PART 3 : THE COMPANY
At this point, it should be clear that the team at Index-d loves specifying and supplying Sun Valley Bronze hardware for our modern and contemporary projects. So far, we've highlighted our favorite cabinet hardware options, as well as flush, pocket, and sliding door solutions.
Now, we'd like to give you a little insight on Sun Valley Bronze as a company, and reveal how they are a full-service hardware manufacturer.
Origins
Sun Valley Bronze was founded by Bob Commons in 1992, after the craftsman noticed the lack of high-end, hand-crafted hardware for his high-end, hand-crafted residential builds. With the purchase of a second-hand furnace from a local high school, Commons cast the first Sun Valley Bronze hardware in a workshop in his small log cabin in Hailey, Idaho.
Today, Sun Valley Bronze hardware is manufactured in a state-of-the-art foundry and is recognized as a leader in high-end architectural hardware. Lately, their hardware has been featured in Interior Design Magazine, Refinery29, and Architectural Record.
Here you can tour their display featured at last year's ICFF where they presented the Saddle Collection, which was named a 2019 NYC x Design Awards honoree.
Why Bronze?
Bronze is an alloy primarily comprised of copper mixed with other metals such as tin, zinc, or aluminum. Sun Valley Bronze's two finish families are SILICON BRONZE (S finishes) and WHITE BRONZE (W finishes): the bronze used for white bronze includes nickel, while the bronze used for silicon includes, well, silicon! Read more about Sun Valley Bronze's finishes here.
BRONZE IS A TIMELESS BECAUSE IT LOVES TIME : Bronze typically oxidizes superficially, which is why we call it a "living" material or finish, meaning its outer appearance changes due to its environment (resulting in beautiful patinas!). Some believe that "modern" finishes somehow are changeless, hermetically sealed. But everything changes, and everything wears. For some clients, this is exactly what they are looking for: hardware that will age beautifully with the rest of their house, and with them. That said, the strength and durability of Bronze is uncontested; it is in its nature.
Bronze is durable, corrosion-resistant, and self-decontaminating. Bronze is also malleable, which makes it an ideal medium for craftsman making small and custom pieces like levers, thumbturns, and cabinet knobs for example. Sun Valley Bronze uses hand-carved wood and resin molds as well as 3D modeled molds. By melting bronze at 2500° Fahrenheit, it becomes a liquid that is poured into the molds and hardens, eventually emerging as the hardware you see and touch.
Proven Innovators & Collaborators
Sun Valley Bronze's approach to hardware is innovative and functional.
Keeping the user in mind, Sun Valley Bronze designs their hardware to not only look beautiful, but operate smoothly.
The Minimalist Collection
The Minimalist Collection is one that sets Sun Valley Bronze apart from all other hardware manufacturers, and offers a seamless solution to projects with clean, contemporary designs. With components ingeniously mortised within the door, durability and functionality aren't sacrificed.
(Please note that this installation is a tricky one! We can work with you to make sure everything comes out perfect.)
Spring Assist
1. Stainless Steel Snap Ring
2. Stainless Steel Limiter
3. Teflon Coated Stainless Steel Spring
4. Stainless Steel Snap Ring
5. Teflon Impregnated Nylatron Washer
6. Stainless Steel Spring Post
7. Teflon Impregnated Nylatron Washer
Lever sag is a sad, painful, and common sight.
This is especially true with bronze levers, as not all latches and locks can uphold their heavy weight. Sun Valley Bronze's ingenious, squeak resistant spring assist is built to last, even in coastal climates. With teflon-coated, stainless steel springs, your heavy bronze levers stay upright.
Custom Collaborators
"I think we can make these work."
This is what we always get from SVB when something out of the ordinary, out of the catalog, gets bandied about in a client meeting. They are always confidently game and thoroughly capable of making almost anything happen. Though Sun Valley Bronze has an extensive catalog of cabinet, door, and window hardware, as well as lighting, plumbing, and even furniture, they welcome working with designers on custom designs.
Nearly 40% of Sun Valley Bronze's production is custom work.
Many of the items in Sun Valley Bronze's catalogue were originally custom pieces, proving that their extensive collection is the product of countless collaborations.
Full Service Manufacturers
Exterior Sets: Mortise Lock, US Multipoint, Euro Multipoint,
and Deadbolt Entry Sets Available
Door Hardware: Choose Your Escutcheon, Knob or Lever, Turn Piece, and Swing Cover
Doorstops & Bolts
Window & Gate Hardware
Committed to Sustainability
From start to finish, Sun Valley bronze is committed to green and lean practices in every step of their process. Learn more here!
MATERIAL : 100% MADE IN THE USA, Sun Valley Bronze components are not sourced from overseas. The bronze that Sun Valley Bronze uses is comprised of at least 85% pre-consumer recycled bronze content.
MANUFACTURING : Sun Valley Bronze's casting process uses "green sand", a mixture of water, sand, and clay, and is water based, in which leftover water and sand are reused from one casting to the next. In recent years, the company began executing Lean Manufacturing methods to minimize waste throughout each step of the process.
FINISHING : The hardware is lastly finished with a mild acid solution bath, the remainder of which is reused. Lastly, the hardware is meticulously finished and assembled by hand.
Thank you for reading!
Want to know more? Missed Part 1 or Part 2? Give us a call to learn more about how we can work with you on your project!