A bit of olde England for your holiday table

The holidays are a time of year when well-loved traditions are enjoyed.  Since our family does not live nearby we get together with our group of friends and enjoy delicious food, beautiful music and a relaxed time that comes with knowing each other for many years.  I am here to assure you that plenty of merriment ensues. Music will mainly consist of old jigs with the odd classical piece that will be performed by our quintet.  I definitely need a boost before performing and that arrives in the form of  home made English sausage rolls that are made by Tina.  They are simply calorie heaven and a good stomach stabilizer that provides that boost.

The rest of this year's Christmas menu will consist of specific items that I have requested be made by specific people:

• Home made mince pieces of the meatless variety
• Home made Empanadas stuffed with a blend of ground beef, onions, chopped green olives, raisins and hardboiled eggs all seasoned with cumin and served with a hot tomato relish
• Ham with pineapple slices
• Bresaola with arugula courtesy of Lisa
• Spanakopita from Panos my favorite Greek friend
• Meat balls to die for made by Mary another wonderful Greek
• Kale salad home made by Cynthia
• Cheese plate from Nikki
• Croquembouche from Dawn that is simply amazing.  Learn more about this beautiful dessert by clicking on this link.
• Chocolate sundries from M'leigh
• Almond crackle homemade by Susan

and the piece de resistance, Raspberry trifle from Jacqui.  For the record, at our Christmas party I ask specific people to bring specific dishes as I am not a fan of waste and for me to insist upon Jacqui’s trifle speaks volumes as to how wonderful and naughty it is.

Jacqui uses Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry and she offers this helpful tip--do not buy the sherry too far in advance as there may  not be enough left when it comes time to make the trifle!  The recipe is simple, anyone can do it, and you can rest assured that there are never any leftovers.

Here is Jacqui’s  raspberry trifle recipe:

Ingredients:

Lady fingers

Raspberry jam

Fresh or frozen raspberries

Good sherry!

Raspberry jello

Jello pudding (I get 1 x lemon and 1 x vanilla then layer them)

Whole milk

Whipping cream

Process:

Spread the lady fingers with jam and place in the bottom of a trifle dish.

Make up the jello with 1 cup of  boiling water and then add 1 cup of sherry - set in the fridge.

Make up the jello pudding and layer on top - set in the fridge.

Whip up the cream and place on top.

Throw on some fresh raspberries or whatever decorations take your fancy.

Et voila!  A true English trifle that will delight your guests.

Bon appetit!

A visual respite from the hustle and bustle of the holidays

Take a moment out of this very hectic holiday season and enjoy these beautiful photos taken during our recent visit to the Huntington Gardens located nearby in San Marino California. The "motion" of this succulent looks like it is moving underwater.

Rough beauty can be found in these succulents and cacti.

A songbird takes a moment away from singing to enjoy his surroundings.

A beautiful butterfly at rest.

Some things just get more beautiful with age, like this gnarled old tree bark.

To enjoy more photos from this beautiful place or to view our collection of custom hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Which art form do you prefer--original or reproduction?

We certainly view our custom designed architectural hardware and furniture pieces as artwork and often refer to them as functional art.  But, fortunately for all of us,  art comes in many affordable forms.  Lisa Leonard from LML Art Group in San Diego, California shared some of her expertise to help you make the right choice for your project.

Original:  Original art is just what it says--a piece of art that is in it's original format. This would include a painting, drawing, sculpture, weaving, etc.   While prints or limited editions may be created from this item,  the original is always the first one produced.  In the event that no reproductions are made then the original becomes an often valuable one-of-a-kind item.

Limited Edition:  When an artist creates a specific number of the same piece and then destroys the mold, for example, it becomes a limited edition piece.  Each piece is numbered so that you are aware of the order in which your piece was cast or created. There are differing schools of thought on the value of the number.  With our obsession with the #1 in this society, some collectors feel that the lower the number the more valuable the piece.  Conversely, others believe that the final number in an edition is more valuable as it is the last one created.  For your enjoyment, Ms. Leonard recommends that, if you have a choice you select a number that is important to you such as an anniversary or birthdate or your own "lucky" number.  At Martin Pierce, we offer limited editions in some of our furniture and hardware collections and those can be viewed by visiting our site.

