Need Help Building Your Dream Home? Dick Idol‘ Partners With Jim Barna Log Systems

Furniture World Magazine

Outdoorsman and wildlife artist Dick Idol continues to provide consumers with innovative new ways to bring the beauty and spirit of the great outdoors into both the interiors and exteriors of their homes…log homes, that is. Dick Idol Ventures, LLC (DIV), the licensing company behind one of the best-selling names in branded lifestyle furniture and home accessories, has announced a new partnership with Jim Barna Log Systems (JBLS) to design and market fully furnished individual log homes and multi-unit developments. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to simplify the process of buying a dream home by offering consumers a turnkey log home product that includes the home itself, the interior furnishings and accessories, and even the home finishings products for kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, etc. over the longer-term. JBLS, of Oneida, TN, is the #1 log home company in America with over 29 years experience building over 12,500 homes in the U.S. and abroad. “We realize that building a log home has traditionally been a somewhat intimidating and difficult process for the consumer,” says Jim Barna, founder and Chairman of the Board of JBLS. More specifically, he noted that the log home purchase process includes finding the land, designing and purchasing the appropriate log home system, securing financing, hiring a local contractor to build the home and handle plumbing, electric, kitchen and bath finishings, flooring, lighting, etc. (or doing it yourself), and, finally, buying appropriate furniture and accessories to complete the interior look. Barna added, “Our goal at Jim Barna is to revolutionize the industry by offering consumers turnkey buying solutions through the development of a collection of preferred partners such as Dick Idol‘. We can now provide not only a complete selection of log component systems and designs but also the financing packages, preferred nationwide contractors, and interior finishings and furnishings to make the complete process much easier and more streamlined for the consumer from start to finish.” “Jim Barna log homes are a perfect fit for our company given our focus on helping consumers bring the outdoor lifestyle into their homes and everyday lives,” said Dick Idol, CEO of DIV. “Log homes are near and dear to my heart considering that I live and work in log homes in Montana that I designed myself around several 200 year old barns that I moved to the site. We always try to partner with the best in the industry, and I’m confident that we have done so again with Jim Barna.” DIV continues to ad complementary product categories to the Dick Idol‘ collection, all designed to work together to reflect Idol’s passion for nature, antiquities, and art. Jim Barna joins a growing list of industry-leading home furnishings companies creating quality products for the outdoor-inspired Dick Idol‘ collection, affordably priced to give consumers a great value. The complete Dick Idol™ home collection features bedroom, dining room, occasional tables, Dick Idol‰ signature pieces and upholstered furniture from Klaussner Furniture Industries, lamps, fixtures, and decorative accessories from Pacific Coast Lighting, giftware and home accessories from Cape Craftsmen, area rugs by Capel, framed art from Next Dimension Studios, cold cast sculptures from Big Sky Carvers, florals by Natural Creations, and printed mats and accent rugs from Bacova Guild. High Point-based Dick Idol Ventures, LLC will continue to announce major new product licensing deals for the brand this year, according to DIV Chief Marketing Officer Jim Williams. In addition, the Dick Idol‰ Discoveries outdoor lifestyle television show, starring Idol, debuts in approximately 65 million households on the Outdoor Life Network in April 2004. Both JBLS and Klaussner Furniture have come on board as major advertisers and sponsors of the new TV show. “This is a very strong lifestyle brand with tremendous potential for continued growth and extension in a variety of categories,” said Williams. “We are extremely excited about the future, beginning with our partnership with Jim Barna.” The Dick Idol™ home collection has exceeded expectations at retail since first hitting showroom floors in March 2002. Approximately 300 stores across the U.S. carry major furniture galleries. In total, Dick Idol™ products can be found in more than 1,000 stores located in 49 states, as well as England, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The brand has also been shown in Germany, and there has been interest from retailers as far away as Moscow and the Far East. In addition, Dick Idol™ retail stores are currently under discussion. Dick Idol™ is a registered trademark of Dick Idol Ventures, LLC. For more information about Dick Idol Ventures or to set up an interview with Dick Idol, please contact Jim Williams at (336) 812-8080 or visit www.dickidol.com. For more information about Jim Barna Log Systems, please contact Doug Allen at (800) 962-4734, dallen@jimbarna.com, or visit www.jimbarna.com.