About Us

Statement of Intent

Heating and air conditioning vent covers, return air filter grilles, speakers covers, fan grilles, crawl space vents, and decorative trims for recessed lighting are just a couple of the industrial features that Beaux-Arts Classic Products crafts and produces to replace in both residential and commercial rooms. Our mission is to develop architectural materials that are practical works of art for high-end design projects. “We transform ordinary eyesores into functional works of art with our products.”

Our Backstory

Beaux-Arts Classic Products is a one-of-a-kind company. We recognized that some interior design features were only available in simple industrial designs when we started in 2002. Decorative options for heating and air conditioning vent covers, for example, were virtually non-existent, despite the presence of fabulous examples of great-looking grilles on historic structures. We thought it was strange that houses constructed after WWII just had stamped metal louvered style heating vents, and that one had to go to an antique shop to find something better looking.

As a result, we created Beaux-Arts to fill this gap in the industry. The decorative arts is reintroduced to the interior design industry. Decorative arts emerged during the Italian Renaissance, when fine arts were applied to utilitarian features such as furniture, fireplaces, and stairwells. It reached its pinnacle in mid-nineteenth-century England, when William Morris produced fine-art wallpaper. As a result of a mixture of skilled artisans, the industrial revolution, and wealthy Americans rushing to create their own European-style castles in the United States, the decorative arts flourished.

We started by focusing on two key areas: re-creating historic heating vents and rendering historic-looking recessed light trims. We looked for historic composition ornament crafted from hand-carved wood blocks, similar to the method used by 19th-century artisans. This immediately set us apart from the competition by allowing us to offer three-dimensional grilles, while our rivals only offered two-dimensional grilles. Beaux-Arts Classic Products decorative recessed light trims were the first on the market; there were no entrants in 2003.

Gothic, French Colonial, Georgian, Italian Renaissance, and Louis XIV types were our first grille prototypes, all of which were handcrafted.

The Grand Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia, designed in the Beaux-Arts style in 1904, was our first major hotel project. In 1976, this hotel was the site of the first outbreak of Legionnaires disease, which killed 29 people and affected 182. The uninsulated area between the outer and inner walls was used as ducts to vent the cold air in old hotels like the Bellevue, which were constructed before forced air heat and air conditioning. Unfortunately, the heat outside and the cold air between the walls combined to produce moisture, which bred a new, deadly pneumonia-like disease that quickly spread across the house. As a result, in 1978, the Bellevue was closed and sold, and restored after new air conditioning ducts were cut into ornate ceilings and paneled walls. Since there were no other alternatives, the new ducts were sealed with unsightly louvered vents for 25 years. Finally, the Hyatt approached us in 2005, asking that we construct proper decorative grilles for their classically styled hotel. The grilles are still in use today and seem to be unique to the car.

If the Grand Hyatt at Bellevue demonstrated the value of Beaux-Arts Classic Products in historical restoration projects, the new Grand del Mar Hotel, which opened in 2008, demonstrated that decorative grilles would support new hotels as well. The Addison Mizner, Mediterranean Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival styles that are so common in California, Texas, and Florida were used to build the Grand del Mar. Beaux-Arts Classic Items supplied over 4,500 decorative grilles for the project.

Timeline of the Company in 2002 Beaux-Arts Classic Products was created by Stuart and Melanie Kershner to address a consumer demand for classically crafted products as alternatives to "modern eyesores" like HVAC vents, recessed lighting, return air grilles, speakers, radiators, and base crawl space vents.

Residential Lighting added our decorative recessed light trims to their Top 100 Items list. There was only one size recessed light canister available in 2006, and we sold six different models in 14 different finishes.

the year 2010 Hudson Kershner, our son, took over manufacturing. Any of our goods are manufactured in the United States. Hand-cast and hand-finished in the finest grade urethane resin. The architectural product industry benefits immensely from the use of resin. It's dimensionally and thermally stable, corrosion-resistant, paintable, screwable, and suitable for outside use. Many of our materials are available in a variety of stunning finishes at no extra charge.

the year 2012 To build our practical works of art products series, we started the transition from creating masters by hand to using technologies to scan historic elements, manipulate the templates in 3-dimensional software, and cut the masters with a CNC.

From 2010 to 2014, Beaux-Arts Classic Products redesigned the Arts and Crafts Decorative Grille Collection, which now comes in 70 different sizes. This was the first time a series had been completely revamped in a 3D CAD program and CNC milled. We had to delete all of our handmade styles due to the significant change in consistency of this new method.

From 1865 to 1922, these grilles were manufactured in Brooklyn, New York. Between 1883 and 1929, Andrew Carnegie designed 1,689 Carnegie Libraries throughout the United States. Since 2010, Beaux-Arts Classic Products has been producing these distinctly American grilles in the United States. Beaux-Arts Classic Items sells them in the most common format.

This grille, in our opinion, is the best and most fascinating grille ever made in America. The chevron pattern in the moulding, the interlocking diamonds, a thread, a ribbon, and stylized acanthus leaves are among the elements interwoven in the work. With all of the angular forms complimented by soft curves, this grille is really fascinating to look at.

Since they follow the General Services Administration Code #1501003S Standards for Historic Preservation Guidelines, they should be used for historic preservation.

We launched 6′′ Recessed Chandeliers in 2012, with a variety of crystal types and paint choices.

Beaux-Arts Classic Products has redesigned decorative grilles in the Louis XIV style. This type, made from handcrafted masters, had previously been sold by Beaux-Arts. It was always a success, and it was the first handmade style we revamped using a 3D CAD program and CNC milling.

