ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF.—Montage Hotels & Resorts announced plans to manage and operate the new Montage Healdsburg. Owned by Ohana Real Estate Investors and developed by The Robert Green Company, the 130-room Montage Healdsburg will begin construction in spring 2018 and will open in the heart of California’s wine country in Sonoma County in spring 2020. A collection of Montage Residences is planned for a future phase of development and will include single-family built homes as well as custom home sites. Montage Healdsburg will be settled among the oak trees and vine covered hills just a short distance from historic and...

NORTHRIDGE, CALIF.—In what is being hailed as Reid Witlin’s largest collection to date, The Muse Collection contains 19 patterns totaling 230 sku’s. The Muse Collection consists of patterns and colors that are specifically designed for guestrooms as well as public spaces, casinos and any space where design and function collide. Patterns range from sheers and vinyls to Crypton and Bella Dura Indoor-Outdoor upholstery fabrics. Design Director, Cat Stevens stated, “We’ve tried to invoke the style and beauty that hotel design requires while maintaining all relevant technical specifications that hotel design demands. We feel we have succeeded across all fronts.” The...

SAN ANTONIO—The Henry B. González Convention Center (HBGCC) has received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The HBGCC achieved LEED Silver certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in: innovative design, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. “From the beginning of this project, our goal has been to ensure that the transformation of the Henry B. González Convention Center was more than just adding square footage,” said Michael Sawaya, Executive Director of Convention and Sports...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, the direct-to-consumer and omni-channel leader in both flooring and decking, has launched seven new bamboo floors, including two made for herringbone style installations. All new floors feature a solid Fossilized bamboo construction—Cali’s proprietary manufacturing technique yielding the world’s hardest floors with Janka hardness scores of up to 5000+. The two new Herringbone styles—Riverwood and Outer Banks—both bear a smooth wood grain, with Riverwood wrapped in a subtle storm cloud gray and Outer Banks glowing from a calming palm brown. Outer Banks also comes in a traditional 6’ length plank with tongue-and-groove milling. The four additional new colors—Bourbon...

JASPER, IND.—Indiana Furniture welcomes Paula Schmidt as the new Director of Marketing. With over 20 years of experience in creative marketing, voice of the customer, promotion, and more, Schmidt has developed and implemented strategic marketing plans and corporate identity for a variety of industries and organizations. In this newly created position, Schmidt’s focus will be to assist in marketing and sales strategies, oversee communications, build easy-to-use specification tools, and provide industry outreach through various mediums including brochures, websites, social media campaigns, showrooms, industry conferences and events, and ongoing promotion. “Paula’s background in customer experience, branding, and communications provides Indiana Furniture with...

MINNEAPOLIS—Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Bakersfield, Calif., located at 2310 Wible Road. The hotel recently completed a $2 million renovation which includes upgrades throughout the hotel, along with the installation of new technology to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. These additions include solar panels, LED lights, a temperature control system to reduce energy consumption and charging stations for hybrid cars. “We are proud to see this refreshed and environmentally friendly hotel be the first to open under our brand’s new name, Country Inn...

NORWAY—In collaboration with Arctic Adventures of Norway, Asplan Viak and Skanska, Snøhetta has designed “Svart,” the world’s first Powerhouse hotel, at the foot of the Svartisen glacier that runs through Meløy municipality in northern Norway. The hotel is situated just above the Arctic Circle and has a planned 2021 opening. “Svart” is the first building to be built after the energy positive Powerhouse standard in a Northern climate. Not only does this new hotel reduce its yearly energy consumption by approximately 85 percent compared to a modern hotel, but it also produces its own energy—an absolute “must” in this precious arctic...

PETALUMA, CALIF.—Driven by growing concern over germs and bacteria on restroom surfaces, more hospitality environments are turning to hands-free, automated faucet technology. With no visible sensors, Sans Hands from Sonoma Forge offers an improvement over outdated infrared technology. Sans Hands incorporates an electromagnetic proximity sensor, packaged in stylish designs that perfectly fit today’s modern industrial style. “Rather than relying on old, unreliable infrared technology, Sans Hands allows users to skip the frustration of frantic hand waiving and enjoy the stylishly unique bathroom décor,” says Sonoma Forge President, Erik Ambjor. Sans Hands uses the basic principal of electromagnetism. Simply speaking, the components...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Leading global innovation company with textile, specialty chemical and floor covering manufacturing expertise, Milliken & Company, has been named a 2017 “Gold Supplier” by office and home furnishings giant Herman Miller, Inc. This annual award honors key suppliers for excellence in service to the company, community and environment. To qualify, suppliers must meet rigorous performance standards in the areas of product quality, on-time delivery, cost savings, diversity, sustainability, business compliance and company culture. With its long-standing corporate commitment to responsible manufacturing, eliminating waste and delivering innovations that do good, Milliken scored high marks across all categories. “Milliken is fortunate to work...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Nora Lighting introduces Onyx Squares, modernist square-shaped LED retrofit downlights with deep-set optics for optimal visual comfort. The Squares can be installed in new construction, remodels or retrofits, and are a recent addition to Nora’s Onyx LED Downlight Series. New models are available in 3” apertures for 4” housings (650 lumens) and 4.125” apertures for 6” housing (800 lumens). An integral driver and Samsung LEDs are part of the Onyx package. Onyx Squares can be retrofitted into existing 4” and 6” round housings and oriented to any position within the housings. Featuring contemporary sharp-edged styling, Onyx Squares are designed for residential...