Official Blog of Gallery Furniture's Mattress Mack of Houston, TX

Cabinet Sideboard? Dining Table? Both.

 

 

The coolest cabinet that becomes a dining table.  Lori (of the Gallery Furniture High Point Market tea composed of customers) found, at Jasper Cabinet, a small side cabinet that expands out to become dining - with middle leaf leg support and you can size the dining table based on how many leaves you want to have.  This is just one of the many gems Gallery Furniture found while at High Point Market that were unique and functional.

"I like this," said Lori, "when you live in tight spaces, or you are just needing the extra seating space, it works to have something that can serve a dual function as a sort of sideboard.  I think it's also mindblowing - what guest what know it was there?"

Additional leaves are located below, for easy storage.  Gallery Furniture believes in you, the customer, which is why Gallery Furniture sent the world's greatest customers to find storage and space savings solutions in your living room, dining room, and other rooms of your house. 

"Seriously, this is the coolest thing on earth.  And it's practical."

Accent Chairs Bonanza Finds at High Point Market!

 
Gallery Furniture's High Point Market Team - the first buying market team sent by a retail store that actually had customers involved in the buying process, saw lots of gorgeous products all over the beautiful area of downtown high Point, North Carolina (home to two large furniture showcases each year, the world's largest home furnishings and accessory showcase). 

Since the team members consisted of the world's greatest customers, then it stands to reason that they would find pieces that were not only remarkable and beautiful, but also filled some holes in the Gallery Furniture line-up.  When Patricia Brinker and Valerie McKinney walked into Our House Designs over in High Point, North Carolina, she found a line-up of accent chairs that were not only richly traditional, but they also had a series of curves and beauty that could be enjoyed by Houstonians all over the Gallery Furniture area.

 

 
 
Gallery Furniture's customer-centric focus means truly engaging the customer in the overall workings of Gallery Furniture - including the selection process.  As such, customers making selections for product to carry just seems like a practical idea - after all, the end user should be the one making the selection, since these are the folks who actually use the furniture on a daily basis.

 
 
These accent chairs represnt versatility as well - with functional use in bedroom, living room, entry foyer, game room, or other part of the home where having that extra chair or two can finish the look or compliment a theme going on within the home.  Big thanks go to customers like Patricia Brinker and Valerie McKinney who make such fabulous finds for Gallery Furniture customers to look at and enjoy.

 
 
Whether rich leathers, fine fabrics, or gentle curving woodwork, an accent chair does not have to fully match a set, it has to compliment and work.  That's the key, and these chairs have the look and versatility to make a house a home in many ways, so that's why they wanted to show the world's greatest customers of the world's greatest furniture store some beautiful accent chairs from Our House designs.

Reclaim, Reuse, Recycle, Reborn... finds by Gallery Furniture at High Point Market

Nancy Burke of League City, a part of the Gallery Furniture High Point Market team, wanted to show the great Gallery Furniture customers, the world's greatest customers, about a find that she came across of some gorgeous reclaimed solid wood furniture from Sarreid furnitu re in a style that is part European, part American, and all very environmentally conscious.  With an eye on style and a penchant for pieces that allow the end user to do some customization of their own, these pieces (like the cocktail table shown above) are not only unique, they are solid, gorgeous, and each has a story.

Sarreid says that each piece has a story, and in some cases it appears you can make one.  "What I found most interesting," said Nancy, "is that with this cocktail table made of reclaimed wood they displayed it with used wine corks inside - I think that is great and I honestly thought it came like that until they told me I could fill it with whatever I want."

"That is what I loved the most, that I could craft the piece a bit and make it mine.  I liked that very, very much.  I did a quick Internet search using the NHFA's Retailer Resource Center that I saw tons of stuff talking about Sarreid's that I know it will be great call if Mack and Gallery Furniture carry a line that is a bit chic and still has a green aspect to it."

More than that, apparently, was the stylish use of things such as wine barrels that Nancy found extraordinarily attractive when used as seats.  Leather padding on top and still showing the type and style of grape that had been processed, the barrels become a center piece of conversation.  Said Nancy "They're just gorgeous. They are cute and an innovative way to make use of something that would ultimately be destroyed because the wine maker may not have another use of it."