Print: Prints or off set lithographs are the most inexpensive form of reproduction. They are photo mechanically produced, usually on thin paper.  A good way to make sure you are receiving the form you are paying for, take a look at the item under a magnifying glass.... a print will show a series of dots that make up the image while the more expensive silkscreen will show a solid wash of color.

Silkscreens:  While silkscreens are also printed, it is onto heavier paper and with a time intensive process of paint screened onto paper with each color requiring a different screen until the image is complete.  Silkscreens are often offered in a limited edition, thereby increasing the cost and perhaps even the value.

Giclees:  Giclees are computer generated with ink jet printers similar to your own home printer.  However, the paper is much heavier and the ink (paint) is denser.  Giclees were originally printed as limited editions and considered quite valuable.   While they are more expensive than an off-set print, today's technology makes it possible to print them in vast quantities and they are not considered a from of original art.

The beauty and value of any piece of art lies in the eyes of the beholder but it is also good to be armed with some knowledge before making these very important purchases.

To view our entire collection of custom and/or limited edition hardware and furniture, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

How does an Englishman celebrate Thanksgiving?

As you can imagine, Thanksgiving in our home is celebrated a bit differently than the typical American  way of enjoying a large feast of turkey and stuffing, pies and sauces. But we do enjoy spending time in the company of neighbors, many of whom are transplants as well, and being grateful for all we have.  And, like any gathering, we enjoy a delicious meal that often includes beef or lamb but without a bird in sight!

One of our favorite dishes to make is a potato au gratin from the My Field of Greens cookbook.   The recipe and helpful tips can be found here and, while time intensive it is well worth the effort and makes for great leftovers the next day.  And from what I understand about this American holiday, it really is all about the leftovers.  I like to fry it up in a bit of olive oil, add a fried egg and some leftover prosciutto or bacon.  It brings back fond memories of my mother's bubble and squeak, although hers usually included mashed potatoes and cabbage.  Delicious!

We at Martin Pierce Custom Hardware wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday spent with family and friends.

Thanksgiving memories

Holidays offer an opportunity to enjoy timeless traditions with family and friends.  These celebrations usually include copious amounts of food, special decorations and fun events that remind us of carefree times when we were younger.  Such is the case with my memories of the Harvest Festival.

Since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, obviously we did not celebrate this day when I was growing up.  But we did look forward to the festivities of Harvest Festival time. While the changing times and technology have eliminated the original purpose of this holiday, you can enjoy a humorous look at this celebration via this article in The Telegraph or, for a more serious discussion, this article.  There was something so wonderful about this time of year that centered around cooking, glowing hearth fires and the desire to give to others who were less fortunate.  When we were kids our schools would arrange collections of food items to be distributed to the elderly and families who were less well off.   In retrospect I wonder if these “gifts” were given with sufficient sensitivity for the recipients but for us kids it was certainly a good lesson in learning to think of others that I hope we carried with us throughout our lives.

Harvest Festival was part of the build-up to the real excitement of Guy Fawke's Night on November 5th.   Wikipedia explains the reason for this celebration better than I could:  " Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords.  Celebrating the fact that King James 1 had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London, and months later the introduction of the Observance of 5th November Act enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot's failure."

Harvest Festival and Bonfire Night are both good distractions to the onset of fall and the long winter ahead in England and, on both occasions you will find plenty of mulled wine and spiced apple cider to warm you.

We wish you a Thanksgiving holiday full of fun childhood memories, delicious food along with a glass or two of your favorite beverage, gratitude for your good fortune and the ongoing desire to help those less fortunate.

Design across the globe

We often focus on products and design trends from the United States, but the world is full of beautifully decorated and designed hotels and office buildings that offer inspiration to all of us. Hotels often celebrate the local culture and natural elements unique to the area in the design of both public spaces and guest rooms.  A fine example of this is the new Hyatt Regency in Danang, Vietnam with its lush landscaping, private beach and spaces designed to take advantage of the incredible views.

Halfway across the world in the Czech Republic, the Fabrika Hotel offers a very unique space that caters to the business traveler but will please the casual traveler as well.  With just 19 guest rooms, this sleek and modern hotel designed by OK Plan Architects offers an on-site restaurant, wellness spa and conference center for their savvy guests.

What do you think about this light-filled residence  located in Bolsover, Ontario Canada? Designed by the architectural firm of UUfie  in nearby Toronto, this home is the epitome of indoor/outdoor living with a design that clearly celebrates the natural surroundings and where rustic and modern elements join together to create an amazing getaway.

