Keep the relaxing glow of summer going

An Ekornes chair pairs comfort with style.

September means it's time to get back into the working groove, but everyone still wants to have a place to relax. Spend a little time getting your house in order and then you can sit back and keep that summer vacation glow going all year round.

Getting organized in the kitchen can make meal preparation a more relaxing experience. Miele, which sets the standard for refrigeration, has just introduced its new Independence Series collection. Originally presented as MasterCool, the new line was renamed Independence because Miele believes this offers a better description of the products. From its high-performance dual-compressor system and intuitive MasterCool touch controls, to its patented Wi-Fi RemoteVision technology that protects valuable food and wine investments, the Independence series "beautifully merges accessibility, functionality and design," says Matthew Kueny, Senior Product Manager for Miele, Inc. Miele products are all Energy Star efficient, allowing them to "save the greens while being green."

Designers will have the "Independence" to separate the refrigerator and freezer into separate towers or to specify a wide range of widths–all completely flush to cabinets. Consumers will have the "Independence" to completely customize the interior of their refrigerator with Drop and Lock shelving, and with a touch to the MasterCool controls, easily assign their SmartFresh drawers by food type.

"Since most users generally don't know the proper settings to correctly preserve fruits, vegetables and other perishables, the Miele MasterCool controls automatically optimize the SmartFresh storage drawers by maintaining a temperature just above freezing and varying the humidity levels," says Kueny. The controls are conveniently located for all users, regardless of height, and clear food-driven descriptions (dairy, meat, fruit, etc.) make using them as simple as the touch of a button.

"Our research indicated that customers want to be able to see every area of their refrigerator," says Kueny. "Our innovative ClearView lighting system washes the entire unit in bright, clean light using a sophisticated blend of direct spots and indirect halogen parabolic reflectors that casts light throughout the cavity. These major advances are supported by other exciting new innovations such as adjustable Drop and Lock shelving and FullView completely extendable drawers."Attention to detail, like the dual compressor system that keeps ice and water fresh, and a modular design that allows flexibility for placement and a look that blends in seamlessly with cabinets, makes Miele's Independence line of refrigerators, freezers and wine coolers the perfect choice for a luxury kitchen.

Working in the kitchen also requires the right lighting, and Wolfers Lighting, with locations in Brighton (103 North Beacon St.; 617-254-0700) and Waltham (1339 Main St.; 781-890-5995), has just created a new "Green Zone Energy Display" to help customers learn about the newest in energy-saving technology and find just the right lights for their kitchen. The Green Zone Display is an adaptation of Wolfers' popular Lighting Labs, which allow customers to see the effect of different lighting choices in a particular room."The technology is changing very quickly," says Steve Brand, owner of Wolfers Lighting, "and we want to make it easy to have a ‘hands-on' experience with the energy-saving options available."

Forget about the sterile cold tones of the mini-flourescents, Brand says. "Although the mini-flourescents have improved and even incandescent and halogens are becoming more efficient, the new LED lights that are available now have warmer tones, and use even less energy. A comparable LED fixture will use 5 watts instead of 25," he says. "Ultimately, the LEDs are what most lighting applications will be within the next 10 years."The Wolfers Lighting Green Zone features the newest in cabinet and indirect ceiling lighting. "They're also dimmable," says Brand, "which gives you even more control of both the warmth of the light and saves energy, too. Just by installing the new dimmers you can save 15 percent without even dimming the lights."Everyone wants to be green, says Brand, "but you shouldn't have to sacrifice beauty to make it work. The Green Zone offers an array of choices and solutions that allow you to go different shades of green."Oriental rugs and carpets have always added an elegant touch of warmth and personality to a home, but Landry & Arcari (800-649-5909) gives these classic pieces a contemporary look, many of which are on display at their showrooms in Boston (333 Stuart St.) and Salem (63 Flint St.).

"On our trips throughout Asia, we've discovered highly prized and collectible textiles with beautiful patterns that we've been able to adapt to create a new pile carpet," says Jeffrey Arcari. "One of our favorites at the moment is a rug that is a reproduction of an actual Uzbek shawl from the 19th century. The Suzani shawls have been made for about 200 years," says Arcari, "and they have a cotton foundation and then are embroidered in silk with beautiful colors and patterns. The one we're featuring is from Afghanistan and is being created by Turkmen weavers so they understand the artistry that went into the original."

Arcari says much of the joy of his job comes from not only finding and buying beautiful rugs, but creating or modifying patterns for new rugs. "There are certain parameters to rug design," he explains. "Directional patterns are tricky and so they have to be adapted, and sometimes we take a small motif and change it a bit to make it work on a full-size rug," he says. "I may do a drawing, which may be changed somewhat when a knot pattern is created, and then the weaver also adds his own interpretation. Part of the beauty of these rugs is the story that goes into each one since so many hands are involved in the process."

