ANN SACKS is pleased to announce an exclusive series of STRIKE fireplaces designed by STRIKE founder, and multi-disciplinary designer, Chad Dorsey. STRIKE fireplaces for ANN SACKS join the ANN SACKS Showrooms' product complement of ANN SACKS tile and stone; sister Kohler Luxury Brands, Robern and KALLISTA faucets, fixtures, mirrors, and vanities; and assortment of tabletop and bathroom accessories. 

Drawing inspiration from his background in architecture and interior design, past travels, and a personal appreciation of the beauty of repetition and appropriate scale, Dorsey's designs open up to the ANN SACKS client a new avenue of creative dialogue.  "Having practiced architecture, home, and product design, I find it is important that appropriate line, scale, and the furnishings all work together in a room," said Dorsey.  "It is that proportionate efficiency, clean lines, and attention to detail that continues to intrigue me, and is represented in my works.  My STRIKE fireplace designs for ANN SACKS are a perfect example of this." 

The exclusive STRIKE fireplaces are a curated selection rich in presence and character.  The collection, which ranges from traditional to contemporary in scope, features six fireplaces – Augusto, Alessio, Stella, Gemma, Bella, and Enzo – and are offered in a sophisticated selection of figured marbles and earthy limestones.  The 16 stone selection can be handcrafted in all six designs and range from various shades of white including Biano Honed and Carrara; honeyed Breccia Fiore; silvery Pewter Honed and Calaglio; and pitch black Adoquin Pepper Honed with pure white veining.   

• Augusto:  Drawing its cues from Art Deco design, Augusto reflects the simple beauty of repetitive form, the timeless columned design meeting at the corners to create a four-leaf clover motif. 
• Alessio:  Elegant with tremendous visual appeal, Alessio's gentle fluting and soft, rounded edges has an understated complexity and textural appeal that is compelling and engaging.  
• Stella:  A modern take on timeless 18^th style, Stella is based upon an arched doorway topped by a classic capital that Dorsey came upon during a walking trip through the famed city of Seina, Italy.   
• Gemma:  An illusionary form that evokes a decidedly contemporary edge with a reverse lay-up of left/right facing squares, Gemma was inspired by the architectural symmetry and scale of 19^th century modern farmhouse multi-paned windows.      
• Bella:  An Intimate, stylish silhouette, Bella's inverted egg design creates a cocooning effect, its rippled interior lending a subtle, decorative element to complement traditional and modern interiors.
• Enzo:  Like a fine suit, Enzo takes a couture approach to its design with tailored lines and framed, stepped details making it a sophisticated choice for any setting. 
  
  

Dorsey created three finishes to complete the STRIKE fireplaces, each thoughtfully designed to visually and tactilely heighten the stones' colorations and surface effect:

• Honed: The Honed finish produces a smooth, matte surface that, as Dorsey explained, "imparts a more refined, buttoned-up finish that is very appealing."
• Antico: The sandblasted Antico finish imparts a slightly distressed effect to gently bring out the stone's varying colors and veining and promote a smooth hand.
• French Quarter:  The most distressed of the finishes, French Quarter also uses sandblasting to achieve the desired end results and designed by Dorsey to draw out the marble's varied shades and contrasting veining's pure color.
  
  

The handcrafted fireplaces begin with a block of stone, expertly cut horizontally or vertically to ensure the veining is correctly laid out to its best visual advantage.  The larger block is then cut into smaller segments and hand-carved, smoothed, and filed down.  Depending upon the finish selected, the pieces are then either sand-tooled or honed by hand and assembled.  The STRIKE fireplaces can also be paired with ANN SACKS tile for imaginative, one-of-a-kind custom installations.  "The designs can certainly stand alone, but tile is a creative way to enhance the architectural lines of these fireplaces," said Dorsey.  "Designers can create an entire experience, from the wall surround to the interior firebox.  It adds an unexpected edge… an entirely new attitude to spaces."

The STRIKE designs also gave ANN SACKS the opportunity to bring an intriguing new category to its showroom portfolio and build upon its diverse product line and whole home solution offering.  "STRIKE fireplaces have a bespoke air that was immediately appealing to ANN SACKS," said DeeDee Gundberg, Chief Designer – ANN SACKS.  "We also appreciated Chad's fresh approach to his designs.  The fireplaces are not easy to fabricate or duplicate, and the finishes are divine.  The forms engage the eye with surfaces that are tactile to the hand and organically rich in detail.  When paired with ANN SACKS tile or stone, customers can literally create their own custom wallscape in any room." 

Reaching new audiences and working with a brand that has true appreciation of craft were also important factors to Dorsey, who has made his approach to fireplace design an art form.  "This partnership with ANN SACKS was a natural next step," said Dorsey.  "To reach a larger audience was certainly appealing, but ANN SACKS' range of tile, stone, and slabs from across the globe was where I saw almost limitless applications to work in concert with my designs.  ANN SACKS is a leader in tile and stone, and together, I believe, we could influence the fireplace design industry from a more holistic point of view.  From materials, these mediums are similar, yet very separate in their individual applications; the juxtaposition is what draws the imagination and makes it come together in an artful way.  These exclusive designs can work in virtually any space with its wide, traditional to modern, appeal."