Tienshan signed designer Trish Richman to lead its charge into the world of high fashion. Richman was on hand to talk about her new tabletop collection of intricate, hip, and contemporary patterns. The mix-and-match collection will see its complete launch during the New York Tabletop Market this month, but a sneak peak in Chicago illustrates the expected demand this much-anticipated line will face. Call 203-866-6262 for more information.
Emeril gets his face on the table with the introduction of Emerilware from Wedgwood Housewares Group. The new assortment includes the Professional Stoneware line with restaurant-quality product for around $30 a place setting. Available in July, the line is accented with woodenware products as well. Also launching in Emerilware are more decorative designs including Nola, patterned after the logo of the celebrity chef's New Orleans restaurant logo. The complete range of product will debut at the New York Tabletop Show in April.
Pfaltzgraff partnered with Chef Joanne Weir to launch her first collection of dinnerware and complementary bakeware. This wide ranging collection is complete with bakers, dinnerware, and giftable items in warm colors ranging from golden yellow, to terra cotta, blue, and red. Weir in Your Kitchen is a complete line of high-quality bakeware, dinnerware, serveware, and accessories designed to go from kitchen to table. The collection includes coordinated items in four trend-right colors and a speckled cream interior. Each piece's exterior is embossed with a scrolled vine motif inspired by the vintage Italian pottery Wier loves to collect. All items are dishwasher and microwave safe. The new collection will be available in the fall with retail prices ranging from $10 to $86. For information, call 717-852-2146.
Designer Rosanna brings style to the holidays with her Rosanna Holiday 2005, a glimmering collection of white dishes with splashes of gold and silver. The mix-and-match collection carries through the season with a decor that speaks not only to holiday but also to luxurious celebrations. Call 206-264-7882 for information.
Lindsey Jordan Designs is a new tabletop and giftware company that creates products specifically for the upscale specialty and department store channels. One design sure to wow your customers is their Zyriad Collection. Deep brown glazes bring richness to the line but its etched accents add another fashionable trend with the appearance of spun bamboo. Reminiscent of the "Brown Drip" pieces of the 70's, this new 16-piece collection is available with a 4-piece accent line of real spun bamboo. Suggested retail is $4.99 to $19.99. For information, call 609-495-2364.
Homer Laughlin's Fiesta China sets the stage for trend-setting colors and this year is no different. Its Peacock Blue is on trend and intense. Add this to the lineup of existing colors palettes and you've got 13 Fiesta colors that complement each other and make setting the table fun. Homer Laughlin hasn't forgotten the kitchen either, introducing a new canister collection in three sizes and six colors. For more information, call 800-452-4462.
DeSantis Designs brings lifestyle to the table with an entirely new collection of designer-inspired tabletop and accessories made in Italy with the expertise of Laboratorio Pesaro. New designs include a dinnerware set created by Laudani E. Romanelli combining blue and dark chocolates. For more information, call 212-683-4907.
H.A. Mack brings beautifully twisted olivewood to the table with its new salad servers from Kenya. With a retail of $27.99, these gorgeous spoons will make any salad taste better. Call 800-441-4027 for details.
Mierco has a new Veggie series (Red Peppers, Green Artichokes, and Blue Onions) for its luxurious kitchen textile line with flat, waffle, and terry mix-and-match options. The Belgian and Swiss design house offers a $250 minimum order with orders of six per style. A rich mix of reds, greens, and espresso are filling this season's color palette. Textile retails range from $12 to $15. Call 888-277-8838 for details, or send e-mail miercoinc@aol.com.
BIA Cordon Bleu wowed attendees with a wide range of new and colorful introductions. Its glass collection continues to expand with items suitable for foodservice or home entertaining. Oversized serveware in clear or blue bubble glass makes entertaining so chic, while a continual expansion of its ceramic and porcelain line makes the company a one-stop shopping delight. New giftware ranges include mug and spoon sets embossed with a range of decorations from holidays to Hot Chocolate. The company's new Le Bistro Collection features silhouettes of servers and chefs on a backdrop of calligraphy-inscribed recipes on white porcelain. Items include gift-boxed plates ($12) and mugs ($12), a fish platter ($25), a heart baker ($10), a 6-ounce heart quiche ($2.50) and a 12.5-inch round platter ($10). For more information, call 800-242-2210.
Zrike had a great retro release with the Kellogg's Breakfast license. A century of breakfast monikers shine through on breakfast collections from Zrike. No pricing or shipping details were available during the show as the company was previewing the product. The vintage collection is comprised of cups, bowls, plates, and mugs. Call 201-651-5158 for details.
