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PORTLAND, Ore. (January 11, 2016) – ANN SACKS, an industry leader for unique and innovative luxury tile, stone and plumbing products, announced the opening of its latest showroom at 1629 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009, phone (202) 299-0014. ANN SACKS Washington, D.C. brings a remarkable range of styles and international influences to consumers, architects, builders, and design professionals, with hours of operation Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Beginning in April 2016, the store will also be open on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Based in Portland, Ore., ANN SACKS was founded in 1981 and built on the concept that tile and stone, with its tactile warmth, strength and versatility, is an expressive medium for creating imaginative, emotionally relevant spaces. Dedicated to providing personalized service, ANN SACKS opened its first showroom in Portland in 1985, and now boasts 18 national and international locations and designs by such renowned designers as Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Michael S Smith, Robert Kuo, Clodagh, and Laura Kirar, and MADE by Ann Sacks Collection, its in-house design program, all handcrafted at its Portland, Ore. facility.
ANN SACKS Washington, D.C. is located in the former Central Union Mission building, one of the historic structures that add such character and charm to this up-and-coming neighborhood that embraces its traditional roots with a strong, modern vibe.

“We knew we found the right location for our venture back into the Washington, D.C. marketplace, said Ted Chappell, president, ANN SACKS. “ANN SACKS considers Washington, D.C. to be a key market for our brand because of its internationally diverse population and the impact the city has on the world’s design trends. The city celebrates and preserves many different elements of design, with an obvious appreciation for unique and quality materials that can be seen through the city’s numerous architectural landmarks, beautifully landscaped public spaces, and impeccably finished interiors.”

ANN SACKS will also feature kitchen and bathroom designs by its sister company, KALLISTA®, a high-end luxury plumbing manufacturer. KALLISTA is known for its decorative plumbing products, offering faucets and fixtures thoughtfully created for tasteful, whole-bath solutions. A selection of kitchen and bath plumbing products are showcased in a striking range of modern and traditional designs, including lifestyle collections by such renowned designers as Bjarke Ingels, Mick De Giulio, Michael S Smith, Barbara Barry, Bill Sofield, and Laura Kirar.

Rounding out the store’s offerings will be products from Robern, another brand under the Kohler Interiors and Decorative Products umbrella, and making its entrée into the Washington, D.C. marketplace. Headquartered in Bristol, Penn. since the company’s founding in 1968, Robern has long been recognized as a leader in residential storage solutions, creating cabinets, vanities, mirrors, lighting, and accessories for every living space. Robern pioneered development of the personal vanity environment by providing stylish designs, attractive finish options, and innovative features. A custom built-in display, two vanities, an integrated storage box, three M-series cabinet mirrors and Metallique sconces have been installed within a series of the showroom vignettes, creating the largest display of Robern currently floored in any of the ANN SACKS Showrooms.

This is but one example of the thoughtfully tailored components that represent the company’s Next Generation comprehensive retail space design. Next Generation is ANN SACKS’ holistic concept to incorporate a crisp contemporary feel and studio intimacy with an efficient, customer-focused sales approach to elicit the ultimate shopping experience. Currently featured in the Houston, Vancouver and Chicago showrooms, ANN SACKS plans to expand this ideal to other locations in 2016.

The comprehensive planning and detail is apparent from every angle of the showroom and meant to encourage and inspire designers and their clients with new ideas and ANN SACKS’ whole home approach to tile. A digital media wall hosts a cutting-edge, 65-inch digital screen with rotating installation images and videos and allows for the sales associates to have immediate accessibility through their iPads for real-time responsiveness when working on projects. Clients will also be able to access the ANN SACKS web site, as well as other sites, including a designer’s own web site to enhance and define options and possibilities from a personal perspective. The interior aesthetic is minimalist in approach to allow the tile, plumbing and cabinetry take center stage, featuring crisp, white walls and exposed red brick, high vaulted ceilings and complementing floors. Also making its debut is a vignette that features two designs from the Kelly Wearstler for ANN SACKS Collections – a wall featuring the Horizon pattern from Tableau and the Doheny floor mosaic from Liaison.

Utilizing every inch of its 1,900 sq. ft. space by offering a remarkable tile and stone selection, the redesign also capitalizes on ANN SACKS’ whole home lifestyle options. State-of-the-art, 90-percent low-energy LED track lighting is further enhanced by a series of expansive windows that line the building. This use of natural and ambient light present customers with the pure color and beauty of the tile and stone as it would be seen in their home.

On-wall racking allows 448 different 14x14 tile boards to be displayed with additional in-drawer storage housing 60 large scale tile and stone samples. This ability to easily provide the breadth of ANN SACKS, including custom art tile pieces, large format stone and porcelain options, brings to the forefront the unique range of natural stone finishes available. A strategically placed sample store housed in over 30 linear feet of storage cabinets is adjacent to the racking for easy accessibility. Ample-sized desks allow for sales associates to sit comfortably with their clients and the room to spread out and consider every option.

The foundation of the ANN SACKS retail strategy is its responsiveness to its clientele. With an experienced staff and hours to accommodate the hectic pace of today’s consumer, ANN SACKS Washington, D.C. will continue to feature basic color and floor planning assistance, or for more sophisticated needs, will assist you by presenting a variety of ways to bring design ideas to life.

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