Paris on the Prairie Preview by Bowen Enterprises

No. 14

winter 2011

$12.99

The CHICAGO ISSUE

Paris on the Prairie Kadlec Design exemplifies Chicago style in a citified, charming urban oasis HIGH-Minded Pappageorge Haymes changes the perspective / seaside estates Accolade shows Miami clients the ropes

on the rise

Popular trends and rising stars in the luxury-home market

TURN THE TABLES The 3:1 Table is a deconstructed cube that functions as a table or three objects. The Helic Table (right) creates unique spaces depending on its rotation.

Chicago method TJ Okeefe Furniture maker TJ O’Keefe is a lover of all things orderly. This designer presents unique, geometry-inspired tables, chairs and objects, which are distilled down to their most basic. “Everything I do is very precise,” says O’Keefe. “I think the simplest forms are the most beautiful and compelling, and I try to do the most with the least.” O’Keefe began creating his own furniture two years ago, and has found Chicago to be a city supportive of his trade. Looking close to home first, he uses only local craftsmen to manufacture his goods, and credits the Chicago furniture showroom Haute Living for being the first to sell his wares. Next up for O’Keefe is a new line of lighting and international exposure, as he reveals new pieces at the Qubique furniture tradeshow in Berlin, Germany. This methodical designer with an eye for detail is one to keep watching. –Saundra Marcel

tjokeefe.com

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

on the rise

Chicago woodwork With these exemplary pieces from local designers, handcrafted furniture guarantees quality.

Bella CHAIR Deirdre Jordan and Bob Robinson, founders of Troscan Design, adhere strictly to the design principles of quality and relevance. Meticulous craftsmanship insures each piece will stand the test of time, not simply the moment’s trends. The versatile Bella chair blends seamlessly with modern or antique dining pieces. It is available in oak or walnut hardwood with aniline dyed leather upholstery in four color choices. –Lauryn Alison Lewis

troscandesign.com

Jason Lewis FURNITURE Though decidedly contemporary, mid-century modern warmth and timelessness are central features of the pieces fabricated at Jason Lewis Furniture by its founder, Jason Lewis. Close inspection of joinery and rich, artful woodgrains reveal Lewis’s commitment to Shaker traditional craftsmanship. Constructed of black walnut, the tandem CO1 bench will survive the rigors of everyday use with grace and understated beauty. –Lauryn Alison Lewis

jasonlewisfurniture.com

Photo of bella chair by: Jim Warych

DAN SULLIVAN The Franklin Series side table is unusual and captivating. Dan Sullivan, founder of Navillus WoodWorks in Chicago, envisioned the table with nine sides and patented the eye-catching, bifurcated leg design; a signature of every piece in the collection. Sullivan gleans influence from the contemporary and mid-century modern aesthetics, as well as the vibrant wilderness of Maine, where he was raised. –Lauryn Alison Lewis

dscdesign-build.com

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

on the rise

design platform Felicia Ferrone, ON SPACE, 2010

VOLUME GALLERY In less than two years since it opened, Volume Gallery has presented four major design collections. Business partners Sam Vinz and Claire Warner believed that contemporary American design had been underappreciated and underrated, and so launched Volume Gallery to fill the void. “We wanted to give cutting-edge designers an opportunity to produce work,” says Vinz. “There are enough talented American designers to compete with European designers, but there was just no place for them to do it. We thought we could provide that platform.” Without a permanent physical space, the gallery, in fact, is not actually a gallery at all. The duo operates traveling exhibitions, which have taken place in various spaces in the Chicago area. The benefit of not being locked into one location is the flexibility of selecting environments for each event which best showcases the design work. –Saundra Marcel

Jonathan Muecke, OPEN OBJECTS, 2011

wvvolumes.com

light theory PHOTOS of volume gallery: Sam Macon; Portrait by: Dru Donovan

PERMUTATIONS Permutations, designed by Studio BA’s Brian Anderson, is a batchproduced series of configurable pendant and floor luminaires tailored for compact fluorescent bulbs. Each luminaire is composed of a spacer and two thermoformed shells of performance acrylic. Anderson, who has MFAs in writing and design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, summarizes his approach as a hybrid of “the impulses of process engineering, sculptural approaches to materials, decisive responses to real world constraints of fabrication, and a painterly concern for color and composition.” Anderson is attracted to the problem of “ugly,” which is often reduced to the challenge of understanding how something unappealing in isolation, such as a color, can be transformed and activated in a larger system. –Jessica Kirby

studioba.com

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

Subscribe Online Get conencted to the custom home industry through Luxury Home Quarterly’s insider coverage. Discover a showcase of the industry’s most stunning projects. cutting-edge products, and real stories of trials and success from professionals like yourself.

LUXURY H O ME quarterly

FALL 2011

EBB & FLOW

Kohn Pedersen Fox Ass latest high rise concep ociates unveil their t in Greenwich Village

composing a maste rpiece

Ken Tate invokes classic

styles in the Stanford Hou

hot young thing

Rafael de Cárdenas’ moo

dy, film-inspired rooms

DALLAS DREAM TEAM

Mark Molthan & his Plati

Subscriptions are free to industry professionals.

num Series Homes

TRENDS

home furnishing concepts en vogue

complex geometry

1. “R-Table” by Rainer Mutsch; rainermutsch.net. 2. “Fragments of Stars” bench by Periphere; periphere.com. 3. “Crystaline” series by Hariri & Hariri for AF Supply; afnewyork.com. 4. “Split” pendant by Palette Industries; paletteindustries.com. 5. “Edrar” chair by Etienne Hotte; etiennehotte.com. 6. “Arctic Rock” dressoir by Jasper van Grootel for JSPR; jspr.eu. 7. “Rocking Chair” by Rainer Mutsch for Sixinch; sixinch.be. 8. “Small block” by Jasper van Grootel for JSPR; jspr.eu.

7 18

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

photo of rocking chair: Luc Romaine; photo of r-table: studio rainer mutsch;

multi-faced forms on the cutting edge

specializing in home & condo renovations. jcbconstructiongroup.com

239-398-4320 Miami, fl naples, fl

beginning with a foundation of trust.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

trends

Technicolor dreamscape 8

1. “Framed” installation by Stuart Haygarth at the V&A museum for London Design Week 2010; stuarthaygarth.com. 2. “Accidental” carpet by Tejo Remy for Droog; droog.com. 3. “Colour Plaid 02” by Scholten & Baijings; scholtenbaijings.com. 4. “Pink Pleats” by Angharad McLaren Textiles; angharadmcLaren.co.uk. 5. “Neon Rippled Pleats” by Angharad McLaren Textiles; angharadmcLaren.co.uk. 6. “Neon Green Jacquard Shibori Pleats” by Angharad McLaren Textiles. 7. “Virgola” covered in geometric jacquard Mogle with sides in red knitted Trevira Mana by Missoni; missonihome.com. 8. “Acid Palm” wallpaper by Jonathan Adler; jonathanadler.com.

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

photo of accidental carpet by Tejo Remy; colour plaid 02 by INGA POWILLEIT

vibrant-hued textiles recall free-spirted frame of mind

The Downsview cabinetry collection is custom crafted in North America and available exclusively through select kitchen design showrooms SCOTTSDALE Downsview of Scottsdale

AZ (480) 563-2577

CHICAGO (Highland Park) IL nuHaus (847) 831-1330

CHARLESTON SC Downsview of Charleston (855) 473-4300

BEVERLY HILLS CA Kitchen Studio Los Angeles (310) 858-1008

INDIANAPOLIS Kitchens by Design

IN (317) 815-8880

DALLAS TX Redstone Kitchens & Baths (214) 368-5151

COSTA MESA Kitchen Spaces

NEW ORLEANS (Harahan) LA Classic Cupboards Inc. (504) 734-9088

SAN ANTONIO/AUSTIN TX Palmer Todd, Inc. (866) 341-3396

SAN DIEGO (Del Mar) CA Folio Design (858) 350-5995

BOSTON Dalia Kitchen Design

WASHINGTON D.C. (Herndon) VA Design Solutions, Inc. (703) 834-6121

MONTEREY (Seaside) CA Kitchen Studio of Monterey (831) 899-3303

WASHINGTON D.C. (Bethesda) MD Stuart Kitchens (240) 223-0875

SAN FRANCISCO (Bay Area) CA Atherton Kitchens (650) 369-1794

BLOOMFIELD HILLS Kitchen Studio

MI (248) 332-5700

DENVER/VAIL CO Wm Ohs Showrooms, Inc. (303) 321-3232

MINNEAPOLIS North Star Kitchens, LLC

MN (612) 375-9533

NEW CANAAN Kitchens By Deane

CT (203) 972-8836

CHARLOTTE Downsview of Charlotte

NC (855) 473-4300

STAMFORD Kitchens By Deane

CT (203) 327-7008

MORRISTOWN NJ Leonardis Kitchen Interiors (973) 829-7112

CA (714) 545-0417

MA (617) 482-2566

CALGARY Empire Kitchen & Bath

Visit our website: www.downsviewkitchens.com

CANADA AB (403) 252-2458

VANCOUVER BC Living Environments Design (604) 685-5823 KITCHENER Kitchen Concepts

ON (519) 894-4020

OTTAWA Astro Design Centre

ON (613) 749-1902

TORONTO Downsview Kitchens

ON (416) 481-5101

TORONTO Yorkville Design Centre

ON (416) 922-6620

MONTREAL Cuisines Multiform

PQ (514) 483-1800

MIAMI (Dania at DCOTA) FL Downsview Kitchens (954) 927-1100

LAS VEGAS Ébéniste, Inc.

