Suzanne VanGilder's Page

I'm working on a case study at the moment that features a homebuilder. A very popular option is laminate that looks like granite. Better Homes and Gardens just ran a little piece called "Four Ways to Get the Look of Granite Countertops," (see corresponding blog here). As an observer of the…See More

Phil Riebel is a senior sustainability advisor to the forest, paper and print sector. He recently started an interesting discussion on Linked-In. Several people replied, including myself. And Phil gave me permission to feature the discussion as this week's blog post since it is so relevant to our industry. Have a read and share your thoughts. See More

Pantone revealed the 2011 Color of the Year. How well does this reflect the mood of the marketplace?

This is why effective messaging is so crucial to our industry. Check out the latest blog on sugarcane and bamboo panels.See More

Yanko Design posted this today: "Technology over technique produces emotionless design."— Daniel Mall. So far their audience has replied with "absolutely." I'm not sure how I feel about this, it seems like a pretty one-dimensional viewpoint. I think that technology often drives design and encourages technique to evolve(or in the case of artisan technique, defines and improves its standing). What do YOU think?See More

Don't worry, I won't start an open discussion of politics (though you are welcome to comment and discuss at will). But it seems like a good time to examine what exactly is happening in the market. Blair Kamin writes Cityscapes, a daily Chicago journal about the buildings and urban spaces that shape our lives, recently posted these interesting facts in his piece Are…See More

What does CNC stand for? Not what you might expect! Watch one company's hilarious struggle to adopt new technology in the workplace.This video is a contest s...

While working on a feature about Foliot furniture, President Daniel Foliot asked me specifically not to refer to melamine as "TFM" but rather as "HTFL" or "High temperature fused laminate."  He says that melamine has a bad rap, and believes it is more important to educate customers on the performance of the material than it is to try to redefine something that already has a negative association.  This is, of course, in direct conflict with the efforts of many producers to have a clearly defined…See More

Watch the Electrolux Design Lab streaming here

Jim Sherbert shares his point of view about the "green" movement in a guest blog post on the Surface & Panel website.  As the CEO of Bush Industries, Sherbert is leading a major re-branding effort that includes the introduction of commercial and living furniture lines conceived to meet the current market needs.  Look for an expanding "Executive Perspective" interview with Sherbert in the fall issue of S&P.  Mr. Sherbert got people…See More