By Dianne M. Pogoda
Company News
GE Appliances Launches Bodewell: GE Appliances introduced Bodewell, a branded, personalized appliance care service offering a “hassle-free” home experience, according to the company. Bodewell’s local experts provide white-glove appliance delivery, replacement, parts, service and support. The project began as a pilot program in Florida and will roll out nationally this summer. KBB has more.
Century Expanding in East: Century Components, an Ohio-based supplier of kitchen cabinet accessories such as pull-outs, inserts, organizers, in-drawer charging stations and more, partnered with Douglas Perkins, owner of Fortitude Sales Agency, to expand New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions, covering Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC Metro, and West Virginia. Learn more about Century Components here.
Parent of PITT Cooking Acquired: Investment firm Ross Common Capital (RCC) acquired a majority stake in PCS Holding BV, owner of PITT Cooking, a Dutch producer of innovative cooking systems. PITT makes customizable gas burners that are integrated into countertop surfaces. It was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in De Meern, The Netherlands. RCC has owned PITT Cooking America, distributor for PITT in the U.S. and Canada, since 2022. The acquisition allows Pitt to expand and grow its business. Learn more about PITT here.
FreePower Launches in May: Best of KBIS 2024 winner FreePower, a wireless countertop charging system for electronic devices, will be available this month. The company, a new NKBA | KBIS member that won seed money on “Shark Tank,” was a first-time exhibitor at KBIS. Its app delivers software upgrades and allows the user to customize the countertop charging “halo” that indicates device placement. It was also a 2024 honoree at the Consumer Electronics Show. More details here.
Poggenpohl Updates +MODO at Salone: Poggenpohl introduced a new interpretation of its classic +MODO countertop/shelving system at Salone del Mobile in Milan in April. Jorge Pensi, designer of the original and the updated versions, stages the “relationship between gravity and light,” with a filigree metal structure, pull-out trays and a single central cabinet element. The sculptural combination creates two levels with a natural stone worktop lit from the inside across the surface. Learn more here.
People News
Obituary: Claire Coleman: Claire Coleman, an influential public relations executive and journalist in interior design, and founder and former president of the International Furnishing and Design Association (IFDA), died March 30 in Lebanon, NH, of heart failure following hip replacement surgery. She was 99. Throughout her career, she wrote for publications including The New York Times and Home Furnishings Daily, and developed campaigns for numerous home furnishings companies. In 1947, she founded the National Home Fashions League for women working in interior design, which transformed into IFDA. More details here.
Industry News
Mixed Bag for Home Sales: Sales of new single-family houses jumped 8.8 percent in March 2024 over February and 8.3 percent over March 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sales of existing homes, however, fell 4.3 percent in March from February, and retreated 3.7 percent from March 2023, said the National Association of Realtors, which blamed high mortgage rates for the dip. Details on new-home sales here; Info on existing homes here.
Kips Bay in May: The 49th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York runs through May 28, at 125 East 65th Street in New York. Sponsored by the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, the event is the top fundraiser of the year for the organization, which seeks to enhance young people’s lives through educational and developmental programs. An international group of 24 designers/firms includes NKBA | KBIS Member Karen Williams, owner and creative director of St. Charles New York, who designed the kitchen. Learn more here.
