What's New

Schneiderman's Furniture Teams with Bridging to Help Families in Need

Founded in 1987, Bridging is a non-profit 501(c)(3), operating 100,000 square feet of warehouse space in Bloomington, Roseville, and Central Minnesota.  Bridging was founded on the simple concept that community resources should be shared with those in need.  Their purpose is to "bridge the gap" between the " haves" and the "have nots" by providing the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items to help stabilize and improve their lives while effectively using community resources. 

When you purchase furniture from Schneiderman's, we will take your gently used furniture and deliver it to Bridging for a nominal fee on your behalf. You'll get the opportunity to help a family in need and will be able to take a tax deduction for your donated furniture. To see Larry and Russ explain this process - click here.

This Community Partnership Award was presented by Mutual of America in thanks to all the Schneiderman's associates involved in the Bridging program which has helped so many families in transition.

Current Trends from our Merchandising and Display Team

By Susan Strong and Chad VanKekerix

High Point Furniture Market, April 2008

The Schneiderman’s merchandising team (Larry, Russell, Susan, Natalie, Jason and Chad) worked the April 2008 Spring International Furniture market hard. Scouring all corners of the market for new products that would add value, style, pizzazz, glamour and differentiation to the Schneiderman's assortment, we checked out new sources for interesting accents, comfortable and value-priced reclining furniture, upholstery that would turn heads and case goods with fresh new looks. We also visited our current vendors; focusing on looks that would complement our existing line-up or add a fresh look or style that we are missing.

In Upholstery, the track arm silhouette is going strong in transitional styles. Modern influences and the trend towards more moderate scale mean narrow arms and slimmer silhouettes are coming on strong. In keeping with the Green Furniture movement, fabrics made of natural fibers like cotton and linen were popular in ticking stripes and natural textures. Soy foam is being used in cushions as an alternative to oil-based foam.

Lots of great color palettes are evolving to create interest and excitement.

Upholstery

• The powerful black and white color story is evolving towards charcoal gray for a softer modern look.
• Grays are popular in a full range of blue gray to slate.
• Gray is expected to be the upcoming neutral color favorite.
• The brown family continues to be strong as it is combined with shades of aqua and teal for a natural look of earth and sky.
• Earthy orange colors of terracotta, rust and sienna add warmth and energy in both leather and fabrics.
• Patterns are going bolder in scale and range from tone on tone silhouette patterns to free-spirited paisleys and botanicals.
• We hear purple will be growing in importance as blues go deeper and move towards the red side. Taking that to the lighter side may mean the return of mauve.
• In leather upholstery, manufacturers are offering butterscotch and softer red-brown colors to add more variety into leather departments.

In Wood Furniture

• A trend towards a weathered cream finish is growing in both dining room and bedroom. It looks fresh on coastal and cottage style collections. With warm brown undertones, cream finishes will be a nice way to lighten up a smaller home or lake home. Shown as a painted lacquer finish, creamy white looks elegant and refined in transitional styles that lean towards traditional
• Dark finishes from espresso to ebony are still the most popular and prevalent. Whether used as an accent finish or throughout an entire collection, black is shown in every style from cottage to urban to classic traditional looks. Lexington’s newest Tommy Bahama Collection, Kingstown, is finished in a warm black distressed finished complemented with aged bronze hardware with copper undertones.
• In contrast to the black and espresso finishes, true white finishes are offered in both coastal and transitional looks. When complemented with nickel hardware, the white finishes take on a crisp and urban style with a surprisingly edgy feel.
• Walnut brown finishes are showing some strength in the medium color range. Universal’s Bungalow Collection has a mellow antique quality in a cottage style with fresh shutter detailing and serpentine front storage pieces. Magnussen Home introduced Dartmouth in a retro-style with a caramel finish

Manufacturers are offering scaled down collections to fit the needs of customers downsizing or building smaller homes. New collections feature smaller dining tables, multi-functional storage pieces, more moderately scaled beds and case pieces. A good idea for bedrooms will be the video dresser that combines the function of a media unit with drawer storage and allows the TV to be viewed while in bed. Also due to the popularity of watching TV in bed, low-profile beds with lower footboards were introduced in many new collections.

Counter-height tables remain popular especially in a rich dark finish on a square table surrounded by 6 to 8 chairs. Great for first apartments, great rooms and second homes.

In accent furniture, heavily distressed finishes were popular in colors from black, red and even a lovely robin’s egg blue. These pieces add unexpected texture and style into bedrooms, entry ways and living rooms. Also strong, a Zen Asian influence in accent pieces with classic Oriental details combined with strong colors in lacquer-like finishes. Wicker, rattan, and bamboo add an eclectic tropical, and textural touch when combined with lighter finishes in both coastal and transitional looks. Library bookcases in dark walnut finishes provide a functional solution to storing books and treasures while adding a classic timeless look to offices and living rooms.

Next month’s article will feature an update on what is new in the accessory world from Natalie, our market-trekking accessory guru.

