Roger Thomas, head of design for Wynn Hotels and Resorts, recently dined at Paul Wiseman's home on Belvedere Island. Visit
for a report...
CHEZ PAUL: ROGER THOMAS OPINES ABOUT DINNER ON BELVEDERE
T W G : Design Journal
IN THE NEWS: SFC&G SPENDS AN AFTERNOON CHEZ WISEMAN
The Wiseman Group continues to get attention for its newly published book, Inner Spaces: Paul Vincent Wiseman & The Wiseman Group, showcasing the firm's thirty-five years of design work. In their September 2014 publication, SFC&G spends the afternoon with Paul Wiseman and his partner Richard Snyder while they entertain lunch guests at their Belvedere Island home. Paul is an excellent chef and makes a gourmet lunch prepared with high-quality ingredients from the Marin County farmers market. Guests are served on the loggia, with its world-class views over the San Francisco Bay. SFC&G does a wonderful job capturing this pleasurable experience!
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| Paul Wiseman collecting herbs in his garden |
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| Preparing a tart using pears from a friend's orchard on the Sacramento River delta |
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| Fresh wild salmon on a bed of market corn |
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| Cheers to a lovely all'aperto meal |
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| TWG Design Principal Brenda Mickel (L), enjoying tart on the loggia |
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AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS: VERANDA BOOK FEATURES PAUL WISEMAN'S "HILLSIDE HAVEN"
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| A shot of Paul's hillside pergola was one of four photos depicted on the back jacket |
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| Section devoted to Paul's garden |
The selection of Paul's garden for the VERANDA book is a nice acknowledgement of Paul's wide range of talents. Though he would never hold himself out as a landscape designer, his capabilities clearly extend beyond interior décor. Congratulations, Paul!
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IN THE NEWS: PAUL WISEMAN'S BELVEDERE HOME FEATURED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
Kirsten Honeyman, blog writer for TWG Design Journal, recently published an article about Paul Wiseman's Belvedere Island home in The Mediterranean Garden, a publication of the international Mediterranean Garden Society. The non-profit association was founded in Greece in 1994 and acts as a forum for everyone who has a special interest in the plants and gardens of the mediterranean climate regions of the world. The forum operates through the quarterly journal, The Mediterranean Garden, with articles and book reviews written by members; through its web site; and, on a more local level, through events organized by branches formed in the countries where members live and garden. To see photographs from the article, go to the Mediterranean Garden Society website.
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| Photo - Doug Jones |
FAVORITE SOURCES: LUTYENS FURNITURE & LIGHTING
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| Dining set Paul Wiseman chose for his own home in Belvedere, recently featured in the monthly newsletter of Lutyens Furniture & Lighting |
Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) had a prolific career as an architect. He is responsible for the design of numerous English country houses, fine commercial buildings, and monuments. Testament to his talents as an architect, Lutyens was tapped to design and build (circa 1911-1927) a section of the city of Delhi, eventually known as New Delhi, which would later serve as the seat of the Government of India. The jewel in the crown of his career is the Viceroy's House, the architectural centerpiece of New Delhi.
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| Perspective view of the south elevation of the Viceroy's House (now known as Rashtrapati Bhavan), New Delhi, India Photo: The Wolfsonian |
In his early professional life Lutyens was influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement in England. He later produced designs with classical elements, but his time spent in India clearly had a profound influence on what evolved as his own, very distinctive style.
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| Lutyens garden bench with Indian design influence in evidence |
Lutyens was an excellent designer of fine interior furniture which he produced in small quantities. Apparently few of the interiors he created survive intact and many pieces of his original furniture have been lost. Thankfully for those who appreciate fine design and craftsmanship, Candia Lutyens and her husband, architect Paul Peterson, formed Lutyens Furniture & Lighting with the specific aim of promoting the work of her grandfather. Since 1988 the company has been making high quality reproductions available to the trade. LFL also adapts original designs and conceives new pieces which apply the Lutyens design aesthetic and are suitable for 21st Century living. All the company's products are handmade to order.
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| Circleback chair |
The Wiseman Group recently completed an extensive residential project in Hawaii using Lutyens-inspired designs fabricated by LFL. Numerous custom pieces made of walnut grace the home's interior while teak interpretations of Lutyens' iconic designs elegantly furnish the outdoor living spaces. If one is familiar with the history of the Hawaiian Islands, the use of Lutyens furniture contributes to the "suchness" of this home's lovely atmosphere. Given that the Hawaiian Islands were once the British Sandwich Islands gives historical authenticity to TWG's use of Lutyens' colonial designs.
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| New Delhi occasional table |
