35th Canadian Home Furnishings Market - Show Trends & Events

Furniture World Magazine

The upcoming edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market, Canada’s leading furniture trade show, is all set for January 13 to 16, 2007, at the International Centre in Mississauga, near Toronto. Showcasing the country’s most complete and varied range of home furnishings for the retail market, this year’s show will feature 700,000 square feet of great products from nearly 400 exhibitors, including more than 70 permanent and outside showrooms. This 35th-anniversary edition of the show is shaping up to be more dynamic than ever, following in the footsteps of the Canadian furniture industry by taking a fluid approach to recent shifts in the marketplace. While furniture shows have proliferated over the past few years – tangible evidence of the business value of making connections at trade shows – the Canadian Home Furnishings Market is, as always, a very smart business proposition, providing an overview of the entire industry and an opportunity to check out terrific new products. When retailer meets manufacturer – a win-win scenario The partnership between retailers and manufacturers is essential as they team up to meet the challenge of manufacturing products that meet the demands of a constantly changing marketplace. Visitors will appreciate the human scale of the Toronto show, which provides a host of opportunities to meet and greet colleagues in a highly professional yet convivial atmosphere. On the eve of the show, at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 12, in Hall 1, exhibitors and visitors are invited to attend the Kick-off Cocktail Party, a reception sponsored by the weekly trade journal Furniture/Today. On Saturday, January 13, visitors and exhibitors again rub shoulders at the Trends Display Launch Party in Hall 5 at 6 p.m., as the first day of the show winds down. Wineglass in hand, this is the time to admire the latest Trends Display, expressly designed to give retailers inspirational ideas for showing off stylish new pieces on the store floor. Fourteen display windows equals fourteen terrific room settings full of smart ideas. And, this year we have something really special to celebrate: the 35th anniversary of The Canadian Home Furnishings Market! Come and mark the milestone at the Launch Party, courtesy of Furniture Style magazine. On Sunday, January 14, the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers’ Association invites everyone to celebrate the excellence of the furniture industry and salute the winners of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards. Guests will start to gather at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton at 6 p.m. Winners’ names will be announced during the dinner. And, the CHFA has added a new award this year, the Canadian Retailers’ Choice Award, which goes to the Manufacturer of the Year, elected by retailers from coast to coast (to vote for your favourite manufacturer, go to www.canadianhomefurnishingsaward.ca). For further information or reservations, please call the OFMA at (905) 677-6561 or send an e-mail to admin@ofma.ca. Schedule: -Friday, January 12, 6 p.m.: Kick-off Cocktail Party (Hall 1, Main Entrance) -Saturday, January 13, Sunday, January 14, and Monday, January 15: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. -Tuesday, January 16: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Spotting the top trends for 2007 at the Canadian Home Furnishings Market The Canadian Home Furnishings Market is the event that brings the whole industry together, and the perfect place to check out all the trends for 2007 – everything that’s new and noteworthy in home furnishings. Hint: style and comfort are written all over… On the style front, anything goes: Many collections feature contemporary style, as expressed in pared-down silhouettes, free of decoration, warm and relaxed in mood, along with transitional, the perfect blend of past and present. Traditional furniture is back in force, with period pieces in traditional style reinterpreted for today. Some collections have a retro look, with distinct echoes of the 1980s and the Scandinavian influence. Mixed-and-matched styles and influences are the buzz – it’s not unusual to see one piece with a contemporary profile and another with a traditional flavour in the same collection. Customization, versatility, flexibility – all reflect a totally contemporary design esthetic. Customized, supremely flexible furniture: Consumers crave comfy, personal, convivial rooms – and more than ever, they want practical, flexible pieces. Manufacturers large and small have clearly taken the point, designing furniture with great customization potential and flexible features. For example, consumers can choose their wood essence, colour, dimensions, the shape of the base, and so on. There’s a vast selection of fabrics and leathers to choose from, and modular, shape-shifting sofas and other models are quick-change artists. With flat-screen TVs selling like hotcakes, we’re seeing some great new wall units with custom features galore. Storage is a major focus this year, and there’s a great profusion of occasional pieces that boast innovative storage solutions. To mention just a few great finds, look for chairs that turn into beds, storage cleverly concealed in sofas, ottomans, tables, and beds, armoires with all sorts of storage options, modular systems and units… you get the picture. Colours and finishing details: texture, shading, “back to nature” Dark wood finishes remain firm favourites, but we’re also seeing a slow return to a palette of lighter finishes – warm browns and reddish tones. Grey, extremely popular on the fabric front, also appears as a finish on wood pieces. The wood grain shines through this season – opaque finishes that mask the true nature of the wood are gone. In wood and fabric alike, textures and shading are all the rage. Wovens top the fabric hit parade, along with corduroy, cotton, and wool. Plain fabrics are extremely popular, but graphic motifs and stripes are making a strong entrance. Living-room pieces combine plain and graphic fabrics, different textures and colours. And speaking of colour, neutrals and earth tones lead the pack: cream, beige, sand, pale or dark grey, and tan – not to mention the whole range of warm browns. To add a welcome touch of colour, look for melon, apricot, strawberry, bright pink, pale yellow, fern, and khaki to come on strong in 2007. Trends that emerge from currents in today’s society make one thing very clear: in 2007, consumers care less about perfection and luxury, and more about quality and feeling a “personal connection” to products for the home and flexible, artistic pieces. Wellness and serenity are strong values that translate beautifully in home design. The show is reserved for industry professionals. For further information, please go to www.tchfm.com