Recognizing style & innovation in 11 categories

design excellence awards

-- Casual Living, 8/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

Despite ongoing economic challenges, casual furnishings manufacturers showed confidence by investing in product development that resulted in about 100 entries in this year’s Design Excellence Awards competition.

For the first time, fabric designs are included in the now 11 categories. Outdoor rugs, carpeting and flooring will be judged in a separate category from in the Complementary Casual niche.

Tubular aluminum designs drew the largest number of entries for a second consecutive year. Running a close second was the number of entries in the rattan/wicker/woven category, which dominated the contest two years ago.

Design Excellence Award winners will be honored on Monday, Sept. 21 at a 6 p.m. presentation in the Merchandise Mart’s 7th floor Market Suites. Immediately following the presentation, complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served on the Mart’s 8th floor at a Market Welcome Party, hosted by Casual Living magazine and Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

The winner of the Design Excellence Best of Show Award will be announced Wednesday, Sept. 23, during the 50th annual Apollo Awards at Union Station Great Hall. Winners of Apollo Awards for retail excellence also will be named and 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award winners Richard Frinier and Art Thompson will be honored during the gala dinner. In addition, the latest outdoor fabric trends will hit the runway with an Al Fresco Fashion Show. Tickets are required for entrance to the event, hosted by MMPI and the International Casual Furnishings Association.

Wrought Iron

	Kettler Alekto Barrel Back Chair
O.W. Lee AshburyDining Armchair
	O.W. Lee Cirque Bistro Chair
Woodard Amelie Dining Armchair
	Woodard Cromwell Sling Dining Armchair

Tub

ular Aluminum

Agio Disn ey Yacht Club Lounge Chair

	Agio Majorca Sling Dining Chair
	Cast Classics Metro Club Chair
Cast Classics X Armchair
Emu Vera Small Sofa
	Gloster Fusion Sling Stacking Chair with Arms
	Gloster Kore Small Extending Glass Top Table

Homecrest Wescott Dining Chair

JANUS et Cie Azimuth Cross Lounge Chair
JANUS et Cie Mistral Armchair
	Jardin de Ville BG1 Lounge
	Kettler Loft Bistro Table
Koverton Modone Accent Table
Koverton Parkview Daybed

Mallin Emory Spring Club Chair

	Pride Family Brands Vienna Sling Dining Chair
	Suncoast Hydra Chair
Suncoast Madrid dining table
Telescope Avant Dining Chair
	Telescope Savona Elite Supreme Sling Armchair
	Tropitone Reflection Sling High Back Dining Chair

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Woodard Andover Dining Armchair	Woodard Sterling Dining Armchair	Rock Wood Casual Seaside Stacking Chair

Rattan/Wicker/Woven

Agio Avignon Woven Lounge Chair	Agio Marco Isle Woven Pedestal Base Dining Table with Glass

	Century Furniture South Beach lounge Chair
Ebel Inc Cannes Adjustable Chaise Lounge
Gloster Havana Deep Seating Armchair
	Gloster Horizon Club Sectional Seating
	JANUS et Cie Summer Cloud

JANUS et Cie Vitali Chaise Lounge	Koverton Luxe Daybed

Koverton Parkview Swivel Barstool
Laneventure Cameroon Cuddle Chair
	Laneventure Solona Round Dining Table
Lloyd/Flanders Chesapeake Swivel Glider
	Pride Family Brands Vienna Formal Cushion Dining Chair
ScanCom Chicago Dining Chair

Telescope Key Biscayne Armchair with Hidden Ottoman	Terra Furniture Breath Club Chair

	Terra Furniture Milano Lounge Chair
	Veneman Collections Lumiere Lounge Chair
Woodard Belmar Stationary Lounge Chair
Woodard Serengeti Dining Armchair

Rattan/Wicker/Woven Images unavailable for:

Brown Jordan Product name forthcoming

Suncoast Monoco Wicker Leisure Chair

Resin

Telescope Windward Deep Seat Cushion Armchair

Cast Metal

Beka Casting Empire Dining Table

	Cast Classics Plantation Armchair
Mallin Fontaine Cast Dining Chair
	Pride Family Brands Sophia Formal Cushion Dining Chair

Pride Family Brands Oval Tuscan Dining Table	Telescope Turnstyle Cast Armchair

	Veneman Collections St. Germain Dining Chair
Woodard Harwick Dining Side Chair
	Woodard Vienna Dining Armchair

Complimentary Casual

Agio Raffles Dancing Fire Gas Light Chat Table	Ancient Mosaic Studios Faux Sienna

	Cast Classics Serena Swing
	Gloster Axis Coffee Table
Gloster Halifax Round Lamp Table
The HammockSource/Hatteras Hammocks Deluxe Cushioned Swing
	Scancom Beach Rest Lounger
	Woodard Rodeo Cast Table Top

Fabric

JANUS et Cie Weatherskin	Richard Frinier for Sunbrella Balinesia - Rice

	Richard Frinier for Sunbrella Bora Bora
Sunbrella Leigh - Lemon
	Sunbrella Malay - Surfside
Veneman Collections Small World Fun - Green
	Veneman Collections Woodgrain Hill - Green

Outdoor Lighting

Shady Lady Lighting Phatty Side Table Lamp	Woodard Bali Table Lamp

	Shady Lady Lighting Yin Yang Small Ground Lamp
Woodard Belgravia Table Lamp
	Veneman Collections Wave Outdoor Light

Shade

FiberBuilt Umbrella Palm Umbrella	JANUS et Cie Cantilever Umbrella

	Telescope Commercial Umbrella
TUUCI M1-Stingray Shade Sculpture
	TUUCI Ocean Master Max Crescent Parasol
Wanda Technology Milano Pro Solar
	Wanda Technology Primo Solar

Wood

Gloster Axis Dining Chair with Arms

	New River Casual Furniture Monte Carlo Conversion Table
	ScanCom Williamsburg Chair
Gloster Estate Halifax Deep Seating Armchair
Scancom Bogor Recycled Tweak Rectangle Table

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Rock Wood Casual Oasis Leather Dining Chair

Outdoor Rugs / flooring

The HammockSource/Sawgrass Fruit Cocktail Outdoor Rug in Brown

The HammockSource/Sawgrass Alli Outdoor Rug in Black	Veneman Collections Terenne Outdoor Rug