NV (702) 368-2280

PALM BEACH (Juno Beach) FL Downsview Kitchens (561) 799-7700

MANHASSET The Breakfast Room, Ltd

NY (516) 365-8500

NAPLES Elite Cabinetry

FL (239) 262-1144

NEW YORK Euro Concepts, Ltd

NY (212) 688-9300

ATLANTA Design Galleria

GA (404) 261-0111

CLEVELAND (Willoughby Hills) OH Faralli’s Kitchen & Bath (440) 944-4499

BAHAMAS Nassau Showroom

CARIBBEAN BS (242) 377-0004

HONOLULU Details International

HI (808) 521-7424

PHILADELPHIA PA Joanne Hudson Associates (215) 568-5501

SANTO DOMINGO Kitchen Design Studio

DR (809) 541-7707

DOWNSVIEW KITCHENS 2635 Rena Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4T 1G6 Telephone (905) 677-9354 Fax (905) 677-5776

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

acclaim

custom-home projects of note

WILTON POOLHOUSE

The entire pool area acts as a sunken courtyard extending from the house, paved in sumptuous Italian travertine. The boxy poolhouse itself is comprised of a living, dining and entertaining area on the inside, clad a with series of metal and glass panels that can be opened to the outside. These connections continue with an indoor/outdoor shower area festooned with green mosaic tiles, which shimmer along with the water outside. The main structural form is the roof, clad in Brazilian ipé wood, which forms the ceiling and then extends to the ground at a gentle angle, forming an awning and wall. The nautical material and form faintly recall a yacht as the building hovers at the pool’s edge. Interior wood floors extend outside to become a pool deck. On the south side of the structure, the ipé wall has a rectangular opening that looks out to a fire pit on the edge of the terrace. The fire pit, also made from travertine, sinks into the surrounding terrace so as to highlight the theatrical, inviting fire emanating from within, making it ideal for gatherings on cooler Connecticut summer nights. –brian libby

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

Credits Architect: Hariri & Hariri Design Team: Gisue Hariri Mojgan Hariri Markus Randler

Structural Engineering: Robert Silman & Associates, P.C.

general contractor: Willow Woodworking, John Larkin, Walter Giewat

surveyor: Ryan and Faulds, LLC

pool contractor: All American Pools

luxuryhomequarterly.com

Photos: PAUL WARHOL

Located in Wilton, Connecticut as part of a 3.5-acre property, the Wilton Poolhouse makes striking sculptural form out of what could have merely been utilitarian space. This is not a changing room where one goes before a swim. It creates the kind of space where one will linger, even without getting wet.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

accl aim

dune house

–teresa silva

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

Credits Architect: Pereira Miguel Arquitectos, Lda Structural Engineer: Eng. Ramos

Photos: fernando guerra + sergio guerra

An underground house rests nestled under a bed of sand in Comporta, Portugal. Casa Monte, also known as the Dune House, is situated between two hills and covered by artificial sand dunes, fusing the natural and built environments. The Dune House is a design experiment in blurring the lines of architecture and landscape, exuding a symbiotic relationship. Built in 2008 by Pereira Miguel Arquitectos, the Dune House’s signature rooftop is an undulating, subtle wave that offers a walkway for residents to interact with the architecture and experience new points of view of the property and scenery. A pristine outdoor pool is adjacent to the home and is a sharp contrast to its rugged elegance. Warm, retractable wooden doors conceal the building when shut but are also inviting when opened to reveal more surprising architectural details inside.

Project Engineer: Alçado Nascente, Soluções de Engenharia, Lda. Builder: Unidois – Construções e Equipamentos Lda.

luxuryhomequarterly.com

BOOKS

Industry expertise and inspiration

Julius Shulman: Chicago Midcentury Modernism

Reveal: Studio Gang Architects

of Chicago, Archive of Bertrand Goldberg, gifted by his children through his estate, RX23664/75.57

photo of sketch: Bertrand Goldberg, American (1913–1997). Marina City, Chicago, IL, 1985. Marker on trace. The Art Institute

Author: gary gand Visionary photographer Julius Shulman committed over seventy years to documenting historically significant architecture. In collaboration with his partner Juergen Nogai, Julius Shulman: Chicago Mid-Century Modernism is a visual preservation of mid-century residences in Chicago. The work of Keck & Keck, Harry Weese, Edward Dart and many more are celebrated within this stunning collection. Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., rizzoliusa.com.

Author: JEANNE GANG Diagrams, sketches and even old emails were collected by Jeanne Gang to create what has become, essentially, an intimate diary of architecture, detailing every explicit detail that went into generating the eight projects featured in this book. Gang tackles many of the greatest challenges facing modern society head on; climate change, urbanization, and technology. Reveal: Studio Gang Architects is a testament to the exhaustive efforts made by Gang’s team to create inspired and responsible designs which will carry us into the next century and beyond. Princeton Architectural Press, papress.com.

BERTRAND GOLDBERG ARCHITECTURE OF INVENTION Authors: Zoe Ryan, Alison Fisher, Elizabeth Smith and Sarah Whiting Throughout his 50-year career, Bertrand Goldberg expressed a passion for urbanism, and sought to tackle some of the most architecturally challenging issues of his time. In this fully illustrated catalogue, readers are offered a full spectrum of Bertrand’s work, including a rare, interior view of Chicago’s iconic Marina City apartments. Art Institute of Chicago, artinstituteofchicago.org.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

behind the lines

CUSTOM COLLECTIONS FOR LUXURY HOMES—AND THE designers BEHIND THEM

MEDITERRANEAN MODERNISM As part of Hayón’s Sé Collection II, the Beetley Sofa, Arpa Armchair, Time Piece Side Tables and Tambor Table exhibit a curvilinear shape that is inspired by musical instruments such as violins and harps, and insects such as beetles (se-london.com).

Jaime Hayón The Spanish artist-designer talks about hybridity and experimentation in his work Jaime Hayón’s work is a seamless blend of art and design. When asked if one discipline is his true passion, he says, “I consider myself a creator and in there, there is room for all other categories… Creativity is not a job, it’s a way of life.” Hayón studied Industrial Design at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Madrid. While there, he was awarded a grant to study abroad, and went to the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris shortly after Philippe Starck had been appointed as Principle Lecturer. Hayón considers his time studying industrial design as a time to not only hone his skills, but begin considering the multiple uses for his skills. He says, “There is no division between art and design for me. I am a storyteller. To be able to create a world of inspiration with something new and transmitting it is what I look for. I put my own style into ideas.” Hayónstudio was opened in 2000, with the intention of creating a space where there were no bound-

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

aries between art and design. Shortly after, Hayón decided to pursue projects full-time at his Barcelona studio, leaving his position at Fabrica. He sees his independence as a natural progression, “I don’t feel the term industrial designer is for me anymore. It’s a very tight definition. We are in the time of hybrids. I prefer to be called an artist working on design.” The diverse projects that Hayón is currently working on show his unique creative muse. In the recent past, he has launched the Showtime furniture collection for BD Barcelona Design, a cabinet and mirror for Pallucco Italia, the second volume of the Aqhayon bathroom line for ArtQuitect, the Funghi set of lamps for Metalarte, a line of shoes for Camper and a champagne bucket for Piper-Heidsieck. A softer side of modernist furniture, Hayón’s seven-piece living room set (shown above) emphasizes curvaceous, minimal design. The design also pays homage to Spanish modernist architect Antoni Gaudí’s organic-shaped buildings that take

cues from nature, particularly catenary curves. All pieces are part of Hayón’s Sé Collection II. The ArtQuitect bathroom line works to make the bathroom less clinical, to treat the typical fixtures and pieces as furniture. It has traces of Hayón’s Mediterranean Digital Baroque theme and Hayón says, “the new bath is, for me, an ode to glamour and luxury dedicated to those that enjoy this moment. It’s the ultimate bath experience: a bath you don’t want to come out of.” The line features accessories that encourage people to linger, such as an ashtray, a champagne container and a plant vase. Hayón’s personal touch fits in with what he sees as the future of design. “People are in need of things they feel are part of their personality and not just general, anonymous objects. There will be a strong comeback of the handmade objects, the craftsmanship and a definite appreciation of personality, especially in the luxury areas of development.” –Chris Terry

luxuryhomequarterly.com

FIERCE FLAIR Jaime Hayón’s transgressive style runs through all of his decorative arts (shown clockwise). Favn, the mortared-colored sofa, is named after the Danish word “to embrace” and combines the organic, clean and soft elements of Spanish and Danish design. The Beetley Bridge chair from Hayón’s Sé Collection II pictured in velvety gold. Luminous, rotating vases make up part of the Smart Grid Gallery that communicates offbeat ideas for honing energy to power technology in the home. The Rug Company joined forces with Hayón to create high-quality floor furnishings that defy traditional rug design. The redwinged Lounger for BD is a vixen but also a classy and comfortable lounge chair. Valencia for Gaia and Gino is a set of candle holders that dazzle. The black Tudor Chair is regal with sassy brass legs. Moving Ideas 3 is an exhibition of experimental prototypes for enlivening the home.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

J Allen Smith Design/Build is a residential remodeling firm specializing in projects for the discriminating homeowner who values flawless professionalism. Kitchens • Great Rooms • Master Suites Additions • Whole House Remodeling

www.jasdesign-build.com • 240.405.6158

Years of experience have equipped us with a thorough knowledge of techniques and an exceptionally high level of craftsmanship. We are firmly committed to providing our clients with meticulous attention to detail, while staying on-time and on-budget. Our five-year warranty is unrivaled in the industry. Owner Jesse Smith’s personal and friendly approach helps ensure the consummate remodeling experience. 28

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

builders

Construction firms specializing in peerless residences

PHOTO: Taylor Photo Professional Color Labs & Studios, Bill Taylor Photographer

LAZY LAGOON With children and grandSERENE LIVING children oftena coming Featuring CoconutinWhite granite, for polished a visit, the homeownfireplace as its centerpiece, ersthe enjoy theliving serenity and main room area brought in privacy of a blues lush courtyard soothing and creamy whites to andcreate pool area. a calming atmosphere.

A Masterpiece in Progress

A. Vernon Allen Builder Inc. Creating a serene vacation home by Tricia Despres Building custom homes in the Naples area for more than 60 years, A. Vernon Allen Builder Inc. has seen the town of Naples change from a remote community into one of the most popular destinations in South Florida. The area’s pristine landscape and relaxed atmosphere attracts people from all across the country when they need a retreat. “Naples has always been a quiet community, but since I came here in the 1970s, it has grown sixteen-fold,” says John Remington, owner of A. Vernon Allen Builder Inc. “It’s a dynamic place to come work every day.”

A recent Naples project allowed the builders to work with local designers and craftspeople on a one-of-a-kind home featuring an open floor plan, unforgettable views, custom finishes and a lagoon-like pool, which brings the architecture together in an amazing courtyard area. “Everyone from the architects to the builders to the interior designers was local, so it made the project seamless, which is somewhat atypical these days,” explains project manager Ryan Benson. “The homeowners set the expectations and let us do what we do best. Right off the bat, we were given a timeline

The Naples Courtyard Home evolved throughout the 17-month building process. “We did add a second-floor deck around the midpoint of construction, mostly because the homeowner had noticed what an amazing view he could have of the lake area from that vantage point,” explains Ryan Benson, project manager. “It did have its challenges, but in the end, it was an added feature I can’t imagine the home not having. It was a view we didn’t want to miss.” As the interior and exterior intertwined in effortless harmony, a serene feel took precedence throughout the home. “This house was all about juxtaposition and the sophisticated mix that comes when you carefully blend antiques into a clean, modern environment,” explains Lisa Kahn, owner of Kahn Design Group in Naples. “Take for example the bathroom, which serves as a clear example of how successful this mix can be when it all comes together; dynamic, unexpected and memorable.”

