Once again, let me start by saying that it is always a pleasure to be with you. I received a lot of positive feedback about my last column, which addressed the winter season’s trends. As such, I will stick to offering my custom advice regarding “what to wear” in hopes of keeping readers informed about the right products for the right moments.

At this time, due to the unrelenting cold weather, a gentleman’s custom coat is certainly the right product. Let’s start with the basics. The three, classic styles for a custom coat are: the double-breasted cut; the single-breasted, long version; and the more young and sleek three-quarter length coat. I personally do not recommend the raglan shoulder; I find it to be too big and bulky, and it is definitely not my favorite style this year. However, I do recommend the following styles; each cut is flattering in its own way, and the wearer will look hot no matter the temperature.

The 3C (Chesterfield/Car-Coat)

This style is referred to as the car coat: long enough to cover a blazer but short enough where one can drive a sports car without sitting on it. Shown here is a three-quarter-length coat with a back belt. The buttons on the center vent can be folded and will stay in position thanks to an invisible button system, which allows the coat to be shortened from its original length.

Classic Three-Quarter-Length Coat

This is my favorite style when it comes to custom coats. It is young and comfortable yet chic, and it always makes the right statement. As for fabric, I recommend using the Super 180′S Waterproof System or a light cashmere. The cut lends itself to different color options, and virtually every option is a good call. Color can be a classic blue herring bone or a camel, or the style also looks stunning in a varying saddle or strong check. At Duca Sartoria, we are firm believers that it is all about the details, the back collar can contrast with monograms, creating the perfect final look.

Double-Breasted Coat

I refer to this style as my “season’s surprise.” I was never a big fan of the double-breasted style, but recently, a distinguished gentleman and friend ordered a double-breasted short coat in brown, super fine cashmere with blue lining. His monogram was done in real gold thread, and the effect was stunning. The usual finishing of back belt and buttons on the vent made for a very special coat for a special client, and I became a fan of the style. The right touches can make it feel very “now.”

Choice Materials

Regardless of cut, I highly recommend opting for vicuña fabric lined with mink. In our store in Moscow, it is still the best seller. This is in part because of the frigid weather, but also because the city seems to be recession proof. Using these fabrics results in a $60,000 coat. In New York, that is the same price of a down payment for a sports car, so many of our clients would rather opt for the car and a nice linen jacket that will be perfect for a drive to the Hamptons. In that vein, we will discuss those pieces in the next column.

Ciao a tutti.
m@X
Duca Sartoria Atelier New York
425 Madison Avenue Suite 1903
New York, NY 10017
212.582.3225
www.ducausa.com
atelier@ducausa.com

This year, my friends Thomas Keller, Jerome Bocuse, and I had the great pleasure of training and mentoring the Team USA we sent to Lyon for this auspicious event. Our candidate, Timothy Hollingsworth from The French Laundry, made a noble effort, placing in the top 10 amongst 24 teams. I’m sure Thomas and Gavin Kaysen (who represented the U.S. in 2007) are just as proud of Timothy as I am. He is an extremely talented young chef and stood up well under competition pressure, which is very different from the pressures of cooking in a restaurant, even if it’s one of the finest restaurants in the country. Our team helped demonstrate the important role America now plays on the international culinary scene. The experience was also an incredible personal achievement for Timothy.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic in Vancouver, I just opened two new restaurants, and I know I promised to share them with you! Both Lumière and DB Bistro Moderne seem to be pleasing the local cognoscenti, most notably Mia Stainsby, one of the city’s most respected critics. Both David Sidoo, my Canadian partner, and I were thrilled to read her review in the Vancouver Sun. Every strong review is so gratifying to my staff, the people who are on the front lines with me every day, working so hard to please people. With each restaurant, you create a new team and a new identity and style. I definitely have a consistency of style from one venue to the next, but each time I try to craft it to appeal to local tastes and context, and Vancouverites are clearly serious about their food and restaurants!

In the process of getting to know David Sidoo and his wife Manjy, I discovered what a great food city Vancouver truly is. I also got to know some of the city’s most beloved chefs along the way. They have been so welcoming in helping me navigate the culinary world in British Columbia, and for that I am grateful. Coming up next is a restaurant on the Bowery. For DBGB Kitchen & Bar, I’m thinking American diner meets French brasserie will be the right vibe as I head downtown!

