emtek hardware inspiration

one of the best things about my dual roles of interior designer and social media personality, is the opportunity to be introduced to cool products and go behind the scenes of some of my favorite manufacturers.

so when my friend and colleague, tamar mashigian pr, asked me if i wanted a behind the scenes tour of the emtek assa abloy assembly plant just outside of LA, i said YES! there is something so inspiring about seeing product in its natural environment, and seeing everything all together at once never fails to open my eyes to new possibilities- and with two client kitchen renovations and a bath refresh on the horizon, hardware has been on my mind a lot lately.

this spread was laid out JUST FOR ME! i was like a kid in a candy store with so many cool options. good hardware can be just the finishing touch a project needs so this was almost overwhelming. almost. ;-)

turns out, i was already a bit familiar with the brand, and didn't even know it- spec'd the egg knobs in my favorite flat black and the cylindrical pulls in nickel (in above photo) both on jobs within the last few years!

i was able to see some fantastic "new to me" things as well, like these sexy faceted pulls. i'll be using these on a project soon i hope! they feel just a marvelous as they look, btw, a detail of no small importance when selecting hardware.

look at the craftsmanship on these sandcast pulls- the metal is cast overseas, but the LA facility is responsible for quality control and all assembly, and also employs over 400 people here in the southland- yay for keeping jobs local! again, this hardware has a marvelous heft to it, a sign of being well made. nothing worse than a flimsy piece of metal to spoil the illusion of a well designed home.

specifying door hardware can be tricky, but i was thrilled to learn that since all the knobsets are assembled locally, that if i want brass rosettes with my flat black knobs, emtek can make that happen! the options are pretty limitless.

emtek is known for their chic crystal options in both modern and traditional shapes.

and i probably took a hundred pictures of them in various stages of assembly cuz they were so damn pretty.

my trusty iphone also captured things like this traditional cast lever, something that i might not have considered before, but after seeing and touching in person is now definitely on my radar!

these flat black knobs are so modern and chic, i am considering them for a classic black and white bath project (as well as maybe for own classic black and white kitchen!) they are also available in a bigger version as a door knob that is so. damn. sexy.

i even left with a door prize (pun intended). this glittery number i *may* have slipped into my pocket actually matches the original 1920's knobs throughout my home, so i'll be using him as a fun paperweight. ;-)

thanks for the inspiring factory tour emtek! and if you'd like to explore more and get inspired by this gorgeous hardware like i did, or find retailers in your area who carry emtek, please visit their website!