Since it is the only grille of this type in the world, the Louis XIV style is extremely common. It is better known as the theme of the Palace of Versailles, and it was named after King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, who ruled Europe for the longest time. Still today, the majority of diplomatic state receptions are held in rooms furnished in or inspired by the Louis XIV Style. The theme of Louis XIV has been embraced as their own by countries ranging from France to Russia to Saudi Arabia.

Beaux-Arts Classic Products' Louis XIV style grilles were created to fulfill the demands of high-end architectural programs and historic restoration projects all over the world. They've found that there's a certain kind of customer who really wants Louis XIV style and nothing else. The acanthus leaf serves as the design's foundation. This design is currently available in 54 different sizes, with plans to add another six sizes in the near future.

the year 2016 The most popular Victorian Style Decorative Recessed Light Trim comes in sizes to match all recessed lighting canisters on the market, including 3-3/4′′, 4′′, 5′′, 6′′, and 6-3/4′′. Many of these sizes were made possible thanks to scanning. Although maintaining the original carvings' dignity.

Decorative Recessed Lighting Trims were launched in 2018 in sizes that suit both LED Retrofit Baffles and the latest LED Wafer technologies.

Our Methodology

The fact that Beaux-Arts is motivated to produce the best, without precedent, determines any step in the method used to design, create, and sell goods.

The concept process is when it all starts. It takes three or four years to develop a decorative grille line. It usually begins with a historical model or a portion of a model. The Louis XIV style began with a small seven-inch square hand-carved about 1700 during the Baroque era. Following that, the fragment is scanned, and the quest for other elements required to complete the larger template begins. Hundreds of hours of 3D computer engineering on a CAD software are needed for the design process.

Having a mock-up is the next move in the process. As a model, a three-dimensional machine drawing sometimes looks very distinctive. The mock-up demonstrates what needs to be repaired and what can be scrapped.

Having a mock-up is the next move in the process. As a model, a three-dimensional machine drawing sometimes looks very distinctive. The mock-up demonstrates what needs to be repaired and what can be scrapped.

Beaux-Arts uses a CNC milling machine to create their versions. Also a small 6” x 10” piece needs 20 to 30 hours of continuous CNC machining. The pattern was cut with a tiny 1/64” tapered ball nose bit, which was used to mill the fine detail and smooth surface. To refine a 3D drawing into a concept worth exploring further, it normally takes five to ten mock-ups.

The hard work starts after a new theme has been decided upon and the models have been chosen. Since most HVAC grilles are smaller supply size grilles, the smaller size grilles are usually manufactured first. An exact 3D drawing is produced for each size, and the tool paths are calculated such that the CNC can mill the new master. A master is an exact replica of each grille scale made of an incredibly hard substance that will last indefinitely. Molds can be made from the master, allowing copies to be cast and sold. Though smaller grilles can be produced in a day or two, larger grilles can take up to ten days of continuous milling, day and night. Finishing bits will cut continuously for five days or more, while rough cut bits wear out after fifteen hours. The spindle spins at 17,000 rpm without vibrating the pieces. From start to finish, making 70 different sizes of the same model grille will take three years.

Molds are made in the negative after each master is completed, allowing identical images of the masters to be cast over and over before the mold wears out.

Beaux-Arts Classic Products uses the finest urethane resin produced by one of the world's leading resin manufacturers to cast their creations. Urethane resin is a water-resistant and UV-resistant exterior-grade material. Urethane resin is very costly. It is used by Beaux-Arts because it produces a lost wax quality casting without the expense and waste of the lost wax process. The lost wax process was used for the majority of fine casting during the Decorative Arts period. The lost wax method of casting is no longer commercially viable due to rising labor and material costs. You won't see flash, air bubbles, or rough or grainy textures on a Beaux-Arts Classic Goods casting, unlike most other metal or cast iron castings. They tried some of the better sand casting foundries in the United States, but the castings came out grainy and rough, with a lot of flash. They also attempted aluminum casting, but it was too rough and grainy for the smooth surface detail needed by their designs.

After casting, all materials are cured in an industrial oven on tempered glass shelves. Heat curing improves the resin's properties by improving tensile strength, dimensional flexibility, and heat resistance. Baking at high temperatures also cuts the normal curing time in half, from seven days to eight.

Both items spend time in the machine shop after spending the night in the oven, where flash is eliminated by planing the backs. The screw holes are dug out here as well.

For their grilles, Beaux-Arts Classic Products offers 16 different finish choices. Many are hardware finishes, such as brushed bronze and black bronze. Antique brass, aged copper, nickel, pewter, and umber gold are only a few of the metals available. Antique cherry, Chinese red, old oak, and old wood gold are among the wood-like finishes available.

These finishes are made using a Beaux-Arts-developed in-house process that is similar to powder coating. Powder coating differs in that it uses an electrostatic charge to charge the powder particles, which are then magnetically bound to the grounded ferrous metal component. Powders are added to the front surface of the mold in Beaux-Arts, after which the resin is poured into the mold and chemically fuses with the powder. This process's strength and reliability result in a low-maintenance finish. Finally, the finish is glazed to give it an aged feel, and certain finishes need additional highlights. In the color booth, other colors like white, purple, and neon gold are painted over.

In addition to building a classic product line, we really wanted it to be quick to install. Designing and building classical interiors provided inspiration for our items. Wall walls, in fact, necessitated the use of professional artisans. Since our wall panels have a notch in the corner, the moulding is concealed under the ornament. No decorative painting is needed to mount our finished goods. Any furniture would look great with our panels. We're now working on prototypes for one-piece wall panels.

For ideas on wall decor and wall panels, visit our Classical Addiction blog. For a targeted list of some of the best ideas on the internet, search for Best Dressed Walls and Wall Panels.