Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals

To mark the official opening of the Christmas shopping season, Cymax Stores is offering special Black Friday deals, from Nov. 28 until Dec. 1 also known as Cyber Monday (statistically the busiest online shopping day). Throughout the weekend, we will be offering approximately 500 items, from TV stands to luggage, at special sale prices that will save you a bundle.

Browse our extensive selection of jewelry boxes for some great gift ideas, including musical jewelry boxes, children’s jewelry boxes with or without music and a range of handy men’s jewelry valets and travel cases. You will also find a wide selection of jewelry armoires at JewelryArmoireSelect.com in every style and color imaginable, one that will be absolutely perfect for that perfect someone.

Other great Black Friday promotions include:

• - 15% off all Samsonite luggage
• - 10% off on select SEI jewelry armoires
• - 10% off select SEI fireplaces
• - Free Lamp with purchase of select Standard Furniture coffee table sets
• - Free Nightstand with purchase of select Modus Beds

Christmas is coming! Get ready for it and save money too! With great savings on dining tables, grandfather clocks, Magnussen furniture and other great products, you’re sure to find the perfect gift, whether it’s for that special someone or for yourself.

Arms reach

How many of you have similarly felt if you’re ever going to be scared to death it’ll be when you’re yanked out of an agitated dream by the roar of your alarm clock? I’ve experienced this too many times to remember even and each time it seems my ticker is thumping like the Energizer Bunny’s bass drum foot. I’m thankful I can put a 10 min. hiatus on the cacophony with a frantic thwack.

Unless you’re going to rest the alarm on the mattress next to you, you need a nightstand and NightstandSelect.com is the place to get one for those on a budget. Trust me, you don’t want that early AM maelstrom continuing on any longer – keep that necessary yet resented timekeeper within arms reach.

Often times, those of us that are a little financially strapped have to cut corners somewhere. Here’s our advice; a dresser drawer or bachelor’s chest is going to hold your clothing and will open and close a few times a day. Your bed’s the most important piece in the room. Not to make any less of your nightstand, but it’s going to stay static for much longer periods of time with less frequent usage. If you’re going to cut a corner, cut this one.

Who needs a box-spring? A quality foam mattress on a sturdy wooden platform bed is a great sleep waiting to happen. If you’re of the same mind, you’ll need a correspondingly low-height nightstand to sit at your bedside. For good-looks, suitable durability and surprising affordability, take a look at a Nexera Nocce Nightstand. A South Shore Sereno Nightstand has the same appeal; stylishly modern with a pair of cusp drawers and inexpensive.

Anyone of Nightstand Selects Prepac Nightstands is going to give you everything you need from a basic nightstand without taking a lot of your bucks. Often times an MDF or similar composite wood nightstand is perfectly durable enough for average everyday living, and for the price you can’t go wrong.

Starting at the age of 4 or so, kids will be getting up early in the morning as well for school. They’ll need a nightstand too, and there are similarly affordable options. Once the little ones get to preschool, they might as well get accustomed to waking up early in the morning and Kid Kraft Nightstands have a perfectly playful style for your youngsters. For older students, something along the lines of a South Shore Cosmos Nightstand is a nice blend of function and durability, and they’re sure to appreciate the built-in disc rack for their CDs. A Hillsdale Universal Youth Nightstand has a teenage sensibility to it as well.

I’m hoping at least one of the many people out there that have their alarm resting on the floor next to their bed reads this. You owe it to yourself to be able to put an end to that aural trauma with a little less physical exertion. Keep it within arms reach. Trust me, it’s surprisingly worth it until you go through it again 600 seconds later.

The Snooze Bar – a godsend I tell you!

RTA is Another Word for DIY

With the growing popularity of online shopping, it’s no surprise that ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture has also gained a strong foothold in the furniture market. At RTA Furniture Select, you will find an excellent selection of beds, computer desks, DVD media storage and other furnishings for your home that are easily affordable because they are shipped to you flat-packed. Once it has been put together, you will have a great looking piece of furniture that costs less than what you’d expect to pay for a comparable assembled item in a retail store.

More and more companies like Bush Furniture, Prepac and South Shore design and manufacture furniture intended to be assembled by the consumer. In terms of both producing and shipping products, it is cost-effective, since they don’t have to be assembled in the factory and a flat box is simpler to ship than a large computer desk, TV stand or bookcase.

