PRESS RELEASES

September 2009
BAKER PRESENTS THE PAGANI COLLECTION
Exclusive New Lighting Series by Acclaimed Designers Stéphane and Frouwkje Pagani

CHICAGO (September 23, 2009) - Baker, a premier designer and manufacturer of fine home furnishings, unveiled The Pagani Collection in its Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showroom, 200 Lexington Avenue, 3rd Floor, as part of the September 23 New York Design Center media and consumer event, “What’s New, What’s Next.” Hosting the day long Baker series of events were the creative force behind the collection, gifted designers and artists, Stéphane and Frouwkje Pagani.

Renowned for some of the most celebrated custom luxury luminaries gracing interiors of prestigious public and private interiors throughout the world, the Paganis now bring to Baker an exclusive, unprecedented 17-piece lighting program. Based upon the same driving principles of the PaganiStudio acclaimed private label collections – selection of exquisite natural materials, textural, luminous finishes, and classic, timeless design – The Pagani Collection provides first-ever retail access to the Paganis’ masterful lighting.

“When we decided to design a collection for a larger commercial arena, given our design philosophy, it was important to us that we collaborate with a company that had a long history of manufacturing products of the highest quality,” said Stéphane Pagani. “A company that placed great importance on fine craftsmanship and the necessary attention to detail that is required, and would uphold and support European artisanship. It was apparent that Baker had an appreciation of our design approach from our first meeting, and with its strong reputation for excellence, made this a natural choice for us. We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”

“The designs needed to appeal to myriad tastes and capture the attention of clientele who seek out unique objet d’ art possessing the rarified air to complete the most stylish interiors, continued Frouwkje Pagani. “The timeless union of past and present is one of the principles of our design philosophy and one that we actively brought to our commercial collection to reach this larger, sophisticated audience.”

Under the Paganis’ discerning eye each piece has been handcrafted to their exact specifications. Traditional in craft, yet contemporary in design, this chic body of work pays homage to the Paganis’ dedication to the ancient arts and crafts, appreciation of the earth’s innate organic beauty and the passion realized when forming natural materials into art.

A celebration of tailored form, sensuous line, and the exuberance of seamless, intricate shape, the Paganis selected four mediums within which to express their Baker lighting designs: Italian Murano glass, cast bronze, French plaster and hand-sculpted marble.

“These four ancient mediums are rooted in history – coveted by craftsmen for centuries because of the lyrical qualities and natural beauty each possess,” said Frouwkje Pagani. “The luxurious noble materials nod to our past while the collection celebrates the contemporary design aesthetic of the present.”

The lighting is expertly handcrafted using Old World techniques by family owned craft shops in Italy. The Paganis worked closely with the artisans as they fashioned each design based upon their renderings. What has materialized from these personal ministrations is a lighting collection unlike any Baker has unveiled in the past. The forms’ understated sophistication command space with character and presence, allowing the intricate shape and medium from which it is honed become center stage, with little overt ornamentation to complicate the raw splendor of each design.

“One of our biggest delights was when we saw the finished fixtures for the first time in Italy,” explained Stéphane Pagani. “The craftsmen and women clearly understood our design aesthetic and the artistic subtleties we bring to our forms. Their fine workmanship illustrated a great appreciation for detail and mastery of fine craftsmanship. They embraced our concepts of rich hand-worked finishes and patinas, and incorporating custom touches such as European fabric covered electrical cords, hand-fabricated bronze socket covers and other jewel-like details that make this collection so special.”

The Pagani Collection includes seven table lamps, three floor lamps, four chandeliers and three sconces. Bases are topped by handmade Italian silk or linen shades – many fitted with diffusers – and wired to accommodate low 40 to 60 watt incandescent bulbs to emit soft, ambient light. Dependent upon the style, the lamps are fitted with internal 2-way or floor switches and complementing Cream, Brown or Black woven fabric encased power cords. The lighting is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved.

Murano Glass

The Pagani Collection Perla series of Murano glass and cast bronze designs are inspired by the organic shapes of natural pearls, ancient and modern jewelry, and the ornamental chandeliers still found in Venetian palazzos today. Dating back to the Renaissance, hand-blown Venetian Murano glass by its very nature is innately sculptural, its rarified, individual beauty achieved by employing the same techniques and instruments as used in centuries past. The Pagani designs of crystal clear Murano glass entwined with cool white or warm golden 24 karat gold produced jewel-like, shimmering forms reflecting a brilliant play of light.

