10 Door handle finishes and what’s popular in 2020
The type of finish you choose will greatly enhance the sort after interior atmosphere. Your door and cabinet hardware are far more critical than previously understood. Even at a sub conscious level we are affected by the objects around us, and further, by the items with which we interact. I.e., taps, cutlery, door handles and cabinet handles. Read more about this here.
Our team of specialists in this area, have dug deep into their collective professional knowledge and describe the extensive number of finishes available in 2020. They also provide a commentary on what’s popular currently.
Graphite Nickel
One for the ages, this finish is new for 2020 and has been very quick out of the starting blocks. Sitting in the middle of mat black and stainless steel in pigmentation, graphite nickel exudes warmth with attitude and charm. Its gun metal but not; Its brown but its not. So then what is it? Graphite Nickel!
Brushed Nickel
Brushed Nickel is a subdued silver with a lustrous luminosity that speaks to the heart. Its pearl like hues bring out the luxurious tones and is the reason that Brushed Nickel is high on the list of favourites. Another benefit – It pretty much goes with anything and is especially congruous with stainless steel.
Two tone – Brushed Nickel/Chrome Plate
This has been a game changer. It infuses touches of chrome into the handle with the main colour being brushed nickel. One of the most popular selections over the past few years, two tone is a fantastic choice where you want to merge finishes in other rooms that have chrome. The bathroom is a great example, where the accessories are full chrome. Two tone allows the infusion of finishes bringing about professional coordination.
Matt Black
Black but not. Matt Black is really a tone of black with the emphasis being on matt. It’s been a staple diet of consumers for the last 2 – 3 years and continues to be so. It pretty much goes with any colour. But for that really stunning contrast, try black on white.
Satin Chrome
Satin Chrome has been popular for over 20 years and continues to be so. It is a contemporary style colour and it has its genesis in the Bauhaus movement. The Bauhaus was founded by architect Walter Gropius in Weimar. This movement strove to combine beauty with usefulness and attempted to unify the principles of mass production with individual artistic vision. Satin Chrome compliments anything within this style but also has touches of industrial and post-modern periods in its DNA. Satin Chrome is also very common in industrial applications
Chrome Plate
Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness. It is a striking finish and is often used in accessorising bathrooms or kitchens. It remains a staple choice for exactly the above reasons.
Satin Brass
Satin brass is a new finish and can be described as a softer tone to outright brass. Its style is vintage and Victorian but depending on the architectural style of the handle is very versatile.
Vintage Pewter
Like its name suggests, Vintage Pewter harks back to days of old. But its an incredibly versatile colour. It is a mix between brass and gun metal with hints of both seen in the stressed surface finish.
Rustic Brass
Rustic brass is much more brassy and rusticy in the flesh! It speaks of hints of lighter brown flayed with undertones of mat brass. If you are wanting to make a classy statement, look no further. The darker colour is predominant but that only brings out the vibrancy of the yellow tones of glowing brass. It’s a new finish and a beauty.
Powder coated
We mention powder coated because it’s becoming a very common way to obtain exactly the colour you desire. Dulux has one of the best selections and you can browse at your leisure here. There are over 1000 colours available so you can match anything. From yellow in the Bahamas to pink in Antarctica we’ve seen it all.
It’s incredible how audacious people are sometimes in getting it just the way they want it. Be it flagrant breaches of common interior design principles or rigid adherence to design styles it really doesn’t matter. Its your choice. On that note, if you are thinking of selling any time soon, remember that buyers prefer it more on the conventional side in terms of styles, finish and colour schemes. Another thing to bear in mind is matching styles and finish. See points 11 and 12 below.
Finish variations – from different manufacturers & suppliers
When choosing new hardware, options are key. Variation in finish from brand to brand is inevitable. Company A’s brushed nickel may look completely different to company B’s brushed nickel. It is therefore very important that specifiers and consumers are aware of this when selecting products.
Finish variations – door and cabinet hardware
One other problem relates to matching the door hardware with the cabinet hardware. Mostly there is no coordination of door and cabinet hardware selection. The builder normally supplies the door hardware and the cabinet maker supplies the cabinet hardware. Where this often plays out is when the two are finally put together and the discrepancy is noticed. By then it is always too late, and the end user is often left dissatisfied. Therefore, be aware of this and where possible, it is by far the best option to ensure that the door hardware and cabinet hardware are selected from the one manufacturer. This ensures consistency in both style and finish.
