I know Facebook has been around forever, so we're a little behind on this one. The reason is that when we do something, we want to do it right. So before we jumped into Facebook we wanted to decide the best way to use it to the benefit of our customers.

The first thing we decided is that we don't want to use our Facebook presence as some sort of glorified advertisement. There is nothing more annoying than being bombarded with ads. This is not to say we won't be introducing new products. We just won't be hitting you over the head with them. So we've resolved to do the following:

• Post to Facebook no more than a couple of times per day.
  
  
• Show what our customers are doing, by encouraging people to post pictures of their new furniture in their home.
  
  
• Share decorating and design tips.
  
  
• Answer questions about our products and company.
  
  
• Have fun! We plan to have contests throughout the year that involve our customers giving people the chance to share and win money and other great prizes.

We hope you'll join us. As time goes on our Facebook page will become a great way to see new products and learn about decorating and design. We also encourage you to leave feedback and we're always looking for new ideas on what furniture you would like us to introduce.

Our Facebook Page: www.Facebook.com/CarringtonCourt

Nothing beats the soft, supple feel of genuine aniline leather. That's why Carrrington Court offers over a dozen leather colors. However, there are many circumstances where leather may not be the best choice for dining chairs. In those instances we recommend looking at faux leathers. These fabrics have come a long way in recent years, offering simulated grains and textures that mimic the real thing. Some advantages of faux leathers are:

1. Cost - High quality leathers are expensive and can increase the price of a dining room chair exponentially.
   
   
2. Maintainability - Leather is easy to clean under most circumstances, but faux leather is made of urethane and polyester and is easy to clean with simple water-based cleaning solutions. In many cases a spill will wipe right off with a damp rag.

If you're torn between the real deal and the man-made alternative, you'll probably want to consider the following:

1. Do you tend to redecorate often or are you planning to move? If you're not sure you'll stick with your dining chairs for very long, faux leather may be the way to go. You'll save hundreds of dollars and won't feel guilty in a couple of years when you decide to take your room in a different direction.
   
   
2. Do you have young children? It'll probably be much easier to clean up a spilled juice box or a PB&J accident with the faux than with leather.
   
   
3. Do you have pets (especially cats)? While faux leather will not fair any better to cat claws than the genuine article, at least you won't be out hundreds of dollars and you may be able to repair the damage more easily and at a lower cost.
   

As I already mentioned, faux leather dining chairs offer a very reasonable facsimile. You still miss out on the feel and the patina that leather offers as it ages. At the end of the day, the good news is that you have choice!

I just wanted to make a quick post to let everyone know about a couple of new styles we just rolled out. The first is called the Elizabeth Parsons Chair. It has a distinctive "crown back" that definitely makes it stand out from the crowd.

Elizabeth Parsons Chair

We've also introduced a customer inspired design. The Bordeaux Parsons Chair has a traditional kick-pleat skirt accented by button tabs at each corner. The contrasting fabric used for the buttons and the welt running around the seat and back is a real crowd pleaser for everyone that has seen it.

Bordeaux Parsons Chair

Look forward to more updates in the near future. We have some big announcements coming out in the next few months that I think everyone will be excited about.

We've been clearing out our stock of photo samples, discontinued fabrics and new in-box dining chairs, parsons chairs and benches. There are some really great deals to be had. With a large variety of styles and colors, you should be able to find something that matches your decor and tastes.

Outlet items are limited in quantity, but they are perfect for accent pieces. Several chair styles have 6 or more available, so in many instances an entire dining room could be be outfitted at a bargain price.

Best of all--furniture in the outlet is new and unused. It may have ended up there because it was used as a photo sample or because an order was canceled before it shipped. In any case it is a win-win for you. You'll get quality furniture and save even more.

Visit the Carrington Court Direct Outlet today!

We're starting May off the right way. We've rolled out three all new dining chair styles and 9 new fabrics. My favorite addition has to be the Victoria Dining Chair. This is one of those chairs that is so distinctive that you'd think it would cost hundreds of dollars more and you'll certainly be the only person on your block with this style.

Victoria Dining Chair

New fabrics include Monica, Maggie and Sonya. Both Monica and Maggie are offered in 3 different colors. Our aspiration is to give you a choice between the latest color trends and fabrics that have a lot of utility so you can use just about anywhere.

Monica Indigo (3 colors)

Maggie Flame (3 colors)

Sonya Cerise

Space does not permit me to show you everything we've added, but check out the News Page on our site to see the other two dining chairs (Jackson Skirted Dining Chair & Columbia Dining Chair) as well as all the other new fabrics we've added. Look for more to come!