Decorative Hardware

The first thing guests would notice when they enter my home is the front door. It is not your ordinary front door because I had one custom made especially for my home.

I have always dreamt of a cabin-like, hacienda-type retreat, hence, I made sure that the finest details, from the iron entry door knob to the wooden flooring, are featured. It’s a dream come true to be living in such a wonderful place I can call my own.

The Color Wheel can be an invaluable tool when designing a color scheme for any setting.  It is important that you understand color theory in order to use it properly.  When color theory is understood, it is easy to put together a masterpiece of color and design.

There are 3 primary colors Red, Blue, and Yellow.  Any other color can be made using only these three colors.  When the primary colors are mixed 2 at a time they make up the secondary colors Orange, Violet, and Green.  There are 6 Tertiary colors that are made up by mixing a primary with a secondary color (e.g. blue+green=turquoise).  In certain combinations these colors will exhibit different characteristics.  Every color has its complimentary color.  Complimentary colors are found on opposite sides of the color wheel.  When these colors are used next to each other, they make each other appear to be more vibrant (e.g. red and green).  Harmonious colors are those colors that appear adjacent to each other on the wheel.  These colors flow well together, hence the name, harmonious (e.g. Magenta, Violet, Purple). Those colors from Yellow to Red are considered warm colors, and those from blue to violet are cool colors.  One can use these principles to design a color scheme that not only flows well but also draws attention where it is desired (Paintings, Artwork, or Decorative Hardware) and away from the least desired aspects of a room (Old furniture or worn-out door hardware).  Keeping color theory in mind, there is one fatal mistake that many do-it-yourselfers make, and that is that some colors can be so brilliant that they are distracting and maybe should not be used in quiet places such as offices and bedrooms.  These quiet places should have either cool colors or earth tones to limit this interference.  With these simple ideas in mind anyone can create a colorful, yet modest color scheme to delight any guest.

With all of the wide variety of hardware available these days it is easy to just throw up the necessary hardware and forget about the rest.  Those extras that have been given up are an easy way to add an extra flare to your home.  One of the most neglected areas is the front entrance.  When you have finished all of your landscaping and just aren’t satisfied with your home’s curb appeal, look to those extras.

 There are many different peices of hardware that can be used to spruce up your front entryway.  Add a decorative peep hole or speakeasy.  Door viewers come in many different styles to fit any prefference, or try a decorative speakeasy grill for your door.  Try the long forgotten door knocker to add a mideval touch, or a fancy bell button for that modern appeal.  Whatever your home appeal you can find some extras to jazz it up and differentiate your home.

I decided that maybe it was time to do something a little different this week and made plans to go on a tour of an old long forgotten ghost town.  It was about a 2 hour drive from my home in Montana, but well worth the beautiful scenery along the way.  Our tour bus brought us right to the front entrance of this historic place, where an old weathered log gate welcomed any visitor that happened by.

As we all got off the bus, I couldn’t help but notice the old rustic iron strap hinge that was attached to the gate itself, hand crafted from some hardworking blacksmith who had lived here long ago.  Our tour guide took us past many little shops and homes where folks lived a simple and hardworking lifestyle.  On our ride home, I reflected how nice it would be to be able to live in some respects like those folks did long ago.

Cabinet knob backplates are an important decorative feature, but they also provide another great advantage.  They help to protect your cabinet finish as well as hide those old hardware holes.  Cabinet backplates can be found just about anywhere that sells  cabinet knobs and pulls, and they come in many different materials and designs.

 When upgrading your cabinet hardware it is important to first clean up the cabinet doors themselves.  After years of wear the finish is bound to be scuffed and scratched especially around the knobs.  This area is the most touched and therefore often the most abused.  Sometimes this area is so abused that it is beyond repair, but the rest of the cabinet door is in good condition, or maybe the doors are in good condition but the new hardware that you have chosen comes in sizes that don’t match the existing holes.  There is an easy solution that often is not thought of, a backplate.  Backplates can hide those existing holes and defects and cost much less than replacing the cabinet doors.  Backplates can also add style to your outdated doors, and strengthen loose knobs.  When you encounter any of these problems the best and easiest way to stay under budget is to use backplates.

There are many different types of decorative hardware available these days.  The types of hardware range from plain plastic to ornate glass, and are available from a wide variety outlets.  Decorative hardware can be purchased at almost any local hardware store or for more of a selection there is a wide variety of online sources.