We we are also proud of our own global presence and opportunity to provide international designers with custom architectural hardware for their very special projects via our display in the Porta showroom located in Riyadh. To view our entire collection of custom hardware please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Cozy spells fall

Fall leaves on the grounds of Highgrove

Even in sunny Los Angeles,  California the fall season is a welcome change.  While the palm trees remain green year round, we do have other tree species that change color and drop their leaves, our air gets a bit crisper (temperatures in the low 60's are considered crisp in southern California) and the morning fog takes a bit longer to burn off.  These changes signal that it is time to cozy up our surroundings.  How do we do that?

C    is for cover up.  Replace the lightweight summer duvet with a fluffy down comforter that is absolutely delicious to slide under on a chilly night.  There are several types of comforters made for specific temperatures, making it possible to choose a lightweight down comforter that is not quite as warm and/or heavy as a traditional comforter meant for colder weather.   Or toss a fluffy throw over the arm of the chair for a quick cover-up when you are enjoying a cup of tea and watching the sunrise on a brisk morning.

O    is for open up.   With the onset of fall there is no longer a need to keep the sometimes damaging rays of the summer sun out of your rooms.  Pull back the drapes, roll up the shades or open the shutters and enjoy the view everyday.

S    is for sheepskin.  (couldn't think of a Z so defaulted to the olde English spelling) Nothing visually warms a room quicker than sheepskin.  This time-tested "trend" suits any design style.  It will visually and physically warm all the cold surfaces often found in contemporary settings and is a natural in a rustic setting.  Toss a few sheepskin pillows on a distressed leather sofa or drape a small rug over an ottoman or the back of a chair. For the ultimate in cozy comfort, consider a room sized sheepskin rug to warm the feet on a cold winter's night.

Y  is for yellow, and gold and rust and brown and green and all the other colors found in the autumn landscape.  Invite the outdoors in by introducing these colors into your interiors through the use of natural materials such as cuttings from a tree or seasonal flowers.

Not just for residential interiors, hospitality and contract designers can use the same decorating techniques for public spaces that would include hotel rooms and lobbies, office spaces, examining rooms etc.  After all, the goal of design is to create a space that not only reflects a company's values and mission but is inviting and comfortable.

To view our collection of custom hardware that is fitting for your autumn decor please visit us at www.martinpierce.com.

A quick primer on lighting

light bulb drawing from clickr

It's that time of year again...time to turn the clocks back (or is it ahead?).  This  means dusk and darkness will arrive much earlier so effective interior and also exterior lighting becomes even more important.

Interior lighting

As you are probably aware, there are three major types of interior lighting necessary to properly illuminate interior spaces:  task, accent and ambient.   Task lighting is just as it sounds--lighting designed for a specific task and includes desk lamps, under counter lighting in the kitchen or office, a reading lamp etc.  Ambient lighting illuminates an overall space and includes lamps, spotlights and recessed lighting and accent lighting can brighten a dark corner or add subtle light to a space such as the powder room through the use of small lamps or plug-in night lights.  And in today's energy conscious environment, selecting the correct light bulb is a major decision that requires expert knowledge.  Fortunately, help for this can be found here.

Exterior Lighting

Exterior lighting's primary purpose is to safely illuminate walkways in the form of pathway or flood lights and to provide security in the form of doorway lights and spots that light up dark corners where danger could be lurking.

Your project's lighting requirements will be determined by size and location of the building(s), use of the area (i.e. residential, commercial) and any special accommodations that need to be addressed as in the case of nursing homes, medical centers, regional weather concerns etc.

As with all design decisions, details like custom architectural hardware or unique lighting fixtures can make or break a project.  So take the time to not only select the proper lighting but also to find fixtures that will enhance the overall design and feel of the building.

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

To market, to market: Spotted trends from High Point Fall 2013 Market

The fall edition of the High Point Furniture Market has just ended and designers, retailers and manufacturers left with a suitcase full of ideas and upcoming trends.  No doubt you will be seeing:

• Lots of shiny gold metal.  Brass could be spotted used in lighting fixtures, furniture frames, hardware and accessories.  While metals like nickel, stainless and oil rubbed bronze are quite beautiful, brass offers a warm alternative.

• Velvet appears to be the upholstery and window treatment fabric for the upcoming year.  Luscious jewel tones included emerald green and dazzling shades of blue (rumored to be the color of the year for 2014).

