Design
All about knobs and pulls…
Davis launched Nest Studio in 2012 after she realized that to get the hardware she desired, she needed to tailor-make her own.
Image courtesy of: Robb Report
As a citizen of the world, Jessica Davis knows a thing or two about design, both domestically and internationally. In her youth, Davis lived in Australia, Hong Kong, and Dallas. As an adult, she has lived on several coasts… from Brooklyn to Los Angles, and now in Atlanta.
A childhood spent engrossed in home-design magazines led to an Art History degree from Princeton and a Master’s in Interior Design from The New England School of Art and Design in Boston. Her studies drove her to design luxury hotels throughout the world… and that is when she realized that design was missing interesting pulls and knobs.
A pull from the Facet Collection.
Image courtesy of: Nest Studio
Nest Studio uses a mix of materials and high-end finishes in a variety of sizes and applications. As a small operation, they are able to produce small runs that are innovative and unique.
Different collections come about through various inspirations. The Facet Series was Nest Studio’s first luxury hardware line and references industrial parts through hexagonal shapes. This is one of the company’s signature hardware lines; it uses the precision of the machine age and the streamline of modern style.
From the Geo Collection, inspiration comes from the simple shapes and cut-outs of Miami modernism.
Image courtesy of: Architectural Digest
Nest Studio is entirely woman-owned and operated by a team of hard-working mothers. This is an aspect that Davis was not willing to compromise on. As a mother of two young children, Davis felt as though women working together with women was a sure-fire way to inspire creativity, all while maintaining a socially conscious work environment.
Davis credits the fact that both designers and clients are looking for unique, out-of-the-box hardware. Social media has certainly helped; but also the idea that “a little goes a long way” in terms of making a statement with small things such as knobs and pulls.
The namesake alludes to the Hawaiian leaf, the Lauhala Series.
Image courtesy of: Robb Report
Some of the studio’s collections were clearly influenced by the Bauhaus and Art-Deco movements. In the Geo series, exposed mounting hardware and cleanly bent forms… all while utilizing the cabinet face as a canvas… were essential. For clients, even once the piece is designed, there is still a choice. For example the Geo is available in several subdued and elegantly contemporary options such as polished nickel or black.
For the Lauhala Series, the inspiration came from a Hawaiian-based jewelry brand that Davis saw on Instagram. The use of the Lauhala leaf combined with metal was a natural fit and out-of-the-ordinary.
Jonathan Castro hand-throws the limited collection of the Glaze series. The New York-based ceramic artist uses porcelain clay that is lead and cadmium-free, making it suitable for large-scale doors, furniture, and cabinetry. The collection comes in three sizes and in Castro’s signature glazes: matte teal, soft white, and charcoal brown.
Image courtesy of: Architect Magazine
Nest Studio works with wood workers, jewelry makers, weavers, and potters as a way to evolve and innovate her hardware design. Working with artisans all the way from Hilo, Hawaii to Brooklyn, the new ideas, materials, and artistry craft seamlessly into the hardware realm.
The combined set of skills and production methods ensure that the pieces are both functional and one-of-a-kind. The company’s first artisan collaboration was with Jonathan Castro, a ceramicist who transformed his ribbed vessels into sculptural pulls and knobs.
