An XClussive Garage to Die For!

I've seen some pretty impressive homes with quite the impressive garages attached to them, but Lamond Jack of XClussiveGarage certainly takes custom luxury garage design to the next level!  On top of his gigantic, ultra elaborate garages, he's currently working on two parking spaces in Brooklyn NY.

This sounds like absolutely not a big deal, right?  Well, the two parking spaces inside the Brooklyn condominium building are going to get quite the treatment!  Venetian plaster, limestone stamped overlay on concrete, crown moldings, artwork on the walls, our beautiful lanterns, and the list just keeps going...  My job? Designing the ornamental metal partition which will protect the contents of the parking spaces, plus two gates, behind which Lamond's client will safely park his exotic cars.

UPDATE!
Great news!  Lamond loved my design, but the gates still have to be approved by the condominium board... we're all keeping our fingers, toes, legs and eyes crossed!  I'm really excited about the entire idea!  Plus, Lamond put a huge smile on my face when he wrote "...If they don't then we will submit it to other clients.  I would hate to see a Wojcik design not be produced! too beautiful!"

Here is the before:

Here is a taste of what will happen happen in the space:

And hopefully, soon, I will post the actual space!

Before you go, I've got some eye candy for you by XClussive Garage:

written by:  Izabela Wojcik

Your personal ornamental metalwork and lighting designer

at Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas, TX.

Love finding our metalwork on Houzz.com

I love Houzz.com
Houzz happens to be one of my all time favorite places online.  I love it so much that I actually invited Liza Houzman over to our studio when she was in town.  (Didn't work out so well for me because I ended up sick in bed with the flu, but heyyy... at least everyone else at the studio got to say hello.)

In any case, I was surfing Houzz the other day and happened across this gorgeous photo by Harold Leidner, a Dallas landscape architect, which shows off his wonderful landscape architecture, and also happened to catch the drive gate and exterior lanterns I designed for the property and which we custom forged for our client.

I clicked on it, and all these other fabulous photos started popping up... so, I thought I'd share them with you.

Mediterranean Landscape by Dallas Landscape Architect Harold Leidner Landscape Architects.  Custom ornamental metalwork and lighting by Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas.  The interior designer on the project was Kelli Otey.

Here is a photo which captured the copper and wrought iron gas lanterns I custom designed for the Mediterranean style estate.

We also designed and forged this exterior wrought iron chandelier.

And this shot shows a peak of the beautiful tail lanterns which we matched to the rest of the exterior lighting.



Of course we made a whole lot more for the home, but it sure was fun to see bits and pieces here and there on Harold's Houzz page.

written by Izabela Wojcik
Your personal ornamental metalwork and lighting designer at Potter Art Metal Studios in Dallas, TX.

Ornamental Metalwork for Drexel

We are currently working with Provenance Builders on a home remodel in the Park Cities, which reminded me of another pretty home they did on Drexel, in Dallas.

The home had lots of original Potter Art Metal Studios' ornamental metalwork, which was very exciting, since at the time Richard Potter's grandfather, Henry Potter, was The Go To Guy for beautiful ironwork and lighting around town.  It's so nice to see family history still in tact.

What we like about Provenance is that even though they completely remodel old homes, they also manage to keep everything that made the home special in the first place, plus what ever they add-on looks as if it was always there.

For the Drexel home, we restored all the old light fixtures, etc, but also designed and built new pieces, which we based on the original metalwork and lighting.  The home is adorned with lovely lanterns, gates, etc..  Next time you drive down Drexel, take a look and see how the old and the new can seamlessly fit together.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Elegant Wrought Iron Gates and Fence: Before and After

New Fence, Gate, and Lanterns by Potter Art Metal Studios

You'd be surprised what a difference a new wrought iron gate and fence can do for your property.  I even have a before and after photo to help illustrate my point.

I loved designing the new custom made wrought iron gates (with solid brass details), fence and brass lighting for a residential building off Sherry Lane and Douglas, in Dallas.  Our client wanted a new and fabulous look for his two entrances, and so we jumped right in!  It was a great opportunity to make some really nice,  large scale, and heavy gates.  The pair of gates on one side of the multi-story building open in and the one pictured above is actually a slider which we made look like a matching pair; I thought they would look much more grand and inviting this way.  The lanterns have matching wrought iron brackets with a beautiful solid brass body.  They are proportioned to the existing posts.

wrought iron fencing matching the gates

The fence is actually quite simple, but very effective.  I love the elegant scrolls on the top; we made sure that all the scrolls were forged to a tip and had a lovely flow to them; otherwise the effect would not work and the fence would look like any off the shelf fencing out there.

Original Gate we replaced.