• A black and white color combination never really goes out of style but it is back in a big way.  Upholstered furniture, case goods and even lighting fixtures are featuring this always chic color combo, as evidenced in this exquisite lamp by Currey & Co.

Exton lamp from Currey & Co.

• The classic design of mid-century furniture has, obviously, been around for a very long time but is enjoying a resurgence of popularity.  See our post on some of the iconic designers of that period who's designs have withstood the test of time. The clean and simple lines designed with function in mind serve the busy lifestyles of today's homeowner.

With so much to choose from this year it will be exciting to see what the furniture, fabric and architectural hardware manufacturers have in mind come Spring 2014!  To view our current collection as well as new products, visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Hospitality designers: Tips on creating an aesthetically pleasing space

Stainless Ergo Front door lock from Martin Pierce Custom Hardware ADA compliant

One of the key responsibilities of any designer whether they are working on a residential, commercial or hospitality project, is to create an aesthetically pleasing environment that functions well for all who use the space.  To be successful this requires attention be paid to even the smallest of details.  Some important areas of concern might be:

• Color:  Designers are aware that color plays an important part in the design of a space.  Choose a color that is too energizing and you have an anxious clientele.  On the other hand, choosing a color that is restful and calming and you may have a boss angry because he cannot seem to get his employees motivated!  Determine who will be using the space and select a color palette accordingly.  You can find a nice refresher course on the psychology of color at this site.

• Hardware:  Hardware requirements include entry door levers, interior door knobs, drawer and cabinet pulls, window hardware along with hinges and deadbolts for specific areas.  Selecting hardware that compliments and/or enhances the client's brand offers a custom look that will be unique to that space.  Attention also needs to be paid to the needs of specific clients that may have physical limitations that require ADA compliant hardware or other special considerations.

• Lighting:  Hospitality and other design specialists know of the importance of proper lighting.  Improper lighting can make it difficult or unsafe to navigate hallways, restrooms and offices.  These areas are not where you want to create an ambience. Save that for lobbies, restaurants, bars and private spaces where you want to set a mood and encourage specific activities.

• Artwork and accessories:  These are the items that set a space apart from its competitors.  Examples of this include a hotel with a gallery wall full of original artwork,  office furniture upholstered in bespoke fabric, hardware that celebrates the natural surroundings or a private residence that displays treasures from world travels.

Every experienced and trained designer and/or architect is aware of the importance of creating a space that is certainly safe and functional but also a space that provides a visually pleasing impression as well.

Just for fun......stars who dabble in interior design

When you live and work in Hollywood it quickly becomes apparent that most "stars" are just normal people like you and me.  They have their jobs that keep them in the public eye but they also enjoy personal hobbies and other interests that have nothing to do with the movie and television industry.  In fact, you might be surprised to learn that the Grammy award winning Lenny Kravitz dabbles just a bit in interior design and that may be the understatement of the century!

Lenny is very talented and his designs are well-known in the interior design industry. His firm, Kravitz Design, has completed many hospitality design projects that include hotels, restaurant interiors and furniture design.  His Casino Royale chandelier, designed for Swarovski, is certainly fit for any rock star, real or imaginary!

Talent as a designer seems to run in the rock music world as Vanilla Ice joins Lenny Kravitz in the category of stars who design.  Rapper Vanilla Ice, aka Rob Van Winkle, is a well-known house flipper with his very own DIY show on HGTV's DIY Network titled, The Vanilla Ice Project.  When you see some of his projects you may arrive at the conclusion that, perhaps his biggest talent lies in knowing what real estate to purchase.

Ellen DeGeneres has also joined the ranks of successful real estate flippers.  She has made a very lucrative "hobby" of purchasing estates and homes in the surrounding areas of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles (certainly not your average "flipper" area) and is involved in the remodeling and redecorating process all the way down to selecting the furniture and even the plants that dot the landscape.  When completed she then sells it for a nice little profit, no doubt.  I am certain her relaxed and eclectic style, along with her name, add to the value of the property.

If you are interested in viewing our entire collection of rock star worthy custom architectural hardware and bespoke furniture, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Dissecting door hardware

Door knob from the Ergo Collection of custom hardware from Martin Pierce Custom Hardware

When is a door knob just a door knob?  Never!  There are several components that come together with the end result being the door knob you or your customers take for granted several times every single day.

