Happenings

Keeping it simple, yet beautiful

Many of our customers told us that the process of selecting fabric for their sofas and chairs was just too overwhelming due to the vast number of choices.  So, we listened and have now added a graded program that simplifies the selection process.  And, better yet, we can now offer reduced pricing.

Of course, for those who still want to look at every possible option, we offer that too.  So, if you have a specific design requirement or other needs, we are here to help you with that process.  Leather is still an option as well.

We hope this change will help you spend less time looking for the perfect fabric and more time being a couch potato!

It's Hot!

Yes, I am talking about your laptop.  I am sure you've all heard about the increased incidents of "Toasted Skin Syndrome".  I am not making this up.

The medical community is reporting that more people are coming to them with a reaction pattern caused by the excessive heat generated by their laptops when actually used on a lap.  According to the journal "Pediatrics", it doesn't take much heat, between 109-118 degrees, to cause damage to the skin.

So, you can imagine that this heat is also bad for your wood furniture. The intensity of this heat will likely cause a crack in the wood of your desk top, pull-out tray, dining table or even your coffee table.

The good news is that there is a simple and inexpensive solution.  A cooling pad, available from most office or computer supply stores, will diffuse the heat and prevent damage to your furniture.

We strongly urge you to use one.

 

Recycled Red Wood

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.  I wanted to let you know we've got some new tables in our showroom.  They are available immediately and have a great story! 

We had the opportunity to buy some reclaimed red wood from a source in California.  The wood was recently salvaged from a barn in the Santa Cruz area. 

After a lot of nail removal (the shop was VERY excited to use our new metal detector) and sanding, we were able to produce 8 end tables and 2 coffee tables.  The end table dimensions are 18" x 18" x 22" high and the coffee table dimensions are 20" x 40" x 18" high.  We finished them in teak oil, so they would be a  perfect addition outdoors.  All the tables are numbered and have been signed by our craftspeople.

Stop by and have a look.  We'd love to hear what you think!  I'll be back with more blogging in the fall.    

Journey to the silk road

I recently returned from an incredible trip to China.  One high point was a tour of a local silk factory.  Since McKinnon has been selling silk for years, we are very familiar with this luxurious fiber.  It is a wonderful fabric - perfect for draperies and bedding.  The actual process of making silk was fascinating.  I took a few photos that I would like to share with you. 

This is the beginning of the process where they examine the cocoons before they loosen the the silk.  The brush that is in the bucket has soft bristles that the silk attaches to and the threads begin to unravel from the cocoons.

This is what the individual strands look like when they become unraveled.  They look so fine and delicate and yet they are incredibly strong!

Next, they take all that unraveled silk and put them on the spindles (pictured above) to be woven.

The finished product!  The ladies above are stretching layers of silk for a comforter.  I DEFINITELY should have bought one of these after quite an amazing tour.

Now that I am back, I am inspired to do something for my home in silk.  Why not incorporate this beautiful fabric in your home?  We have many types of silks and colors available.  Stop in and take a look.  We are happy to help and you are welcome to check out samples. 

 
 

   

 

Leaving Frank

The time has come for us to break ties with Copeland's Frank Lloyd Wright collection.  It is a wonderful line and we loved carrying it, but we have found that customers prefer the possibilities of our custom furniture.

 

So to clean house, we're marking down all our current stock of the FLW furniture by at least 30%.  And while we were at it, I had Michelle hang our floor model signs and slashed a few more prices on McKinnon and upholstery pieces on our showroom floor.

 

Stop in this weekend to see if any of these screamin' deals would fit in your home! 

 

 

We've got two of these barrel chairs marked down to $1,149 each!

 

 This 42" x 84" dining table is marked down to $4,515.  With four side chairs at $714 each and two arm chairs at $1,040, it's a beautiful set! 

 

 

 

Boring but important

 
Last week I mentioned we are now providing stained furniture on red maple.  I thought I would provide a little information on this wood since it is new to our company.

The red maple we use is common in the north central area of the united states and is usually found in moist soils adjacent to wetlands and swamps.  Red maple is a quick growing, medium sized tree.  It reaches forty to sixty feet high and one to two feet in diameter.  Their  leaves are best known for their brilliant red color in autumn.  It is known commercially as soft maple and is light brown, heavy, and close grained.  It is used for furniture, woodenware, and fuel. 

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

 

 

 

I'm so glad we had this time together...........

but it's over.  We tried to make roasted maple work.  And then we tried roasted birch.  But due to that roasting process, it made it extremely difficult to work with.

 

For those of you who are looking for our furniture in a darker finish, we are now working with a local company that can stain our pieces.  For an extra charge of 20%, we have a selection of three different finishes on red maple (more info on that wood next week).  If you prefer to have these stains on our selections of wood, the charge is 25% more.

 

These are the new selections in finish.  Sable, Roycroft, and Espresso.

 

Here is our new Zoe table with a sable finish on red maple.

 

This is our new Mission Huntboard with a sable finish on quartersawn oak.

 

 

Windy days

Lately the weather has made me want to stay in bed.  If you feel that way too, have we got some sumptuous  bedding to make you feel nestled in on these dark and windy days!

 

We carry several lines of luxurious linens, including organic Egyptian cotton and believe it or not, a line made from wood pulp!  All of these linens feel as beautiful as they look.

 

 

The Purist line incorporates traditional weaving with organic and environmentally friendly raw materials.  The Legna line is an innovative new European yarn that stresses a silky hand and a shimmery rate of the sateen weave.  Home Treasures is custom made in the United States.   Whatever your choice, you will rest easy.

Ready for a close up!

David Bell from Studio 3 has been in our showroom for the past couple days taking professional photos of our showroom furniture.  We've been working with him for almost eighteen years.  He remembers shooting our futon frames in 1991!  All the beautiful photography on our website and catalog is the result of his skill and artistry.  

 

His talented assistent, Adam Satushek, completed the team to make everything run smoothly. 

It takes a lot of work to style these wonderful photos. There are a lot of McKinnon pieces out there.  We'd love to have some photographs showing our furniture in your beautiful home.  Friend us on Facebook and post them there!

Great service doesn't stop at our showroom continued......

Our delivery drivers do more than just drop off your special pieces.  We are very happy to have professional and courteous employees to see you through the final stage of the McKinnon experience.

I'm sure a lot of you have met Brian.  This Jersey boy provides the final and probably the most important (at least that's what HE would tell you!) job at McKinnon.  He brings your McKinnon pieces carefully into your home and offers advice on how to care for them.  

Brian is also a woodworker and frequently uses his skills at our woodshop.  He has been with us for almost five years.  He moved here from New Jersey to be closer to his family.  He enjoys listening to live music and playing golf.  Thanks for a job well done, Brian!