Furniture Consignment Gallery Blog

Every day, when the doors open at Furniture Consignment Gallery, it's showtime!

Our staff works hard all year long to find and showcase the finest pre-owned furniture in New England. Our delivery teams navigate the highways and byways of our region, from bustling city streets to rutted dirt roads, picking up and delivering the goods. Unfailingly polite and considerate, they make sure your furniture is handled with the care it deserves.   

Then, our talented store designers take center stage. They create amazing furniture displays that highlight the extraordinary pieces in our showrooms. And they work with each and every customer to help them find just the right piece for just the right place in their homes.  

This was a particularly big year for FCG. We opened a vast new showroom in Natick, MA. We closed a small store in Chestnut Hill. We added warehouse space and streamlined operations to accommodate a company-wide growth spurt. 

Throughout it all, our seasoned staffers and new employees have given their all to their jobs. Together, they welcomed the challenges and embraced new ways of doing business. One and all, they worked as a team.

Diana and I are grateful for their time, talent and dedication to the mission of FCG. We believe we have the good fortune to work with the best people in the industry from our delivery teams to our web photographers, our salespeople and our store managers.

So we want to wish them and their families a wonderful holiday season. As the curtain goes down on 2016, let's roll the credits:

Delivery: Matt A., Matt G., Rob W., Dana D., Christian B., Andrew S., Nick G, Cade F.

Marketing: Donnie C., Alyssa O'., Amanda B.,

Sales Associates: Marsha, Carole, Karyn, Carolyn, Jill, Diane, Drew, Ron, Mike

Store Managers:  Ellen, Brad, Brian

Accounting:  Gloria

And I'd like to add one final note: we lost a wonderful employee this month, Gina Gatter, Assistant Manager of our store in Natick. She was not only a tremendous talent but also a friend. Our hearts pour out to her family this season. She was loved and appreciated. We, at FCG, will miss her

Holiday Hours:  Christmas Eve 10-2, Chrstmas Day Closed, Monday December 26th 12-6, T-F 10-6. New Year's Eve 10-4, New Years Day 12-5.

Russia is terrorizing the nation with its cyber-hacking. Well, I say bah humbug. Those Russian spies are amateurs compared to the tech-savvy sleuths in my household.

With only one week left until Christmas, our three boys have launched a full-scale CPI. Decoded, that means Christmas Present Investigation. They've hacked into our Amazon account to check for purchases. They've scanned our email for shipment notifications.

They've assembled all the necessary tools for gift inspection without detection: latex gloves (no fingerprints), tweezers for peeling back tape, magnifying glasses to peer through gift wrap, glue to re-attach frayed paper. They may even have secretly affixed GPS trackers to the UPS delivery trucks. I wouldn't put it past them.     

The boys' campaign comes after weeks of relentless lobbying for gifts that would bankrupt the household. Gone are the days of asking for simple things like balls, bats and board games under the tree. Our three boys, ages 8, 14 and 16, are into big-ticket items now.

Their wish list is all electronic: drones, exotic gaming systems, remote-control gizmos, and battery-powered hoverboards. If fulfilled, we'd have so much lithium under the tree we'd be at risk of blowing up the house and maybe even the neighborhood.

In earlier years, Diana and I had our own covert tactics to try to outwit the masterminds of the CPI. We used to stash the presents at the store to avoid detection. But now that the boys are old enough to work in the family business, we've lost our secret hiding place.

So, boys, we give up. You win. We can't combat your superior spying skills anymore. We surrender. You want gifts? Talk to the jolly old man at the North Pole.

So you better watch out. You better not pout. You better not cry, I'm telling you why. You better start believing in Santa Claus again. He's the only one I know who's capable of beating you at the espionage game.

Snowflakes as big as parasols in Plymouth? A convoy of tiny toy trucks – hand-painted with the company logo – winding their way through a forest of miniature furniture ornaments in Natick? A lavishly beribboned blue-and-white tree in Hanover?

'Tis the season for competitive holiday decorating. Once again, our three stores are battling fiercely for the title of Best Decorated Christmas Tree at FCG. Who determines the winner? You, our customers. Your votes determine which tree is the most spectacular of all.