“We were eager to explore this classic material,” said Frouwkje Pagani. “We were inspired by the organic, irregular shapes of pearls and the quality and delicate hand used when fashioning fine jewelry.”

The five-arm Perla Chandelier is a show-stopping silhouette that needs no introduction when appointing a room. The ceiling plate is cast brass finished in Satin Bronze and covered with Murano glass. A necklace of irregular pearls of Murano glass infused with 24 karat gold cascade down a solid brass pole that terminates to a cast bronze base from which the lights are suspended. Five curved arms of hand-blown Murano glass flecked with gold support five small silk shades made in Italy, each surrounding a single 60-watt globe bulb and custom fabricated solid brass components. Large, irregular pearls of iridescent Murano glass flecked in gold hang from the chandelier’s center and each of the arms.

Dramatic in presence and layered depth of color, the Cast Bronze series from The Pagani Collection are expertly sand cast in Old World technique then finished by hand. Paying tribute to the bold shape and scale of ancient bronze sculptures, the Cast Bronze series represents a marriage of angular surfaces and sensuous curves. The result is forms that are sinuous and smooth to the eye, yet textured and tactile to the hand, with a rich natural patina that exudes a tangible warmth and complexity.

“Cast bronze is a monumental medium within which to work,” said Stéphane Pagani. “By its very nature, cast bronze exudes strength of line, yet has an engaging earthy texture making the forms approachable and a warm, ever-deepening patina that makes them ageless.”

One example of this convergence of sensibilities is the sleek two-arm Linea Wall Sconce. Suspended by a circular bronze wall base are two narrow arms appointed with complementing custom fabricated hardware and finials finished in Dark Bronze. Seamless round Cappuccino toned silk shades surround two 60-watt globe bulbs.

Inspired by Parisian plaster moldings, objet d’art and decorative motifs, the French Plaster series features shades of matte white plaster, its purity of color and form set off by warm bronze appointments. Emphasizing the historical heritage of plaster as one of the world’s oldest valued materials, the Paganis’ maintain the integrity of this medium by remaining true to its artistic roots. Old World carving, chiseling techniques and superb hand-finishing recreate the finely honed shapes, recapturing the depth and precision masterfully executed by French artisans of the past.

“We chose a matte white plaster finish for its ethereal presence to contrast with its dense, textural quality,” said Frouwkje Pagani. “To explore the medium further, we also developed a custom hand patina to evoke the rich texture of ancient French stonewalls and the soft honing that occurs with the passing of time.”

Showcasing these techniques is the creamy white plaster Mode Pendant. The intricate, open stacked link column was achieved through a proprietary process that incorporates plaster over brass substrate. An Italian Ivory linen shade with diffuser surrounds four 60-watt bulbs and custom fabricated hardware finished in Matte White.

Throughout the ages, artists have celebrated the beauty and density of fine marble, sculpting its hard surface into elaborate statuary, fine engravings and carvings in relief producing works of intricacy and refinement. “When designing the Sculpté carved marble fixtures, we aimed to emphasize the graceful quality that can be accomplished when understanding this fine craft,” explained Stéphane Pagani. “The artistry needed to transform the marble into these functional works of art is steeped in history, its time-honored techniques handed down from generation to generation.”

The Sculpté Marble series features two table lamp designs that are breathtaking in its simplicity, yet complex in execution. Two marbles were selected for the series: pure white marble subtly veined in soft gray and stark black marble with pure white veining and random mottling. Emphasizing the geometric shapes are simple hand carved details creating visual contrast to each form’s purity of line.

Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Inc. includes Baker furniture, Baker Knapp & Tubbs Showrooms, and Baker Stores. Along with McGuire Furniture Company, Ann Sacks tile, stone and plumbing company, Kallista plumbing, and Mark David hospitality furniture, it is part of the Kohler Interiors Group and wholly owned subsidiary of Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath designs.

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wis., Kohler Co. is one of America's oldest and largest privately held companies. Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products, engines and power generation systems, cabinetry, tile and home interiors, and international host to award-winning hospitality and world-class golf destinations.