Home Furnishings - Term Paper Example

?Love Seat E-Manual ID No. Love Seat E-Manual Table of Contents A. Table of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 B. Table of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 C. Love Seat Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 D. Designs, Designer and Manufacturers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 KI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 IKEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 E. Laws, Regulations and Regulatory Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 F. New Product Developments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 G. Works Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Table of Figures Figure I - LOLA Love Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Figure II - FLEX Loveseat Sleeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Figure III - KLOBO Loveseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Figure IV – JLOVESEAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Figure V - BOCCA Loveseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Figure VI - MAGENTA Loveseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Figure VII - ECO-FRIENDLY Loveseat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Love Seat E-Manual Love Seat Basics Love seats are small sofas or chairs designed for two persons. This type of furniture is called as such due to the romantic connotation that only two persons can sit on it, who most probably have a special relationship. They are also called “double chairs” or “settees” (Vaughan, par. 1) and was reported to be in existence in America since the 18th century (pars. 2-3). The purpose of making a wider chair during the 17th and 18th century is to accommodate the bigger design of dresses and not for seating two romantically linked individuals (Encyclopedia Britannica, par. 1). It is only in the 19th century that such type of chair was called a love seat or “courting chair” (par. 2). Modern design of love seats come in various designs and colors to suit each unique taste of customers. Customers may also request for custom-made love seats to be especially manufactured for them. With the various materials and designs available in the market, it would not be difficult to find one that fits a traditional, simple, sophisticated or eclectic preference. Love seats can in fact form as part of the total decorative setting in the room with the latest trendy designs and color combinations. Love seats have the same height as sofas but horizontally shorter by 10 to 20 inches making them suitable for smaller office area (Decorative Love Seat, pars. 2-3). The design and materials vary with mixture of traditional, modern and sophisticated, and may be thematic or historic (pars. 2-3). Designs, Designer and Manufacturers KI KI love seats are manufactured by KI Group. Its love seat product is categorized under the sofa categories (Commercial sofa, 1). Lola love seat is designed for office setting or any workplace that requires a soothing environment (1). Lola love seat has a beige covering and curves that reflect the contemporary taste in office requirements (1). The design departs from the traditional flat and narrow furnishings commonly seen in offices (1). The curvature of Lola love seat follows the body contour that gives complete relaxation despite the pressure that an office environment projects. The thrust of KI designers in going beyond the traditional love seat is reflected in their designs (Flex Loveseat Sleeper, 1). KI Flex Loveseat Sleeper can function as a bed by just pulling the sliding portion beneath the seat (1). The arms are made of solid Maple hardwood while the arm panels, seat and back cushions are replaceable (1). The love seat has the following dimension: total dimension, 61”w x 37.5”d x 33.5” h; seat, 56”w x 20”d x 18”h; and arm, 28” h. There are more than 50 color and fabric upholstery choices for the product lineup ok KI (Approved Fabrics, 1). The online marketing strategy of KI on presenting the types of fabric really helps the consumer to have a first glance of the possible choices (1). Just pointing the cursor on the pattern name, like Amari or Chateau, would show the pattern design and the color that go with it (1). Thus, it helps in narrowing down the choices before the actual purchase. Also, the consumer can match the upholstery pattern with the room where the furniture will be placed. Online shopping saves time and money for the customer who can conclude the transaction without leaving one’s home. KI, with main headquarter in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has subsidiaries in UK, Nova Scotia, Canada and India (Corporate Overview, par. 1). It has worldwide manufacturing sites that include US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, China, India and some Asian countries (par. 1). Some of the manufacturing sites of KI specialize in particular product lines (Divisions and Locations, par. 6). Lola love seat can be found at ArchiExpo.com, an online architectural exhibition platform (Commercial sofa, 1) and ki.com (Flex Loveseat Sleeper, 1). The KI website is not consumer-friendly because the price of the Flex Loveseat Sleeper does not present the price where the product is featured (1). A file that can be downloaded through a link provides a list numerous products and specifications that make it hard for the consumer to see the price