PRESS RELEASE

San Francisco, CA (September 21, 2004) - In keeping with a desire to offer items of uncommon artistry and style, McGuire has added to its successful line of handcrafted pieces by the distinguished artist and designer Robert Kuo. New lamps, mirrors and occasional tables add depth and variety to the already-remarkable portfolio of Kuo designs for McGuire, introduced to wide acclaim starting in 1997. Each piece - a rare, functional work of art - is created using the ancient crafts of repoussý and cloisonný.

Considered worldwide as a master of both art forms, Kuo's body of work for McGuire embodies the ideals of proportion and scale. While these pieces are borne out of time-honored techniques, their clean forms provide a chic, modern sensibility and an architectural sophistication that enhance any refined setting.

Lighting
New lighting from Kuo for McGuire continues a repertoire of forms that offer an ever-changing play of pattern and light. Influenced by ritual vessels and designs common to the Chinese dynasties dating back as far as the 16th century BC, these new table and floor lamps range from petite, almost delicate forms to those more formidable and generously scaled. The lamps are decidedly dramatic, offering sleek lines that are at once graceful and organic. The materials used are rich and natural, providing a perfect marriage for their strong silhouettes.

The group of new lamps includes eight designs hand-crafted of copper repoussý -- a hammering technique, also known as "chasing," used to create decorative relief in metal. The artistry of McGuire's new designs are sublime examples of this craft. Each new piece is a study of pattern and figures embossed in copper using a chasing chisel, a chisel with a rounded rather than sharp edge, or a chasing hammer, a hammer with a rounded head. This technique, often used to create high-end jewelry, results in textures that range from subtle to intricate.

The offering includes the minimalistic Zun Lamp, the intricate Monk's Robe design, the pure Bell Lamp, the handsome Tessa Floor Lamp, the graceful Pillow Floor Lamp, and the dramatic Crystal Cuff Floor and Table Lamps - each an astonishing form that pays homage to an ancient art form while remaining undeniably chic in its modern rendering. The repoussý lighting is available in four distinct finishes: a warm antique copper; a dramatic black copper; a sleek silver plate; and a brilliant 24K gold plate. Each is paired with an ivory linen shade.

Also among the lighting is the Plateau Cloisonný Lamp, another classic example ancient techniques employed to create contemporary design. The lamp displays the traditional Hua pattern executed in cloisonný, an ornamental craft dating back nearly 2000 years. Each handmade lamp - the result of a painstaking series of steps - is a work of individual beauty and a study in coloration. The soft-shouldered rectangular base features a complex light ochre enamel finish revealed in a blend of shades from rich amber to soft bronze. A lovely pongee silk shade is paired with this lamp.

Also included in the new offering is the stylish Square Rock Crystal Table Lamp. This inspired design exudes warmth and light, as it glows upward through an Oyster Pongee Shade and down the white bronze neck, through the hand carved rock crystal base and to its stunning white bronze plinth base.

Each of McGuire's lamps by Robert Kuo features a distinct finial that echoes the shape and pattern of the base. As with all McGuire lighting, these new lamps are UL approved.

Mirrors and Tables
In addition to exceptional lamps, new pieces from Robert Kuo include an assortment of mirrors and occasional tables. Each design, while striking and eye-catching, maintains the same simplicity of line that is the hallmark of Kuo's body of work.

Grand in scale, the mirrors have an undeniable presence that makes them the focal point of any room, hallway or entrance. Each utilizes the gentle undulation of its meticulously figured surface to capture and reflect light.

One gorgeous example of how the exacting art of repoussý is used to create a one-of-a-kind piece is the lovely Helix Mirror. Cool and contemporary in its design, this rectangular mirror employs its hammered finish to create a dramatic play of shadow and light. Each side offers a sharp but simple twist of plane that undulates across its surface like the crest of a sand dune, while the repoussý finish casts a warm, organic patina. Other mirrors include the Round Fluted Mirror, distinct for its wide, concave fluting; the Puso Mirror, with its bold rope twist pattern; and the Lantern Mirror, a design bold in scale but delicate in pattern.

The new tables have a grandeur and solidity that comes from their substantial visual weight and linear design. Inspired and monolithic, they create a dramatic stage upon which to display objects. The all-wood forms are sheathed in copper repoussý executed in a lightly hammered patterns and rich, antique finish.

Both the Low Square and Low Round Tables are examples of the sculptural aesthetic of these new designs. The unbroken pattern in repoussý gives each substantial piece a smoothness that belies their size and enables the rectilinear legs to appear as though they were carved from a single block of wood. In addition, the elegant Low T Table recalls the simple, clean lines of an Asian bench form, complete with geometric angularity that makes it utterly modern in its sophistication. Two lower supports balance the weight of a solid block top, and the surface flows with hand-hammered copper repoussý.

Items from Robert Kuo's collection for McGuire are available at the McGuire showroom in San Francisco, at select Baker Knapp & Tubbs showrooms and other fine wholesale showrooms nationwide.

McGuire Furniture Company is a subsidiary of Kohler Co., a world leader in plumbing products under the brand names of Kohler, Sterling, Kallista, Ann Sacks Tile & Stone, Robern, and, in Europe, under the brand names of Jacob Delafon, Sanijura and Neomediam.

A diversified manufacturer, Kohler Co. is also a leading manufacturer of power systems, engines up to 26 horsepower, generators up to 2,000 kilowatts and electrical components under the brand name of Kohler. The Kohler Interiors Group includes the premier brand names of Baker and McGuire furniture. Kohler Co. also has developed a successful hospitality and real estate group around "Destination Kohler" with flagship properties including The American Club resort hotel, Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits golf courses.

Kohler was founded in 1873. Headquartered in Kohler, Wisconsin, it is one of the oldest and largest privately held companies in the United States.