Kirsten Zook was working in banking in Hong Kong when she joined her mother’s Denver-based furniture company, New Classics Creations, LLC in 1989—not exactly a traditional design background. But perhaps it was her worldly experience that helped Kirsten turn the family business, which she purchased from her mother, Sara Zook, in 2013, into a venerable design institution that hits the quarter-century mark this year.

The company was born when Sara, an interior designer, began creating custom, classic pieces for clients after she grew tired of rehabbing antiques. Her line launched at the Holly Hunt showroom in Chicago with the signature C-Leg Table, still a top seller for its versatility. Today, every piece—from occasional chairs to four-poster beds to dining room tables—is made to order with customizable materials and finishes right in Denver. And while New Classics’ furniture maintains a timeless aesthetic, Kirsten is keeping the elegant silhouettes and dark finishes fresh with a few updates. “By taking a historic design and putting a twist on it, like adding metal inlay, we’ve made the pieces transitional,” Kirsten says.

To mark the company’s 25 years in business, Kirsten is looking even further into the future. Beaumodern, a new furniture line designed by her husband, Timothy Huff, and a lighting collection will both launch in January. The idea: a look that’s less traditional and more of-the-moment. “Beaumodern pushes the boundaries,” Kirsten says. “It’s much more cutting edge, meant to offer amazing works of art that are really ‘now.’?” With Kirsten at the helm, we look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries to come.

New Classics Creations, LLC, newclassics.net, 303-373-9536


Our Picks

< Sedalia Table – Top with a lamp and picture frame for an easy, artful vignette. Walnut with nickel detail

< Branch Chair – A transitional take on the traditional dining room chair. Beech wood with walnut finish.

< étaGÈre – The perfect storage piece. Walnut with metal inlay

All available to the trade at the Shanahan Collection in the Denver Design District, 595 S. Broadway, 303-778-7088, shanahancollection.com