Chic indeed, Gallery Furniture loves to find the new and innovative, and for all the great Gallery Furniture customers who wander the store, they know they will find stylish and gorgeous lines of eco-friendly pieces such as solid mango wood dining tables Home Trends & Design of Austin, TX, as well as solid wood country style furniture such as those found by Groovy Furniture with their commitment to sustainability.

And along with a commitment to sustainability comes style - because the customer comes first and the Gallery Furnitrue customer is style-conscious at all price points.  And this line provided a host of pieces that are very stylish indeed and even construct furniture that reproduces old antiques they feel are stylish and should be brought back, such as the pieces shown below:

 
And beyond stylish is practicality, "This sideboard is perfect and I hope Mack sees it, you need a thinner piece in some Houton homes, this works nicely."

 
Gallery Furniture's High Point Market team, made up of a set of the world's greatest customers - our customers - and they continue to find great product lines and great items to show even after long days and long hours.  This crew really has highlighted the Gallery Furniture way.

Style in Stone - a High Point Market Find by Gallery Furniture

 
  
Growing a business is tough stuff.  Ask the men and women who work at Gallery Furniture, who work every day for the world's greatest customers to find them the best and greatest of new and innovative products for the world's greatest furniture store.  So, when the Gallery Furniture High Point Market Team, composed of customers from Gallery Furniture to help along the normal team, went into a showroom at High Point called Stone International, new and innovative took on a whole new meaning.

You see, Stone International has built their business on the backs of sticking to what they do best - gorgeous travertine, marble, and granite tables.  They did not waiver, they did not pursue anything new, they did what they did best from their founding in 1977 to around about 1992: stone.  Like Gallery Furniture's commitment to the TODAY philosophy, and always striving to do what you do best (such as Gallery Furniture being customer centric and customer focused) - Stone International worked on some key values and did what they did best.  Now they have expanded to other categories in furniture, much as Gallery Furniutre has expanded to offering even wider selections of living room, dining room, bedroom furniture, and more.

 
 
And Gallery Furniture's High Point Market team, composed of real customers - just like you - found these gorgeous, sturdy, and unique pieces at High Poingt Market and wanted to make sure Mattress Mack and the entire Houston area saw exactly what they want to have sold at Gallery Furniture, home of the world's greatest furniture customers. 

By the way, Don't Forget the Bark!

Innovation is often found in companies that go through the trouble of using materials in new ways.  With Gallery Furniture, finding companies that share the common value of thinking outside the box is always a great thing. 

 
 
That's why, when Gallery Furniture decided to let the consumer make some choices at High Point Market, the world's largest furniture showcase, it was viewed by many in the industry as thinking outside the box of normality and as a result, it may have been viewed by some with skepticism. 

 
 
Likewise, when a couple members of the team - Debbie Spurr and Nancy Rawson - found their way into Mayland Court to look at various pieces of furniture for Gallery Furniture - they themselves may have had just a bit of skepticism when told the company actually uses the bark of the tree in its construction technique for panels, inlays, and drawer fronts.  Though seemingly strange at first, as they were quick to realize, it's often the radical ideas that will work the best - especially these from the Natural Elegance collection by Mayland Court.  They had to show Houstonians these great pieces.

 
The bark, specficially treated to gain a strength and durability that matches the wood used throughout, was most often used in a decorative, non-structural capacity.  Mayland Court used the bark to bring a very natural look to case good pieces that were at once transitional and powerful, merging mother nature's beauty directly into the piece fit for the home.

"Making full use of the tree is a plus.  It kind of speaks to a commitment to full use of resources, and I can respect that," said Nancy Burke.

"Another thing," added Debbie Spurr, "it's really neat what they did with the bark - adding things like silver leafing and other features to bring the beauty of the bark to life."

Indeed it is, and Gallery Furniture customers love the new and innovative when it can become a part of their every day life.  Furniture is more than a place to put the clothers, pack a shirt, or hold your jewelry - furniture is a statement, furniture is a lifestyle reflection, and furniture tells the world more about you.

