Be honest: Do you notice door knobs?

[lmdbww]

haha Most random question of the day, I bet.

Maybe i'm just one of those weirdos who notices this stuff, but I randomly dislike gold doorknobs and I notice other people's door knobs too. lol (not in a judgy fashion, I just notice this stuff.)

So, we switched out all of the knobs and hinges in our old house to satin nickel and are starting to do the same in our new house. We replaced the 3 exterior doors with these from Lowes:


My plan was to find the matching interior knobs (which I did find, on ebay) and switch them out so everything matches. For all of the knobs that we'd need, it comes to $238 (that is pretty much the cheapest price for everything that we'd need).

Or, I can use the same knobs we used in our old house, satin nickel but the "tulip" style (they would look like this:

The total for those would come to $148.

We can afford it, that isn't really the issue, I guess i'm just wondering if it's worth it. Does anyone else really pay attention to this random stuff besides me?

[mrs.jacinthe]

The only time I notice interior knobs is when I'm actually using one. So in someone else's house, that might be the guest room and the bathroom. But I don't care a lick about other people's knobs (gigglesnort) as long as they properly open and shut the door.

[hunniapple]

I notice but I thought I was the exception. We have replaced almost all hardware in our house (and will be replacing the rest) from a mixture of brass/chrome and satin nickel to just satin nickel - so far this includes hinges on all doors, interior and exterior light fixtures, doorknobs, bathroom towel racks and tp holders...I even had to have the frame pieces of glass panels in our new front door be satin nickel. I hate brass and I love coordination

ETA - I care about my own and I might notice other people's but really I don't care as long as mine is how I like it.

[ssmjlm]

I notice, but I probably wouldn't care if exterior knobs and interior knobs were different.

We have all lever handles except for our front door. We have one of the nice front door handles, but it came with just a round interior handle. I was going to buy another set to mix and match, but DH said that was going too far with my type A.

[kaylie]

I'm not sure if you saw my post a week or so ago about H complaining that our upstairs knobs no longer "work" but because of that, I notice them. We're changing ours out to ORB finish and the ones that have a freshly painted white door with a new knob look great.

If I were normal, I don't think I would notice.

FWIW, I love the first one and I'd shell out the extra $$ for it. It's not like you replace them that often.

[minniebee]

I notice the type (knobs vs levers) more than the finish on them.

[315bride]

Yes, but I am the type that goes to places like the Breakers and freaks out over the amazing doors and hardware.

I agree with pp that it would only make a difference if something were significant about it. So either very different from the others or just unusual.

[grover]

Ours will all match, but it's because when we went to menards last week to order a door, all of the knobs were on sale. Since it would bug my H if they didn't match, we bought enough to replace all of the upstairs knobs to match even though we aren't ready to swap out the upstairs doors yet.

[Susie]

I care that they match, and that they feel nice when operated. I don't care much about what style they are.

I am not a fan of yellowy brass, but I'm waiting to change that detail about our house until we do the interior doors too.

[housegeek]

I don't notice style or anything, but I notice if it's clean or not although now I might notice haha.

[OscarQ]

Yes, I notice door knobs. I like the ones you picked out.

[aweilba]

I honestly only notice them if they are that gold/brass color. Other than that, unless it's something really spectacular, I don't notice.

[lmdbww]

Thanks everyone!

[auntie]

I so notice door knobs. When I re-did my last house the contractor bought the wrong knobs and I noticed immediately. I wanted brass colonial and he put brass tulips on.

I realize that metal finishes are cyclical- I like brushed nickel but worry it will become dated over time like my SIL's "antique brass". I don't like the brushed nickel in the tulip style, they look sort of institutional/commercial.

[sratsey]

I only notice a nob if it's particularly nice. Otherwise I can't say I remember either way what finish is on any know.

[Ramz-ee]

Yes, I notice. I'm very anal about that stuff.

[TBM]

I notice doorknobs the way that I notice watches on other people. I might notice that someone is wearing a watch, like I am aware that doors have doorknobs, but I don't take much notice unless either of them are particularly nice looking.

I want to replace our doorknobs. I have never liked them, but they didn't bother me. Now (after close to 20 years), we have one that is dented and they look kind of worn, so they bug me.

I think the first ones you posted look much nicer, and would be worth the extra cost, but I probably wouldn't pay more than that. I would rather spend the money on something nice for the walls or on furniture than on doorknobs that will attract attention. I guess I don't care if people admire my doors, although that doesn't apply to front doors....I think front doors should garner attention.

[pitterwoo]

I personally dislike the tulip style and like someone else said that they feel a little more institutional for some reason. I would definitely pay more in this case.

I will throw it out there that you might want to paint what you have now. I did it with my upstairs knobs (downstairs ones are glass) and thought it wouldn't hold up, but it's been like 3 years and they haven't chipped or rubbed off. A silver looking paint wouldn't probably look good though, so maybe this won't help you anyway. Bronze, or ORB seems to look good in spray paint.

[amblor]

I have the ones that match your outside knobs and my parents put in the tulip ones. I likewise the round so so much better in look and feel.

Yes, I notice knobs and hardware in homes and offices.

[pitterwoo]

Jul 13, 2012 18:20:40 GMT -5 operagirl said:

I notice if they don't match. I will say I love my vintage glass door knobs. When I buy new French doors in the addition, I'll use old matching knobs instead of the levers there now.

Do you need a kit to convert new doors to accept old style hardware?

[emisi]

I honestly only notice if they're particularly interesting. So not usually.

[statlerwaldorf]

Jul 14, 2012 17:15:15 GMT -5 emisi said:

I honestly only notice if they're particularly interesting. So not usually.

Me too. Mine are old, but kind of cool and unique. It bothered me not to have them match since the front door had a modern gold and the rest of the knobs were old and bronze.

[bonquiqui]

Yes, I notice, and if it was my house I would want brushed nickel levers, or even the bronze kind, that looks blackish. If it is someone else's house, I would notice, but I wouldn't care.

[smucky]

I notice if I don't like them (i.e. shiny brass, etc.) and I notice if the finishes match / are attractive...i.e. all ORB, all satin nickel, etc. It doesn't bug me if the styles/types aren't the same. It bugs me more in my house or in a prospective house than in other people's homes.