Aside from being more affordable, purchasing RTA furniture has many other advantages. The best thing about RTA furniture is that it is sent to you directly and arrives at your door carefully packaged. Depending on the size of the item you purchased, and the manufacturer, many RTA products like the Winsome Accent End Table are shipped in one carton. Another good thing about ready-to-assemble furniture is it allows you to buy furnishings for awkward-shaped rooms or areas in your home that can only be accessed by a narrow staircase.

Once your new furniture has been delivered to your home, you’re ready to put it together. Sometimes manufacturers will provide everything you need to assemble it. However, most RTA furnishings are easy to assemble with a few select household tools such as a hammer, screwdriver or drill. Manufacturers will often indicate the level of difficulty in their product information. Typically, an RTA dresser such as the Home Styles Crosstimbers Single Dresser will arrive packed in a carton that includes the item, instructions and hardware, including handles (if any).

Since its fledgling start in the late 1950’s, RTA furniture has come a long way. Manufacturers of ready-to-assemble accent tables, nightstands and audio racks produce well-crafted products from quality materials, in a wide of styles, from traditional to contemporary, resulting in moderately priced home furnishings that greatly benefit, you, the consumer.

Wherever I May Roam

Until recently, it used to be that getting lost or decrying bad directions was a perfectly acceptable excuse. I know myself there’s been more than a few occasions when I’ve crafted a white lie based on like premises, times when I was looking for a plausible explanation as to why I was late or conspicuously absent . Now, however, with the selection of affordably priced TomTom GPS systems at www.cymaxstores.com, these excuses are becoming decidedly less valid.

The worst part of being “lost”, and in fact the stimulus that often compounds the state of being so, is the initial panic that sets in once you determine you only MAY be lost. This scenario is inevitably worsened when you’re out of your own backyard, in an area that you’re not familiar with, and at times when you’re anxious to be where you’re going. For whatever reason, equivocal thinking seems to go right out the window the very second we start thinking of it.

Years ago when I worked as a bicycle courier I received a most uncommon dispatch, which began with “you have a car at home, don’t you?” After confirming I did the dispatcher asked if I was willing to go home and grab my old Rabbit and take a “super hot” 5 hours up the Island to a small community. It was imperative the package be delivered before 4:30 and it would net me a nice $140 commission.

The drive up the island highway was uneventful, and it didn’t concern me one bit when my 2-way radio went out of range just past Duncan. I had been given a “map” by our front desk attendant at the office before leaving. It was an enjoyable summer’s day drive and I only wished I had some company.

I pulled off into Sayward at ten after four and that’s when things started to unravel and the aforementioned panic started to kick in. I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say the “map” was of such accuracy that it warrants the quotation marks suggesting my using the term very loosely. I tried phoning the base, busy and busy again. I frantically queried probably a tenth of the town of 300 or so. No one knew the address and to make matters worse it turned out to be a home office in a very residential setting.

I managed to find it just in time, by simple luck if I remember correctly, and the recipient was happy to receive it as promised. That wasn’t before my blood was flooded with cortisol, however, and I profanely berated completely inanimate traffic lights. Put simply, it put me in a foul mood that lingered somewhat as I made my way back home.

Had I been so fortunate as to have a GPS system, however out of place that may have seemed in an ’84 Volkswagen, I would likely have been spared such an ill-temperament. At less than 150, a TomTom One 125 GPS unit would have been surprisingly affordable for a meager bicycle courier even. These GPS feature the freedom to download and install a host of different languages and also features TomTom’s Map Share services, which lets you download updated maps from the TomTom community of users.

I’m certain its this initial panic that sets in motion the defensiveness that has fostered the men can never admit they’re lost / can’t ask for directions stereotype. I can’t say whether I myself have refused to admit it but if my radio had been in range, I would likely have responded with a dishonest “yep, almost there” if dispatch had asked of my whereabouts during that frantic half-hour. Justified or not, it would seem that the increasing affordability and commonplace-ness of GPS systems will make that stereotype extinct before long.

The sigh of relief from disinterested pump jockeys across the continent is almost audible.

New Linens for a Tired Bed

If the bed in your guest room looks a little tired, wake it up in time for the holidays with new bedding from MoreBeddingSets.com. To make a good impression on the in-laws, it doesn’t have to mean a major renovation. A new bedding set in a bold pattern can transform your “old” bed into a visually stunning focal point that will make the bedroom welcoming and comfortable.

