Every accessory in the home should be carefully chosen and door handles are no exception. A well designed, sleek door handle will set off a door, emphasising and complementing both the door and the décor of the room. The style must fit that of the house as a whole and, fortunately, there is an enormous range of styles available, from ornate and splendid antique door handles to modern, minimalist and contemporary designs. They are very important accessories in interior design but can be overlooked.
Which style?
In order to finish your room and set off the chic and stylish ambience you have worked hard to achieve, you may well choose a sleek and contemporary design in polished or satin chrome, gorgeous black nickel or stainless steel. (It is worth remembering that with the latter, every fingerprint tends to show which can be an issue if you live in a house with a sticky fingered child!)
The practicalities
If you have chosen to decorate your home in period style, you might wish to complement its age and aesthetic with a traditional design from the era in which your home was built. There are many Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian style handles available in beautiful polished brass or bronze. You can select handles on a round or an oval rose rather than the more conventional rectangular back plate. Whichever you go for, it is important to make sure your door furniture is made to a good standard and is a solid feature which enhances the look of the rooms in which it is fixed. It is not only the look of the door handles you will be considering, of course, but also its practicality. What type of latch do you need? Do you require a lock?
Lever latch handles are generally for use on interior doors and will have a mortice latch. Lever lock handles, on the other hand, can be used on both exterior and interior doors. They are fitted with a 3-lever lock or even a 5-lever lock for added security. If you want a bathroom lock on your handle, you may well select one with a thumb turn on the back plate. This bolts the door but the lock can be released from outside in an emergency which is very practical where there are either very young or very old residents. Privacy lock handles are ideal for bedrooms and studies when you do not want to be disturbed by other family members. They are used with mortice latches and have a thumb turn which locks the lever handle in place. They too have the emergency release on the outdoor handle.
Then there are Upvc handles for use with Upvc doors, which are fitted with multi point locks, providing one of the most secure locking devices for exterior doors on the market today.
Lynda Burnett is an experienced interior design consultant. She has been writing for websites and printed media for five years and specialises in finishing touches for the modern home such as lighting, fire places, door furniture and door handles.