“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing-after they’ve tried everything else.” Such are the words of arguably the greatest man of the last century, Sir Winston Churchill, and they are indeed invariably true. Much changing of the guard at present; the White House new occupants and a new dog. Archrivals have been mending fences with new appointments whilst former players ride into the sunset.

Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice included, among her swansongs, a private recital of Braham’s piano quintet Op.34. before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. One supposes Mrs. Clinton will have to brush up her scales.

Is it just I who is astounded by the casino atmosphere of the money world? Bernie Madoff propagating a $50 billion fraud; these figures are just incomprehensible and the behavior sociopathic. Is jail time really sufficient for these heinous white collar crimes? The fallout continues…

Closer to the equator, the seemingly jinxed six-acre Palm Beach estate, recently offloaded by Donald Trump for $95 million to Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev, is due for yet another incarnation. The oligarch is considering razing the 80,000-square-foot house, which has a history of very little joy. The original house was built in 1917 and later acquired by Charles Wrightsman of Standard Oil. Later, Leslie Wexner of Limited Brands held the deed, and, to the horror of the community, he promptly tore down the Mundy edifice. Miffed when the town fathers objected to his vision, he put the land back on the block. Gosman built the current spread, which brought him nothing but anguish including bankruptcy and a wife currently facing a jail sentence. Potent feng shui is clearly in order.

Dwight Schar has to hold a real estate record, as he recently took out a $63 million mortgage on the South Ocean Boulevard estate he purchased from Ron Perelman. We hope he negotiated a good interest rate. Even at six percent, he would be facing $450,000 a month for the next 30 years.

One munificent bright spot of optimism on the island was David Koch’s 30-minute fantasia firework display (synchronized to music) at the Coconut’s party on New Year’s Eve. Thank God there are still a few billionaires around not afraid to share their spoils, even if his family’s fortune has just been eclipsed by the Cargill dynasty.

Following the housing crises comes the auction house collapse (if not collapse, a serious pruning). Very few players are coming up trumps. The guarantees have poisoned the water for Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Billionaire Henry Kravis and his wife Marie-Josée are still ahead of the money game even after their Degas pastel sold for less than the Sotheby’s estimate…that has got to hurt. Of course, there always are exceptions, when a painting by Kazimir Malevich brings a record price of $60 million in an otherwise morgue-like sales room. Obviously, there is still some wind left in the sails.

Putting on a good face and casting out the gloom, t’was the Season, and dinners and parties abounded. Real estate lions Alice Mason and Larry Kaiser each gave their annual soirees. Kaiser hosted in the stunning St. Regis ballroom, entertaining 300 of his international chums. Amongst the melee were Dewi Sukarno, John and Susan Gutfreund, and Eva O’Neil, with Alex Donner heating up the dance floor. Mason held court in her beautiful art-filled apartment. Guests included Woody Allen and Soon-Yi (whom I sat beside at dinner), Amy Fine Collins, Aileen Mehle, Barbara Walters, and the ever-urbane David Patrick Columbia, who gave a heartwarming toast.

Gillian Fuller held a chic dinner in honor of Parker Ladd and Arnold Scaasi; apparently, his pumpkin broke down, forcing him to arrive two hours late. Naturally, he was forgiven. Let’s not forget, he designed Fuller’s wedding gown of yesteryear when she married the Duke of Marlborough’s son, Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill.

Peggy Siegel hosted a fun Sunday Brunch reintroducing the Oak Bar at The Plaza. Tory Burch, Christine and Steven Schwarzman, and Hamish Bowles were amongst the families and friends in attendance.
My associate Roric Tobin covered Alicia Keys’ big night, the Black Ball, which raised more than $2.4 million for children in Africa. As he tells it, the highlight was Queen Latifah and Justin Timberlake getting into a spirited bidding war, which resulted in each spending an additional $100,000 of their small change.

Asprey and St. George’s Society held a reception for Cherie Blair. One forgets how bright she is: a QC no less and fun to chat with. She was heading back a couple of hours later on British Airways…such amazing energy.

