Ikea to pay $46-M to family of toddler killed in dresser accident

WASHINGTON — Ikea has agreed to pay $46 million to the parents of a 2-year-old boy who was killed when a chest of drawers tipped over on him, the family's lawyer said Tuesday.

Jozef Dudek died in May 2017 at his home in California when a Malm model dresser toppled over on him, inflicting neck crushing injuries that caused him to suffocate. That piece of furniture had been recalled a year earlier following a series of similar accidents.

The boy's parents sued the Swedish furniture maker in 2018 on grounds the company failed to take measures to make its products safer and more stable, the law firm Feldman Shepherd said in a statement.

Ikea agreed Monday to pay the family $46 million in what could be the largest child wrongful death settlement ever in the United States, the law firm said.

The same company in 2016 won a $50 million dollar settlement shared out among three families that lost children to similar accidents involving the Malm chest of drawers.

Ikea confirmed the new settlement to AFP.

"We remain committed to working proactively and collaboratively to address this very important home safety issue. Again, we offer our deepest condolences," Ikea said in a statement.

The agreement with the Dudek family also calls for Ikea to do more to reach out to customers who bought Malm pieces or similar products.

Ikea announced the recall of nearly 36 million Malm chests of drawers in North America and 1.6 million in China after 6 children died and another 30 were hurt in the US in accidents involving that piece of furniture.

Agence France-Presse 

IKEA to test furniture rental in 30 markets

KAARST, Germany - IKEA will expand tests to allow customers to rent desks and sofas rather than buy them as it shifts away from selling low-cost disposable furniture in response to growing environmental concerns.

The world’s biggest furniture group first said it was looking into furniture leasing in February. It fleshed out its plans on Wednesday at an event held at its first 'sustainable' store in Kaarst, western Germany, opened in 2017.

"Testing out opportunities for leasing offers is one of the ways we are challenging ourselves to deliver on our transformation strategy," said Jesper Brodin, chief executive of Ingka Group, which owns most IKEA stores.

"Climate change and unsustainable consumption are among the biggest challenges we face in society."

IKEA's move towards supporting a more circular economy comes as many young consumers say they want to minimize their impact on the environment, preferring to rent items ranging from clothing to cars.

Its business model has already come under pressure from the rise of online retail and a growing reluctance among younger shoppers to travel to its vast out-of-town stores, get the flat-pack furniture home and assemble it themselves.

Rent the Runway, which has previously only rented out designer apparel and accessories, said last month it will partner with Williams-Sonoma Inc's West Elm brand to allow subscribers to rent home decor.

IKEA, which had global sales of 39 billion euros ($44 billion) last year, said it wants to develop subscription-based leasing offers to encourage products to be reused as many times as possible before being recycled.

It had already committed to make all its products from renewable and recycled materials by 2030 and also to design all its products to be reused, repaired and recycled. In 2018 it handled 1 million orders for spare parts to repair products.

IKEA has already started testing different furniture rental projects in the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Poland, and aims to expand the tests to all its 30 markets next year.

In Sweden and Switzerland, it is looking into providing furniture to companies on a subscription model, while in the Netherlands it is testing a rental package for students in cooperation with a housing association.

(Reporting by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Jan Harvey)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

France's Ritz hotel smashes record with furniture sell-off

PARIS - Luxury furniture auctioned off by the legendary Ritz hotel in Paris sold for 7.3 million euros ($9 million), a world record in the industry, auction house Artcurial said Saturday.

The Paris hotel, home for a while to Ernest Hemingway, Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel, sold off all 10,000 pieces of furniture and decor.


They included stools from the Hemingway Bar, a 19th-century bathtub, and sofas and a harp from the Proust Lounge.

The Ritz sale outperformed other hotels around the world, the auction house said.

In 2013 in Paris, Hotel de Crillon made 5.9 million euros from a furniture sale while Plaza Athenee made 1.4 million euros.

The 3,400 lots that were up for grabs were on sale between April 17 and 21.

Buyers bid on objects ranging from velvet security cordons and curtain ties, to rugs, bedframes and sets of bathrobes and slippers embroidered with the Ritz insignia.

Price estimates ran from 100 euros for a pair of tablecloths to 10,000 euros for a pair of nymph sculptures carrying bronze candelabras that used to decorate the lobby.

"The Ritz has excited a sudden passion, attracting buyers from all over the world," auctioneer Francois Tajan told AFP.

The Ritz decided to sell the pieces from its famous Place Vendome address when it reopened in June 2016 after four years of extensive renovations.

