Did You Know?

In 1943, in southern Sweden, Ingvar Kamprad registers his firm, IKEA. The I stands for Ingvar, K for Kamprad, E for Elmtaryd (the name of the family farm) and A for Agunnaryd (the name of the village). Today, IKEA has 300 stores in 35 countries, with 660 million visitors to all stores worldwide in 2009. The Charlotte store opened in February, 2009.

Curios (pictured left) got their name because they were once used to display curiosities – interesting collectibles. You may use your curio in a dining room, living room, foyer, or wherever you’d like to put your favorite treasures on stage.

For more than a century, the name Broyhill has been associated with fine-quality furniture. Throughout all that time, the guiding force that has defined the company and its products has been a commitment to quality and value. Today, the Broyhill brand is one of the most recognized brands in the furniture industry. Thomas H. (T.H.) Broyhill made his initial investment in furniture manufacturing in 1905 in Lenoir, NC. In 1919, T.H. Broyhill became the majority owner of Lenoir Furniture Corporation, manufacturing bedroom and dining room furniture. As early as 1924, Broyhill began marketing its products at the new American Furniture Mart in Chicago. This commitment to sales and marketing laid the groundwork for the company’s nationwide recognition as a leader in the industry. Broyhill Furniture continued to grow through the early years of the 20th century. In 1926, James Edgar (J.E.) Broyhill, T.H. Broyhill’s brother, established Lenoir Chair Company. This expanded the company’s product line into upholstery. Through the Depression and World War II, Broyhill Furniture grew as a result of astute and bold investments in physical facilities, skilled employees and dedicated management. By the 1970s, Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc. had pioneered the use of assembly line techniques and had become one of the largest and most respected state-of-the-art furniture manufacturing companies in the industry. Today, Broyhill is part of Furniture Brands International.

History of the Credenza - A welcome addition in the office, kitchen, foyer or dining room, the credenza is a broad term for a variety of pieces. Today, the word credenza most often refers to a piece functioning as a desk. An attachable hutch frequently accompanies the desk credenza, providing shelving and storage capacity. The term credenza, however, also refers to a piece of furniture functioning as a buffet. Credenza is Italian for credence or truth. It bears its name well in the manner of a buffet table. In history, the dining quarters of a king, pope or nobleman incorporated a credenza. Food placed on it was taste tested for poison prior to serving. Hence, the term credence/credenza was a place for the moment of truth. Since the time of taste-testers, the credenza broadened its purpose and style. A credenza may include any long, table-height piece of furniture used in a buffet, display, bookcase or desk capacity.

In 1934, Erie Sauder started a woodworking business in a barn behind his Archbold, Ohio home. Originally building custom cabinets and church pews, he began crafting small tables from the waste scraps of expensive fine woods. In 1940, these tables caught the attention of a traveling salesman who placed an order for 25,000 tables – a seemingly daunting quantity for the fledgling company. Using ingenuity and sheer determination, Sauder Woodworking Co. incorporated and production began. Then, in 1951, Sauder introduced an entirely new concept – a patented table that could be assembled in the home. This snap-together table marked the beginning of the ready to assemble (RTA) furniture industry. Today, Sauder Woodworking Co. is North America’s leading producer of RTA furniture and the nation’s fifth largest residential furniture manufacturer. The privately-held, third generation, family-run business generates sales of nearly $570 million annually. A limited-edition replica of his first ready-to-assemble occasional table was re-issued in January 2010 to commemorate the company’s 75th anniversary.

Adirondack Chairs - In upstate New York, near the Adirondack Mountains, Adirondack furniture is just a part of the lifestyle. This style of outdoor, rustic furniture has made its way into the hearts of many throughout the country, including the mountain and coastal regions of North Carolina. Getting its start in a vacation-type setting, the Adirondack chair has been around since the early 1900s. The first chair, designed by Thomas Lee, was the perfect solution to outdoor seating. Testing the first designs on his family, Lee sought to make a very comfortable, attractive piece of outdoor décor. The Adirondack Chair was born in the steep mountains of Upstate New York. Lee designed a straight back and seat, which were set at a slant to sit better on the steep mountain inclines of the area. The Adirondack chair traditionally features a rounded back and contoured seat. The armrests were made to be wide, resulting in a truly comfortable outdoor chair. These wide armrests became the hallmark of the Adirondack chair.

