The three owners of the newly opened Push Pull Decorative Hardware in North Bethesda hope they can convince local designers, architects and residents to focus on what they say has become a design afterthought—cabinet and door accessories.
Inside Push Pull’s 2,500-square-foot space on Nebel Street, the husband-and-wife team of Jonathan and Elizabeth Pilley and their partner, Mike Corrado, have built a showroom from recycled materials where everything from high-end solid bronze doorknobs to funky molded resin cabinet handles are on display.
The store opened at the beginning of September and is scheduled to host its official grand opening Saturday.
The business’ success depends on attracting customers who want a more refined look for their front door or kitchen cabinets, according to the owners. They’re entering an embedded industry with plenty of online competitors and huge retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
“Often times people don’t look past the entry-level stuff,” Jonathan Pilley, 35, said. “Sometimes it’s an afterthought for people.”
Elizabeth Pilley, who previously worked in interior design in the Boston area, said designers would tell her they’d order products online and then not be happy with the look or feel.
“At the store, people can feel what they’re getting,” Elizabeth Pilley, 33, said. “This is a tactile thing.”
Part of Push Pull’s business will depend on bringing in exclusive product lines from manufacturers with whom Elizabeth Pilley developed relationships while working in interior design in Massachusetts.
Corrado, 35, who is a longtime friend of the Pilleys, left his banking job in Manhattan after 12 years to start the business. All three owners live in the Aspen Hill area of Silver Spring.
Jonathan Pilley said they’re already starting to see a response from local designers. The 12156 Nebel St. spot is nestled in among other small home design stores like Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens and Plumbing Parts Plus; which Corrado said has made the area into a shopping center for individuals doing home renovations.
Push Pull’s prices for outfitting a medium-sized kitchen with about 20 cabinets can range from $200 on the low end to $2,000 on the high end, according to Corrado.
The owners also hope that the store can also offer something that online competitors or big-box stores can’t—the personal touch.
“While our focus is on this product, we also want people to like us and come back because of us,” Corrado said.
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All photos by Andrew Metcalf