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

SERENE LIVING Featuring a coconut white granite, polished fireplace as its centerpiece, the main living room area brought in soothing blues and creamy whites to create a calming atmosphere. The dining room, adjacent to the main living area, features coffered ceilings with a complementary faux finish. The spacious bathroom (right) takes full advantage of the natural light coming in from three sides. Its exquisite white marble sparkles, allowing for a soft glow throughout the day.

and a strict budget. We were given the authority to execute many things, and they were confident that we would be able to deliver exactly what they were looking for. They also put great importance on quality, and they were willing to do what they needed to do to maintain that level of quality.” Situated over 11,000 square feet, the breathtaking Naples estate borders a serene lake, complete with a dock for the homeowners to sit and fish from. When the lake doesn’t fit into their plans for the day, the couple and their guests often congregate around the pool.

SARASOTA / NAPLES T: 866-4TEMPUS F: 941-316-8899 www.tempus-inc.com

“The home is basically one room wide all the way around,” explains Remington.“Every room has direct access to the courtyard. From the very beginning, the homeowners were looking for a natural, lagoon feel to the pool.” The secluded

pool area is surrounded by Turkish travertine and features a grotto-like retreat and water wall, which produces a calming quiet effect. “The water wall in particular is a feature that we look to create again in future projects.” Established in 1951, A. Vernon Allen Builder Inc. works on projects throughout the west coast of Florida and South Tampa, however, the company’s clients often come from outside of Florida, which can provide its share of challenges. “Eighty percent of our clients have homes somewhere else, so communication can get tricky,” says Remington. “Communication has to be constant and the desires of the client must stay clear, especially when they are coming from around the country and even from around the world.” Yet, once the project is done, the A. Vernon Allen

luxuryhomequarterly.com

PHOTOS: Taylor Photo Professional Color Labs & Studios, Bill Taylor Photographer

Home Communications- Voice & Data Lighting Systems & Window Treatments Home Integration & Control Systems Home Theater & Audio/Video Systems Security Systems

“Communication has to be constant and the desires of the client must stay clear, especially when they are coming from around the country and even from around the world.” John Remington, owner Builder Inc. team finds moments to sit back and relish the fruits of their labor. Soon after the Naples Courtyard Home was finished, the homeowner threw a lavish celebration to honor all who had worked on the project.

“The homeowner told me that if he was still working, he would have swapped any of those guys away from me to work for him,” says Remington. “It was a wonderful compliment and a true testament to the strength of our team.”

BUILDERS

Rhode Island Cottage This coastal cottage features a lavish landscape with a kidney-shaped pool and natural stone deck. The fully equipped pool house serves double duty as a guesthouse. Tennessee Crab Orchard Stone anchors the front façade, while ample porches allow the family to enjoy the picturesque view of the coastline and indigenous plantlife.

Washburn. The 3,000-square-foot home has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a small wine cellar, and includes a pool house that doubles as a guest cottage. The backyard pool is kidney-shaped, framed by a stone deck with a path that leads to the main house. The site is picturesque, with the feel of a larger home, taking advantage of the beauty of the area.

Washburn Construction BUILDERS’ LONG HISTORY IS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR SUCCESS by Eugenia M. Orr Building coastal homes is in the blood of Steve Washburn, owner and president of Washburn Construction located in Quonochontaug, Rhode Island. Specializing in second family homes for clients from, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California to Florida, Washburn Construction has been crafting coastal vacation homes for nearly half a century. Washburn’s father started the business in the 1950s and the tradition is being passed down to a third generation, through Washburn’s three sons who also work in the family business. The longevity of Washburn is attributed to the systematic schedule essential to building homes within the popular vacation spot. The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is prime summer time for coastal living. So much so that large construction work is not permitted during June, July and August. To ensure the satisfaction and happiness of owners, “Our philosophy is to get jobs done right, on time by following a regimented schedule,” states Washburn. That means construction for these

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

unique homes, which must be built to withstand hurricane-force winds, must be completed in roughly nine months. Hurricane proofing includes roofs that are anchored through to the foundation, high-impact windows, stainless steel nails and miniseptic treatment systems for each home. Building homes in an environmentally sensitive area requires an in-depth understanding of the engineering, survey, architectural and legal issues inherent to the process. More than just a construction company, Washburn is also a neighbor on the coast, providing an uncanny perspective and commitment to building homes that will endure the elements. One of Washburn’s recently completed projects, Rhode Island Cottage, was finished with all the safety details to withstand hurricane-force winds, and refined with natural stone, light fixtures from old steamships and a lush landscape. “The Rhode Island Cottage is a quaint cottage, perfect for the family in coloring, size and detail,” says

“We are best known for the amount of stonework we incorporate into our homes, the masonry and hardscaping set our designs apart,” says Alex Michelman, project manager. Yet, even more vital is the way Washburn Construction builds homes. To stay on schedule, Washburn has a full complement of trades in-house. From electrical to mechanical to plumbing to carpentry, the Washburn construction process is completed on-site. “Having our own trades gives us complete control over the timetable, which can be impeded when you have to wait for an electrician or plumber to complete another job,” states Washburn. “Despite careful planning, you don’t know how jobs are going to flow. We are able to eliminate further delays because we can send our crew out as the project dictates,” explains Michelman. Yet it is Washburn’s commitment to Old World artisan craftsmanship that sets the company apart. Washburn not only crafts cabinetry and other built-ins, they also build raised-panel doors with attention to detail that produce works of art that are timeless. Other signature details of a Washburn designed and constructed home are the stone walls and archways that accentuate the architectural features of the design. “We also make sure our homes take advantage of the lifestyle of the region, such as clamming, scalloping and fishing,” remarks Washburn. “For example, the Rhode Island Cottage has a fish cleaning station outside.” From excavation to stonework to handcrafted original woodworking, Washburn Construction is creating homes that are tough enough to withstand the elements and beautiful for the most discerning eye. “Building homes is not just a job. I get excited with every new project,” concludes Washburn.

luxuryhomequarterly.com

designer showcase

HAMPTON LUXURY The Hampton Townhome dining room features wall art by Fornasetti (fornasetti.com), an Allegreto Suspension Lamp (foscarini. com), Tashkent Ikat wallcovering (schumacher.com), a custom chair and cornice by Smith Boyd Interiors (smithboydinteriors. com), and vases by Ligne Roset (ligne-roset-usa.com). Custom mirrors by Carter House Gallery (carterhousegalleryandframing. com) don the walls of the living room (opposite page below). Wingback chairs by Belvedere (belvedere.com), Shagreen coffee tables (bungalowclassic.com), and the Disc chandelier (propertyfurniture.com), increase the drama factor. Custom window coverings were made by Smith Boyd Interiors.

Smith Boyd Interiors For Atlanta-based interior designer Michel Boyd, oneroom projects often happily turn into whole-home makeovers. “I love the idea of continuity in a house— one room transitioning into the next—to make it look like one point of view. I think consistency is really important in creating a serene environment.”

text by Romy Schafer photos by allen cooley

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

DESIGNER’S SHOWPLACE Boyd’s living room showcases his knack for layers and texture. On the walls trim work and Fall Stripes by Bisazza mosaic tile (bisazza.com) add a punch of color. Sofa, Held gold side chairs and Ceasar accent table by Minotti (minotti.com). Auckland chairs (cassina.com), a Canopy chair (armourandco.com), and Smoke side chair (moooi.com) provide seating options. The d70 lightshade (moooi.com) ties the space together.

or most business owners, a referral is the highest compliment they can receive from a client. For Michel Boyd, owner of Smith Boyd Interiors, referrals are the mainstay of his up-and-coming, Atlanta-based design firm. “I’ve been referred from one client to the next, which is an amazing compliment to my business. I really appreciate that,” says the Louisiana native, who studied design at The Art Institute of Atlanta and cites New Orleans, New York City and Europe as some of his early design influences. Since launching Smith Boyd Interiors approximately six years ago, Boyd has executed residential and commercial projects for clients in Georgia, Louisiana, New York and Massachusetts’ affluent Martha’s Vineyard. His numerous commercial projects include doctor’s and dentist’s offices, a cosmetic surgery clinic, an upscale salon and most recently, a gourmet cupcake shop in Atlanta’s Vinings neighborhood.

“It’s called CamiCakes,” Boyd explains. “The owner and I met by chance, and I was given the opportunity to design the next Atlanta store,” which will serve as the prototype for future CamiCakes stores around the country. Given the caliber of Boyd’s commercial clients, it’s not surprising that his residential clients are equally discerning. “Most of my clients are professionals who work hard to hone their skills, so they understand and respect what my team does,” he says. Still, educating clients about his firm’s services is an essential part of Boyd’s job. “I think a lot of clients don’t realize how much of a luxury this service

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

PLAYFUL AND PRACTICAL Colors pop with a sectional by Mitchell Gold Bob Williams (mgbw.com), and Numbers and Sounds I & II artwork by Leftbank Art (leftbankart.com).

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

designer showcase

OPULENT REST In the bedroom a Hawthorne Bed by Henredon (henredon. com), mirrored side tables by Century Furniture (centuryfurniture.com), a mirror from Decor Professionals (decorprofessionals .com), and Nina Campbell Wall coverings by Osbourne & Little (osborneandlittle.com) create a glamourous sleeping environment.

A Townhouse Retreat This guest bedroom commission became an 18-month-long renovation of a four-story townhouse. “This client is incredibly opulent,” says Boyd. “She loves, loves, loves fashion. She really let me have fun with her space.” This meant installing a wall of custom mirrors and a metal chandelier inspired by the movie “Sex and the City” in the living room, embellishing a dining room wall with a Piero Fornasetti wallcovering (fornasetti.com) and decorative plates, pairing a blue velvet sectional with an orange accent chair and a black-andwhite zebra area rug in the entertainment room; and, of course, filling each space with lavish textures, fabrics and accents. “I enjoy luxury aesthetics and fabrics … layering textures and palettes that speak to luxury that is approachable and well-edited,” Boyd explains.

is,” he adds, noting that Smith Boyd Interiors is a full-service firm that offers interior, textile, furniture, product, event and luxury-lifestyle design. To create a space that fully meets a client’s expectations, it’s vital for a designer to learn about the person’s needs. “The most important part of being a good designer is listening, to clients,” Boyd says. “I want their wish list; everything they wish for their home, everything they love about their favorite hotel, everything they’re inspired by when they look at magazines. I want to know about their lifestyle and how their home functions.” Boyd creates his own wish list of features, and then partners with the client to merge his list with theirs. “I want [the space] to feel like a collaboration.” Boyd insists. “Once I’m gone, they have to live there, so it’s really important to

DINING IN STYLE A Foscarini Allegro Light (foscarini.com) hung above a Palermo dining table (emmemobili.it) pairs well with “It’s funny, but when you have too much [creMoooi Smoke chairs ative] freedom, it’s just as challenging as when (moooi.com). you have too many rules,” says Michel Boyd of his experience decorating his three-story loft in Atlanta’s SoNo district. “I really had to let the architecture of the space speak to me and lead me in the direction of how to design the space.”

