Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2015 10 Z ephyr and Cheng joined forces in 2004, when Zephyr perceived an enticing gap in the products available to consumers at the time. Cheng—an internationally acclaimed designer, best-selling author and National Kitchen & Bath Association Hall of Fame inductee known for his award-winning home designs and his innovations in concrete —was hand-crafting magnificent one- off ventilation hoods for his clients, with a price tag that was beyond the reach of most consumers. Zephyr—armed with its keen customer insight and proven manufacturing and distribution prowess—realized that a first-ever line of signature designer hoods would create a new focal point in the kitchen. It was the genesis of a partnership and product line that would survive the test of time. One of the first hoods in the Cheng Collection by Zephyr was the Okeanito, based upon the hand-made $15,000 Okean, which Cheng had crafted for one of his clients. Scaled down in both size and price to reach a broader audience, it retains the graceful slow- curve canopy of its predecessor, punctuated by perforated side panels that radiate a gentle ambient light. Other models in the Cheng Collection include the sweeping, professional-style Cache, which cleverly doubles as a storage space for under-cabinet applications; the elegant Trapeze, designed to float above kitchen islands with apparent gravity-defying finesse; and the owner-customizable Padova, which debuted years ahead of the DIY movement, a testament to the farsightedness of the Zephyr/Cheng vision. "I was impressed by the way that Zephyr could mass produce these creations that would have taken me weeks to craft by hand, Photos (clockwise from top): 1. The ammonite—a primordial fossilized creature akin to a nautilus—is a signature Cheng element, found here in the concrete island designed for the Zephyr Showroom. 2. The Zephyr San Francisco showroom. 3. One of Cheng's first concrete countertops, in his kitchen. 4. One of Fu-Tung Cheng's organic inlays creates an inviting detail and adds originality to each concrete piece he creates. 5. One of Cheng's first "hybrid" structures, pairing wood & concrete in a harmonious organic synergy 6. The original Okean hood. This Cheng-crafted masterpiece inspired today's Okeanito ventilation hood, which Zephyr scaled down in both size and price for a broader audience of discriminating homeowners. A Partnership for the Ages L I M I T E D E D I T I O N V E R S I O N O F T H E O K E A N I T O H O O D I N R O S E G O L D , I N C E L E B R A T I O N O F T H E T E N - Y E A R A N N I V E R S A R Y O F T H E Z E P H Y R / C H E N G P A R T N E R S H I P

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