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As the world goes green, furniture design follows in its organic footsteps.
Century Furniture introduces an array of warm wood and metal creations,
paired with earthy upholstery, that reveal contemporary’s softer side.

High Point Furniture Market (October 2008)—Once upon a time, contemporary meant cold. Hard. Even bleak. Contemporary design was all about black leather, chilly steel, molded plastic, stark lines. In the battle between comfort and aesthetic purity, comfort lost out every time. But something interesting happened on the way to eco-enlightenment. In the soft, leaffiltered light of the green movement, contemporary warmed up.
“Today’s contemporary design has a kinder, gentler soul,” says Edward M. Tashjian, VP of Marketing for Century Furniture. “The basic look hasn’t changed; it’s still clean, crisp, and streamlined. But Mother Nature has emerged as the ultimate designer. What was once sterile has become earthy and organic.”

Century Furniture, P.O.Box 608, Hickory, North Carolina 28603
Telephone: 828-328-1851 • Fax: 828-328-2176

Century’s Milan, set to debut at the Fall 2008 International Home Furnishings Market, proves the point. Encompassing bedroom, dining room, and occasional pieces, the collection pays homage to the minimalist design themes fashionable in western European cities.
Signature pieces include dining and cocktail tables with debarked raw slab tops combined with lustrous stainless steel bases. (Matte bronze-finished metal bases are also available for those who prefer a quieter contrast of materials.) But Milan’s geometric accent tables, crafted in veneers of fiery satin walnut, are no less stunning.
The sap in the heartwood of these satin walnut trees creates extraordinary
mineral streaks. The variegations of light and dark create such lovely natural patterns that only a clear coat of finish is needed. Elements of polished stainless steel and Soft Silver-finished hardware bring icy contrast to the wood.
The Crescent Base Table (shown below right), for instance, has a satin walnut veneer framed antique mirrored top on a stainless steel base fashioned into a stylized crescent. The same theme of earthy materials mixed with cool ones appears in other forms: an inverted pyramid on a reflective square, an oval table with a glass pull-out tray, a solid rectangle on an open framed X-sided metal base.
“The frisson between raw natural materials and cold gleaming steel provides the yin and yang to contemporary design and environmental consciousness,” notes Tashjian.
This eco-contemporary ethos has found its way into the upholstery realm as well. For example, Century will merchandise Milan with seating from its Natural collection. Shown on page 1 is a modernized wing chair draped in an oatmeal-hued nubby raw silk slipcover and appointed with cushions made from soy-based
eco-friendly foam and natural goose down feathers. The frames are made from
sustainable wood and recycled metal coils.
Synthetic fabrics, too, get in on the act, mimicking nature with spectacular results. A pair of Sofia chairs in ivory ultrasuede, known for its extreme durability, harmonize beautifully with the Milan accent tables (right). Embossed with a touchable ostrich skin texture, they feature nickel nailhead trim that accentuates their lines and complements the gleaming stainless steel on the table they flank.
“There’s something serene about the new contemporary,” says Tashjian.
“Yes, it has all the sophistication you expect from this genre, yet it’s infused
with a welcoming sense of warmth. That’s especially meaningful in anxious
times like these.”

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For more information, please contact Michelle Roll
(828) 326-8260
mroll@centuryfurniture.com.