How we started
One summer, visiting the old family beach house – a sixties weatherboard kit home – we were admiring the original door knobs, and the germ of an idea took hold.
There’s a surprising lack of variety in the door handle market: what if you wanted bold shapes, bright colours and paint that doesn’t chip off after a couple of years? We realised there was so much untapped possibility in door handle design. So, with the desire to work together and create something meaningful, Oltie was born as a multi-generational family business.
Primarily the father-daughter team of Andrew and Bryn, with contributions from other family members, Oltie allows us to combine our individual skillsets with our abiding love of architectural design.
Meet the team
Andrew
Technical Director
With a background in mechanical engineering, Andrew brings decades of design and precision manufacturing experience to Oltie. He has designed machinery for customers including Carlton & United Breweries, Schweppes, Boral, Kodak, Rail Technology International and many more.
His CNC profile cutting and drilling machines, designed for Farley Manufacturing, have won numerous awards in Australia and overseas.
At Oltie, Andrew is in charge of engineering, having designed our innovative pivot mechanism, as well as coordinating manufacturing and co-designing our range of handles.
Bryn
Creative Director
Having freelanced as an artist, designer and copywriter, Bryn brings a range of creative skills and a strong eye for detail to all of Oltie’s operations.
Co-designing our handle range, she is also responsible for brand identity, graphic design and overall creative direction.
Quality into the future
People deserve quality design and manufacture that lasts, and products which enhance their lives and let them express themselves. Our handles are designed and made with meticulous care and a keen eye for detail for an enduring end product that feels great to use.
We believe all this can be done with as gentle a footprint as possible. Making a positive contribution, without unnecessary waste, is central to our approach. In this way, using a made-to-order model allows us to scale to demand while keeping waste to an absolute minimum. It also enables us to ensure the exceptional quality of our handles, creating pieces that last for a lifetime.
