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Different door hardware on 1st/2nd Floor OK?

11 years ago

Hi Everyone, I have a handyman coming over to do some stuff for me. One of the things he'll do is switch out ugly scratched up builder doorknobs in our two story colonial. I bought door hardware from Lowe's -- it's an antiqued brass lever with a curlicue kind of shape. It seems to work pretty well with my first floor decor which has oriental rugs, traditional antiques, etc. But I'm thinking of doing plain round button style door knobs in the same antiqued brass color on the second floor where the bedroom doors are. The elaborate handsets feel like overkill in the private area of the house plus they seem so formal upstairs. Do you think door hardware has to match throughout the whole house? Another not insignificant detail -- the hardware from downstairs costs $27 for each handset and the round button hardware only costs $10. I have 10 doors, so that's a pretty big difference when you add it all up.

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Comments (7)

muse-decor.com
11 years ago
As long as all the knobs have the same finish (antique brass) they do not have to match throughout your home. The finish is the important part. If the finish is the same on all the knobs your home will have a more cohesive feel.
judithn
Original Author
11 years ago
This the door hardware we're using on the first floor. Would you prefer to see it throughout the whole house or should I do a simple round knob on the bedroom doors on the second floor?

The hardware is called the Lido in antique brass.

Here is a link that might be useful: LIDO Antique Brass
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Olychick
11 years ago
If you are happy with using the round hardware, then changing it to something more expensive seems unnecessary. Especially since none of it will be visible from one area to another, but even then, it's fine. I replaced my french doors and they have lever doorhandles, but the rest of the whole house has round knobs. The finish is the same and I never think a thing about it. I'm sure not one person who's ever come here even noticed it.
tracie.erin
11 years ago
I've read here that it used to be common for a less expensive option to be used in the private areas of a home; for example, pine floors upstairs while there's oak downstairs, or painted trim up and stained down. Why not door hardware? I think it's appropriate and it will be nice to have that little change.

This post was edited by tracie.erin on Tue, Feb 5, 13 at 9:24
palimpsest
11 years ago
I agree, you could match the finish and go with a different shape, like the knob.
chispa
11 years ago
We have levers on the outside french doors and knobs on interior doors. They look fine. They are all the same brand and finish.
judithn
Original Author
11 years ago
Okay, so I was set to listen y'all and do the levers on the first floor and simple knobs on the second and the handyman (and handywoman - they're a married couple working together) and she said "Oh, that antiqued brass finish is so outdated. You should do a pewter finish." And I went "gulp" and was thrown into total indecision so they didn't install any of it! I know the silvery finishes are in but they look super contemporary to me. Uh oh. Who thinks installing antiqued brass is a mistake? Haven't I heard that the gold tones are coming back???

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