BAKER NEWS

October 2007
MODERN ELEGANCE… BAKER UNVEILS ADDITIONS TO THE JACQUES GARCIA COLLECTION

CHICAGO (October 1, 2007) – Baker, a leading manufacturer and designer of fine home furnishings, presented new pieces by internationally renowned designer, Jacques Garcia, at the Fall 2007 International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C. The sculptural, modern pieces beautifully bridge the earlier, more traditional Baker forms by Garcia featured in first and subsequent introductions in 2004 and 2005. Over 50 pieces extend this lifestyle collection, comprised of pieces for the living room, dining room, and bedroom as well as sophisticated lighting, accessories, and fabrics, all exclusive to Baker.

The introduction unveiled a weaving of contemporary form with traditional references. The result is a collection with a refreshingly modern aesthetic, speaking to Garcia’s remarkable talent and understanding of the craft of fine furniture making. These linear forms feature intricate design elements that make the pieces multi-dimensional and thoroughly unique.

The list of Garcia’s private and commercial projects speaks to his rare talent, distinctive style, and creative genius. Garcia has become a global force in design with commercial and residential projects in Paris, London, Brussels, Geneva, Monte Carlo, Moscow, Dubai, New York, Miami, Las Vegas and Beijing. With a career spanning over three decades, the breadth of his work has been immortalized in numerous literary works and myriad publications over the years. One of his most famous Paris interiors is the unforgettable Hôtel Costes, where Garcia has created an unbelievable ambiance still at the top of fashion ten years after its opening. Some of Garcia’s latest accomplishments include Hyatt’s red hot Hotel Victor in Miami’s South Beach, the celebrity studded Hotel Metropole in Monte Carlo, the latest Etoile retail fashion shop in Dubai, and the redesign of famed, five star Hôtel Fouquet’s Barriére on the Champs-Elysées.

Strengthening the current collection offering, Baker presented a range of modern casegoods handcrafted in French cherry solids and quarter-cut cherry veneers. There are 24 distinctive new designs that include two beds, two dining tables, two arm and side chair designs, a buffet and server, and a variety of occasional tables and chests. Hardware, designed by Garcia and exclusive to Baker, is created using the lost wax technique and once cast, finished in Silver Patina or Dark Bronze. Moving beyond wood as a medium, Garcia also chose a few of his designs to be cast from aluminum and urethane, then finished in brilliant lacquer for a whimsical selection of occasional pieces to punctuate a room’s palette brilliantly.

Sophisticated upholstery continue the Garcia story this Market. The tailored silhouettes include two sofas, six lounge chairs, one settee and three complementing ottomans. Garcia brings extraordinary comfort, layered sumptuousness, and crisp detail to his upholstery designs. The modern forms are rendered using a French upholstery technique known as gainage, characterized by wrapping leather or fabric to the frame to create a defined silhouette. The forms are finished in Garcia’s exclusive line of fabrics and custom couture trims for Baker.

To complement the collection’s exclusive Chateau and Rivoli finishes, Baker developed Manor and Varnished Silver Leaf. Manor is a hand-rubbed, satin gloss finish that uses deep, yet transparent shades of brown and black for depth of color that allows the quarter cut cherry wood’s natural wood grain and fine figuring to resonate through. Varnished Silver Leaf is a complex, multi-dimensional finish created by applying a light to dense hand of silver leaf to a gold base in a mottled, juxtaposition of cool silver and warm gold.

In addition to the wood finishes, three lacquers were designed exclusively for the collection. The brilliant Red, rich Black and creamy Ivory lacquers’ rich impenetrable color is achieved by hand applied coats of lacquer, then hand-polishing it to a brilliant finish. Finally, three metal finishes lend just the right glamour to the wood pieces. A mottled Vanished Silver Leaf, crisp Silver Plate and warm Dark Bronze obtain its glow through an oxidization process then a clear finish is applied to maintain the metal’s patina.

To complete the collection are lighting and accessories distinctly modern in approach. A range of materials were chosen by Garcia to capture his inspired designs featuring remarkable form and incorporating a breadth of scale to accommodate space needs and personal preference.

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 and Kallista plumbing, 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.