It's a bug's life at Martin Pierce Hardware

A while back we shared with you our quest to find inspiration for new projects we were working on.  You can review that post here.  Since that time we have welcomed some new family members to our home.  The purpose was to study their habits, their form and their nests but, truth be told, Martin is enjoying his new friends.

These are Hercules beetles that we have named Boris and Natasha as they joined our household when the Olympics were being hosted in Russia this winter.

Boris, the male is easy to recognize as he is the proud owner of a pair of horns of “Herculean” proportion, hence the name of the species.

Natasha is less flashy and a bit camera shy.  As there is no competition in the terrarium they have been forced to accept each other and occasionally we have witnessed something vaguely approaching amorous behavior.  Yes, we are definitely guilty as charged of imbuing these scarabs with human emotions.

What can we tell you about our 5 months with the couple?

• They like banana and mango and, most recently have developed a taste for peaches.
• They have very poor table manners.  Once they discover they like a particular fruit they quite literally immerse themselves in it and use their mouth parts, which look like hairy brushes, to suck up their food. They can remain immersed for hours.
• They are generally nocturnal and when we look at them in the daytime we spend quite a lot of time turning over mulch to find them.
• They need a very moist habitat so we spray water into the terrarium every couple of days.
• When they emerge from the soil they are dark but become lighter with exposure to UV light.
• Conversely, when they are sprayed with water they turn darker.
• As a result of all of the above we have a fair number of fruit flies that require we clean out their soil quite often.
• Last but not least, when you stroke Boris he hisses and Martin finds this “cute”.

You will recall that we gave away ten of our scarab beetle drawer pulls at the recent 2014 HD Expo.  Both Diana Kouzouian of Kouzouian's FCF. Inc., and Carlita Anderson of Josh Held Design walked away as the proud owner of their own beetle.

As a teaser I will let you know that Martin is currently working on a fantasy painting of beetles and I will share his progress as we go along.  So, how do you feel about these prehistoric creatures?

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware in beetle and other animal forms, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Southern California rains bring desert wildflowers to life

It is no secret that, along with other west coast states, California has been suffering from a serious drought for quite some time and the unusually warm winter certainly did not help matters.  But we woke up this morning to the sound of rain on the roof and wet sidewalks-- with the promise of more to come this weekend! While this rain was so necessary for all the obvious reasons, it will also result in some pretty amazing changes in the local mountains and deserts and provide much inspiration for artists such as ourselves.  Residents and visitors alike look forward to the transformation of the desert from dull brown hills and plains to a rainbow of wildflowers in full bloom.  You can follow this transformation and plan a day trip via the information provided by DesertUSA.com.

Our state flower, the California poppy, covers the hills in spectacular shades of orange, yellow and red.

Yellow blooms merge with purple that merge with blue and red to create a carpet of color in the early spring months.  It will not be long before these desert areas are brown and arid once again but, for a brief moment, this harsh landscape becomes a candy coated dream.

If your home or hospitality project would benefit from the beauty of custom floral knobs, pulls and levers, or if you would like to view our entire collection of architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com

Join us at the 2014 HD Expo

My how time flies!  We are less than 90 days away from this year's HD Expo, held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.  We have been excited to watch the anticipation grow as vendors post information about their new products and expectations for the event on the HD Expo facebook page. We will debuting a couple of new pieces of custom hardware including our Morphic cylindrical door handle imbedded with LED lighting.  Imagine how the addition of this lighting can enhance your hospitality projects by not only improving the appearance of the facility but also the safety of it's occupants.

And don't forget---the first ten visitors to our booth #4659 will receive one of our scarab beetle or dragonfly drawer pulls.  These miniature works of art will add beauty and luxury to your desk drawer and make you the envy of everyone in the office.

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

2014 design trends for the hospitality industry

As we familiarize ourselves with all the aspects of LED lighting, it will offer many opportunities for the innovative designer or architect to introduce it into their designs.

Bellacor Lighting recently discussed upcoming trends specific to the hospitality industry: "Interior design trends this year are influenced by the sometimes dueling forces of technology and nostalgia. On the one hand, technologies like LED's are influencing not only how lighting works within a space but also how it can look and where it can be utilized. Meanwhile, our longing for simpler times is creating a demand for mid-century modern design as well as simpler lines, natural materials and calming textures." These ideas will influence which products manufacturers place on the market including textiles, lighting, hardware and case goods.

Here at Martin Pierce Hardware we are in the process of developing a door pull with LED lighting embedded in the handle.  Our Morphic cylindrical door pull is the perfect candidate for this new technology as the cutouts that are part of the design offer a natural spot for the lights to shine through.   Our plan is to debut this innovative custom hardware at the 2014 HD Expo in May.  Please stop by our booth #4756 and see if this unique design will fit into your current projects.

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

Where to find us at the 2014 HD Expo

We recently shared with you our excitement about attending the 2014 HD Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas Nevada.  We will setup residence in the exhibit hall and can be found in booth #4659.

