JOHN ROBERT WILTGEN DESIGN

Dear Friends

This week we welcome Spring with its seasonal changes that will soon beautify our winter weary world. So it becomes an ideal time to update our website – jrwdesign.com – to offer you a peek of some of our exciting new creations.

At 11 pm, Sunday, March 24, tune into NBC’s nationally syndicated Open House Television as I tour a master bath and other exclusive design features we created for a North Shore home. The owners are an exceptional professional couple who returned to Chicago after 30 years in Hawaii, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

A Texan couple’s arresting personal art collection informed both the design and color palette of the home in Chicago’s Trump International Tower they commissioned us to create for them. It’s both fabulous and fun.

Our JRWD Nigeria, Ltd. division developed footprints and exterior elevations for an estate in Lagos including the Main House, Pool Pavilion, Garage/Estate Manager’s residence, Mechanical Building and Conference Center/Gate Houses plus water features, landscaping and interior design. Completion is anticipated in early 2015.

Standard Trump Tower finishes were in place when a young business “wunderkind’’ bought a 2,000 sq ft. two-bedroom condo. The warm, rich brown and coppertone color palette and furnishings we introduced perfectly suits his sophisticated lifestyle.

May your world be beautiful.

John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc.
70 W. Hubbard, Suite 205
Chicago, IL 60654
312-744-1151
312-321-9590 fax
www.jrwdesign.com

©2013 John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

The homeowners goal of modifying the exterior of a traditional Cape Cod home to resemble an entry to Myanmar’s (formerly known as Burma) 2,600 year‐old Shwedagon Pagoda was accomplished with assistance from Chicago area architect Troy Mock. Three dormers were transformed into saddle roofs, typical elements of Thai and Burmese architecture.   Area landscaper Rocco Fiore and Sons chose native Illinois plant material to achieve a lush setting that resembles plantings found in Southeast Asia.

The foyer’s pendant lantern is a metal‐wrapped custom piece from Phuket, Thailand. Peking glass, Chinese oxblood ceramics and cloisonné objets d’art found by  John  Robert Wiltgen  Design introduce spots  of  color  to  a  Chiang dynasty cabinet from Thailand.  The mustard colored leather upholstery on the Christian Liagre’s Padd daybed adds warmth to the massive entry.  So does Chicago artist Michelle‐Peterson‐Albandoz’s  circa   2008   wood   constructed  diptych   directly above.

The  50‐year‐old teak Monk sculpture, a Bangkok find, welcomes guests.  His 19th century lacquered Burmese headerboard translates to “The woman is the heart of the home’’ – an endearing thought since most Asian art is male‐oriented.

An eclectic tapestry of textures, materials and colors give the living room a lively yet comfortable aura.  A pair of round occasional tables designed by the Wiltgen team and crafted of bullhorn introduce a smidgen of sophisticated bling. The designers also found a pair of Picasso earthenware clay plates to flank “Captured,’’ the owners’ circa 1952 painting by Chicago artist Miyoko Ito.

The verdant landscape dominates a living room conversation area.  A 30‐year‐old teak‐topped carved red Thai lacquered bed became the coffee table adjacent to Christian Liaigre’s Ocean sofa. This is one of many upholstered pieces the Wiltgen Design team updated with new textiles that better integrate the home’s outdoor setting with the interior.

Chicago artist Cesar Conde’s 2010 painting, “Monk Piece,’’ added by the Wiltgen Design team helps weave the oxblood red color throughout the public spaces.  The printed linen accent pillows echo the overall design’s organic connection to the exterior.

In the new design scheme, deep brown upholstery gives Christian Liagre club chairs solid prominence in the family room. They pull up to an existing table base that has been treated to a new red onyx top. “Images of Ta Prahm,’’ a photograph by Luca Tettoni came with the family from Cambodia.   The patterning of the silver lamp base is repeated in the custom patterned rugs.

