From the Windy City to the U.K., BOH has gathered all the showroom news to keep on your radar in the new year.
Showroom Spotlight
Luxury appliance brand SKS unveiled an outpost at The Mart in Chicago. Spanning 8,672 square feet, the new space brings the brand’s appliances to the Windy City design community. “The Mart is an icon of Chicago architecture and an ideal setting for SKS’s first publicly accessible showroom,” says Helen Cho, the company’s head of marketing. “As this design destination continues to evolve, it offers the perfect backdrop for the trade community and consumers alike to experience [our] luxury appliances firsthand.”
Designed in collaboration with Lissoni Architecture New York, the showroom boasts five custom kitchen displays that blend old and new. “This project started with the idea to respect the location,” says Lissoni partner and COO Stefano Giussani. “The Merchandise Mart—it’s a specific building, a specific place in Chicago. That was a good starting point for our narrative, for our storytelling of this project. The combination between the industrial [aspect] of the building converted into a contemporary approach: very refined, but still respecting the DNA of the building.”
Upon entering, guests are welcomed by a custom 10-foot chandelier comprising fluted glass rods hung above a basalt table, with a red marble reception desk just beyond. The floors are lined with Scandinavian white oak, and the space is swathed in a natural taupe. Although the original plans saw the showroom set up like a gallery, the designers pivoted as they started exploring the local design community. “After further discussion and studying the Chicago area and who the audience was, [we thought,] ‘Why don’t we work on real kitchens that people can feel themselves in?’” says Giussani. “Every visitor can feel comfortable, at ease, and can put themselves into that scenario.”
Split across two levels, the showroom’s expansive kitchen vignettes, which range from transitional to modern, are all custom-built by Arclinea. Together, the displays feature more than 50 appliances—including refrigeration solutions and ranges with induction cooktops or integrated sous vide—as well as design details like 20-foot-long islands. “[The different styles] add to the opportunity to express both the appliances and the design for different clientele,” says Giussani. A hallmark of the space is an expansive dining table that can play host to culinary events, as well as 31-by-10-foot video walls with LED displays for presentations. “Interactive projections and touchscreen effects on top of the table and on the two video walls left and right are really bringing to life the culinary experience,” he adds.
The space provides a multisensory experience for guests to engage with what the brand has to offer. “Opening the SKS showroom at The Mart represents a bold, innovative new chapter,” says Cho. “With the creative partnership of design leaders like Piero Lissoni, the showroom delivers an immersive environment that celebrates culinary and design excellence.” 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 107, Chicago
California
Kitchen Design Group unveiled a new showroom in Santa Monica. The opening follows the loss of its former showroom in the Pacific Palisades due to last year’s wildfires. The space showcases a selection of kitchen and bath designs with a fully functional kitchen that will play host to special events, talks and culinary workshops. Also on display is principal Caren Rideau’s relaunched pottery collection with Mexican ceramist Gorky González. 3021 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica
Eichholtz, the Dutch furniture and lighting brand, partnered with designer Ryan Saghian to open a new showroom in the South Coast Collection center in Costa Mesa. Spanning 8,423 square feet, the outpost carries a full line of products, including residential and office furniture, cabinetry, lighting and home decor, and follows another Saghian-run Eichholtz location in West Hollywood. 3303-3323 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa
Michigan
Serba Interiors unveiled a new space in the Michigan Design Center. The studio offers a selection of furniture and decor, including Decca Home, a line of handcrafted case goods and upholstery. 1700 Stutz Drive, Suite 95, Troy
New York
Manhattan gallery Tuleste Factory opened a pop-up store in the Gallery14 space in the Meatpacking District. The company’s first venture into retail showcases a selection of sculptural furniture and lighting, as well as decorative objects and limited-edition items. The space will also host quarterly guest-artist spotlights. 342 W. 14th St., New York
Berlin-based furniture brand Hardman Design chose Brooklyn for its inaugural U.S. showroom. Located in Industry City, the space displays a range of wood and upholstered pieces across the dining, living and bedroom categories. 254 36th St., Suite C557, Brooklyn
South Carolina
Schumacher opened a showroom in the new Charleston Design District, joining fellow trade brands like Kravet and Holland & Sherry in the city’s decommissioned navy yard. The to-the-trade space by local designer Betsy Berry displays more than 7,000 fabrics, wallpapers and trims, as well as items from sister brands Backdrop, Iksel Decorative Arts, Boråstapeter, Tillett Textiles, Raoul Textiles and Patterson Flynn. The shop will also feature antiques, pillows, coffee table books and ceramics. 2158 Noisette Blvd., Suite 101, North Charleston
International
British furniture brand Oak&More opened its third and fourth U.K. locations—one in Swindon and another in Rotherham. The new outposts offer a selection of products ranging from glass, marble and painted furniture to classic solid oak pieces. Parkgate Shopping Park, Stadium Way, Unit 12, Rotherham; Bridge Mead Retail Park, Great Western Way, Unit G1, Swindon
