Designers Notebook: Yellow

How is this winter weather making you feel? With all these storm clouds stealing your sunshine the windows in your house are not adequately brightening your rooms. Well here is a tip: the color yellow can not only brightened a space but it can make a small space seem larger or draw attention to certain aspects of your room. White has always been a go to brighten and enlarge small rooms, but yellow can have the same wondrous effects with just a touch more sass. Yellow doesn't just look great, it and other bright colors bring a sense of warmth into a room that inspire memory and learning. Still not convinced to let Benjamin Moore lemon your walls?
Try out accents like a rug or a Maine Cottage Cubby Case, you will be amazed what just a splash will do to brighten up your home!

Holiday Party

Another fabulous year with our Circle Furniture family deserves another fabulous party. Thanks for everyone who attended and congrats to this years big winners. Roberta Frost was our top designer, she and her talents can be found in our Cambridge store. Jonathan Boyle, our Director of Operations, picked up another employee of the year award. BDI, providers of sleek home entertainment systems and other accessories received the Vendor of the Year award. Cheers and here is to a great 2008!

Sleep

So the holidays are over and with the new year comes resolutions and goals, but how about a little relaxation? With all the travel or hosting your family what we all need how is some rest, a good nights sleep. These days television is littered with ads for various sleep medications, but that should be a last resort. Any sleep center or expert will tell you there are many steps involved in getting a better night's sleep, they include routines, less caffeine and most importantly a comfortable place to sleep. So how is that mattress you sleep on every night? I recently discovered how valuable mine is as I went traveling for the holidays. Once I diverted from my ultra comfortable memory foam mattress I experienced the horror of a restless night's sleep on someone's old standard spring mattress. So you thought your mattress was fine but you are still having trouble sleeping? Do you share the bed with a tosser or a turner? Stop in and check out the Circle Furniture Private Mattress collection and see what a difference foam makes. Before you go here are some helpful tips to picking out a memory foam mattress from Google and Wickipedia:

How to Buy a Memory Foam Mattress

Looking for some zzzz on a memory foam mattress? Before you walk into a mattress store get the facts by following the steps in this how-to.

Steps

1. Make sure the memory foam is of high enough density to support your body properly. The best way to know is to check the package for the density of the foam. Cheap foam is normally 2 to 3 lb. density, mid-grade foam is 3 to 4.5 lb. density and good foam is over 4.5 lb. density. Usually, 5.3 lb. to 6.2 lb is considered the ideal density to properly support the human body. The lighter grade foam won't support you and will quit returning to its original shape after only a few months.
2. Look for memory foam that is temperature sensitive. The one thing that makes Memory Foam so unique is temperature sensitivity. When you first lay down on a memory foam mattress, your body weight causes the mattress to "melt away" from that pressure until your weight is spread evenly over the surface of the mattress. However, after you "settle in," your body temperature begins to affect the material, causing it to soften in the places where there is increased temperature. This fine tuning is what accounts for the unmatched comfort of the genuine memory foam mattresses.
3. Read the warranty information carefully. See exactly what will be required of you when you have a warranty issue. Will you be responsible for shipping, packaging, etc.? Most importantly, how long has the manufacturer been in business? A lifetime warranty from a company that's only been in business for a short while is probably worthless.
4. Check for ample testing done with real people. Many times, testing done in laboratories, without humans, isn't a true picture of what happens out in the "field." The human body is unique and it affects materials differently than a mechanical testing device.
5. Ask for a "comfort test" period. You should be able to sleep on a memory foam mattress for a short period, to see if you have any issues. If elect to try the mattress it will be covered in plastic to ensure it remains sanitary and the company can re-sell it if you return it. This will limit your ability to truly feel the benefits. If A high percentage of people love memory foam mattresses, but a few don't. Know what to expect if you are one of the few. Will you be able to get a refund of all your money? Or is there a re-stocking fee? Will you be required to "exchange only" with that merchant? If so, make sure they carry a wide variety of products so you'll have lots of choices.

Tips

• Get a written "comfort guarantee." Make sure it's at least 10-14 days or more.
• If you can take ice, in a zip lock bag, you can verify if the material is temperature sensitive. It will become firmer in the place you put the ice after 5-15 minutes.

Warnings

• Most people don't realize how heavy a solid foam mattress is. Solid memory foam or regular foam mattresses are a real job to move or even to turn around even for two healthy people, and you surely don't want to carry one up stairs.
• Nothing lasts forever.
• Salespersons will try to give you "facts" which will favor their product, no matter how inferior, so just remember density, temperature sensitivity and reading all you can about memory foam to be educated before you buy and you'll be happy with your purchase.
• Foam mattresses act like sponges, this means they absorb liquid. You should always use a waterproof mattress protector when you set up your memory foam mattress to prevent liquid from getting into the memory foam and to keep you sleeping cool during hot weather.
• Many memory foam mattresses are manufactured in China. Some of the latest products coming out of China are of super high quality and chemical free. Ask for the details of manufacture before you buy.

50's kitch offers seasonal glitter

Designer's notebook

This weeks contributer: Christine Cellucci

Over the years, my partner and I have inherited a number of holiday ornaments…little objects of affection from our childhoods. Originally purchased at the local Woolworths, these mid-century bobbles glitter, shimmer and sparkle in 1950's tradition. Although they do not quite fit into our holiday decorating scheme they do evoke a myriad of childhood memories, and if the truth be told, their sheer tackiness is heartwarming. This year I have finally figured out a way to display our collection; I filled a glass vase-like cylinder with them and placed the arrangement on my dining table, as a center-piece. Clustered together the collection sparkles in the candlelight, and the glass difuses the ornaments just enough to hide their small chips and imperfections. Just the perfect amount of glitz for a holiday table.

Well Deserved Recognition to One of Our Own!

• Student Takes Prize in Interior Design Competition

Kate Springfield

10/30/2007

New England School of Art & Design graduate student Kate Springfield won a $2,000 scholarship in the Second Annual Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition.

The Design Scholarship Competition was established to encourage architecture and design students in New England to find innovative ways of incorporating contemporary design within the region’s traditional architecture.

“It has definitely boosted my confidence, and it is something nice to have in your back pocket when it comes time to look for a job next year,” said Springfield, who finished in third place.

Springfield is scheduled to graduate from the Master of Arts in Interior Design program in May 2008. She entered the competition along with several classmates, spending about two months to complete her project.

“We all got to see each other’s work, and you can tell right away how everyone has a different style,” she said. “As for me, I am most comfortable using hand renderings in my presentations, as opposed to the photo-realistic images that computer programs can generate.”

In the competition, students were asked to design a contemporary kitchen/living area within either a Back Bay brownstone or a suburban Victorian and were encouraged to review the design philosophy of Italian architect Antonio Citterio for inspiration. Entries were reviewed by a panel of New England architects, designers and journalists.

“Once again we were able to shine a spotlight on the emerging young talent in the New England design and architecture schools,” said Montage co-owner Christopher Bates. “The industry professionals who helped select the winners were genuinely impressed with the
caliber of the students’ work. It’s exciting to have the first look at tomorrow’s design professionals.”


The Circle team would love to congratulate Kate and may the design (continue to) be with you!