Many of you have visited our booth at past events to view our custom hardware as well as see new products being debuted at the Expo.  This year will be no different as we will be debuting several new pieces.  We are particularly excited to share our new Morphic cylindrical door pull complete with LED lighting in the handle.  Not only will this make it easy to locate the door handle in a hotel, spa, nursing home or retirement facility for your hospitality clients, it is sure to cast a beautiful shadow due to the cutout pattern of the Morphic design.

So be sure and stop by our booth #4659 to introduce yourself, say hello and see what we have in store for 2014.

Who let the dogs out? Dogs in design

Dogs have been a big part of interior design for centuries.  It is not uncommon to visit one of the beautiful castles that dot the landscape of England, Germany and other European countries and find exquisitely detailed oil paintings of man's best friend hanging on the wall alongside other "relatives".

Modern wallpaper and fabric manufacturers are also aware of the appeal of dogs in interior design settings.  Nursing homes and hospitals value the positive effect dogs have on their patients and often invite the "real thing" to visit.  Hospitality and contract designers can address this issue by using some of today's beautiful wallpapers hung in public spaces.  Residential designers can satisfy their client's love for their four-legged friends through the use of whimsical fabrics applied to upholstered items, window treatments and accessories.

For a more formal look, consider Tyler Hall's "Best in Show" wallpaper that mimics a gallery wall of photos of  furry subjects.

I wonder if our beloved Iris could sit long enough to have a formal portrait finished?

Martin Pierce has always appreciated the beauty of animals, insects and other living creatures in our custom architectural hardware designs.  To view those designs please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

New trends for the commercial design industry from NEOCON

There is certainly no shortage of conferences, conventions and other informative gatherings available to those in the interior design industry.  Some are general and others are very specific and made for those involved in specialized areas of design.  NEOCON is perhaps the premiere industry event designed for professionals who specialize in contract design for hospitality, government, retail and healthcare clients.

A NEOCON event provides an opportunity for designers to view the latest products and resources available including fabrics, wall coverings, hardware, furniture, appliances, lighting and fixtures.  At this year's event there were several stand out trends that we can expect to see in the upcoming year:

• While ultra bright colors were everywhere, one color stood out as color of the year and that was an eye-popping shade of fuchsia.  This mix of red and purple is a high energy color that would be appropriate for many creative venues.
• The very acoustically sound material, felt, is emerging as a popular upholstery and wall cover choice in the expected soft gray, but is also available in other colors as well; making it possible to use this unique fabric in many different applications.
• Can you spell Eames?  Molded plastic is back in vogue.  Conversely, there were many designs that included high backed upholstered sofas and chairs in the office environment.  Perhaps this is a response to the need for more private spaces in open concept areas or simply a design trend.  If it can help reduce the amount of private cell phone conversation overheard then I am all for it!
• Architectural hardware trends are combining the desire for a sleek and minimalist look with warm finishes like bronze and brass as well as celebrating the outdoors with nature inspired fixtures.  We meet both of those needs with our Flora and Animal collections as well as our newest Morphic collection cast in bronze as well as stainless steel.

It is always interesting to follow these trends and see which ones take off, so to speak, and which ones die on the vine.  To view the entire collection of Martin Pierce Custom Hardware visit us at www.martinpierce.com

We are ready for Las Vegas and HD Expo 2013

Just three weeks away and we are ready to go.  Ready to set up our booth, ready to share new products as well as some of our customer favorites and ready to see old friends and meet new friends. As we have mentioned in previous posts, we will be giving away one of our delightful butterfly drawer pulls to the first 10 friendly visitors to our booth #2153.  This bronze pull combines a touch of whimsy with a hint of realism that will add beauty to any spot in your home or business.

For those of us in the hospitality design business, the HD Expo is truly an opportunity to view the latest products available to make the lives of our clients more efficient, functional and more beautiful.  Again, we look forward to seeing all of you there so please stop by booth #2153 while you are visiting the Exhibitor Resource Center.

The third cousin of custom door hardware: deadbolts and hinges

We are all familiar with drawer pulls, door knobs and levers and how they can add interest, texture and a custom touch to any home or place of business.  However,  the smaller, but very necessary door and window hardware pieces like deadbolts and hinges are equally important and an often overlooked detail.

This deadbolt from our Hedgerow collection will finish the look on any door in both the interior and exterior.  Imagine a door that features the beautiful Hedgerow Multi Point door hardware with a standard deadbolt in place of the beautiful corresponding piece we have designed...not a pretty picture!

If the mere sight of the keyed cylinder even with beautiful trim is too much of a distraction from the artistry of our door trim we have some clever ways of concealing the mechanism.  As shown here we use a swinging stone plate, in this case in the form of a beautiful butterfly that looks like it is going to be lunch for our popular lizard door handle,  to conceal the "working" part, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of your hardware.

Take a look at all of your interior and cupboard doors as well as some windows and you will notice that the one thing they all have in common is some sort of hinge mechanism.  Again, you can install a standard off the rack hinge or you can continue your bespoke look by having custom hinges that coordinate or match your hardware to complete the look.  Don't overlook these small but important details when designing your own home, a public building or hospitality venue.

