Zafferano America, North American distributor of cordless lighting, tableware and glassware, opened a showroom in New York City, its first U.S. showroom.

The new showroom, at 121 Varick Street near Manhattan’s SoHo district, is Zafferano’s first such space outside of Italy, where the company has showrooms in Milan and Quinto di Treviso.

Zafferano brand experts are available by appointment to consult with designers, architects, retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers. The showroom also will welcome retail traffic, including walk-in customers, during its regular business hours of 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

“The new Zafferano Showroom allows us to better serve the hospitality and design communities with a hands-on look at our product offerings,” said Barrett Gross, President and CEO of Zafferano America. “We have experts available to help designers light any space, set any table, and ultimately assist designers with bringing their ideas to life by employing our extensive and colorful offerings.”

The 2400-square-foot space was designed to showcase Zafferano’s cordless lamps, handmade Italian dinnerware, and colored glassware in a gallery-like setting, according to the company.

Zafferano’s flagship cordless lamps include the Poldina Pro and Pina Pro. The company in 2023 expanded its tableware division after acquiring a ceramic factory outside Rome, Italy, where it produces handmade dinnerware.

CB2 has launched a new collection designed exclusively by Black artists and designers around the globe, dubbed the Black In Design Collective.

The collection includes 10 new designers, brought together and mentored by Evan Jerry, the designer and artist behind many CB2 statement pieces such as the T Marble Side Table and the Marisa Burl Wood Desk. The pieces in the collection make up a dynamic assortment representing Black excellence in design, CB2 noted. Each designer incorporated varied cultural influences whether from the streets of Paris, Berlin, Miami, Martinique or Lagos, Nigeria across an assortment of furniture, housewares and home accessories.

The collection throws a spotlight on Black storytelling through design, CB2 stated, which has been the core of Jerry’s own brand, Studio Anansi, from its conception. Jerry and CB2 worked together to develop and showcase a global collection that would provide emerging and renowned Black designers with a wider audience.

The new collective of designers speaks for the Black Diaspora and a more diverse view of high design, the Crate & Barrel banner maintained. It also supports the brand’s commitment to the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a movement to create sustainable and supportive ecosystems for Black-owned businesses, with a goal of having 15% of products and collaborations developed with Black businesses, artists and designers by 2024. The Black In Design Collective is available exclusively at cb2.com, and consists of 66 unique SKUs across living, lighting, textiles, decor and entertainment categories. Prices range from $9.95 to $3,999.

Among the new collection items is the Chert White Porcelain Dinnerware, which CB2 characterized as featuring a subtly textured edge that references the aesthetic of hand-chipped stone objects designed by Garth Roberts of Garth, based in Berlin, Germany, and the Luana Woven Vase Basket, hand-woven of rattan and inspired by the ancient craft of basketry with its connection between earth and hand designed by Miami-based Élan Byrd.

“Our industry is evolving and it’s important for us to be a part of that conversation and change,” said CB2 president Ryan Turf, in introducing the collection. “We feel the Collective is not only a meaningful step for the brand but also retail at scale. CB2 is privileged to have the participation of several talented designers who are not only representative of accomplished Black figures in design but also of celebrated leaders within the industry as a whole.”

Jerry added, “The pieces throughout the Collective take an avant-garde approach to the expected visual representations of Black interior aesthetics. This project was conceived to allow space for designers to explore and present some of the many perspectives in which people connect and identify as Black through objects, something many designers never had the opportunity to explore or express previously.” 

Williams-Sonoma’s West Elm banner has launched a new collaboration with Rhode, a women-owned and operated lifestyle brand, celebrating color throughout the 40-piece collection that includes tabletop, decorative accessories and textiles that feature layered prints and vintage detail.

Main offerings from the collection include stoneware four- and eight-piece dinner plate sets sold for $60 or $120, with salad plates, batik placemats and napkins available in sets of four and eight running from $40 to $104. Other key items include decorative pillow covers priced from $49 to $59, quilt and sham sets priced from $230 to $330, and the Wiggle Round Pillows, priced at $39. 