SoNo Place like Home

Also influencing Boyd’s design choices was the need to create a space that would allow him to showcase his work to potential clients while living there comfortably. “There are a lot of things I want to show clients that they can’t quite visualize because they push the envelop a little bit,” the designer explains. For Boyd, pushing the envelop means using layers of finishes and fabrics throughout the space; embellishing the living room walls with trim work and Bisazza mosaic tile; ( HYPERLINK “http://www.bisazza.com” www.bisazza.com) installing hornlike, porcelain floor tiles on the main floor; and creating a sleek, contemporary kitchen filled with custom cabinetry, concealed appliances and Carrera marble surfaces.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

SoNo Place Like Home “It’s funny, but when you have too much [creative] freedom, it’s just as challenging as when you have too many rules,” says Michel Boyd of his experience decorating his three-story loft in Atlanta’s SoNo district. “I really had to let the architecture of the space speak to me and lead me in the direction of how to design the space.” Also influencing Boyd’s design choices was the need to create a space that would allow him to showcase his work to potential clients while living there comfortably. “There are a lot of things I want to show clients that they can’t quite visualize because they push the envelop a little bit,” the designer explains. For Boyd, pushing the envelop means using layers of finishes and fabrics throughout the space; embellishing the living room walls with trim work and Bisazza mosaic tile; (www.bisazza. com) installing hornlike, porcelain floor tiles on the main floor; and creating a sleek, contemporary kitchen filled with custom cabinetry, concealed appliances and Carrera marble surfaces.

offer clients solutions they haven’t tried and a way of looking at their home that makes it better than before I came along.” It’s apparent that Boyd consistently achieves this goal.

LUXURY AMENITIES The stately cabinet by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, (mgbw.com) provides the perfect stage for a Valet vintage vase and bench by Bungalow Classic (bungalowclassic.com). In the kitchen (right) custom cabinetry built by SMFD (smf-d.com), a Bourgie table lamp (ylighting.com), gold basket (arteriorshome.com) and green malachite boxes by Arteriors Home (arteriorshome.com) create a clean and inviting space.

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

Potential clients can experience the designer’s style firsthand at his loft in Atlanta’s SoNo (South of North Ave.) district. In addition to serving as his residence and office, the structure offers Boyd a place to layer lots of finishes and push the envelop a bit. “From the epoxy floors and Bisazza tile, to all of the trim on the walls and the layering of fur and embroidery, the space is just a lot of fun,” says the designer. “It’s supposed to be a visual feast; all these great textures laid on top of each other in one space.” Once clients feast their eyes on these opulent applications, they’re more likely to want to try them in their own homes. “I’m always excited when a client is excited,” Boyd says. “I feel so gratified. I feel like I’ve done my job. My small contribution has enhanced their lives, their family’s lives and their living experience. That makes me feel really, really good.”

luxuryhomequarterly.com

BOYD’S SONO RETREAT The Napoli tub by Victoria and Albert (vandabaths.com), pebble stone wall by Ann Sacks (annsacks.com), Caufield Table (minotti.com) and artwork by Donna Hughes (donnahughes.com) offer a calming respite. The silk Moire Wallcovering (robertcrowder.com) adds a touch of softness. In the bed room (left) a Sarfatti chandelier (flos. com) and Fontana Lamp (fontanaartestore.com) add visual interest, while larger pieces such as the dresser by Linge Roset (lingeroset.com), Thurman Bed (meridiani.it), Hide-covered ottoman (owenlawrence.com), Ernie Table w/petrified wood top and Rhett sofa (bradleyhughes. com) anchor the room.

“I enjoy luxury aesthetics and fabrics … layering textures and palettes that speak to a luxury that’s approachable and really well-edited.” Michel Boyd, Owner WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

Latin

Los Angeles design firm, Commune, creates a dashing residence with a touch of vintage

LIVING COLLECTION The clock is Gustavian c1790 from Lief (liefalmont.com), chaise is by Arthur Casas for Espasso (espasso.com). Next to the Sofa One tufted sofa by Dana John (danajohn.com) is a David Weeks tripod lamp from Ralph Pucci (ralphpucci.net). Custom coffee table by Commune. Vintage chairs from Brenda Antin. Stump side table by Alma Allen (allenpearce.com). Under the window is a bench by William Stranger (strangerfurniture. com). Tango rug by Grand Splendid (grandsplendid.com).

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

roots

WINTER 2011

by Julie Edwards

luxury home quarterly

WARM WELCOME The entry features Argentinian tile mosaic pots, a George Smith sofa (georgesmith.com) and a Jacques Adnet mirror. The entry table from JF Chen (jfchen.com) is petrified wood from the Appalachian Mountain region and the rug is Chinese Khotan from the 1920s.

amed for its street in the stylish Los Angeles neighborhood of Los Feliz, the classic 3,600-square-foot Catalina residence was completed in three phases, with design firm Commune providing interior architecture and design. The first phase involved restructuring the 1920s Spanish-style home’s interior architecture by reconfiguring the entry, coving the ceilings to make them appear higher, adding rounded archways between the rooms on the main floor and opening up the floor plan. The results are contemporary, with a splash of vintage, giving the home a timeless quality. “Catalina was a challenge in that the residence had underwent a major renovation in the ‘80s that took away much of the home’s character,” says Pam Shamshiri, one of Commune’s partners. “The owners wanted to take the home back to the ‘20s, the era when it was built, and restore much of its original charm.”

The Spanish feel of the home fit well with the owners’ love of pre-colonial Mexican and Moorish design. Taking this cultural mix as the focus for the project’s second phase, Commune created the home’s design by mixing rich color with beautiful custom pieces and vintage touches. One of the first elements to change was the home’s entryway, which was revamped inside and out. The exterior features a new glass front door sur72

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

rounded by reclaimed Spanish ceramic tile. Added light comes from a two-story arched stained glass window. Inside, visitors immediately sense the home’s eclectic feel, reflected in tile mosaic pots from Argentina and a striking 1960s Murano chandelier. For cohesion in the main living areas, Commune changed all of the flooring to walnut stained oak, with the exception of the kitchen. Wanting to create an open area where friends and family could spend time together, Commune combined three smaller rooms to create the new, larger kitchen, opening into a wellappointed exterior courtyard. Divided into various zones, the kitchen features dark green cabinetry set off by American walnut butcher-block countertops, stainless steel appliances and a reclaimed wood table by Lawson-Fenning, with Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs. “We created the area to resemble an old Spanish-style kitchen—we wanted it to look like it had always been part of the house,” Shamshiri says. “The cementstamped flooring tile was designed by our firm and custom made in Mexico, and it flows from the interior to the exterior seamlessly, tying together the two areas into one space.” Outside, the courtyard features a dining and cooking area as well as conversation nooks. To maintain privacy and mask ambient noise, Commune topped an existing wall with seven additional feet, planted the top of the wall with vines and added a fountain featuring handcrafted Moroccan tile luxuryhomequarterly.com

FINDING LIGHT The dining room table (above) is custom-made and surrounded by vintage Spanish chairs from Lucca Antiques (luccaantiques.com). Commune raised the height of the windows with custom valances. Sheers by Missoni (missonihome. com), painting by Douglas Bond. Commune coved the dining room ceiling and added the archway into the kitchen. A 14th-century Argentinian church door hangs by the arch (left). The chandelier is Paul Ferrante (paulferrante.com) and the painting is a restored flea market find.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

EATING AND SEATING The kitchen (above, left) was created from three smaller rooms and designed with references to pre-war cabinetry, 1920s Spanish kitchens and industrial kitchens. Walnut butcher-block countertops. Field tile by Ann Sacks (annsacks. com), custom-patterned floor tile by Commune. Theo lights from Paul Ferrante (paulferrante.com). Viking hood and range (vikingrange. com). Original Van Kepple & Green stools. Reclaimed wood table by Lawson-Fenning (lawsonfenning. com) with Hans Wegner Wishbone chairs. Commune added seven feet to the courtyard walls (right). Ceramic fireplace frieze created by Stan Bitters (stanbitters.com). Viking outdoor kitchen (vikingrange. com). Ten 10 travertine table (ten10site.com) with vintage Brown Jordan chairs (brownjordan.com).

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

“We’re very focused on salvaging as much as possible from the original design of a project—it’s amazing what you can find under years of decor.” Roman Alonso, Partner by Ann Sacks. The warm focal point of the courtyard is a stunning two-story fireplace with frieze tile by Stan Bitters.

cussing our belief that there was a niche for a company that approached design in a holistic way, and that belief became our firm’s vision.”

The final phase for the project was landscape design that complemented the revitalized exterior and the addition of a pool. “We worked with architect Bruce Bolander to design the pool area and, basically, we carved out a place for it on the property,” Shamshiri says. Surrounded by lush, green plantings, the pondshaped pool features black volcanic tile and a fabulous view.

Bringing diverse yet complimentary backgrounds ranging from publishing and public relations to commercial design and production design for films, the foursome built a firm that has become known for the unique, customized vision that it brings to each individual project. “We don’t have a style we try to put on projects,” Alonso says. “Instead, we try to interpret the client’s personality and apply it to our work.”

Such exemplary design could only come from a strong, cohesive team, which is exactly the case with Commune. Seven years ago, four close friends met for dinner and, by dessert, created the Los Angeles-based design firm and its novel approach. “We’d all known each other for years, we’d all worked together before, and we all knew we worked well together,” says partner Roman Alonso. “We began dis-

Alonso notes, however, that Commune’s aesthetic has some common threads. “We’re very focused on salvaging as much as possible from the original design of a project—it’s amazing what you can find under years of décor.” But, perhaps most importantly, is the firm’s unofficial motto of, “Don’t decorate, collect.” Commune’s collecting process includes mixing styles, such as vintage and

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

SPANNING THE DECADES The den ceiling (left) was wallpapered to create an alcove space. The curtains were extended to the ceiling to elongate the room. The Monteverdi Young sofa is covered in Clarence House (clarencehouse. com) yellow linen. The ottoman is a blanket box by George Smith (georgesmith.com) covered in a kilim rug. The rug is a 1940s Moroccan Beni Ourian from Amadi Carpets (amadicarpets. com). Custom bed (below left) by William Stranger (strangerfurniture. com). Grand Splendid Patagonia Sheepskin rug (grandsplendid. com). Brazilian Hammock bedding from Matteo (matteohome.com). Artwork by Anne Delfieu from Lief (liefalmont.com). Lamps from Plug (pluglighting.com).

antique pieces, with modern or imported objects and natural finishes, a process that is clearly reflected in the Catalina project. As of March 2011, Commune has even started offering a line of floor coverings that fit naturally with their other design offerings (For more information on Commune’s rug collection, please visit luxuryhomequarterly.com). When a special touch is needed, Commune works with notable artisans like wood and metal sculptor Alma Allen, veteran lighting designer Robert Lewis and renowned furniture designer George Smith. Commune also collaborates with many artisans on lines for its Community Shop, which currently features Robert Lewis lamps and dinnerware by Heath Ceramics. A line of furniture designed in collaboration with Allen is slated to debut later this year. “Some homeowners want a look, but that’s not what we do,” Alonso says. “Custom design work allows you to create one-of-a-kind items with a very personal feel, so we work with clients to create custom pieces and acquire objects for their home that they love because, if you love something, there isn’t the need to change as trends and fads come and go.”