Gallery Furniture Customer Carol Dougherty Showcases Two Upholstery Lines for Mack

Gallery Furniture's great customers have been fanning out all over the High Point Market - the world's largest furniture market - and more than just finding new and exciting products, these great customers are also expressing the latest and greatest in styles in trends for living room, dining room, leather, upholstery, children's furniture, and occasional tables and more.

In the videos below from High Point Market, Gallery Furniture customer Carol Dougherty goes over her finds and discusses topics such as upholstery design and scale of style.  

Carol Dougherty is a shining example of the  greatness of each and every member of the Gallery Furniture buying  team - all of them insightful and a joy to work with with their style and their observations into the various styles of the customer demographics of the world's greatest customers.  This valuable insight is something that has been flowing freely to the core vendors of Gallery Furniture as well as the staffers of Gallery Furniture.

Ty Pennington Furniture Videos from Gallery Furniture Customers

The Gallery Furniture customers selected for High Point Market, part of the world's greatest customer base, chose to do some videos showcases on the exclusive Ty Pennington pieces from Howard Miller soon to be available for the world's greatest customers.  Gallery Furniture's High Point Market Team chose some of their pieces that they liked for Mattress Mack.

Here they are, starting with a succinct video from Carol Dougherty on an overview, then two by Nancy Burke and a walk-in reality shot of Teri Zepeda while she was discussing one of the pieces she liked.

 

 

 

 

Great to see all these wonderful Gallery Furniture customers as part of the High Point Market Team.  Their dedication to the task, the love of the Ty Pennington collection coming exclusively to Gallery Furniture, and their enjoyment of the Howard Miller quality and great prices able to pass on to the Gallery Furniture customer. 

The Gallery Furniture Ty Pennington Experience at High Point Market

 
Gallery Furniture customers got to walk through the upcoming Gallery Furniture exclusive Ty Pennington line coming to Gallery Furniture for the world's greatest customers.  Jim Davis, the Gallery Furniture Howard Miller rep, was delighted to showcase the over 68 packages that comprise the entirety of the Ty Pennington line to the Gallery Furniture team of buyers (composed of Gallery Furniture's great customers).

The number seemed overwhelming at first, a fact not lost on the crowd as you could see on their faces that the sheer volume of pieces - even with their breathtaking beauty, fabulous configurations, and wonderfully dressed up room settings - was a bit intimidating at first.  Gallery Furniture customers do love to shop with an eye on speed - after all, Gallery Furniture is all about the customer and getting them the furniture they bought with their hard earned money TODAY.  Now was the Howard Miller Ty Pennington Line at Gallery Furniture going to be something cumbersome, or was it something fun and easy to go through?

Quick answer:  fun and easy and beautiful.  Turns out the Ty Pennington Line at Gallery Furniture is so easy to mix and match, that the nine wonderful ladies that accompanied Gallery Furniture to High Point as a buying team were overjoyed by the fact that you could easily take a room as it is shown - a total home solution - or you could mix a piece from one set to another because Ty Pennington designed the system for flawless, effortless combining.

One thing Gallery Furniture truly loves is innovation and style - and the Ty Pennington line from Howard Miller provides both with an eye to making a purchase nearly effortless for the world's greatest customers.

 

From travertine topped nightstands, sofa tables, cedar lined understorage on beds, to sofas and accent chairs that have upholstery covers whose texture is an artform in and of itself... the Ty Pennington line by Howard Miller (soon to be an exclusive line at Gallery Furniture) has everything a customer wants.  From a transitional feel that blends effortlessly in any Houston home (from suburban home to downtown Houston loft to a small Midtown apartment) to a color scheme that allows a Gallery Furniture customer to pop colors into the neutral patterns without overkill.

Gallery Furniture Customers Make the Rounds at High Point

[Reporting by: Gil]

The team of Gallery Furniture took some time today to visit vendors that are familiar to the world's greatest customers of Gallery Furniture.  The enthusiasm level was high with the customers selected to become Team Buyers with Gallery Furniture, as the assembled group descended upon manufacturers such as Crown Mark and Coaster.  First off was a visit with Sue of Crown Mark, who wanted to say "Hi" to Mattress Mack and she was very excited to meet the team of great Gallery Furniture customers selected as buyers during the High Point Market Trip.