Before purchasing a comforter set or a duvet set, take stock of the furnishings currently in the room to determine the style. Even if the pieces don’t exactly match one another, one particular style will be dominant. You can’t put the décor style into words? Don’t panic. Look around your bedroom. How would you describe the décor? Does it display the country charm of a bed-and-breakfast inn? Or is it more formal like an Italian villa on the Mediterranean? Bed linens can also introduce harmony into a room’s décor when they are matched in color to the walls and window treatments as well as to the style of furnishings.

Contemporary bedding sets are all about texture and geometric patterns. They can reflect the colors found in nature, from muted earth tones to the vibrant shades found in exotic flowers. The Hallmart Gramercy Queen Comforter Bedding Set is a perfect example of how successfully shape and texture can be blended together.

Still contemporary, but for a more casual look, choose a bedding set like the Chicago Textile Prairie Bedding Set. It has minimal decorative detail but the colors in the bedskirt give the set definition.

If a regular visitor to your home is a sports fan or if someone in your household is, maybe sporty is the way to go. Sports Coverage manufactures sports team logo bedding sets is a range of combinations and colors. You’re sure to find your favorite team’s logo in a bedding set that will appeal to your team spirit.

Classic bedding sets are characterized by patterns and colors that have a timeless feel. They are ideal for country and traditional décors. For a room with country style furniture, choose bedding linens like the Southern Textiles Bed and Breakfast Provence Bedding Set with a distinctive floral theme. In a more formal traditional style, the Lawrence Home Fashions Madeira Comforter Set mixes together fabrics for a soothing, warm effect.

For that final finishing touch, select a bedding set that includes a pillow pack. Accent pillows of varying sizes and in different textures can add visual interest to your bedroom. They also draw the eye to the center of the bed, giving it an inviting look and feel.

Dead Man’s Hand

The accompanying twangs of a certain song paired with his looking at the array of poker tables at Cymax Stores to jar his memory. So long ago, but the memory was so poignant it rushed back with a decided clarity and weight...

It had been a cold and blustery night, par for early February in rural Wyoming. The snow was not falling, but rogue flakes swirled in the air disturbed from their drifts by the intermittent gusts. Nothing projected to be extraordinary as he pulled his pickup off the interstate into the parking lot of yet another non-descript roadside bar. The old Chevy protested its misaligned timing belt as it sputtered to a halt while he made his way to the door.

His opening it coincided with a powerful surge of wind. The frigid blast roared into the dimly lit room, disturbing the single smoke-yellowed chandelier on the high ceiling enough to make his entry as noticeable as it could be for the small handful of inhabitants. Peanut husks crunched beneath his feet as he sauntered to the counter, and it was just then that the strained notes of a tack piano raced from the far wall to seemingly take him back in time.

Perhaps he had dismissed the sign outside that read “Newell’s Saloon” as novelty too soon. This place was something straight out of the Wild West; the walls were bare save a few similarly nicotine-stained oil paintings and a single wood stove tucked into a far corner was approaching a smolder. Only two tables were occupied, and the ones that weren’t featured long-dried spills and dusty bohemian stemware that suggested the place hadn’t had so much as a once-over in months. A number of disinterested can-can girls and you would have thought it was a slow weeknight in an early 19^th century boomtown.

He approached the suspendered and bespectacled barkeep wondering if his ordering a scotch would have him be presented with a bottle of rotgut. The man seemed to look at him vacuously as he continued to wipe over a snifter that was as clean as it was going to get considering the bar rag in his hands. Sure enough, he was presented with a muddy-toned glass bottle and a single glass and not so much as a word from the keep. Not quite firewater, but it carried quite a roughly distilled taste that was strangely agreeable on such a cold evening.

It was as he turned from the bar that the moment found its zenith. The two seated patrons were as far apart in demeanor as were their tables. One gruff sort tapped his heavy boot on the floor, surprisingly in time with the distinctive tune considering the near empty bottle in front of him belied the stupor making it increasingly difficult to keep his head up. The other rugged character appeared as fully cognizant, despite an equally depleted bottle at his side as well. His piercing eyes stood out on his bearded face and had an ominous quality beneath the brim of his black hat.

He sat at a table that was emphatically similar to the Northwoods Billiards Log Poker Table that was now staring back at him onscreen all these years later, a beautifully rustic piece that was now all to fitting considering the retro-sensory old world overload that had been the last few minutes. Log-hewn and suitably unfinished, it had an immediate presence that grew out of its weathered bulk and the number of cigarette burns along its edges. The nostalgic value this poker table took on from his memory made it impossible for him not to be drawn to the “Add to Cart” icon at the right side of the page...

