A NEW LIFE IN  A NEW STYLE
OF DOWNTOWN HIGHRISE

After they became empty nesters, Steve and Louise Fitzgerald decided to make a sweeping lifestyle change. They would move from their large home in a suburban community to a highrise condominium in the stunning Azure near the heart of downtown Dallas. In fact, they were the first residents to move into this architectural landmark.

“This was a major change,” says Louise. “My husband’s commute to Dallas was 24 miles one way, our kids were gone and we had more house than we needed, so we decided to find a downtown highrise, sell our traditional-style furniture, and go contemporary. We’d heard Cantoni was the place for modern design and had noted their ads.

“We were sold the minute we walked into the store and had the good fortune to be greeted by Cantoni designer Nicole George. The Azure was still in the latter stages of construction, but that didn’t deter Nicole. We had the floorplans, but she wanted to see our future space firsthand. So downtown we go to tour it wearing hardhats, and peeking down at the safety nets!

“Steve and I were blown away by her ability to visualize the finished product, ‘this will go here,’ she’d say, ‘and this will go here.’ And the measurements she made turned out to be accurate to the inch.”


Adds Nicole: “Given the light and the airiness of the Azure interiors, the 360-degree views, the color theme and the clean metal of the building itself, and the clients’ color preferences, we chose a palette of white with a principal accent of azure with analogous accents of apple green and complements of warm reds. We even designed these colors into two custom made 24-ft. rugs that create a sensation of walking on water.

“To contrast with the bone white leathers for the sectional and chair of the main living area, we used Uno ottomans in chocolate brown. The large, open bookcase that divides the living area and Louise’s 'secret room,' a quiet study with recliner and lamp where she can read and relax and just enjoy the spectacular view.”


Louise: “On the day we moved in, I noted how the finished product was everything Nicole had helped us visualize and more. Our friends who drop in thinking 'contemporary' means 'cold' are pleasantly surprised to learn that our home is just the opposite. I can’t say enough about Nicole and Cantoni for helping us make it so.”

Speaking for Cantoni, we love the Fitzgeralds back. In Nicole’s words, they are a hoot. The whole store perks up when they walk in! Thanks for permitting us to show off your fantastic home at the Azure (where Steve is now on the board of directors). And congratulations to Nicole George for her creativity in illustrating Cantoni’s theme: Great Design Is a Way of Life.

View more photos from this project.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE: THE
HIGH LIFE AT THE AZURE

Among the many perks of the Azure life is convenience: Cantoni clients Steve and Louise Fitzgerald love the fact that they can walk to restaurants, galleries and shopping as well as just down the way to our fabulous American Airlines center, home of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars. But the main attraction of Azure is the exciting design itself. There’s nothing else like it in downtown Dallas.


The pale blue and white Azure stands out in a neighborhood of standout buildings, old and new, and is yet another shining symbol of the inexorable renewing of our hometown’s urban center.

Interesting that in this and the preceding eNewsletter, our focus is on buildings in areas of both Dallas and Atlanta that are in the process of renewal and gentification. (In the previous edition, we featured a 12,000 sq. ft. warehouse repurposed into a spectacular residence.)

Click here for more information on Azure

CANTONI STAGES DEION SANDERS’
AZURE PENTHOUSE FOR SALE


Former NFL and MLB star Deion Sanders and his wife, Pilar, chose Cantoni Dallas to stage their Azure penthouse.

Staging properties with Cantoni product and interior design resources is a regular service offered by all our stores. Given Cantoni’s resources, large in-stock selection, creative design studio, and outstanding customer service, we’re uniquely positioned to provide these services for a variety of clients.

Apart from the celebrity status of this particular client and the prestige of the Azure, there are other aspects of the Sanders’ project that give it a high news profile. For one, Deion and Pilar will host a holiday party on December 12 in their penthouse to benefit Deion’s Sanders Claus charity. Of course we’ll be there!

Our thanks to Deion and Pilar Sanders for this great opportunity to showcase Cantoni. For more information on the penthouse, click here to view photos from this project.

Quick! Click cantoni.com
Our New Site Launches Today


As we approach our 25th year, Cantoni has been exploring new and improved ways of serving our clients and better communicating the unique Cantoni brand. Among other innovations: a new theme that sums up our essence (Great Design Is a Way of Life), a new ad campaign, a new line of Italian kitchens, a more ambitious marketing of our staging and rental operations, Cantoni House and now, the new, improved cantoni.com

Cantoni.com has been so completely reimagined and redesigned, that it is, indeed, a new website. I urge you to visit now, as the new site is a snapshot of Cantoni today: our product, people and services, our history, our geographical reach, our showrooms, press coverage and advertising, and a greatly expanded online store.