Quebec an inspiring Canadian Province

We are taking our annual respite from hot congested Los Angeles and the demands of making door hardware to visit lush Quebec, a province with easy to access unspoiled parks.
Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier is named its impressive and varied river whose turbulent rapids and gentler currents host a variety of fish and bird life. The park is a mere 45 minute drive from old Quebec city and has many well maintained trails suited to all levels of hiker. Feeling adventurous, we took the Les Loupes trail marked for the advanced hiker but manageable for the less advanced if frequent stops to regain ones breath are factored in. The trail goes up Sautauriski Mountain and provides a great Southern view outlook over the Jacques-Cartier river valley. Despite it’s name “ Les Loupes” this is not a loop trail (the word is French for wolf) but is a 10 km trail 5km there and 5 back. In the interests of factual reporting I must admit we only completed half of the trail and turned back to explore the river valley.

Martin Pierce on the Les Loupes (the wolf) trail.

Use this link for details on this park and its 200 plus trails visit

Mixing it up with Bee Door Knobs and their Lizard Friends

The nature inspired Netsuke door handle collection was not conceived as an interchangeable series, but thankfully creative interior designers have conjured up imaginative ways to use these as combination door handle sets. Case in point is a recent project where the bee door knob was paired with the lizard door knob to create a whimsical statement. The sets were specified in polished bronze to create a stunning jewel like set for a custom makeover of the master bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom privacy set used a simple push-pin latch on the honey comb side with a discreet emergency release on the bark rose side of the door (exterior).

Lizard Door Knob one of our animal cabinet knobs

Our door handle knob sets are connected with a square 8mm spindle that is attached to each knob with a set screw or Allen screw. As we use the same type of spindle for all our door knobs most of the knobs are interchangeable. Since other door hardware manufactures use different spindles and methods of attachment our knobs may not be suited as half sets with knobs supplied by others.

Center piece in our Netsuke collection of animal knobs

The Netsuke collection comprises 4 interchangeable animal knobs including a rabbit, frog, bee and lizard making them popular choices for children’s bedrooms. While whimsical in nature, these animal knobs are finely detailed and cast in solid bronze with each knob using a lb. of molten bronze.

As a transitional set that bridges the classical with whimsical you may want to consider the Hedgerow and Willow knob on the more public exterior side of your door with a Netsuke knob on the more private interior side.