From his perch on a Chinoiserie chest, a 300‐year‐old Shan Buddha from Burma keeps watch in the elegantly minimalist dining room. His back is reflected in a mirror framed by the top of an ancient Sudan chair.    The  hammered platinum  steel  and  wood  dining  table  was  combined with  a  set  of  Sergio Rodrigues dining chairs (Brazil, 1960) made from Jacaranda.  A pair of lantern‐type chandeliers add a refreshing British Colonial touch.

In the newly designed master suite, a mirrored cabinet (that stores only shoes and handbags) reflects the image of a huge silver leaf jungle painting from Costa Rica that dominates one wall.  The exotic Ikat print on the upholstered bed has ancient, ethnic roots, giving the room a fresh organic energy.

Except for the tub and shower, the Wiltgen designers virtually gutted the master ensuite bath. A custom nine and half foot double vanity and a substantial pair of multi‐horn rimmed mirrors update both the glamour and the function of the space.

The handsome  horn-framed mirrors swing  open  to  provide   much  needed  storage  in these custom-designed medicine  cabinets.

A large mirror‐backed wood carving adds a touch of sparkle and intrigue above the master bath’s soaking tub while concealing an inappropriate marble mosaic that failed to enhance the space. Limestone baseboards, door and window casings were added to upgrade the bath, making it more maintenance free.

White-washed, rift-cut, white  oak replaced  the  master  closet’s  original  dark wood built-ins  creating a lighter, brighter, and more efficient walk-in-closet.

The designers coordinated the textiles in this guest bedroom to compliment the client’s Burmese accent pieces and coconut base lamp.

“May your world be beautiful…”

Dear Friends,

Did you know that Pablo Picasso was suspected of stealing DaVinci’s iconic Mona Lisa from the Louvre?. He was exonerated though when the real thief, a museum employee, was busted.

There’s nothing illegal or suspicious, though, about the important Picasso piece we – the JRW Design dream team  - recently placed in a client’s home. While we frequently assist our patrons in acquiring valuable additions to their art collections, this adventure was a fun way to start 2013. Nicknamed  “The Cranach’’ it is an artist’s proof (one of 15 created for an edition of 50 prints) of Picasso’s interpretation of a painting done 400 years earlier by 16^th Century painter Lucas Cranach II. Created in 1958, it is Piccasso’s first and most complex linoleum cut, then a new technique (for him) that he was experimenting with. Rich coloration and the combination of cubism and classical portraiture elevate the original print to a historic category and  establish it among Picasso’s preeminent works. Other artist’s proofs and pieces from the numbered edition are owned by the Tate Galleries in Europe, the Met, Moma,  the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA, the National Galleries of Scotland, and the Museu Picasso de Barcelona.

Coincidentally, the Art Institute of Chicago is having it’s first major exhibit of the artist’s work in almost 30 years.  “Picasso and Chicago, ’’ opens to the public Feb. 20 and runs through May 12. Included are  250 paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings.

Here’s another art zinger. More of Picasso’s paintings have been stolen than those by any other artist – 550 missing at last count.

May your world be beautiful in 2013.

Dear Friends,

After spending 13 years of living in my Egyptian temple I reasoned things were way overdue for a move. Exploring many options my choice was a new residence in the same building – a bright, south facing space offering beaucoup possibilities. It is a welcome opportunity to re-invent my life at home.

The existing kitchen was the domestic diva’s nirvana. Not being a Grant Achatz or Charlie Trotter wannabe, its scale and dominance troubled me. Overshadowing the entire living room, it was disproportionate to the rest of the living space…

So I decided to move it to the former den. Our workmen moved water, gas, and electrical connections.  The spiky, tangled tapestry that remains (and I, too) impatiently await the arrival of the sleek new appliances, cabinetry and accessories to complete a setting that better meets my vision.

A rendering illustrates many details of my new den of domesticity. Cabinets facing the sink will be clad in lizard embossed leather – other areas are satin finished metallic lacquer.  Hopefully they will arrive right after the holidays but since it is really all about the custom colored, embosssed leather, no one knows when they can actually be expected. Being my own client is difficult indeed.

