ASFD Presents 2001Pinnacle Winners

Furniture World Magazine

The American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) announced the winners of the 2001 Pinnacle Awards at their Sixth Annual Pinnacle Design Achievement Awards gala held Friday evening at the High Point International Home Furnishings Center Ballroom. The event which was attended by over two hundred furniture designers, manufacturers, suppliers and other industry affiliates was kicked off with a cocktail reception sponsored by Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company. Fifty-one finalists in fifteen categories were recognized during the after dinner ceremony at which Ivan Saul Cutler, a Triad Furniture Industry Analyst served as Master of Ceremonies. Representatives from twelve sponsoring companies presented the winners with an individually engraved Pinnacle glass trophy, newly designed by James DiPersia, ASFD of Nicoletti Italia and manufactured by Carolina Glassmasters. Karl Felperin, president of Karl D. Felperin Design Associates served as the ASFD 2001 Pinnacle Awards Chairman. Participating sponsors included Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Casual Living Magazine, Elmo Leather, Inc., FurnitureStyle magazine, Hafele America Co., Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co., Home Lighting and Accessories magazine, Laminating Materials Association, Leggett & Platt, Inc., StyleLife Designs, The October Company, Inc., Valspar Industries and Weyerhaeuser. Pinnacle Award judges this year were Dr. Richard Bennington, Professor of Business and Director of the Home Furnishings Program, High Point University; Lee Buchanan, Editor-in-Chief, InFurniture; Larry Chilton, Merchandise manager, Wood-Armfield Furniture; Robert L. Ficks, Jr., Director, Home Furnishings Council; Carolyn Gomez, Vice President, Merchandising, Mastercraft Interiors, Ellen Gefen, President, Gefen Productions and Majec, Inc.; Jackie Hirschhaut, Vice President, Public Relations, AFMA; Gary James, Editor, SoHo Today; Max Shangle, Professor, Design Studies, Kendall College of Art & Design; Julie Smith, Editor, FurnitureStyle, Cheminne Taylor-Smith, Editor-in-Chief, Casual Living and Tony Wilkerson, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Havertys Furniture. A CD press book which includes reproduction quality photographs of all finalists products, designers and the awards ceremony will be published and distributed in November 2001. Free copies may be obtained by contacting ASFD at Tel. (910) 576-1273 or by E-mail at asfd@ac.net. The Pinnacle winners in each category are listed below and include a comment or two by the Pinnacle Award judges. Occasional Tables: Celeste, Gayle Zalduondo, ASFD & Andrew Kelly for URBANUS. "Sleek and contemporary with good use of mixed media in a creative way. It suits many popular upholstery options with appropriate scale." Occasional Storage: Generic Buffet, Rick Berry, ASFD for Design Institute America Inc. "Woven steel straps make a striking design that is usable in many rooms. It's design is anything but generic." Juvenile: Garden Party, Michael D. Warren, ASFD for Stanley Furniture Co. Inc. "Accent color options with coastal styling greatly extend the longevity and versatility of the collection." Casual Dining: Tribeca, John W. Caldwell, ASFD for Kessler Industries. "Interchangeable vinyl and leather straps allow for both indoor and outdoor use; unusual leg position gives a look of distinction." Formal Dining: South Beach, Gary Hokanson for Stanley Furniture Co. Inc. "Good use of Art Deco/Asian influence and chair back design. Bunching cabinet unit with storage broadens appeal." Motion Upholstery: Spinner, Alan Friedman, ASFD for Benchcraft. "A new spin on motion, and a new look for the price point." Stationary Upholstery: boulevard, Joseph Ruggiero for Norwalk Furniture Corp. "An effective interpretation of a transitional lifestyle upholstery program." Leather Upholstery: Matinee, Vladimir Kagan, ASFD for American Leather. "Fresh use of design for functionality with unique architectural details." Accessories: Tropical Palm & Leaf Series, Madeline & Robert Longstreet for Longstreet Collection, Ltd. "A wide diversity of sizes for a wide range of wall applications. The scale of objects allows them to be part of the environment rather than just accessories." Lighting: Contemporary Touch Lamp, Robert Lo for The Holmes Group. "Sleek style and outstanding value." Home Office: Skyline, Drew Maple, ASFD for O'Sullivan Industries. "Maximizes functionality with creative and whimsical use of glass top; a versatile product." Home Entertainment: Focus, Dave Clark, ASFD for Bassett Furniture. "Mass appeal--additional top storage a worthwhile feature; contemporary, yet casual." Summer/Casual: Bimini, Frederic C. Doughty, ASFD for Werner Woods. "Transitional in form with an Asian feel. Striking silhouette with wonderful color." Bedroom: SOHO 40, Martin de Blois for Baronet, Inc. "Striking deep color with great detailing and understated sophistication." Major Collections: Matilda Bay, William G. Faber, Century Furniture. "A significant blending of European flavor with each piece retaining its unique heritage."