Owned by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed since 1979, the hotel had accumulated impressive quantities of objects since it was opened in 1898 by Cesar Ritz.

It has served as the backdrop to several key moments in French history.

The Nazis requisitioned it during World War II but had cleared out by the time Ernest Hemingway burst in with a group of Resistance fighters on August 25, 1944, gun in hand, to "personally liberate" it.

Realising he was too late Hemingway took to the bar where he is said to have run up a tab for 51 dry Martinis.

In 1997, tragedy befell the hotel when Britain's Princess Diana, who had been staying there, was killed in a car accident in a Paris tunnel while being pursued by paparazzi.

The hotel made global headlines again in January, when robbers armed with guns and hatchets ransacked jewellery shops on the ground floor, making off with over four million euros ($4.9 million) in gems and watches.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Caracole opens its first flagship store in PH

American furniture brand Caracole expands its retail presence in the Philippines through its first flagship store in Greenbelt 5, Makati City, allowing the brand to reach a wider set of consumers and bring its high-style pieces of lifestyle furniture closer to homeowners, interior designers, and design enthusiasts.

“I can confidently say that within a few years, I think Caracole will be the next most important brand in American furniture segment in the Philippines,” Dexterton Corporation Vice President Dexter Go said during the store opening last September 21.

Founded just in 2009, Caracole proves to be the fastest growing American brand as it is now offered in 45 countries worldwide, including the Philippines through its exclusive distributor, Dexterton, which started to carry the brand only a few months after it was established.

The Caracole flagship store beautifully showcases the brand’s versatile array of products—which put impeccable attention to fine details, be it through the unique silhouettes, exclusive materials, glamorous finishes, custom designed hardware, or functional elements—from its Caracole Classic and Caracole Modern brand portfolios. The Caracole Signatures collection of high-end, exquisitely luxurious furniture pieces, which was only launched in April 2016, is expected to make its way to the Philippine market soon. 

The products housed in the store are essentially divided and arranged into the two available categories, but with their chic and timeless transitional style, mixing and matching the pieces interestingly presents limitless options in styling a space.

“Caracole wants you all to have fun with our brand…we want you to have fun, express your personality, mix and match, and create your own living environment with the Caracole furniture,” said Caracole Asian Brand Manager Luiza Fogaca.

And the fun doesn’t stop there, because Caracole has even elevated the consumers’ shopping and decorating experience with its very own “Off the Wall” program. Upon entering the flagship store, one will be easily drawn to this unique feature that aims to help consumers in making well thought out purchase decisions and efficiently creating those design mood boards. 


On this inventive and creative marketing concept, Caracole Asian Brand Manager Assel Tursynbekova shared, “It’s a great tool to work with. Here we feature over 400 pieces from Caracole Classic which is our main DNA portfolio. We encourage you take these cards so you can make notes of the pieces of your interest, and you can also take a photo of the barcode on the left side and it will take you straight to our official website which is www.caracole.com.” 

Among the extensive product catalogue of Caracole, standouts and definite conversation starters include the Ice Breaker Lounge Chair with a custom engineered frame wrapped in Gold Bullion metal tone; Turn a New Leaf Buffet Cabinet made of Koto wood, decorated with champagne colored leaves inspired by a Japanese wallpaper and custom hardware made of crystal, and finished with shimmery silk screen; and the Lattice Entertain You Sofa Set with exposed wood frame and an open Moroccan-inspired fretwork design on each arm panel.

Dexterton’s Caracole Product Manager Christine May Ong shared that the brand’s product profile offers “the complete package.” “From the foyer to the living room to the dining room to the bedroom, it has everything you can think of for your home.”

To make consumers’ home furnishing dreams come to life, Ong also mentioned the free interior design service Caracole is particularly offering in their flagship store. She says, “If they’re having a hard time with furnishing their homes, we have interior designers who can help them. They can give us the layout, and our sales consultants will give them design options. We may also ask the interior designers to visit their homes, to see their space and assess what items they need.”

Visit Caracole at 3/F Greenbelt 5, Makati now. Check out its official website www.caracole.ph. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

For inquiries, e-mail caracoleph@dexterton.com or call +63(2) 217-6121. Caracole may also be found in Dexterton showrooms at Lot 2, Blk32, 38th St., North Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and 157 Sgt. E Rivera St., Quezon City.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Ikea to join online sharing economy with TaskRabbit

SAN FRANCISCO - Ikea on Thursday announced a deal to acquire on-demand help startup TaskRabbit as the world's largest furniture retailer grabbed a seat in the online sharing economy.

