What's the Buzz?

From the Queen Bee herself...as Peggy prepares for the "Sustainabilty Summit" that she will sit on a panel for next week, she has also prepared a more, as she says, "sappy" What's the Buzz for November. Well, I say bring it on...with the holidays here, what better time is there to bring out the sappiness. Enjoy!

"I can’t believe it; we’ve come to that time of the year when the days will disappear faster than we ever thought possible. I don’t know how it happens but every year as soon as Thanksgiving approaches it seems like we all begin a complete stampede to the finish line...aka...the end of the holiday season. Why do we need to fit so much living into such a short period of time? Holiday parties, shopping trips, charity events, pageants, concerts; don’t forget your obligatory visit to Aunt Bessie! It all happens in such a short period of time. Think about it. Wouldn’t it be grand to have some of these events to look forward to in February or March when really nothing is happening and we all go into hibernation?

In our house, Thanksgiving is our most favorite holiday and we all wouldn’t mind if it went on for a few weeks. Our family is one of different persuasions so it was the only holiday that we had to share or rotate every year. There is a lot to be said for mixing it up. This year is difficult as we have just suffered the loss of my mother-in-law, so her seat will be empty but she will be with us. We will revel in "Bubbie" stories that will make us cry, but more than ever they will give us so much laughter and joy. It is a time when we reflect on what we are thankful for and what we hope for everyone. We all love to share, not to mention, complain about this relative, sister or friend, and how we don’t look forward to sharing a day with them because of "what happened" years ago, but really, if it weren’t for them who would we complain about? We’d have to be uber-pleasant and who wants that? It’s funny how families or friends can hold these grudges and most of the time no one can even remember why it started... This year I am encouraging everyone to start with a clean slate, LET IT GO, whatever it is and see what happens. I myself cannot even remember who I am supposed to be mad at! See, it works.

I come from a big family, 10 siblings, so I really don’t need to add to my family, but over the years I have accumulated some “sisters”. In fact, my newest “sister” I was lucky enough to find on a trip to Australia, where Eileen and I bonded as new sisters. Families are different for everyone and we all have the ability to make it ours, we can pick them. I know the saying goes you can pick your friends and your nose but not your family (well, something like that!). I think you can make your friends your family. This Thanksgiving we will share with our closest family friends and my "niece and nephew" Jordan and Julia, and it will be the best family celebration. I am so lucky to have all my brothers and sisters and I appreciate them so much; I don’t mind adding a few more. If you all have room at your table, please add another placemat or two, you won’t regret it.

P.S. We are so thankful for Mike Milligan, who will marry my incredible niece Amy this January. Now that the Milligan’s have joined this big family, what a great time to be living! Goes double, as her amazing sister Kelly married the fabulous Chuck Davis this spring. So yes, Patty and Brian…there may be grandchildren just yet, set another place at the table.

Office Manager Extraordinaire

If you've ever been to one of Circle Furniture's charity shin-digs, you probably have met Judy. She's not only our favorite office manager but also the official greeter at each party. Here's some facts about Jude (as we call her).

"Born...3 Rivers, Ma

Hobbies...Loves to read and visit museums

Volunteers...with a project in Uganda that educates women and assists families to be self-sufficient

Loves...kids

Colors...green and blue

Favorite song...Moon River

Favorite singer...Johnny Mathis

Favorite tv show - Grey's Anatomy

Loves working with Circle Furniture because...Circle is honest and has a lot of integrity in their dealings with customers

Anniversary...14 years with Circle in Feb 2010

My idol...Eleanor Roosevelt"

Thanks Jude - We love you!

"Oh, My Aching Back" No More!

Meet Luanne...and let us introduce you to the beauty and comfort of Ekornes® Stressless products.

Wow!!! I am so excited to be working with the great folks at Circle Furniture selling Ekornes® Stressless chairs and sofas. You might recognize me from Backcare Basics in Needham, where I had been selling Ekornes since 2005. I'm delighted to report that Backcare Basics is “alive and well” and focusing on all the great back care and pain relief products that we have always carried…except Ekornes®. We have so many wonderful products to comfort and soothe your back you have to come check us out!

I am taking my experience with all of my Backcare Basics customers, along with my Ekornes expertise over to Circle Furniture to help you choose exactly the right Stressless recliner to meet your specific needs.

