imagine home Brings Accessories Made By South African Artisans To High Point

Furniture World Magazine

Staci Ranew traveled to South Africa without an agenda and came home with a mission. A single mother and successful Atlanta interior designer, Ranew found on her trip a world utterly removed from her own, and yet she connected on a deep level with the people. The women, she discovered, confronted the same challenges and anxieties as she did, as most women everywhere did — to provide for their children. Ranew found as well a tradition of craft and creativity that sparked an epiphany. And imagine home was born. Launched in 2007, imagine home produces high-end home accessories in the tradition of South African artisans yet translated for western tastes. Some pieces are designed by Ranew, and are executed in native South African materials like wood, wool, bone, grass and other natural materials. Visitors to the showroom in the Green Wing of IHFC will find the line — pillows, table top wares, mirrors, lighting, bath hardware and various home accessories — honored with a museum-like setting that includes multi-media presentations about the artisans, their traditions and their lives. Along with Ranew, visitors can meet and speak with two of the artisans that will be attending the market for the imagine home line. “My heart opened to the South African people as I learned about their lives and hardships, and realized their need for an opportunity,” says Ranew about the formation of her company. “The people I encountered were willing to work, the question was doing what.” Working through artisan groups and the trade department of the South African government, imagine home provides an empowering opportunity to many South Africans. A portion of all company profits goes to imagine Foundation, a non-profit established by Ranew dedicated to mentorship, tools and education for South Africans. “I had to travel halfway around the world to see that my struggles as a single mother were universal,” says Ranew. “Everyone has a story and our stories teach us that we are no different despite distance and culture. We are all equal and we all deserve an opportunity to better ourselves.” “We are excited to welcome Imagine Home to IHFC and view their addition as a perfect complement to our offering of the leading accessory and home accent resources in the home furnishings industry, says Lee Hershburg, Vice President of Accessory Leasing at IHFC. Staci Ranew’s vision will quickly become the model for socially responsible community-sustaining organizations that wish to create design-leading products for their meticulous craftsmanship.” imagine home's products can be viewed at IHFC, Green Wing G477, G482. About IHFC: Opening in 1921, IHFC was the original showroom building in High Point and after 87 years of expansion remains the centerpiece of the world’s largest home-furnishings trade show that attracts more than 90,000 participants twice a year to 2,000 showrooms covering 11.5 million square feet. IHFC alone is home to 650 of the leading home-furnishings manufacturers, including 13 of the top 20 companies, and covers 3.5 million square feet.