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

GARDEN ENTRY On the front patio, the glass and iron Klismos table and painted Gazelle chairs by Dan Johnson for Brown Jordan (brownjordan.com) are from Reform Gallery (reform-modern. com). Vintage lamp from Palm Springs. The iron wall mount and terra cotta pot are from Inner Gardens (innergardens.com).

luxuryhomequarterly.com

FINE VINTAGE The painting and mirrored cabinet are restored flea market finds. The rug is the Greenland pattern by Pure (purerugs.com). The chairs around the custom table are vintage Spanish from Lucca Antiques (luccaantiques.com). Vintage murano glass ashtray and a 1960s Bengt Orup vase.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

chicago style Follow our exclusive guide of Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s luxury market, complete with elegant homes, chic showrooms and the people who make them unmissable. 78

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

Other renowned Chicago firms in this issue 36 JamesThomas 43 Foster Dale Architects 45 Tim Mathais Designs, LLC 50 Stephanie Wohlner Design* 55 Anne Coyle 56 Expressive Interiors 141 Hackley & Associates 146 Constantine D. Vasilios & Associates

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

APPETIZING ARRANGEMENT In the kitchen, the impact of the clean-lined La Cornue cabinetry (lacornueusa.com) is heightened by traditional touches like a classic plate rack and an oversized island with a honed limestone countertop, turned spindle legs and a handpainted taupe stain.

Powerful design meets personalized beauty with Jessica Lagrange Interiors

“I really enjoy the intimate relationships with clients,” says Lagrange, principal at Jessica Lagrange Interiors. “I didn’t find it as satisfying working with commercial projects.” At her firm, which she founded in 1998, Lagrange has a staff of just seven—including a licensed architect, senior and junior designers and a business manager—and is personally involved in the dozen or so projects the company handles at any given time. Each project is fueled by the client’s personality and lifestyle and a desire to create beautiful spaces that comfortably transcend the everyday. While you won’t find a signature “Lagrange look,” the firm often incorporates a mix of “high and low”

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

pieces and puts an unexpected spin on established design styles. In an apartment on North Lake Shore Drive, clients moving into a new high-rise building needed inspiration and furnishings. The couple was moving from the suburbs and wanted to entertain and host fundraising events. When clients don’t have an established style, Lagrange and her team help find a creative starting point. And so the building’s architectural elements and La Cornue stove and kitchen cabinetry inspired the creation of “a Parisian-style apartment that you might find on Rue du Bac,” says Lagrange. Hand-painted wallpaper with a delicate wisteria pattern graces one of the guest bedrooms, and in a rotunda between the living room and art gallery, a custom-made light fixture and console table were designed in the style of famed French designer Gilbert Poillerat. In the home’s courtly sitting room, gilded accessories and panels of recycled antiqued rolled mirror from Armand Lee & Company celebrate the ornamentation of the Beaux Arts apartments in Paris. –Amy Howell Hirt

PHOTOS: tony soluri

Textiles first ignited Jessica Lagrange’s interest in interior design, while working in the materials library at world-renowned architecture firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. But for the past 25 years now, it’s been her relationships with clients and co-workers that has sustained her love affair with interior architecture and design.

luxuryhomequarterly.com

Tom Stringer Design Partners consider every possibility when reimagining a client’s space Tom Stringer Design Partners, a luxury interior design firm with its own travel-inspired home furnishing collection, TexStyle, has made a name for itself by offering unique, multidisciplinary, client-friendly services. The 15-year-old, Chicago-based company creates spaces that nod to local architecture, while acting as a client’s agent. Often, that means consulting with acoustic specialists and architecture and landscape teams

to bring projects to fruition, worry-free. That’s true whether he’s creating a pied-à-terre in his hometown, imagining spaces for Grant Achatz’s restaurants and lounges or outfitting a large Santa Barbara estate. “Many people don’t have the time, capacity or interest in managing a project themselves,” says Tom Stringer, principal. “We make things as easy

as possible for our clients.” Meanwhile, Stringer’s upholstered furniture and rug collection—available to the public in showrooms nationwide— features rugs inspired by Moroccan mosaics and modern-meets-classic furniture inspired by highly romantic European hotels. –Jennifer Olvera

Anne Kustner Lighting Design is fluent in the language of lighting As lighting designer for an engineering firm in the 80s, Anne Kustner Haser saw herself as something of a marriage counsellor. “The architect would want a big, beautiful fixture while the engineer would say ‘That’s not going to give you the light you need.’ I had to find solutions to bring form and function together,” Kustner Haser says. Since establishing the Chicago-based Anne Kustner Lighting Design in 1994, Anne and her team continue to marry

LIGHT SHOW 1. An onyx bar incorporates a color wheel in the illuminated surface that changes colors at the touch of a button (fiberopticstudio.com).

form and function, offering energy-efficient and adaptable lighting that enhance a space in unexpected ways. An illuminated, white onyx bar featured in a recent Chicago penthouse does just that, creating continuity between the lighting and the sleek, clean design. “The lighting became a part of the vocabulary of the architecture, it added a rhythm to the space,” Kustner Haser says. “That’s really what we do; creativity with refinement and restraint.” –Jamie Farshchi

2. IO Linear LED lighting (iolighting. com), tucked into an architectural slot, bring out the deep colours and rich feel of the marble wall. Downlights by Deltalight (deltalight. com). Zero Sightline downlights in the background by Lucifer Lighting (luciferlighting.com).

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT #1 Atlantis chandelier by Hudson Furniture Inc.: The chandelier is scaled to meet the calling of the space and is in juxtaposition with a needletipped skyscraper outside the window, creating elegant balance and a striking view. hudsonfurnitureinc.com

PERFECT MATCH Alison Victoria Gramenos was able to implement many pieces she had her eye on for years in this 2,700-square-foot penthouse. The bar stools are Costantini Pietro (costantinipietro.com) and fabric is Holly Hunt leather (hollyhunt.com).

Key pieces of Alison Victoria Interior Design’s penthouse suite fuse natural elements and urban sophistication the space as she would her own, implementing pieces she’d had her eye on for years, but had yet to find a context for.

“If I did that I’d be out of a job,” she says. In a competitive, convoluted industry, the ability to be versatile and accessible is what breathes life into her work.

The client was transitioning from a single family home with a traditional design to a 2,700-square-foot, two-bedroom suite and wanted to retain the subtle, natural look they were used to, but have a modern space. To achieve this, Gramenos used natural elements like wood millwork and flooring, and stone and marble finishes to bring contrast and texture to the neutral color palette. A water feature trickles behind cantilevered floating shelves and is lit with LED lights and the city skyline for tranquil evenings.

“Whether I’m designing a boutique in LA with bubble gum pink floors or an American Indian themed cabin in Park City, I always do as my client asks,” says Gramenos.

Custom selections from Gramenos’ AVC furniture line—influenced by shoe designer Christian Louboutin and architects Frank Gehry and Antonio Gaudi —complete the look. An inspiration the client appreciated.

Her work on the 53rd-floor penthouse suite in Chicago’s Trump Tower—inspired by the skyline and an insatiable desire to infuse every detail with clean, timeless sophistication—was an unusual treat because she was able to design

“Every job starts with some sort of inspiration,” says Gramenos. “It’s a team effort, but I remain in the lead by opening clients’ eyes to different ideas or applications for that initial inspiration.” –Jessica Kirby

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

PHOTOS: alan shortall

Chicago’s own Alison Victoria Gramenos debuts as a television host this fall on the new DIY Network series “Kitchen Crashers” in which she will follow unsuspecting, home improvement store shoppers home and transform their kitchens over a weekend. It is a spot she’s earned after ten years blending the industrial with the glamorous in residential and commercial spaces in Las Vegas, Park City, Los Angeles and Chicago, but she’s been careful not to label herself with a particular style.

CHICAGO STYLE #2 Carnegie Fabric drapery by Design Window Solutions: Roller shade sheers with a vertical, metallic silver stripe easily keep the view unobstructed and stay with the designâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clean sightlines, which allow the focus to remain on the skyline. designwindowsolutions.com

#3 Water feature wall Natural elements bring texture to an otherwise neutral palette. The water feature trickles behind cantilevered shelves, and at night the city lights and color-changing LEDs create a dynamic surface and an element of tranquility.

#4 Calacatta marble by Calacatta Luxury Stone: The clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle is such that we were afforded a rare opportunity to use marble to achieve a sophisticated, clean look that is often sacrificed for functionality. calacatta.com

#5 Wave tile by Artistic Tile: The fireplace is boxy, but the Wave tile is whimsical and creates fluid movement throughout the space. artistictile.com

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT Here to There From the vantage point of the antique secretary desk, gracious views— from framed, found art to an elegant French tapestry—abound.

Michael Del Piero Good Design’s Gold Coast Vintage Project showcases global finds and a penchant for understated elegance

“About seven years ago, I was traveling with a friend in Europe,” says the Gold Coast resident. “I decided to buy a bunch of things and fill an empty North Shore home I owned and have a sale. It sold out in three days.” Del Piero went on to offer two more annual sales, the second one garnering blocks-long lines and before long, she was being asked to oversee redesign projects. Interior design publications began to take notice, and her industry credibility and confidence began to grow. In late 2006, Chicago-based Michael Del Piero Good Design was born. “I knew I needed a staff,” Del Piero admits. “So, in 2008 I hired a few designers and started a home furnishings boutique in addition to my design firm.” Del Piero’s sense of style melds the rustic with the luxurious, the rough with the refined. “To me, that’s what makes a space livable,” she says. “A ‘real’ home is a place you want to bring your friends and family.” The designer favors limited edition and singular accessories, and she finds that simple, upholstered furniture typically serves her clients well. “I have a preference for quality pieces with clean lines,” explains the designer. This approach affords a blank canvas.

