Stay up to date with all the many news and events involving HB2. We will also be posting industry insights and trends in this area of our site so please continue to check back with us!

News : Announcing "A Pathway to Profit"

The HB2 team, Anita, Chris, Caroline and Dixon, are excited to announce the impending publishing of their book: A Pathway to Profit. It’s proceeding through the pre-press process right now, and we anticipate an October publishing date. At that time we’ll launch a separate Pathway to Profit website and blog, which will of course have links back to our HB2 home site.

A Pathway To Profit tells the story of the valuable cultural development lessons we learned while we worked together at This End Up. It recounts the values of the “culture of caring” that we created with the guidance of Libby and Stewart Brown, and the resulting rich working environment, and economic result that we were able to achieve there.

Fast forwarding 20 years and the book shifts to our mutual experiences at Storehouse. There we found a venerable but sleepy and culturally starved turn-around situation. A Pathway to Profit story continues with a detailing of the purposeful steps and methodologies we employed to enrich the cultural lives of our employees and customers, and as a result, to dramatically reverse the financial performance at Storehouse.

Told through the perspective of the authors, and liberally infused with quotes from the team members who lived through this transformation, A Pathway to Profit is not only a “how to” book for management leaders, but also a heartfelt look back on two phenomenally successful home furnishings retailers, whose impact is still felt daily on the employees who were lucky enough to have experienced these cultural initiatives.

Events : HB2 is proud to announce the opening of YvvY in Shanghai, China.

Almost 2 ½ years ago Markor International commissioned HB2 to create an entirely new retail concept for the Chinese market. Markor at the time operated seventy-five Markor Home stores throughout the country. These stores are approximately 30,000 square feet, quite traditionally Western styled –in fact half of Markor’s stores are devoted to their Ethan Allen licensed collections - and cater to the top tiers of Chinese society. While stunningly successful, Markor’s customer research indicated that most of their shoppers who did not buy from them did so because the collections were not contemporary enough in styling and perhaps a bit too expensive. With that knowledge in hand the concept for YvvY was developed to fill that gap. From a white piece of paper- to concept-to real estate selection- to store design –to merchandise creation-to opening of the stores, HB2 lead the entire process.

Now that the first two stores are open, the real fun begins as customers start to “vote with their pocketbooks”. Undoubtedly the next year will be one of refining and reimagining. Be sure to look up YvvY the next time you’re in Shanghai!

Trends : 2013 Update (by Dixon Bartlett)

The globetrotting HB2 team regularly travels the world, researching, observing, and refining trends in fashion, color, and home design that will affect the buying habits and preferences of our customers. While some of these trends are quick to come and go, others gestate over a several seasons, and the best morph through a number of styles and aesthetic variations and last years in their popularity. Here a few we are watching right now!

Urban Studio

Hip graphic and modern – this tend features clean lined silhouettes in a bold and contemporary mix. On trend graphite & citron and tangerine & teal color combinations echo a tech savvy lifestyle, while reclaimed wood accents reflect an environmental sensitivity. Colorful painted wood finishes mix comfortably with steel and silver toned metals, while low textured fabrics reflect a fresh aesthetic.

The Kasbah

The magical mix of Moorish and Spanish design themes inspire our Kasbah theme. Infused with earthy colors of cactus green, sandy clay, and Atlas blue this richly textured look references Berber rug influences, as well as delicate floral patterns of Moroccan tradition. The juxtaposition of the baked desert and the cool oasis of the Kasbah create a rich exoticism and well-traveled vibe for this decorative theme.

Gem Palace

India has for many years provided an inexhaustible source of design inspiration. Energized by exuberant colors and mixed patterns The Gem Palace design theme features deep amethyst, peridot, and pearl hues. All the shades of blue cast berry tones currently enjoy great prominence in home fashion trends, and well as on the runways of Milan, Paris, and New York. Gem Palace fabrics have a reflective and lustrous quality emulative of their Rajasthani inspiration.

Velvet Reverie

Who hasn’t dreamed of occupying rooms of great luxury, and old world warmth and texture? In Velvet Reverie, we muse on the interplay of drawing room pink-toned reds, deep salmon, and rose hued pinks. Fabrics are intimate to the touch and leathers sumptuous to the eye and hand. Generously scaled sofas, enveloping seating options, and the touch-me temptation of shadowed velvets create a rich intimate space that’s hard to resist.

Monogram

Think Tory, Lilly, and Kate, and you’ll catch the country club inspired vibe of our Monogram theme! Happy Palm Beach pinks, bright preppy greens, and classic graphic fabric patterns punctuate this lively collection. Tweety birds and pampered pooches accompany Muffy and Chip to their madras clad latest tennis lessons -- while Papa Keating and Granny Blythe supply the seemingly bottomless trust fund resources for this care free life style.