The Business of Furnitureis the go-to source for keeping you informed about everything that is happening in the industry.
You Asked and We Listened: Now published Friday evenings, BoF contains a complete review of all the latest and breaking industry news for the week, special feature editorials, along with the latest product introductions and industry events - keeping you informed of all the industry happenings.
From trends that affect your bottom line, to new products, to stories that will help you run a better, more informed company.
Business of Furniture - August 2, 2026 (NeoCon / FMDD Post-Show Recap Special Final Week)
- ASK STEPHEN - "The Best Sales Interview Question I've Heard in Years—And Most Candidates Can't Answer It" - Stephen Viscusi - Anyone can walk into an interview and say they know Gensler, HOK, SOM, Perkins+Will, Rockwell Group, or whichever firms matter in that territory. Name-dropping is free, and any reasonably intelligent salesperson already knows the names you expect to hear. The real question is not whether the salesperson knows Gensler. The real question is whether anyone at Gensler knows the salesperson.
- What Three Days in Copenhagen Says About the American Workplace - Global design festivals are giving our industry a richer vocabulary, and that is a good thing. Copenhagen, Milan, and Chicago are widening what people expect a workplace to feel like. by Jon Leach, Vice President of Business Development, Tangram Interiors
- Beyond the Buzz: What NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days revealed about the future of commercial design. - NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days have always debuted new collections, but this year's show suggested the industry's priorities are changing. by Stefanie Schwalb
- PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Allseating Introduces Gemelli™ - Designed in Collaboration with Carl Gustav Magnusson, the Refined Seating Collection Balances Sculpted Comfort with Quiet Sophistication Inspired by evolving commercial interiors, Gemelli balances sculpted comfort, elevated detailing, and versatile performance.
- Running Out of Office Space? VersaDesk Has a New Solution Built from Shipping Containers - New Studio Mobile Office gives businesses a faster, more affordable way to add offices, meeting rooms, and training space. Since founding VersaDesk in 2000, Chris Laudadio has built the company around one idea: reimagining the workplace.
- AROUND THE INDUSTRY - Office Revolution Announces Strategic Partnership with Haworth, Marking the Next Chapter in 25 Years of Evolution / Stellar Works Unveils Extensions to the Atelier Collection by Space Copenhagen / NeoKen Recap Tradeshow by Day. Continuing Education in the Evening. Party by Night. / CIFF Shanghai 2026. Design · Digital Intelligence · Sustainability / Nassimi, a Leader in Sustainable Upholstery Materials, Champions Environmental & Social Philanthropic Initiatives / Knoll Unveils Perron Pillo Bed by Willo Perron, a Bold New Expression of Rest / Ultraleather by Ultrafabrics Partners with Kravet to Launch the Ultraleather VI Book
- Shaw Contract Hospitality Launches Untitled - Every detail of a space should tell a story, and with Axminster, the narrative is one of unparalleled luxury and performance. Thanks to its unique weaving process, Axminster has superior durability, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. The stable construction retains design definition, color and structural integrity over a long lifespan.
- Choosing an Ergonomic Office Chair: What Really Matters - Whether employees are working from home full-time, splitting their week between home and the office, or returning to more structured workplace environments, the chair they sit in has a meaningful impact on comfort, productivity and long-term wellbeing.
- UPFRONT: Jasper Group Honors the Life and Legacy of Ashley Sendelweck - Jasper Group is mourning the loss of Vice President of Marketing Ashley Sendelweck, a beloved colleague, leader, and friend whose creativity, humility, and heart helped shape both the company and the people around her. For 17 years, Ashley helped guide Jasper Group's evolution from a respected regional manufacturer into one of the furniture industry's leading brands.
- How Offices Can Have It All: The End of An Either/Or Design Dilemma - The HON Company's showing during Chicago Design Week last month revealed how offices can leverage design to meet the multi-faceted demands of today's workforce and create a truly "all-inclusive office." The brand's new flagship (located at 320 N Sangamon St) showcased a comprehensive suite of high-performing products that excel in fostering modularity, holistic wellness, employee health, and team productivity.
