I’m on-site covering the biggest home furnishings and design exposition going on this week at the World Market Center. The Summer Market brings together top designers and manufacturers who will be exhibiting their wares to furniture buyers and designers from across the county. There is a large international contingent with many exhibitors traveling here from overseas.
I’ve managed to walk through most of the displays in the first of the two main buildings this morning. There is quite a lot to see! Some of the more interesting collections included a vendor specializing in handmade bars (think ultimate bachelor pad), a 100% silk floral designer and an iron and bronze sculptor who does life-size solider replications. Of course, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of vendors selling the latest furniture and accessories as well.
Tomorrow I plan to visit the Living Green Pavilion, a showcase of eco-friendly home furnishings and sustainable living options.
An amazing furniture and design exposition will be held at the World Market Center and Sands Expo Center next week from July 30th to August 3rd. This event will bring together over 1,300 exhibitors showcasing the latest in design and home furniture. The event will also introduce a special presentation on sustainable living. I have applied for a media pass and will be covering the Las Vegas Summer Market on-site.
About the Las Vegas Market
Las Vegas Market is the first truly U.S. based global market for the industry bringing together international and domestic buyers and sellers as well as world renowned trade shows. World Market Center is the first permanent trade show complex in Las Vegas with plans to eventually expand to 12 million square feet by 2013.
One of my favorite weekend activities is to have a completely chillaxed Sunday. My wife and I like to spend the afternoon just laying around, reading or watching a movie. We only leave the house to get wine and snacks from Trader Joe’s. There were always several to choose from when we lived in SOMA in SF and West L.A. so locating one here in Las Vegas was a top priority.
There are three Trader Joe’s stores in Las Vegas. As you might expect, there are locations in Summerlin and Henderson. The third is located just north of Charleston on Decatur and this might be my favorite Trader Joe’s yet! It’s not the largest store we’ve been to (limited wine selection, fewer choices in the deli, etc.) but all the familiar hand-written signs and Hawaiian shirts are a nice contrast to the sterile florescence that is Vons. You’ll find the store uncrowded on weekends with ample parking available. This makes it easy to drop in and pick up some goodies to enjoy while lounging around on your lazy Sunday.
Trader Joe’s
2101 South Decatur Blvd., Suite 25
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 367-0227
Open from 9 am to 9 pm
Adding hardwood flooring to your home is a great idea especially here in Las Vegas. Wood floors are cool on the feet and they increase your property value. Buying hardwood floors in Las Vegas is much like buying it anywhere else in the country. You can choose between corporate establishments such as HomeDepot or Lowes or visit a retailer who specializes in flooring (they sometimes sell carpet and tiling, too). We visited quite a few places to compare prices and to see a good selection of styles and colors.
Ultimately, we purchased from Harwood Floors Outlet. The owner, John Dorsey, had been an installer of hardwood floors for over 20 years before getting into the retail business. He is very knowledgeable about manufacturers and their product offerings and full of information about the pros and cons of various installation methods. He has a program called “Tech Services” where for a very reasonable fee, he will actually come to your home for 1-2 hours of installation training. I highly recommend this demo for anyone installing for the first time.
Hardwood Floors Outlet
7485 Dean Martin Drive, #101
Las Vegas, NV 89139
(702) 567-9663
The store is located in southwest LV, off Dean Martin Drive (behind Safari Furniture and the Zappos Outlet).
Buying a home means having to pick out new furniture, a lot of it for some of the more sizable homes in Las Vegas. As newbies in town we had no idea where to go. A call to our trusty real estate agent yielded two recommendations. We added these to some places we have seen nearby and made a weekend of it. Along for the ride was a good friend from the Bay Area who studied interior design.
Here are some areas you can visit when shopping for furniture in Las Vegas:
Dean Martin Drive just off Blue Diamond
You can see a bunch of large furniture places along the side of Interstate 15. There are a few stores carrying modern pieces, a few upscale but traditional showrooms and a great place for outdoor furniture and accent pieces, Sedona Style (think rustic and charming). We loved the look of their tables and pottery and will be back when our deck is completed.
Rainbow Boulevard
There are tons of furniture stores along Rainbow, near Charleston. We spent the better part of Saturday and most of Sunday stopping every block or so at over a dozen places. There’s an Ethan Allen and Bassett on Sahara and many smaller stores to choose from. Two stores we bought from were nondescript places called World Class Furniture (just north of Spring Mountain) and Rainbow Furniture (just south of Charleston). The pushy salesperson at Too Good Furniture alienated us despite its unbeatable prices. JCPenny Home is also on Rainbow and they have an extensive selection of draperies that always seem to be on sale.
Spring Mountain Boulevard near Chinatown
If you are looking for some Asian-accent furniture or want to haggle to get low prices on other pieces, Jubilee and Hotai on Spring Mountain are worth a visit. The Macy’s Home store is also in the area and they have lots to choose from. They carry a good selection of linens and bath towels too. No drapery though.
Boca Park
We soon discovered that Boca Park is really the shopping mecca of Summerlin. This is a huge shopping center that will make you dizzy as you drive through the parking lot. You’ll find Potterybarn, Pier One Imports and a few upscale furniture stores. Pier One had an especially terrific selection and we loaded up our trusty little Honda Civic to its maximum capacity. For other household needs there’s Linens-N-Things and Target Greatland. Right around the corner from Linens-N-Things are a few very expensive designer furniture galleries.
