For an inexperienced decorator, an interior design project can easily become overwhelming and smaller items like handles and hinges are quickly overlooked. Rather than letting these touches become afterthoughts, take the time to plan, source and order your door furniture well in advance; the devil is, after all, in the details.
As with any element of a decorating project, understanding its context is paramount. Before placing any orders, think first about the situation and the sort of environment within which your metalware will appear. Whether your home is a Victorian manor, a mid-century semi or an ultra-modern new build, the style, shape and colour of your door furniture should be appropriate to the type and period of your property. Traditional doorknobs (commonly metal, cut-glass, wooden or porcelain) are most at home in historic buildings, latches and strap hinges better suited to Arts & Crafts or agricultural structures, and levers and pull handles (especially matt or knurled handles) best kept to more contemporary interiors. That is not to say that you cannot be inspired in your choices - there is a myriad of handles, locks and latches available to choose from - but just as any part of a scheme should relate to the others in some way, as well as to the wider room as a whole, so too should your ironmongery. Some consistency between your doors and windows, particularly in transitional spaces like hallways, is advisable and will help to unify your home whilst allowing the more unique and decorative details of your interiors to take centre stage.
Whatever your choice, look for quality and purchase the very best that you can afford. Handles, hinges and other door furniture are not only functional objects but tactile ones too - indeed, they will be in use several times a day - so it is worth investing in robust, first-rate goods. Ordering samples (many of which are returnable) is a useful way to get a feel for their weight, solidity and material construction, as well as for their appearance. Original examples of more traditional styles can be found in abundance in antiques shops and reclamation yards all over the country; manufactured to a quality that is sometimes hard to find today, they demonstrate that well-made hardware really does stand the test of time.
Choosing door furniture might seem like one of the less exciting tasks of decorating, but don’t miss the opportunity to be creative. Today’s market is awash with products - some subtle, others more decorative - which makes creating a truly unique interior easier than ever. It is precisely these details that elevate a space, so give proper thought to their selection and a comfortable, considered room will be the result.