From a former first lady to a current one: all lunchtime conversation froze as Mrs. Sarkozy, Carla Bruni, entered Amaranth; she is a knockout beauty. Silence being an anomaly in our jaded Manhattan society.

At this year’s reopening of La Grenouille, on the famed red velvet banquettes, I found myself alongside the likes of Saul Steinberg, the comeback kid, and his beautiful wife Gayfryd. Seated at the center table: Henry and Nancy Kissinger and Annette de la Renta, proof that proprietor extraordinaire Charles Masson reigns.

Christmas for me, as usual, was spent in Gloucestershire. Then for the New Year, I was horribly spoiled (the largesse of generous clients) with the loan of one of the most beautiful villas in St. Martin-having designed the interior, I felt right at home. From the spectacular terrace (the length of a New York City block) I spied, among the armada of megayachts heading to and from St. Barths, Paul Allen’s immense Octopus in all its splendour.

That was the year that was, and we have absolutely no idea where ‘09 is taking us. Churchill, half-American himself, had the right fighting spirit: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” I am personally not ready to fall on a sword, and, after all, America is the “home of the brave.” Let’s keep going…

Zaha Hadid
Text by Ayesha Khan

The first woman ever to win the coveted Pritzker Prize (architecture’s version of the Nobel Prize), Zaha Hadid is a force to reckon with in an industry dominated by men. Architecture was always a dream for the Iraqi-born virtuoso who asserts she knew she was certain of her future career path since she was 11 years old. Although she has garnered many titles typically reserved for men, including Commander of the British Empire and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Hadid still admits it is hard for a woman in her industry. “Working on an architecture project means perseverance,” she asserts. “But no matter how much progress has been made, there is still a world that, for women, is taboo.” Hadid’s educational endeavors took her from Beirut to London, and she later held several professorships at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Hadid’s pioneering deconstructive architectural style turned heads ever since she worked with the likes of Rem Koolhaas and Elia Zenghelis in the Office for Metropolitan Architecture. Her unmistakable mark can be seen in the Chanel Mobile Art exhibit, the BMW Central Building in Leipzig, Germany, and the Bridge Pavilion in Zaragoza, Spain. Future projects include the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, which will be completed in 2012, and a performing arts center on Saadiyat Island, United Arab Emirates.

In the fenestration trade, the tides of architectural trend and choice may constantly shift, but one thing remains the same-total commitment to exceed expectations isn’t merely a goal, it’s a decades-old devoted practice at Zeluck. For nearly a century, this family owned and operated firm has been serving the architectural community and discerning customers with fully customized and tested windows and doors that combine the best in European craftsmanship, American manufacturing ingenuity, and high-tech aesthetics.

Made in America and with showrooms in Palm Beach, California, and New York, Zeluck’s tailor-made solutions are the result of endless innovation, creativity, and expertise. Born out of a pioneering spirit in 1921 by glazier Jack Zeluck, the company’s three-generation (it’s now headed by the brother tag team of Kevin and Roy Zeluck, who serve as co-presidents) track record of historical, traditional, and contemporary installations include some of the most stunning homes in the U.S., the Caribbean, and the world, as well as institutional, landmark, and historical replication projects nationwide that include: Liberty State Park, Gracie Mansion, The Phillips Collection museum, the Bronx Zoo, and even some work at the White House. “Anybody that says today that you can’t make what was made in the old days is wrong,” says Kevin. No other organization can match the firm’s staying power or experience, so it’s no wonder why Zeluck is the country’s most highly respected window and door company.

The company’s unyielding search for excellence knows no boundaries, and that has led to a sophisticated fusion of engineering, design, fabrication, and service. Within the scope of each and every project, the Zeluck team forms a working partnership with the architect, decorator, builder, contractor, and client. The results are products made from the finest materials available, custom-crafted to individual specs…and unmatched for quality, variety, and precision. “Our customized wood-frame creations are the Bentley, the Rolex of windows,” says Roy. “Everybody is looking for the incomparable quality of yesterday, and Zeluck certainly offers it.”