The subdued color palette and strikingly graphic Mondrian geometrics conceal the Murphy-style bed. It converts the yoga space Eugene, my Russian trainer, and I use for work outs to a guest bedroom with its ensuite bath and generous closet space. Incidentally, lifestyle expert Jim Karas sends Eugene over Tuesdays and Saturdays.

My raison d’etre – true motivation for purchasing this new home – is the 60-foot long, 16-foot wide terrace. Outdoor living space that far exceeds the grounds of any of the Bucktown houses I’ve owned.  My new hobby? You’ve guessed it, Gardening. Now we will see what shade of green my thumb turns. Hopefully it matches my decor.

Just as the holidays began, we received an award from the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago for a Northfield, IL. home we have completed which  inspired the JRW design “dream team’’ to create MY award-winning home.

Happy 2013.  May your world be beautiful.

Dear friends,

Art is an integral part of every project created by John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. The skillful incorporation into the overall architecture and design of each residence is our signature. So it follows that a Texan couple’s arresting art collection influenced both the design and color palette of the Chicago Trump Tower home they commissioned us to create for them.

The living room’s abstract painting, supported by spot color, sets the sizzle. Twin structural columns assumed classic objects d’art status with the removal of a wall to enable a sense of movement.

Artist Joseph Marioni’s solid red canvas is a sleek, erudite style companion to the honed black glass and Absolute granite fireplace surround.

A little levity in the family room is achieved with artist Robert Terry’s original interpretations of classic Lincoln portraits which flank the stainless steel fireplace surround.

Vintage Beetles posters and inspired lighting create fun in the interior windowless home office. On demand, the space easily transitions to comfortable guest quarters.

Framed art and carpet the color of sunshine contrast smartly with the noir décor influence of walls and sofa in a second transitional guest space.

Our imaginative souls are nourished by the elegant minimalism of the carefully defined lifestyle our clients (who also reside in the Lone Star state) enjoy in their 3,400 sq. ft. Trump Tower residence.

May your world be beautiful.

John Robert Wiltgen, Professional member IIDA

© 2011 John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dear Friends,

Our work in Africa comes as a huge surprise to many even all of us here at John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. Frequent junkets to the legendary Ivory Coast are the result of a commission to conceive an architecturally noteworthy estate including providing the layout of the two acre site, developing the foot prints and exterior elevations for the Main House and each of the surrounding buildings, designing the interiors and now participating in the construction phase.

Here’s a glimpse of the compound’s 22,000 sq. ft. residential centerpiece. The foundation has been poured. The ground and first floor slabs are complete and the second floor will be finished in a few weeks.

Rendered  in  the  light,  elegant  coloration  of  honed  Navona  travertine  from  Italy, significant elements of both contemporary and timeless  design  combine  seamlessly  in  the  exterior of the residence, then reappear throughout ancillary buildings. Lemon trees and focus hedges soften the landscape; fountains and a pool introduce soothing movement.

The staircase in the main house earns its own spacious ground floor room- a stair hall- illuminated by skylights two and one-half stories above. Currently workers need to navigate telltale puddles courtesy of summer’s rainy season.

Inspired by the exterior of a palazzo built to withstand centuries of use, the stairhall’s finished ceiling soars more than 30 feet. As a skylight floods the interior with natural daylight, a gold leaf over door medallion, an airy architectural, mobile, and abstract art establish “of the moment” touches and a welcome infusion of color. Both the interior and exterior are clad in honed Navona travertine marble.

My colleague, Susan Tjarksen picked her way through puddles to check progress on the swank private bath designated for the man of the house.

His master bathroom features a patterned floor of Emperador Light and Navona Travertine. The Brueton vanity is stainless steel with reverse painted drawer/door fronts. Mounted on drawer guides, the oversize mirror effective conceals additional storage.

No doubt about it. It’s a stairway to heavenly views- namely the lagoon which empties into the Atlantic Ocean off the West African Coast.

Tucked above the well-stocked library, the owner’s private sitting room overlooks an impressive African vista. It is accessed by an undulating, open riser staircase design unlike any we have ever before produced.

