A kitchen by Clarke Luxury Appliance Showrooms
During the chilly winter season, many people turn their attention to hearth and home, and retailers throughout the area have just what you need to make your living spaces cozy and inviting.
Circle Furniture is ready to help you select the right furniture to make your home comfortable and let you entertain family and friends with ease. Start with cocktails in your freshly designed living room. Guests can sit-'n-sip on a gorgeous, peacock-colored leather sectional. Show off your organically inspired glass-top end table with wrought-iron legs. Move into your dining area with its handsome solid cherry dining table made in New England. Be proud to have your guests serve themselves while everything is close-at-hand on your stunning buffet. Finish off your evening with ice cream sundaes served in your new media room with comfortable seating from Ekornes(r). You'll be proud to display your flat-screen TV on a media stand that is not only sleek in design but also innovative, hiding all those pesky wires.
No need to be intimidated by all the choices available at Circle Furniture. Design consultants are ready to guide you through your design journey. Circle Furniture has five showrooms where you can browse and get advice and inspiration on everything from coordinating colors to mixing and matching styles. Owners Harold Tubman, Richard Tubman, and Peggy Burns have made it their mission to pair extraordinary customer service with a fantastic assortment of quality furniture that is not only gorgeous to look at, but also functional.
Visit any of Circle Furniture's five locations in Acton (425 Great Road, Rte. 2A, 978-263-7268), Cambridge (199 Alewife Brook Pkwy., 617-876-3988), Danvers (75 Newbury St., Rte. 1, 978-777-2690), Framingham (235 Worcester Rd., Rte. 9, 508-875-0707), and Hanover (Junction of Rtes. 53/123, 781-878-0686).
Nothing keeps a room feeling warmer than a beautiful rug, but finding the perfect one can be a challenge. Kevin McPherson of Mohr & McPherson travels the world, hand-picking eclectic furniture pieces and unique rugs to bring to Mohr & McPherson's showrooms (356 Boylston St., Boston, 617-421-9500; 151 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, 617-520-2112; and 75 Moulton St., Cambridge, 617-520-2000). The goal, he says, is to find furniture that's so distinctive it feels like a work of art that also manages to be wonderfully functional.
On a recent trip to India, McPherson saw a rug designed with a lighthearted, airy combination of dragonflies, boats, birds, and fish, unlike anything he'd seen in his 14 years in the rug business. He researched both the design and the weaving technique and discovered that the carpet is a reproduction of an antique found in Agra, India, probably made for a member of the royal family. The original carpet seems to have been influenced by a "Chinoiserie" tapestry or mural from the mid-18th century, which often featured animals in the Chinese style popular in Europe at that time.
The distinctive Grecian key on the boarder also creates a Chinese atmosphere. To add interest, the rug is woven with two different spins to the yarns used to hand-tie the rug's design. This technique originated in the area of the Persian city of Kerman, whose rugs have been praised for hundreds of years, even by Marco Polo.
What most impressed McPherson was the choice of colors. They are soft and have an antique feel, with a fresh, off-white background not often seen in carpets. Due to the reactions in the design trade and of discerning customers who have seen the rug, Mohr and McPherson decided to arrange for an exclusive agreement with the North Indian weavers. They have recently commissioned a limited number to be made in several larger sizes and currently stock rugs in 8'x10', 9'x12' and 10'x14' sizes, now on display in all three Mohr & McPherson showrooms. Whatever you purchase from Mohr & McPherson, buyer Kay McGowen says the company's hope is that the pieces "make you pleased to be in your home."
Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams' furniture is also pleasing, because it combines beauty with a sense of relaxation. "That's the whole mantra behind all their pieces," says Barbara Goldberg, who, along with partners Andrew Terrat and Steve Elbaz, owns the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams retail stores in Boston (142 Berkeley St., 617-266-0075) and Natick (Rte. 9, 398 Worcester St., 508-650-1400). When Gold and Williams launched their business in the late 1980s, they introduced denims, velvets, and khakis for slipcovers that were both comfortable and affordable. Their furniture lines have long been featured at Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware, but consumer interest in seeing more from them led them to expand to a wider variety of furniture, as well as rugs and accessories (including fine art photography by Tipper Gore; a portion of the proceeds go to Al Gore's non-profit Climate Project).
Demand also inspired Goldberg and her partners to open their retail stores a few years ago. With the expansion also came new design ideas. "Bob Williams has been renovating his home in North Carolina," says Goldberg, "which is a four-column Colonial with a very traditional feel. So, in keeping with that look, he's designed a new line of furniture called the Grayson Dining Collection that is perfect for New England. It still has the clean lines Bob is known for, but can give a dining room a more formal feel."
