Color trends for 2017
By Beth Newcomb
Benjamin Moore has dubbed “Shadow 2117-30” the color of the year. And in case you missed the 30-second video the company has produced, which highlights the mystery, elegance and soul-stirring feeling the new shade invokes, I’ll dispel some of the mystery right now and tell you BM describes Shadow as “allusive and enigmatic—a master of ambiance.”
In other words, it’s a super pretty darkish shade of grey-beige.
Interestingly, when a force like Benjamin Moore issues a color trend edict, the design world tends to follow suit. Expect to find in stores right now everything from accent pillows and throws to candles and wall art created to complement the new shade.
Fabrics for furniture, says Alex Nemet, owner of Northeast Factory Direct, will reflect the hue as well.
“We’ll see tonal shades that copy the richness of Shadow as well as lighter fabrics designed to complement the color,” he says. “Pillows that come with a piece might incorporate the color in a pattern or design.”
Northeast Factory Direct, ever current with the trends, keeps an ample supply of budget-sensitive couches, loveseats and recliners—from just a few hundred dollars up to distinctive brands of exceptional quality for a few thousand—rotating on the showroom floor.
You’ll also find counter seating for the kitchen, bedroom sets, dining room sets and hot tubs—all priced below regular retail. For example, a solid wood Kincaid bedroom set that elsewhere would sell for $10,000 is slashed to $5,000 at NEFD.
On the website, you’ll find the same high-quality pieces from Ashley Furniture you’ll find at other retailers in Northeast Ohio. The difference is Northeast Factory Direct has them for hundreds less.
In fact, Alex is bold enough to say his first-quality home furnishings are sold at outlet prices. Yes, the deals are that significant.
You’ll also find outlet pricing on brand new, high-quality mattress sets, available in eight-, 10- and 12-inch thicknesses, in all sizes.
“We can’t keep our mattresses in stock,” he remarks. “These are top-of-the-line, 5.2 density foam mattress sets. They don’t get any better, but we sell them for less. Our queen-size set is selling at a special price of just $699. That’s ridiculous. This set would retail for more than $2,000 at most stores.”
It’s important to emphasize that while the selection available at Northeast Factory Direct is vast, you won’t be buying the floor model that you and a hundred other people have taken for a test drive. Everything is ordered as it’s purchased. Oh, and because NEFD is located in a barebones warehouse, there sometimes is a misconception the store requires a membership card for admittance. Not so, Alex says.
“Instead of making a lot of money by gouging people, I make less money and sell a lot of inventory—with no club membership fees,” he explains. “It’s about dealing honestly and fairly with people who work really hard for their money. They want an outstanding deal and I want to give it to them.”
“We offer the same brand names and the same level of quality other stores offer,” he adds. “The important differences are that instead of opting for a swanky location, I’ve located Northeast Factory Direct in a bare bones warehouse—and I offer the same honest low pricing every day.”
Northeast Factory Direct has two locations. Find them at 3321 W. 140th Street in Cleveland. The phone number is 216-941-7727 and the hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. In Eastlake the address is 33599 Curtis Blvd., and the phone number is 440-942-7945. Hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. To sit down with a kitchen designer, an appointment is recommended. Get directions from anywhere when you visit the website at NortheastFactoryDirect.com.