Remember we’ve only just begun. This particular African adventure is expected to last several years and will hopefully become the springboard that leads to other commissions both in Africa and the Middle East. Stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted and…

“May your world be beautiful.”

John

Dear Friends

Fire, right up there with water, earth and air, is among the major elements of the universe.  An early  form of heat and light, it also gave us the ability to cook food, forge metal tools, form pottery and drive power plants. While some historians consider fireplaces the first example of technology, at John Robert Wiltgen Design we view them as influential elements of design. To us they are stylish examples of one-of-a-kind functional art  and architecture. We have played with fire for more than 30 years. Please join us in a look at some of our favorites.

Steel-on-steel introduces an unruffled, edgy vibe to the family room of  this Trump International Hotel and Tower residence. Reiterating  elements from the adjacent kitchen, the stainless fireplace surround  assumes dominant focal point stature in a room with a strong, open architectural plan.

If fireplace surrounds could talk, this alluring 200-year old Neoclassic antique might share juicy tales. Built in Italy for an elegant English manor house, it now graces a Chicago Loop home overlooking Milennium Park.  The decorative swags and garlands represent 18^th century British architect Robert Adam’s style. We detailed the non-vented firebox to appear authentic.

As an example of our goal of creating a space that integrates art, architecture and design, we blended Black Absolute granite with Rogo Alicante marble to create a permanent, one-of-a-kind sculpture in a Bucktown loft.  Often difficult to obtain, rare yellow Portugese Amarillo marble was chosen to fashion the  hearth.

Brittania rules in a comfortable family room with a distinctly  “collected’’ look. The cream colored wooden fireplace mantel is lined with Imperial Red granite, the same  material used on the hearth and top. This combination of materials contrasts effectively with red walls we treated to a combed paint treatment that resembles grasscloth.

Black beauty. We combined gleaming Black Absolute granite with black honed glass for floor to ceiling sophistication in another Trump Tower residence. Pops of red add striking glamour to the smart urban setting.

The challenge of creating a stunning fireplace always fires up our creative team. If you want to play with fire…..why not give us a call?

May your world be beautiful.

John Robert Wiltgen, Professional member IIDA

© 2011 John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dear Friends

The third week of November is turkey talking time. This year my Turkey came with a capital T. As in The Republic of Turkey.  Specifically Istanbul – where East truly meets West as the world’s only metropolis that spans two continents.  I had such an amazing time that I wanted to share some of my Turkey with you…

Istanbul’s architecture is compelling.  The golden dome of the splendid Byzantine style Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) dominates the skyline.  As  the nearby Blue Mosque which signals the Muslim Call to Prayer five times daily, stately minarets reflect the  Ottoman influence. Elsewhere  Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassic elements combine with dignity.

Today’s construction crews might learn a lesson from the 10,000  6^th century workers who completed the Hagia Sophia in a record 5 years, 10 months and 4 days. Considered  the world’s most beautiful basilica for 1,000 years, it was converted to a mosque when the Turks conquered the city in 1453. Later restored as a church, it is now a world class museum of Byzantine art.

While Istanbul’s muslims do not require women to wear headcoverings, the three woman on the terrace of Topkopi Palace admire the breathtaking view of clear blue surface of the Bosphorus (which overlooks the city’s Asian sector) where some areas are thought to have existed 3,000 years B.C.

An evening at Reina, the seaside queen of Istanbul’s scintillating nightlife scene, is a must. At the very edge of the Bosphorus, the expansive, expensive and enormously popular club is the nightly home grounds of the local celebrity-party glitterati. The blue canopy over the dance floor is made from Bacarat crystal at a cost of over $2M US.

Sultan Abdulmecid’s Dolmabahçe Palace is an outstanding symbol of 19^th century decadence..  Like any Sultan’s palace, it is huge and sumptuous with 285 rooms, 43 large salons and a ballroom with an inspired focal point – a 4 ½ ton Bohemian glass chandelier. This was the Winter Palace to  the Sultan. The marble columns of the interior had hot water running through them to heat the massive interior. Our hotel was the Summer Palace to this estate located less than a mile away.   Don’t you want to just move right in?

