Nest Studio, the hardware brand founded by interior designer Jessica Davis, is celebrating a decade this year and is introducing two new pieces to its longstanding “Classic” Series. The new Classic Knob and statement 18” Classic Mother Pull aim to reinvigorate the legacy collection, which includes some of Nest Studio’s most sought-after designs. And, true to Nest’s commitment to supporting women, especially mothers in the workplace, the Mother Pull pays homage to groundbreaking women in design.
Davis reflected on the milestone anniversary, how the hardware industry has changed in the last decade, and where she sees it going from here, below:
How much has Nest Studio grown over the past 10 years?
Jessica Davis: It started with just me, fulfilling orders out of my basement while my son was napping. Now we have a team of 6, 70 showrooms in 65 locations, 14 collections (with 2 more to launch in 2022), and offices in New Jersey and Atlanta.
How have you seen the industry change?
JD: Over the last 10 years, the residential design industry has become more custom. Everyone wants to customize their millwork and furniture. Appliances have become more integrated and hidden which has made for some fun opportunities for larger appliance pulls. We’ve also moved away from a gray/neutral palette to playing with color which has been a lot of fun. And, of course, the pandemic over the last two years has really made people focus on their homes and interiors with a fresh set of eyes.
How have these industry changes affected the evolution of Nest Studio?
JD: We started with brass and acrylic hardware which had a very Hollywood glam look to it. As design trends have evolved, we’ve introduced items that are more architectural and brutalist in feeling to other pieces that are much more organic. It’s been a lot of fun to create oversized statement pulls that can really be the feature of a space. We’ve also started doing a lot with custom finishes and artisan collaborations to create pieces that are truly unique and can’t be found anywhere else. The introduction of color allowed us to really play around with powder coating.
What are you taking into consideration in terms of design impacting the world around you?
JD: We are a small team operated by working moms and we are passionate about work-life balance and empowering mothers. We’ve had an internship program for young moms and most recently a re-turnship program for moms returning to the workforce. We are always trying to find ways to give back to our community, but especially by supporting mothers.
As a half Asian designer, I see how white and Euro-centric the design industry is in the US, especially in the world of residential design. I am always hoping to hire people with more diverse backgrounds in both of my businesses. And, I am one of the founding members of the newly formed AAPI Design Alliance.
What are you proudest of?
JD: I think we have really harnessed social media to our advantage. I was an early adopter of Pinterest and I started pinning our hardware early on. I think because of this we gained traction and people started noticing us. We still get a ton of referrals through Pinterest, but early on it was the primary driver of business. I have also discovered some amazing artisans by way of social media. For example, I found the artisan for our Lauhala series when I discovered her jewelry on Instagram. Same with our Stitch series. We aren’t digital marketing experts by any means but it’s been really helpful in growing our business.
Thoughts on e-commerce vs. showrooms over the past 10 years?
JD: Showrooms are still our bread and butter, but I think COVID showed us that e-commerce is becoming more and more important. Thankfully, we had invested in an easy-to-navigate retail and trade site, which allowed us to weather the initial COVID storms better than a lot of other brands that relied solely on the brick-and-mortar model. We always try to funnel people to showrooms where they can touch and feel the hardware in person, but as people become more spread out due to virtual work, there are customers that don’t have a local showroom and being able to buy online and get samples easily is key.
What would you say has been the most critical and most helpful to Nest Studio’s growth?
JD: Taking a gamble to invest heavily in PR and marketing has really paid off. It’s a risk for a small business as it can become a huge portion of your budget, but it’s so important to raise awareness for your brand.
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