The main types of decorative hardware are plastic, glass, and metal.  There are a number of charecteristics to keep in mind when choosing the type of hardware that you will use in your home.  Some of these are style, durability, affordability, and intricacy.  If the hardware is in a place that will get a lot of use (e.g. Front Door), then you will need to make sure that the hardware is very durable.  If the goal is just to improve the look and you dont mind changing it often (e.g. a rental appartment), then maybe the most affordable will appeal to you.  whatever the criteria you decide is most important to you, it is important to note that just because a brand is plastic does not necessarily mean that it is going to be cheap. Likewise, because a brand is metal does not mean that it will be durable.  The rule to remember is ” you get what you pay for” this is the best way to judge the quality of the hardware you are looking at.

I’m one of those guys that just down right hates flying.  But because of a recent family matter involving a biolgical brother that I had never even met before, I found myself scheduled on a flight across the continental United States bound for New York.  When I left Montana, the weather was warm and clear, but as we started to cross the plains over the midwestern part of the country, I became extremely nervous at the sight of a fierce looking thunderhead we seemed to be headed into.

The turbulence began to shake the plane erratically as the pilot gave us a verbal warning that it was going to get very rough!  The sweat was running down my forhead as I sat with my hands clinging to my seat.  Lightning and thunder was lashing at us with every second, for what seemed like one of the longest 15 minutes I’ll ever remember.  Finally the ordeal was over and we landed safely at our destination without incident.

After retrieving my baggage, I was soon heading out of the airport still shaking as I drove off down the hiway in my newly aquired sporty rental.  Finding my long lost brothers place wasn’t a problem and was soon ringing his door bell thinking how good it was to be alive.

Ever been down and out with nothing but the negative side of life hitting you over and over from day to day?  Boy, do I know the feeling!  I’ve been laid off for a 6 months now with a family to support and with the never ending bills that never seem to quit piling up,  I just could’t handle it anymore.  Last week while I was at the local convenience store buying some groceries, I decided that maybe I should try purchasing a state lottery ticket  just for the heck of it.   Returning to the store a couple of days later, the cashier informed me that there had been a winner and maybe that I should check out my ticket.  I couldn’t believe my eyes when all the numbers on my ticket matched the winning draw!  The amount won was $110,000.00 before Uncle Sam’s take!

Wow, my life had just taken a positive swing upwards, a break that was very much needed.  After paying off all our outstanding bills, we actually had some spending money left over.  My wife being the good woman that she is, got the rest of the winnings and went shopping the next couple of days for some new furniture and bathroom accessories.  What got delivered the next day was one of the most beautiful vintage style bathtubs I had ever seen!  I guess maybe life can make one of those 90 degree turns.  Hopefully it can happen for you too!

Life is full of ups and downs.  Whether its sorrow or joy, one can never expect what the future may bring.  Last year, my ailing dad finally went to meet his maker.  It was a very hard and sorrowful time for me and the whole family.  I was his only child, so I guess that’s why he had left me his beautiful home when he passed away.  Well, regardless of my mournful loss, I had to get on with my life and move on.

A couple of months had passed and I finally made the desicion to drive over and sort through all of his possessions.  Boy, was my work cut out for me!  My dear dad was quite the collector I should say the least.  He was especially found of things made from iron and handcrafted at that.  In one area of his shop I found a wooden box full of every kind and shape of wrought iron hardware imaginable.  From decorative door hardware that included exterior and interior door sets, a beautiful jumping fish towel holder and even a uniquely shaped toilet paper holder-imagine that!

Now we have in our home those same sentimental pieces of iron that dear old dad had cherished so much, so we could constantly remember the man that we loved.

I was innocent.  The courts had charged me with a crime that I didn’t commit.  It was truly a case of mistaken identity!  My future was now in the hands of the court, and their wrongful evidence was like a hungry shark waiting for an easy meal.  The verdict came quickly enough and my heart stopped as I heard the word guilty!  My whole life was ruined because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  The judge had sentenced me to 20 years in the State prison with a possibility for parole in 10 years if I decided to apply myself to a newly established work program that the state used for non-violent offenders.

It didn’t take me long to figure out that sitting in a cell all day was going to make my day any shorter, and reluctantly signed up for work detail.  Never would I have thought in a thousand years that my ankle would be chained to a 20 pound ball of iron while slaving in the hot sun along public highway.  Looking down at my ankle, the ring of steel that held me from freedom kinda reminded me of the towel ring that hung on my bathroom wall back at home.  I guess it was good for me to get my mind off the present situation that I was in order to make my stay a little easier.  So much for justice!