- Award-winning Education-focused Collection, Newton, is Available Now from SurfaceWorks - The Newton Collection is designed for learning and training spaces that transition naturally between instruction, collaboration, and everyday use, pairing adaptable functionality and durable materials with a warm and inviting design. While being previewed at NeoCon, the Newton Collection won both the Best of NeoCon Gold for Education Solutions and the Best of NeoCon People's Choice awards.
- Now Available to Order: NaughtOne's Lotti by Keiji Takeuchi & Pullman Modular - NaughtOne introduces a cleverly designed chair and an architectural seating collection. A simple yet ingenious café chair, Lotti has a strong circular design rooted in easy disassembly and considered material choices.
- PLACES - OXIA WorkHub Coworking Offices – Sofia | A carefully curated palette of natural textures, warm finishes, and refined detailing creates an environment that feels professional yet welcoming.
- INDUSTRY PULSE & FIRST LOOKS - Bentley Joins Ecomedes Platform, Launching Dedicated Sustainability Portal for Architects and Designers / LightCorp Launches CET Extension to Streamline Specification Workflows / Lesro Welcomes New Manufacturer Representative / //3877 Expands New York Presence with Trio of Strategic Hires / Corgan Wins Sustainable Leadership Award from CoreNet Global / Herman Miller Unveils New Patterns for the Iconic Girard Throw Blanket
- New In Classifieds - Your Next Career Move May Be Closer Than You Think | The Viscusi Group is recruiting accomplished sales professionals and leaders for opportunities with leading, commercial furniture and interiors manufacturers across the U.S. You don't need to be actively "looking," to consider an exceptional opportunity. The best career moves are often explored before a change becomes necessary. Read more on page 111.
- New In Classifieds - Independent Reps Wanted | Ergonomic Comfort Design is an established ergonomic seating company with a strong base of business in Southern California for over 32 years. Known for high quality, high performance ergonomics, exceptional service and competitive pricing, we are expanding our presence in Northern California and the west coast. Read more on page 110.
- New In Classifieds - President - Cincinnati, Ohio | Centennial is partnering with Loth, Inc. who is seeking a visionary, enterprise‑minded President to lead a diversified portfolio of companies, including two multi‑location commercial furniture dealerships, a related service company and an ATM installation company. This executive will shape strategy, elevate operational excellence, strengthen culture, and drive long‑term enterprise value across all business units. The President provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and cultural direction—ensuring each company thrives in its market while leveraging shared systems, leadership standards, financial discipline, and enterprise‑wide initiatives. Please click on the link to learn more and apply: President Role. Read more on page 110.
- So Much More Every Week - Industry Moments, Industry Portfolio, Industry Events, Industry Classifieds & Careers
Business of Furniture - July 26, 2026 (NeoCon / FMDD Post-Show Recap Special Week 6)
- ASK STEPHEN - "The Most Valuable Thing Knoll Ever Made Wasn't Furniture" - Stephen Viscusi - Knoll taught generations of people how to sell design, influence architects, work with dealers, entertain customers and carry themselves as though the building had been designed around them. Sometimes that confidence crossed the line into arrogance, but a bit of arrogance has never hurt anyone during a job interview. It certainly never stopped a Knoll salesperson from explaining why they were uniquely qualified to improve another company.
- Thoughtful Design Takes Center Stage at NeoCon - From adaptable workplaces and culturally inspired materials to products designed for longer lifecycles, exhibitors at The Mart highlighted the commercial interior trends shaping tomorrow's built environments. by Stefanie Schwalb
- PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Wilsonart Expands HPL Collection with New Styles Designed to Simplify Specification - Wilsonart has unveiled its 2026 High Pressure Laminate (HPL) collection, the brand's first significant pattern expansion since 2022. The company carefully curated visuals that naturally work together so designers can create depth and flexibility without visual clutter or the guesswork that typically slows down the specification process.
- When Office Chairs Fail to Support Movement, Everyone Pays the Price - The reality of today's workplace is fluid. People move between desks, meeting rooms, and shared spaces throughout the day, shifting from focused work to collaboration and back again.
- Less is More: 25 Years of Kuadra - Pedrali celebrates the seating collection defined by timeless design. 2026 marks a special anniversary for Pedrali: twenty -five years of Kuadra , a seating collection that has spanned a quarter of a century while preserving its distinctive identity, shaped by simple yet iconic forms.