What kind of window leads him to make that kind of claim? How about one framed in an exotic timber like cherry or walnut, 10 feet tall, and mechanized to disappear into the floor with the push of a button (several of these were once created in Honduran mahogany for a custom installation around an indoor pool). Or a bronze-clad and aluminum one offered by their other firm, Fenestra America, considered the finest of its type on the market. And if somebody wants toys, Zeluck can certainly offer them. The company has done just about any door or window style an architect has dreamed up, creating high-value window and door systems that utilize many innovative, optional features such as motorized window lifts and screens that automatically close when it rains, voice-activated and fingerprint operated doors, and bulletproof glass panes.

Zeluck believes that a well-constructed high-end residential window or door is not just a fine piece of work with superior performance characteristics. The company also believes in impact standards without compromise. That’s why it has the largest selection of windows and doors for waterfront properties approved for Dade County and SBCCI building codes. “These hurricane impact certifications are the standard,” says Kevin, “and it’s the only way we can ensure that all of our clients are adequately protecting their homes and loved ones. It’s made us the go-to company for a clientele list of Oscar winners, Grammy winners, and Fortune 500 CEOs who own extravagant property in high-wind zones like the Hamptons, South Florida, Anguilla, St. Martin, St. John, and many other private islands.”

The company’s extensive product range and inexhaustible library of profiles, designs, and drawings (probably the largest in the world) provide unlimited freedom of choice and flexibility. Zeluck’s use of the finest materials available, coupled with meticulous detailing and old-world quality assures the enduring beauty one would expect from only the highest of the high-end. Additionally, total project planning and design is a given. Commitment to quality control commences at the time of inception and continues through the entire construction, adhering to the conviction that this type of attention is integral rather than additive. Engineers, project managers, and drafts people comprise a support team that provides full-cycle help with creative input, specs, drawings, delivery, and installation, so that Zeluck’s cutting-edge security, hardware, weather stripping, and glass guarantee that clients have the most up-to-date technology available.

Zeluck is a creative partner that lets no detail fall to the wayside. Fine craftsmanship, elegant styling, and precise detailing make the view of the windows as impressive as the view from them-the only limit is imagination. “We do everything we can to not only deliver a great product of enduring beauty, but also, perhaps more importantly, a great experience,” says Roy.

For developers, the recent path to success has not been down easy street. Even a building with a seemingly perfect location, perfect design, and perfect amenities needs proper positioning. That’s why, in today’s real estate climate, an even greater emphasis has been placed on conceiving and executing comprehensive marketing and sales programs that are not only innovative and creative, but credible. Finding that rare ally that has the critical thinking, knowledge, capability, and drive to shepherd one through the tough times is no longer a tremendous asset, it’s a necessary one.

The rarest of all just might be The Marketing Directors. Quarterbacked by founder and CEO Adrienne Albert, this talented team of seasoned pros is basically a full service marketing and sales/rental organization that specializes in new, high-end homes. But there’s nothing basic about The Marketing Directors. Recognized as a national leader in high-density residential development, since 1980, the group has served many of the industry’s most prominent developers across North America. In MD’s lexicon, that means 29-years of executing unique, often groundbreaking campaigns that have resulted in more than $60 billion in home sales. It means surviving and thriving through the ups and downs, even in market conditions similar to what we face today. It means complete confidence. That’s why the firm presently represents condo and rental developers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina.

Recently, the company has been appointed marketing and exclusive sales agent for five new luxury residential buildings located throughout the Big Apple. The signature buildings include: 254 Park Avenue South (167 premium homes in a 14-story building rising in Manhattan’s vibrant Flatiron neighborhood); The Fairchild (21 exclusive residences housed in a distinctive nine-story building in Tribeca); 34 Leonard (16 loft-like homes located in an eight-story building in Tribeca); Centria (152 residences in a 34-story building situated adjacent to Rockefeller Center); and The Classic at Kew Gardens (52 condominium homes located in the fashionable Queens neighborhood). “We’re delighted to have been chosen to handle the exclusive sales of these extraordinary residential properties,” says Albert. Other current MD projects include award winners Platinum, The Setai, Visionaire, Avonova, and Atelier.