Although the showrooms will feature the newest designs, Goldberg says the comfort factor essential to the company comes through in the way items are displayed. "Bob and Mitchell decide what to present in the catalogue and then we lay it out in the store," she says. "Because their names are on it and it's their vision, they take it very seriously and have a lot of integrity about the quality of the products."
But Goldberg also says she keeps the showrooms looking fresh. "We change things around a lot so when you come in it's all new," she says. "We mix pieces from different collections so it's easy for you to create your own combinations." Since not everything fits in the showrooms, Goldberg says people can visit the website (mitchellgoldboston.com) or obtain the new catalogue to get ideas before coming in to experience the displays in person. She says it's worth it to come in "just for a visit. It's very important that the shopping experience be easy and comfortable," she says. "There's really no pressure. Dogs are welcome, too."
One of the best ways to create a warm and inviting look for your home is with hardwood flooring. Longleaf Lumber specializes in the magnificent look of reclaimed lumber. Their Cambridge showroom (115 Fawcett St., 617-871-6611) features a breathtaking array of designs and wood types, all from buildings throughout New England.
"Longleaf Lumber salvages wood flooring and timbers from old factories, warehouses, mills, and waterfront structures that have fallen out of use," says Longleaf Lumber owner Marc Poirier. "The material we salvage was the prime timber of its day: virgin forests, now gone forever, yet available again via salvage efforts like those of Longleaf." Longleaf specializes in reclaimed Heart Pine beams and decking, but also carries antique chestnut, oak, white pine, maple, and other woods and products associated with antique buildings.
"Reclaimed wood is unique in its visual character and density, and each building comes with its own history," says Poirier. Sources of the wood include Battery Wharf in Boston, Charleston Chew, Everett Mills, Baker's Chocolate, the Charlestown Navy Yard, and Monson Dairy. "The real poetry and integrity of the 'green' aspect of what we do is that the finest wood in North America has been used in buildings built here in New England," says Poirier.
The company also produces and inventories finished products such as tongue and groove flooring, stair treads, moldings, and other millwork. They can also custom mill rough sawn material for projects such as counters, cabinets, furniture, and beams at the company's mill in Berwick, Maine. The look of reclaimed wood is rich and dramatic and adds extra personality to your home.
Lighting creates just the right mood, whether you're snuggling up with a good book or inviting guests into your kitchen. No matter what the occasion, the experts at Wolfer's Lighting can help you find the ideal illumination. From a free lighting plan to expert advice, Wolfer's offers assistance from planning and selection to placement and installation.
Each of the two showrooms, in Allston (103 North Beacon St., 617-254-0700) and Waltham (1339 Main St., 781-890-5995), feature Lighting Labs that offer lots of possibilities in real-life settings, so you can experiment with different combinations to see what works for you.
"The biggest decision consumers need to make is 'what light goes where,'" says Bonnie Forbes, showroom manager at Wolfer's Lighting in Allston. "Most kitchens use recessed lighting, which is very effective, but it requires holes in the ceiling, so it's best to come in and see how the recessed lighting will work with the other lights you want, over the sink, the island, or whatever," she says. "Our Lighting Labs let you see what happens with different size recessed lighting, where shadows land, how much glare is created on your countertops, how much energy savings you can achieve, and how intense you want the light to be." Each room needs several different kinds of lighting- ambient, task, and accent lighting-to work together, Forbes says. "If you start with recessed lighting, it's much easier to move on from there."
Lighting consultants and design professionals are available to help find the right combination of lights for a room, or with the planning for a renovation or new construction. Whether it's a pendant, a wall sconce, track lighting, or accent lighting, Wolfer's is ready with an illuminating solution.
Once you've chosen lighting, you'll want to be sure the tile and flooring you illuminate also works for you. Tile Showcase has been working for 50 years to find the most beautiful and functional tiles for any and every room in your home. Tile Showcase began as a tile installation company, so they are intimately familiar with which products work best in any given situation, taking that part of the responsibility off your shoulders immediately. Your challenge will be making a selection among the thousands of options Tile Showcase offers in ceramic tile and imported stone. Luckily, the Tile Showcase showrooms, in Watertown (291 Arsenal St., 617-926-1100), Boston (One Design Center Place, Suite 639, 617-426-6515), and Natick (323 Speen St., 508-655-8000), are set up in room setting and helpful displays.
The first impression you get when visiting a Tile Showcase showroom is the vivid color combinations and inviting textures. Sleek decorative accents work with functional tiles; glossy backsplash tiles add a dramatic effect when paired with rough-hewn terra cotta floor tiles. Wall-hung concept panels display innovative combinations of decorative tile lines, and dozens of floor installations offer inspiration for borders and patterns. In addition, large work tables and seating areas are available to review plans and samples, so you can get a feel for your own combination of color and style in your home.
