INNER SPACES BOOK: LOOKING BACK AT 2014

Moritz Hammer (KGM Architectural Lighting), James Hunter (TWG design principal), Jessica Barnard (TWG designer), and Mauricio Muñoz (TWG design principal)

This time last year The Wiseman Group was fêted by Therien & Co. at their La Cienega showroom in Los Angeles. The occasion? The publication of TWG's book, 

Inner Spaces: Paul Vincent Wiseman and The Wiseman Group

. It was fitting that the SoCal company played host to the San Francisco-based Wiseman Group: Therien, 

a 

Dessin Fournir

 company, h

ad deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area before opening a Los Angeles showroom in the late 1980s.

JP Hayden (Hayden & Fandetta Rare Books) and

 Patri

cia Sims (Therien)

Chase Roberson (TWG) and Andrew Huge (Deloitte Consulting)

Kirsten Honeyman (TWG blog author) and Michael Danahy (Writer/Producer)

Devin Donner (Rudin Donner Design, Inc.) 

and Bill Dono

hoe (Donohoe Design Works)

with 

Kevin Peters (TWG CEO)

The company is a purveyor of timeless period antiques, but in keeping with shifting design tastes, has also created a division devoted to 20th Century classics. Thus their location on La Cienega Boulevard is known throughout the U.S. and Europe as a one-stop source of premier quality decorative arts.

Mary Kate Spach and Tim Barber (both of Tim Barber Ltd. Architecture), Keith Granet (Granet Associates), and Brenda Mickel (TWG design principal)

Suzanne Shepela, 

Brian Pinkett

, and 

Lauren Fulton (all of 

Landry Design 

Group)

Guests were able to wander among the company's several showrooms and take in their lovely contents. CEO Kevin Peters greeted guests and Paul Wiseman signed books during the event. Wiseman Group Designers, Mauricio Munoz, Brenda Mickel, and James Hunter mingled with guests and sipped celebratory wine.

Phaedra Wilson (Munder Skiles)

Alison

 Chozen and TWG client 

Jill 

Chozen

Tom Stanley, Ron Woodson (Woodson & Rummerfield's), and Rocky La Fleur (Kneedler|Fauchère)

Paul Wiseman (TWG founder and president)

An after-party dinner was hosted by The Wiseman Group at nearby Ago. All in all, a lovely evening!

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INNER SPACES BOOK: C. MARIANI ANTIQUES AND SFC&G HOST A PARTY FOR THE WISEMAN GROUP

Paul Wiseman, SFC&G Editor-in-Chief Alisa Carroll, and Buzz Kaplan, showroom manager of C. Mariani

"Le Tout-San Francisco" turned out recently to celebrate The Wiseman Group's newly released book,

Inner Spaces.

The party was hosted by C. Mariani and

San Francisco Cottages & Gardens

magazine. The evening marked the first time Mr. Mariani had opened his showroom to hold such an event -- testament to the positive nature of his long-standing relationship with Paul Wiseman and The Wiseman Group designers. Guests mingled among antique pieces of rare and exceptional quality, providing a novel and elegant backdrop for the party.

Brenda Mickel, design principal at TWG, host Claudio Mariani, and Amy Weaver

C. Mariani Antiques, Restoration, and Custom

 is the largest U.S. wholesaler of high-end 17th, 18th, and 19th century European antiques. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the top antique dealers in the world. Showroom manager Buzz Kaplan likes to say, "It's like the Louvre, only with price tags." The firm also employs thirty carpenters, upholsterers, specialty painters, gilders, refinishers, metalists, and restorers for their custom furniture and restoration services.

Paul Wiseman and Greg McIntyre of Shears and Window

Paul Wiseman and Karin Payson

Paul Wiseman and spouse Richard Snyder

Paul Wiseman

and Timmie Friend

Candace Barnes a

nd Alisa Carroll

SFC&G

 launched in April 2014, and there has been no looking back. The magazine quickly established itself as a quality publication showcasing the best of the greater Bay Area design world. According to Editor-in-Chief Alisa Carroll, the magazine seeks to reflect a sense of place -- "the soul and sensibility" of the Northern California landscape, with its physical beauty and The City's innovative culture. It covers topics of local interest from the Monterey Peninsula, to Silicon Valley, to the wine country of Napa and Sonoma, to the Sierra Mountains of the Tahoe Region. Hawaii draws many Bay Area vacationers to her shores, so

SFC&G

plans to occasionally feature the Aloha State as well. In a media environment often oriented to the tumult of the world, it is grounding to peruse the pages of a magazine that serves to remind us we live in such an exceptionally beautiful and creative locale.