TaskRabbit provides an online platform where people can hire freelance labor for anything from fixing leaky plumbing or assembling furniture to picking up groceries or waiting in queues outside Apple stores to buy iPhones on launch days.

Since being founded 9 years ago, San Francisco-based TaskRabbit has spread to 40 US cities and London, according to the company.


"Through our unique on-demand platform, TaskRabbit is making life better for both consumers and Taskers," startup chief executive Stacy Brown-Philpot said.

TaskRabbit expected the merger with IKEA Group to result in a broader array of services being offered and the potential for "taskers" to make more money.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. TaskRabbit will continue to operate as an independent company, according to Ikea, which has its headquarters in the Netherlands.

Late last year, Ikea successfully tested making TaskRabbit talent available to help Ikea customers assemble newly bought furniture.

"In a fast changing retail environment, we continuously strive to develop new and improved products and services to make our customers' lives a little bit easier," Ikea chief executive Jesper Brodin said in the joint release.

"Entering the on-demand, sharing economy enables us to support that."

Ikea planned to make TaskRabbit services available to customers after the acquisition is completed.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

IKEA to open in PH? Netizens react

MANILA – Many Filipinos took to social media to share their thoughts about the Swedish furniture retailer IKEA following a report that it will soon open here in the country.

IKEA, known for its big blue and yellow building that sells ready-to-assemble furniture and Swedish meatballs, will finally open in the Philippines, news website Inquirer.net reported on Wednesday.

IKEA’s current Asia Pacific locations include Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The company also has several branches in Europe, North America, Middle East, North Africa and the Caribbean, according to its website.

Reacting to the news, several netizens expressed their excitement over the idea of IKEA furniture being readily available in the country.

Ive the best news for Titas (and Titos):

IKEA TO OPEN SOON IN THE PHILIPPINES!

Kung natuwa ka, confirmed tita ka.

— g3 san diego (@g3cafe) July 27, 2016

It's official: IKEA is opening in the Philippines. pic.twitter.com/StZSVBLZyQ

— Alessandra Guballa (@laphotograpia) July 27, 2016

Sign that you're a true Tita/Tito of Manila: the level of enthusiasm you have upon learning that IKEA is coming to the Philippines.

— Tina Araneta (@tina_araneta) July 27, 2016

IKEA in the Philippines got me giddy.

 Definitely, am now a tita.

— N (@macronikki) July 27, 2016

This IKEA Philippines news ought to drive my mom crazy

— Patti (@fattiefatuti) July 27, 2016

IKEA TO OPEN SOON IN THE PHILIPPINES! Thank you, furniture gods!

— Marge Manabat (@margemanabat) July 27, 2016

They say IKEA is coming to Philippines. I AM SO THRILLED! Bookcases bookcases!!! pic.twitter.com/4iBo1H8beD

 — Erika E. Solaris (@thenocturnalfey) July 27, 2016
 
Others, however, were not as pleased. Some netizens said they are worried that IKEA, with its relatively cheap products, will kill local businesses.

IKEA in the Philippines? This would likely kill our local businesses. :(

— Jaybee Domingo (@iamjbeedomingo) July 27, 2016

Why people are excited about IKEA coming to the Philippines? No one gets excited when SM Our Home opens smh 😒

— Paulo Rubio (@paupable) July 27, 2016

Ikea opening in the Philippines is both good and bad. :(:

— nikki yo (@nix222) July 27, 2016

IKEA is opening in the Philippines soon. Just another foreign company coming here selling overpriced mediocre stuff. pic.twitter.com/7ZNfxjLSJW

— Me-J Madayag (@meJagerbomb) July 27, 2016

Lawyer Yves Gonzalez, who used to work for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, for his part wondered where the country’s first IKEA store will be located.

Theoretical: IKEA in the Philippines but due to scarcity of open spaces, it will be in Pampanga and Laguna. Are you ok with that?

— Yves Gonzalez (@doblezeta) July 27, 2016

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How this man turned junk into pieces of art

MANILA - Couches made from bathtubs, speaker sets from old luggage, and boomboxes from car hoods --these are just some of the handiwork of a local upcycle advocate Paco Pili.

The 24-year-old, a marketing graduate, said that he abandoned his day job to pursue a career in upcycling -- the process of turning unwanted and discarded items into furniture that bring an element of fun to homes and offices.