Moving Beyond the Moose; or Alternatives for Your Lake House or Cabin Retreat

We are in the midst of the great thaw of 2008 and that can mean only one thing...It's getting warmer. Well that and it is a time when you are starting to think about your cabins and weekend get-a-ways. In Minnesota, it is more and more common to have a relaxing summer retreat. While it is also common to load up the cabins with furniture from garages, spare rooms and basements, we can NOT endorse this kind of eclecticism as a design statement. Perhaps it is a shack in the woods that has been in the family for generations, or a McCabin recently built that rivals the McMansion on the outer banks of the Twin Cities; well thought out furnishings are in order.

Obviously when looking to style your cabin, it is just like working on any other design project. Start asking yourself some questions. What are your space, comfort, pets, and kids’ needs? What activities do you use your cabin most for? Is the cabin on a lake or in the woods? Is it mainly a retreat for hunting, fishing, water sports, hiking or just relaxing? How do your fabrics need to wear? Leather, micro-fiber and some higher grade natural fabrics are more durable and are better for cleanability. Cottons will breathe; silks are maybe not the right choice. What types of wall treatments are there? Many of the walls in cabins and lake homes are covered in a variety of materials such as knotty pine, oak, barn board, logs and rustic timbers, paneling from a bygone era and chip board. The last two make Chad sad. Do you do a lot of entertaining resulting in the need for flexible seating and creative sleep surfaces? Do the rooms need to accommodate a love of taxidermy? (Or as Chad likes to call it: Road kill.)

While the moose is the king of cabin kitsch, and many embrace it as THE quintessential design inspiration, there are other motifs that can provide a strong focus. Deer, bear and the great American walleye certainly come to mind. Arts and Crafts, Cabin Chic, Rustic Retreat or simply going Green are design trends we prefer to suggest. Of course, we certainly have the resources at Schneiderman’s to satisfy the most fickle moose lover. Heck, we even have a sectional with wildlife on the pillow!

For an Arts and Crafts style, I would recommend our items from Cal Oak and GS Furniture. Flexsteel also carries a variety of modular pieces that allow for customization to fit a variety of needs and spaces. Any of our upholstery vendors have looks that can fit this style, with standouts being from Flexsteel, King Hickory and Broyhill.

For a more Rustic approach, GS carries a collection called Chaparral that has a “tooled” look to the carving. Shadow Mountain is a company that specializes in the rustic lodge look and is featured at our Plymouth location. This is a great style to showcase leather furniture. Paladin offers a variety of frames, leathers and nail heads that give a distinct look. King Hickory also offers some fun looks in leather and leather/fabric. Be sure to ask about our “pet-able” leather, a.k.a: hair-on-hide.

If you want to go “Green” when communing with nature, we carry products from Moe’s that are made from reclaimed sources and would add a rustic chic look to a home by the lake. We have a new vendor, Cresent, who are a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council and use low emission finishes and lumber from sustainable forests throughout their line. Perhaps the best suggestion for keeping Mother Earth in mind when finishing a home, is to buy good quality pieces that will be passed along to others and not end up in a landfill.

We also have some very strong cottage looks in our showrooms. When working with the cottage style, be sure to think beyond dried flowers and shabby chic. Explore cleaner lines and less clutter. We stock a variety of items with painted finishes in fun colors form the Living Color Collection from Peters Revington. For upholstery, check out the new white and black collection from Cochrane, Klaussner’s Jeter Indigo blue and white stripe sofa, or the strawberry seersucker from Broyhill.

With any of these looks, don’t forget the accessories! The only thing that separates us from the animals that hang on the cabin walls is our ability to accessorize. There are some great lamps that will enhance all of these looks. Mirrors are a great way to bounce the nature around the cabin and open up the space. We have some great styles stocked at the stores. A rug will certainly warm up those hardwood floors. Look to the rug pyramids for some excellent quality rugs, many of which have an earthiness to the motif that would help update cabin style.

Schneiderman’s carries a variety of furnishings that cater to a relaxed lifestyle. Cabin life is all about relaxation and retreat. It should never feel uptight. It is an escape from the daily grind and a time to enjoy family and friends. Comfort…Flexibility…Durability…Activity…Outdoors. Speaking of outdoors…Cabins have decks and decks need furniture too! Be sure to check out the great assortment of patio furniture and accessories.

Schneiderman's Featured in Midwest Home Magazine

Top quality furniture, huge selection, and superior customer service. These traditions have made Schneiderman’s one of the most respected furniture companies in the Midwest. And they continue at Schneiderman’s Plymouth showroom—its largest and newest location. Here, you’ll be able to lose yourself in your home furnishings dreams among 100,000 square feet of “better quality furniture,” under a huge dome that floods the showroom with natural light.

“We really don’t know where one could see a larger selection of quality furniture in one easy-to-shop setting,” says Larry Schneiderman, president and co-owner. “We work hard to have the latest looks in each style while maintaining a higher quality level.” (click here for the full article)