Walk into TKO Associates in the Dallas Design District, and you’ll find everything, including the kitchen sink, to bring functional luxury to a home, hotel or spa. From the bathtub and faucet right down to the hinges on the cabinets, the experts at TKO know where to find the right style and finish to fit seamlessly in any space.
While architects and designers are tasked with creating large, cohesive design statements that permeate through an entire home or property, Betsy Hoag and the team at TKO Associates make their mark in the details.
Hoag, founder and “fearless leader” of TKO—Technical Knock Out—Associates, has been providing Dallas with contemporary European-style hardware, plumbing fixtures and accessories for 36 years. The TKO team helps designers and architects—and through them, homeowners—realize their visions and create beautiful spaces in which to live.
TKO is known for modern aesthetics. In fact, when Hoag founded TKO 36 years ago, the wholesaler was the only source of contemporary European hardware and plumbing fixtures in Dallas.
However, TKO is not limited to the contemporary. “We work in all vernaculars,” Hoag says. The expansive collection at TKO includes everything from the sleek and contemporary to the bold and rustic.
With more than three decades of experience in Dallas, Hoag has a large mental catalog of product lines to help meet any design preference. Walk into TKO with a 20-year-old faucet, and Hoag will be able to tell you who made it and where you can find today’s model. She has also developed a deep understanding of the types of design trends Dallas residents embrace.
In the bathroom, many are looking to go beyond the necessary and create luxurious home spas. Freestanding tubs, such as the anti-microbial tubs from Blu Bathworks, are popular, according to Hoag. When it comes to showers, the preference is for multiple shower heads, hand showers, steam units, chromotherapy and sound; and TKO has all the products to fit these trends.
With Hansgrohe, Zucchetti, Vola, Fantini and more, TKO covers the full spectrum of bathroom faucets and fixtures. Hansgrohe’s EcoRight function allows its shower heads to use up to 60 percent less water than competing models. Vola emphasizes the importance of the waterfall shower, a refreshing splash of cool water to finish out any spa or shower experience. For those with a preference for minimalism, Fantini is all about simplicity—in form and function.
When it comes to faucets and fixtures, Hoag has seen a persistent preference for polished chrome, polished nickel and satin nickel; but clients occasionally opt for satin brass, satin bronze or satin gold for a more daring statement. Dornbracht offers a wide variety of faucet finishes, including high-gloss gold, copper and rose gold, in its selection of pull-out and pulldown kitchen faucets.
When it comes to doors, both interior and exterior, TKO offers some of the finest upscale options, including Rocky Mountain Hardware, perfect for both the contemporary cottage and the refined farmhouse; FSB, which focuses on creating door handles that feel good in the hand alongside accompanying locksets, hinges and door pulls; and Designer Doorware, which makes a point of keeping pace with cutting-edge architectural trends.
Hoag ensures TKO has a broad repertoire of products to meet a wide range of requests. “Each project is unique, and I feel so privileged to work with such creative, talented individuals,” Hoag says.
The team at TKO works hard to develop a strong partnership with each client on every project. TKO is not restricted nor rewarded based on its sales of any particular line, so the team’s sole focus is to fit the needs of each client and project.
TKO works exclusively with the trade, supporting both the American Institute of Architects and the American Society of Interior Designers. However, the TKO showroom is open to the public, and the TKO team is happy to provide information to anyone who stops by to browse.
Krista Franks Brock is a freelance writer and editor in Dallas. For more information, visit kristafranksbrock.wordpress.com.
