Your door hardware contributes to the overall decor of your home or office. Whether you’re opting for traditional door knobs or door handles, you’ll want to choose the right finish to maintain the atmosphere of the surrounding rooms. There are a lot of options available, but looking at what’s trending in interior design can steer you in the right direction. In this blog, we’ll go over the most popular finishes for door hardware today.
Flat Black
A flat finish like flat black helps tie together different design elements within a space, creating a contemporary look. Although flat black is often considered a modern finish, it can also be used on vintage-style hardware, such as rustic lever handles, hinges, and latches.
With its dark tones, flat black hardware evokes the look of wrought-iron details, so it's an excellent match for traditional homes. It also creates a contemporary look in minimalist or monochromatic homes because it is influenced by the streamlined and straightforward appearance of Bauhaus style. You can view our flat black finish products below:
- Baldwin flat black hardware
- Emtek flat black hardware
- Schlage flat black hardware
- Yale flat black hardware
Nickel
For people who want their homes to look elegant and sophisticated, nickel door handles are the perfect solution. Various shapes and sizes are available, from sleek and polished to subtle satin and contemporary graphite. In addition to being extremely durable, nickel hardware is extremely easy to clean, so you don't have to worry about spoiling their look with dirt and debris build-up. Our nickel finish hardware products can be found below:
Black Nickel
By combining reflective and mattified surfaces, black nickel door hardware creates a deep bronze, dark finish with a subtle sheen. The finish contrasts brilliantly with white doors in neutral interiors and even blends seamlessly with dark color schemes. Adding door knobs or door handles in this finish will elevate the look of your home and add a sleek, modern touch.
Brushed Nickel
The lustrous luminosity of brushed nickel complements any interior style, regardless of whether your home is traditional or contemporary. Known for its pearlescent hues, this finish boasts luxurious tones that make it a favorite among designers and homeowners alike. It reduces the visibility of dirt and fingerprints due to its mattified effect. This means you will only need to clean your new door hardware with a soft cloth when needed.
Brushed Nickel/Chrome Plate
This door hardware finish is primarily brushed nickel and includes small touches of chrome. Over the past few years, two-tone has become one of the most popular options for blending finishes in different rooms. In the bathroom, for example, all the accessories are generally chrome. The two-tone appearance supports the integration of different finishes, resulting in a coordinated look.
Graphite Nickel
Introduced as ‘the new black’ in 2019, this gunmetal gray finish has taken off quickly. Graphite nickel, which designers have described as a fusion of flat black and brushed nickel, is a timeless finish that’s appropriate for natural as well as industrial interior designs. It doesn’t flatr whether your doors are made from natural materials like timber or the latest blend of metal and glass- graphite nickel will show them to their best advantage.
Satin Nickel
Satin nickel has a minimalist design and high-quality appearance, making it a perfect choice for any interior. The color stands out clearly but subtly against dark hues such as black, navy blue, or charcoal gray. Additionally, it looks fantastic with geometric patterns, brilliant solid colors, and avant-garde furniture.
Chrome
Chromium plating, or chrome, is the electroplating of a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. Chromed accessories like door hardware can be decorative, corrosion-resistant, easier to clean, and harder to scratch.
This finish works well in almost any space, whether it is a bathroom, a kitchen, or living room. Featuring a silvery finish, it blends seamlessly with a wide range of household appliances, fittings, and fixtures - particularly stainless steel. Chrome has one disadvantage: it does not have any warm undertones. When paired with a cool-toned paint or wallpaper, it can look cold, but warm accessories can make it look more inviting. Interested in chrome hardware? You can find our available chrome hardware products below:
Polished Chrome
This bright, eye-catching finish is inspired by the Art Deco period. Polished chrome door hardware looks stylish and contemporary when paired with a modern, minimalistic style. Its smooth, mirrored appearance adds light and texture to any interior design scheme when paired with neutral or white doors and walls.
Satin Chrome
The sleek look of satin chrome is ideal for simple, understated spaces. It blends seamlessly with stainless steel kitchen appliances and bathroom accessories and does a beautiful job of complementing neutral tones and natural wood accents. Like flat black, it was developed during the Bauhaus movement; by combining beauty and utility, this movement tried to unify mass production with individual artistic vision.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper with a golden metallic finish. Brass door hardware is common in older homes, as it provides a rich, antiquated look without being too formal. With its gold and amber undertones, it is a great choice when you are looking for a vintage-inspired, classic style. Access Hardware offers many different brass door hardware products. You can find our products that come in a brass finish below:
Polished Brass
Its timeless appearance and ability to pair with any interior style, whether modern or traditional, make brass door hardware popular with homeowners. Featuring a distinctive gold tone, this finish is bright and reflective. The warm tones can also add color, texture, and detail to a modern interior scheme.