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

Michael Del Piero Good Design is rooted in stylish sensibility and team collaboration, with a focus on personalized customer service. “I head every project and dictate my vision, but my designers and I always work as a team,” says Del Piero, pointing to recent projects such as a traditional Lake Bluff home now decked in gray-blue tones and eye-catching antique furnishings. “My preference is to redesign whole spaces, from the painting and flooring to the art placement.” Or take the noteworthy three-bedroom, two-bath Gold Coast Vintage project as another case in point. The 2,500-square-foot graystone replete with 14-foot ceilings and original crown moldings, strikes an urban-yetromantic tone. “We scoured auctions and flea markets for artifacts and took trips to Argentina, France, the Netherlands and several places in Africa, including Morocco,” Del Piero reveals. A Fortuny silk-topped table, a charcoal nude from France and custom-upholstered Edelman Leather bench were just a few of the treasures Del Piero found on her journeys. Meanwhile, Del Piero sells rugs, art, textiles and furniture—including custom and salvaged pieces—nationally from her home furnishings boutique. It’s also where you’ll find exclusive, sculptural Lucy Slivinski lighting and Janet Mesic Mackie photography. –Jennifer Olvera

luxuryhomequarterly.com

PHOTOS: bill hogan

Michael Del Piero has always had an appreciation of, and keen sense for, smart design. A longtime businesswoman and executive corporate coach, she has traveled extensively, collecting unusual artifacts to display in her home. One particular trip abroad proved to be life-changing.

Kitchen Comforts Mid-century chairs sealed in resin and burlap hold court with antique candlesticks and a vintage steel table.

CHICAGO STYLE

At the Heart The living room exudes warmth and sophistication with an oversized, linencovered sofa, Parisian charcoal nude and a custom Edelman Leather hide-upholstered bench (edelmanleather.com).

Go Global The welcoming den features an 18th-century Swedish secretary procured from the Netherlands, offset by a flea market-found antique Buddha statue, antique leather books and an African textileswathed slipper chair.

Far and Wide Arts and crafts benches team with a framed, embroidered French silk tapestry and a 19th-century Swedish chandelier, hung above a wrought iron wreath-topped, blacklacquered Argentine table. WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

ACCOMODATIONS

Cool Wave Simeone Deary Design Group’s Europeaninfluenced Elysian Hotel

PARIS CALLING For their inspiration, Simeone Deary Design Group turned to the Paris of Coco Chanel and Christian Dior. The team adopted a black-and-white palette punctuated by jewel tones like the emerald panel behind the intimately scaled front desk. Dressmaker details embellish the drapery and furnishings, while lighting—including a spectacular crystal chandelier—accents the design like jewelry.

where the land meets the sea Art created for the restaurant RIA, reflects a water theme. In the dining room, a school of fish, fashioned from customcast resin hooks, swim across a wall.

by Jennifer Olvera

Before beginning a project, interior artists Lisa Simeone and Gina Deary of Simeone Deary Design Group craft a clear vision for their clients. Seeking inspiration from films, books, runways and museums, the Chicago-based firm is a creative force to be reckoned with. Among their recent work is the posh and highly-acclaimed Elysian Hotel. “Typically when we approach a project, there’s a story we’re trying to tell,” says Lisa Simeone, principal and owner. “In this case, it was one rooted in the glamour of 1920s and ’30s Paris, and the timelessness that emerged during that period.” Responsible for the early concept for this property as well as for the design in its entirety—guest rooms, public spaces, two restaurants, a bar and a 14,000-square-foot spa—the goal was to further the structure’s Europeaninfluenced exterior while abstracting Parisian sophistication.

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

RUNNING WATER Guests enter RIA through a lounge with a polished granite floor and a curving wall of glass and metallic mesh that ripples like a current.

DREAMLIKE STATES The pool (top) was designed to fulfill the designer’s secret wish: to swim in a pool of roses. Beneath the turquoise water, the bottom of the pool is lined with rose-patterned mosaic tiles. Simeone Deary was challenged to create the five-star hotel bar, Bernard’s (bottom) to become not only a neighborhood hot spot, but a hideaway “departure” for hotel guests. The space was designed to feel decadent, secret and stylish.

ROMAN BATH The spa’s design harkens an idyllic resting place befitting of mythical gods.

“I realized it was a leap of faith to subtract color from the lobby, but we wanted it to exude the glamour of black and white photography,” says Simeone. The lobby is a study in black and white with pops of jewel tones. Dressmaker details embellish the black velvet Miceli drapery and a chandelier custom designed by Simeone Deary to mirror the look of a Coco Chanel broach, which was built by Baldinger in New York. Simeone Deary also designed both of the hotel’s restaurant spaces. Balsan, the artisanal bistro, is inviting and casual. Its “cocoon-like niches” are perfect for an early morning cup of coffee. As the day progresses, the room looks crisp and clean, while dusk ushers in warm, atmospheric lighting. The plush, oversized chairs and gourmet seasonal menu befit any late-evening rendezvous. “We worked with Patti Gilford Fine Arts to procure provocative pieces, ones that feel collected,” Simeone explains, noting the unique Maya Romanoff wall coverings and art elements designed by Howard Harris of Rareform. The hotel’s signature restaurant, RIA, was inspired by the idea of “land meeting sea.” Simeone Deary mirrored this merging with a palette of greens and grays, warmed by rich golds. In the lounge, a polished granite floor and a curving wall of glass and metallic mesh ripple like a current. The main dining room is translucent with metallic leather chairs, silk wall coverings and rattan panels interwoven with a platinum strands. Glistening surfaces contrast earth tones in ebony wall panels and carpets the color of volcanic rock.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

BUILDING GREEN

AQUA TOWER

GLOBAL REACH

VANCOUVER PAIR TOWERS

STUDIO GANG’s Customized Sustainable Solutions from Chicago to Shanghai With the crowded skyline of Chicago as its headquarters, Studio Gang Architecture has established its presence worldwide by combining cutting-edge environmental-building practices with a unique, research-based discovery process. “Our internal design process includes a lot of material exploration and experimentation,” says Jeanne Gang, founder and principal of Studio Gang Architecture. “Our ongoing materials research separates us from our competitors. The result of our creative process speaks for itself; we are not a firm with one single standard style.”

ZHONG BANG VILLAGE

The styles of Studio Gang range from the customized concept of “courtyard fabric” in response to the sun and wind at their Zhong Bang Village project in Shanghai, to the design of Canada’s Vancouver Pair towers, which has a sculptural exterior appearance of driftwood to match the region’s wooded mountains and seascape. Green-roof gardens will reduce the heat-island effect on the towers, and water, solar, geothermal and ventilation strategies will reduce the towers’ energy footprint. “Our goal is to integrate green architectural, mechanical and structural systems into our research-based discovery process,” says Gang. –Rodric J. Bradford

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

PHOTO of aqua tower exterior, overall view from southeast corner: steven hall / hedrich blessing

Studio Gang’s Aqua Tower, appeals to Chicago’s luxury residential demographic by expanding and lightening the typically closed-in high-rise living experience. Curved balconies add private outdoor space while shading apartments from sunlight, and concrete decks minimize the solar load on the glass façade. “Aqua Tower is about connecting to the city and allowing people to engage in the outdoors with large terraces,” says Gang. “It is not just about the interior—this is why our clients have an appreciation for our work and collaboration process. Our clients receive the benefits of lessons learned over time and the result is customized, sustainable solutions.”

AIA RESIDENTIAL DESIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR, Bill Bickford, valueS responsible building

Eco-conscience Chicago-based architect and American Institute of Architects (AIA) residential design committee chair Bill Bickford says that within the Chicago luxury home market, focus has shifted from opulence to efficiency.

PHOTOs of lynch residence: christopher barrett / hedrich blessing

“The current residential market is strong in custom, high-end homes that are a bit more responsible,” he says. Project square footage is slightly down, and clients want to fully engage their spaces. High-quality material and high-level building technology is still in demand, but for rooms that are fully integrated into daily life in an efficient, comfortable and classic manner. Bickford’s 12-person firm, Northworks Architects + Planners, which primarily handles custom luxury homes, places a strong emphasis on sustainable technology and a contextual and consistent design approach. High-quality insulation and mechanical efficiency contribute to environmental responsibility as much, if not more, than technologies such as geothermal heat and solar panels, Bickford says. “The true idea of green architecture is a well-designed home that is less expensive and less wasteful to heat, cool and operate.” –Jessica Kirby

Go to luxuryhomequarterly.com to see Northwork’s latest project.

GRAND VISTA Radically, this home incorporates the largest residential windows in the country. Sheets of glass more than 10-feet high and 14-feet wide intersect with an expansive floor, stretching 63 feet on the first level. Lateral steel bracing at the front, middle and back of the building free the structure of interior walls.

Leading the City in Residential Innovations Specializing in high-rise renovations and historic restorations, Jake Goldberg of Goldberg General Contracting works with some of the most prominent architects in Chicago. One recent project, the two-story home of Chicago architect Brad Lynch, defined by its geometric façade, open spaces and clean lines, received the 2009 Builder’s Choice Award and was named one of the “World’s Greenest Homes” by Planet Green of the Discovery Network and HGTV. Also in 2009, one of Goldberg’s projects, the Yannell House in Ravenswood, became Illinois’ first LEED Platinum-certified home and Chicago’s first Net Zero Energy building— producing 40 percent more energy than it consumes. For Jake Goldberg it’s not about the money. “Our focus is quality before profitability,” says Goldberg. “We build the best way we can even if we make less money on a project.”

MODERN MARVEL Located on a narrow city lot, the home incorporates 19th-century materials with a 21st-century design. With a startlingly open, geometric façade, this home exemplifies the essence of modernity, using traditional brick, concrete, and steel building materials.

“We feel we are part of an intimate community of general contractors operating at a very high level of execution,” Goldberg says. –Malcolm Garcia

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

SOURCES Orange Skin owner Obi Nwazota shares some of his favorite store items

Hexagon Bench by Casamania “The distinctive hexagonal structure is born from research into cells and atoms, which develop into a potentially infinite modularity.”

Jensen armchair by minotti “The Jensen was created to set the standard in design and comfort. The rigid external structure lends stability to the shape, while the goose down cushioning invites surrender.”

Quartier by Tacchini “Quartier is a family of three ottomans that have been designed to be miniature building volumes. For each ‘building’ the designers developed a grid pattern, reminiscent of the glazed façades of modern high-rises.”

Flash Tables by Tom Dixon “A series of tables with uncompromisingly metallic surfaces. The dark bronze tabletops and antique brass bases result in a highly reflective object.”

Orange Skin Chicago-based Orange Skin recently launched a new, designer-interactive website as part of a refocusing and refreshing of the brand. The store was founded as a retail shop in 2001, but quickly evolved into a trade-focused showroom featuring a repertoire of worldly designers’ work that was new to the West. “Access to international design was a limited thing for the American market,” says owner Obi Nwazota. “Our job was to scour the world trying to make the best design available for people in Chicago and beyond.” African-born Nwazota studied architecture in Chicago and considers the city important in what defines the field. “Chicago has gross potential from a cultural perspective,” he says. “When the dust settles, it can also be a provincial city. We learned early to have an international outlook and not sacrifice creativity, professionalism or quality just because someone down the street doesn’t get it.”

