Wine tasting over Thanksgiving in Paso Robles

Hammersky Vineyards photo by Martin Pierce Hardware Los Angeles CA  90016

While we often travel to Paso Robles to enjoy the scenery, this Thanksgiving was exceptional. The hills were aglow with the autumnal red, gold and copper tones of the leaves on both the trees and grape vines. This is one of the few bounties of the long, dry and hot summer that seemed to never end here in California.

While we are somewhat familiar with the area it never hurts to keep current with new wineries and restaurants.  Our favorite source for local information is the paso robles wineries website (http://pasorobleswineries.net) .  A visit to this informative site will provide you with all you need to know to enjoy wine tasting in Paso Robles and the surrounding areas.  They will even provide you with a helpful map.  

Wine tasting map available at www.pasorobleswineries.net

And when you have had your fill of delicious wines, they offer plenty of suggestions for other enjoyable activities available in the area.  This is how we found Hammersky Vineyards (I am very partial to their voigner and Martin is a fan of their cabernet; rare for us both to be pleased by the same winery).  The tasting room is located on Vineyard which,to those who haven't ventured that far,  is a beautiful meandering road bordered by mature oaks that act as landmarks to the rolling acres of vines. We ventured off Vineyard and took Jack Creek road so that we could enjoy a quiet hike with Iris.

We are always inspired by the beauty of this countryside.  So much so that we created our Grapevine collection of custom hardware that includes interior and exterior door levers, knobs and cabinety pulls.

Grapevine door lever from Martin Pierce Hardware Los Angeles CA  90016

Photo by Doug Hill

To view the entire collection of architectural hardware available at Martin Pierce, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Happy Thanksgiving from Martin Pierce Hardware

We hope this Thanksgiving finds you celebrating with family and friends in whatever manner best suits your family.  We will be enjoying a visit with our friends in Paso Robles where we will partake in traditional dishes and some delicious wines from the local wineries.  You will find one of our favorite holiday recipes from this post originally published in November 2013.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Designers look forward to Pantone's color of the year announcement

This time of year is a busy one for interior desingers, architects, fashion aficionados, manufacturers and psychologists as they anxiously await color expert's Color of the Year selections.

Sherwin Williams just announced that their choice for 2016's Color of the Year is, to everyone's surprise--White!  SW 7008 Alabaster to be precise.  Well, not really a surprise as Benjamin Moore and Glidden have also selected white as their choice.

The return of a "non color" like white is quite a change from previous years where bright shades of blue, green, pink, red, purple and even orange were chosen.  But these experts spend a great deal of time researching the moods and feelings of the general public and make their decision based on these findings. Their thinking is that today's consumers may enjoy a respite from the over-kill of bright and saturated colors.  The demands of a busy, technology filled life and paired with world events can be over-whelming.  Therefore, returning to a calm and peaceful interior swathed in white walls may be just what we need.

Designers are now anxiously awaiting what some consider to be the leading color expert, Pantone, to announce their 2016 Color of the Year.  This announcement is expected in early December and it is anyone's guess.  Some are predicting a shade of blue, others are expecting Pantone to follow suit and select a shade of white.  The options are unlimited but what we do know is that whatever color they choose, you will begin to see it when you shop for clothing, furniture, fabrics and paint colors.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Exotic places to spot Martin Pierce hardware

We are always proud to share the various locations around the world that feature our custom hardware.  Places as diverse as Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Kauai, Hawaii  are in the United States but we can also be found in more exotic spots like Singapore and Macau.

Sensota Cove, Singapore

We adapted pieces from our Ergo collection to meet the needs of The Rockwell Group's designers working on the W Hotel project.  The fluid shape fit perfectly with the stunning waterfront location and provided that all important detail to this amazing resort.

W Hotel Sensota Cove Singapore

Macau

We have used the same Ergo epic pulls in a recent project at another exotic waterfront location, the Mandarin Oriental in Macau.  The real change came when we cast these pulls in bronze as opposed to stainless steel.  Certainly gives this contemporary design a warm look and feel.

