Nina's Mag Supports Stein Mart Line

By Carole Sloan -- Home Textiles Today, 5/7/2007 12:00:00 AM

Jacksonville, Fla. —

Nina Campbell, the iconic British interior designer who is the headliner for Stein Mart's home furnishings fashion program, has launched a decorating magazine for the store's customers.

The magazine, chockablock with decorating ideas for bed, bath, furniture, dinnerware and decorative accessories, is featured in the company's stores for $4.99, the first of an annual design direction publication, according to Julie Dinklage, gmm of the Stein Mart home division.

With the 74-page magazine launch coming virtually simultaneously with the May home book, Campbell offers customers decorating advice for every room in their homes. Helping her is her Shi Tzu, Archie, who also has words of decorating wisdom to share and is the inspiration for an upcoming range of products including dog shampoos and bowls, Campbell related. And there is a section for questions and answers.

The May home book features two pages of Nina Campbell introductions including Jezebel, a butterfly motif bed, accompanied by towels, shower curtains and bath accessories as well as separate designs in dinnerware, an embroidered armchair and wall décor, Dinklage noted.

Dinklage said the best sellers in the current collection are the bedding and furniture segments, "both the highest price points of the program. We're really pleased overall, and anticipate stepping up both quality and price points to our best level."

Campbell enthused, "It's amazing to be able to bring product like this to stores at these prices. I'm so enjoying my work with them."

Accustomed to dealing at the highest level of consumer decorating in her native England, Campbell considers the Stein Mart experience an expansion of her decorating philosophy. "We did wonderful beds — simple or with many varieties of pillows that can change the look of a room."

New to the Stein Mart bedding program is a long pillow, much like a bolster that extends across the width of the bed. "It walked out of the store" when she was on public appearances in stores across the country.

In tabletop, she has learned the technique of not needing to set a table for 12: "The philosophy of setting the table is the same, but I am now thinking about tables for the young families or for even those who live alone. A well dressed table makes the day so much better."

Looking ahead, Campbell said, "Aquas and different shades of yellows as well as paprika will be important. I love aqua for the bedroom; it's so calming." Also on the horizon is the opulence of red. She sees chocolate brown continuing as the mixer or core for color mates. In pattern, she admitted, "I will always like big scale as well as embroideries and paisleys." Campbell sees floral chintz inspirations as design directions for china "but we will stay away from actual flowers in fabrics, toward more pattern or stylized florals."