Top furniture designers receive Pinnacle Awards

Forecast by Berry & Clark Design Associates for Pennsylvania House won the Pinnacle Award for major collections at last night's ceremony and banquet here.

AT THE MARKET — Forecast by Berry & Clark Design Associates for Pennsylvania House won the Pinnacle Award for major collections at last night's ceremony and banquet here.
The group and its designers were among 16 winners honored with Pinnacle Design Achievement Awards by the American Society of Furniture Designers - 15 in product categories and one in the new Green Leaf Award category, recognizing excellence in sustainable design. This was the 15th year ASFD has presented the awards.

Furniture/Today Editor-in-chief Ray Allegrezza and designer and TV personality Angelo Surmelis hosted last night's Pinnacle Awards banquet here. Furniture/Today is the major underwriter of the awards.

Several retailers also helped present the awards, including Rhonda Wolf, vice president of merchandising at Havertys, Atlanta; Bob Price, vice president of merchandising at Art Van Furniture, Warren, Mich.; Eric Foucrier, president of Linder's Furniture, Garden Grove, Calif.; Bob Huber, co-president of Oskar Huber, Southampton, Pa.; and Ron Werner, president and co-founder of HW Home, Boulder, Colo.

Pinnacle judges said they liked the Forecast Collection "because of its multigenerational appeal and what we believe is an extremely fresh, new look for the moderate price point. We think it exudes an interesting eclectic mixture of materials, with notable naturalness of wood and striking hardware."

Other winners by product category are:

+ Occasional tables: Modern Craftsman by Richard Schroeder, Denis Kissane and Gary Hokanson for Stanley Furniture.
Judges' comments: "This collection by Stanley Furniture offers an appealing choice of finish options and lots of functionality features. The styling reflects a charming smorgasbord of architectural elements. We see it as a perfect choice in a really modern loft."
+ Occasional storage: Lexicon Chest on Stand by Shaun Melvin for Baker Furniture.
Judges' comments: "We love the updated Danish Modern inspiration for this beautiful chest of drawers at Baker Furniture. It's a simple but elegant design with a spectacular finish and stunning hardware. This design aesthetic is especially tailored to the younger generation of consumers, which our industry is anxious to cultivate."

+ Juvenile furniture: Young Classics by Jena Hall, Stephanie Lena and Brent Camfferman for Aspenhome.
Judges' comments: "There is tremendous appeal in this collection from Aspenhome that's youthful, but not child-like. The modern amenities certainly apply to the way that children and teens live today. It provides an easy assimilation for a second generation as well as application in a guest bedroom or vacation home. And, best of all, this collection boasts a very strong price point value."

+ Casual dining: Mango Bay by Tim L. Annas for Kincaid Furniture.
Judges' comments: "Interesting sculptured fronts on many of the pieces in this collection that add a visual movement for the eye. The unique custom hardware is a distinctive complement to the mature mango wood. A number of pieces in the collection suggest dual function options and could be easily placed in various rooms of a home."

+ Formal dining: Wellington Court by Christopher Bergelin and Thad Bergelin for Century Furniture.
Judges' comments: "We admire the beautiful execution with thoughtful details in Wellington Court by Century Furniture. True to its roots in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the intimate scale allows placement in spaces that aren't necessarily built for a king! We take special note of the very strong chair options."

+ Motion pholstery: Welcome Sofa by Normand Couture for Couture International.
Judges' comments: "Couture International has demonstrated an innovative take on the motion upholstery category. This frame is creatively executed with attention to style and comfort."

+ Stationary upholstery: Fairmont Lounge Chair by David Francis for David Francis Furniture.
Judges' comments: "We applaud the innovative frame design from David Francis that looks good from every angle. The silhouette makes for a great accent chair and the extensive choice of finish options is an extra advantage."

 

• Leather upholstery: Lugano by Michael A. Galardo and Michael Felix Galardo for Elite Leather.

Judges' comments: "We recognize the challenge in working in the leather upholstery category and appreciate the modern, yet warm and inviting quality of this design from Elite Leather. We acknowledge the very comfortable scale and unique lines, and especially praise the value-oriented price point."

• Accessories: Burled Bowl by Jason Phillips for The Phillips Collection.

Judges' comments: "Decorative accessories are the jewelry of any room setting, and we love the one-of-a-kind look of the Burled Bowl from the Phillips Collection. The versatility of the eco-like materials imbue a rich quality with its modern finishes."

• Lighting: Antasia by David Martin, David Kitts and George Chandler for Hubbardton Forge.

Judges' comments: "We admire the terrific scale and versatility of this lighting collection from Hubbardton Forge, which is equally suitable in a masculine or feminine decorating setting. The ample texture is perfectly paired with smart shade choices."

• Home office: Greenwich Street Secretary by Paul Galli, Jason Culler and Rosma Gutierrez for Bernhardt Furniture.

Judges' comments: "We like the clean elegance of the Greenwich Street Secretary by Bernhardt and believe that it is a nicely scaled silhouette for a home office. The companion pieces provide functional and innovative add-ons and we give high marks to the technology-compatible features."

• Entertainment centers: Stax by Thomas M. McDaniel and D. Scott Coley for Bassett Furniture.

Judges' comments: "Bassett Furniture has tapped into the urban industrial loft for inspiration for its Stax collection, which showcases an exceptional application with cubes. This entertainment center has a nice mixture of textures that looks much more high-end but is actually a great value. The design offers the consumer lots of interchangeability with the units in their home."

• Summer/casual: Cabo Lounge Chair by Norman Coley and Bobby Gantt for Lee Inds.

Judges' comments: "Lee Inds. has introduced a completely new and innovative approach to outdoor furniture. We consider this concept as a breakthrough application that allows conventional upholstery to transcend the outdoors. On top of the versatility, the frames are extremely comfortable."

• Bedroom: Louis XVI Bed by Clare Heyboer for Kindel Furniture.

Judges' comments: "We consider the Louis XVI bed by Kindel Furniture to be impeccably designed and finished. We are impressed by the beautiful jewelry detail. We also believe that the ambience of the piece is particularly mood provoking."

• Green Leaf Award: Ondrian Table & Floor Lamps by David Martin, David Kitts and George Chandler for Hubbardton Forge.

Judges' comments: "Hats off to Hubbardton Forge for developing production processes that should serve as a model to all U.S.-based companies! The Ondrian Lamps represent good design in tandem with 100% recycled materials. We applaud their stem-to-stern green processes and their attention to their carbon footprint."

This year's Pinnacle judges were Richard Bennington, High Point University; Gary Evans, Furniture/Today; Ellen Gefen, Gefen Productions; Jim Hering and Ron Werner, HW Home; Jackie Hirschhaut, American Home Furnishings Alliance; Linda Longo, Home Lighting & Accessories; Sheila Long O'Mara, Home Furnishings Business; Chuck Portaro, Furnitureland South, High Point; Dianne Ray, Garden City Furniture, Garden City, S.C.; Max Shangle, Kendall College of Art & Design; and Julie Smith, Nine Muses Media.

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