This post is sponsored by Kwikset. Thanks for supporting the brands that allow us to produce original content for you. All words and thoughts are my own!
If you follow along on Instastories, you will have heard about a few crazy experiences that have happened in the past couple of months that have really jolted my perspective on a) my personal safety and the safety of my family and b) the number of crazy kooks in the world. There are much more than I realized! I wouldn’t say that I’ve lost faith in humanity, but I’m much more aware of the reality of poor behavior and how we need to be prepared for it.
Last month someone broke into my car stealing my purse containing my wallet, lots of cash, and causing $600 of damage to the car. About a week later someone broke into our studio by pushing in our doors and breaking the door frame in. Weirdly, they didn’t steal anything. These two experiences, along with stolen car parts (really!), and you can imagine that it’s been a truly mystifying, frazzled month!
Kwikset approached us, right on cue, and asked if we would like to partner with them to install some new doorknobs. It was meant to be! We were interested in a smart lock that would allow us to use a special code to enter our building. We got Kwikset SmartCode 915 Touchscreen Smart Locks, both for my own home and here at the studio, and we’ve handed our special codes to our set of seasonal interns as well as those who are there more permanently. That way we can switch out the codes every semester and not have to worry about keys being lost/stolen or being handed out.
Which knobs?
Additionally, Kwikset outfitted us with keyed-entry knobs, the Juno entry knob, for our 3 interior offices. We didn’t have locked knobs prior and we feel much more secure about leaving things in our office. Because the big room of our studio is a general shared space, we sometimes get people coming in and out and we just needed a bit more security. And now it feels so good to have locks on all our doors!
A few details about Kwikset
The handy thing about Kwikset is that it’s just that—quick! It was simple to install. You just need simple tools that you probably already have in your tool kit. The best part was hearing the electronic keypad do all the work. There’s a literal bing when it’s installed and it’s super satisfying.
Kwikset products don’t create new keys; rather, SmartKey products can be re-keyed to work using a different key cut. This makes it easy to work with the keys you already have. Genius. Having a keyless pad for our home will be infinitely easier because we go through a lot of keys. And because of the way they are designed, these locks protect against lock picking and lock bumping, two of the most common break-in methods. 
Printable door hanger!
Of course, every door needs an invitation to enter or stay out so we made some adorable printable “come in” and “stay out” hangers to go on our new door knobs. They’re especially useful on shoot days when we need some quiet on set!
Download your own printable door hanger, “go away” and “come in” here!
Photography by Anna Killian | Designed by Ashley Isenhour
This post is sponsored by Kwikset. Thanks for supporting the brands that allow us to produce original content for you. All words and thoughts are my own!