Homes built prior to 2002, in many parts of the country, were built with brass builder-standard hardware; not just door levers and knobs, but hinges, door stops, cabinet hardware, bath hardware and front door handle sets. With the current housing market suffering and a large majority of homes carrying negative equity, folks want to know where to go from here. Here is a relatively simple solution to update a home for less time and money than even typical paint changes. Simply change your hardware.
While changing out your hardware is a relatively simple endeavor. I discourage clients from running to the local box store, less they are committed to spending considerably more both in cash and ever-shrinking precious time. Some things to consider when changing your hardware:
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The purpose of Door Hardware is Function: Door Hardware should service Security First.
With new styles added each and everyday, you can now Enhance Design.
Finish Matters: Consistency of finish throughout your home is a signature of timeless quality. Request a sample, mount it and contemplate. Colors are influenced by wood tones and light.
Install with a Purpose: Door hardware should be fixed, mortised and square.
Security First: While our economy does lend itself to a rise in crime, door security is not JUST about keeping your home and family safe from human intruders-intruders also take the form of filthy critters.
The home owner of a beautiful home up in the Southern Idaho foothills called our shop. She had six outdoor entrances. She called hysterical - she had mice-colonies of them! Her door hardware was insufficient to properly support the heavy 8 ft doors that so gorgeously defined her sense of style. While it looked great when she purchased it - just over a year later, the weight of the doors was too much for the rinky-dink hardware installed at a great savings to the builder and cost to this family. The interior of the latches were constructed of plastic, a cheap alternative sold by one of our own local lumberyards. It left just enough closing gap to serve as an open invitation for mice.
According to the current statistics on crime, a high percentage of intruders enter through the front door.
Tips for ensuring door security
Fixed Mortise latches ensure that the latch bolt is fixed in place and not easily damaged.
Deadbolts are often inadequate. The longer the deadbolt extends into the door frame, the more secure the entry system. Be sure that your deadbolt length is adequate.
Latch construction is critical to the latches ability to sustain any degree of forced entry.
Several lock brands on the market use an inexpensive zinc alloy material to construct their latches. This significantly reduces the cost of the latch. It also significantly reduces the life of the latch. In addition, some of the most popular builder standard lock lines used in new construction use a plastic component within the adjustable latch. This creates a very weak security system.
Enhance Design: The current hardware market is by far more diverse than five years ago. The design and finish choices are endless within all product price groups. Seek the hardware brands that are most mindful of design. One such manufacturer can be found at Fusion Hardware Group dot com. Fusion is dedicated to the design styles used in modern architecture. The hardware includes door, hinge, bath, cabinet, faucets and trim. Moen Bath Hardware and accessories can be found at CSI dot Moen dot Com. Moen now has over thirty decorative styles with various finishes. The Moen Bathware Outlet is a exceptional place to purchase online.
Tips for Design Choice:
Look at your home. Assess the roof line, doorway shapes, cabinets, door designs and any other special architectural aspects.
Look at your decor. What genre of furniture do you own? What colors are you attracted to?
Finally, look at your options. Review the design choices available.
Finish Matters: There are various schools of thought in regards to matching finishes. Aesthetically, some designers adhere to the belief that you can coordinate too much. These designers frequently inter-mix finish colors, using less rigid design rules to create a sense of comfort from chaos. Opposing views would claim that accents can be added from other decor areas, but fixtures and architectural elements should create a sense of continuity throughout the home. Who do you listen to? Consider visiting the most plush resort spa. All components are consistent and create a sense of secure leisure. Our general attraction to these environments supports our inner desire for sensible decor. Face it; those who intermix, are either deeply connected to eclectic pieces or their perception of the budget requirements has dictated a mix-and-match approach.
Finish hardware that does not match distracts the eye and takes attention off of other key aspects of the home. That which matches is rarely noticed; as it should be with hardware.
Colors of walls and wood, combined with the natural light source, dramatically impact our perception of hardware finish.
Tips for Finish Choice:
Use a sample cabinet knob against your wood finishes within your home, to adequately assess the finish color of your choice.
Use a sample robe hooks in your bathrooms, against the colored walls, to determine the best finish choice for your bath hardware.
Seek out matching faucets to match your bath and kitchen hardware.
Consider your appliance colors. A brass or copper finish with hardware does not necessarily compliment stainless steel appliances. Wood tones, also should be considered if stainless is your appliance choice.
Install with Purpose: Great care is taken when selecting fixtures, colors, flooring and countless other home design and structure components. Doors are chosen to reflect the architectural style of the home. Take just as great care with hardware.
Mortised or Drive In? More often than not, your builder will make this call for you, so stay informed.
Mortise: noun a notch, hole, groove, or slot made in a piece of wood or the like to receive a tenon of the same dimensions. A deep recess cut into wood for any of several other purposes, as for receiving a mortise lock. Drive in: verb the contractor does just that - with a hammer he drives this supreme quality latch into the hole of the door... with a hammer? Yes, with a hammer! I wonder how long its supremacy will last.
Door hardware is not our only consideration when addressing installation errors. Cabinet hardware plays a very important kitchen jewelry role. So often it is installed with little consideration given to the aesthetics it is meant to create. There are a number of solutions for cabinets that have already been drilled. A decorative back plate can hide many flaws. Bathroom Hardware installation requires the use of a level. Offset Towel Rods and Toilet Paper Holders can be very distracting.
I strongly recommend going with a company that offers installed sales. There is nothing worse than investing in quality hardware that serves your home daily only to devalue it immediately with poor and improper installation. One up and coming company that offers both in home professional sales from highly qualified design professionals and professional installation is Vicinity Hardware.
Avoid some Common Pitfalls:
Big Box Stores: Most designer hardware offered at Lowes and Home Depot requires special order. They are not able to key your entry systems alike, at the store. There are hardware providers that offer this service to their customers. DIY: Door Hardware is a complicated industry. If you are into doing the work yourself, be sure to use a hardware provider like Vicinity Hardware that will serve as an educational guide throughout your entire process. Hardware Warranty: Be sure to inquire into the warranty both finish and mechanical for the hardware you are choosing. Oftentimes the warranty is only good to the original owner. This poses a problem if you are preparing your home for sale. You get what you pay for: If it is the cheapest option out there, be prepared to pay in the long run.
Hardware is a daily Hands-On Experience. Touch it and use it. Studies indicate that the perception of value within the housing market lies within a small variation of finish components, including countertops, doors, windows and hardware. Consider the activity in your home daily. From opening cabinets, to closet doors, to entering and exiting your home; hardware is touched countless times, each and everyday. We only notice hardware directly when it interferes with our ability to use it. In this way, hardware is the most utilized fixture within any home, and the most overlooked element of function and design. Expect to spend a bit more in order to ensure the life of your hardware; a worthwhile investment that will open the door to value.
The Most Overlooked Components of Value
Echo Garrett is the CEO of Equity Enterprises LLC. She is an ASID certified designer specializing in hardware fixtures for the remodel industry. See her regular blog at http://www.buildingcredibility.com/Boise%20Home%20Design
[http://www.equityenterprisesonline.com]
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