The incredible Ϛiragan Palace, the summer palace of Dolmabahce Palace is now the luxury wing of a Kempinski hotel. This was our home base. Harmoniously  blending Ottoman-era sophistication with today’s technological amenities, the hotel’s palace quarters include banquet rooms  10 over-the-top suites plus the Sultan’s quarters with private butler privileges and other royal pampering.

The marble-style of the Palace’s renovated lobby is considered Istanbul’s most impressive public space. Notice the stairway’s impressive balusters. Baccarat crystal, of course.

Every Sultan has his harem. Here’s mine. What happens in Istanbul stays in Istanbul.

Turkey was on my menu a bit early this year. The people were lovely. We felt totally safe. The services that were offered / provided were over the top. If you haven’t been, I would tell you to add it to your bucket list.

In the meantime, enjoy your other turkey on Thursday.

May your world be beautiful.

John Robert Wiltgen, Professional member IIDA

© 2011 John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dear Friends,

Imagine a luxuriant indoor garden nestled into an 89^th floor penthouse in Chicago’s iconic Trump Tower. That lush botanic vision is among the dynamic design elements a Harrington College of Design student used to capture a $1,000 first prize in a competition sponsored by John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. The winner is Chicagoan Arthur Garcia-Clemente, 29, now completing work for a master’s degree in interior design at Harrington.

in September designer John Wiltgen, the leader of an acclaimed team creating award-winning vertical living spaces at Trump and elsewhere throughout the US and abroad, invited students in Harrington’s Competition Studio class to submit a rendered space plan for 14,000 sq. ft.  at Trump Tower. With 16 ft. ceilings, the raw, unfinished area is rumored to be a possible Chicago home for “The Donald.’’ The assignment required a space plan and a 3-D color illustration to showcase the students design concepts.

Wiltgen, a 30-year veteran designer, is a professional member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Calling it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to work in a surreal space he acknowledges the level of luxury living near the peak of Trump Tower as beyond the realm of many, though it is the real world for a privileged group.

“This project was a unique opportunity for students to see and work in that world,’’ says Wiltgen.

In December, Garcia-Clemente and 15 other students presented their work to three judges: Sara Martens, Trump Tower’s executive director; Mitch Obstfeld, publisher of I 4 Design Magazine; and John Robert Wiltgen. Obstfeld is a member of Harrington’s board of trustees.

Second prize winners were Ann Erskine and Nick Gabriel of Chicago who shared a $750 prize. Oak Park resident Elizabeth Neuffer finished third and received $500. The three are slated to receive bachelor’s degrees in interior design from Harrington in 2012.

The size, volume and scale of the Trump space represented a major challenge. “Humanizing’’ the space – organizing it into galleries, each dominated by windows with dramatic, world class views and an abundance of natural light was Garcia-Clemente’s solution for taming those obstacles.

“This is the first opportunity I have had to challenge myself to think of an entire space – floor, ceiling and walls,’’ said Garcia-Clemente who integrated a strong traditional design concept within Trump’s ultra contemporary environment. In announcing the award, Wiltgen praised the winner’s renderings and reflected ceiling plan which he said helped the judges envision the finished space.

“Interior designers do not sell furniture and/or furnishings – we sell style. You proved that you get that,’’ Wiltgen told Garcia-Clemente, for whom interior design is a second career after earning  a  degree in economics at Duke University, Durham, NC, and working in the corporate world until he realized how much he missed siren call of art which had dominated his earlier life.

Labeling the Trump project a challenge to any professional, Harrington instructor Constantine Vasilios believes participation by Wiltgen and Trump’s Sara Martens raised the stakes for competitors. “The results are testimony to the students intellectual rigor, discipline and design skills,’’ Vasilios said. Mitch Obstfeld agrees saying he is “ simply amazed at the quality and creativity all of these students exhibited in their design concepts for Trump.’’