Often, preparing to entertain can be stressful, but not if you have the right kitchen to work in. At Kitchen Views, the design team is ready to take the confusion out of renovating your kitchen and help find solutions that work for you.
"A lot happens in a kitchen," says Suzi Kaitz, general manager of Kitchen Views, "but whether you have a spacious room or a compact spot, it has to work efficiently for you, helping you with food storage, preparation, and presentation." Getting everything to fit in the right place can be overwhelming, Kaitz says, and, more than with any other room in your home, she recommends talking to a designer who knows how to solve space problems. "You may be struggling for a solution, but someone with years of experience can offer options that not only solve a problem but give you a new way to look at it."
Kitchen Views' design team is made up of 33 professionals, working with both the building industry and the consumer. The designers, who are available at all the stores, including Kitchen Views Custom in Newton Center (617-244-VIEW), and the four Kitchen Views showrooms at National Lumber in Newton Highlands (617-244-8020), Mansfield (508-339-8020), New Bedford (508-990-8020), and Salem (978-744-8800) have over 269 years of design experience among them.
"Choosing a designer is like choosing a therapist," says award-winning Kitchen Views designer Barbara Baratz. "You need to trust a designer and make sure you are listened to." Going through even the easiest renovation can be very disruptive, Kaitz says. "Sometimes a designer can just help you get through it. The goal is to create a space that makes you feel good to be there."
The latest kitchen appliances also make preparing food for your guests a snap, and choosing the right ones is easy when you spend a little time at Clarke Luxury Appliance Showrooms, where they've taken the hands-on experience to the ultimate level. As the exclusive New England distributor for Sub-Zero, Wolf, ASKO, KWC, Best, and Scotsman, Clarke encourages consumers to play with appliances at live cooking stations. Clients can try out a Wolf oven or cook top, taste food from a Sub- Zero refrigerator, or feel the different temperature zones of a Sub-Zero wine refrigeration system.
"As a distributor of these luxury appliances, we set the table for our dealers," says Rick Swanson of Clarke. "We offer a white-glove service that makes our clients knowledgeable about the products in a way that they wouldn't get simply by visiting a retail store. Although we don't sell the products, after spending time in our showroom, when a customer goes to a dealer, they know exactly what they want."
Clarke's two showrooms, in Milford (300 Fortune Blvd., 800-842-5275) and South Norwalk, Conn. (64 South Main St., 866-838-9385), feature fully functioning kitchens that allow you to try out a Wolf convection oven, grill a pizza, or listen to how quiet an ASKO dishwasher is. The Milford showroom even includes an amphitheater that becomes the studio set for the filming of celebrity chef Ming Tsai's cooking show, "Simply Ming," which airs on PBS. In addition to turning the showrooms into giant "playgrounds for grownups," Clarke also offers Clarke Customer Care. "It's a very focused approach to customer service," says Swanson. "Our technicians are specifically trained in the appliances we carry and we're not only dedicated to getting it right on the first try, but we're sensitive to the customers' needs and making sure they're satisfied not only with our work, but with our conduct on the job."
Clarke's attention to detail is obvious even on their website (clarkecorp.com) where, in addition to a wealth of product information, Clarke offers recipes for entrees and baked goods made in their showroom kitchens. Showroom appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome.
Miele Appliances, known for their sleek European design, will introduce their innovative line of refrigerators, freezers, and wine coolers to North America in March. The new MasterCool collection includes many features consumers have been looking for, including a ClearView lighting system that allows owners to see every corner of the refrigerator with lights down the side and a special reflector system that makes everything easy to find. "We've also found the ease of use of the SmartFresh system is very appealing," says Miele spokeswoman Lori Dolnick. "You don't have to go look in your owner's manual to see what the correct temperature is to store perishables. You press the button that says 'dairy,' 'meat,' 'fruit,' or some combination." The MasterCool line is also energy efficient and has a dual compressor system that prevents different compartments from exchanging air.
"So the odor of onions in one drawer won't spread to everything in the refrigerator," says Dolnick.
One of the newest innovations from Miele is the RemoteVision, a wireless wifi system hard-wired into the refrigerator. "It's a safety feature," says Dolnick, "and you activate it as you would with an Onstar contract. If you accidentally leave the door ajar, or there's a power failure, or something is going wrong, you'll be alerted by email and can react before the problem becomes a mess. This is a great help, particularly for consumers with second homes, who appreciate having the advance warning." Look for the arrival of the newest Miele appliance stores around Boston, or head to the Miele New England Design Center, 555 Washington St., Wellesley (800-843-7231).
