2 min read
Ellis Works focuses on parts of the home that are easy to overlook: door handles, pulls, and other hardware that’s constantly used, but rarely noticed. For founder Alex Bellos, the previous president of West Elm, those objects became a point of interest during his tenure in the home and design space. His approach goes beyond elevating hardware into statement pieces, also considering how each item is made and how it functions over time.
Courtesy of Ellis Works
Tompkins knob
Bellos named Ellis Works after Ellis Island, taking inspiration from the notion that craft travels across nations and generations. Many immigrants who arrived at the historic island brought trades with them—metalwork, woodworking, glassmaking—and adapted those skills to suit their new home. Bellos frames the brand within that idea: not preserving tradition as-is, but reworking it in a contemporary context. The name is also tied to his own family history: Bellos’s great-grandfather came through Ellis Island in the early 20th century.
Courtesy of Ellis Works
Boerum collection
Ellis Works finishes all their products at a Brooklyn studio, fitting for Bellos’ self-identification as a “Brooklyn boy.” (His products are also named after Brooklyn streets.) There, a team of artisans works with materials like solid brass, marble, wood, and hand-blown glass, patinating pieces by hand to achieve a tactile, crafted quality central to the brand.
Courtesy of Ellis Works
Cheever knob
Throughout Ellis Works’ offerings, Bellos emphasizes “the hand,” as he calls it. Most items are hand-finished, hand-blown, or hand-folded, and each involves collaborations with a range of artisans, from glassblowers to jewelers. The influence of different collaborators shows up across his collections. For example, Bellos calls out designer Heath Wagoner’s “Tessuto” collection with Ellis Works, which was originally inspired by Caravaggio and translated into pleated brass cabinet knobs and pulls.
Ellis Works
Heath Wagoner Tessuto Cabinet Pull
Ellis Works Leonard Door Knob Set
Now, Ellis Works collaborates not only with architects and designers, but also with homeowners interested in rethinking basic elements of their space. The underlying premise is straightforward: the most used parts of a home don’t have to be the least considered.
Sean Kim is the market and editorial assistant at ELLE Decor, where he covers market trends, design, and culture.Â