There was something about this character and the moment as a whole that beckoned him towards the table without so much as a word being spoken. The man merely nodded, lit a cigarette and drained his half-full glass before cutting the cards methodically. The meek piano man finished his tune and shuffled off into a back room hurriedly and the interlude made clear the wind had picked up as it bullied the window panes. The silence was broken temporarily as the drunkard’s head thudded to the table, but as the first card flew from the man’s hands heavy footsteps could be heard approaching the door. He waited to turn over his cards, and upon doing so read them clearly - aces and eights.

Time to go

Altitude with Attitude: The View from the Top Bunk

Kids grow up so fast. You bring your (first, second, third) child home from the hospital, change a few diapers, kiss-better a couple of boo-boos, blink, and they’re off to college, driving their own car! But in the meantime, they will need bedroom furniture and someplace to sleep. At MoreBunkBeds.com, whether you have one child or three (or more), you will be able to find bunk beds and loft bunks that are affordable, durable and fun.

By their very nature, bunk and loft beds have a sense of adventure about them. Put a bunk bed in a child’s room and it magically transforms itself into a fort, a circus tent or even a pirate ship. The Powell Shiver Me Timbers youth bedroom collection is a perfect example of this kind of magical occurrence. The Shiver Me Timbers youth twin over twin bunk bed has a warm and inviting appeal with plenty of decorative detail that will spark their imaginations and have them sailing the Seven Seas in no time.

Bunk beds come in a wide variety of configurations, including twin over twin and twin over full. Twin over full bunk beds are ideal for older siblings sharing with a younger brother or sister, since the twin top bunk would be ideal for the younger one, while the full-sized bottom bunk would give the older child more room to stretch out. The myHaven collection by Young America includes a twin over full (also known as a double) bunk bed. Available in multiple colors that look as delicious as they are fun and funky, this collection is designed specifically to be mixed-and-matched. As with many types of bunk beds, you can add storage drawers to this Stanley myHaven Twin over Double Cottage Bunk bed for optimum functionality.

Loft style bunk beds make the most of the available space in a bedroom by removing the bottom bunk and making room for other cool stuff, like an activity table, computer desk and dresser combo or a freestanding bed perpendicular to the top bunk. Vibrant and colourful, the Powell Sunday Funnies Loft Bunk Bed is a complete set that, in addition to the loft bed, includes a rollaway bed, end dresser and built-in desk.

When children share a room, having enough available storage is always an issue. The Berg Furniture company has created the perfect solution. Instead of ladders, many of their bunk and loft beds include storage stairs. The Berg Utica Loft Twin over Twin Bunk Bed makes getting to the top worthwhile with a storage staircase. Designed with style and functionality in mind, each individual step is an operational drawer that has plenty of room for clothes, seasonal clothing storage and more important stuff like toys and other personal treasures that need safekeeping.

A child’s room is not just a place to sleep. It should be a fun environment that is comfortable and inviting, while feeding their imaginations. Climbing a ladder to the top of Mount Everest – I mean a stylish and snug wood bunk bed and viewing their kingdom in proprietary splendour, is a great way to encourage your children to dream, imagine and grow.

Productivity to Go

The changing nature of what is a workplace, and what working within that workplace entails, is a reality fully understood at www.officefurniturenmore.com. One aspect of this new reality for some is the need for more mobile, less bulky workstations that can be relocated in the office or workspace as necessity dictates. While the standard computer desk does fall into this category, there are also a host of other business-related products that earn their keep by being easily wheeled to where they’re needed and just as easily returned to an out-of-the-way location.

A mobile computer desk can appeal in both office and home applications where space is at a premium and the ability to relocate the desk is a need. Pairing this convenience with a simple stylish vibe and a modest array of features is the Nexera Azbi Mobile Computer Desk. Add a price that’s right and this desk may be just what you’re looking for. A Spartak Mobile Computer Desk offers much of the same, but has more of a classic contemporary feel and five utility drawers.

A laptop caddy is a welcome convenience for those who have a lack of available desktop space and a laptop computer as a second source for any project or task. They can be easily rolled to the optimum location aside an existing workstation and commonly feature a utility tray immediately aside the laptop surface. The Ameriwood Adjustable Laptop Cart is a great example, and these carts / caddys are equally popular in the home as well when you’re up for some browsing while seated in the living room.