Let’s face it, no two people are alike. We each have our own individual idea of what is comfortable. Add to that a few aches and pains, a little sciatica or a slipped disc and finding a great comfortable chair becomes a daunting task, not a simple pleasure. Like Goldilocks, we may find a chair too big, too firm, too deep or too tall. How does one decide which chair to choose? After all, this is usually an investment or perhaps even something you’ve dreamed of owning for awhile. You don’t want to get it wrong. Right? Well, you don’t have to. The folks at Circle Furniture have been trained to help you choose the right Stressless chair for you. They know exactly how to help you decide which size and model is best for you AND which one will look great in your home. Comfort and Style. What a great combination! So come in to Circle Furniture and choose your Stressless recliner today.

Designers We Love!

Time to meet another designer we love....Meet Lauren.

Born -Beverly, MA in the sign of Aries

Signature color – Red

My mom first knew I wanted to be a designer when - at age 2, I turned my Fisher-Price play house on end and...viola, it became a high-rise penthouse!

If I were a piece of furniture I would be a credenza; beautiful and functional (with a terrific sounding name!)

"Interior Design" to me is - the balance of form and function. You can not be all beauty and no brain!

Favorite Quote - “Life is a journey, not a destination” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Favorite Destination- Ruins of the Lost Mayan Civilization at Chichen Itza, and Tulum, Mexico.

Favorite Journey – Still Getting There!!!

You may find me at – the symphony, the beach or bicycling back roads.

You will never catch me at – a musical, on a golf course or running the Boston Marathon.

I would love to – Sky dive

I would never – Bungee Jump

I love to listen to the Blues but am rarely in a blue mood myself.


So that's Lauren, another talented designer at Circle...but no musicals? Am I the only one left that still loves a good musical? I mean, A Chorus Line, Godspell, Chicago? I still get goose bumps when I here "All That Jazz", don't you?

Designers We Love!

In keeping with our introductions we'd like you to meet Stephanie, former design consultant and now part of Circle Furniture's outstanding merchandising team. Here's her story...

"When I was asked to be part of the “Meet the Designer” section of the blog I was very excited but not really sure what to say - then it came to me while primping the Cambridge showroom. It has always been a dream of mine to be a Designer/Artist, and after many years (well, maybe not TOO many years) I am just that. Here at Circle Furniture I help with the merchandising and I love everyday of it. Not only am I a designer for Circle, I am also an artist and love to oil paint in my free time (that is whenever I can find some free time). Oil painting is my true passion; it's really led me to where I am today. Through painting I've learned how to incorporate color and texture to create spaces and vignettes that are not only beautiful but also pleasing to the eye. To create this at your home … my advice is “do not be afraid of color.” It may seem intimidating to use color but please take a leap of faith, and trust me! I know it will make all the difference in your home. Also for all you Facebook users … check out colorTHEORY's fan page and look at their “Inspirational Room of the Day” - great ideas for small and large spaces alike."

Thanks Steph and yes, that colorTheory fanpage is fun to check out. Love the chair with mirrored sides from today - way cool!

You're Invited - As Always!

Need some artistic inspiration? Come to our Acton showroom this Saturday - we're hosting an autumn reception for local artists from 3 to 6pm. The artwork is ready to be viewed and the store looks refreshed and alive.

Donna McKenna, a designer for Circle, has gathered some wonderful artists in the area to create our own little gallery right in the store. We know there are MANY of you out there that want step outside the box and not just settle for "manufactured art". There is something meaningful and personal to putting up real art that you'll hang on the walls in your home. As Donna says "We're trying to create rooms that are all about self expression. Buying art from a local artist is consistent with that and is in keeping with the ideals we hold dear at Circle Furniture." That Donna, you gotta' love her. She is so talented and inspiring herself! Hey, if for nothing else, you should come meet all the talented designers in Acton. Erin, Sean (you met him recently on this blog), Donna and Cindy have all been working hard on preparing for this art exhibit and reception and will be your hosts for this fun shindig.

So stop by this Saturday between 3 and 6pm. Perfect time of the day; the kids are done with their soccer games, you've already paid the bills and done the week's grocery shopping and you're ready for some "me" time. Why not enjoy a cup of hot mulled cider while feasting your eyes on some inspiring artwork. Hey, you might even find the perfect piece to finish off a room and all the original artwork is currently on sale and will be through November.

