At Fischer Homes (No. 31 on the 2025 Builder 100 list), door locks carry a lot of weight, both visually and in how homeowners experience security every day. Corporate Design Studio Manager Shari Bove likes to think of them as “the jewelry of the home,” a detail that has to pull double duty as both décor and dependable, everyday hardware.
“As a designer, I view the hardware not only as a functional piece, but as a decorative piece as well,” Bove says. Door hardware has to complement the home’s overall aesthetic while backing up Fischer’s broader promise around dependability and peace of mind. That makes lock selection a cross-discipline decision touching design, purchasing, construction, and warranty.
Rekeying changes the game
When Fischer evaluates lock options, security features like pick and bump resistance are table stakes. But Bove says one capability has become especially important: rekeying. Rekeying lets builders or homeowners change which key operates a lock—without replacing the hardware—by resetting the lock’s internal pins to match a new key. “In their locking system they have this little pick and you’re able to put the pick in and then you can put any key in and it rekeys the lock to it,” she explains. “It almost turns it into—even though it’s mechanical—like an electronic lock because you’re so easily able to reset it.”
On the warranty side, that same rekey technology has helped cut down on headaches. After checking with Fischer’s purchasing and field teams say they’re not seeing many callbacks on the locks.
“It’s been a pretty solid product for us from what I was told,” Bove says.
Plug-and-play smart home integration
The lock decision is also tightly connected to Fischer’s evolving smart-home offering. The builder’s base package typically includes a panel, smart door locks, light switches, and window sensors, with options to add wired cameras. A Fischer’s service provider installs and connects the devices, then helps buyers layer on additional components if they choose.
Bove says the locks need to work seamlessly inside Fischer’s standard platform and play nicely with the ecosystems many buyers already know. Kwikset smart locks integrate into the builder’s package but are also compatible with popular systems like Amazon- and Ring-based setups, giving buyers a path to build out their own mix of devices over time. For homeowners, that means remote access, keyless entry, and full ownership of the lock from their phone.
Data-driven design: from matte black to “new brass”
Because Fischer builds across the Midwest to the Gulf Coast, Bove leans heavily on design-studio data to decide which finishes to standardize and which to introduce. “We are a very data-driven company,” she says. “I’m pulling real live data to see what customers are really picking and trying to stay ahead of trends as well.”
For the last three to four years, matte black has been “king,” especially on exteriors. Bove estimates it still accounts for roughly three-quarters of exterior hardware in the Midwest. In Florida, though, the story looks different: “Gold is probably our top seller down there,” she says, followed by stainless and some matte black, with polished nickel beginning to trend. Fischer recently added satin brass across several markets and is seeing buyers warm back up to brushed nickel as well.
“It’s funny because most people just got brass out of their homes,” Bove says. “Now it’s circling back around, but it’s a new brass.”
Why Kwikset rises to the top
Within that mix of security, smart-home compatibility, and finish trends, Bove says Kwikset has emerged as a dependable choice for Fischer’s buyers and internal teams alike. The brand’s rekey technology supports smoother closings and fewer service calls, its smart locks plug cleanly into Fischer’s base packages as well as popular third-party platforms, and its finish assortment lets the design studio follow the shift from black to warmer metals without sacrificing consistency.
For a production builder balancing scale, style, and homeowner peace of mind, Kwikset has become an important part of making the “jewelry of the home” work as hard as it looks. Learn more.