Offices becoming more compacted is a trend that has become firmly established in most larger cities. One of the new realities that has grown out of this is that often the freedom to designate an entire room for a specific purpose is no longer there. An exclusive conference or presentation room may not be an option, and accordingly the value of a mobile computer / projector presentation stand may be considerable for those who need to make do with what space they have. A Safco Mobile Computer / Projector Stand offers retractable laptop and utility platforms and a rising projector console in addition to its wheel casters. A multimedia cabinet offers the same utility platforms with a storage cabinet interior.

Of similar value in similar situations may be a Safco Hospitality Cart, perfect for bringing refreshments to the staff during meetings or the like and a much safer option than bringing them out on a hand-held serving tray from your non-existent kitchen. If your presentations usually include presentations wired from a laptop to a larger projection screen, a hospitality cart can serve both functions provided the serving is conducted on a separate surface.

Finally, for your up n’ coming young associates there’s a nice mix of style and easily-relocated function in any of the Home Star Kool Kolor Collection that can add the same versatility to their study area that you have created for your office. They come in a variety of colors as well to accommodate any preferences your kids may have and feature durable PVC plastic components to stand up to anything they might dish out.

You may often hear of the need to “adapt to the new climate of business.” Sound advice to be sure, but for many this need may be preceded by adapting to the confines of a smaller workplace. Be sure to send a note to the Neolithic age thanking them for the invention of the wheel, as mobile desks, carts and stands can play a big role in your doing so.

Luggage for the Holidays

Holidays mean gathering with family and friends and making, sharing and eating lots of festive food. With two major holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, looming on the horizon, it also means travel. At LuggageSetSelect, you will find everything you will need to get you from one place to another, safely and in comfort.

Samsonsite has been making durable luggage for the discerning traveler since 1910. Samsonsite’s ability to change with the evolving needs of the modern traveler is key to the company’s continuing success. They make a number of compact and easy-to-use expandable suitcases, including the Samsonite Aspire XLT Collection that includes spinner luggage in different sizes, garment bags and carry-on bags. If you prefer a hard shell type of suitcase, the Samsonite Flite 31 Inch Upright is a good choice. Select one in red and it’s sure to not get lost in a crowd.

Heys USA is another company that consistently produces quality luggage with a high sense of style. Their suitcases are durable and lightweight. They include many of the Heys trademark features like TSA lock systems and ergonomic telescoping handles. They are also creators of “The World’s Lightest Luggage”.

International Traveller is another company that makes luggage, including overnighters and frameless cases. Who says travel has to be boring? Getting there is half the fun. In addition to the standard styles and colors, they also carry several fun and funky animal print rolling suitcases, like the International Traveller Shiny Zebra Print Wheeled Suitcase.

Luggage isn’t just for major holidays. You will need a carry-on for a weekend get-away, an overnighter when staying at a friend’s or a suitcase that has a special compartment for your laptop to keep it safe. Buying luggage in a set, like the Travelers Club Euro-Value Luggage Set is economical, saves time and gives you a choice of sizes and types of bags. For example, a typical luggage set will include two rolling suitcases in different sizes and one carry-on or all-purpose tote.

Especially when on a business trip or travelling to attend a special occasion like a wedding or anniversary, don’t forget the trusty and dependable garment bag. And they’ve come a long way from their humble beginnings of the traditional length garment bag that holds two or three items. A good example of how far garment bags have evolved is the Travelers Club Skyview II Rolling Garment Bag; it can hold up to eight garments or double as an overnight carry-on.

At Luggage Set Select, you will find a wide variety of suitcases, carry-ons and travel accessories that will meet all of your travel needs. Whether you’re traveling home for the holidays, going on a business trip or off on a long-time around-the-world adventure, a well-made, well-equipped luggage set will get you there in style.

Those Other Golden Years

It’s commonly understood that post-retirement to the twilight of our lives is the period referred to as the “golden years.” ChildrensFurnitureSelect.com confirms my belief that the dawn of life to pre-school years are just as golden in their own right. Think about it; the freedom to wake and sleep as you please, with little more than eating and playful discovery in between and having your every need catered to in its entirety.

Sounds golden to me.