In announcing the collection launch, Day Kornbluth, West Elm president, said, “We are excited to share this capsule collaboration with Rhode, which brings their signature print voice to bedding, linens and entertaining pieces for the home, and celebrates the optimism of both Rhode and West Elm.”

Khatau added, “This collection is full of inspiration from our travels and intended to mix and match unabashedly. It was such an incredible process to collaborate with West Elm and bring our signature prints to life with their team.”

Although the launch shouldn’t be considered an immediate response, Williams-Sonoma noted in its last earnings conference call, that, of its banners, West Elm suffered most from recent consumer reluctance to purchase big-ticket discretionary items because of the heavy proportion of furniture in its assortment.

Williams-Sonoma banners are rolling out new collaborative collections, with Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm unveiling new groups of home products, including one affiliated with Ayesha Curry.

Pottery Barn has unveiled the new collaboration with Sweet July, a lifestyle brand founded by restaurateur, chef, author and entrepreneur Ayesha Curry.

With natural textures, fresh patterns and earthy tones, the Sweet July by Ayesha Curry collaboration for Pottery Barn features a quality crafted collection of summer-inspired, beautiful items for the home, Williams-Sonoma maintained, ranging from guest-ready bedding and bath accessories to modern barware, table linens and Calacatta marble servingware and dinnerware debossed with a herringbone pattern.

The Curry collection is in stock at potterybarn.com/sweetjuly and in select California Pottery Barn stores, the company pointed out.

“Our collaboration with Ayesha Curry has been so organic and inspiring because we share core values of bringing together good people and products through meaningful design,” said Pottery Barn Brands CEO Marta Benson in the collection’s introduction. “The new Sweet July collection showcases our shared passion for family and beautiful living in the home.”

For its part, Pottery Barn Kids debuted a first-time children’s home furnishings collaboration with husband-and-wife design duo Chris and Julia Marcum of Chris Loves Julia. The collection is the couple’s first and only partnership in the children’s home furnishings market and showcases their shared belief with Pottery Barn Kids that living spaces can be stylish yet comfortable. Since 2009, the Marcums have documented their love of design, bringing their social followers through home renovations, DIY projects and day-to-day living. Their namesake blog and Instagram handle, Chris Loves Julia, celebrate embracing home at every stage, Williams-Sonoma stated.

The Chris Loves Julia collection for Pottery Barn Kids draws upon the couple’s own experience as parents and the pieces they favored when decorating their kids’ spaces. The result is a collaboration of furniture, textiles and décor that combines their love of dark-toned woods and traditional silhouettes with Pottery Barn Kids’ craftsmanship, quality, sustainability and design expertise, the company maintained.

Then, West Elm is introducing its second collaboration with Marimekko, the Finnish design house renowned for its printmaking. The new limited-edition collection focuses on summer lounging, celebrating color and Marimekko’s iconic patterns, Williams-Sonoma noted. The limited-edition summer-inspired assortment includes sofas and chairs, water-resistant indoor/outdoor pillows, a hammock and beach umbrellas in rich marigold, poppy red and cobalt blue. West Elm + Marimekko items retail for $30 to $1,399 and are exclusively available for purchase now at westelm.com/marimekko.

In announcing the Marimekko collaboration, Jeffrey Hannoosh, senior vp of product design at West Elm, said, “We are so excited to be working with Marimekko for our second exclusive product partnership. These celebrated and iconic prints originally created in the 1960s and 1970s were selected for their signature Marimekko style and embody an optimism that is perfect for summer life outdoors.”

Williams Sonoma has collaborated with the British heritage home furnishings brand, Morris & Co., for 36 patterned dinnerware, serveware, housewares and linens.

The collection includes a Bread Box priced at  $129.95; Oval Platters at $89.95; a Fruit Bowl at  $79.95; a Utensil Holder at $49.95; Salad Bowls at $24.95; and a Spoon Rest at $19.95.

A 19th-century British designer, poet and environmentalist, Morris & Co. founder Williams Morris was passionate about making art approachable and blending design and beauty with utility, according to Williams Sonoma.