It’s not surprising that MD was the firm of choice. It simply does things differently, pinpointed to three overarching aspects. First, MD has an in-house market insight division, tracking all condo transfers throughout the entire marketplace. The research is done in such a way as to “clean” the data, so that there is nothing errant to skew reality (such as a one bedroom reported as a three). With the data scrubbed, MD works from a very refined, very targeted info base. Second, MD has extensive training programs in not only sales, but also in product training. “If our people aren’t armed with the answers, they can’t be the experts our clients rely on us to be,” Albert notes. So even if someone’s been on the team for 20 years, they’re rolling up their sleeves so that they can do it better tomorrow than they did it yesterday. Third, the team has an analytical approach to what they do. “It’s not my opinion, or Pat’s opinion, or Monica’s,” Albert says. “Our recommendations are based on three decades of documented experience, born out of proven methodologies.” Put together, these three significant, strategic differences create a proactive, straight-shooting, ever-evolving idea machine that crafts cross-platform, mind-melting marketing and sales solutions that thrill clients, with significant increases in revenue directly attributable to MD’s deliverables.

Albert doesn’t know why other firms aren’t like this, but she does know that MD was started when nobody else was in the field; they did it differently then, and they do it differently now. “We’re focused on constantly improving what we do in order to be more effective, so that [our campaigns] have a significant difference for our developers and ultimately the end users. Because giving a developer a competitive edge in the marketplace means that the person who ultimately lives in that home lives in a better environment.”

Twenty-nine years of incomparable accomplishment also equates to accolades. This year, MD added yet another 23 national awards from the National Association of Home Builders to its list of accomplishments. But the biggest honor went to Albert, who personally is responsible for the marketing and sales of more than $29 billion in residential sales. In January, she was inducted into the NAHB Hall of Fame as a legend of residential marketing. Albert is the first woman to receive the prestigious distinction in the hall’s 16-year history. What does she think about being a living legend? “The recognition is very exciting,” the guru admits. “I was shocked. I usually fly below the radar, but I’m honored.”

Now she just has to keep living up to the reputation. “Given where our economy is today, we have new challenges, and it’s my job to find new solutions and to, if you will, invent the next wheel,” she muses. And that’s what she sees as her future: finding a new and exciting path through this economic slump. “I’m not going to sit back and complain,” she declares. “I’m going to get out there and get my hands dirty.”

Perhaps one of the oldest and most historical hotels in the country, the Equinox recently re-opened its doors after a painstaking multi-million dollar renovation. In the property’s previous lives as the Marsh Tavern, Thaddeus Munson’s New Inn, Widow Black’s Inn, Vanderlip’s Hotel, The Taconic, The Orvis Hotel, and Equinox House, it has attracted a host of illustrious visitors (including several U.S. presidents, including Lincoln) and was the site of many historical gatherings that were pivotal to the Revolutionary War. Comprised of 17 structures, every corner of the Equinox tells its own story.

In charge of the look and feel of this new chapter in the Equinox story is none other than celebrated designer (and Haute Ambassador) Geoffrey Bradfield. “Being an ardent modernist, I enjoyed the challenge of designing the interiors for this famous and historic hotel,” says Bradfield of his interiors, which are at once fresh and mindful of both the hotel’s setting and its history. “It was an opportunity to use Diego Giacometti furnishings and accessories as an inspiration. The sylvan setting called for exactly this unique and whimsical approach to nature,” he adds, speaking of the lobby that opens to sprawling views of surrounding mountains peaks. What sets the Equinox apart from most period New England countryside hotels is the modernity and true sense of place that Bradfield has truly mastered. “[The owners] were emphatic in that they wanted a contemporary point of view that would also capture the dignity of the hotel’s history. They were not looking for me to re-create period rooms,” Bradfield explains.

Haute Living’s accommodation of choice is a lavish two-bedroom apartment in the Charles Orvis Inn, named for one of Manchester’s most revered business personalities. The Inn features two bedrooms with luxurious custom beddings and attached Jacuzzi bathrooms, a living room, and fully equipped kitchen served by a personal butler.

But what makes a stay at the Equinox truly different from any other Haute Resort of Repute is the activities on offer-a veritable roster of fun jaunts sure to whet the adventurous appetite of even the most well heeled, well traveled of New York’s cognoscenti. After a signature breakfast smothered with fresh Vermont maple syrup, guests have the option of embarking on a Land Rover off-road driving lesson, a falconry class, or, weather willing, an archery class.

