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APRIL 18, 2006
Trends: Furniture
The sit-uation... In a column a short time ago, we gave our concession speech to the outdoor room. I'll admit it: It exists. People love it. It probably will be here a while. I still loathe the use of a catchphrase in lieu of the traditional description — what's so wrong with the backyard these days anyway? But I can't deny the fact that when it comes to entertaining, the outdoor room is giving the indoor rooms a formidable race. Because of that, you who deal with an outdoor-loving clientele would be well served to market items to enhance this new frontier. And there are few better places to start than with furniture.

Remember the old patio furniture that consisted of aluminum that had a tendency to bend and cloth strips that had a tendency to tear? Gone! Now, upscale patio furniture rules the outdoor roost. You'll want to check out the sights at the site representing Achla Designs. Here, the company's vast line of furniture is displayed, complete with pertinent selling points you can share with your customers. Another source of high-end outdoor furniture is Avila's Garden Art, which has an entire online catalog devoted to the patio. The company also has cast-stone furniture for various spots in the yard, as you'll note as you navigate the company Web pages. If wood — particularly, cedar — is more appropriate for your region, an excellent source to meet that need is Rustic Natural Cedar Furniture Company. The company not only markets conventional tables and chairs, it offers an array of loungers and swings that hold up to both guests and the weather. If you've explored the furniture market and have a story to tell about it (or a product to recommend), we would welcome a response on our blog. And, by all means, please check out the rest of these GCP&S e-Zone features...

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Riddle me this...
What falls but doesn't break, and what breaks but doesn't fall?
(Scroll down for the answer.)

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April by category
Showers followed by flowers... This month, while you ponder the notion that Spring is way cooler than Summer, you'll want to check out the items found in the following categories, which appear in the April GCP&S ProductZONE.

 

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Puzzling pictures
Pick me! Pick me!... One of the pictures below is a puzzle. Find the right one and then piece the product together again. If you do, you will earn distinction as Puzzlemeister, at least in Germany, where such are held in high regard.

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Pick 'n Click
Instant service... Looking for the latest on the latest garden/gift products? These suppliers are geared up to send you the info you need. Click the company for e-reader service.

Achla Designs
Allsop, Inc.
Alpine Corporation
Anamese Garden & Home
Aries Stone
ATLAS Glove Consumer Products, a Div. of LFS, Inc.
Avila’s Garden Art
Baker’s Lawn Ornaments
Bamboo Accents
Bar Harbor Cedar
Bartlett Bench & Wire, Inc.
Biedermann & Sons, Inc.
Bottman Design, Inc.
Brass Baron Fountains & Statuary, The
Braun Horticulture
Caffco International
California Firepit
Carruth Studio, Inc.
Carson Industries
Cedar Creek Products
Charlie Cook Associates, Inc.
Collier Metal Specialties, Inc.
Crescent Trading Group, LLC
Danove Corporation
Discount Pond Supplies, Inc.
Dorothy Biddle Service
Duchess Designs
Ecological Laboratories, Inc.
Fabriscape
Featherock, Inc.
Garden Market EXPO/CANGC
Gardenware
Good Directions
Growers Supply
H. Potter Conservatory
  International Pond Supply, Inc.
Jackson Pottery
Kinsman Company, Inc.
Little’s Good Gloves
National Lawn & Garden Show
Novelty Manufacturing Co.
Ohio Wholesale, Inc.
Outback Chair Co.
Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Assoc.
Parker Davis Company
Pharm Solutions, Inc.
Plastair
Poly-Tex, Inc.
Primitives by Kathy
Punxsutawney Glass & Tile Co.
Red Carpet Studios
Retail Service Company
Riverside Enterprises
Ruibal’s Topiary Systems & Ironworks
Rustic Natural Cedar Furniture Co.
Schrodt Designs
Sherman Nursery Company
Silcast, Inc.
Stoney Creek
Structural Plastics
Tierra International, Inc.
Trunk Mat Company, The
Tula Hats
Warm Glow Candle Company
Wayside Fence Company
WeatherPORT Global Shelters
Winston Company
ZooBox International LLC
 

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Oh, yeah, the riddle answer...
(Insert rim shot here)... Night and day



 
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