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

The company fills a niche in the industry. The purpose is not to sell a couch to someone who needs something to sit on, but rather to enrich a client’s life and create a lifestyle with an eye to detail and innovation. Designers featured at Orange Skin, like Antonio Citterio, Ichiro Iwasaki and Hector Serrano, push the limits of contemporary design with visible influences from unexpected industries; aerospace, automotive and old-school handcraftsmanship. “When you look at a finished product...and then buy it because you appreciate the quality, it boosts morale and then it’s like you are flying.” Nwazota is looking to expand the store’s client base by exploring projects in emerging markets. “I am curious and excited to see what opportunities exist beyond the West,” he says. Visit orangeskin.com for more information. –Jessica Kirby

luxuryhomequarterly.com

CHICAGO STYLE

Jayson Home & Garden Jayson Home—a bastion of good taste set amid a sea of big box retailers in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood—houses everything needed to outfit one’s home in style. “From upholstered furniture, dining tables and chests of drawers, to one-ofa-kind statement pieces, accessories and lighting, our selection is pretty large without being overwhelming,” says Devin Kirk, vice president of merchandising. Mixing antique finds with new pieces, modern with ethnic, it’s a full-out hodgepodge of style. “We’re not big on sets or matching,” Kirk admits. “Most of what we have can be mixed together for a look that is timeless.” Kirk works with small manufacturers while sourcing one-of-kind items. The result is a flea-market-like vibe, complete with everchanging, oft-unexpected European antique furniture, accessories, lighting and artwork. “We travel around the world yearlong in search of items for our store,” says Kirk, who finds treasures in the south of France and searches for must-haves in small workshops in India. “We look for pieces that are beautifully designed, regardless of their provenance.” Lately, more and more items are being designed and manufactured under the Jayson Home label, including a line of upholstered furniture. Expect to find statement-making furnishings, along with bedding, tabletop accessories, centerpiece-worthy florals and container gardens, as well as pieces from John Derian, Cire Trudon, Oly Studio and John Robshaw. Visit jaysonhome.com for more information.

Devin Kirk, vice president of merchandising, shares some of his favorite store items

Nolan Console “These are made for us by a small workshop in the South that salvages metal scraps and patchworks them together so that each one is unique. It is such a simple design, but the scale gives it real presence.”

–Jennifer Olvera

Campbell Bench FRANK TABLE

“This piece is inspired by a classic Belgian design, but the bleached oak wood finish and citrine silk make it feel really fresh. Pieces like this are so great for dining rooms because you can squeeze in as many people as you need to and they’re a really simple way to add a little drama.”

“We have carried this table for years and it just never goes out of style. The top has a limed finish that is just about indestructible. Because the shape is so clean and modern, it always looks great balanced with antique French chairs.”

BALTUS COLLECTION, specialists in a variety of customizable wares, is among Chicago’s distinguished contemporary furniture showrooms. With elegant designs rooted in classical forms, the modern atelier uses juxtapositions between finishes and materials to engage a space. Known for carrying large-scale pieces, one of the goals of this Erie St. showroom is to offer high-quality furnishings that embrace a “Mediterranean lifestyle.” –Josh Hauth

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

SOURCES Manifesto owners, Richard and Barbara Gorman, share some of their favorite store items

Brancusi cabinet by DARC “‘Functional art piece’ best describes this timeless, modern masterpiece from Spanish architect Fermin Verdeguer, featuring a strong balance of warm, highly polished ebony wood and mirror-polished stainless steel.”

Big Bean desk by Ceccotti “Made from solid American cherry-wood or walnut, this unique, limited-edition workspace is the product of only two craftsmen, hundreds of individual pieces and months of labor.”

Carlo by RB Gorman

Manifesto Furniture

As time passed, the Gormans were called upon to custom-design millwork and

furniture for interior and architectural projects, but it wasn’t until recently they got serious about designing pieces themselves. The company’s in-house furniture line, RB Gorman, carried at both Manifesto and The Bright Group’s showrooms, includes everything from a sleek wooden credenza to a blackened steel desk. “We work with local builders when creating the pieces,” says Richard Gorman, noting this has earned the company a local “green” following. “That’s true of custom-built, custom-finished, ‘off-the-rack’ and one-of-a-kind designs.” Today, the elegant and modern showroom thrives on Wells Street in Chicago’s Gallery District. There, you may encounter a refined, angular desk from Promemoria, sculpture-like pieces from Ceccotti Collezioni or elegant 1930s-inspired seating from Hugues Chevalier. Visit manifestofurniture.com for more information. –Jennifer Olvera

Subzero-Wolf’s recent opening marks the first kitchen appliance showroom in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. With almost every product available on display in the 5,500-square-foot space, new kitchen seekers get up close views of the brand’s offerings. In order to best inform their clientele, the showroom hosts live cooking demonstrations twice a month. Subzero-Wolf chefs curate six-course meals to demonstrate features included in new products and to show how seamlessly the lines of products work together. Currently included are induction stovetops, ethaline gas removers and air purification systems that keep SubzeroWolf at the forefront of technological progress in refrigeration and cooking appliances. –Josh Hauth

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

photo of subzero showroom: rick sistus photography

Architect Richard Gorman and interior designer Barbara Gorman, the husband and wife team behind Manifesto, are pioneers of Chicago’s luxury furniture market. Their multi-level, sunlight-drenched design atelier—nestled in Chicago’s River North neighborhood—got its start in 1986, selling designs and reproductions from 1890 to 1940, a stark contrast to the contemporary European designs that were de rigueur. That focus softened to include the work of modern masters, though, when poorly crafted knock-offs flooded the market. “We’ve kept our point of view and maintained our focus on licensed, early modern pieces, be it flatware, objects or lighting,” says Richard Gorman, who previously worked for FCL Associates, a successor to the firm of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. “But we have since picked up different, additional lines.”

“Sporting brave architectural expression in wood and metal, the beauty is in the details of this proprietary design, which may be modified for the client’s individual taste.”

CHICAGO STYLE

Wright Auction House

Uusi is many things. Most obviously, Uusi is a place; a 7,500-square-foot, multifaceted design studio based in Chicago and founded in 2010 by Linnea Gits and Peter Dunham. More conceptually, Uusi is the wellspring where objects and prints acquire meaning through mindful creation and careful editing. In a culture overrun with disposable-design, fad and novelty, Uusi is an aesthetic oasis, operating always under the philosophy that the objects one lives with should tell a story and exude a sense of timelessness.

It began as an obsession.

Richard Wright had been an aficionado of design and decorative objects for nearly thirty years, curating his own collection before opening Wright Auction House in 2000. With a focus primarily on 20th-century design, Wright scouts for unique works that often represent notable points in design history. And his eye for important material, as it turns out, has proven to be spot-on, as Wright Auction House is now known as one of the country’s most respected venues for modern design. Wright Now, an online venue for purchasing work, was launched in 2003 for private clients, architects and interior designers who don’t want to wait for objects to go to auction. Three years ago the business expanded yet again, this time with Wright 21. By commissioning works from emerging 21st-century designers and hosting exhibitions, Wright 21 hopes to pioneer a new contemporary design market. –Saundra Marcel

Uusi enlivens the everyday

Coming soon In addition to Wright Auction House’s yet-tobe announced Spring collections, and Wright Now’s continuous online venue, keep a lookout for exciting new shows from Wright 21 by guest curators. Pictured above are American designer, George Nakashima’s long chairs, 1951.

Recently, Uusi partnered with Design Within Reach to bring their playful yet elegant Moderne Farm series to a larger market. The slotted-together wooden animals are made of domestic white oak and black walnut veneer and handfinished in the production space, which equals roughly one half of the Uusi design studio. Rivaling the team’s love for conscientious design is their love for Chicago. “We could not have a studio like this in New York City,” Dunham insists. “It just wouldn’t be economical.” Gits adds, “This is a great city for professional contacts and customers. Chicago is geographically supportive and provides us with great access to manufacturing resources.” –Lauryn Allison Lewis

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

photo of manning console: fanjoy labrenz; photo of tato tattoo: ezio manciucca; photo of effervescence champagne rug: david meredith

& FINDS

luxuryhomequarterly.com

CHICAGO STYLE

Finders Keepers A SELECTION OF LHQ’S FAVORITES FROM CHICAGO’S SHOWROOMS

PHOTOs of gianduja silk lampas and tartaglia: federico cedrone; photo of morris console: fanjoy labrenz

13 14

1. “Manning” entertainment console in ash veneer and polished stainless steel from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; mgbwhome.com. 2. “Space Stools” in stained oak by Signe Bindslev Henriksen and Peter Bundgaard Rützou for Mater, found at Haute Living; haute-living.com. 3. “Gianduja” silk lampas by Rubelli for the Venezia 2011 collection, found at Donghia; product.donghia.com. 4. “Tartaglia” liseré cotton fabric by Rubelli for the Venezia 2011, found at Donghia; product.donghia.com. 5. “Tato Tattoo” seating or footrest in ecological flexible polyurethane by Maurizio Galante for Cerruti Baleri, found at Orange Skin; orangeskin.com. 6. “Sky Charcoal” rug, a Tufenkian showroom exclusive; tufenkiancarpets.com. 7. “Effervescence Champagne” rug by Barbara Barry for the Radiance collection, found at Tufenkian; tufenkiancarpets.com. 8. “Zigzag” indoor/outdoor textiles in polyester and acrylic sunbrella from Donghia; product.donghia.com. 9. “Louis XVI Fauteuil” in authentic silver leaf with antiquing, upholstered in authentic zebra hide from J. Robert Scott; jrobertscott. com. 10. “Morris” entertainment console in trembsei wood veneer, polished-nickel from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; mgbwhome.com. 11. “Christopher” chandelier (left), “Ralphie” chandelier (right), “Joe” dining chairs from Bradley Hughes; bradleyhughes.com. 12. Dining or occasional chair with signature “Chris-X” legs in Java Café Varnish from Christopher Guy; christopherguy.com. 13. “Veio” table lamp in painted aluminum with LED and My White Light technology by Neil Poulton, found at Artemide; artemide.us. 14. “Lesbo” table lamp in handblown venetian glass and polished metal by Angelo Mangiarotti, found at Artemide; artemide.us.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

INSPIRATION DEBUT DESIGN GUIDES FOR OPULENT LIVING

Chicago Spaces: Inspiring Interiors Star-studded contributions to new book on Chicagoland’s most impressive interior designs

