13
Oct
Even though door handles are an important part of any home design, people don’t always give them enough attention. When was the last time you took a moment to appreciate your door hardware? Most people who built or remodelled their houses don’t put as much thought into their door hardware as they do into their colour scheme or light fixtures.
So, then – How do you select the ideal door handles?
Before embarking on a shopping spree, there are a lot of things you should think about. The process of choosing door hardware depends on your home design, your needs, and your living situation. Keep reading to discover eight important features to look for when selecting door hardware for your home!
Before going any further, check out the variety of knob and handle for door designs that can truly transform your space. They range from traditional and mid-century to contemporary styles. Selecting the right handle style is a crucial first step that enhances the look of your home and increases its resale value.
Examine your home from a distance, starting with the exterior and moving to the interior. What design is your house? Tudor, Hampton, modern, contemporary, or a combination? Even so, it could have one style on the exterior and another on the inside. This first step makes a big difference in the end.
Take all of your rooms into consideration. If you want black knobs in the living room and chrome in the kitchen, that’s fine. The important thing is to think it through. However, I do advise coordinating your cabinets with the door hardware.
Today, there are too many different kinds of metal plating finishes that it’s virtually impossible to mention them all. Before choosing a finish, consider how practical it is, as well as how much it fits in with your home décor to jazz up your interior. Flat finishes like matte are a great option since they don’t show any fingerprints.
For the discriminating hardware aficionado, there are more recent antique treatments that offer a distinctive aged look. Antique brass and antique nickel knobs and handles are the product of meticulous manufacturing processes, and they’re meant to replicate the natural features that come with tarnish and age.
When you need some peace and privacy, your bedroom and bathroom are your most frequent getaways. However, your family and friends can often disrupt your downtime when there’s nothing keeping them from accessing your sanctuary.
One solution to the issue is to use privacy door knobs or handles in these rooms. As the name implies, the one-way keyless locking mechanisms on these pieces of door hardware can only be activated from inside the room. However, they often incorporate an emergency release function that, in an emergency, enables the person on the outside to open the door.
It’s crucial to choose knobs or handles for external door levers that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also constructed from materials that can survive the weather outside. Otherwise, even if your door hardware makes a good initial impression, it might not survive for long. For external doors, hardware made of materials like aluminium, marine-grade stainless steel, chrome, and powder-coated steel is the most suitable. These materials won’t rust or corrode and they need no upkeep.
The last thing you want to do on the weekend after a busy week of running errands is to clean a week’s worth of grease, sticky fingerprints and smudges off your glossy handle for doors. Save yourself from trouble and choose a brushed finish or matte powder-coated hardware instead of high-shine hardware (such as brass and chrome).
Just keep in mind to have a soft cloth, wax polish, or a stack of metal polishing wipes tucked away in your cleaning closet if you prefer the look of metallic hardware that shines brightly all the time.
Does anyone in your family have problems moving their hands? If this is the case, choose door handles rather than round knobs, which require you to tightly grip and twist your wrist to operate. Most people with mobility issues find these manoeuvres difficult or painful. Lever handles are easily operated by both young and old, even those with limited strength and movement in their hands.
You might want to think about using lever handles that are shaped to fit the form of the hand, like the one shown above. These are more comfortable and simpler to grasp.
Today’s modern door hardware goes above and beyond its apparent practical purpose. They also improve the visual appeal, functionality, durability, safety, and security of your doors and your house as well. These items tie your space together and complement your interior design scheme.