If you were to dissect a door knob you would find:

• Door Lever – you depress the door lever or turn the knob to activate the locking mechanism. There are springs inside the lever and knob that return it to its resting position

• Back plate - also known as an escutcheon plate. This is the decorative metal cover that usually conceals the mechanism that allows allows the door lever to function. Each manufacturer has their own way of making the lever functional but there is a lot of commonality.  For example, the “stem” end of our door levers is cast and machined so that it is a square hole that accommodates an 8 mm square spindle. This “8mm on the square” spindle has its roots in Europe but most of the really top notch American lock companies, the premier being Accurate lock, use this configuration in their mortise locks so we have too. Alternatively the spindle can be diamond shaped and is often 7mm. One end of the spindle fits snugly into the end of the lever or knob and it is held in place by various springs, screws and clips. The other end passes through a hole in the back plate and then goes through the door into the lock regardless of whether it is a mortise or tubular lock, and then passes through to the end of the lever on the other side of the door. 

• Rose - typically used for door knobs it is the equivalent of the back plate but, as its name suggests it is round in shape.  Many of our custom decorative roses are organic and tend to be irregular in shape.  The rose is also used to house the cylinder lock, again serving the purpose of concealing the moving parts.

• As with many items we encounter in our daily lives, you can see that an ordinary door knob is anything but ordinary and involves a great deal of creativity to make them work properly and in an attractive way.

• If you would like to see some of the pieces shown above or view our entire collection of architectural  hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

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.

The secrets of woodworking Part 4: custom furniture, the finished product.

In this series we have discussed the various types of wood we prefer to work with as well as the difference between solid wood and veneer.  Over the years we have created many beautiful items of custom furniture that reside in private residences as well as in upscale hotels and other commercial buildings.  In summary, here is a sampling of those bespoke items that are the finished product: Hedgerow line

Our Hedgerow collection of architectural hardware is one of our most popular and enduring designs.  Inspired by this, we created a line of furniture that includes our Hedgerow armchair seen here in a guest room of the Four Seasons Hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Other items in the collection include sofas, tables, beds and barstools, all built to your exacting specifications.

Ascot

Our Ascot line of furniture includes our limited edition Ascot Sideboard that features beautiful detailing accomplished through the use of the ancient japanning technique of inlay.  Complete beds and headboards as well as mirrors and other case goods in this sophisticated design are also available, all featuring inlay, chiseling and other design details.

Unique items like bespoke game tables, unusual coffee tables or exotic beds will add an element of customization to a residence, hotel or office space.

To discuss your own custom furniture needs or to view our entire collection of bespoke furniture and architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

The secrets of woodworking Part 3: specialized wood and veneers

If you have read our previous posts in this series on woodworking then you are familiar with veneers and solid woods and how the selection process is made by Martin Pierce. This takes us to specialized veneers like Tamo, English brown oak and Myrtle burl. Tamo

We started our search for Tamo around the year 2000 when we were just beginning to develop our Seicho designs.  We were seeking a veneer that was pale in color and had a strong directional quality  for the armoire designs we had in mind.  We found this remarkable veneer at Herzog Veneer, a supplier of rare and exotic woods.  Tamo is, coincidentally, given the name of a line of Japanese Ash and typically prized for it’s busy “peanut” clusters of swirly grain. We found 4 logs that had a beautiful luminescent quality caused by the unusual fiddle back character of the grain.  There was just one problem, the logs were of special value to Herzog as they had been in the family  for decades, dating back to the 1950’s when the owner acquired them in Europe before relocating to the US.  Herzog  did not want to sell just one log so we bought all 4 logs and then had to build a wood shed just to house them.  However, we have made extensive use of this veneer ever since. Due to the relatively old age of the trees, milled some time before 1950, the veneer is really quite thick, measuring over 1/32” thick whereas most veneers today are typically 1/64”.

English Brown Oak

We also like to use logs of English brown oak as opposed to American red or white oak. We prefer the amber color with the dark brown spots of the English brown oak over the America Red.  English brown oak is the prime wood used in all of our Ascot japanned pieces and the brown oak is the background over which we create our autumnal  leaves.

