4th July 2025

As fireworks light up the skies this 4th of July, let’s not forget how stressful this celebration can be for our canine companions.

At Martin Pierce Hardware, our beloved Jackson is unfazed by the booms and bangs—but many dogs aren't. Our first pit bull, Iris, would tremble and look for an escape when fireworks began. These loud sounds can be disorienting and frightening, often causing pets to bolt from their homes.

So this Independence Day, we encourage all pet parents to plan ahead and help their dogs stay safe and calm.

From all of us—and our collection of dog-themed door knobs, hooks, and hardware—have a safe and peaceful 4th of July!

Morphic Custom Entry Door Handle

In a recent project, a guest who stayed at the prestigious 5-star Post Oak Hotel in Houston reached out to us after admiring the striking Morphic entry door pulls designed by Martin Pierce. These original sculptural handles, created in collaboration with Gensler Houston, were custom-designed for the hotel’s grand ballroom, meeting rooms, and boardroom doors. At an impressive 5 feet in height, the handles were sized to complement the building’s monumental architecture.

Shown here on a double door at Martin Pierce’s studio

For this new residential project, our client sought the same dramatic impact but with scale appropriate for an 8-foot tall single entry door. We reduced the Morphic handles to 4 feet in height to provide balance while maintaining their signature elegance and tactile appeal. Rather than the more variegated patina used at the hotel, the client preferred a more uniform finish. To achieve this, we applied a controlled, water-based patina to the silicon bronze handles, giving them a rich, charred appearance that will continue to evolve over time with use and exposure.

The location of the home—just steps from the ocean—also guided our material choice. To withstand the corrosive effects of salt air, we used silicon bronze, an alloy known for its durability and resistance to rust. Unlike iron-based metals, silicon bronze forms a natural protective layer when exposed to air and moisture, making it ideal for marine environments.

The Morphic collection is also available in 316 stainless steel, a marine-grade alloy with high levels of chromium and molybdenum that help prevent rust, even in coastal climates. While it contains iron, its unique composition creates a self-repairing surface layer that protects the underlying metal from corrosion.

The images below show the scaled-down Morphic bronze pulls mounted on a mock-up door, photographed at our Los Angeles studio. This project highlights Martin Pierce’s ability to adapt original sculptural designs to suit both aesthetic and environmental needs—all handcrafted in the USA.

Post Oak Hotel Door Handles

Post Oak Hotel Houston – recapping the design process

A recent order from a wonderful client in Sydney, Australia led me down memory lane to the custom door handles we created for the prestigious Post Oak Hotel in Houston. However, it was the subsequent Google AI search that didn’t provide clear details that took me to the keyboard to recap this creative project.

Post Oak Door Handles in Bronze Commissioned by Gensler for the Post Oak Hotel in Houston photographed taken at Martin Pierce Studio in Los Angeles. To view Martin Pierce’s long grip collections.

Martin Pierce created the design for the Post Oak long door handle in 2017, and it was the second concept submitted that received approval. When asked to design an oak leaf custom handle, Martin had not realized there was a species of oak tree called the Post Oak, so his first design was based on the Live Oak found in California. The drawings below show the Post Oak on the left with the Live Oak on the right.

Upon approval, Martin Pierce began making the pattern by turning a length of basswood to create a solid cylinder and then carving the leaf pattern as an 1/8” relief carving on the surface.

The pattern details were accurately captured when cast in bronze but adding a subtle patina helped accentuate the depth and texture of the leaves.

Salon, Entry and Lobby, Post Oak Design Handles. To view other long door grips.

In a trip to the Salon at the Post Oak, my dear friend Emily Clock was able to take pictures of the oak custom handles which can also be seen in the lobby and at the entry doors.

Photo courtesy of Emily Clock. To view other long door grips by Martin Pierce.

For other focal areas including the ballrooms, meeting rooms and board room, Gensler known for their luxury hotel designs, chose a handle from the Morphic collection that was customized to a 60” length

Custom 5’ Morphic Grips Commissioned by Gensler from Martin Pierce’s Morphic collection for the Post Oak Hotel in Houston

Our involvement with the design process was not limited to the dramatic entry statements but continued through to the bathroom shower and door pulls. The Gensler team working with the concept of a gold chain helped chanel Martin’s energy to create the pieces shown blow. After several designs the braid bespoke design took shape as well as a design called ribbon that was loosely based on vertebrae segments rather than a chain. Cast in 316 rust resistant stainless steel and then polished to a fine luster these polished gems complimented the other luxury hardware selected by Gensler.