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MONTAGE AND ARCLINEA ANNOUNCE DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
Winner, runners-up to receive cash prizes for contemporary designs Entry form
and details at www.montagearclineascholarship.com

BOSTON [May 23, 2006] — Montage, Boston’s leading contemporary furniture retailer, and Arclinea Boston, the award-wining Italian kitchen design firm, have partnered to establish the Montage/Arclinea Contemporary Design Scholarship Competition. Students studying architecture or design at New England-based schools are eligible, and first, second, and third prizes of $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000 respectively will be awarded. Entry forms and details can be found at www.montagearclineascholarship.com.

Entrants will be asked to design a contemporary kitchen/living area within the traditional, historic architecture of Boston and its suburbs. Students will be encouraged to incorporate the philosophy presented by Italian architect Antonio Citterio’s kitchen designs for Arclinea and his furniture designs for B&B Italia, offered at the Montage showroom.

“Citterio has a strong point of view, and it’s one that can be applied to every facet of our home lives,” says Montage co-owner Chris Bates “His presentation is elegant, and his materials exquisite, but the driving force behind every design, whether it’s a sofa or a kitchen, is always functionality. How does the product help improve the quality of our lives?”

“Citterio’s designs break down walls,” adds Arclinea Boson president Philip Guarino. “For example, the Convivium, his flagship Arclinea kitchen concept, promotes the idea of conviviality. We hope that students will incorporate that sense of enjoyment and togetherness into their own designs.”

Arclinea Boston and Montage, neighbors in Boston’s Design District, are each recognized nationally for their innovative design concepts and product, and work regularly with area architects and interior designers to create innovative contemporary design solutions.

Mr. Bates hopes that the scholarship competition will help promote the understanding that contemporary design and traditional architecture can work well together.

“With this competition, we’re celebrating dynamic thinking that respects the past but welcomes modern innovation,” he says.

Entries are due by Friday, July 21, and will be reviewed by a judging panel featuring Boston area architects and designers specializing in innovative contemporary design. Entries will be displayed in the Montage and Arclinea Boston showrooms, and winners will be announced in August.

Montage is Boston’s premier contemporary home furnishings showroom.  Founded in 1959 by Howell A. Bates, the showroom, at 75 Arlington Street in Boston’s Design District, is owned by Chris Bates and Liz Bates.  Montage has been named “Best in Contemporary Furniture” by Improper Bostonian, “Best Contemporary Furniture” by Boston Magazine, and “Best Furniture Store” by Boston Tab.

For more information about Montage, please call 617/451-9400 or visit the Montage web site, www.montageweb.com.  Montage: Lifestyle Less Ordinary.

Arclinea Boston is the first flagship showroom in the United States for Arclinea—an industry leader in the manufacturing of luxury, contemporary kitchens, designed and coordinated by the acclaimed Italian architect Antonio Citterio. Arclinea kitchens are differentiated by their innovative design, creative technology and exquisite materials. The Boston showroom showcases examples of the entire Arclinea Collection, and offers consumers a full-service, turnkey solution to their kitchen design process.

For further details, please contact Arclinea Boston by e-mail at info@arclineaboston.com or by phone at (617) 357-9777.