22 - Friday, duty 31, 1987 - North Shore News

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photo submitted

SLEEKLY CURVING brass is protected forever from tarnish with a

baked-on finish.

Srass beds complement

many decorating schemes

CLOSE YOUR eyes and picture a
brass bed.

For most people, a rich series of
images emerges: The old four-
poster from grandmother's house;
a bed remembered from a beloved
children’s book; or the prized cen-
trepiece in the re-created nostalgia
of a Victorian bedroom.

The brass bed, because of its
strong appeal, is considered to be a
classic in home furnishings.

But a nostaglic look is only one
of many that brass beds are taking
these days. Today, this versatile,
centuries-old metal is being crafted
with contemporary artistry into
high-style beds, day beds, canopy
beds and four-posters — all as
practical as they are guod looking.

Women influence houseware sales

WOMEN’S WIDENING role in
the work force is increasing the
popularity of products that make
household tasks less strenuous and
time-consuming, according to
manufacturers, retailers and in-
dustry trend-spotters.

“Obviously, a woman with a job
outside the home has less time to
spend on household chores,’
comments Joseph S. Adler, presi-
dent of a major marketing research
firm.

“So, the first thing she demands
from housewares is that they
lighten her burden at home. Hence
the burgeoning popularity of mi-
crowave ovens and portable small
electrics, for example, since these
appliances cut big jobs down to
size.”

Although buyers of housewares
don’t fall into a single
demographic group, retailers
generally target their marketing ef-
forts at women in their late 20’s
and early 30’s, single or married,
who are setting up their house-
holds for the first time.

As a group, these consumers to-

day tend to have a fairly high
degree of disposable income, and
marry and have children later.

“Our major buyers carry large
stacks of plastic and spend every
last nickel. When they want some-
thing, they want it now — there's
no such thing as a layaway plan."’
says Philip Smiley, owner of a
hardware store. ;

“With an eye on the latest fash-
ions, they choose housewares that
are sleek and contemporary, but
that are also designed to make
housework quick and easy.”’

When this group sets up a
household, they do so to create a
specific environment. ‘‘While
women used to buy table settings
for eight or 12 in anticipation of
large family dinners, now it’s not
unusual for young consumers to
buy more than one set of four, or
to have an eclectic look with a little
of everything,’’ says Adler.

Housewives who enter the job
market or return to work after
their. children begin school also
choose housewares according to
the products’ ability to support the

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many demands on their time and
energy.

“Because she has less time to
shop and prepare meals, she's
looking for ease and convenience.
Her house is likely to be more
sparse; her decor is comfortable,
but clean and simple. Today's
working woman simply doesn’t
want to spend so much time on
housekeeping.’’

For today’s working woman,
convenience is critical. ‘‘When a
woman wants to clean up, she can
pull out a hand-held vacuum
cleaner. Such appliances minimize
a job; an immediate problem can
be taken care of with little fuss or
effort,’’ explains Adler.

“Rather than stand for hours
ironing a week’s laundry for the
family, women today are just as

See Convenience
Page 23

According to Martha Ward, a
design coordinator for a brass bed
manufacturer, ‘‘This ‘new genera-
tion’ of brass beds can comple-
ment a wide range of decorating
schemes — looking more like a
piece of sculptured artware than a
bed.

“The traditional ‘spindle-and-
scroll’ brass beds, though | still
popular, are now making room for
more streamlined designs with an
artistic interpretation.*”

And these bedroom = artwares
come in a variety of styles, from
cleanly contemporary to shapely
neo-classic.

But there’s more to the new-look
brass beds than meets the eye:
Look for contemporary designs
featuring a baked-on, easy-care

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protective finish that bans tarnish
forever and eliminates the need for
any polishing.

“Museum-quality brass beds can
now stay in ‘Louvre’ condiiion
without bothersome
maintenance,”’ said Ward.

Now, close your eyes again and
picture a different kind of brass
bed — one made for people who
want the beauty of brass without
the upkeep — crafted to match to-
day’s streamlined lifestyles.

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