The oak's brown color is as a result of a parasitic fungus that makes its home in the tree. Thankfully, this fungus does not kill the tree, simply turns its color to a warm brown amber color.  When buying a log of this wood species we are looking for the right color and also for logs that have been cut into quarter sawn.  In this instance, the tree is cut into quarters and then milled into veneer. Because the tree is quartered the veneer has a very straight direction grain and we use this feature to run the grain vertically on most of our tallboys and armoires.  In the sideboard shown above we use the quartered walnut and we lay it up vertically to create a strong straight direction that helps reinforce the upward growth of the Aspen trees. 

When choosing this veneer we also try to locate logs that have “leoparding”, a fleck of darker color in the wood that adds to its character.  It is so named because the flecks look a lot like leopard spots.

We have covered only a small portion of veneer terminology.  For those interested in other veneer terms you can check out this site: http://formwood.com/veneer-glossary.html.  And for those hobbyists who do not want to buy a whole log, Certainly Wood offers an outstanding wood veneer selection to meet your needs.

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

The secrets of woodworking Part 2: veneers and burls

In our previous post we discussed the value and beauty of some of Martin's favorite solid woods-- cherry and walnut.  But the creation of custom furniture often requires the use of veneers to arrive at the desired pattern or design. As the name suggests, veneers are very thinly sliced cuts of a tree.  This cutting or milling, is a smart way to use woods, particularly when the wood is exotic or rare.  The tree or log is cut and milled depending on the individual tree's character.  For example, some are plain sliced while others are quartered.  This decision is made based on what is desirable and in demand at the time.  It is a bit like cuts of meat; some sections are more prime or choice than others.  Unlike meat, however, the beauty and preference of a cut is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

Once the tree is cut the veneer slices are called "leaves".  These leaves are sequenced and bundled together and those bundles are also sequenced.  Each bundle has anywhere from 16 to 24 leaves and we will typically use anywhere from 1 to 2 bundles to create a star burst design.

One of our favorite veneers is a thinly sliced burl wood veneer, often taken from the root of the tree.  These veneers are prized for their tightness of the burl, or swirl, and for the consistency of the color.  However, in designing our Hedgerow dining table we chose myrtle burls that were not so tight, offering more variation of color with hues ranging from dark chocolate brown to a golden honey color.  This allows us to create a more striking starburst design as you can see in this stunning photo of the tabletop.

Hedgerow tabletop starburst design crafted of burl wood veneers by Martin Pierce custom Hardware

When we began designing the Hedgerow Table we had a mental picture of how we wanted the starburst to look and the color range we were looking for so we contacted several milling companies and looked at live samples ( a sample from the actual tree) of the myrtle burl logs  that were available. We had to choose a log that gave us the “figuring” or burl clusters and color but were also wide enough to allow us to position our “pie” template and then select the best section from the bundle of leaves to create the stunning pattern.  While it is very expensive, we will typically buy an entire log so that we have some consistency in the look of our tables.  However, it will still be necessary to explain to clients that each table top is unique as it is made from individual bundles and the pie template is always positioned according to the specific properties of that bundle. Fortunately, as the leaves and bundles are sequenced, consecutive sibling bundles will be closer to each other in properties than later bundles, making it somewhat easier to select the right woods for each individual table or project.

For those of you who are interested in more detailed information about veneers and other veneer terms, you can find helpful facts at http://formwood.com/veneer-glossary.html.

To view our entire collection of custom furniture and architectural hardware, or to discuss your own bespoke project, please visit us at www.martinpierce.com.

The secrets to successful wordworking Part 1: our favorite woods

After nearly a quarter of a century of working with wood, Martin has certainly developed a few preferences in wood types.  In most instances, he prefers to work with solid wood instead of veneers and most often chooses walnut and cherry.

• Walnut:  Martin loves to work with solid walnut, the American cultivated variety that is hard and strong and  has a lovely range of tones and pretty grain as seen in our Morphic Sofa design.

  

   In the past we used Honduran mahogany but, while it is a beautiful wood to carve and has lovely rich red tones, it is endangered.  For this reason we feel that, if used it should only be used in veneer form where one tree will provide sufficient material for hundreds of furniture pieces.

• Cherry:  Cherry is a fruit wood and if you look at fine European antiques, many of them are often crafted in fruit woods.  It is a strong, hard wood, making it perfect for carving as well as for furniture.  Cherry will darken over time due to even the smallest amount of UV exposure so care needs to be taken to protect furniture from the light through the use of tinted windows, lined window treatments etc.  It's strength insures that it is not likely to fall apart even when enjoyed by someone of generous proportions. On this note, I once had a chair made of pine that I brought over from England that split under the weight of a very large dinner guest. Thankfully he had a great sense of humor.   Our Ascot lounge chair is crafted from beautiful and sturdy cherry wood.

