Article #12: A Journey Of 12 Weeks Plus
Style... keeping you in the loop about... by Design and the World Of Design and Style..
The Longest Journey And The First Step
Have you ever wondered?
Ever wondered what's involved in getting our fine Scandinavian design furniture into our showroom all the way from Denmark?
Well, wonder no more.
It all starts three months before that great piece of furniture is ready for sale.
Our own Jeremy goes on a buying trip to Denmark three times a year.
Upon arrival in Copenhagen he is picked up at the airport by one of our agents who immediately takes him to different wholesale outlets - usually warehouses - that are stocked to the brim with fine Mid Century modern furniture.
"I then walk through the warehouse and pick out a number of items and I make my decisions based on what I know our customers like.
"Often I ask questions about the piece such as where it came from, who is the designer and then of course, what is the price? When I think I have negotiated the best possible deal I buy it," says Jeremy.
Once all the pieces are selected and bought it's on to another warehouse and the whole process starts all over again.
After a week, Jeremy has picked out hundreds of items for shipment to our retail store on Main Street.
The next step is to get all the pieces packed and ready for shipping, something that takes at least a couple of days.
From then on everything is put into a container that will end up at the container facility on the docks of Copenhagen harbour.
From Copenhagen the shipment weaves its way to Hamburg in Germany.
Here the shipment is put aboard another container ship bound for China.
From China ...the by Design shipment makes it way to Vancouver.
Once in Vancouver, the shipment is unloaded and has cleared customs it is delivered to our retail store.
Here it is unloaded - it takes a full day with three to four men - and then put into our showroom where it is wiped down, polished and priced.
Next step is for our photographer to take pictures of the items - something that takes anywhere from two to three weeks.
Now finally, after weeks and weeks, everything is ready for your consideration.
Here is an unusual tall rosewood cabinet.
Like all the items in our store this one is on sale at $1,196, reduced from its original price of $1,595.
Or what about this gorgeous teak desk?
Regularly priced at $895 it is now on sale for $671.
Be sure to visit our...byDesign website with more stunning pieces
of Mid Century modern furniture.
We are after all - Western Canada's largest importer of Mid Century furniture and accessories from Denmark.
Danish Design & Lighting - A Revelation
There is always something new.
Take lights for example.
We know they can make a big difference in how a room looks.
And they can be quite stunning and beautiful in themselves.
But we were quite surprised when we stumbled upon this article.
It is all about Danish designers and their lights.
And to say we learned a few things we never knew or would have guessed at is an understatement.
Find out for yourself what's what and whose who when it comes to Danish lighting designs.
The Danes Living Green Trendsetters
Organic food.
More and more people are buying it.
And although the market is growing by leaps and bounds the current economic turmoil has put a damper on sale.
But not in Denmark.
The latest stats show that sales of organic purchases rose by 30 per cent last month, when compared with the previous.
Now that's a trend that will confound a lot of people.
But consider this.
The Danes have been buying organic for eons and it has reached the point where you can buy organic at your local corner grocery store, unlike in North America where organic is still the purview of the big chains.
And the trend is expected to continue with sale increases for this year projected at 20 to 25 per cent.
Verner Panton - A Most Prominent Designer
Verner Panton.
He is considered one of Denmark's most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers.
During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of available materials, especially plastics, and in vibrant colors.
His style was very "1960s" but regained popularity at the end of the 20th century.
Panton was trained as architectural engineer. He also studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Verner Panton experimented with designing entire environments: radical and psychedelic interiors that were an ensemble of his curved furniture, wall upholsterings, textiles and lighting.
A New Feature - Events For You In October
Vancouver.
As we know it is one of the world's greatest cities to live in.
A place where you can do an endless number of things.
But here are questions that crop up often.
What to do on the weekend, where to go and what's out there that is different and fun?
What is free and what is not?
With that thought in mind, we thought we would let you know what you can do in Vancouver - especially on the weekends.
It is a list of things and places you can do and visit.
So check out the list and above all, have fun and a good time.
Watch for our new list next month.
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