What's at stake? Staffers at the winning store get a catered holiday lunch, compliments of the boss. Believe me, though, it isn't a plateful of holiday ham that's stirring up such a competitive frenzy. Far more important to our decorators is the honor of the title – those bragging rights last a full year – and knowing that they've dazzled you with their efforts.

Competitive tree decorating is a four-year tradition at FCG. Winners in earlier years chose creative themes that stole the show with over-the-top cleverness. Remember the Old Glory Tree, festooned in tiny American flags and red, white and blue ribbons? The Nautical Tree? The Gumdrop Tree?

Like all heated contests, this one has had some high jinks. One year, Plymouth's manager undertook an undercover mission to spy on Hanover. His twin brother is manager of that store, so the contest had an element of extreme sibling rivalry. The spy's defense? All's fair in love, war and competitive decorating.

You've got two weeks to cast your vote in person, by email or on our Facebook page. But I recommend you make it your mission to visit FCG before the deadline, Dec. 17. While you're there, you might just find something perfect to put under your tree. Our stores are jammed with gifts and accessories for every taste: stunning prints, elegant lamps, fun pillows, giant chessboards, rustic cutting boards, and all sorts of fun accessories.

And if we find you frozen in awe in front of our magnificent trees, don't worry. We'll shake you out of your trance and send you home in time for the holidays.

Cast your vote here!

Holiday cheer? For many of us, December kicks off a marathon of holiday stress.

Just look at the family calendar. First week: the Christmas bazaar. (Crafts galore! Who doesn't want another crocheted toilet-roll cover for the bathroom?) The company holiday party. (Excellent source of hilarious stories about co-workers for months.) The neighborhood holiday party. (Husband: "Are those real?" Wife, eyes rolling: "Are you kidding?")

Then, there's the Christmas play, followed a week later by the school's holiday concert. (CIA, take note. No torture is as grueling as listening to a middle-school band or orchestra grinding out a Christmas carol that sounds vaguely like "Proud Mary.")

Amidst all this forced jollity, we still have to find time to buy and wrap gifts. Overwhelmed? FCG can help.

For the man in your life, an Ekornes recliner and matching ottoman in black leather – just in time for some serious television viewing in January. That's in our showroom in Hanover. For someone who loves fine craftsmanship and classic handmade furniture, FCG has a large selection of pieces by Eldred Wheeler.

Something fun for the free-spirited decorator? We've got purple velvet salon chairs in Hanover, perfect for a louche pre-theatre cocktail party. And, just in time for the holidays, all our stores have an abundant selection of new framed prints, accessories and lamps – gifts so striking that you won't even want to wrap them. Just affix a bow and you're done.

So don't fret. Make FCG your first stop this weekend. Then, back to the to-do list: make rum cake. Eat rum cake. Make more rum cake.

What's the definition of a great day at FCG?

Answer: Ringing up a sale wrapped in a love story.

Last week, we met a couple who'd driven six hours from Baltimore to our store in Plymouth. They'd found a Bob Timberlake cherry dresser on our website and decided to take an impromptu road trip to check it out. This was their hobby: furniture treasure-hunting around the U.S.    

The Timberlake dresser was well worth the trip, they decided. As we wrapped the piece for the drive back to Baltimore, he regaled us with the story of their late-in-life romance.

"I married my cousin," he announced. Seeing our startled looks, his wife blushed and quickly jumped in to explain. "Actually, we're cousins by marriage."

The two had met at a family reunion a few years ago. In talking, they realized they had played together as children at an aunt's house on Chesapeake Bay – four decades earlier. "People change after forty years," he told us, wrapping an arm around her. "But her eyes ... they were just the same."

He'd been in the Navy and was in recovery from the bottle. She'd spent her career teaching middle-school math. I mentioned that we had a son in eighth grade. "Eighth-grade boys," she said, nodding her head in sympathy. "I don't miss them."

Now retired from their careers, they plan impromptu treasure-hunting trips. By day, they scour antique shops and consignment stores to find furniture bargains for their home. By night, they look for an "open mike" at clubs and bars. He backs her up when she sings; she does the same for him.

The Timberlake dresser was a particularly meaningful find for the couple. Bob Timberlake, an artist and designer of home furnishings, has been a major force in the furniture industry for twenty-five years. In particular, he's known for his insistence on furniture that's made in America. That meant a lot to this couple.  