Laurel Sprigg and Buzz Kaplan

Kirk Phillips of Shears and Window, Eric Petsinger of Epoca, and Kendra Boutell of Via

John and Heather Little with Paul Wiseman

Gina Jorasch

Riana Lum of C. Mariani with JT and Suzanne Crandall

Tom O'Connor and Linette Reid

John and Carolyn MacKenzie with Stefan Ziegler

Chase Roberson, assistant to Paul Wiseman, Ned Mobley, and Paul Wiseman

Monica Duque with Andrea Suarez Barlow, in background Catherine Wu of Anthem and Debbie Gray of DeSousa Hughes

Carrie Swing and Gracie Hurtado of Waterworks

Cheryl DuCote

Claudio Mariani, Greg MacIntyre, and Amy Weaver

TWG staff Samantha Schiff, Stephanie Paul, Kelsey Mazzotta, and Eloisa Saquilayan

Angus Whyte

and Michelle Kender

Paul Wiseman, Massy Mehdipour, Joy Venturini Bianchi, Alfredo Pedroza

Claudio Mariani and Kay Evans of RH

A heartfelt thanks to Claudio Mariani, Buzz Kaplan, Riana Lum, and the entire staff at C. Mariani for all their tremendous efforts putting together such a lovely event. Many thanks to Alisa Carroll and

SFC&C

for co-hosting. Be sure to look for coverage of this event in their

February 2015 issue

. And finally, thanks to Stout Bookstore for being on hand to help with the book signing.

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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.

Architecture critic Paul Goldberger introducing Paul Vincent Wiseman Video by One Dream Sound

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!"

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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INNER SPACES BOOK: EVENING AT THE HOME OF SANDY & JEANNE ROBERTSON

Hostess Jeanne Robertson speaks to her guests about the design work of Paul Wiseman and The Wiseman Group

The oldest residence in San Francisco sits on a quiet street atop Russian Hill overlooking a large swath of the Bay: the Golden Gate Bridge to the west; Belvedere Island, Angel Island, and Alcatraz to the north; and Berkeley and the Bay Bridge to the east. Sandy and Jeanne Robertson bought their home twenty years ago, and with the help of Walker & Moody Architects and The Wiseman Group they have transformed the historic house into a sanctuary of beauty and comfort. The home was recently the setting for a private book party celebrating the publication of Inner Spaces, a retrospective of the interior design work of The Wiseman Group.

Signed, special edition copies of Inner Spaces

Joan Vinson and Kevin Hsu peruse the book upon arrival

A feature of Paul Wiseman's residence catches Joan Vinson's eye

Host Sandy Robertson greets guests

TWG CEO Kevin Peters is greeted by Laura Robertson and Sandy Robertson

California State Senator Mark Leno chats with John Gunn and Richard Snyder

Rita Laven, TWG President Paul Wiseman, and TWG Design Principal Brenda Mickel

Brett Robertson, Kevin Peters, and TWG Design Principal James Hunter

Jerry Weissman, Lucie Weissman, Nan McDowell, and Jim Grossman

Jim Marver, Stephanie Marver, Paul Wiseman, and Catherine Hoenig

Jeanne Robertson, Mark Leno, and Barbara Rosenberg

Patsy Ludwig

Ann Alkire and Brenda Mickel

Michele Goss, Paul Wiseman, and Connie Goodyear Baron

Richard Snyder, Cynthia Gunn, and John Gunn

Janet Moody McMurty and Deedee McMurty

Paul Wiseman jokes with Kent Eff, Karen & Richard Goss, and Heather Gray

TWG Design Principal Mauricio Munoz with Brenda Mickel

Jeanne Robertson, Paul Wiseman, Joan Vinson, and Cynthia Gunn

Sam Barondes and Richard Snyder

Patsy Ludwig

Catherine Hoenig and Heather Gray

Kevin Hsu, Stephen Suzman, landscape architect for the Robertson property, and Joan Vinson

Jeanne Robertson chats with guests

Tom Beischer, Cynthia Gunn, and James Hunter

David DeWilde, Paul Wiseman, and Joy Venturini Bianchi

Kent Eff and Heather Gray

Stephanie Marver

Lucie and Jerry Weissman with Jeanne Robertson

David DeWilde and Mauricio Munoz

Roger Evans and Aey Phanachet

Bruce Honeyman and TWG blog author Kirsten Honeyman

With drinks in hand, guests were free to roam the three-story Victorian home, taking in its lovely decor, impressive art collection, and spectacular views over the Bay. As the stars came out, guests were treated to a front row seat to The Bay Lights, the world’s largest LED light sculpture across the western span of the Bay Bridge.

View north to Alcatraz and Angel Island

Roger Evans, Kirsten Honeyman, and Joy Venturini Bianchi are regaled by Paul Wiseman

Paul Wiseman points out the Golden Gate Bridge to Joy Venturini Bianchi, Aey Phanachet, and Roger Evans

James Hunter and Tom Beischer

To the east the lights of the Bay Bridge can be seen after dusk

Brenda Mickel, Paul Wiseman, Ann Alkire, and Kirsten Honeyman are served desert on the rooftop

Bruce Honeyman and Mauricio Munoz enjoy a drink in the rooftop viewing room

At one point in the evening, Mrs. Robertson spoke to the assembled guests about her affection for Paul Wiseman and her appreciation of the excellent work of the firm. She thanked James Hunter for his contribution to their projects as well. It was a very special evening for all involved, and The Wiseman Group wishes to thank the Robertsons for all their invaluable support and good will!

Jeanne Robertson, Paul Wiseman, and gathered guests

Carrie Swing of TWG makes sure each guest leaves with a copy of the book

Chase Roberson of TWG looks on as Paul Wiseman says goodnight to Brenda Mickel

Sandy Robertson bids Shirley Sun goodnight

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