The truth is every child deserves to have this period of safe, carefree existence before they move on to a twilight in its own sense when they reach those pre-teen years. This marvelous simplicity of life is one we all look back on with fondness and, for most of us, a sense of wistful longing once it has past. The Easter Bunny’s yearly global marathon, the Tooth Fairy’s ceaselessly hectic schedule, and so on and so forth – the innocence of youth has a beauty that is sure to withstand the ages.

Now as much as that famous rabbit has a lot on his plate every March, it’s nothing compared to what Santa Claus accomplishes every December 24^th. All those chocolate eggs don’t even compare to the bulk with which the big man loads his sleigh on that eagerly anticipated evening. That being understood, he does appreciate getting started early and the convenience of online shopping means you can pair your little ones’ formative years with competitively priced children’s products at Children’s Furniture Select.

A dollhouse has a universal appeal for any young girl, and the extent to which these long-time staples of female youth have come of age is quite remarkable. The KidKraft Interactive Dollhouse is like none you’ve ever seen before, as it features a working elevator, on / off lit chandeliers, a playing piano and a kitchen from which drifts the sounds of a meal being prepared. The KidKraft Savannah Dollhouse has all the genteel Southern elegance its name suggests, and they invite you for a tour of the mansion right here!

KidKraft take great pride in producing quality products that will stand up to children’s rambunctious curiosity in the world around them, and they're being recognized with the 2008 Gold Award from National Parenting Publications Awards for its Pink Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator confirms this. This kitchen set is a durable and stylish choice for kids that has been so well received it has been nearly impossible to keep them in stock.

In addition, what little one wouldn’t gush over receiving the KidKraft Firefighter Bedroom Furniture Set, though be forewarned you may be turning down his request for a fire hall pole in your foyer in the near future. Similarly, a KidKraft Deluxe Garage Set will be enthusiastically received by any child, future automotive enthusiast or otherwise.

Cymax Stores is pleased to announce that these products and more will be offered at significant discounts for the holiday season with our sales promotion at Children’s Furniture Select between Nov.28^th and Dec.14^th. Be sure to visit and see what catches your eye as something your precious youngster would be thrilled to find on Christmas morning.

It’s the moments of these golden years that are integral to child and parent alike – make the most of them.

Dwindling Daylight

As the days move towards the winter solstice, the sun rises later and sets earlier. We spend much more of our waking time immersed in night without the freedom to light our homes by simply opening the blinds or pulling the curtains open. Artificial lighting takes on a more appreciated role in day-to-day activities when the sun is sinking below the horizon at 4:30 in the afternoon, and Lamp Select is your source for indoor and outdoor lighting solutions that are stylish and practical.

It’s perfectly normal to feel not so enthused about the day when you rise from bed to the darkness of night. It’s similarly depressing when you watch night return in the late afternoon before you’ve even left work, and the feeling is augmented by the fact it’s almost always in sharp contrast to the Indian summer we’re only a month and some removed from. This makes it all the more important to have home lighting pieces that not only fill your space with light but provide a sense of comfort as well as you steel yourself to this aspect of the long winter ahead.

A chandelier is no longer exclusively within the domain of traditional decors. Adding an elegant suspended lighting fixture to any area of the home is an option for more modern themed spaces as well, as the Kenroy Home Medici Brushed Steel 5 Light Chandelier will confirm. The AF Lighting Supernova Chandelier would be a natural for an expressive modern space awash in an art deco style. Those looking for a more traditional chandelier will find many in the same style as the ELK Lighting Minique Three Light Chandelier.

A floor lamp can be a comforting presence on those long November and December nights when the sun is long since set as you finish dinner. One look at the Kenroy Home Hemisphere Rust Floor Lamp will confirm there’s just as wide a variety of styles in floor lamps as there is for chandeliers. The array of hanging and pendant lighting is equally diverse and these accents can further any area’s visually distinctive character. Surely you agree this Quoizel Autumn Ridge Lantern would garner more than a few second glances as guests approach your home.

After December 21^st we can take some solace in the fact the days will start getting longer again, though most of us will still wake to night until mid-February. It’s an inevitability of the passing seasons that, although we grow accustomed to it, is never really agreeable as we have precious little daylight at our disposal. Stylish and practical lighting options help in making the long wait for spring that much more bearable.