Being cozy inside doesn't mean you have to feel crowded. Even the bathroom, which is often the smallest room in your home, can make space for creative storage solutions. Frank Webb's Bath Centers, with 20 showrooms throughout New England (888-550-9322) has lots of ideas and options for people ready to reorganize.
"With the trend toward uncluttered space, storage can be so important," says Danielle Frank, manager of Frank Webb's Bath Center in Bedford. "Smart storage can accommodate everything from towels, tissue, medicines, cleaning supplies, make-up, and more, while adding to the look and feel of the room." Storage can be much more than a built-in linen closet or a vanity, Frank says. "We have furniture pieces that will fit in your space, enhance the look of the room, and maximize not only your countertop space, but your vertical storage space as well," she says.
One recent customer had a 48-inch length of wall for her sink cabinet, but wanted to maximize storage without compromising the custom design of the bathroom. "I suggested that in the same space, we could use a 30-inch vanity and a matching 18-inch wide linen tower," says Frank. "The vanity gave her 30 inches of countertop and cabinet, but the linen tower added three shelves, an additional four feet of space for toiletries and towels, all while giving some visual interest to her bathroom." Frank was able to do all of this, plus add a small wall cabinet over the toilet for toiletries and a matching framed mirror, in a style that was reminiscent of a calming spa room.
Frank Webb's Bath Centers offer a wide variety of storage options that range from traditional to contemporary, with stained wood or painted finishes. "Today, many homeowners are looking to combine materials," says Frank. "Many of our options offer glass doors, clean lines, or ornate trims, cabinet bases or furniture legs and a variety of hardware." "It's great when customers select their storage options in our showroom when choosing their bath fixtures," continues Frank, "because it gives us the opportunity to coordinate the look of the sink, faucet, and accessories with a complementary furniture package. It puts the icing on the cake."
When entertaining guests at home, you also want to have the right accents and
accessories to complement your beautifully designed rooms. Didriks is an independent, locally owned business in Cambridge (190 Concord Ave., 617-354-5700) that began offering outdoor furniture, but has expanded to glassware and tableware, as well as rugs and bed linens. Didriks' selections reflect the store's uniquely individual taste, one that encompasses the hand-blown glass and homemade pottery of Simon Pearce and the signature textures of Sandy Chilewich's tablemats, floor mats, and tote bags; the distinctive hand-crafted earthenware of Heath Ceramics; and the brilliantly colorful art glass and stemware of Kosta Boda. Didriks also carries vividly colorful rugs designed by the Boston-based Merida Meridian and Maine native Angela Adams.
Merida Meridian, which operates a manufacturing facility in Fall River, creates woven floor coverings made of natural fibers, including sisal, jute, wool, paper, and abaca, while Angela Adams' cotton and wool rugs are made in India by an affiliate of RugMark, an international nonprofit working to end child labor in South Asia's hand-made carpet industry.
Now is also a good time to start thinking about outdoor design, and Didriks carries elegant and sturdy furniture made from teak, stainless steel, aluminum, and woven materials. British manufacturer Barlow Tyrie's line of outdoor furniture features sleek designs in every style, and it's built to last a lifetime.
Didriks shares its retail space with Bamboo Fencer (888-381-3892) which features a variety of bamboo styles for fencing, garden edging, even wall covering. Bamboo, the giant grass, is the fastest growing woody plant and the best option to take the pressure off rapidly declining hardwood forests. From a beautifully Eastern version of a garden shed to elegant pergolas, or the simplest bamboo cane fencing, Bamboo Fencer offers unexpected solutions to your outdoor design challenges.
At Westwood Furniture, the motto is "furniture that fits." It suits the character of a store that focuses on quality rather than quantity.
"We're a smaller fish in a big pond," says Westwood's Joe Kelliher, "but that means we try harder to help customers find sensibly scaled furniture. Sometimes that means smaller furniture, but sometimes it just means furniture that fits in with other pieces you may already have or simply fits the rooms you live in."
Although Westwood Furniture specializes in custom orders, Kelliher stresses the prices aren't out of reach. "We focus on less well-known brands, many of which are made by smaller, family-owned businesses that are fanatics about quality, like us, and all of which are made in America. We believe they offer the best quality and service."
At the Westwood showroom in Dedham (960 Washington St., 781-326-3220), shoppers can see what's available and then create the furniture style they want.
"You get to be the designer," says Kelliher. "You can choose the arm style, base, legs, upholstery, number of cushions. We figure you actually have more choices than in a great big store, You can create 192 different styles using all the different options we offer." Westwood's flexible approach means you can create your own unique look, not just in the fabric but in every aspect of the furniture. "It's like choosing a meal off a menu," says Kelliher, "where you end up with exactly what you desire."
A kitchen by Clarke Luxury Appliance Showrooms