"Pag may nakita kasi akong item, kahit anong item 'yan, naiisipan ko talaga ng anong puwedeng gawin dyan. Kaysa itapon natin siya, bakit hindi pa natin gawing kakaiba?" he said in an interview on ANC's "Green Living."

Paco shared that he gets his materials from flea shops, junk shops, and even garage sales. He then turns them into either art pieces or something with practical use, before selling them online on his Instagram account along with business partner, actor Ping Medina.

One of many reasons, according to Pili, that the upcycling trend has gained such popularity is that for the consumer, each is a rare item. It allows one to own unique pieces no one else has.

In addition, upcyling also allows one to reduce their footprint as they are made from numerous eco-friendly materials.

However, Pili admitted that he delved into upcycling not with the initial intention of saving the environment. No. He said that he carved out a boombox from an old luggage as a gift for a girl he liked back in college.

But from then on, his passion for upcycling never looked back. He is currently a full-time upcyclist, and is working on making a chic table out of an old sewing machine using Bosch Power Tools.

"Naging passion ko lang talaga siya. Masaya lang talaga ako pag may nakikita akong natutuwa sa gawa ko," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How Seda hotel is boosting PH furniture industry

MANILA, Philippines - A homegrown boutique hotel chain is fast becoming a showcase for the work of Philippine furniture companies and Filipino designers such as Kenneth Cobonpue and Anne Pamintuan.

Seda hotels, which are under Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, are now becoming known for their contemporary interiors.

Described by an Asian travel and trade industry expert as an “affordable luxury” brand, Seda now has hotels in Bonifacio Global City, Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City and Nuvali in Laguna.

Aspiring to be the leading Filipino hotel brand highlighting the best of Philippine hospitality in prime urban locations, Seda is also naturally inclined to showcase the works of Philippine furniture makers, many of whom have made a name abroad.

These well-made furniture pieces are now in 665 rooms in the four Seda hotels. By 2019, they will be in at least 1,900 more hotel rooms of Seda, which is projecting to open at least six more hotels in Metro Manila, Palawan and Iloilo City.

Seda’s expansion plans have been welcomed by high-end local furniture makers.

Furniture makers in Cebu, Pampanga and Manila are now seeing an increasing volume of local business from Seda and other expanding hotel chains.

Eileen Escobido, AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts project development head, said the Philippines is known to produce furniture that matches the quality delivered by other key regional players like Malaysia and China.

"In addition to exceptional and consistent service and a great location in an Ayala Land mixed-use community, our brand DNA includes quietly elegant and sophisticated surroundings that make use of straight, clean lines and contemporary design. We’re happy that our Filipino furniture suppliers have the capability and craftsmanship to meet our requirements and achieve that ambiance," she said.

Escobido said guests have praised the locally-made beds now available in its hotel rooms.

"They hold their own against the branded beds used by international hotels here and abroad," she said.

Seda also designed its hotels so that the guest experience will basically be the same whether one is in the Nuvali or Davao property.

Guest satisfaction with the brand is illustrated by its high repeat rate of 50 percent. Seda was being recently named the “Philippines’ Leading Hotel Group” in 2014 by the 21st World Travel Awards in New Delhi, India, besting other Filipino brands.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

What Cobonpue tells furniture makers

CEBU- Kenneth Cobonpue is asking furniture makers to widen their imagination and develop skills in creating their own style rather than copy or imitate materials produced by others.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided a furniture factory in Angeles City on Tuesday, after Cobonpue's legal team accused the factory owner of copying their furniture designs.

Among those designs they copied were the Yoda, and Yin and Yang chairs.

Cobonpue said he will continue to file charges against factory owners and other individuals who had or will copy his creations.

According to the Property Code of the Philippines, trademarks, patents, and other forms of intellectual property are protected. Those who steal intellectual property are criminally liable.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How Pinay found success making furniture

MANILA, Philippines – Starting from the ground up, furniture-maker Anita Taruc built on her success through a combination of hard work and prayers.

Taruc, the owner of St. Louis Furniture in Bulacan, grew up poor in Pampanga but took inspiration from her carpenter father.

She said despite not having enough money, her father was able to support her and her siblings.

“Mayroon siyang dalang isda, siya pa ang magluluto. Nakahiga kami sa isang kulambo para kaming mga biik. Pagkatapos ay gigisingin niya kami at papakainin niya kami,” she told “My Puhunan.”

However, there was one thing her father could not provide for them: education.