The original gate was too light weight and did not have much of an actual design; it was your regular off the shelf looking gate.  Because the building itself looks quite commercial, the gate did also.  Our client's visitors would constantly mistake the building for a commercial one and drive right past it; he wanted an impressive entrance so that all he'd have to say is "You'll know you're there when you see the gates."  ...and he got exactly what he wanted.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

The New Look of Highland Park Village

Recently HP Village got a facelift and we are proud to be a small, but fun part of the project!  One of our local designers, Elizabeth Robertson asked us to put on paper a flattering design, which melted right into the look of the Village.  We hand forged the new flower basket brackets on the  freshly installed post lamps.  I drove by the Village on the way back from a client's home, yesterday, and snapped a photograph of one of the flower pot brackets next to Jimmy Choo.  The lanterns in the background were also made by Potter Art Metal Studios... quite a few years ago.

Flower pot brackets and lantern made by Potter Art Metal

Most of the lanterns around the Village were originally made by Henry Potter, Richard Potter's (the current owner of Potter Art Metal Studios) grandfather.

Original HP dragon sketch by Potter Art Metal

I found an original sketch online from the Henry Potter Collection located in SMU's Hamon Arts Library (Bywaters Special Collection), which consists of several hundred shop sketches and accompanying invoices of lighting fixtures, furniture, and other items, primarily in iron.

Next time you drive by the Village, notice the interesting dragons and other beautiful Moorish lanterns spread throughout.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

When The Best Require The Finest

Potter Art Metal Studios is proud to present the metalwork

and lighting we created for the Regency Row Homes at

the Ritz Carlton in Dallas. With their stunning display of

elegance, the entrances to each of the four six million dollar

manor homes will provide a taste of the early 19th century

architecture for generations to come. 

Click here to view the entire blast.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

All the detail in the gates...

The lanterns are finally hanging on either side of the gates we forged a while ago for one of our clients!  We designed and custom made both, of course.  Our client wanted them to be totally, naturally, rusted... which was an interesting process in itself.
Here is the final look, but what I really wanted to show off is all the detail we put into the gates before we rusted them; so beautiful.

Gates designed and forged by Potter Art Metal Studios.

Gas lanterns; copper and brass mix.

What's so special about Potter Art Metal Studios?  It's all in the details.  Take a look at just about anything out there and then take a second glance.  See the difference?  We love the beauty of metal and what can be done with it... the way it feels to the touch and how the brain processes the textures and colors.  Plus, if you don't do it right, why do it at all?  The wonderful, hand worked pieces are slowly disappearing, being taken over by pre-fabricated pieces which hurt my eyes... it's such a shame!

Lantern detail

Gate detail: rusting process starting

Gate detail: rusting process continues

written by: Izabela Wojcik

The Mind of Leo Dowell

I asked Leo Dowell to snap a few photos for me of the lanterns we custom made for him in the surroundings of the home he designed, because I'm simply in love with his fairy tale like architectural details he creates.  I have to say that the wait was worth every minute!  As soon as I looked at the photos attached to my e-mail, a large smile appeared on my face and my heart warmed with feelings of happiness!

Leo creates these fabulous French Country Estates as authentic as possible, but his little extra touches are what makes the homes that much more special.  Take a look at the adorable hand painted wooden shutters, don't they look like they came straight out of a fairy tale?  That's exactly what I'm talking about!

The lanterns we bult for the front doors needed an extra special bracket, since the gas line had to come out of the top of the lanterns and attach way above it and to the side, as you can see in the photo above.  Yet instead of dropping pendants  from those locations, Leo came up with a way to still have beautifully mounted bracket lanterns; no detail is too small in Leo's world!  He thinks like us in that way, and that's one of the many reasons why we love him so much.

Now, if there's one custom made copper and wrought iron lantern you must see, it's this one!  Leo designed it and we fabricated it with delight!  Isn't it the most adorable design you have ever seen? Next time I'm in Charlotte, (NC) I'll be sure to visit him and hopefully see some of his work personally!

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Dropped by the Ritz today...

Most of our job sites are very far from our showroom and shop, but it just so happens that the Ritz is super close.  Today Richard and I dropped by to see how things are coming along.  Everyone at the Ritz is thrilled with the four entrances we made for the Residences, and that's the way we like it!
And to think it all started with an idea by Kyle Crews, a design inspiration by Richard Drummond Davis, and a few extra thoughts from the entire Crescent Real Estate and their Tower Residences Sales Team, including Travis, who kept everyone on track and everything moving along beautifully; ha!  It was so much fun... I had a blast designing the pieces and turning them into reality.  Our Potter Art Metal Studios artisans did a fabulous job forging the wrought iron doors, creating the fabulous awnings, and bringing to life the lantern designs.  What an accomplishment!  Everyone should be really proud of themselves!

Thank you all for a job well done!

Izabela Wojcik

Potter Art Metal Studios

One of the four entrances we custom made the
doors, awnings and lanterns for the Ritz in Dallas.

Street view of the building; you can see all four entrances.

glass top decorative metal awning

closeup of one of the wrought iron door kick-plates

close-up of the wrought iron anthemion
with solid brass details.

One of the original Regency Style inspired
drawings I made for the Ritz.

