Sister Company!

Did you know we have siblings?

One of our sister companies, Berkshire Stone, recently received credit for crafting and supplying all the marble and stonework for David Scott Parker Architect's Georgian Revival Retreat in western Massachusetts, not far from The Source Collection's headquarters. For this project, the firm won a prestigious Palladio Award, 2010.

As featured in the July issue of Period Homes, Parker explains the significance of the marble and stonework project:

"Local marble from Berkshire Stone, LLC, of Winsted, CT, ties the pool house and ancillary structures together, and connects them to the main house. 'The existing house had a marble water table and marble sills, quarried locally when the house was built,' says Parker. 'We went to the quarry from which the home's marble had originally come and were able to engage the people there to provide matching stone for this complex: the balustrades, the parapet plinths, the quoining on the pool house and the loggia, and the columns and keystones – they are from the local source.'

All photos: Durston Saylor unless otherwise noted. Story in Period Homes

"David Scott Parker Architects of Southport, CT, added a new leisure retreat to a 27-acre property in western Massachusetts. The pool, pool house, cabana, terrace, tennis court and mechanical support systems are situated downhill from the Georgian Revival-style main house, capitalizing on the site’s steep grade and expansive views."

"Changing rooms for the nearby tennis court are discreetly accommodated beneath the semi-circular exedra."

"The loggia serves as a pool cabana and a venue for formal entertaining and dining; its proportions recall the Georgian Revival-style main house."

"Forged-iron gates provide code-required perimeter pool enclosure. Marble for the columns, balusters and quoining was quarried from the original local source used for the 1908 residence."

"The pool house features pieces from the owner’s collections of art and sculpture. Pictured is an 18th-century limestone mantelpiece."

"The changing room rotunda contains a discreet folly, which houses a 17th-century marble statue of Minerva. A pool surrounding the statue collects rainwater."

"By utilizing the change in grade, the firm was able to regulate the mass and scale of the pool complex. The result respects the main house and its main axis, which terminates at the pool-house fireplace." Photo: Steve Turner


We're so proud!

What will they create next? ~ERB

Green Initiative, cont'd!

CL&P helped us replace our old lights in our warehouse, office and WCs with new, more efficient bulbs, reflectors and ballasts.

They contracted New England Energy Management, Inc. to handle the removal and install of all the lights. They were great!

For each light - four bulbs and their ballasts were removed...

A reflector was installed, along with new ballasts...

And where four bulbs were located...now there are only two!

We expect to see savings of at least 50% on our energy bill, and we love the positive effect on the environment. CL&P implemented this program to lessen businesses like ours straining the power grid - it's a win-win!

Here are some before and after shots of our warehouse:

Before

After! We noticed the warehouse is a lot brighter...although it is not so obvious from these pics!

Our WCs were fitted with sensors, so the light will turn off and on upon entrance and exit. (I still can't seem to grasp this and when I reach for the light I am surprised - every time!)

(Hey look, our catalog storyboard and a Regency Library Globe is in the background!)

As part of the plan, our old bulbs were recycled, and these new bulbs have a low mercury content - we like this!!

We are excited about this latest small step to become an even "greener" small business. Stay tuned for more green initiatives. Think Global ~ Act Local! ~ERB