Bronze Epic door pull used in the entry vestibule.

These amazing properties certainly whet my appetite for a little exotic travel, how about you?

To view the Ergo collection, along with our entire collection of architectural hardware, visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Spend your holidays with Martin Pierce Hardware

The holidays are fast approaching and for many of you that means travel.  You may be heading back home to spend time with family or you may be planning a vacation to escape the wintry weather.  Whatever your reason and, depending on where you go, you just might run into some of our custom hardware and furniture.

If the Hawaiian Islands are your holiday destination and you are planning a luxury getaway to the award winning St. Regis Princeville on the island of Kauai, take a moment to enjoy the beautiful bespoke hardware and other unique details.  We shared information on this project in a previous post but it is definitely worth a second look.

We worked closely with the designers at Wimberley Interiors to design hardware and accessories that celebrated the rich cultural history of the Islands.  This is evident from the moment you approach the grand entry doors:

Martin Pierce Hardware Los Angeles Ca  90016

Martin Pierce Hardware Los Angeles CA  90016  Photo Doug Hill

And to continue the warm weather destination theme, a visit to the newly renovated Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills will reveal several pieces from our Morphic collection with a bronze finish in lieu of the stainless finish shown here:

Martin Pierce Hardware Los Angeles Ca  90016.  Photo Doug Hill

To view this collection as well as our entire architectural hardware collection please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Veteran's Day--a day of remembrance and thanks

Arlington National Cemetery

It is important to occasionally set business aside and take a moment to reflect and Veteran's Day provides just that opportunity.

Historically, many nations designate a day each year to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country and those who continue to protect.  In the United States we do so each November 11th, Veteran's Day, with parades and ceremonies held across the country.  England honors their vets on the same day during Remembrance Day ceremonies. Did you know that the 11th is not just a random date?  The First World War ended on "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" with the official end of the war several months later with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. 

One of the  more beautiful war monuments has to be the installation of thousands of ceramic poppies surrounding the Tower of London.  These poppies are meant to represent the spilled blood during the war and are worn as a symbol of respect and remembrance during Remembrance Day celebrations.  

Photography www.janbcards.com

So take a moment on November 11th to thank a veteran you know as you reflect on all the freedoms you enjoy in your daily life.  

To view the entire collection of architectural hardware visit www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Martin Pierce on Houzz and Pinterest

As many of you already know, Houzz and Pinterest have become valuable tools for those in the interior design profession.  With millions of followers, these sites provide the perfect platform for designers, retailers, architects and other design professionals to showcase their projects and advertise their businesses.

We are always delighted to see our custom hardware and furniture in use in actual homes and businesses.  For example, this impressive front door specified by Brian Klass, Inc. provides the perfect backdrop for the generously sized door pull from our  Morphic collection, cast in stainless steel.

Front door designed by Brian Klaas Inc. featuring a large pull from our Morphic collection

And this barstool from our Hedgerow furniture collection featured in a modern kitchen designed by Jamie Herzlinger.  

Our Hedgerow barstool installed in kitchen designed by Jamie Herzlinger

You can also visit our own pages on Houzz and Pinterest to view many of our custom hardware pieces, or on our website at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90016

New products at Martin Pierce Hardware

At Martin Pierce Hardware we are always in the process of designing new products, experimenting with different finishes and styles. Such is the case with our latest piece, the Ergo Epic extended door handle featuring a bronze finish. The goal in designing this particular door pull was to create a piece of custom hardware that offered both the beauty of sculpture/art and the functionality of a door handle as Martin feels that "much of the hardware in the market is lacking in inspiration and artistry."  

With this goal in mind we cast our Ergo extended pull in silicon bronze and applied a patina reminiscent of bronze art sculptures.  This new finish adds warmth to the appearance of an otherwise contemporary design inspired by the art nouveau movement, in particular, the works of Victor Horta, Galle and Guimar.