The result of the collective effort has been a renaissance in oriental rugs, says Arcari. "We've been in business since 1938, and have customers who come back over the years," he says. "It's wonderful to see their reaction to beautiful new patterns and bold color combinations we've created that they never would have seen five or 10 years ago."

Having a new rug as the focal point of a room may inspire you to organize the rest of your clutter in a useful way. Circle Furniture offers plenty of home office solutions to take away the pain of getting "organized." With five locations in Acton (425 Great Road, Rte 2A; 978-263-7268), Cambridge (199 Alewife Brook Pkwy; 617-876-3988), Danvers (75 Newbury St., Rt. 1; 978-777-2690), Framingham (235 Worcester Rd., Rt. 9;508-875-0707) and Hanover (Junction of Rte. 53/123;781-878-0686), a store is sure to be convenient to any Boston-area homeowner.

A small home office can look cozy, never crowded, with Circle Furniture's SOHO Collection. Desks and hutches, bookcases and file cabinets are all made of handsome woods: cherry, maple, oak and walnut.

If you'd like to brighten up your student's workspace, add a splash of color and the simple, clean lines of Maine Cottage's Bay Writing Desk. From melon to blueberry, the store can create the color scheme of your dreams. Chose a Cokie chair or a Windsor Side Chair to match.

Circle's Good Student Desk offers lots of storage without taking up much room. The desk features file drawers, supply drawers and a keyboard tray. To inspire your students to do their best, let them choose from 40 different colors. The drawers and knobs can even be painted a second color for contrast. A complementary wall hutch can provide more storage while staying up and out of the way.

For just the right touch, don't forget a Stressless recliner, sofa, or loveseat by Ekornes, Inc. Stressless seating is the busy person's sanctuary. Whether you're snuggling up on the sofa with a good book, or watching a favorite movie with family and friends, relaxing in your favorite chair is all about personal space and comfort.

Stressless products are made by Ekornes Inc., the largest furniture manufacturer in Scandinavia, which offers the perfect combination of comfort, function and style. Ergonomically designed and endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, Ekornes seating provides proper head and lumbar support in all sitting and reclining positions. In addition, Ekornes was the first to offer all recliner styles in two and sometimes three sizes to provide ultimate comfort for all body types. And they're built to last with an average lifespan of 20 to 25 years.

What also sets Stressless seating apart is that it's both stylish and comfortable. The designers at Ekornes take cues from color trends seen in both the apparel and home furnishings industries. With more than 54 color options and four grades of leather, the furniture is all about choice and customized fit. That adds up to the luxury of personalized comfort and style.

Another popular place to relax–without leaving home, that is–is the bath. The bathroom is the ultimate respite from the stressful life and many products are available to help promote the ultimate feeling of relaxation.

"The air tub has become the staple of most luxury bathroom renovations," says Dan Soroken, of Frank Webb Bath Center in Nashua, NH. "They are more energy efficient than water-driven whirlpools and often take up less space since they don't need a water pump."

Hot air tubs have as many as 70 small holes along the bottom and often the back and sides of the tub that release a steady stream of air bubbles into the tub for a gentle, all-over massage, the intensity of which can be controlled by the user. Unlike whirlpools, hot air tubs are also filled and drained with each use. Since they do not recirculate water through the jets, it is safe to use bath oils, sea salts, and therapeutic mud masks.

Air massage tubs are available from just about all tub and whirlpool manufacturers, says Soroken, and Frank Webb Bath Centers (888-550-9322) have lots of functioning displays to offer customers a chance to see exactly how the tub will work.

"Some of the newer features with the hot air tubs are aromatherapy and chromatherapy," says Soroken. "We've found our customers are very savvy about what they're looking for and have done their homework in advance, but there's still no substitute for coming into a showroom and seeing the products for yourself. We often find people have one idea, and then when they come in, they see new possibilities and new combinations of products and accessories."

The effects of both aromatherapy and chromatherapy and are immediate and dramatic, says Soroken. Aromatherapy is obvious, Soroken says. "You know, like the smell of chocolate chip cookies creates a feeling of comfort and home. Different scents trigger different emotional responses," he says.

As for chromatherapy, Soroken says there's nothing like "being able to turn down the lights and demonstrate the effect of the lights on your mood."

The lighting options in a hot air tub may run through a sequence automatically or be manually controlled. "The effects can be dramatic," says Soroken, "although different people choose different colors, generally green is refreshing, blue is restful and orange and red are energizing."

Once you step out of the hot air tub, having an electric towel warmer continues the comfort experience. "These too, come with various options," says Soroken, "so that you can warm the entire room, or just pull a warm towel off the rack to wrap yourself in."