“Our design team was able to embrace the iconic patterns and intricate motifs of Morris & Co.’s celebrated Bluebell, Marigold, Pimpernel and Golden Lily designs and reimagine them for the home,” said Williams Sonoma President, Felix Carbullido. “Our collaboration creates the opportunity for Morris & Co.’s celebrated designs to serve an inspired, new purpose, decorating spaces from the countertop to the tabletop.”

Pottery Barn has launched a new merchandise line, The Accessible Home, to serve people living with disabilities, injuries and other physical challenges. 

The Accessible Home incorporates a range of bath, upholstery, office, dining, bedroom and lighting products rooted in Pottery Barn’s signature values of quality, style and sustainability, the Williams-Sonoma division stated. Pottery Barn reported it is the first luxury home retailer to offer a comprehensive, accessible product line within the categories included, providing shoppers living with challenges the benefits of style without the sacrifice of function and accessibility.

The Accessible Home products include designs from popular Pottery Barn styles within bathroom consoles, pivot mirrors and grab bars, upholstered motion lift chairs, desks and tables, and sconces. Also included are wheelchair-accessible Pacific Desks that come in modular and open-shelving styles, non-slip rugs and unbreakable melamine tabletop products including the Happy Hour Acrylic Pitcher, Mason Modern Melamine Dinnerware Collection and the Hammered Outdoor Drinking Glasses (pictured above).

“In our ongoing commitment to enhance the quality of lives at home we’re excited to now better serve our customers’ specific needs with The Accessible Home,” said Pottery Barn President Marta Benson. “Our mission is to incorporate accessibility into everything we do, providing beautiful, thoughtful design that makes a home a more comfortable place for everyone.”

Pottery Barn has rolled out The Accessible Home collection online and in select stores.

The new exclusive Wanda June Home collection at Walmart took its inspiration from three generations of warm and sassy Southern hospitality, as expressed by reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and three-time Grammy winner Miranda Lambert.

Consumers can find the collection of housewares and home decor items only on Walmart.com.

According to the retailer, the Wanda June Home can contribute a warm, comfortable, casual element to any home gathering, and at Walmart prices. The collection includes more than 80 kitchen, bar, tabletop and home décor items priced from $12.97 to $170, with most pieces costing less than $30. Walmart and Lambert designed the inaugural collection to let consumers mix, match and collect, the retailer maintained. Tabletop essentials take inspiration from Lambert’s own Southwestern retro farm kitchen, among them the Vintage Stripe Porcelain Dish Set, at $39.97. The collection also offers the Saucy Sippers Stainless Steel Stemless Set, at $20.98, and the Jersey Knit Fringe Pillows, at $20.88.

“Wanda June Home is named after the two most influential women in my life, my mom Beverly June Lambert and my grandma Wanda Louise Coker, AKA Nonny,” said Lambert. “They both taught me everything I know about being a woman and how to make a warm home full of laughter, love and memories. That’s really the heart of my Wanda June Home brand. The products are a physical representation of a long line of beautiful memories with amazing women. I am thrilled to launch Wanda June Home with Walmart where my grandpa was a greeter back in the day and where I’ve shopped all my life.”

Walmart plans to offer additional Wanda June items seasonally after the inaugural collection rollout, it stated.

Wanda June Home joins Walmart’s portfolio of exclusive product lines, the retailer noted, including Beautiful by Drew Barrymore, Gap Home, The Home Edit, The Pioneer Woman, Queer Eye and My Texas House. 

H-E-B has opened a 122,000-square-foot store in New Braunfels, TX, the first company location to feature a Home by H-E-B department featuring everything from furniture to kitchenware.

The supermarket operator stated that it plans to open more Home by H-E-B departments inside other of its locations throughout the year. The New Braunfels H-E-B home department includes a Texas Proud collection that spotlights goods made by Texas-based artisans and businesses ranging from home textiles to décor pieces, furniture and accent pieces. It also includes a Haven + Key collection devoted to on-trend seasonal items such as candles, mirrors and toss pillows as well as kitchen textiles, rugs, throw blankets and accent furniture.

