Rocky Mountain Hardware, Act III

In Collection, Designs, RTC News by Roger Thomas

I’ve been pleasurably working with Rocky Mountain Hardware for almost a decade. The Idaho company sets the standard for architectural products, with door and cabinetry hardware that add elegant finishing touches. Its dedication to creating products rich in originality and beauty and its deep understanding of artisanal craftsmanship are next to none. Working with them lets me exercise traditional hand-cast techniques I greatly value as a trained metalsmith, as well as explore the limitless possibilities of bronze.

We just unveiled our third set of offerings at HD Expo in Las Vegas. The new collections honor classical elegance, but add modern sculptural details to form pieces that will be regarded as heirlooms of tomorrow.

For the Barre collection, I took a cue from the minimal elegance of a ballet barre and the precise lines of a trained dancer–with a nod to vintage bar rails for further intrigue. I think its graceful restraint offers a dash of edge for today.

Despite the name, Zeppelin is not inspired by airships. Rather, I took inspiration from the exquisite melon-shaped legs that fashioned 1920s furniture. This feels intrinsically romantic to me.

Finally, I created a unique door design to address client requests for a more dramatic offering. The result is Chiseled, a lively lever with a strong, memorable silhouette and textural intricacies inspired by hand-carved tree branch motifs often utilized in 18th-century French decorative arts.

I’m ever grateful to Christian Nickum and his team. They share my vision and passion for authentic artistry. I’m delighted to hear Christian say my “eye for the extraordinary” results in hardware that is “exhilarating and exactly what our customers demand.”

Here’s to a great partnership!

Rocky Mountain Hardware stand during HD EXPO 2019
My three collections shown during HD EXPO 2019
Christian Nickum and myself in front of my new collections for Rocky Mountain Hardware
The Barre collection
My sketch detailing the Barre collection
Barre cabinet pull in white bronze, light patina
Barre cabinet pull in silicon bronze, high polished patina
Barre cabinet pull in silicon bronze, brushed patina
Barre cabinet knob in silicon bronze, dark lustre patina
Barre lever in white bronze, high polished patina
The Zeppelin collection
My sketch detailing the Zeppelin collection
Zeppelin cabinet pull in white bronze, light patina
Zeppelin cabinet pull in silicon bronze, high polished patina
Zeppelin cabinet pull in silicon bronze, dark lustre patina
Zeppelin cabinet knob in silicon bronze, light patina
Zeppelin lever in white bronze, dark patina
Chiseled lever in silicon bronze, brushed patina