While students Ann Erskine, 21, and Nick Gabriel, 24, knew each other casually, they had never worked together until Harrington instructors urged them to collaborate on the Trump project, citing the strength and similarity of their work. After having captured second place in the competition, they now have difficulty not working in tandem. For the competition, the pair opted for a classic traditional design concept, introducing strong dramatic elements to make it work effectively in the contemporary Trump setting, relying on classic symmetry to organize a basically asymmetrical space.

Third place winner Elizabeth Neuffer chose also to strike a balance between modern and traditional styling, ultimately opting for a timeless, universal look she considers appealing to a variety of design preferences. While her influence was strictly classic, her finished product offered slightly more contemporary vibe than that of her peers. Neuffer took care to ensure that rooms used for active living and entertaining are open spaces while bedrooms and other leisure space are more privately grouped.

Harrington officials are planning an early 2012 exhibit of these student projects. For information, contact Constantine Vasilios, Harrington College of Design, 312-697-3170 or cvasilios@harrington.edu.

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John Robert Wiltgen, a professional member of  IIDA, is the principal and CEO at John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc., 70 W. Hubbard St., Suite 205, Chicago, IL. 60610-4675, 312-485-1151 or john@jrwdesign.com

Dear Friends

Who doesn’t love adventure?

An adventuresome young Chicagoan recently visited Africa where he and his brother “camped’’ on the roof of an SUV to avoid becoming a midnight snack for lions, tigers and other hungry wildlife. That  audacious spirit also emerged when he chose to establish his own first home at Trump Tower Chicago – an enterprising decision for one barely a quarter of a century old. Aware of  the JRW Design’s reputation for producing award-wining homes in luxury residential towers across the US, commissioning us to make that happen for him carried far less risk.

As a child, he traveled the world with his parents, lived in several foreign countries and cultivated a sophisticated taste level – which he knew we would  creatively interpret . And interpret we did, a process greatly simplified by the proximity of our atelier to Trump Tower. With many clients in Chicago’s newest landmark, we run back and forth two and three times daily meeting clients and vendors, inspecting work in progress, accepting deliveries and many other design/build related responsibilities. The Donald couldn’t have built Trump Tower much closer to us…it’s a mere three blocks away.

The building’s standard finishes were all in place when our client closed on the 2,000 sq. ft., two bedroom condo, then handed us the key and departed for another continent on a year-long business assignment. With his approval, we established a warm, rich, brown and copper-toned color palette to compliment  what already existed. And it suited the owner’s Trump Tower lifestyle. Carpet and draperies softened the hollow echo created by floor to ceiling windows, wood flooring and other hard surfaces.

A cocktail table’s organic form and sleek finish softens the geometry of the interior architecture. Because the 10-foot  ceilings are concrete, the only way to install recessed lights is to lower it 6 inches so instead we used swing arm lamps and a back lit mirror to illuminate the space.  To totally integrate art with the architecture and design, we found an original framed Picasso which quietly overlooks the dramatic setting.

Unusual textures merge in the master bedroom to create an urban oasis. Highly polished goatskin-clad nightstands flank a contemporary-styled bed. The large, wood-framed piece was French polished to achieve a more metropolitan countenance in keeping with its new high-rise home. Bronze wall mounted swing arm lamps allow room for personal effects on top of the chests. The contemporary occasional chair is a combination of ultra suede and mahogany.

With the impeccably clad young business man in mind, we scuttled the existing closets to create a new, more upscale design for the master bedroom’s built-ins – an arrangement that far better suits his suits and other apparel. The owner possesses a distinctive sense of style. While business, not acting, is his forte, he could very well portray a young James Bond.

We also relocated a wall helping to ease the second bedroom into a den/guest room. The renovation actually worked to capture additional space we utilized for a custom-designed built-in desk, bookshelves, flat screen TV, computer and other electronic entertainment equipment.

Creating a stylish home that meets the personal and social needs of a young business man resulted in our firm being awarded a “second generation’’ project in the owner’s family. His parents were so impressed with our in-town achievement they commissioned us to redesign elements of their home in the suburbs. In itself, that was a delightful and welcome compliment.

May your world be beautiful.

John Robert Wiltgen, Professional member IIDA

© 2011 John Robert Wiltgen Design, Inc. All rights reserved.