H-E-B already provides a fairly robust range of home goods in stores including kitchenware, storage and hydration. In a recent weekly ad promotion online, the company included Kodi by H-E-B travel mugs and tumblers among a number of related products, and cookware/bakeware, all of which could be ordered for delivery from stores. On the H-E-B website, under the heading Kitchen & Dining, H-E-B offered the categories Cookware, Small Appliances, Bakeware, Gadgets & Tools, Dinnerware and Storage & Containers. Small Appliances included more than 200 electrics products and related items, including everything from slow cookers to air fryers to blenders as well as accessories and refills.

In addition, the New Braunfels store features a full-service pharmacy that will expand to include a drive-up window, a two-story True Texas BBQ restaurant with indoor seating on both levels, an expansive grocery product assortment and convenient services including curbside pickup and home delivery.

The new store replaces a smaller H-E-B on the same property that now is closed.

Vietri has promoted Holli Draughn to president and named Mark Gabriel as the company’s COO, in addition to his current role as CFO.

According to the company, Draughn brings 12 years of experience at Vietri, most recently serving as vp/sales and marketing. She will lead the execution of strategy and will leverage her experience and expertise to position the company for continued growth in the tabletop and home décor industry. Within her overall responsibility for the brand, Draughn will lead the sales, marketing, customer service, and product design teams, Vietri added.

“Continuous improvements, constant progress—those are our goals,” said Draughn. “This year is Lastra’s 10th anniversary, next year is Vietri’s 40th anniversary, we are exploring special projects, and finding new twists on old favorites. Incredible things are in store for Vietri and I’m so thrilled to be a part of the journey.”

After a decade with the company, Gabriel will continue to concentrate on the fiscal strength of Vietri as CFO and will lead the operations team of finance, purchasing and distribution as COO. With Gabriel taking on the position of COO, Vietri said the operations team has been restructured to ensure operational excellence will continue to be achieved.

Within the new structure, Jeff Black, formerly vp/distribution, has been named vp/procurement and Jeff Campbell will lead the recently expanded warehouse team as warehouse manager. Additional staff has been hired in the customer service, product design, and marketing departments as well.

According to Susan Gravely, founder and CEO of Vietri, the promotions set the foundation for the company’s future goals as it continues to grow while maintaining its mission of creating classically beautiful handpainted, mouthblown, and handsewn products with Italian inspiration.

“We are proud of our service and our relationship with our vendors and customers. We want change to be in anticipation, not in reflection,” said Gravely. “These changes will inspire more teamwork as well as independent decision making and will enable every employee to feel more focused on bringing world-class expertise and enjoyment into their roles and into the lives of others. The Vietri family has always enjoyed working hard, working smart, and working together, and we want that to continue.”

Gibson Homewares will unveil Urban Soho, a 12-piece round reactive glaze dinnerware set and Soho Lounge glassware, at the upcoming Inspired Home Show.

According to the company, both new lines are a natural extension of the soft square shape of its Soho Lounge dinnerware, each offering new shapes and materials to the collection. Gibson stated the design direction is in response to consumer demand on Amazon where the line has consistently occupied a top spot among the best sellers in the category.

“People love the unique character of reactive glaze dinnerware,” said Laurie Gates, senior vice president of creative for Gibson Homewares, “The variety of colors and glossy finish have been a hit since we introduced them.”

Urban Soho features reactive glaze patterns that are unique to each item as a result of the production process, but with a new round shape. The dinnerware has a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Meanwhile, the new 12-piece Soho Lounge Glassware Set has a suggested retail price of $79.99. Gibson said its goal with the glassware is to appeal to audiences who have an appetite for sparkling glass dinnerware.

“Whether it’s for entertaining friends or everyday dining, clear glassware is sure to elevate any occasion,” explained Joshua Wirth, senior director of product development at Gibson. “With its distinctive ‘soft square’ shape, Soho Lounge has earned its reputation as one of Gibson’s fashion-forward brands.”