Trend-setting inspirations are always the case with NOW Designs/Danica, and this year is no exception as designers launched five new color stories with shades of cayenne, marigold, chartreuse, warm reds, peapod, chocolate, peacock, and more. This season's patterns include Kukka print, a Scandanavian-inspired Marimekka-ish print that's sure to attract attention. Each of the five patterns holds its own in the world of emerging color palettes, but our favorites included Baltic, a combination of chocolate, teal, peacock, carob, and latte blends that simply speak to the world of color. Also hot was Soho, a sophisticated mix of black, white, and reds. Still, we're a bit green with Envy, a pattern that captures this year's fashionable infatuation with the color green. For more details, visit www.nowdesigns.net, or call 866-253-9001.
Libbey had fun with party-going projects including the Tiki collection and Stemless Wine Glasses. Pricing for the Tiki is $3.99 each (only sold as open stock). The stemless is $12.99 for a four-piece set or $2.99 each.
Gaming is big this season and Libbey has some fun ideas on deck including sets of poker glassware packaged with playing cards.
Signature Housewares' "Got Game" collection comprised of nine SKUs from popcorn bowls to barware. It's a casino story with poker playing fun. Call 805-484-6666 for details.
Eclipse finishes the table with gorgeous 100-percent Beeswax Candles. Its new Candle by the Hour has an interesting coiled design, each one-inch section burns for 20 minutes. Retail is $14.95 to $29.95. The company also packages its clean-burning story in great gift sets pairing candles with holders. The well-packaged gift line brings a luxurious story to gift-giving. For more information, call 603-539-7900.
Dansk showed its fun side with a sticky proposition. Its new Stick-It line features removable adhesive stickers and glassware sets that allow partygoers to create their own messages on their glasses similar to refrigerator poetry. Suggested retail is $29.00. Also new was a fiery Latin Spice collection with bold colors such as trendy apple greens, deep reds, orange, and blue. Priced from $7.50 to $143.00, the collection comprises serveware, dinnerware, and giftables. For more information, call 800-971-7710.
Artland made news with its Spoonless Pasta Bowl. Solid and rimmed sets feature four pasta bowls with an indentation for the user to roll up their pasta on the fork, along with a serving bowl. A high design reactive glaze product created for the specialty trade will be sold open stock and accent pieces such as cruets and condiment bowls will be added to the line. For details, call 800-738-4901; minimum orders are $250.
A toast to high design was discovered at Schott Zwiesel with its two ranges of lead-free crystal stemware. The new Zweisel 1872 range marks the company's handmade collections that include beautifully designed Salon and Fino. Salon offers a distinguished, eye-catching design with a modern flared bowl and thin, elegant profile. Fino is a graceful line with long-legged stems for a visually stunning appearance. The collection is comprised of 13 crystal glasses designed to present wine at its best. Zwiesel is branding its machine-made range as Schott Zwiesel Tritan. For pricing details, call 800-296-7508.
Sisson Imports unveiled their all new Sisson Editions collection of hardwood placemats, coasters, serving trays, and cocktail napkins. Perfect for the tabletop and gift market, the collection includes over 40 designs from trendy motifs to timeless classics. For more information, call 800-423-2756, or visit www.sissonimports.com.
Trudeau introduced a host of new items, including beautiful fondue sets in fruit shapes. Offered in strawberry, apple and star shapes, the sets include a bowl, a base, tea lights, and four forks. First shipping on these items will be June 1st. The company also showcased their Elite Wine Preserving Pump that removes air and reseals opened bottles. The easy handle-squeezing motion is stable and comfortable and the see-through base indicates whether a bottle needs to be resealed. Also new were three unique teakettles with silicone handles and convenient see-through lids. Models include English Breakfast, Camellia, and Darjeeling. For more information, call 630-739-4000, or visit www.trudeaucorp.com.
TreeSpirit, a division of Lamson and Goodnow, presented a new collection of eye-catching and durable, one-piece, solid-colored hardwood bowls. Available in blue, black, yellow, green, or red, the bowls range in size from 7.5 inches to 15 inches. Functional and decorative, the natural wood grains provide a unique look that will last for generations. The bowls range in price from $18 to $115. For more information, visit www.treespirit.com, or send e-mail to info@lamsonsharp.com.
Bodum introduced drinking glasses that features the unique and functional double-wall thermal glass. The glasses are made of heat-resistant, mouth-blown borosilicate glass and feature a double-wall design that creates an effective layer of insulation to keep hot drinks hot without burning the user's fingers, and cold drinks cold without condensation. Available in three designs -- Pavina, Canteen, and Assam -- and various sizes, they are sold as two-piece sets with a suggested retail price ranging from $11.95 to $19.95. For more information, call 800-23BODUM, or visit www.bodumusa.com.