Bronze door handle from the Ergo collection of Martin Pierce Hardware, Los Angeles CA  90016.  Photo by Doug Hill

The Ergo collection, named for its contemporary yet ergonomic design that is well suited for hospitality and residential projects,  is also available in a sleek stainless steel finish as seen in this photo:

Ergo Epic extended pull from Martin Pierce Hardware, Los Angeles Ca  90016.  

To view the entire Ergo collection, along with other architectural hardware selections, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

The end of daylight savings time means more lamp light

This weekend we all set our clocks back an hour as daylight savings ended and we returned to standard time.  While this means an additional hour of sleep for most of us, it also means that the days will be shorter as we near the winter months.  Enter--the need for more lighting in all forms including task, accent and ambient lighting.

As we have shared in the past, at this years HD Expo we introduced a collection of bespoke wall sconces that will fill your accent lighting needs.  Like our custom hardware collection, these sconces are hand-carved and cast using the lost wax method.  The unique open-work designs were inspired by Martin's enjoyment of "The Game of Thrones" television series as seen in the dragon egg sconce and by nature as seen in the new floral wall sconce. 

An oil rubbed bronze finish lends warmth and beauty to the delicate floral design of the floral sconce.

Bronze floral wall sconce by Martin Pierce Hardware.  Los Angeles Ca  90016  Photo by Doug Hill

Conversely, the stainless steel finish applied to the Dragon Eggg wall sconce enhances the contemporary look of this very unusual lighting fixture.

Stainless steel wall sconce by Martin Pierce Hardware.  Los Angeles CA  90016  Photo by Doug Hill

Another great souce of light during these short winter days?

To view our entire lighting collection as well as our collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Custom cabinet hardware

In an earlier post we shared with you photos of a custom set of chairs featuring carved bat details that complimented the Seicho game table adorned with solid bronze bat details. This unique set was created for our friends who enjoy card and table games as entertainment.  But this is not the only bat we have in our collection!

The bat pull from our cabinet hardware collection is sized perfectly for use on cabinery and furniture drawers and doors in residential, hospitality and commercial installations.  

And, as with all of Martin's sculptures and hardware, the details add realism, depth and dimension to this piece.  

Bats are fascinating creatures.  These little mammals are much more than the blood sucking animals depicted in literature and mythology and actually play a vital role in the world's ecological system. They reside throughout the entire earth with the exception of the extremely cold areas of the Arctic and Antarctic.  And the famous or rather, infamous, vampire bat has given many of us childhood nightmares during the Halloween season as we read about or watched Dracula movies.  And our fascination with creatures that turn from bats to vampires seems to continue with the popularity of shows like "The Vampire Diaries".

To view our bat drawer pull and our entire collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.  

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Bats appear in family's game room

Sometimes words are just not necessary and that may be the case when you see this photo of our custom designed card table and chairs featuring bronze bat details.

As readers and our clients may know, along with designing unique door handles we also design custom furniture pieces for those clients who want a specific look and style for their home.  Over the years these clients have commissioned Martin to make unique furniture that reflects their interests and personalities and is the very definition of functional art.

The best, and also the most rewarding,  example of this are the works that our dear friends and clients, Sarah and David Solomon, have ordered over the last 15 years. Their sense of fun and inherent good taste allowed us to design the first Ascot Armoire and the first Seicho game table. We are truly a small, hands on company.  Therefore, developing new pieces, whether it be furniture or a new hardware piece, is a very expensive process.  Needless to say we are extremely grateful when we are commissioned to make a piece and given free rein in the design. Our friends are avid card players and while we do not share their enthusiasm for card games we do share their love of bats and interesting woods.  With these shared interests as inspiration the Seicho game table took form. The specific table that Sarah and David commissioned was tailored to their needs and featured pull-out drawers with drink holders and a reversible inlaid top for backgammon on one side and checkers or chess on the other.  Most importantly,  the table also has bats situated between the rails and the legs. Sadly, most people do not share our love of bats so the resulting Seicho collection has a floral motif in place of the bats.  The table is made of solid walnut with inlay panels in a variety of woods including madrone burl, bird's eye maple, wenge and myrtle burl.  Unlike their bronze relatives, the bats for this table were carved by Martin in solid walnut.