 
The Gallery Furniture High Point Market Team with Sue of Crown Mark
 

Since this is a first in furniture retail history, it was important to send these rookie buyers right on in - which is the Gallery Furniture way, of course - and start with an understanding of the way Gallery Furniture does business: with a customer centric focus, an eye on quality and value, and a commitment from everyone (vendors and staffers alike) to that one small word whose five letters are the heart, soul, and backbone of everything Gallery Furniture does... TODAY.

TODAY is more than a word to Gallery Furniture.  It's a way of life, it's a reason to strive for excellence, it's a part of a culture fostered to create unparalleled customer service at the world's greatest furniture store.  And now it was high time that these great Gallery Furniture customers (part of the buying team at High Point) learned the ropes. 

Helping them along, in his unassuming manner and nearly Plato-esque method of teaching, was Bruce Axner of Coaster Corporation (make sure to check out the Manufacturer Page of GalleryFurniture.com to learn all the beautiful products carried by Coaster at Gallery Furniture and ready for immediate delivery to your Houston home).  Bruce discussed the ins and outs of the manufacturer side in the Gallery Furniture way: to the point, directly, succinctly, and in a way that promoted knowledge and generated excitement about the furniture industry. 

 
Bruce Axner (yellow shirt on right) Gives a Crash Course on Coaster

So, up, up and away went the Gallery Furniture customers to the top floor of Coaster on Commerce street in downtown High Point to work their way down the massive expanses of living room, dining room, accessories, bedroom furniture, and home office furniture.  They poked, they prodded, they asked questions of the Coaster staff and most importantly, they began their glorious journey into the world of furniture.  A journey so infused with enthusiasm by each team member that reminded Chris, Martha and myself of the joy of a child's face as they walk into a toy store and are told "okay, go get whatever you want."

Indeed, they sparked a fire in each of us - and renewed for these Gallery Furniture staffers a passion that one can often let subside in the business-relations or product-selection side.  This excitement drew smiles from each of us, and with that came an invigorating sense of purpose and love for an industry that we were oh so happy to embrace with them - and the best part is that it was born of the fountain of customer centricity.

Gallery Furniture Causes a Stir!

 
A recent article in Furniture Today (the furniture industry's trade publication) caused quite a stir for some folks in High Point, North Carolina.  High Point is the site of the world's largest furniture market - this year being held from October 16 through the 21st in hundreds, if not thousands, of showrooms in the city of High Point.  Turns out this particular showcase is closed to the public, so much so that you'll often see signs posted that say things like "Open to the Trade Only" everywhere you go in High Point.

The Furniture Today web site had posted an article that let everyone know that Gallery Furniture was bringing a huge team to the High Point October Market in 2009 - a team that was built on five to six Gallery Furniture staff members, and then NINE GREAT GALLERY FURNITURE CUSTOMERS!  Imagine sending your best customers to market so that, as buyers, they and similar customers can relate to - it all seemed simple to me - let the customers pick what they want!  I only wished Gallery Furniture had thought about this customer-centric idea earlier.

Much to my surprise, I received a call from people in High Point saying that execs were upset - yes, upset - that Gallery Furniture was bringing our great customers to the market.   I told them - you guys need to get it: the furniture business is stagnant right now because of the housing situation and this is a great way to get customers jazzed up, fired up, get crunk on, get wild, hyped up, and excited about our great products!  My vision is for customers to have a giant hand in choosing the products that Gallery Furniture sells - after all, the ones that are buying the furniture.  The executives then said "We never looked at the issue that way!"

At Gallery Furniture, we look at every issue from the customer's perspective - and boy, oh boy - are we excited about the team of nine extra pairs of eyes going to the High Point Market to discover great new products for all Gallery Furniture customers.   With Gallery Furniture being all about the customers, then our great customers going to market with us is a thrilling prospect for us all.

Sorry if we caused a stir among the High Point executives, but yes, we are trying to stir something up - we're trying to stir up new business and who could be better to excite the furniture business better than the great Gallery Furniture customers?  Stay tuned for the daily blogs from the field by the Gallery Furniture customers advancing on High Point Market!  Gallery Furniture knows that this will be fun and exciting!