Door Knobs and Hinges

For reasons I can't not comprehend, there is rarely a mention of door hardware in design. Not on any of the design shows I've seen (except for This Old House) in fact, I am always surprised, perplexed and so disappointed at the end of a show when I see the builder grade hardware still present for the big reveal! Another reason I rarely watch these shows. Rarely, is it mentioned in design books. And, other than advertisements for hardware companies, it's not really a topic in any shelter magazines. And finally, when I did a Google search...nothing on the blogs! Now I do realize this may not be a full blown obsession for most, but nothing??? 

Polished nickel door knob. Gorgeous and one of my favorite finishes.



I always love a square hinge, but also have radius in my house.


Well then, let me be the first to say hardware is an important element in the design of a space. For those of you who may be thinking...is she serious? Who cares about something so small when trying to furnish an entire room... a house? Anyone who's renovated an old house and wanted to be historically correct or at least period accurate, is likely nodding with understanding.



A recent find when out shopping with a friend.

 In my opinion, paying attention to this type of detail is what elevates a space from something attractive to something really, really special. Many have homes that were outfitted in builders grade hardware, meaning soft metal (some even feels like tin and dents easily) fake brass round knobs and 3.5 radius hinges. Especially suburban homes built in the last 30 years. These make me cringe. I must admit, they are one of the first things I notice when I visit someones house for the first time.



These are from Lowes and are in our basement. When the contractor showed up with all the fake brass junk, I looked
at him and said "don't even think about putting any of those in my house." I went out and bought all the hardware
and even new cleats in brushed nickel for the staircase railings. My contractor confessed to me that he went
out later that day and bought all the same door knobs and hinges for his own basement media room! 


Two years ago, my husband and I went to look at some million+ homes. Not because we are in the market for a mansion, or ever will be, but simply for fun and to take a scenic drive. These particular homes were on a hilltop and the property had spectacular panoramic views. The house was nice. It was not remotely special. All the light fixtures and door hardware were so mediocre and even dismal. I have seen equal or better choices at Lowes and Home Depot. The floor vents, another serious pet peeve of mine, were the typical hideous muddy brown. The choice almost all builders provide.


French styled lever on a client's pantry door. Tres chic!

 Upon leaving, the sales person asked me what I thought?  I said the views are the only thing that make these homes unique. He was a 30 something guy and instead of trying to "sell"  me on everything the house had to offer or being annoyed with my candor, he said what would you change? And, I told him starting with the sun room we were standing in. The white tile was bad enough, but as you may have guessed,  the perimeter of the room was littered with the mud colored vents. Against that vast sea of white, I wanted to say for a million dollars...WTF? Turns out he was related to the builder and offered me a job on the spot to re-source all the hardware, etc...Sorry, we were just out for a drive trying to decompress during our own renovation along with other factors that made the timing all wrong. I never got around to going back to see if they changed things and/or sold the home. I certainly hope so.


Acorn tipped brass square hinge at the A&A house that
 I promised to do a follow-up post from here!

 No matter what size the budget or the space I am hired to work on, I always bring up hardware. The fact is, most people do not think about their door hardware. I have been witness to many surprised looks when I approach the subject. Some people, no matter my enthusiasm and push to change it, simply do not care nor are they willing to allocate a portion of the budget to it. Which can be anywhere from several hundred for one room to thousands for a whole house. While I understand it, I would prefer in certain situations to postpone a purchase of something large to incorporate new hardware. My only exception is bathrooms. I insist on new hardware as part of the overall design plan.  That may even extend to something fabulous for the glass shower door.



This stunning double handle is one I had flagged for my own master bath renovation, yet to be
done, but I knew it would be perfect for this client. This master bath renovation I did in 2008
and is one of my favorite projects to date.

 I always say: change the hardware, change the space. And, it truly does.  Occasionally, I get the opportunity to work with someone who is willing and even excited to change their hardware.  Recently, I had a friend hire me to help her choose new door hardware. Months earlier she had purchased all new door knobs, but decided they didn't seem right and she returned everything. She also said the hinge sizes and types were all too confusing. For me this is definitely enjoyable and for others, seems like an agonizing process.


I helped a client select these gorgeous knobs and they are now throughout her house.
 The doors have matching bronze hinges, but photographing hardware with a basic
 digital camera is a bit difficult and all the other images came out too blurry.

 In my own home, because of my obsession, I experiment a lot more than I should or would ever recommend to a client. I do think you should choose a finish and stick with it, at least by floor. I fully admit to not doing this. But, where there has been a change, the doors are not in view of others with a different finish. So in the case of hardware, do as I say, not as I do!

Polished nickel 4" square hinge in my power room.

My favorite egg knobs. Simple and they look good in both modern and traditional spaces.

Also as much as I like beautiful hardware, I certainly don't think that means one must give up a sense of humor about design, which is probably why I knew I had to have this sign for my power room. It lets people know when the room is occupied in French and when it is vacant! It came in other languages, but this made sense for us. I imagine the rich and famous probably have something similar for the doors to the loo of their poshly appointed private jets!

No more asking if someone's in the loo.

If you can afford to replace your doors, do it. But, don't think just because your doors are hollow core builder's basic they are not worthy of beautiful hardware. Quite the opposite, these doors need attention the most. And, it is far cheaper to replace the door hardware than the doors. And, don't be afraid to change the hinges to something larger or square. I hired a skilled carpenter to chisel many of the frames in my own home to accept the new hinges (and Mr. A&A did a few) and I just can't say enough about what a difference it makes!




Go ahead in...it's available for you to check out the hardware now!

 All images except the first two (which are from a vender source) were provided by A&A and may not be copied without permission.