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

photos: nathan kirkman

Editor-in-chief of Chicago Home + Garden, Jan Parr, releases a new guide that showcases Chicago’s design culture of domestic spaces. Local celebrities who’ve garnered national attention for Chicago, such as Nate Berkus and Alessandra Branca, have contributed to this publication to help contextualize and position the importance of the city’s interior spaces within the broader landscapes of architecture, design and decoration. The book, published by Agate, is divided into two sections. The first profiles homes and offers an overview of the holistic design sensibility of each construction. The second focuses on specific rooms—such as foyers, living and dining rooms, kitchens, and libraries, providing insight about the furniture and accessories that set these spaces apart from other homes. Chicago Spaces is beautifully cataloged, replete with full-color photographs and object lists, making this new publication a valuable resource for those enthusiastic and serious about interior design. –Teresa Silva

luxuryhomequarterly.com

COLLABORATION

Chiamera

Artistic Interiors: Designing with Fine Art Collections

Ornately Modern Furniture

Celebrated architect and interior designer, Suzanne Lovell, publishes book with an eye to designing couture settings Fine art, architecture, and luxury materials take center stage in Suzanne Lovell’s debut book published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang. From Art Deco to American Arts and Crafts to Eclectic, Lovell explores it all and makes the process of pulling together a home’s interior design effortless. Lovell accomplishes this by guiding readers on design choices. Color photographs and accompanying essays are informative and empowering, with examples of luxurious residences of all shapes and sizes: from intimate Manhattan

Seth Deysach and Casey Gunschel are stepping back from their respective design practices to engage across disciplinary lines. “Who’s got time to make their own speculative pieces?” Deysach wonders. Through this process, both Deysach and Ginschel are beginning to speculate and celebrate their own points of view, exclusively.

apartments to vast suburban Chicago lake houses to a Fort Sheridan rehabbed artillery shed. A boon to the reader is a glimpse into the private art collections of some of the homes’ occupants. Art collections range from modern to contemporary, and from fine art to decorative arts, with works by Vik Muniz, Kara Walker and Dale Chihuly, as well as ethnographic photographs and ceramics. –Teresa Silva

Deysach’s company Lagomorph Design (lagomorphdesign.com) is a furniture and product design service that uses the medium of wood and a modern sensibility to produce pieces of muted elegance. Deysach has designed everything from cabinetry to tables to a wooden track bike. His practiced is situated in a collaborative warehouse space located in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood and shared by seven designers, simply called Dock 6 (dock6collective.com). Casey Gunschel’s (caseygunschel.com) ornate leatherwork is seemingly opposed to Lagomoprh’s minimalism. Gunschel uses the ornamental tooling of an authentic leatherworking process to bring dead leather to life, producing skin-cover for tables, chairs, and wall-hangs.

“Lagomorph Design is successful because we respond to people’s needs and give them what they want. If they give us a drawing and say ‘make it like this,’ we make it like that. The whole endgame is to give someone his or her tailored piece. The neat thing about the collaboration with Casey is that we are saying to the design world: We don’t care what you want; we’re not compromising our point of view for one second because we don’t have to.” Seth Deysach

Through a self-described ‘ignorance of each other’s abilities’, Chimaera is able to transcend industry standards. Working on wooden furniture that cannot be more than 1/64” off, Deysach dabbles in near perfect construction to accommodate Gunschel’s expertly tooled leather pieces. The resulting furniture exudes an ornate modernism; imagery-based decorative leather structured around a minimal clean-lined wooden body. –Andrew Santa Lucia

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

INDUSTRY INSIGHT Robert Berg of Foster Design Build integrates structure to allinclusive their all-incluse practice. How can a construction firm be innovative in a tried and true delivery method? Foster Design Build and its founder Robert Berg, deploy an all-inclusive project structure flexible enough to deal with normal, as well as unforeseen, issues that arise during the construction and realization of their work. An innovation in contemporary construction is exemplified best not only in the work they produce, but how they produce it, creating a delivery method relative to the efficiency and successfulness of the project. Berg has a family lineage in construction and the custom home industry, as well as decades in MEP and HVAC general contracting. “Construction management…was in my DNA from very early on,” Berg says, implying that his background was formative not only in understanding the individual processes that make up the custom-home industry, but also in centralizing them into the design-build delivery method. Foster Design Build’s ability to integrate all aspects of design, budgeting and construction seamlessly, have set them apart from other firms in Chicago. They have become a premiere boutique construction-management firm in the city because of this. Through a dedicated relationship with their clients, as well as a delivery method that includes architects, interior designers, construction managers and engineers, Foster Design Build is not only able to offer an all inclusive delivery process, but also place their clients in a realistic, detailed and honest construction process. “We are going to be nimble and keep the schedule moving and get you into your home on time.” –Andrew Santa Lucia

“When I was reintroduced back into the residential world (in Chicago), I was amazed at how unstructured it was. I really began to think about how different it would be if we could take the structure and organization of a commercial project and deploy it into the residential world.” Robert Berg

URBAN OASIS, REDUX “New Construction Home #3” in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, built for a prominent surgeon and his family, exemplifies Foster Design Build’s innovative construction process. This unique project includes a luxurious heated pool for eight on the roof of a typical Chicago lot, as well as an unprecedented Brazilian style barbecue.

CUSTOM DETAILS Heisner revamped this entire Keck & Keck home, including this addition, which features a hidden coat closet and built-in wine rack.

Kevin Heisner’s distinctive spaces are a product of a unique perspective. Chicago-based general contractor Kevin Heisner is not interested in maintaining a run-of-the-mill status quo, and his clients couldn’t be happier. They desire unique and artful renovations. They want custom-built furniture and cabinetry, color palettes that reflect their personality and lighting fixtures that delight the eye. “I’m not interested in designing a bathroom that looks like all the other bathrooms on the block. I don’t want to design a commercial interior that feels like something you could find everywhere else.” The growing list of commercial projects Heisner is credited with attest to his sentiment. Little Branch Cafe, Bar Deville and Nightwood are incredibly divergent in atmosphere, menu and purpose. In fact, the only common denominators among these projects are Heisner himself, and the uncompromising degree of care he put into re-imagining each space. While his business expands to include more residential projects, such as a Keck & Keck home in Evanston, which Heisner has entirely refinished and reconfigured, he insists on keeping his team small and specialized. “This way nothing gets lost in translation and I know everyone is working toward the same vision.” Heisner’s exacting standards produce consistently beautiful results. –Lauryn Allison Lewis

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

photos of robert berg and foster design build: paul schlismann; photo of the keck & keck home: jim newberry

Two Chicago builders take a bold turn, segueing from commercial to residential projects, and build their names in the process

A MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO DELUXE CANADIAN DESIGN

High Grove Residency by Insight Design Inc. is featured in LHC’s Winter Issue. Subscribe to learn about their recent projects.

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF LHQ

SUBSCRIBE TODAY LHCanada.com

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

CHICAGO HOME TOUR

AN ARTFUL APPROACH Interior designer Kara Mann collaborated with an art adviser to enhance the owners’ collection of contemporary artwork. An enlarged photograph titled “Unknown Land” by Ori Gersht rests on the mantel in the dining room.

Ethereal Edge Chicago-based interior designer Kara Mann isn’t afraid to mix things up and push a boundary or two. In her reinterpretation of a stately home in Lake Forest, Illinois, she took to combining seemingly inappropriate objects, textures and styles for a look that’s decidedly edgy and fun, while still managing to maintain an aura of elegance and refinement. text by Bridget Herman photos by Werner Straube

100

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

AIRY AND BRIGHT A muted color palette and drapery panels made of open-weave linen drench the family room in sunlight.

n Lake Forest, Illinois, there’s a sprawling estate with peaked roofs and charming green shutters that gives off a definitively traditional vibe. So when the homeowners—a young couple with two small children and a menagerie of pets—geared up to redesign the interior, they hoped to balance that traditionalism with a bit of edginess and glamour. Enter Kara Mann.

The Chicago-based founder of Kara Mann Design is known for mixing the eclectic—spiky chandeliers and nontraditional color palates—with classic touches such as tailored drapery and balanced compositions, to create a style that looks effortless and chic. Drawing inspiration from unconventional sources like the Windy City skyline, friends’ quirky personalities and the form and flavor of certain foods, the designer thrills at unexpected elements and bold contrasts, and the Lake Forest redesign project was no exception. Mann cultivated a refined rock-star aesthetic so as not to clash with the home’s stately exterior. The look is particularly evident in the master bedroom, where a color palette of gauzy grays and silvers dominates. “It’s dreamy and ethereal,” says Mann, painting a mental picture. A dramatic custom-designed bed with tufted headboard upholstered in smoke-colored mohair, anchors the room. A pair of luxe nightstands, painted with a shagreen-like finish, flank the bed. Mann chose light-reflecting twin bedside lamps to add a dose of glamour while keeping with the room’s careful symmetry. Above the bed hangs an aluminum butterfly sculpture. Butterflies are

PHOTOS: Werner Straube

LOFTY LIVING A crystal-and-wood chandelier drifts gracefully above a French chaise, a modern chair with a silver frame, and a coffee table of Asian influence. The room is cloaked in french gray hues, imparting a feeling of serenity.

102

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com

METALLIC BUTTERFIES ABOUND The eco-conscious butterfly wall sculpture by Paul Villinski, (paulvillinski.com) is framed nicely by pairs of shagreen-like bedside tables, silver-leaf mirrors, and rock-crystal lamps. A spirited atmosphere, yet still mature.

“I’m inspired by the friction between hard and soft, masculine and feminine, gritty and glamorous.” Kara Mann, Owner usually considered to be sweet and feminine but artist Paul Villinski imparted an element of toughness by painting it dark and constructing it out of metal. The piece is also eco-friendly, as its composed of reclaimed materials. “The butterflies are made from aluminum soda and beer cans,” Mann explains. “Have you seen a better example of turning trash into treasure?” Equal parts luxury and rock-and-roll, the bedroom epitomizes Mann’s style. The Chicago native has been honing her style since she moved to Miami,

Florida to work as a fashion stylist. A few years later, she returned to her hometown where fashion-industry jobs were scarce. It was then that Mann shifted her focus to interiors and began styling tabletops in advertisements for clients including Hedrich Blessing. The work deepened Mann’s interest in décor, and she returned to school, earning a BFA from Tulane University. During this time, Mann continued to refine her aesthetic, which she describes as a study in contrasts. “I’m inspired by the friction between hard and soft, masculine and feminine, gritty and glamorous,” she says.

WINTER 2011

luxury home quarterly

103

A smart solution for home systems integration including: audio/video, lighting & power, climate, security, irrigation, pool/spa.

R & M Systems Group, Inc. is a State Certified Unlimited Contractor specializing in all areas of the electrical installation, low voltage, and systems integration. With more than 15 years of service in the South Florida Region in Design Build, Service and Installation, we can meet your needs whatever they are, from simple residential projects to custom homes or commercial application. Our approach is always carefully tailored to meet the specific requirements of the owner, architect, designer, or contractor, paying attention to the details and quality so our work will meet or exceed their expectations.

2145 W. 73 St., Hialeah, FL 33016 P: 305-822-7722 / F: 305-822-0371 rmsysgroup.com â&#x201E;˘

RO L

AUTHORIZED BRIL

Dealer

LIA

General Information: Info@rmsysgroup.com Sales: Sales@rmsysgroup.com Support: Techsupport@rmsysgroup.com

TIO

IG IN L

164

luxury home quarterly

WINTER 2011

luxuryhomequarterly.com