Antique Brass
Antique brass is specially treated to give it an aged and distinctive appearance. The treatment can include oxidation, lacquering, or polishing. Due to its brown and golden tones, the resulting finish closely resembles natural or unlacquered brass, which adds a touch of warmth, balance, and traditional style to any room. Additionally, it has a more modern edge, so it can be adapted to a variety of design styles.
Satin Brass
This trendy finish is softer than outright brass, and is a new addition to the décor industry. Vintage and Victorian in style, it is extremely versatile depending on the architectural style. When used correctly, deep, rich tones of satin brass door hardware add a whole new level of luxury to a modern, designer setting.
Bronze
Bronze is an alloy primarily consisting of copper. Modern bronze tends to be about 88% copper and 12% tin. Bronze naturally possesses a reddish-brown color, but it can come in different colors. Access Hardware offers both dark and medium bronze finishes. We also carry hardware with tumbled white, white, flat black, oil rubbed, and venetian bronze finishes. Our bronze hardware products can be found below:
Copper
In recent years, copper has become a huge trend in the home and office decor industry. Copper door handles and levers will not only bring warmth into your home, but because they’re more antibacterial and antimicrobial than other metals, they can help contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of building occupants.
‘Natural’ Copper
Natural copper finishes are deep and rich yet shiny. When applied to door hardware, it adds warmth and dimension in cooler, more minimalist settings. At the same time, it can contribute to the elegance of a traditional office or library. Over time, the copper will tarnish, darkening to a variety of rustic tones. (Incidentally, the darker a copper finish, the greater its antibacterial qualities.)
Satin Copper
Satin copper, like satin brass, is warm, inviting, and stylish. It holds its look well, as the faintly brushed appearance doesn’t make fingerprints or dirt immediately obvious. The unique rosy tint is modest yet eye-catching, making satin copper a good choice for most interior doors.
Pewter
Pewter is a soft, silvery-gray metal with a matte finish. The material is often used to create vintage-inspired hardware, such as antique-style door knobs. Typically, a pewter finish on door hardware will appear distressed with a bit of shine. Over time, patinaed pewter can develop a beautiful, aged appearance that looks great high-end antique rustic door knobs. Emtek, Yale, and Schlage pewter finishes are not living finishes and won’t wear under normal use. You can find our pewter finish products below:
Powder Coated
The powder coating process involves painting the metal with a powdered paint and then baking it on for a hard, durable finish. Different door hardware items, such as door handles, can easily be powder coated.
If you observe a particular color theme in your home or office, it can be hard to compliment them with metallic finishes like nickel, brass, or copper. This is where powder coating comes in- you can use it to get the exact shade you are looking for, from banana yellow to turquoise blue to bright white.
Does Door Hardware Have to be the Same Throughout the Home or Office?
If you’re wondering whether you should keep your door hardware consistent throughout the entire home, there are no hard and fast design rules that prevent you from mixing everything up. When it comes to any aspect of decorating a house, the decision should be based on design, practicality, and personal taste.
Split Finishing
Split finish design formats have gained popularity due to the fact that they meet a variety of design needs. With this format, most exterior door knobs in your home will complement each other, but the interior hardware may have its own unique finish that conforms with the overall style of the room.
Blending
This option does not require matching exterior door knobs across the board. Instead, the theme of your home may be rounded out with an amalgam of styles. For example, if your home decor is strictly vintage Victorian, antique brass, natural copper, and satin chrome door hardware installed throughout the house would be an appropriate choice. If traditional rustic is more your style, look for appropriately designed hardware with a black flat or satin copper finish.
Size Matters, However!
When you’re choosing hardware, no matter what the finish, stay within a similar size range. Having some items of door hardware look oversized while others look diminutive will result in an uneven, haphazard impression.
We Have Many Popular Door Finishes
Various finishes are available for interior door hardware. Since each finish has its own look and feel, you must choose the one that best suits your taste and your overall design scheme.
In this article, we have outlined a few popular hardware finishes. Whatever finish you choose for your door knob or handle, one thing is certain: these options are popular for a reason. There is a distinct look and feel to each one: combined, they make it easier to find the perfect door hardware to suit your taste and décor.
As a leading provider of interior and exterior door hardware, Access Residential Hardware offers traditional knobs, levers, and keyless entry solutions. Our classic finishes include polished chrome, satin nickel, flat black, and more. For more information, call 866.752.9002 or fill out this form and we’ll be in touch.