The Fine Art of Arranging Bedroom Furniture

One of the cable stations in my area offers a triple flicks movie night. I park myself in front of my entertainment center armed with munchies, an afghan and a hot or cold beverage (depending on how chilly the day’s been) and don’t move until I need something, and then I only get up in the commercials. At the risk of being politically incorrect, it’s chick flick heaven and it’s my own delicious secret Saturday night guilty pleasure. I’ve never shared this secret with anyone before, until one day after work I took the elevator down to the lobby with a co-worker who made a reference to one of the triple flicks that had aired the previous weekend.

I only admitted to watching the triple flicks movie night on a regular basis because there was no one else in the elevator. When I mentioned that I occasionally would do minor household chores in the commercials, my co-worker reacted vehemently to such a sacrilege. She then confessed to rearranging her bedroom furniture to accommodate her movie night picnic with watching television (for a six hour stretch) in ultimate comfort and without having (literally) to move a muscle.

She put her extra television on a corner TV stand, places the phone on her nightstand and loads up an accent table (brought into the bedroom from the living room for this express purpose) with provisions until it’s time to pick up the phone to order take-out (for delivery, of course). Unlike me, she doesn’t attempt to assuage her guilt with the occasional bout of housework. Her platform bed has been suitably plied with pillows. And there she sits, propped up for a three-movie marathon, in decadent repose.

To my co-worker, I expressed my deep admiration of her skill and expertise. Silently, I officially declared myself as a triple flicks movie watcher amateur. I resolve to do better by buying (immediately) a TV armoire, a cordless phone and extra, extra pillows.

Father Time

Making a grandfather clock and its powerful character a part of your home has never been easier now that you can visit www.grandfatherclockselect.com with the convenience of online shopping. Depending on your tastes, you will either be pleased to find a large selection of traditional grandfather clocks, contemporary grandfather clocks and even some modern grandfather clocks. Whichever style is most to your liking, you can be sure that the chime of each hour and the notes that announce noon each day will be a source of charm as they ring through the home. Before jumping over there, take a moment to ponder the following prophetic adage:

“Time waits for no man.”

We’ve all heard it before, and as much as it rings true for all of us – are we to interpret that ole Father Time is more accommodating of women? Is there a function on that hourglass that pauses the shifting sands for the fairer sex?

We live in a modern world where being PC dictates gender exclusivity in general terms is not as welcome as it once was. There are many examples of gender-specific references in a host of old proverbs, however, that are so very old and entrenched that none are inclined to question them. “Father” Time and “Mother” Nature are arguably two of the most prominent of them, and they are an interesting example as apparently they were mythological husband and wife.

I can understand the inference – the giving and benevolent mother with the more stern and realist father always reminding you you’re not getting any younger and “Carpe Diem.” Perhaps it was the law of opposites attract that led to their union. Some suggest the old man moonlighted as the Grim Reaper, calling on those for whom the entirety of sand had come to rest in the bottom of the glass. In fact, many ancient and some more recent images of Father Time show him with the scythe that is the Reaper’s trademark.

Perhaps it’s from this unanimity of perspective that no one has ever taken issue with grandfather clock not having a better half, as it would be a legitimate and challenging question for an inquisitive child to pose to his or her parents. Maybe each and every one of them is inherently a widower. Surmise what you will, but it’s a fact that no timepiece has the same weight of character as a grandfather clock They have a presence about them that suggests both refined living and a permanence that has come to understand that the minutes will always become hours, just as the hours become days.

This presence is most commonly deemed to be best suited to an entryway or living area. Other options abound – a grandfather clock standing alone at the end of a hallway makes a classically emphatic statement, for example. No matter where it may be located, a grandfather clock has elements to it that no other timepiece can match. Combine this with the fact that, as mentioned, grandfather clocks are manufactured in an increasing array of design styles and there’s all the more reason to consider adding one to your home.

Home Furnishings as Comforting as Food

Fall officially arrived in the third week of September. But it wasn’t until one day last week, when the temperature dipped and the wind picked up enough to blow most of the leaves off the trees, I made a beeline for the kitchen and my mother’s stew with dumplings recipe. This past weekend, I shopped for a big boned roast, so I could make soup. Yes, with the first little hint of what winter will bring, I’m reaching for those comfort foods that I know will keep the chills away.

But what if furniture from Cymax Stores could do the same thing as a hearty bowl of homemade soup or your favorite casserole?

While we’re waiting for dinner to cook, let’s sip a nice glass of full-bodied wine. Ornately appointed and sumptuous, the American Drew Bordeaux Upholstered Back Arm Chair is unabashedly traditional. Carved arms, classic decorative motifs and a medium dark wood finish make this occasional chair worth tasting.

