Vintage Door Hardware

What Are The Top Types Of Vintage Door Hardware?

If you are interested in the restoration of a period home or designing a new home in vintage style you may well be wondering what the top types of vintage door hardware are.  Doors are one of the best places to add period accents easily.  Following is a discussion of the different types of vintage door hardware and what styles they come in.

Keep in mind that you can purchase true antique hardware from dealers but it is probably preferable to buy from a collection of reproductions.  You will have more style options available and the hardware will function better in most cases. 

Vintage door knobs are probably the most best known vintage hardware item.  These may be made of glass, ceramics, brass, or other materials.  The main feature that distinguishes vintage style knobs from modern knobs is that vintage knobs have some kind of ornate design on them.  If they are made of glass, they are faceted to resemble a jewel and may come in jewel tones such as emerald, sapphire or ruby.  Besides door hardware, you can find similar items on a smaller scale for pieces of antique furniture such as a cabinet. 

If the knobs are brass, usually they have elaborate designs on them. Lions and geometric patterns are highly popular, but you can even locate versions with such unique designs as geishas on them.  With ceramic or porcelain knobs, they are often found with painted floral designs on them.  These knobs have a certain whimsical charm and are more appropriate for country decor while the other styles are grander.

Other types of vintage hardware for doors include pocket door mechanisms, vintage door knockers, vintage doorbells, accessories like mail slots, and functional hardware such as latches, locks, hinges, kick and push plates. Keep in mind if you are ordering such functional hardware over the internet you need to specify whether you have a standard wooden door or a screen door. 

If you buy from a reputable manufacturer such as Omnia you are more likely to get a high quality piece.  Also, modern manufacturers tend to introduce sets of vintage looking door hardware, so you can outfit a door with, say, a new lock, a new knob and a door knocker that all are coordinated.  This is highly preferable to trying to mix and match individual pieces on your own because most people do not have the attention to detail that an interior designer has and will make visual mistakes doing it this way.