When it comes to enhancing the overall style and visual interest of your home there is one thing I believe to be crucial… and that’s the details! I feel like one detail that’s often overlooked and that you’ll rarely find people talking about is door knobs! But let’s take it a step further… What about mix and match door knob styles?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Nostalgic Warehouse. As always, all opinions are my own.
We go gah-gah over paint colors, wall treatments and decor that we stuff into our rooms, but door knobs are the first impression. Check out my first blog post on How to Make a Good First Impression with Updated Door Knobs.
In that post I covered how door handles and knobs can really set the tone of a room or space, but here we’ll be answering the question…
“Do all the doorknobs in your home need to match?”
No! Your door knobs do not all have to match. By keeping a common style or finish you can easily mix and match door knobs or handles in your home to create a collected feel.
Despite my constant Pinterest and home decor hashtag scrolling I have yet to come across this topic. So as a self-proclaimed hardware mix-n-matching pioneer, let’s explore how to mix and match door hardware while keeping with a cohesive look.
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How to mix and match hardware in your home
There is such a range of styles and finishes to choose from when door knob shopping. It can be a big overwhelming to commit to just one type of hardware, and I don’t know about you, but I have some commitment issues with huge decisons like this, especially when they effect every area of my home! So why do we have to select just one? I loved the idea of mixing a variety of finishes!
1. Consider Your Home’s Era
The most important thing to keep in mind when mixing and matching door hardware is the time era of your home or the overall style you’re after.
While there are general guidelines, there is no definitive answer when it comes to selecting the perfect combination of door handles and hardware. If you have a home with clear architectural details from a certain period, I would suggest keeping true to some of these original design details.
For my home build in the early 2000s, it wasn’t set in a period. Quite the opposite, in fact, it had zero style! But when I did my Easy Craftsman Style Door Casing Update I kind of committed to a craftsman look throughout the entire home, or at least a nod to this time period. So when considering door hardware, I wanted to incorporate details from decorative door knobs of that time – think long plate styles and crystal knobs.
2. Group Cohesive Finishes
Mixing interior door knobs or levers can be done and is a great way to add interest to your home, but if done in a haphazard manner could go terribly wrong. So while I claim there are no rules, I will suggest some guidelines. I HIGHLY recommend keeping the finish consistent within each area of your home and sticking with the same repeating patterns.
General Rule for Mix and Match Door Knobs
If you can see both knobs from standing in one spot, they should be the same finish, but not necessarily the same style. Unless you have a purposefully contrasting door, in that case, you can go with totally different finishes.
For the upstairs hallway, I went with long plates and simple knobs in timeless bronze for all the doors that swung into or out of the hall. To keep the timeless bronze trend going I stuck with this finish type for the closet doors in the bedroom.
However, I opted for classic rosette styles for the bedroom closets, instead of long plates. The closet doors are a bit narrower and a great opportunity to scale down in the door knob size.
But because each bedroom has its own feel I played with different knob styles, while keeping the finish and rosette the same. For the guest room I selected a glam meadow crystal knob, but for Kevin’s office kept it simple with a simple knob.
Downstairs is a whole different story, however. Downstairs feels separate enough from the upstairs that I went Antique Brass, a whole new finish. One reason for veering into completely different finishes was the big decision for the exterior entry set. I knew I wanted something gold against the newly painted front door opposed to timeless bronze which just wouldn’t pop quite like I wanted.
So with the exterior hardware selected in an Antique Brass, I opted to keep the entire downstairs cohesive by repeating this color finish. But again, keeping the finishes the same for each area is helpful in creating a unified look with a common thread, while still playing with different styles.
For the remainder of the downstairs I’ll be going with Nostalgic Warehouse’s Cottage Short with New York Knob. Photos to come after our kitchen remodel…
3. Stick to a Pattern
You may be thinking… but Jess! You already broke your own rule and used a totally different knob on the black laundry doors in the upstairs hallway. This is correct, but here’s where a fun exception comes into play. If you have an opportunity to mix things up within the same space, at least keep the pattern consistent.
Everywhere upstairs our door handles are timeless bronze except the laundry bifold doors (I added fancy hardware hoping they’d look more like French doors). How did I get away with this? Because the laundry double doors are painted black, which felt like an excuse to change up the style here. Instead, over the black I wanted a little more contrast so I went with a gold classic rosette and oval crystal knob – a completely different metal finish AND a different knob style. But this works, because the door itself is a different color from the rest of my taupe doors.
The only other example I’ve seen for mixing and matching hardware was Boxwood & Spruce over on Nostalgic Warehouse website. She went with crystal knobs for all their wooden doors and a simple porcelain knob for the painted doors. Again, sticking to a pattern makes this mix and match door knob design choice totally work!
4. If You’re Going to Mix n Match Door Knobs, Make it Bold
Using the hallway coordinating combo as my example, the timeless bronze and gold are a bold enough contrast it looks intentional. If you’re going to mix and match interior door handles, I wouldn’t go with finishes that are too similar. Black knobs paired with oil-rubbed bronze will be like dressing navy with black, I just don’t see it working out well. Instead, use black mixed with gold or brushed gold with brushed nickel. Essentially you don’t want to mix metals within the same family.
5. Keep the Color Scheme Small
According to interior designers, you can successfully mix up to 3 different metals in your home. However, I recommend keeping it simple with 2 finish styles. This will keep things easy for you in your selecting process and help things not get too busy. I recommend selecting a primary metal color and an accent that you’ll sprinkle into areas like my black laundry doors.
6. Experiment with Different Sizes
To add visual interest and create a unique look, experiment with door hardware in different sizes. Revisiting the upstairs bedroom closet example – if you have a narrower door or a closet door compared to a bedroom or bath door, consider scaling down. By sticking with the same finish you can play around with a slightly different style that still compliments the larger door knobs.
Can I mix and match door knobs and handles?
The answer is absolutely, Yes! Mixing and matching door hardware is a simple way to add some interest and fun to your home. Mixing metals throughout the home is actually encouraged. It helps create a space with some dimension and lends itself to a more collected look.
The great news is that there are a variety of finishes and door knob styles available, catering to every particular taste. Whether you prefer a modern look with sleek stainless steel handles, a Victorian theme with crystal knobs, or a contemporary vibe with brushed nickel hardware, the options are endless.
Experiment with different finishes, sizes, and styles while keeping a common thread throughout your space.
Mixing and matching door hardware is a fun and creative way to bring in your own personality and style into your home. With the right combination of new hardware, you can achieve a perfect mix and match look that ties your entire home together. Remember, there are no hard and fast rules—let your creativity guide you.
Girl Behind the Blog
I’m Jess, the creator of Oak & Grain. A mid-west girl at heart who now resides in Raleigh, NC. I love finding old things and giving them new purpose by way of refinishing or incorporating unexpected, overlooked thrift store finds in the modern home. I work full-time in medicine and I love dipping into my creative side and in the process, keeping my sanity. Follow me on Instagram and YouTube to see more behind the scenes action.