New door knobs can freshen your home. Your house is your personal sanctuary and should reflect your personality. When it needs a fresh look, you think about changing wall colors and drapes, but don’t forget to freshen your your home with new door knobs. Depending upon the age of your home, you may find you have door knobs with the finish rubbed off or ones that look cheap. Replacing them with new door knobs will add a lot to the ambiance of your home.
Using Knobs to Secure the Rooms
Before you think about style, consider how you want your door knobs to function. If your primary reason for changing them out is to ensure children and visitors will not intrude upon some of the rooms in the house, you will want your new knobs to lock from the outside. If you live more conventionally and want to make certain that the kids do not lock themselves in the bathroom, or that family members can be easily rescued in the event of a fire, you will want standard door knobs without locking mechanisms. Typically, doors with outside access, bathrooms, and bedrooms should have locks, but closet doors and entrances to family rooms and kitchens do not.
If you add locks, you will want to decide whether they will be keyed on the outside of the door. Standard locking doorknobs can be released with a wire in the hole on the outside knob, so keys add improved security against intrusion. They can all be keyed alike for convenience, but will always require a key to gain access to the locked doors.
Using Knobs to Add Charm
Designer doorknobs come in many different styles and finishes. Your first impression of a room is the doorknob, so when it’s new, polished, and it matches the other knobs in the house, it demonstrates how much you care about your home. Your doorknobs, along with the rest of your home décor, help to create a lovely backdrop for all your activities.
Round knobs are definitely the most popular type, but there are many other options. For a more elegant choice, select doorknobs with handles that you can grab quickly. This type is common in Europe and will have those associations when people open the door. A century ago knobs were often ceramic or glass, so changing to an antique style can give your home a traditional or nostalgic feel. You can check out the styles carried by your local hardware or decorating store and do some research from suppliers online.
The finish on the doorknobs can also be important to the overall effect. Consider the theme of your home decorations. If you have stainless steel appliances in your kitchen, you may not want your entry door to have brass knobs. Brushed nickel or steel finishes would better suit the overall look of the room. If you are designing your home from scratch, find doorknobs you like that match your appliances, faucets and other hardware. A contemporary home will look better with hardware that all carries the same finish, but casual country home may look better mismatched.
Doorknobs take a lot of wear, so it is a good idea to replace them periodically to keep your home looking fresh. Updated door knobs in an older house can really transform it. Decide if you need to add interior locks with keys, establish the style and choose a finish to use throughout your house. You will be pleased how far a few hundred dollars can go to make your home feel polished and special.