Sometimes, you have to travel quite a distance to find your treasure. For this couple, it was a forty-year journey to find a long-lost love. We're glad they shared their story with us, and let us share it with you.

This holiday season, we invite you to do your own treasure-hunting at FCG. And if you've got a special love story to share, we're all ears.

So you're squinting at the guest list and wondering where on earth are you going to seat your mother-in-law's third husband? Outside on the porch? No, sigh, he's family now, as horrifying at that may be.

FCG can help.

First, we can validate your feelings. ("What was she thinking?") Then, more importantly, we can solve your seating problems quickly – and at at a bargain price.

Do you need a larger dining room set, say, one that seats 12? We've got a large selection that range from country to traditional to transitional in all three showrooms in Hanover, Plymouth and Natick. Living room looking a little shabby? In Natick, we have a new living room set with beautiful linen slipcovers, made by Lee Industries.

How about a Eldred Wheeler Queen Anne dining table with eight chairs? New, this set sells for over $11,000. FCG's Hanover store has it in the showroom. Price: $6,999. We also have an Eldred Wheeler Collector's Edition bonnet-top secretary. Buy it new as well for $11,000 – or at FCG for $6,999. If you're a fan of Eldred Wheeler, FCG has lots of its other popular items in stock, as well.

Need delivery? Bring your own crew – put those surly teens to work! –  and you will have your new furniture in your home the day you buy it. Or you can schedule in-home delivery through FCG. Our schedule still has a few openings next week if you need your furniture before Thanksgiving.

FCG has got you covered when it comes to getting your home ready for the holidays. Finding the tofurkey for the vegans? Sorry. That's all on you.

"I need your help," she said, wearily.

Her story tumbled out in a rush. Her husband, a corporate executive, was transferred to Boston. In a few frenzied weeks, she sold their home in Chicago, bought a new one in Wellesley, enrolled the children in school, signed them up for sports and joined the PTA.

She was jubilant – but exhausted – at having managed a successful move.

Then, the in-laws called.

Boston for Thanksgiving, they exclaimed what a wonderful idea! Pilgrims, cranberry bogs, tricorn hats! They invited themselves for a week.

She plunged into an instant panic. The furniture from their home in Chicago hadn't fit the new home in Wellesley. She didn't have a dining-room set – or even a furnished guest room. And ordering new furniture from a store wasn't an option: she'd have to wait six to twelve weeks for delivery.

Hearing the story, a kindly neighbor sent her to FCG. And we whipped into action. First item of business: a dining room set. Formal mahogany? Distressed country chic? We had it all in our showroom.

She was nothing if not decisive. In short order, she found the perfect set: a formal banded mahogany table with two leaves that would seat as many as ten, comfortably. The set had matching chairs in perfect condition.

Instant Thanksgiving! Pass the potatoes, Grandma! (Tipsy uncles and wacky cousins not included.)

Then, we got to work on the guest room. First, a queen-size bed with headboard, two bedside tables, a chest of drawers, and a new mattress.  Next, she discovered a cozy upholstered chair, a side table and a floor lamp for the room's small sitting area.

Last items of business: the bill and delivery. That's when she really got emotional. "It's everything I wanted at a fraction of the price I would have paid for new," she said. And, best of all, FCG agreed to deliver next week. That leaves her plenty of time to make the pie.

So if you're facing an unexpected onslaught of friends or family, don't despair. FCG has your back. Stop by one of our three showrooms to see our amazing selection of furniture. Sorry, we can't provide the Pilgrims. 

Guess who's coming for Thanksgiving?

Hint: he's got a big heart, a big laugh, a big voice, and a big appetite.

Yes, it's Uncle Mike from Harrodsburg, Kentucky, population 8,340. (A mountain of a man with a personality to match, he might have counted for two in the census.)

My side, the Fruccis, are all Boston Irish and Italian. Diana's family hails from west of the Appalachians. Uncle Mike is a limb grafted on the family tree. He's Diana's mother's twin sister's second husband.

Thanksgiving is about family with all their quirks and foibles. But I'm learning how to cope. Uncle Mike won't be saying grace this year. Last time, he infamously improvised a meandering blessing in his honeyed accent that lasted till just about Christmas. While we adults had our heads bowed, the kids furtively picked the turkey carcass clean. No fair!     

