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Home Decorating

Need Door Hardware Advice

11 years ago

We are having the exterior of our house painted. The painters started yesterday. We want to replace the front door hardware. The replacement hardware comes in oil rubbed bronze or satin nickel. The current hardware is polished brass but after 25 years it is tarnished and pitted and looks pretty bad. We have always had a white door, but will probably go with red or dark blue this time. (The house will remain gray and shutters black.) I can't decide what type of finish for the hardware would look best on a red door or dark blue door. I can't picture the oil rubbed bronze with those colors and the satin nickel might stand out too much. I would probably choose polished brass if it came in that finish just because I have seen that done. (Although I know polished brass seems to be out of fashion.)

The hardware replacement only comes in those two finishes and we have to go with that type of hardware because the old one is a funny type of configuration and the one we are considering would fit in that spot. Any help with choice of finishes would be appreciated. I need to choose soon!

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Comments (5)

lukkiirish
11 years ago
ORB is probably the most popular but I much prefer the contrast and clean look of the brushed nickel. We've had it on our white door now for about 4 years, it looks beautiful and wears really well.
nini804
11 years ago
Hmmm...I'm with you, I'd probably like the polished brass on your home better as well. But, since you are have to choose between ORB and brushed nickel...I think I would like the ORB on the door if you painted it red, and the BN on the blue door. ORB read almost black to me, and that would look nice with red. I think the BN would be pretty with blue...but as a general rule I am not a huge fan of BN on exterior hardware (or interior hardware...except for kitchen and bath cabs.) I don't know why, but it seems like a kitchen and bath finish to me. I freely admit that is an odd quirk!
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gmp3
11 years ago
I think the BN would look lovely on blue or red, and might not look as dated as the ORB in the future.
iris_9
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, everyone for the advice! We decided to go with a red door. We went to the "door store" today and bought the ORB hardware.
lindac
11 years ago
I would polish up the old hardware. The hardware on my front and back doors is almost 80 years old and it looks great. Iw as going to replace it about 10 years ago and the "lock guy" said that they don't make good lock sets like that any more and he could fix it up like new.....and he did!

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