Why should you upgrade your homes hardware?
Door hardware is an extension of your home’s personality. Therefore choosing the right door handle can elevate any room from ordinary to extraordinary! If you are looking to give your home a fresh new look, upgrading multiple door handles will certainly take years off your home.
No door is complete without suitable door furniture and the choice of handles you make will be a subtle, yet important detail. While they may be a physically small item, the style you choose needs to sit well within the overall design scheme. Plus, the hardware needs to be fit for purpose, long lasting and suitable for carrying out an important day-to-day function.
What to consider when choosing door handles and knobs?
There are lots of options when it comes to size, type and design and finding the style that complements your home. It is important to consider how many internal doors and handles you will be upgrading. Traditional homes usually boast between 10 and 20 internal doors. If new hardware is to be installed on existing door/s, the existing holes will dictate many of the specifications and handles you can upgrade to. It is also important to note the size of the hole behind the existing escutcheon. This is sometimes called a rosette or backplate. Your replacement hardware will need to completely cover the whole and marks left behind.
What to look for?
Look for hardware that matches your personal taste and the architectural style of your home. Is it contemporary and sleek, traditional and ornate, or somewhere in between? Unless you want each room to be bespoke you are likely to be aiming for a level of uniformity across the property.
Perhaps the biggest consideration here is whether you want all the fixtures in your home to match. It can therefore be helpful to start by viewing your project as a whole taking into consideration your door decisions too. For example, if you have all of the same door designs throughout, do you want matching door handles for consistency or do you want to mix and match? Our recommendation is that all interior doors that are in view of each other should have hardware of the same style and finish. This ensures your home doesn’t look too busy and overwhelming.
Door levers or knobs?
One of the biggest decisions you have to make is whether you’ll go with door handles or door knobs. There are plain and simple styles available for each, along with more flamboyant and decorative options. Levers have a more modern look and are well suited for contemporary or transitional décor. Door knobs have been around the longest and are a popular choice for period properties.
Buying new door handles. An overview.
- Before going to buy handles and locks, get a clear estimate of how much hardware you need. Will this fit your budget? For certain door handles the cost of the lock is included, and for some the case is the opposite.
- Ensure the new door hardware will fit over your existing door handles specifications.
- Take some time to consider the form and function you are aiming for.
- View your home as a whole, before settling on a style and colour
There’s more to door handles than you might think. To unlock the possibilities, call the specialists at Doors Apart. We’re always more than happy to provide you with reliable advice and guidance.