The Experience of Luxury at Home - Trends in Kitchen and Bath
Generously hosted by Bennett Friedman, Principal and Design Director, AF New York (AFNY)
Panelists:
Bennett Friedman, Principal and Design Director, AF New York (AFNY)
Russell Groves, Principal, S. Russell Groves
Mark Nover, General Manager, Villeroy & Boch, Bath & Tile Division
Paul Shaffer, Regional Marketing Manager-Northeast, BSH Home Appliances
Moderator:
Steve Nobel, Chairman and Co-Founder, The Luxury Home Alliance.
We hope you will join us for this next and very special event for the members and guests of The Luxury Home Alliance: The Experience of Luxury at Home - Trends in Kitchen and Bath
Location: 22 West 21st Street, (between 5th and 6th Avenues), 5th Floor, NY 10010
Time: 6-8pm
Home may be where the heart is, and luxurious kitchens and baths are fast becoming the "hearts" of the home. No longer considered just "a place to cook," the ultimate kitchen has both state-of-the-art
technology and beautiful appointments that reflect individual tastes and lifestyles. The modern luxe kitchen has become an expansive space, a gathering place for friends and family, a room in its own right, a place for both relaxation and creativity. And consider how the quintessential bath has evolved, over a relatively short period time, into a meditative, serene environment that rivals a well-equipped spa. Join our esteemed panelists as they discuss the evolution of kitchen and bath design in the luxury arena and reveal what they see as new trends in luxury marketing on the horizon.
About the Panelists:
Bennett Friedman
Bennett Friedman is the Principal of AF New York (AFNY) and Design Director of AFNY’s exclusive DaVinci Collection. Since 1987, he has set the standard in offering the architecture and design community a premiere showroom for innovative kitchen and bath products, tile and architectural hardware. Always on the cutting-edge, Mr. Friedman directs AFNY to distribute a range of products through the firm’s extensive portfolio of manufacturers and designs. A native New Yorker, Bennett Friedman continues to pursue the inspirations behind his successes: modern art, the decorative arts, and architecture.
Russell Groves
The studio of S. Russell Groves was launched with the innovative design of the Teabox at Takashimaya, winner of the prestigious American Institute of Architects Award. This immediately established the firm as a leading design practice and has garnered a high profile client list including Coach, Giorgio Armani, and Ralph Lauren, among others. Repeated success and continued recognition has provided the firm with an impressive array of retail, residential and commercial commissions.
Current assignments include projects for Neiman Marcus, the sixteen thousand square foot flagship Frédéric Fekkai salon, several international locations for the innovative Australian brand Witchery, and the highly regarded label Episode with sites in England, France, and Spain. The Fifth Avenue première boutique for Blanc de Chine, recently opened on Fifth Avenue, has obtained Contract Magazine’s 2007 Best of Year award.
Also in progress is the luxury high-rise residential tower on the Upper East Side, The Lucida. All public areas, lobbies, the spa and fitness center, and interior appointments, have been uniquely detailed for this glamorous, yet modern, lifestyle dwelling.
Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Russell Groves is a graduate of the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. Studies there and abroad resulted in a varied education in the arts, encompassing architecture, interior design, fashion design, graphics, and filmmaking. Mr. Groves began his career at Richard Meier Architects, followed by tenure at the firm of Kohn Pederson Fox. Later, he became a project architect at Peter Marino Architects, where he was responsible for important commissions for Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan, and Barneys New York.
Marc E. Nover
Marc Nover has headed the Bath & Tile Division of Villeroy & Boch in the U.S. for the past three years. In that that time he has helped put the company—better known in this market for its china and crystal than for its toilets and tubs— back on the map as a leading luxury brand in the category. Based in corporate offices in Middlesex County, New Jersey, he shaped his career at American Standard whom he joined in 1988 as a sales representative. His track record during his 15 years with the company was impressive, and he quickly ascended into management ranks to become vice president of commercial sales. Marc travels across North America regularly to meet with bath showrooms and their designers to maintain a keen perspective on trends in the luxury bath market.
Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer is BSH Home Appliance’s Regional Marketing Manager for the Northeast. He started working for BSH in 2001 (then HADCO), and has since played a leading role in the management and sales departments of the company. Paul currently is managing three appliance showrooms, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, that feature training, classes, TV shows and other consumer events throughout the course of the year. Prior to working for BSH, he worked for General Electric where he held the position of GE Monogram Market Development Manager and was owner of PASCO Development Corporation.
Originally from Sharon, MA, Paul graduated from the University of Hartford in Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in communication.