A woman walked into Oklahoma City's Architectural Hardware Designs with a vision. She had recently been in England and stayed at a five-star resort. In that resort was the bathroom of her dreams.
"She came in and said, 'I want to recreate the master bathroom in my home here.' So she gave me the name of the hotel, we emailed them, found out what they had furnished the master bath with and we were able to make sure that everything she wanted went her house," says Gene Goforth, one of the owners of AHD, located at 9450 N. May Ave.
Scenarios like that are common for the specialty wholesale plumbing, bath, kitchen and design showcase. The showroom features high-quality products for home renovations and designs, often carrying brands and styles not found in Oklahoma. Along with the showroom, the website at AHDOK.com offers customers a way to purchase bathroom, kitchen, door and cabinet hardware on their own as well.
"We have over 200 manufacturers we work with around the world, but our preference is American. We have a lot of American-made products in the showroom," Gene says. "If it goes into the home, we can get it."
Gene and his business partner, Rick Henthorn, opened AHD in 2012 to offer new options to builders, designers and the public. Along with the wholesale discount, the two saw a need after studying other markets.
"We looked at Dallas and Houston and Chicago, and there were a lot of brands out there that weren't being represented in Oklahoma City. We found styles and designs that weren't here," Gene says. 'We have everything from builder-grade materials on up to the high-end custom. So regardless of what your budget is, we're going to be able to satisfy your needs."
