Furniture

A man tried to rob an Elkridge furniture store Wednesday evening but fled when an employee showed him there was no money in the store's safe, Howard County police said.No one was injured in the robbery attempt.Police said a man posing as a customer walked into the Bedroom Outlet in the 7500 block of U.S. 1 at 5: 30 p.m. and asked an employee about buying furniture. After the employee answered him, the man pulled a Glock 9 mm handgun and demanded money from the store safe, police said.The employee led the man to the safe, but no money was inside.

Q: I've often seen iron furniture in the settings shown in design magazines. That has inspired me to redo my bedroom with a combination of wood and iron pieces. But now I wonder whether iron will make the room seem too stark and cold. What do you think?Also, how should I treat the rest of the space? I'd prefer a soft, contemporary look.A: First, a bit of history.Originally, iron furniture was used on stone, marble or tile floors. Its strong lines and firm texture go well with such hard surfaces.

1/8 TC This is a tale of two Davids.David Hess makes furniture out of found objects, mostly metal -- everything from manhole covers to boiler parts. David Klein makes furniture out of found objects, mostly wood -- wood from buildings that have been closed, abandoned or hit by fire. Each has his own studio, but they also make furniture together.A group of their pieces, both individual and collaborative, is now on view at Galerie Francoise, and it's a study in strengths. These works, made from bits and pieces of things, don't look like that at all. They have enormous wholeness, integrity.

Soon now, the pink and orange Day-Glo "Going Out Of Business" signs will come down from Carroll Shiller's furniture store and a Baltimore County landmark will fade into a historical footnote.But just as important, business leaders and customers say, the retirement of the 76-year-old businessman will deprive Dundalk's old community of a piece of its color and character."After I saw a furniture store across the street from where I grew up as a kid, I decided then that I wanted to own a furniture store," Mr. Shiller said.

Been looking for a chance to buy American? The Mid-Atlantic AntiquesMarket this Sunday is almost 100 percent handmade American -- and more than 100 years old.The only show of its kind in the region hasperiod furniture in paint."

A man who implied he had a weapon robbed an Annapolis furniture store and its clerk of $90 Tuesday, county police said.The unidentified clerk at Jennifer Convertibles in the 2400 block of Solomon's Island Road told police a man walked into the store just after 8 p.m. and asked where the safe and the money were.The clerk told the man that there was no safe, but she gave him $10 from the petty cash container and $80 of her own money, police said. The woman told police that the man did not display a weapon but that he had his hand tucked inside his coat as if he were concealing one.The man ran through the back door into the woods behind the shopping center, police said.

High Point, N.C.--The mood was edgy but cautiously upbea at the recent spring International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C.With the war won and patriotism running high, many of the market's 1,700 exhibitors displayed flags and bunting in their showrooms and all tried their best to woo wary furniture retailers into stocking up for the business upturn they've been told is near.But coming off several flat to bad years, retailers either were looking for good prices and basic styles to attract value-conscious consumers or were searching for something truly out of the ordinary to lure shoppers back into their stores.

At the International Home Furnishings Market earlier this month, there was a sofa to suit every taste. These are among the themes that emerged from the spring market: Curves ahead. Whether it's on chests or tables, sofas or armoires, gentle curves add sensuality to furniture. Asian flavor. The Asian influence is reflected more in accessories than major pieces. Chinoiserie, an ornate style based on Chinese motifs, is showing up again on tables and chests. Better by the bunch. Bunching tables popular in the 1960s and 1970s are back.

James Mueller, who came out of a rough Southeast Baltimore neighborhood to become the head of a prominent furniture company, died Wednesday of brain cancer at his home in Pembroke Pines, Fla. He was 60.Born a cab driver's son in O'Donnell Heights, Mr. Mueller graduated from Patterson High School before volunteering for military service with a number of his friends."

CREATIVITY ABOUNDS in the household of Mark and Carolyn Cherry. The energetic couple have just opened The Cherry Collection, a shop full of Mark's handcrafted twig furniture.The Cherrys are a creative, spirited, hospitable and fun couple, and their newest enterprise reflects their sense of adventure, commitment to craft and belief that art should be affordable.I drove to the shop near New Windsor on a gray Sunday afternoon, parked the car in the driveway, walked down a stone path to a small building behind the main residence, and opened the door.