And just in case you were wondering, this is how all 4 units looked like before... quite a difference:)

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Pretty in French: Lanterns & Gate

Since we drove out to a client's house in Tyler, Texas, we decided to stop at his neighbor's home and snap a few photos of the gates and lanterns we custom made for them a while ago.  ...And what perfect timing, now that all the bushes and such have grown in and everything looks so pretty.

French style custom wrought iron drive gates; Tyler Tx.

French style custom gas lanterns; copper and brass.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Regency Style Lanterns

The lanterns are finished and looking great!  The over 4' tall solid brass and wrought iron beauties will be replacing the current light fixtures soon!  Yes!, we are rockin' and rollin' on the Regency Row Homes in The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton neighborhood.  The sparks are flying, as the doors and glass-top awnings are taking shape too!

The kick-plate panel decoration has been hand forged now also, which I am very excited about... it came together even prettier then on the drawing I had penciled in for our artisans!  I can't wait to see it on the doors.  Hopefully I will be posting finished photos soon.  I know that I have been slacking a bit on the posts, but I've just been super busy.  I'll try to be a little bit better in the future:)

written by: Izabela Wojcik

A great lantern design by Leo Dowell

Gas Lanterns we created for Leo Dowell Interiors

We are currently building several light fixtures for Leo Dowell, of Leo Dowell Interiors.  He designed one of the bunch and I just had to show it off.  With the exception of wrought iron for the bottom scrolls, the entire light fixture is made in solid copper and brass.  Of course it's hand made to Leo's specifications; all the way down to the smallest details like the fish scale roof and the adorable rivet heads holding the straps.  I think it's one of the most interesting fixtures out there... and they're so adorable.

Leo has been creating everything from individual rooms to complete luxury homes for the past 35 years and his company specializes in European style furnishings and building materials as well.  He adds a touch of drama while keeping spaces comfortable to live in.

UPDATE: I sent Leo photos of his design and got such a fabulous letter back:

"Wow! It is such a pleasure to have a design interpreted in such a way that surpasses your expectations.  I got into this business in order to try to prove that I could provide design ideas that would be innovative and classic. It doesn't matter if I am doing a multimillion dollar Estate or designing a light fixture, I put my heart and soul into it. I just can't tell you how rewarding it is to find a kindred spirit. The lanterns are unbelievably fantastic! And I don't say that very often. I think we should market these nationally, what do you think? Let's do a signature collection...

Leo"

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Samuel Yellin Lights

We are so excited today!  We finally got the Samuel Yellin light fixtures in!!!  We'll be converting them into gas fixtures and adding really cool dragon head brackets to them... no easy task in general, but these are super special on top of it.  I'm so glad Project Dynamics trusted us with these... they're such a treasure! (and he's Polish... just like me!)

In case you didn't know who Samuel Yellin was, here is a little wiki read:

"American master blacksmith, was born in Galicia Poland where at the age of eleven he was apprenticed to an iron master. By the age of sixteen had had completed his apprenticeship. During that period he gained the nickname of "Devil", both for his work habits and his sense of humor. Shortly after this he left Poland, traveling through Europe to England, where, in 1906, he departed for America. By 1907 he was taking classes at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and within a year was teaching classes there, a position that he maintained until 1919.
In 1909 he opened his own shop and in 1915 the firm of Mellor, Meigs and Howe, for whom he designed and created many commissions, designed Yellin a new studio at 5520 Arch Street in Philadelphia where he was to remain until his death in 1940. The building continued to act as a functioning business under Yellin’s son Harvey’s direction. After his demise it served as the Samuel Yellin Museum.
During the building boom of the 1920s Yellin’s studio employed as many as 250 workers, many of them European artisans. Although Yellin appreciated traditional craftsmanship and design, he always championed creativity and the development of new designs. He was no slave to the past. Samuel Yellin’s handiwork can be found on some of the finest buildings in America."

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Antique Brass Gothic Gas Lantern

Aren't they beautiful?  I finally got around to taking a photo of the custom French Gothic Lanterns we made for one of our clients.  They are solid brass with wrought iron brackets... we antiqued everything so that they look as if they have been around for quite a long time.  A beautiful design which will be enjoyed for generations to come.

written by: Izabela Wojcik

Final Touches on the Wrought Iron Gates & Gas Lanterns

So exciting! We are finally doing the last touch-ups on the gate, and I have to say it looks spectacular.  It's 12' tall!  (If you click on the photo, you'll see a larger version of it where you can see men standing behind the right panel of the gate, for scale.)  The owner tells us that people constantly stop by his home, get out of the car, start taking photographs and ask who did it.  Talk about a complement!

We also made the fabulous gas lanterns on the face of the columns and on the house.  The bodies are made of heavy duty solid copper, with solid brass cast acanthus leaves and wrought iron brackets... We like to build beautiful things which will stick around for generations to come :)

written by: Izabela Wojcik