This week in design, a 60-year-old real estate agent in Georgetown is going viral for his historical accounts of the storied Washington, D.C., neighborhood—and boosting his business in the process. Stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches, recommended reading and more.

Business News
Trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada broke down late last week, leading the U.S. to implement 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, The Wall Street Journal reports. Days ago, it seemed that a deal was in sight after President Donald Trump delayed the initial deadline to implement the levies, with the two parties stating on Thursday that they were “very close” to an agreement. On Friday night, however, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters that the talks had failed. The new tariff on Canada—which applies to about 5 percent of the country’s exports to the States, including many home goods—took effect at midnight on Saturday. In the days since, the deal’s collapse has devolved into a series of escalating measures from both countries, with Canada implementing retaliatory tariffs, and Trump threatening to roll out additional 50 percent tariffs on automobiles and parts from Canada in January.

In related news, home brands are facing greater scrutiny from U.S. Customs and Border Protection in recent months over verification and documentation tied to furniture imports. According to Furniture Today, industry executives have reported an increase in CBP demands for factory records and more detailed documentation for the production of imported merchandise. The development comes on the heels of a White House report titled “The Great Transshipment Scam,” promising to crack down on the practice of importers routing their goods through countries with lower tariffs to avoid fees.

The proxy fight for control of Ethan Allen is heating up. Last week, the Danbury, Connecticut–based brand announced a special dividend of $3 per shareholder, a total payout of approximately $76 million. In a release accompanying the news, CEO Farooq Kathwari said the move was a reflection of the company’s “cash generation, debt-free balance sheet, sustained levels of profitability and confidence in our long-term strategy.” Activist investor Doug Bergeron—who is seeking to oust Kathwari as well as the entirety of Ethan Allen’s board—decried the dividend, calling it “a transparent attempt to deflect attention from mounting calls for change.”

A rising number of homeowners are filing lawsuits against homebuilders over allegations of mold-related illnesses, The Wall Street Journal reports. Fears over the health impacts of mold have taken on a new life on social media, where individuals have attributed a number of symptoms—including brain fog and sudden mood changes—to “toxic mold syndrome.” Many are attributing the source of those afflictions to shoddy homebuilding practices, claiming that developers are taking shortcuts like installing improperly sized HVACs, incorrect window layouts or poorly ventilated spaces. Builders are feeling the effects of the resulting rise in litigation: From fiscal years 2022 to 2025, D.R. Horton, the largest homebuilder in the U.S., increased its self-insurance reserve (based on estimates for future legal claims, including those involving mold) by 57 percent to $1.1 billion; fellow builder Lennar’s rose 21 percent in fiscal 2025 alone. The issue is further complicated by differing opinions on the best methods for measuring mold, and on the true health impacts of exposure, which health experts say is not fully understood.

Montreal-based case goods manufacturer BDM + Furniture has acquired Quebecois solid wood furniture conglomerate MAP Group, Home News Now reports. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Moving forward, BDM says it does not plan to make any major changes to the leadership teams, brand identities or operations of the three MAP Group companies (Meubles Arboit-Poitras, Tomali and Viebois), aside from relocating their production facility to its own Quebec manufacturing center. The acquisition builds upon BDM’s expansion strategy over the past two years, which has involved the purchase of Canadian wood furniture and upholstery brand Huppé this past spring, and last year’s purchase of U.S. wood furniture manufacturer Saloom.

A fire broke out at the Winnsboro, South Carolina, manufacturing facility of mattress brand Mlily last week, destroying the 650,000-square-foot space, Home Textiles Today reports. Despite a two-day effort from more than 150 firefighters from across the state, a local administrator told HTT that the facility is considered a “total loss.” A former Mack Truck manufacturing center, the site came under Mlily’s ownership in 2019 as the brand’s first U.S. factory. Conditions around the building are still being monitored by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Mlily has said it will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Launches and Collaborations
New York designer Merve Kahraman has teamed up with Anthropologie for a second collaboration, Enchanted Gardens & Creatures. The assortment of furniture and textiles—including dining and lounge chairs, an upholstered coffee table, wallpaper, curtains and lampshades—taps into the designer’s magical-forest inspiration, with whimsical motifs like colorful birds and horses, tranquil lakes and clouds, and lush botanical scenes.

Coral Gables, Florida, will host its first-ever Day of Design next month, organized by public relations and brand strategy firm Cordero Consulting. On September 22, the city’s leading design showrooms—including the event’s founding partners, Maison Mischief, Scavolini and Maison & Co.—will open their doors for a series of panels, workshops and receptions connecting designers, local entrepreneurs and home enthusiasts.

Recommended Reading
More than a century after Joseph Lodge founded Lodge Cast Iron in 1896, the cookware business has remained in the hands of his descendants—thanks in part to regular family reunions timed alongside the brand’s annual shareholder meetings. For The Wall Street Journal, Juliet Chung explores how the Lodges—now welcoming their sixth generation since the company’s founding—have achieved growth without involving outside investors or relinquishing family control.

Amid a long-term “color recession,” it seems even the industry’s biggest players aren’t immune to beige-ification. For Fast Company, Hunter Schwarz examines a recent data visualization chart created by The European Correspondent, which zeroes in on 61 years’ worth of Ikea sofas (3,500 in total) to reveal that an assortment once defined by a vibrant array of hues has trended increasingly neutral over time.

For Architectural Digest, Noah Glasgow spoke to designers who shared how they are rethinking the way they are designing for kids in today’s social media-dominated landscape—from the return of landlines and the disappearance of gendered rooms to stainproof fabrics and the rise of the rec room.

Call for Entries
Formica Corporation is now accepting entries for its 10th annual Form Student Innovation Competition. Open to students studying architecture and interior design in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the contest invites applicants to submit original furniture designs aligned with this year’s theme: “Color as the Main Character.” Three finalists will receive a cash prize and a chance to see their design showcased at NeoCon 2027. For more information or to submit an application before the February 19 deadline, click here.

The Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association is now accepting submissions for its 25th annual Tile of Spain Awards. The contest recognizes design projects that highlight creative uses of ceramic tile across interior and exterior spaces. Entries are divided into two main categories—architecture and interior design—each subdivided into (a) dry-pressed porcelain stoneware and (b) ceramic types including extruded porcelain stoneware, rustic stoneware, glazed stoneware, wall tiles, mosaic, terracotta and more. Each subcategory winner will receive roughly $9,000. To make a submission before the October 22 deadline, click here.