On 2nd Avenue and Clarendon, in a modest showroom on the first floor of the Executive Towers, David Cline and a small staff comprise Poliform Phoenix. Samples from the high-end Italian cabinetry manufacturer line the walls of the showroom and corresponding model loft as Cline and crew draw up plans for contemporary kitchens, baths and closets for residents all over the Valley.
When asked why he, a skilled designer, chose his career, Cline matter-of-factly states he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. A childhood nurtured by art and handcrafted goods fueled an astute contemporary design sensibility, leading to his undergraduate degree in interior design from Arizona State University.
In 2001, the entrepreneur opened a small business under the name of Urban Ease, and became a local vendor for various contemporary interior lines. Not too long after, Cline decided he wanted to focus his attention on the Poliform products and their Italian cohorts, Varenna, Paola Lenti and Flexform, his store had been carrying for some time. Cline says he prefers these product lines “because they are clean, not over designed, refined, minimal and very good quality”.
In 2003, Cline dropped the Urban Ease moniker and become the official Poliform dealer in Phoenix.
In addition to being a business owner and designer, Cline recently took the leap as a residential developer. His current project, a development called, The Vik, is planned for a lot at 11th Street and Campbell. Cline describes the six-condo project as “minimal, down and dirty lofts”. With features like concrete floors, sliding panel doors, and of course, Poliform kitchens, The Vik will offer the industrial qualities of a warehouse conversion with the perks of a new build.
The Vik isn’t your average contemporary in-fill development either. Cline and his partners are working to make the condos affordable and equally sustainable. With asking prices that will hover around $350K, the customized units are competitive. Add in the fact that the builders are eco-conscious about the types of materials and finishes they are using and it becomes clear that transcending the rule and maintaining the exception is simply how it is done in Cline’s world.
As for his personal life, when cooking up new designs Cline says his best ideas come late at night, under bright lights while the sounds of Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 35, help him clear his mind and solve problems. Reflecting on this practice, Cline states, “Creativity is just really just problem solving.”
If he could give any modern design tip to America, it would be to make sure kitchen appliances are flush with the cabinetry and face them with same materials and finishes. This is one element you will see in any of Cline’s well-designed kitchens; simple, clean environments where the term “everything but the kitchen sink” takes on a whole new meaning.
Poliform Phoenix is located at 207 W. Clarendon, Suite 7, Phoenix. For more information, visit poliformusa.com.
