T W G : Design Journal

IN THE NEWS: JAMES HUNTER AND THE WISEMAN GROUP ON HOUZZ

Photo by Aaron Leitz

Houzz

, an online community of more than 25 million homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals, recently featured

the top ten Houzz articles of 2014

. Among these articles is one entitled "

12 Key Decorating Tips to Make Any Room Better

." One of TWG's projects, led by design principal James Hunter, appears as an illustration.

The Houzz decorating tip this room embodies?

Vary the scale. What looks good in the store may look like an elephant in the room when you bring it home. Or it’s too tiny to be of any significance. So always vary scale and proportion.  
The oversize sunburst mirror frame fills up the wall space nicely here, while the sand dollars make an interesting grouping below. They would be much too insignificant individually. Threes and fives make for more pleasing arrangements than even numbers.

Steven Sutro was the architect for this project, and Clayton Timbrell was the contractor.

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IN THE NEWS: 1st RATE

The Wiseman Group is pleased and honored that its recently released book,

Inner Spaces: Paul Vincent Wiseman and The Wiseman Group

, has been rated by

1stdibs.com

 as one of the season’s best design books. Noted journalist Wendy Moonan, who covers stories on architecture, design, art and antiques, writes about the book in

Introspective

(December 2014), the site's online magazine. According to Moonan, Mr. Wiseman "embodies a rare combination of an open mind coupled with an uncommon sophistication, and in his custom work, he is like a couture designer: Everything always looks just right."

Inner Spaces

was authored by Brian Coleman with photography by Matthew Millman.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS: ICAA HONORS THE WISEMAN GROUP AT SFFAS

Paul Vincent Wiseman signs books at the San Francisco Fall Antique Show
Photos courtesy of ICAA

The San Francisco Fall Antique Show is a venerable fixture on the Bay Area design calendar. The yearly event, the oldest and most prestigious continuously operating international art and antiques show on the West Coast, brings together approximately sixty of the finest dealers across the United States and Europe. The show provides an opportunity for design professionals and their clients to mingle, collect ideas, and make important purchases.

Mr. Wiseman with guest Dana Tananbaum and Kathleen Taylor of The Lotus Collection at the ICAA luncheon


The Institute of Classical Architecture and Art hosts an annual Designer Day Lunch & Lecture at the show. This year they honored Paul Vincent Wiseman, who presented a post-lunch lecture entitled “Mindful Design and the Art of Storytelling." Following the lecture, Mr. Wiseman signed copies of his newly published book, Paul Vincent Wiseman & The Wiseman Group: Inner Spaces. Always a sell-out, this annual fundraiser is an important event for the Northern California Chapter of ICAA. Mark your calendar for next year's event!


Mr. Wiseman sharing in-depth information about three of his firm's projects




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INNER SPACES BOOK: CARLTON HOBBS ANTIQUES HOSTS EVENT IN THE BIG APPLE

Paul Wiseman and Inner Spaces author Brian Coleman signing books
Photos by Kate Jerde Cole of Editor At Large


What better place than Carlton Hobbs Antiques, located in the exquisite "Birdie" Vanderbilt Mansion on the Upper East Side, to have a New York City celebration of The Wiseman Group's new book,  Inner Spaces? Owners Carlton Hobbs and Stefanie Rinza were the consummate hosts, and the setting, filled with antique pieces of exceptional merit, made for a spectacular backdrop for the East Coast book launch event. Paul Goldberger's warm introduction sang the praises of Paul Wiseman and his firm's work. Mr. Goldberger's remarks set the stage for a standing room only lecture by Mr. Wiseman covering three of TWG's finest design projects conceived by three of the world's most talented architects.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-KoPKKcfEU
Architecture critic Paul Goldberger introducing Paul Vincent Wiseman