of Flex Loveseat Sleeper right away. ArchiExpo.com does not present the price range of all KI love seats offered but has to redirect to the manufacturer’s website after the customer has furnished some personal information (Commercial sofa, 1). IKEA IKEA features more than a hundred of its love seat products at its website IKEA reviews (IKEA Reviews, 1-3). Each product is accompanied by the product name, product type, product series, the color, the designer, part number, price and product image (1-3). This website though does not include the product dimension. This may not be a concern for others since love seats have more or less the same dimension. It will only be a high priority when the space where the product will be placed is limited. This product review website has a purchase link that would allow online transaction. The website ikea.com is the online store of IKEA that provides a complete specification and care of its product lineup (Klobo Loveseat, 1). It also provides details on the packaging measurement and weight, as well delivery options (1). Klobo loveseat, designed by IKEA of Sweden, has a dimension of 57 ?”w x 30 ?”d x 28 3/8”h; seat width of 46 ?”, seat depth of 21 5/8” and seat height of 16 1/8” (1). The cover is made of 100 percent cotton; frame made of particleboard, steel and fiberboard; protective fabric of non-woven polypropylene; and seat of polyurethane foam and polyester wadding (1). For complete care, an upholstery shampoo is recommended (1). Washing, bleaching, ironing, drycleaning and tumble drying should be avoided (1). IKEA manufactures its love seat products. Many of its designs were created by IKEA itself, such as IKEA of Sweden, but collaborated with other designers (e.g. Tord Bjorklund, E Portinson, C Ojerstam/M Eleback), too (IKEA Reviews, 1-3). Other individual designers of IKEA include Tord Bjorklund, Chris Martin, Mia Gammelgaard, T Bjorklund, E Portinson, Nike Karlsson/N Karlsson/A-C Sigrid Stahlberg (collaborating), Nike Karlsson, and C Ojerstam/M Eleback (1-3). Klobo love seat has a price of $149.00 (Klobo Loveseat, 1). In the love seats featured in the website IKEA Reviews, the lowest furniture Tylosand is priced at $99.00 while the highest is Karlstad, priced at $1,377.00. Tylosand is a slipcover love seat with one armrest and designed by C Ojerstam and M Eleback (IKEA Reviews, 3). Tord Bjorklund designed the two chaise lounges and loveseat Karlstad (2). The website IKEA Reviews does not indicate the material specification used in the construction and therefore, it cannot be determined what is the basis of the pricing of IKEA. However, what is explicit is that many designs made by Tord Bjorklund have a price above $1,000 (1-3). IKEA has worldwide stores where love seats can be purchased. Government Laws, Regulations and Regulatory Agencies The governing law passed to regulate flammability of materials used in love seat manufacturing is the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) which was approved in 1953 (US Consumer Product Safety, par. 1). The Federal Trade Commission enforced the law until the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was formed in 1972 (par. 1). The FFA was amended in 1967 to expand coverage of foam, interior furnishings and other materials (par. 1). The manufacturer cannot build furniture and simply release it into the market for consumption. The design, product feature, cushioning material and fabric covering must pass the approval of the government’s regulating agency (Upholstered Seating Furniture, par. 4). The government agency in the US charged with overseeing that products used at home do not present a fire, chemical or injury to consumers is the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC Overview, 1). The fabric cover and cushioning materials should be fire-retardant (Upholstered Seating Furniture, par. 8), meaning, a fireproofing substance should coat the surface of the material used in order to lessen or totally remove the risk of burning (Fire retardant, 1). The fire-retardant properties of the furniture should comply with the international standards in order to pass the export quality required by other countries (Upholstered Seating Furniture, par. 8). The provision on Federal Regulations (1634 U.S. Federal Regulations 16CFR) on product labeling also requires the manufacturer to certify that the furniture has passed the requirements on product standards (par. 6). The KI and IKEA love seats comply with the flammability requirement imposed by TB 117 or Technical Bulletin 117. Technical Bulletin 117 was passed by California in October 1975 for compliance in “small-scale flammability standard for concealed, resilient filling materials and upholstery fabrics used to construct upholstered furniture” (Bureau of Home Furnishings, 1). KI furnishings also comply with Technical Bulletin 133 (Approved Fabrics, 1) which is a flammability test procedure for seating furniture (State of California, 1). The US Environmental Protection Agency enjoins the use of non-toxic materials or proper recycling of waste products to avoid dumping harmful chemicals into the environment (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, 1). KI and IKEA do not specify that their products comply with environmental laws or requirements to reduce carbon emission. One manufacturer that includes environmental protection in its product marketing is Comfy1 which is based in Virginia. New Product Developments