  They have 50 new introductions across all product lines, the biggest amount of new product ever!  These include many new models in home theater on both the domestic product and import product.


The largest selection of home theater furniture comes from Berkline.  Some of the exciting new models add features that have not been available to any previous Berkline model before like power controls on the cupholder that are multi-function, iPad holders and more contemporary styles to choose from.


Having walked their showroom floor, the most notable new development was the introduction of transitional styles, especially in the sofa and sectional categories.  The color selection is another new trend as Berkline aims to appeal to a broader audience.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

International Furniture Market


The largest furniture show in the world is held in High Point, NC twice a year in the spring and fall.  Manufacturers introduce new products and pull existing non-performers at this show.

It is also common to have price increases at these markets for the following 6 months. Early indications are that all brands are instituting moderate price increases which will go into affect at the end of October. 

There are also a number of exciting new introductions and a team from TheaterSeatStore will be attending the market will full coverage of any of these new introductions.   Look for upcoming videos straight from the market floor of new introductions and exciting trends in furniture!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Buying the Best

If you are in the market for the finest theater seats that money can buy then the brand that gets the most attention is Fortress Seating.  It's client roster reads like a who's who of the celebrity sports world.  At an average price of $4000-$5000 per seat - and that's without all the options - you can easily understand why this seat is reserved for the select few.

Fortress Home theater seating is unique in that it prides itself on the fact that every seat is entirely unique.  Made to fit the exact custom specifications of the users is their goal.  What that means is that if you have a long torso and short legs and want rhinestone nail head trim, you are going to get exactly that.  Every seat is made to order.

When it comes to this level of customization and quality, there are few in this space that can compete.  Consider the standard 10 year warranty and you now understand why the good things in life don't come cheap.

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Secret Way to Find Out About the Quality of Furniture Online

In all my years selling furniture, I often get asked the question 'Well is this seat good quality?'.  While differences may exist between models within a brand, the brand itself will most likely carry the quality across all models.  What is the quickest way to answer this question?

Ask about the manufacturer's warranty -  that is the answer!  The warranty is the testament of the brand to stand behind the quality of the product.  If the brand knows that the product quality is strong, then they will grant it an excellent warranty.  It's quite logical - who knows the quality of the product better than the people that make it. 

Marketing can promote a brand as being of a high standard but reading between the lines is done by reading the warranty.  The fine print there will tell the truth.

Good furniture warranties today include at least a limited lifetime on the frame and reclining mechanism.  Limited lifetime means for the life of the furniture which is most often regulated from 7-10 years.  Another important clause is the warranty coverage of the padding and frame - these should be at least 3 years. Finally, the material also needs a warranty and the norm for that in the industry is 1year.

Using these few guidelines will help one filter through the marketing and get to the reality of the product.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Choosing the right shipping method


Standard shipping for Theaterseatstore includes a threshold delivery which means the seats are delivered to the threshold of your home.  The threshold is defined as the front door and delivery occurs to the front door - not through the front door.  The distinction is important because there are liability implications that affect the shippers when they cross over the threshold and that demands more money in the form of an in-home or white glove delivery.

The white glove deliveries generally come in two forms.  One is when the furniture is brought into the room of choice, up or down no more than 2 flights of stairs, and placed in the packaging in that room for the customer to unpack and install at their own leisure.

The second type of white glove delivery is what's called a 'premium' delivery which means the furniture is brought into the room of choice, removed from the packaging and set up.  The set up does not include the connection of power cords -because that has further liability concerns for the delivery company and their insurers - and finally the pa caging is removed by the shipper and taken with them for disposal.