Is Pinetum feeling a little off colour?

I'm delighted to see Pinetum has launched two new oak furniture ranges, the Florence and Pantone ranges. These are, from what I can gather, the same range offered in a choice of wood finishes as the Florence range or a choice of painted colour finishes as the Pantone range.

The name Pantone will be a familiar one to anyone working in the design or print industries as it is the name of a New Jersey printing company that, back in the 1950s, produced a colour reference chart which has since become the universal colour reference scheme. "What's the Pantone reference?" has become the quick and reliable way for a printer in one part of the world to exactly match the colours wanted by a designer in another part of the world. Pantone reference books should be changed periodically to avoid problems associated with the discoloration that inevitably occurs with age.

But back to Pinetum. I've heard a rumour that it's order books are running seriously light at the moment, which cannot be a good thing. I wish them every success with the new ranges and hope that some British retailer (how about 'The Partnership'?) starts taking on one or more of their ranges. It would be a sad day for the UK furniture industry - and its customers - should anything happen to this British manufacturer.