We have a totally traditional house and have levers and they don't look modern at all. Funny story though. When DS was in college he came home one day and was trudging down the hall, as boys that age are apt to do, and caught the strap of his back pack on the lever handle of the linen closet. Because he was moving rather quickly, before he knew what was happening, it spun him around and slammed his face into the wall. When he called to tell me he was going to the eye doctor to replace the glasses that were just broken, he couldn't stop lauging. He's 35 now and we still laugh about it. That being said, I've caught the strap of my purse on DM's door knobs many times, so I think there are pros and cons for each. I did read somewhere that levers were better for the elderly and handicapped. Good luck!

The information posted above is not entirely accurate. Although most window and door dealers do not have "standard" non-lever handle styles, they are common and are available. They also perform well, if not in a round design, because the multi-point door gears do require additional torque to disengage. Levers work best, but oval handles are sufficient. Your door representative should simply apply some minor research and I'd bet that Andersen can supply them for you. If not, there are custom hardware manufacturers that make the correct hardware for most major window and door manufacturer's size specifications. One that comes to mind is named Emtek or Emtec, and their products are reasonably priced. Oval knobs have become quite common in bear country, as bears quickly determine how to use a lever handle to gain access into homes. We use oval handles on the exterior sides of almost all of our mountain home construction, and they are supplied by our window and door vendors. It was not an easy product to acquire up until about 5 years ago, but now it is a very common handle style. As for clearance on the interior, we have also used the extensions (we commonly use a combination of lever interior and oval exterior handles). The extension allows the interior blind to slip between the lever handle and the door. However, the blinds often requested on our projects consist of wide wooden slats, so the extensions still don't work well. We often suggest a cloth shade with brass rods top and bottom, in leiu of blinds, for door applications. This affords privacy, while also allowing some natural light through the fabric, unless they are pulled to the sides for full light exposure. Most importantly, this eliminates swinging blinds each time the door is used.

My door lever on the bathroom door is polished chrome on the inside to match the bathroom fixtures and brushed nickel on the outside. I bought this in a local store that sells higher end bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures door knobs, locks, etc. They did not display any two tone levers or knobs, but when I asked, I was told which items came with the two finishes.

Levers are easier to use when your hands are full but they also get caught on things you are wearing or carrying. Historically, levers were mortised sets with strong mechanisms. Today's cylindrical sets have torsion springs that are weaker. The thing to avoid is cheap cylindrical lever sets because the spring can eventually allow the lever to sag. Expect to pay more for the best cylindrical lever sets. Here's how to repair an Entek lever set.