Friday Finds: Deborah Alexander
This week’s feature: Deborah Alexander, Furniture Specialist for C.A.I. Designs Chicago!
“City on a Hill is a unique creation of console table as art by Paul Michael Company. The base is a sandstone boulder from the Ozark Mountains, Arkansas with hand cut, hand forged steel bound together for a cantilevered pedestal supporting the raw edge sandstone top. Not for the light of heart, the piece weighs approximately 600 lbs with the price reflecting the many hands it took to create. City on a Hill is a stunning showstopper for any home!”
Featured Product:
• City on a Hill Console by Paul Michael Company
For more information on our Chicago Mart showroom, contact Deborah Alexander at deboraha@caidesigns.net or 312-755-9163 x7003.
Our showrooms are currently open and appointments are recommended. Please contact your local showroom for assistance.
Meet Chris | Denver Showroom Manager
Where were you raised?
Dallas, TX.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
When it comes to design the person I find most inspirational is Paulo Mendes Da Rocha.
What is your favorite color?
Moss Green.
Do you have a favorite quote?
“Let us be certain of who we want to be. Let us choose for ourselves our path in life, and let us try to strew that path with flowers.” – Émilie Du Châtelet
What is your favorite food?
Dim Sum.
Chris can be reached in the Denver showroom at chriss@caidesigns.net or by phone at (303) 282-8100 x6971
Meet Cameron | Chicago Furniture Customer Service Representative
What is your past work
experience/education?
I’ve made visual art my whole life, and growing up my parents renovated properties all over the country. Watching homes get gutted and then modernized showed me the practicality of my natural creative tendencies.
Where were you raised?
Roswell, GA.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
My peers, for the most part. I try to surround myself with people different from me, so I’m being constantly challenged with new and rewarding experiences. It also helps me look at the familiar with fresh eyes.
In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what is/are some of your favorite product lines and why?
Caracole. I love something flashy, something with a bit of drama, something to talk about. They have pieces that flow such that they have a greater sense of space without having more mass. I like that kind of elegance — large enough to seen but agile enough to suggest grace.
How would you characterize your design style?
Brutalist.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Study new typefaces, make pasta, tactile things.
What is your favorite food?
Capri Meatball Sandwich in Steubenville, OH
Cameron can be reached in the Chicago showroom at cameronc@caidesigns.net or by phone at (312) 755-9163 x7006
Meet Deborah | Chicago Furniture Specialist
What is your past work
experience/education?
I most recently assisted in the opening of the Natuzzi Italia showroom in Lincoln Park, Chicago. It was an invaluable study in clean sophisticated design lines with a color palette of Southern Italy with soothing qualities to bring to every home as we work, and gather for the important events of life. With a background in fine art, I approach design in the role of curator!
Where were you raised?
I was born in Washington DC, raised just beyond the Beltway in Maryland.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from my lineage of strong women in my family, every art museum lingered in, outsider art venue experienced plus the heart of the amazing city of Chicago through it’s diverse neighborhoods.
What is your most rewarding project and why?
My most rewarding project was the client who bought the furniture first before he found the home! We worked to create the energy of leathers and fabrics on pieces which provided respite and inspiration for his global profession. You can imagine my elation when the property was purchased and all designs worked!
In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what is/are some of your favorite product lines and why?
I am excited to work with Palecek, bringing outdoor ease indoors and to rooftop gatherings! I love the textures and finish detail of each piece. Also, newly landed in the Chicago, C,.A.I. Designs showroom, Verellen. The snuggly Theo swivel, the look of covered dining chair legs brings a hushed elegance to dining. Can’t wait to pair them with sculptural dining tables of Phillip Selva!
How would you characterize your design style?
Transitional, firmly planted but looking forward.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
All things art. I am working with a photo vellum series layered with gold leaf. My children are currently on 3 different continents. We look forward to safe traveling to visit each other.
If you could travel back in time, where/when would you go and why?
Paris in the late 1800’s when it became a city of fashion, architecture and art. The international exposition changed the way we saw everything.
What is your favorite color?
My favorite color is the color of tumbled sea glass. Walking Oak street beach collecting pale greens and blues.
Do you have a favorite quote?
Trinity to Neo in the Matrix: “You’ve been down that road before…” paired with the slow motion frames of the movie where Trinity and Neo are in the back seat of the car as the back door swings open, a long telescoping look down a rain covered, deserted road.
What is your favorite food?
Right now, almost post pandemic, Small Cheval’s vanilla Amaretto shake sharing golden fries, one for me and one for my Dachshund, Will!
What is your favorite TV Series?
I thoroughly enjoyed The Crown!
Anything else you would like to share?
Please stop in and say hello when you are next at the Mart!
Deborah can be reached in the Chicago showroom at deboraha@caidesigns.net or by phone at (312) 755-9163 x7003
Hammerton Studio Catalog
Friday Finds: Kristin Petro Interiors
This week’s feature: Kristin Petro of Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. from Elmhurst, IL!
“This oversized pendant from Arteriors was the perfect proportion in this large kitchen with 12-foot ceilings. It’s texture beautifully complemented the other finishes.”
Featured Product:
• Rimini Pendant by Arteriors
For more information on Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc., visit www.kristinpetro.com.
Our showrooms are currently open and appointments are recommended. Please contact your local showroom for assistance.
Visual Comfort Lookbook
Meet Julie | Chicago Lighting Specialist
What is your past work
experience/education?
I have worked in the lighting industry for over a decade. My first job in high school was actually cashiering at one! I attended Illinois State University with a Business Major. My work experience has brought me through multiple design elements in marketing and sales.
Where were you raised?
La Grange, IL.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Social media and designers sharing their portfolio of completed projects with me. I LOVE seeing the “before and after” photos and the journey of all the hard working coming together.
In your experience working with C.A.I. Designs thus far, what are some of your favorite product lines and why?
Currey & Co, Made Goods, Palecek and Visual Comfort. All of these lines provide truly one-of-a-kind products that make a statement in each of their collections. Lighting brings in a “wow” factor no matter how big or small!
How would you characterize your design style?
Transitional.
What is your favorite color?
Black – I like to keep it neutral and then add in pops of color!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Hiking, trying new restaurants throughout Chicagoland, spending time with my family and friends.
What is your favorite TV series?
Chopped on the Food Network.
What is your favorite food?
Cheese – I can’t go a day without it!
Julie can be reached in the Chicago Mart showroom at juliej@caidesigns.net or by phone at (312) 755-9163 x7005
Friday Finds: Jacob-Lukas Design
This week’s feature: Kurt Jacob Miller and S. Lukas Mack of Jacob-Lukas Design from Chicago, IL!
“This project is a 4-story townhouse on the Chicago River right near Lake Michigan. The fireplace, mirrors, railings and floor were all designed and custom built by us.”
Featured Products:
• Ice Breaker Sofas & Sociable Cocktail Table by Caracole
For more information on Jacob-Lukas Design, visit jacoblukasdesign.com.
Our showrooms are currently open and appointments are recommended. Please contact your local showroom for assistance.