This morning I sent out a save-the-date email for this Spring's Industry on Arthur. The last two years have been a huge success and lot of fun so make sure you get along to this years edition. It's on the 6th of September - a Thursday evening.

This year's event has an added dimension. We are fundraising for QLD farmers who are in a desperate situation with the drought. All money raised on the night will go to Rotary Australia who will then pass it on to their chosen charities. It would be great if our community could contribute to help assist those affected by this desperate situation. There will be Milk Cans situated in the showrooms for you to donate money into.

See you on the 6th!

Roll up and see the handsome Houdini Velvet and prepare to be amazed at its stain resistant powers!

It certainly ticks all the boxes: Houdini combines super soft comfort and exceptional luxury with ease and practicality. This luxury velvet is available in two versions: Fire-rated and non fire-rated. The FR version has built-in stain resistance so you can wipe out liquid stains. The non-FR is machine washable at a low temperature making it the go-to fabric for everyday family living.

Ask your Unique Account Manager about Houdini. Sample books are in our showrooms now.

A heads-up for visitors to our Auckland Showroom... major roadworks are happening on Burleigh Street until early October, with the street being closed to all through traffic. Fortunately you can still access our showroom via the Mt Eden Road end of Burleigh St - ignore the giant no entry sign(!) and call in and see us. We have great parking, coffee and of course gorgeous products. Beth and Jennifer look forward to helping you with your projects.

Just a quick reminder about the Open Day at our Mainland Design Centre showroom - this Wednesday (25 July). There's lots to see: new Zimmer + Rohde, Travers and Etamine, fabulous Arte collections, Houlès and our own stock releases. Doors open at 9am, with drinks and nibbles being served throughout the day (along with the products!). I look forward to seeing you here.

This month the 2018 collections from Houlès went to market. The ranges include fabrics, drapery hardware and trimmings - and they're fabulous!

First up is the hardware collection called Bastide. Inspired by the spirit of Provence, the collection adopts an elegant and pared-back look which works beautifully in all styles of interiors. Bastide comes in five colourways, Ivory, Black and 3 subtle metallics. Check out the brochure and collection page HERE to see more.

Their latest passementerie release is called Oceanie. Again, like Bastide, they've dialed down the glamour and focused on natural fibres and geometric patterns. The colour palette ranges from vibrant to classic neutrals, while the linen yarn provides a stylish matte look...

Finally we have the Houlès 2018 fabric release. There are eleven designs which run from hand dyed velvet to small-scale geometrics, from wide-width chenille to chunky tweeds...

Many of the designs are flame retardant and have contract level Martindale rubs. Ask your Unique Account Manager about these new products from Houlès or call into your nearest Unique showroom