Taruc said she knew then that going to school will help her find success later in life, and she strove to support herself so she could finish college.

“Sinabihan ko ‘yung tatay ko na kahit wala akong baon, kahit maglakad lang ako papunta at pauwi. ‘Yung mga kapitbahay namin, pinag-iigib ko noon, P2, P5, masaya na ko doon kasi kahit papano may baon ako,” she said.

After graduating, Taruc helped her father in carpentry instead of looking for a job.

Time came when Taruc had to leave her home and start her own family, and eventually, her own business.

She opened up a furniture shop in Bulacan with her husband, but bad luck struck their business which forced them to shut it down.

“May tumawag sa amin na nasusunog ‘yung pwesto namin. Ngayon, parang katapusan na ng mundo ng mister ko kasi hindi siya sanay na ang naipundar mo ay biglang mawawala,” she said.

While Taruc struggled to recover from the losses, her husband worked in Italy.

Through a loan of P5,000, Taruc re-opened the furniture shop and found success making hand-crafted furniture.

Taruc’s husband returned to the Philippines and focused on St. Louis Furniture, which now supplies furniture to a number of mansions, restaurants, and hotels in the country.

Taruc’s creations are also being used in the newly-built Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

“Sinasabi nga nila, nasa tao ang gawa, nasa Diyos ang awa. Kailangan kumilos ka, huwag ka dumepende. Dumiskarte ka, kayanin mo kahit hindi mo kaya kailangan katabi mo si Lord,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

What becomes a modern house

Rolf Benz and Hulsta are two of the latest European brands of furniture to invade the Philippine market. Being German imports – one of them even goes by the name of the familiar luxury car – these products could well be dubbed the Mercedes Benz of furniture. Both brands are available at the special showroom located at the Fully Booked bookstore in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City.

Jaime Daez, owner of Fully Booked, introduced the brands last week and he proudly demonstrated their innovative features. The emphasis is on the modern look. The lines are sleek and uncluttered though the sofas and chairs by Rolf Benz look graceful and sensuous. Of course, the merchandise is built according to the customarily rigid standards set by German manufacturers. They’re solidly made but most of the furniture has a distinctly soft and glamorous look.

The two brands are owned by one company called the Hulz Group. Jaime Daez, who is distributing the furniture in the country, now serves as managing director of the two lines here. An architect, Daez has long been inclined to furniture that makes life easier and more comfortable for their owners. 

The German makes are space efficient and offer several innovations. One of the highlights of the Fully Booked showroom is Hulsta’s Neo Media Panel, a stylish entertainment center that can accommodate LCDs, I-pods and DVD players. The magic here is the way this panel has been designed. Wires, speakers and the DVD player can be concealed. Only the LCD seems to be visible; thus what one has here is a sleek showcase of drawers and cabinets that can blend well with a room’s interiors.  Gadgets and wiring that might make a room looked cluttered aren’t seen at all.

There are chairs that can be converted to lounge chairs or lazy-boys and dining tables that can be extended to accommodate more diners and food.

The bedroom showcase comes with the very modern stuff that we once thought existed only in James Bond epics or in our dreams. But the high-tech merchandise is all there in the showroom. There is a king size bed that can be reclined or inclined by remote. What makes this bed so convenient – and amusing – is the one side can be inclined while another can stay flat. This way, if the husband wants to stay up to do some reading or watch television, he can incline his side while the wife’s side can remain flat so that she can get some sleep. This bed certainly proves that marriage doesn’t have to be all about compromises. “Technically, this actually is a hospital bed with style and more conveniences,” says Daez.

He also notes that the bedroom is the most important space in the house. “I personally think we spend the most time in the bedroom. More than eight hours a day, in fact,” says he. “We hardly use the living room unless we have guests. We use the dining room just for meals. So I think it’s best to choose your beds wisely. Get one that can adjust to your needs and not one that you have to adjust to.”

Daez recalls the previous beds he owned that gave him a bad back every morning. One of Hulsta’s beds come with wooden slats and mattresses that can be adjusted to adapt to your requirements. These slats are so sturdy, a six foot tall man like Daez can actually pretend to be a child and jump on the bed.

Other bedroom features include side tables that come with cabinets or shelves beneath the surface with lights that turn on automatically when one places his hand to pick up any object ensconced in the shelf.     

There are several more accessories one might think weren’t ever necessary but are actually practical and convenient to have in the house. After all, it’s the 21st century; it’s time we had this kind of furniture.

source: mb.com.ph