Newer designs of love seats are not only functional but accentuate and hasten the ambiance and surroundings of the living room. There is always a love seat right for one’s living room needs and budget (Decorative Love Seat, par. 1). One innovative love seat manufactured by Colber Contract is the Jloveseat (Top Ten, pars. 21-22). Instead of the pair facing in one direction, Jloveseat makes them face opposite directions and thus creates an illusion of a barrier (par. 22). The colorful (par. 22) and durable love seat is suitable for public seating (Rodriguez, par. 1). Colber Contract, located in Milan, Italy, was founded by Gabriele Longoni in 1979 (Who we are, par. 1). It makes many of its product lineup, but still collaborates with the world’s best designers and architects to come up with the best furniture (par. 1). The FLEX Loveseat Sleeper is also an innovative design in love seats since it departed from the concept of serving only as seating furniture (see Figure II). The new design is not only a change in design but functionality as well. The Bocca love seat’s design and material will truly satisfy the desire of those seeking for a new experience. Bocca is shaped as human lips with a brilliant red shade (Top Ten, par. 8). It is designed by Studio 65 and manufactured by Heller (par. 7). Bocca’s dimension is 83”w x 30” d x 33” (par. 7). It is not expensive at $1100 since the material used is a high quality soft resin or roto molded polymer that can be used even outdoors (pars. 7-8). Bocca love seat can be purchased at allmodern.com for $1100 with free shipping (Heller - Studio 65, 1) and Plushpod International for the same price but may add shipping fees (Bocca Outdoor Sofa, 1). Heller has production sites in both the United States and Europe (About Heller, par. 1). The Heller collection of furniture always incorporate art in its design and not just functionality. The consumer must seek Heller furniture if extraordinary love seat is desired. Studio 65, founded in 1965 by Franco Audrito, has offices in Torino, Jeddah, Bali and Cairo (Heller - Studio 65, 1). The Magenta loveseat is a combination of comfort and style. Weighing 114 lbs., it has a dimension of 61”w x 38”d x 34”h (Stylish Genuine Leather, par. 3). Solid hardwood is used for the frame while the legs are made of chrome-plated steel (par. 2). The cover uses Italian leather while the back and seats used a high-density foam (par. 2). Anyone with a flair for sophistication will love Magenta loveseat. However, the website that features it issues no labeling statement that the product has complied with TB 117 or TB 133. The furniture can be found at thefind.com and ritefurniture.com. Comfy1 is a love seat manufacturer that puts emphasis on eco-friendly and environment-friendly love seats (Customized Modern, 1). Manufacturing furniture results to carbon emissions. In compliance with the US Environmental Protection Agency directive, Comfy1 uses only water-based wood finishes and glues, 100 percent cotton, primarily oak wood (which is plentiful and would not degrade forest), etc. (2). Its main office can be found at Fredericksburg, Virginia (1). Comfy love seats can be purchased online at comfy1.com. Works Cited About Heller. Allmodern.com. 2011. 27 February 2011. . Approved Fabrics. KI: Furnishing Knowledge. 2011. 9 March 2011. . Bocca Outdoor Sofa. Plushpod International Inc. 2009. 6 March 2011. . Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation. Adhesive Manufacturers and Foam Fabricators. State and Consumer Services Agency. State of California. 17 October 1997. 8 March 2011. . Commercial Sofa: Lola Loveseat ArchiExpo. The Virtual Architecture Exhibition. 2011. 8 March 2011. . Corporate Overview. KI: Furnishing Knowledge. 2011. 8 March 2011. . CPSC Overview. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 2011 March. 2 March 2011. . Customized Modern & Contemporary Sofas, Loveseats and Sectionals. Comfy1. n.d. 2 March 2011. . Decorative Love Seat Set Fits Small Spaces. 7 March 2011. . 2009. Divisions and Locations. KI: Furnishing Knowledge. 2011. Divisions and Locations. KI: Furnishing Knowledge. . . “fire retardant.” Answers.com. McGraw-Hill Science and Technology Dictionary. 2011. 2 March 2011. . Flex Loveseat Sleeper. KI: Furnishing Knowledge. 2011. 9 March 2011. . Heller - Studio 65 Bocca Sofa. All Modern. 2011. 8 March 2011. . IKEA Reviews. n.d. 9 March 2011. . Klobo Loveseat. Ikea. 2011. 27 February 2011. . “love seat.” Encyclop?dia Britannica. Encyclop?dia Britannica Online. Encyclop?dia Britannica, 2011. Web. 7 March 2011. . Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. November 15, 2010. 8 March 2011. . Rodriguez, Alicita. Jloveseat is Perfect for You and Your Doppelganger. 3rings. 13 September 2010. 1 March 2011. State of California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation. Technical Bulletin 133: Flammability Test Procedure for Seating Furniture for Use in Public Occupancies. January 1991. 27 February 2011. . Stylish Genuine Leather Loveseat Magenta. Ritefurniture.com. 2011. 3 March 2011. . Top Ten: Loveseats. 3rings. 2010. 1 March 2011. . Upholstered Seating Furniture And Regulations The United States There Are New Requirements. Articlebase. 27 September 2010. 2 March 2011. . US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Flammable Fabrics Act. n.d. 2 March 2011. . Vaughan, Jason. The History of the Loveseat. eHow.com. 1 January 2010. 8 March 2011. . Read More