Just a stone’s throw away from the perils of the Big City, this Starwood Luxury Collection Resort is a must-see, and, most importantly, must-experience treasure.

3567 Main Street Route 7A
Manchester Village, VT 05254
www.equinoxresort.com

In order to live what is perceived as a “luxury lifestyle,” there are numerous aspects that must all be tended to. From one’s bespoke suiting to the custom G250-and everything in between-when striving for the haute life, no detail can be overlooked. All of these individual modules must come together to achieve a standard of living that is perceived as, and genuinely is, effortlessly luxe.

Though every factor is integral when it comes to the good life, it is indubitable that one’s immediate environment-their home-is paramount to all. As such, interior design firms are in high demand, though there are only a select few that can transform any space, whether it’s a summer home in the Hamptons, a private yacht, or a ski chalet in Chamonix, into a haven of refined elegance. Bridget Nisivoccia Design, Inc. is one of those firms.

Like anything good in life, Nisivoccia’s business evolved naturally, almost unintentionally. From the beginning, she never sought out projects but rather was the one under pursuit. After graduating from Manhattan College, Nisivoccia pursued her passion for interior design at The New School, and through her education, she developed lasting relationships with many of the industry’s most influential individuals. “It was less than glamorous,” explains Nisivoccia. “I started doing small jobs here and there, and the business just sort of grew from there.” Don’t let her modesty deceive you; her business did not “sort of grow,” it boomed. When the New York real estate market skyrocketed in the early ’90s, Coldwell Banker listed Nisivoccia as its number one recommendation for interior designers. With the venerable real estate firm’s extensive listings of $10 million-plus homes, Nisivoccia’s business began to skyrocket as well.

From there, Nisivoccia gained lifelong clients, many of which were and are CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Since the ’90s, her namesake luxury boutique interior design firm has established offices in four major hubs- Los Angeles, New York, the Hamptons, and Miami-and her work has become renowned throughout the most exclusive communities.

Part of the design firm’s success can be attributed to its versatility. Each project is taken on with the same set of ideals in mind, the most important being the client’s vision. “As a boutique interior design firm, our design philosophy is to work with clients and their personal aesthetics to create a final look that optimizes the interior and exterior space, commercial or residential,” explains Nisivoccia. “When I begin a project, I listen to what the client wants their space to incorporate. That’s what is most important. Then I can begin my job, which is to take their visions and make them a beautiful, elegant, and functional reality.”

Each of Nisivoccia’s projects use selections of the finest furnishings and textiles from all over the world, and each design accent is incorporated to highlight the personality of the client. Formal or informal, each room exudes a sophisticated elegance unseen in other interior design portfolios. All of her creative work appears effortlessly chic and completely uncontrived. “People are so busy these days and there is so much stress in seemingly every aspect of life,” says Nisivoccia. “My job is to ensure that my clients homes are sanctuaries filled with their favorite things, a place that invites them to relax and recharge, forgetting about the mayhem of the outside world.”

And her work does just that, which has led to an A-list following. She currently is designing for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mark Clayton, whose  mother JacQuetta Clayton is President of the M.O.M SQUAD organization,  and news personality Chris Wragge. Nisivoccia also recently was recruited to design the interiors of Cristal Beach Resort, a compound of 80 luxury condos located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic in the picturesque town of Cabrera.

With a full calendar of projects for 2009, it is certain that Bridget Nisivoccia Design will continue to grow, prosper, and redesign the way life should be.

Bridget Nisivoccia Design
260 West 54th Street, 37E
New York, NY 10019
917.224.5017
www.bndesigninc.com

Speaking with Scott Baxter, the founder of architectural hardware design firm SA Baxter, is like conversing with a fine art dealer. “We hate the word factory,” says Baxter. “We are a modern foundry and atelier.” All of SA Baxter products are handmade to order by a group of artisans using both modern and old-world techniques.

Some say SA Baxter makes the best hardware in the world. They certainly have grabbed the world’s attention, in any case. The company currently has completed projects in the U.S., Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Canada, South America, United Kingdom, and India, and also has five or so super yachts floating about the high seas.