The three largest furniture manufacturers in the United States are:

Ashley Furniture Industries, a privately owned company, is the larget furniture manfacturer in the United States with almost $2.7 billion in U.S. sales (wholesale shipments) in 2009. Founded in 1945 in Arcadia, Wisconsin, the manufacturer continues to maintain its headquarters in Arcadia for what is now known as The Ashley Companies. There are also retail stores that are called Ashley Furniture Homestores. These stores are independently owned and operated. Their affiliation with Ashley Furniture Industries are as Licensees through a licensed operating agreement.

Furniture Brands International - furniture brands that are under the corporate umbrella include: (and the year and location each company was founded) Broyhill (1905, Lenoir, NC), Drexel Heritage (Drexel Furniture was founded in 1903 in Drexel, NC and Heritage Furniture in 1932 in High Point, NC – Drexel purchased Heritage in 1956, but they operated independently until 1974), Henredon (1945, Morganton, NC), Hickory Chair (1911, Hickory, NC), Lane (1912, Altavista, VA), Laneventure (1972, Lenoir, NC), Maitland-Smith (1979, London, England), Pearson (1942, High Point, NC) and Thomasville (1904, Thomasville, NC). Total U.S. sales/shipments in 2009 were $1.175 billion.

La-Z-Boy Companies - the third largest furniture manufacturer with 2009 sales/shipments totaling $1,014 billion. Furniture brands include: (and the year and location each company was founded) La-Z-Boy Chair Company (1927, Monroe Michigan), England (1964), Hammary (1943, Lenoir, NC), Bauhaus USA (1989, Saltillo, Mississippi), Kincaid (1946, Hudson, NC), Lea (1869), American Drew (1927, North Wilkesboro, NC).

Sealy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is the largest bedding manufacturer in North America. Sealy began in 1881 in the small town of Sealy, Texas, just outside of Houston. Today, its company headquarters is in Trinity, NC.

Established in 1979, the Better Sleep Council (BSC) is a non-profit organization supported by the mattress industry. The BSC is devoted to educating the public about the importance of sleep to good health and quality of life and about the value of the sleep system and sleep environment in pursuit of a good night’s sleep.

Mattress Sizes are: Crib Mattress – 28” x 52” Twin (Single) Size – 39” x 75” Full (Double) Size – 54” x 75” Queen Size – 60” x 80” King Size – 76” x 80” California King – 72” x 84”

Here are some tips from the Better Sleep Council for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle and ensuring the best night’s rest:

1. Make sleep a priority by keeping a consistent bedtime and wake schedule, including weekends.
2. Create a bedtime routine that is relaxing. Experts recommend reading a book, listening to soothing music or soaking in a hot bath.
3. Create a room that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool for the best possible sleep.
4. Evaluate your mattress and pillow to ensure proper comfort and support. If your mattress is five to seven years old, it may be time for a new one. In general, pillows should be replaced every year.
5. Keep work materials, computers and televisions out of the bedroom.
6. Exercise regularly, but complete workouts at least two hours before bedtime.
7. If you sleep with a partner, your mattress should allow each of you enough space to move easily. It is recommended that bed partners buy a mattress no smaller than a queen mattress.
8. Avoid eating, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine close to bedtime. These can lead to poor sleep, keep you awake or disrupt sleep later in the night.

For additional sleep tips and to download the Better Sleep Guide, visit www.bettersleep.org.

As of July 1, 2007, all mattresses produced for sale in the United States must meet a new federal safety open-flame standard issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). For more information, visit www.mattressregulation.org.

Mattress Depths – There are no standard mattress depths. Some mattresses are 9-10 inches deep, but many pillow top mattresses measure 15-16 inches in depth, or even more. Box springs and other bed components can make the mattress even higher.