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• Martins other favorite solid woods include English Yew, English Brown Oak, Brazilian Rosewood and Lignum Vita. The last 2 are very rare and England Lignum Vita was actually sold by weight.

Many of our custom furniture pieces are crafted with a combination of solid woods and veneers.  In part 2 of this woodworking series we will discuss our favorite veneers along with the process of selecting the right wood to create the perfect veneer.

To view any of our custom furniture pieces or our entire collection of bespoke architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com

A haunting we will go with custom hardware

Believe it or not we are actually beginning to see Christmas holiday decorations in the stores and it is only September!  Before the red and green of Christmas arrives there is that other very important holiday just around the corner--All Hallow's Eve, better known as Halloween. Halloween is a very fun holiday for kids and adults alike and provides a great opportunity for businesses to incorporate some of the iconic symbols of this day into their hardware choices.  For example, our bat pulls feature amazingly lifelike detailing that turn them into miniature works of art for interior doors, cabinetry and furniture.  Use them in residences as well as businesses.  While fun for Halloween, these custom hardware pieces can be incorporated into the design of many different projects including Zoos, science labs, schools, pet boutiques or any business where one of these images would befit their brand.

While not really scary, lizards and frogs have enough of a "creep" factor to be used for Halloween.  But our lizard and gecko hardware collection is more fitting as architectural hardware for a luxurious tropical hotel, spa or residence.  See for yourself:

Lizard multi point door lever from Lizard collection of Martin Pierce Hardware

We offer plenty of bugs and creepy crawlies in our Animal collection,  ranging from scarab beetles to moths to bees and wasps, all hand cast and beautifully detailed.

To view our entire collection of architectural hardware please visit us at www.martinpierce.com.  Happy Haunting!

Fun projects at Martin Pierce Hardware

We always enjoy working with designers and showrooms on their custom requests.  They often take our furniture pieces and tweak them just a bit to meet their client's needs. Currently we are working on "tweaking" five of our Hedgerow bar chairs that will ultimately reside in Hawaii--lucky bar chairs!  Through the wonderful showroom of Gaul Searson, designer Jacques St.Dizier of St. Dizier Design has also ordered two of our Seicho beds for the same project;  but we will be replacing the tamo normally used in the design with fabric.  One of the beds will be upholstered with Kalahari, an animal print by Peter Fasano, and the other bed will receive a Manual Canovas animal print appropriately named Safari.

The very talented showroom is Gaul Searson, whom we have written about before.  They are masters at coordinating furniture and fabric.  And we have worked with Jacques on several projects spanning a period of over ten years.  He is a marvelous designer to work with and truly understands how to customize  our different styles to give the client something special.

 The light colored and yellowish wood seen on the headboard and footboard of our Seicho Bed is a Japanese wood called Tamo, and is being replaced with fabric for these custom bed orders.

 One of our most popular furniture styles, the Hedgerow barstool has a swivel seat for comfort and versatility.

To discuss your custom furniture request and to view our entire collection of bespoke architectural hardware, please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com.

Custom bird motif architectural hardware from Martin Pierce

Do any of you remember the tongue in cheek Youtube video from a few years ago titled "Put a bird on it"?  It was in response to the trend at the time of putting bird motifs on everything from wallpaper, fabrics, pillows, home accessories and even personal items like jewelry and handbags.  Well, when it comes to design we cannot leave out hardware!

Throughout the years Martin has carved many different birds for custom orders.  We have spoken often about the bird designs we offer in our collection of architectural hardware and recently we shared the swallow pull that was inspired by the migrating birds of San Juan Capistrano.  But we also offer other bird designs as seen below.

This beautifully detailed woodpecker door knocker provides an elegant way for your guests to announce their presence.

Bird motif hardware would be right at home in many different retail and hospitality establishments or perhaps your client's logo includes a bird.  We designed this stylized Hawaiian bird knob for a hospitality project in Hawaii.

If you are looking for custom hardware designed in the form of your favorite feathered friend, or to view our entire collection of bespoke hardware please visit our site at www.martinpierce.com