Home Remodel: How to Choose Designer Hardware

One of the least expensive ways you can spruce up your house during a home remodel is by replacing your old, dated hardware with new designer hardware.

If done right, new hardware can give a room or home a completely new feel. Here are three tips to keep in mind before you start shopping for designer hardware:

Remember What’s Important

Although you are likely replacing your current hardware because of how it looks, that is actually not the most important aspect of choosing new hardware during a home remodel. What is more important is how the hardware feels and functions. In a few months, you will not care how stylish some new drawer pulls or door knobs look if they feel cumbersome in your hand or are awkward to use. It is a smart idea to either purchase your hardware in person, so you can see how it feels before you buy it, or order a sample of the hardware you are looking at instead of purchasing every piece all at once. Additionally, you should think about how the hardware functions. Novelty knobs may be great for the china cabinet you rarely open, but probably not for the silverware drawer.

Select a Design Theme

An older home remodel design idea was to make everything match, including the hardware. While this is still a perfectly valid design theme, it is not a requirement. You can feel free to mix and match various metals, but just make sure they contrast enough so that it looks intentional. You can also vary the actual design style of the hardware too (meaning you don’t have to feel obligated to buy every piece from a designer’s collection). You can stick to the same collection, for sure! But don’t feel like you have to. When mixing and matching designers, still try to select hardware pieces that have similar features. For example, if you want to go a little more modern, choose in different shapes hardware that all have clean lines.

Beware of Trends

Remember, this is your home remodel. Just because a hardware style is trendy, it does not mean that it is right for you and your home. If your home has a Victorian style, adding contemporary square knobs may not go with the rest of the home. Replacing hardware is a relatively inexpensive aspect of a home remodel project, but that doesn’t mean you want to replace your hardware every two years. Choose a style that you like and that feels as though it will still look aesthetically pleasing five or ten years down the road when the trends have changed.