- AROUND THE INDUSTRY - Pattern Play: Designtex Introduces Florette and Metroline / Heller Expands Mario Bellini's MB Collection with New Earth-Inspired Colors / Landscape Forms Celebrates Its 2026 Landscape Architecture Foundation Scholarship Winners / Mr. Goodman: The Kiteman / Once Upon A Project Explores the Future of Inclusive Design in New Live Episode from NeoCon 2026 / USAI Expands Design Flexibility and Installation Precision with New Multiples Solutions / Eames and Nelson Classics – White Oak Expansion
- Hightower Makes a ST8ment with New Seating Collection from Hussl - Hightower has officially launched ST8, a seating collection designed by EOOS for Austrian manufacturer Hussl, now available in North America through Hightower Studio. ST8 reflects a bold rethinking of the traditional wooden chair, uniting material ingenuity, refined craftsmanship, and everyday functionality in a form that feels both familiar and entirely new.
- Material Matters London Celebrates Five Years With a Move to Shoreditch – and a New Partnership with Berghaus - While the venue has changed, the ethos remains the same: around 50 exhibitors selected for their commitment to material intelligence, a series of special features, and a café that, this year, doubles as the home of the fair's talks programme.
- UPFRONT: Momentum Performance 5.0 Card; Curated for 9to5 Seating - Performance fabrics. Expanded selection. Easier specifying. The new Momentum Performance 5.0 fabric card from 9to5 Seating brings together an expanded collection of high-performance textiles for today's commercial interiors.
- Carnegie Introduces Mood, a Colorful and Textured Plush Velvet Textile - Velvety Texture Meets Playful Geometry in Carnegie's Latest High-Performance Upholstery Fabric
- Bentley's LAND/MARK Officially Launches - The new signature carpet tile collection by Bentley, designed in collaboration with Neutral Haus, previewed at NeoCon 2026 and now officially available with three styles: Where We Met, Old Haunts, and Know By Heart.
- PLACES - Bou Headquarters – Helsinki | A muted red-orange tone flows across walls, beams and flooring, creating a vibrant backdrop for soft powder-blue furnishings, pale timber surfaces and warm neutral tones.
- INDUSTRY PULSE & FIRST LOOKS - Renson North America Appoints McKenzi Maxwell-Poulin to National Architecture & Design Director / Renson Now Offers Three Free Online CEU Courses With AEC Daily / Foscarini's Asteria Reimagines the Classic Chandelier with Minimalist Elegance / Cambria's New Philadelphia Sales & Distribution Center and Showroom in King of Prussia, PA / Mayer Fabrics Welcomes Ellen Forman to the South Texas A&D Territory / Mayer Fabrics Welcomes Carol Thornton to the N. CA, HI, & N. NV A&D Territory
- New In Classifieds - Independent Reps Wanted | Ergonomic Comfort Design is an established ergonomic seating company with a strong base of business in Southern California for over 32 years. Known for high quality, high performance ergonomics, exceptional service and competitive pricing, we are expanding our presence in Northern California and the west coast. Read more on page 98.
- New In Classifieds - President - Cincinnati, Ohio | Centennial is partnering with Loth, Inc. who is seeking a visionary, enterprise‑minded President to lead a diversified portfolio of companies, including two multi‑location commercial furniture dealerships, a related service company and an ATM installation company. This executive will shape strategy, elevate operational excellence, strengthen culture, and drive long‑term enterprise value across all business units. The President provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and cultural direction—ensuring each company thrives in its market while leveraging shared systems, leadership standards, financial discipline, and enterprise‑wide initiatives. Please click on the link to learn more and apply: President Role. Read more on page 98.
- New In Classifieds - Lacasse - Senior Sales Executive (Director / VP Level) – United States | Join us in revealing human potential in the workplace. Lacasse is seeking an accomplished senior sales executive to lead growth initiatives across the United States. This strategic leadership role will be responsible for accelerating revenue growth, expanding market presence, and strengthening relationships with our sales partners and key accounts. With a renewed brand, exciting product introductions, and growing collaborations with designers across North America, we are seeking leaders who want to help shape our sales strategy. Read more on page 99.
- So Much More Every Week - Industry Moments, Industry Portfolio, Industry Events, Industry Classifieds & Careers
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