We also designed chairs to complete the game table set.  The chairs are made of natural domestic walnut and, like the table, the bat detail is cast in solid bronze.  We were so excited to have the opportunity to work on this bat detail and the biggest challenge was deciding on the number of bats!

You can view our entire collection of custom furniture and architectural hardware at www.martinpierce.com.  Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

Tel: 323-939-5929

Seeking design inspiration in Istanbul

via DigiBullet@ en.wikipedia
Martin Pierce Hardware
Los Angeles CA 90016

As we prepare for our upcoming vacation to Istanbul we are looking forward to exploring this unique city.  We will be staying in a hotel located close to the Galata tower in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul.

Unlike most trips we take, we do not have a complete and/or formal itinerary prepared for this vacation.  We plan to take each day as it comes but we do have a guided tour scheduled for one day.  I am sure that once we land we will be ecstatic as to the sights and smells (the cooking variety) that this ancient city offers and guide us in the right direction.

We plan on taking many photos and return to work full of inspiration for new designs in both our hardware and lighting collections.  Stay tuned!

You can view our entire collection of architectural hardware and custom lighting on our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

323) 939-5929

To market, to market in High Point North Carolina

Similar to and for the same reasons hospitality designers gather at the HD Expo each year, interior designers gather in High Point, North Carolina twice a year.  At this time the usually small town becomes home to thousands of design professionals, retailers and every day folk who are excited to see what the future holds for furniture, fabrics and accessories.

Fall Market is scheduled for October 17-22, 2015 and is offering a schedule full of informative activities and plenty of time to network, as well as tour the hundreds of showrooms that are excited to share their latest and greatest ideas in home fashion trends. Hospitality designers will also be paying attention to what comes out of the market in fabrics, colors and forms that can be incorporated into their hospitality and commercial projects.

Some trends designers can expect to see include:

• The color orange.  It will be interesting to see how well this color is accepted by consumers/homeowners and decorators.
• Details, details, details.  The details on any item, including home furnishings, is what sets it apart from another item.  This type of craftsmanship will be evident in trims like nailhead or welting, button tufting, embroidery etc.
• The color blue remains an all-time favorite home decor choice.  And this in spite of the fact that this year’s Pantone color of the year was a warm and moody shade of red called Marsala!  However, PPG just announced Blue Paisley as their color for 2015.
• Global and bohemian influences will be evident in textiles, case goods and accessories.  Add your own souvenirs from your world travels for a personal touch.

This wall hanging from Surya is a fine example of items that can be seen at this year’s Fall Market and includes many of the anticipated decor trends for 2015 including shades of orange, global design, plenty of texture and interesting details in the form of fringe and varying pile heights.

Textural wall hanging from Surya.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware and lighting, please visit our site athttp://www.martinpierce.com

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

(323) 939-5929

Parc Guell--the original gated community

As we begin to make the final preparations for our upcoming trip to Istanbul we are taken back to last summer's vacation destination of Barcelona Spain  where we looked forward to visiting and studying the works of Antoni Gaudi and other Catalan Modernists whom Martin has long admired.  One of our destinations while there was the Parc Guell, an area that could certainly be referred to as the original gated community!