Bordeaux not to your liking? Let me pour you a glass of Cabernet 2-Piece Armoire by Accent Furniture instead. Featuring door fronts with recessed oval panels and classic bail hardware, this armoire has plenty of room for everything you need to safely store away. Transitional, but with traditional decorative elements like crown molding, this armoire has plenty of style, too.

For the main course, there is Beef Tenderloin in a Grand Marnier Sauce or a Stanley Furniture Louis Louis Marble Top Cherry Night Stand in Grande Marnier Finish. Full bodied and versatile, the textured marble top creates visual interest. The roomy drawers provide convenient storage solutions.

No meal is complete without dessert. The South Shore Furniture Back Bay Dark Chocolate Platform Bed is rich and delectable with its smooth, yummy finish. The lines are soothing and have a distinctly modern appeal.

Let’s finish off the evening meal with the Alphaville Redondo Arm Chair in Espresso. The sensuous lines of the back and arms lend this club-style chair a comfortable and inviting appearance. A great place to relax while sipping a cup of coffee, it would look great parked in front of a fire. That would certainly be the perfect remedy to a cold winter day.

Swordsman’s Resolve

Montricher’s scabbard clattered off the wet cobblestones as he lost his balance rounding the corner at full speed. The calamity of merchants and citizens being bowled over and their startled cries were all he needed to know the palace guards were hot on his tail.

Fortune smiled on him as a trolley of potatoes toppled over ahead and he nimbly swift-stepped over the rolling spuds before his pursuers were thwarted by the throng of poor folk who flooded into the street to snatch one or two before order was restored.

Ahead he saw yet another group of anxiously swivel-headed guards and he quickly cut down an alleyway, narrowly avoiding a fall of waste water that splashed his tall boots with all manner of filth. The end of the squalor lane led to much of the same – a busy rue increasingly thick with guards clearly on the lookout for someone and something. That someone, obviously, was Montricher himself, but of greater concern to them, and their sergeant-at-arms most particularly, was the silver pendant resting in his breast pocket atop his heaving chest.

He removed his plumed hat, and steeled himself to the rotten burlap sack that he wrapped over his tunic and the equally fetid mud he smeared across his face to disguise himself as one of the innumerable poor souls that shuffled through the streets of Havertreille. His father had wanted him to follow in his cooper’s footsteps but he had an exceptional skill for sword fighting and was drawn to the allure of defending the monarchy.

Luck again seemed to be on his side as he reached the steps of the honorable J.F. D’Ormonde’s residence without further incident. The respected magistrate and trusted long-time confidante was the only one he could trust to clear his name and prove that the pendant incriminated the sergeant in the kidnapping of Mademoiselle Descoteaux. Repeated knocks went unanswered, and the commotion that moved up the lane left him no choice. He picked the lock with ease in no time at all, as the King’s Elite Guard were equally well-trained in the illicit arts as well.

He removed his soiled boots and took care not to drip any blood onto the hall carpet as he made his way into the judge’s study. He took a seat at D’Ormonde’s writing desk, a beautiful crescent-shaped piece with marquetry inlays, a scalloped apron and long cabriole legs that fittingly had all the trappings of the intellectual elite. The good judge would sit at his Powell Masterpiece Hunt Desk and put his thoughts to paper with a quill pen and glass of fine cognac, and Montricher remembered this image fondly from his youth when the judge had taken him under his wing after his father’s passing. He had hoped he might have the same good fortune to be able to decorate a den of his own in a similar style with a visit to WritingDeskSelect.com , but it seemed such a life would never be his.

A series of impatient knocks at the door made it known time was of the essence. Montricher removed one of his custom-monogrammed black swordsman’s gloves, a gift from the magistrate years earlier, and dropped the pendant into it. A violent crash and the accompanying stampede of boots meant he had but seconds to spare. Even the old judge had vices, and Montricher quickly opened the baseboard in the floor in which D’Ormonde hid his opium and dropped the glove into it before re-concealing the spot.

He unsheathed his rapier in anticipation of their arrival and smiled to himself knowing they’d prefer to take him alive. Either way would have been fine, but as they escorted him from the building he saw the good judge standing in the crowd and winked at him with an all-knowing confidence.

It was only a matter of time, and pain was a temporary sensation.