In addition to showcasing the firm's range of work, the lecture was intended to elucidate The Wiseman Group's design philosophy -- that interior design is very serious business, and not simply the art of making pretty rooms. Human beings have deeply ingrained needs to create homes that are both sanctuaries and reflections of what is meaningful to them. "I believe that good interior design must tap into what the Iroquois called the 'long-body,' our deep psyche’s personal and collective history of meaning. We bring in this element by finding objects, art, or antiques that have 'soul' and are appropriate to the home and client. We feel we have truly succeeded in our work if the resulting living space provides beauty, safety, and creative expression of the psyche!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-KoPKKcfEU
Mr. Wiseman giving his talk on "Mindful Design and the Art of Storytelling"
Video by One Dream Sound

Phil Benson, Paul Wiseman, and Brian Coleman


TWG design principal Brenda Mickel and designer Louis Navarrete


TWG CEO Kevin Peters, designer Bunny Williams, and Chase Roberson, assistant to Mr. Wiseman


Joy Venturini Bianchi of San Francisco, Paul Vincent Wiseman, and Jeanne Lawrence of the New York Social Diary


TWG design principal James Hunter and Trevor Watt


Bruce Honeyman, Hara Woltz, and TWG blog author Kirsten Honeyman


Gretchen Berggruen (R) and guest


Hon. Rebecca Wiseman and Brian Coleman


Chiles Wilson, Leslie Wilson, Stacy Benson, and Phil Benson


Phaedra Wilson (left) and John Danzer (center) of Munder Skiles with Taffy Dahl and Donald Kaufman 


Exceptional antiques on display at Carlton Hobbs


Nina Reeves, designer John Lyle, Kory Drahos, and Andrew Joseph of Andrew Joseph PR


Kate Bergeron and Jessica Robb


Kirsten Honeyman and TWG designer Victoria Kennedy


Lovely setting for the bar


Guillermo Martinez and Todd Henderson of Ralph Lauren with Steve Brister of Nella Vitrina


Joseph Aldrich of OC South Magazine and Brian Coleman


Henry Neville of Mallett Antiques and guests


Designer Faye Kitchener Cone with guest


Drew Stevens of Feminist Press and Joel Barkley of Ike Kligerman Barkley Architects


Brina Gehry, City of New York archeologist David Pagano, and Richard N. Snyder


Sondra Whitney, Jeanne Lawrence, and Joan Budd


Bunny Williams and Paul Wiseman


Phaedra Wilson, Ron Brick, and Michael Hill


Kerry Howard and Toma Clark Haines


Kevin Peters, Louis Navarrete, and guest


Robin Seegal and Joy Venturini Bianchi 


Brian Coleman and guest


Edouard Daunas of Martin Patrick Evan, design writer Jorge Arango, and host Carlton Hobbs


Glenn Gissler, Taffy Dahl, Donald Kaufman, and guest


Darcy Fulton of John Rosselli Antiques and Decorations and guest


Jorge Arango and TWG design principal James Hunter


Guest and host Stefanie Rinza


Beautiful gallery of rare pieces




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SHARING AND CARING: TWG PARTICIPATES IN UC EXTENSION TOUR

TWG CEO Kevin Peters speaking to the students
Photos - Mauricio Munoz


Author Diane Dorrans Saeks recently taught a UC Extension seminar that explored a broad range of residential and commercial design by some of San Francisco’s leading architecture and design practitioners. The course included a tour of several professional offices. The tour began at ODADA (Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates), an internationally recognized firm which has been part of the SF design scene since 1990. At the new headquarters of BAMO, founded in 1991, tour participants viewed the firm's commercial and residential work, including new work on the boards. 

Design Principal Mauricio Munoz answering student questions


The tour ended at The Wiseman Group offices on Potrero Hill. Paul Wiseman and his team were on hand to speak to the students and answer questions. Diane Saeks introduced the firm to the students citing its "extraordinary aesthetic ... based on a quiet rigor, highly customized décor, and a precision that is intellectual, emotionally engaging, and intuitive." Refreshments were served at the end of the tour so that the group could discuss current design topics with the designers. All in all it was an inspiring day for the students! TWG was pleased to be able to contribute.

TWG President Paul Wiseman welcoming Diane Dorrans Saeks

Students touring the TWG offices

TWG Design Principal Brenda Mickel discussing project renderings

Paul Wiseman sharing a site photo


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