ABOUT THE DESIGNERMaxine Snider received her degree from the University of Michigan and spent the early part of her career as a graphic designer in the corporate world. Later that focus morphed into the area of interior design, where she worked for several distinguished architectural firms, among them Minoru Yamasaki and Associates, architects of the World Trade Center. When she started her own firm, that exceptional experience informed her work and does to this day. MAXINE'S THOUGHTS-AT-LARGEGETTING STARTEDThe furniture collection grew out of a gradual shift in my focus from the environment to the sculptural object. I became more and more interested in designing the product within the environment and merging its sensibilities with the architectural space. It was an enormous advantage to have come from the discipline of interior design in understanding the context in which a product works.STYLE AND INSPIRATIONThe furniture designs have a minimalist spirit. A great part of my thinking is in the form of restraint and selection-----What can I leave out and still have a powerful design? The first furniture collection, aptly named THE PARIS SERIES, is clean and precise, with classic details and forms. I was inspired variously by the Scottish architect Robert Adam, the 20th century French designers, Jean Prouve and Andre Grouet, and by the exquisite modesty and simplicity of the Shakers.QUALITYIn my mind the quality of a piece is a part of the essence of the design and inseparable from it. We offer custom-made hardware and a hand-rubbed surface that is all but gone in the industry. The furniture can stand up to the best of the best and has been featured and named exactly in those words by the premier shelter magazines.CUSTOMER REQUESTSOur three top-selling pieces, the Collector's Table, the Paris Writing Table and the Grande Salon Table inspire a variety of custom adaptations. We've done a storage buffet adapted from the Grande Salon Table, deepened the drawer of the collector's table to accommodate a particular personal collection, and replaced the gallery of The Paris Writing Table with storage drawers. I love hearing from architects and designers about their projects. They inspire us and guide us.PRICINGOur standard furniture ranges from a retail of $2325. for a small table to upwards of $13,000. for the Grande Salon Table and the new 4-poster Vienna and Salzburg beds.