Hope to see you there!

How to Build Green

So...remember Kim? We introduced you to her last week. You're probably wondering how Kim, Joe and family are building that green house? Check out below.

"The following is a list of some of the things that we did in building our home.

Building practices and materials
o Concrete – use of 30% fly ash for reduced carbon emissions and reduced costs.
o FSC certified lumber with documented Chain of Custody
o Onsite recycling program and program for waste diversion and documentation
o Windows – High Impact (to 120 MPH) ENERGY STAR rated Low-E and U-factor ratings
o Smart framing and best practices including detailed framing documents and lumber orders.
o Waste management program diverting 88% of our construction debris from the wastestream.
• Energy
o Spray foam insulation for creation of a sealed home envelope
o Composite shingle roofing for an SRI of 32
o Renewable geothermal heating and cooling equipment and domestic hot water system
o Wiring for 2.6 kWh PV system; future expandability
o Lighting Control system to include ENERGY STAR dimmable lights maxed out at 85%
o Energy management and monitoring system
o ENERGY STAR appliances with managed load shedding on the dual refrigerators (kitchen 48” built-in and pantry locations 36” French door) and ultra efficient water conserving dishwashers (one full dishwasher, two dishdrawers) and washing machine.
• Air (IAQ)
o ENERGY STAR with Indoor Air Package
o Zero combustion
o Moisture control
o Outdoor air ventilation to include continuous air exchange and ventilation with dual environmental recovery ventilation units
o Six HVAC zones with remote monitoring and sensing climate control
o Central Vacuum System
• Water Efficiency
o Water conservation products including high efficiency fixtures and fittings including faucets, showers and toilets from Kohler
o 5000 gallon rainwater harvesting cisterns for recapture of more than 85% of roof runoff
o No exterior municipal water for irrigation
o Rain sensors
o Ultra high efficiency washing machine and dishwashers
• Sustainable landscaping
o Landscaping design with special blend (through URI) of sustainable, native, drought-tolerant turf, drought tolerant plantings, native sea grasses, erosion control.
o 100% permeable exterior landscaping
• Interior Environmentally Preferable Products
o Reclaimed hardwood floors from a 200 year old barn
o Zero VOC paints, finishes, adhesives
o Low VOC Green Label Plus certified carpet and BioH carpet pad
o Recycled glass and construction debris tiles
o Sinks and tubs made from recycled cast iron
o FSC certified lumber for trim, doors, etc.
o Recycled countertops from Paperstone
o NE made cabinets from FSC maple, zero Urea Formaldehyde, zero VOC milk paint finish
o Natural linens and fibers
o Natural and locally made furniture and fabrics
o Local craftsman
o Local production (within 500 miles) as much as possible

Our CO is expected for the beginning of November and our application and testing date is scheduled for November 20th. We expect to know what our certification level is by the end of the year.

For more information or to see any of our photos along the way, visit www.greenlifesmartlife.com and click on gallery. We have just started with our finished materials and our furnishings, most of which we are sourcing through Circle Furniture, so check back in for our selections and interior design tips and photos."

Whew...I'm overwhelmed with just reading the list! Don't I feel like a goof, just feeling proud that I recycle, switched out my light bulbs and use those recyclable bags at the grocery store (when I remember to get them out of the trunk!) Who knew being green was SO involved? But it is, and we applaud Kim and Joe's efforts in taking on such a cool project!

A Few Pink Shots

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported our 4th annual Pink Party at Circle in Framingham! We had a blast and raised some cha-ching for The Ellie Fund. Special thanks to Mix 104.1 for volunteering their time to play all the hits and keep our gang groovin'. Thanks also to Panera, for providing awesome desserts; The Melting Pot, for chocolate covered strawberries; Fab from Philip Ciampa Salons, who worked magic on our guests; and the following who donated some amazing raffle prizes: jodi's jems, Carolina Portillo, The Boston Globe, J.Todd Galleries, The Charles Hotel, Maria Nahkle, The Pear Tree, Transitions Solutions, Backcare Basics, Maine Cottage, Sky Restaurant, Lisa James Salon, Selections Boutique, Zia Spa, Tseh-Hwan Yong and thanks to all the wonderful Circle Furniture crew who worked so hard to pull off another great event.

Here's to next year!