Named after Count Eusebi Guell, what is now a public park was originally designed as a housing development inspired by the English garden city movement in which homes were planned around a community that was self-contained and included plenty of what we now refer to as greenbelts.  Visit any modern housing development and you will see this idea in play today.  Sixty lots were created with the intent of building luxury homes that took advantage of  the view and the fresh air, far from the smoky environment of the city. Count Guell chose Antoni Gaudi, a renowned architect of the time, to design the buildings and homes. Unfortunately, only two lots sold, forcing Guell to alter his plans.  He convinced Antoni Gaudi to purchase the "model home" that had been constructed and Gaudi moved in with his family and his father, where they lived until 1925, just a year before Gaudi's death.  This house is now the Gaudi House Museum and home to many of Gaudi's furniture and other designs.  If you are in the Barcelona area this historical museum is definitely worth a visit.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware and custom wall sconces, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, Ca  90016

(323) 939-5929

Happy Labor Day as we say goodbye to summer

Labor Day is a federal holiday that has become the unofficial signal that summer has come to an end.  But the fact is that the summer season does not officially end until the arrival of the Fall equinox, expected this year on Wednesday, September 23rd. We hope your summer was full of fun getaways or relaxing staycations and that the upcoming last quarter of the year is full of exciting projects.  So time to say good-bye to summer and hello to the cooler weather, shorter days and beautiful changes that Mother Nature brings us when autumn returns.

A very basic discussion of stainless steel door hardware

If you have been shopping for door and cabinet hardware for yourself or for a client you have, no doubt, discovered the wide variety of options from which to choose, from style and design to color and finish.  We offer a variety of custom door hardware designs in different finishes including stainless steel.

What is stainless steel?

Without providing you with a lot of technical information you may never use, the simple answer is that stainless steel, unlike ordinary steel, contains various alloys such as chromium and nickel that render it corrosion, tarnish and rust resistant.  And it is good for the environment as it is 100% recyclable.  You can learn more about stainless steel at MidAmerica Stainless and here.

Are there different types of stainless steel?

Yes.  The most commonly used for our purposes is steel from the 300 series which is non-magnetic and corrosion and rust resistant.  This durable steel is used in industrial and commercial applications as well as building applications in the form of hinges, locks and other types of door and window hardware, appliances and even countertops and kitchen backsplashes.

Here at Martin Pierce Custom Hardware we usually work with two types of stainless--304 and 316.

• While still very hard, 304 is softer and a bit easier to work with than the 316.
• We describe the 316 steel as a marine grade or rust resistant and is best used for outdoor projects.  This grade can be a real challenge to tool and polish.

But we think you will agree that both steels result in a beautiful finish for the contemporary door hardware designs found in our Ergo and Morphic collections:

Ergo

Morphic

To view stainless steel architectural hardware,  as well as our entire collection of custom hardware and lighting, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90016

323 939 5929

National Dog Day

There is no doubt that pets add so much to our lives.  Therefore, we could not let National Dog Day pass us by without giving a nod to our wonderful Iris.

Iris is our pitbull that we rescued from The Rescue Train in Los Angeles over 4 years ago.  (or maybe she rescued us!)  She has been a faithful companion and a wonderful addition to our family.  Throughout the years we have shared with you bits and pieces of Iris' life including her play dates here at the office with her Corgi friend, Hoyt--

relaxing at the office---

the many hikes she has shared with us---

relaxing again, this time in the backyard---

Her playful side---

And her sleepy side---

Please share pictures and stories of your beloved dog with us.

You can view the entire collection of architectural hardware  at www.martinpiere.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Tel: 323 939 5929

Yet another early grape harvest for California wineries

History has a way of repeating itself.  Back in August of 2013 we wrote about the early grape harvest and the reasons for it (weather related) and it appears that the grape growers in California are experiencing yet another early harvest blamed, you guessed it, on the weather.  KCRA better explains the situation but the lack of any real spring season this year has a lot to do with it and it is the earliest harvest the industry has seen in the past six years.  The good news is that an early harvest can produce some delicious wines so we all have something to look forward to!

We often share our love of the Paso Robles wine region and the wines they produce.  In fact, the beauty of this region is what originally inspired our Grapevine collection of custom hardware.

This collection includes two different styles of entry way hardware as well as interior levers and cabinet and door pulls.  This versatile design can be utilized in both commercial and residential installations and will provide that all-important detail to any project.

To view the Grapevine group as well as our entire collection of architctural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Designers can visit the showroom located at:

5433 W. Washington Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90016

323 939 5929

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