For more information on these products or to view  our complete line of custom hardware and get the latest news on what is happening at Martin Pierce, please visit us at www.martinpierce.com

A new resource for hospitality designers and their discriminating clientele

We have recently partnered with Interior Design Pro to showcase our custom hardware to you, a hospitality, hotel or entertainment designer who serves a discriminating clientele.  Your clients are looking for distinctive pieces that will set their business apart from the competition and, by visiting this site you can closely view many of our pieces. Many of our collections have been specifically designed for use in senior living facilities, for example.  Our Ergo collection features an easy to grasp design that is available in both a left and right hand version.  And, while we show a shiny stainless steel finish, you have your choice of finishes.

Other collections include our Willow, Hedgerow and Grapevine designs that would be a perfect addition to any hotel, winery, restaurant, spa or even a luxury yacht or sailing vessel.  And don't overlook the graphic appeal of our Morphic collection with its unique texture and dimension.

As designers we all know that small details like door and window hardware can turn an ordinary space into an extraordinary experience for visitors and guests.

After visiting our page at Interior Design Pro we look forward to hearing from you.  In the meantime, you can view our entire collection or contact us for bespoke orders at www.martinpierce.com.  And don't forget to check out our "name that hardware" contest on our facebook page.  Further details can be found here.

HD Expo 2013, Martin Pierce Hardware naming contest and you

We will be making our third annual trip to sunny Las Vegas again this year to attend and exhibit at the HD Expo 2013 and while there we will be debuting a few new items;  but we need your help.

One of the items we are excited to debut is our new Ergo Extended Door Handle.  Our original Ergo large door handle was named the "Heroic".   Funny story...when we first came to America many, many years ago we noticed that large door handles always seemed to be called "heroic" so we thought that maybe it was some American tradition or funny use of the word.  Fast forward to the design of our Ergo collection and, in order to fit in,  we named it Heroic.  We have since learned that the word means the same thing in America as it does in England but we liked the sense of noble scale it portrayed and kept the name.  "Ergo" is short for ergonomic and this aptly describes the collection.  It is important in the design of this collection that the hardware pieces fit comfortably in the hand so, therefore, most of the pieces have both left and right handed versions.  Perfect for use in a private residence as well as public spaces that might include health care facilities, retirement communities or spas and hotels.

What we need now is for our readers and followers to put on their creative thinking cap and come up with a suitable name for the new, larger version of the Ergo door handle in lieu of the descriptive but rather boring "extended door handle".  Weighing in at a hefty 10 pounds and measuring an impressive 35 1/4" of solid stainless steel, this dramatic piece can be used as back to back handles on glass doors or anywhere you are looking to make a definite design statement.

The winning entry will be chosen by us and the lucky winner will receive both a left and right mushroom drawer pull from our  custom hardware Flora collection.  These lifelike yet whimsical pulls can be used to update an existing piece of furniture, cabinet door etc.  The only restriction to the new name is that it must contain the word "Ergo" and all entries must be received by us either in the comments section of this blog post or on our facebook page before midnight on March 1, 2013.  We look forward to reading all of your wonderful suggestions.

Hospitality design trends for 2013

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend that included time spent with family and friends as well as some bargain hunting if you were so inclined.  Now it's back to work....

The hospitality design industry is on a never ending quest to determine what their discriminating clients and guest are seeking and then figure out how to deliver it to them.  This process can be tricky as the goal is to provide all the amenities necessary for guests and create a memorable experience, all the while maintaining individual brand identity.

Guests of boutique or upscale hotels are always looking for a unique experience that provides all the comforts of home while they are far from home, either on business or visiting for pleasure.  There are several ways hospitality designers can create an environment that insures and enhances this experience and still meet the needs of the corporate parent as well.

• Spa like bathrooms offer a respite from the harsh realities of daily life and business and "spoil" the guests with items such as large soaking tubs, exquisite linens and luxurious bath products at their fingertips.
• Inviting and comfortable lobbies that not only create a positive first impression but also provide a gathering spot for guests during their stay.
• Consumers continue to be interested in seeing that businesses they support maintain an energy efficient and even an eco-friendly environment.
• The use of local craftsman and artists' work in the design of a hotel will enhance the experience of guests.  Large  photos of the surrounding areas or sculptures and artifacts that celebrate local cultures are just one of the many ways hotels are able to introduce their clients to the area.
• Small details like custom door and window hardware, hand-made furniture, high quality linens and personalized items that meet a guest's individual needs will set your hotel apart from your competitor.
• Many hotels are looking to attract local "staycationers" who do not want to roam far from home but are looking for a pleasant getaway.  Design that, again, celebrates the local countryside and/or culture will provide a romantic anniversary getaway or make a family reunion more memorable.

To view our complete  line of hardware and get the latest news on what is happening at Martin Pierce, please visit us at www.martinpierce.com.