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I have a fantastic client who is a human resources executive at IBM. While working on her home, our design sessions would inevitably spill over into lively conversations about family, travel and occasionally provide a glimpse into the successful practices IBM uses to nurture its assets – the people who’ve made that company great for the past 100 years. One of IBM’s practices is to make a shout-out to an employee or group who stands apart from the rest. While careful to thank everyone for their contributions, I admire this practice of calling attention to an exceptional individual or group.
(I’ve since made shout-outs on my team when someone has gone above and beyond.)
Today I’d like to do the same for Brassworks in Providence, RI. If you’re a Rhode Islander and have embarked upon a residential construction or renovation project, you’re likely to already know Brassworks. They are the go-to resource for fireplaces, door hardware, cabinetry hardware and solving tricky problems of just about any kind that have to do with metal fixtures. And, like an increasingly rarified retailer, they maintain a showroom (!) where you can actually see and touch these parts and pieces that make the finishing difference in a home.
As designers, we appreciate Jeff Nelson and his team for their patience, accuracy, dedication to get it right and all the early morning and late evening emails to help make the details happen. They are consistently generous with their knowledge and talents and a true pleasure to do business with. Thanks Jeff, Rhonda, David, Mark, Joe and everyone at Brassworks for your unending collaborative spirit. At times, our projects would undoubtedly grind to a halt without you.
A sampling of just a few of the many residences we’ve done together follow below.
If you don’t know Brassworks, be sure to visit the showroom where you’ll be warmly greeted and pleasantly surprised with the quality that harkens back to days gone by.
Only the best,
This Town and Country fireplace insert by Brassworks was the starting point for the design of this fireplace, surround and mantel.
I adore the Chesney fireplace baskets available at Brassworks. Here, we used the Baird Basket in this historic home. Brassworks also restored an original, 100 year old fireplace basket found in this home, and retrofitted it to accept gas logs. We lovingly returned it to the Library fireplace where it originally lived, now supporting gas logs instead of the original wood.
Leather wrapped drawer and appliance pulls finish this media room Kitchenette perfectly.
And, we continued the theme in the adjacent Powder Room, complete with leather strap towel holder and hooks.
This Rocky Mountain Hardware sourced from Brassworks finished this outdoor shower we designed perfectly. Lockable from the inside, the hammered brass with matte finish will weather nicely during coastal summers and stand up against icy winters.
These oil-rubbed bronze pulls ranged from five inches on cabinet drawers to twelve inches on the cabinetry-front appliances. This provided unity throughout this client’s kitchen and paired nicely with these complimentary knobs.
Brassworks installed this cylindrical soapstone stove in our client’s coastal home. The stove rotates 180 degrees allowing a great fire view from the Dining area, the Kitchen or the living space. Its soapstone body provides radiant warmth for all to enjoy, in all seasons.
