The 1st Annual I-Grace Scholarship

May 2, 2010

It has been a longstanding belief at I-Grace that it is important to support the design community, with whom we work so closely, through professional organizations and charities. It was in this spirit that I-Grace, in conjunction with the ICA&CA Southern California Chapter, created The Annual I-Grace Scholarship Supporting Excellence in the Study and Practice of Artisanship and Architecture. The $2,500.00 scholarship applies to the Winterim Professional Intensive Program, a week-long session that covers core courses from Traditional Architectural Rendering in Wash to Linear Persepective at the ICA&CA national headquarters in New York City.

I-Grace is sponsoring this scholarship because we believe this type of classical instruction will benefit the Southern California design community and understanding the fundamentals of classical architecture will improve an industry professional’s overall skill, whether they are classicists or modernists.

This year’s scholarship recipient, Jeff DiCicco, is seen here in the foreground visiting the New York Public Library as part of his 2010 Winterim study. Jeff graduated in 1997 from Virginia Commonwealth University and now resides in Santa Monica, California, where he concentrates on capturing the beauty of architecture in the timeless art-form of pen and ink (seen above).

The I-Grace Scholarship is open to all students and emerging professionals residing in Southern California. For those interested in applying for the 2011 Winterim program, please contact Cynthia Cavaliere at ccavaliere@igrace.com.

Inspiring Travel

February 15, 2010

I-Grace is committed to supporting education at every level of the design profession and to that end has become one of the principal sponsors of the Fifth Annual Design Leadership Summit which takes place in Venice, Italy, this year. The Summit will bring together leading Architects and Interior Designers from the United States and Europe to further their knowledge and create a dialogue among industry leaders.

The theme for the 2010 Design Leadership Summit is “Imagine the Future Without Boundaries” and the organizers and sponsors hope that Venice, a city so rich in history, art and culture, will be an inspiration to all. The Summit attendees’ schedules include workshops, panel discussions and guided tours. The tours range from landmarks of classical architecture such as St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, to the Contemporary Art of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Punta della Dogana. In the evening, participants will join together as the dinner guests at the private Palazzos of noted Venetian families.

We look forward to this opportunity to support and share with the leaders who have contributed so much to the world of Design and Architecture.

Recently Published

February 2, 2010

One of I-Grace’s projects was recently seen in the December/January 2010 issue of House Beautiful magazine. The article, “Modern/Warmer” (pg. 108) features a Manhattan apartment with some truly unique design elements. Interior Design by David Kleinberg.

Green Living: An Environmentally Sound Way to Sleep

January 15, 2010

We are extremely busy in Service this season working on a variety of projects throughout the New York area. One of the more unique projects entailed conceptualizing and designing an environmentally friendly, custom king size bed for a client looking to create a soundproof sleeping environment. Service Managers Mike Gerosa and Monica Falzon oversaw the bed’s fabrication, which was performed by one of our craftsmen, Mike Fireteneau. The visible portions of the bed were constructed of Bamboo coated with a tung oil finish that contained no VOCs. Framed panels, insulated with recycled denim, were installed at the headboard and canopy to help reduce sound. Acoustical lined draperies will be fabricated by the client’s sub-contractor and mounted at the bed’s perimeter to create a sanctuary from the clamor of the West Village streets below.

Recently Completed Project: A Residence Made for Entertainment

December 10, 2009

I-Grace recently completed work on a takeover project in Laguna Beach, California that had been ongoing for three years and completed it on an accelerated schedule in eighteen months. Situated right on the beach, the five-bedroom, ten-bath stone house has extraordinary views of the Pacific Ocean.

The architecture, by KAA Design Group, emphasizes the residence’s prime location with a significant amount of outdoor living space. The patio is actually an extension of the living room—the two spaces are divided by a retractable glass wall. Perfect for entertaining, the patio will have two carved fire pits with a cushioned seating that can accommodate up to twenty people. There’s also an outdoor bar with a recessed flat-panel television and a natural wood-fire pizza oven. The five-story house is expansive—six staircases connect the five floors. On the rare occasion that rain prevents outdoor space utilization, the Owners can enjoy a movie in their twelve-seat movie theater with a digital projection screen.

Atelier AM, the Interior Design firm on the project, accented the residence with unique finishes and details. White stone was sourced in rural France and transported to the U.S. where it was turned into custom, hand-cut flagstone found throughout the house. Hand-placed shells, stones and glass are also found in a mosaic-like motif throughout the house—from the master bedroom and bathroom ceilings to the custom “mosaic carpet” in the dining room and waterfall runnel along one of the staircases. We would like to thank Jon Adir, Al Alletto, Nick Bielins, Greg Carter, Jeannie Church, Charlie Collins, Bill Egan and Brandon Stewart for their hard work on this project.

Recently Published

November 1, 2009

The newest issue of Elle Decor features one of I-Grace’s projects on the cover. When Jennifer and James Cacioppo bought the 17-bedroom residence in Tuxedo Park, NY, there was considerable work to be done to make the house “livable” again. Together with Interior Designer, Ernest de la Torre and I-Grace, they worked to restore the house to its original splendor adding a modern mix of furnishings to complement the house’s original style and structure. To find out more about the project, pick up a copy of the magazine today. We would like to thank the Project Team for their hard work and dedication to this project.

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