October 2004
THE THOMAS PHEASANT COLLECTION
Sophisticated, Handcrafted Accessories by Thomas Pheasant
Enhance Baker's Exclusive Accessories Program

CHICAGO (October 14, 2004) - At the Fall 2004 International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., Baker unveiled an array of timeless pieces to expand upon the extensive accessories program developed for The Thomas Pheasant Collection. Understated and sophisticated, the new designs by Thomas Pheasant include a floor and three wall mirrors, a series of urns, vases, and bowls, and a gallery of black and white photography by Pheasant, expanding this impressive collection at a range of competitive price points.

Continually faced with the need for compelling accessories to fill the homes of his interior design clients, Pheasant designed pieces for his Baker collection that reflect classic styling to appeal to a broad range of interiors. "I only touched upon the accessories in my first collection; these additions continue to build upon the classic forms, offering variety and affordable options," said Pheasant.

One new component to The Thomas Pheasant Collection accessories program is a series of black and white photographs taken by Pheasant. Broken out into seven distinct categories, these framed photographs chronicle Pheasant's life journeys, including excursions to Monet's gardens and lily ponds in Giverney, France and the Luxemborg Gardens in Paris. "The pictures represent my mind's eye… where my inspiration lies," explained Pheasant. "Through the lens of a camera, I am able to express myself on an entirely different level. There is this unconscious inspiration that we don't immediately recognize, but they make an imprint nonetheless. It is fascinating to capture these impressionable moments within a photograph and see direct connections to my work as an interior designer."

Four new mirrors were also designed for the collection. Handcrafted in Italy, the mirrors have a compatible nature, rich materials, and distinctive design incorporating glass, wood and brass.

Dowel Mirror: Capturing the same rustic beauty of the collection's Dowel Table Lamp and Dowel Floor Lamp, Pheasant expanded his repertoire of mirror options with an impressive, 60x36 wood-framed, floor mirror. Set with a beveled mirror, the frame employs a unique, propriatery technique, finished in a dark walnut stain and dusted with antique powder that settles into the segment separations to give it the appearance of hundreds of wooden dowels.

Jewel Square Mirror: Modern in approach, yet crafted using the same Old World techniques of Venetian artists of the past, the 36x36 Jewel Square Mirror is set with hand cut, beveled shapes to create an intricate visual pattern and sparkling points of light. A simple glass frame adds emphasis to the elaborate pieced glass design.

Grand Jewel Mirror: The Grand Jewel Mirror, handcrafted by Venetian artists, blends traditional technique with contemporary styling. The mirror is decorated with dozens of hand cut beveled posts. Its rectangular center mirror seems to float within its angular, open fretwork cut glass frame.

Jewel Octagon Mirror: Crafted in age old technique by Venetian artists, yet contemporary in style, the Jewel Octagon Mirror lends a unique bit of jewelry to any room. The unusual shape of the beveled mirror is emphasized by a conforming, glass frame bringing attention to the crystal, jewel-like beauty.

An assortment of ceramic, glass and bronze urns, and bowls enhance Pheasant's collection offering. Each design was hand-chosen to reflect Pheasant's classic sensibility.

Roman Vessel: The ceramic Roman Vessel is handcrafted in Italy and offers classic styling and an impressive 24x 17-inch size. Finished in Ivory Crackle, the piece is uniquely decorated with an overlay Roman X design.

Olympic Urn: Handcrafted in Italy, this oversized Greek ceramic urn is finished in Ivory Crackle and decorated in Pheasant's signature castle motif.

Ming Vase: Simple, Asian-inspired styling and oversized for dramatic presentation, the Ming Vase is crafted from ceramic by Italian artisans and finished in Ivory Crackle glaze.

Grecian Bowl: Sleek, contemporary lines combine with robust proportion and scale to create a remarkable form. The Grecian Bowl is decorated in a bronze, Greek-inspired motif.

Grecian Urn: Designed in a bronze, Greek-inspired motif, the Grecian Urn takes a fresh twist on classic form.

Petal Bowl: The angular lines and square edges of the bronze Petal Bowl captures the sleek styling of 1940s art deco designs.

Petal Vase: The bronze Petal Vase has a long, narrow neck that flows down to a bulb-like base in classic simplicity.

Gear Hurricane: The familiar form of the Gear Hurricane is made fresh by incorporating an industrial element to its elegant design Standing an impressive 17 inches in height, the clear, hand-blown glass shade is set into its intricately crafted bronze gear base.

Gear Bowl: Clean and contemporary, the Gear Bowl offers a variety of unique placement options in its industrial-inspired design. The clear, shallow glass bowl opens to an accommodating 17-inch diameter, then set within an intricately crafted bronze gear base.

Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Inc. includes Baker furniture, Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showrooms, and Baker Stores. Along with McGuire Furniture Company and Ann Sacks, it is part of the Kohler Interiors Group and a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath designs. Kohler Co. was founded in 1873. Headquartered in Kohler, Wis., it is one of the oldest and largest privately held companies in the United States.