Uncle Mike also happens to be a furniture connoisseur and a bargain-hunter, to boot. He just can't pass up a good deal. So while he says he's coming for the Big Feast, I suspect he's really here to loot our three stores of the finest items in inventory.

The tip-off? He's driving his pick-up truck to Boston. That's 1,000 miles and 15 hours at the wheel. I suspect we'll be loading a lot of furniture in the back for the trip home.    

FCG employees at all three stores have been alerted to expect him. We've even declared an Uncle Mike Watch. Which won't be too much of a challenge since you can't miss the guy. He'll be the one swiping that steal of a sectional right from underneath you.    

So if you're fretting about how to entertain your out-of-town guests, here's an idea. Bring them to Furniture Consignment Gallery after Thanksgiving. Let them test their mettle against Uncle Mike. Warning: if you do find an amazing piece of furniture, you might just have to wrestle him for it. May the best bargain-hunter win!

My oldest son passed the driver's test last week. Giddy with his newfound freedom, he's been jumping at any excuse to get behind the wheel of the family car. Pizza pick-up? No problem. Need milk? He's on it. He's like a puppy who leaped a fence into an open field and he's going to run around in circles until he keels over from exhaustion.  

A frenzy like that requires high-octane fuel. Especially for a high-school kid who's 6'2" and 235 pounds and still growing. On Day 2 of automotive mania, he discovered all the neighborhood mini-marts and fast-food joints. Result: he's been gorging on sugar and caffeine all week.

A driver's license is the first of many intoxicating freedoms for our son. Soon, there will be college, then a first apartment, then a job and a paycheck. Along the way, he'll encounter lots of choices and he'll be responsible for some pretty big decisions.

Managing those transitions can be challenging for a kid. That's why Diana and I had to step in and help our son cool his jets a bit. So we sat down and had a talk with him about curbing the spending and the calorie intake.

New ventures and new directions can be thrilling – but also overwhelming. At FCG, we know that. High-end consignment service is our business. But, more importantly, we make it our mission to help you, our customers, with your life transitions.

Are you moving into a new home? Furnishing your child's first apartment? Downsizing? Don't pull out your credit card at some furniture mega-store to buy overpriced particleboard – or give all your furniture away to some grasping ne'er-do-well relative.

Cool your jets. Come to Furniture Consignment Gallery. We understand transitions and we'll help you make better choices.

Foodies started the concept of buying local years ago – and now it's catching on in other areas: fashion, art, crafts and even furniture.

At FCG, we're proud to support our local craftsmen and furniture-makers. Here in New England, we have some of the finest woodworkers in the nation. Their furniture pieces are solid wood, typically harvested from local and regional forests. This furniture is made in America, with diligence and pride.   

Consider some of the pieces we have in our showrooms this weekend.

Eldred Wheeler prides itself on making furniture in the same manner as the skilled cabinet-makers who flourished in 18^th century America. Using wide boards of cherry, maple and tiger maple, Eldred Wheeler hand-planes and scrapes the wood, then uses old-fashioned techniques to join, carve and finish.

Its furniture is typically very costly, but we have some amazing bargains on consignment. Among them is this tiger maple one-drawer nightstand: http://www.furnitureconsignment.com/product/39052-143982eldredwheelernightstand.php

D.R. Dimes and Co. crafts museum-quality reproduction American furniture. The company takes pride in being not only in the furniture business but also in "the history business." Working with tiger maple, oak, cherry and pine, all its pieces are made at its workshop in New Hampshire.

This week, in our store in Natick, we have an exquisite oval dining table made of cherry: http://www.furnitureconsignment.com/product/38596-142261drdimescherrytable.php

Thos. Moser has won scores of awards for its furniture which is characterized by "simple, unadorned, graceful lines ... crafted for a long, useful life." Headquartered in Maine, which has a long history of wood craftsmanship, the company creates its pieces from black cherry and guarantees them for the lifetime of the original owner.

This week, we had a Thos. Moser king bed in our showroom in Natick. That piece sold quickly to an avid collector, but we're fortunate to get new pieces into our showrooms frequently. Watch our website for these stunning pieces. 

Our three stores, combined, offer nearly 40,000 square feet of showroom space, in which you'll find the finest collection of pre-owned furniture in the nation.  Stop in and we'll be glad to show you some of the treasures hand-crafted here in New England.