3 Reasons Why You SHOULD Sweat the Details of Door Hardware

Choosing door hardware might not be the first or most exciting to-do item on your interior design list, but most homeowners would be surprised at how important this seemingly small choice actually is. Choosing the right hardware for your doors can mean the difference between your space looking pulled together and polished or oddly unfinished. More importantly, door hardware can affect your family's safety and security. Old, worn hardware can leave your space vulnerable, whether to break-ins or just plain breaking. (No one wants to get locked out because the doorknob is compromised!) With all these issues in play, choosing door hardware wisely is a much bigger decision than it initially seems to be.

The reasons below help illustrate why you should sweat the details about your door hardware, and what you can do to make sure yours is stylish, safe and long-lasting:

1. Security
The most important feature of your door isn't even a feature, it's a function: keeping your family safe. But according to SafeWise, over a third of all burglars enter a home through the front door! If this doesn't convince homeowners and renters that their locks are important, nothing will.

For this reason, owning security door locks is crucial. Surprisingly, the first-and most simple-defense against intruders is a simple old dead bolt lock.

When choosing a deadbolt, here are a few things you should look for to make sure intruders can't kick in the door or disable the locks:

Keeping these three things in mind will make sure your door hardware serves its main function: safety and security.

2. Style
Your front door is the one the first things people see when they approach your house, so you want it to look great. And while the door hardware inside your house might not be the first thing people notice, when it's not working your whole room can seem off-balance or unpolished.

Many homeowners and renters have door hardware throughout their homes - from knobs to locks-that is poorly chosen or mismatched. But just like a worn handbag or an unsightly necklace, the accessories your door wears can make a huge impact. Choosing wisely to suit your design is key.

To keep your rooms polished and stylish, base your design decisions for door hardware on the door's molding. Keeping consistent is always a good idea. Complement a door with softly shaped molding with a round deadbolt and fasten a square deadbolt to a door with a more angular molding.

Aim for the metal of your locks to match accents in the room. Whether aged brass, matte silver or shiny gold, different finishes matter. As for doorknobs choose ones that fit the style and period of your décor, with material-whether crystal, metal, porcelain, wood or something entirely unusual-that makes sense for your space.

3. Longevity
When it comes to door hardware, durability is vital. Pretty hardware can make your room look great, but when you have to replace fragile locks or knobs, the beauty payoff becomes less and less worth it.

On top of that, long-lasting hardware has other financial benefits: namely your property's re-sale value. Quality hardware makes your space look both good and secure to potential buyers.

To choose and maintain quality door hardware, be sure to:

All in all, choosing door hardware is both a surprisingly important design issue and a much more serious issue of safety and security. Selecting hardware that keeps your family safe while adding to the beauty and value of your property might take a little time, but it's ultimately a decision you won't regret. To ease the process, the expert knowledge of experienced retailers like Qualified Hardware can always help make your research and selection far easier.