So, all this attention begs the question: How does a small company in New York’s quaint Hudson Valley attract such a global clientele? Baxter says his strategy has always been about design. “Although we have tremendous respect for classic design and produce many classic designs ourselves, we also have a passion for twisting or redefining them a bit, adding a fresh and unique identity.” This approach comes though as you navigate the plethora of design options on display in its New York City Design Center showroom and on the company website.

SA Baxter manufactures products in-house, using the “Lost Wax” or “Investment” method for casting its products. Every door knob, pull, lever, and hinge starts off as a CAD-generated 3-D model or hand-carved original form from which a mold or negative image of the piece is made. The mold is then injected with wax, which is hand-worked to remove parting lines or defects that might exist on the replica. A weeklong process evolves these individual wax parts, attached in groups, to wax “trees.” These trees are dipped into as many as eight coats of a slurry and sand mixture, which ultimately hardens into a solid shell. The shells are then fired in a large oven to 1,800 degrees, at which point the wax is melted out, or “lost.”

At this point, the well-choreographed dance culminates with melting the metal of choice at temperatures up to 2,300 degrees inside a crucible, and then pouring molten metal into the now very hot shells where the wax once was. All this is done by foundry craftsmen with great respect for the dangers that lurk at these high temperatures. Very steady hands in a series of precise motions make for the perfect pour. If all goes well, the end product is an exact metal version of the original carving or 3-D model.

The parts are then cut off and put on CNC-programmed lathes and mills, where the mechanical interface is precision-cut for perfect fit and operation. Once inspected, it’s off to the finishing area where one of 200 possible finishes are applied again over many days of hand polishing, de-burring, texturing, hammering, chasing, plating, and/or patina work. The result: a made-to-order piece of jewelry for your home.

Buyer beware…SA Baxter is not just for any budget, and pieces often can take months to produce, depending on the complexity of the design. The company currently is quoting 12 to 21 weeks for delivery (already the fastest turnaround in the industry), however, it is in the process of developing a quick-ship program that can bring the lead time down to as little as six weeks. Available only via “the trade,” hardware is on display in the New York Design Center and in the Farmer Brother’s showroom in London, England. Baxter says two additional showrooms will open in 2009, starting with Los Angeles, followed by Miami. If none of these locations are convenient, with deposit and proper credentials, SA Baxter is all too happy to provide samples for project presentations via your favorite carrier.

Have a custom design in mind? “Not a problem.” says Scott Baxter. “About 30 percent of the company’s business is completely custom. We welcome it.” They seem to love a challenge and have virtually no limitation due to the company’s unique in-house capabilities.

Most recently, SA Baxter co-developed a wonderful lever with world-class designer Anthony Browne for a project here in the USA. The product team loved it so much, they made the design a permanent part of their collection. As a result of this effort, the line was selected by the A&D community as “Best in Class” for the Hardware category at the annual Interior Design Magazine’s coveted Best of Year Awards held at the Guggenheim Museum late 2008.

SA Baxter
200 Lexington Avenue, Suite 713
New York, NY
212.203.4382
info@sabaxter.com

Burr Ridge Estate

Located in Burr Ridge, one of the most affluent Chicago suburban communities, this four-story estate, sitting on approximately 2.8 perfectly manicured acres, offers the convenience and culture of the city while also providing the coveted comfort and space of the suburbs, providing for the perfect residence.

Built in 1997, this home has been consistently updated and offers state-of-the-art amenities throughout. Included in the approximate 20,500 square feet of interior space are six bedrooms (all replete with walk-in closets), a spare room that could easily be converted to a home office, family room, breakfast nook, nine bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool and spa, indoor basketball court, and elevator.

Details like the stunning fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, and balcony provide a quaint charm that balances the sprawling interior space. The gourmet kitchen, filled with first class appliances, in conjunction with the stunning patio make this home perfect for entertaining. Amenities such as central air, security system, sprinkler system, and six-car garage are the final touches that deem this estate one of the suburb’s finest.

Price: $8,999,999
Location: Burr Ridge, Illinois
Realtor: Christos Papanastasatos
Realty: Sudler | Sotheby’s International Realty
Phone: 708.408.9525
Website: www.ChristosRealEstate.com
Email: Christos@ChristosRealEstate.com