When you’re fitting a door or making repairs it can be easy to forget that there are all kinds of accessories on offer to finish off the feature. This not only acts as a way of making the door more useful, but can also protect it from harm and see to it that the overall look of the door works better. Sometimes it can be easy to remember the basics and forget about other furniture and accessories that people are looking in their doors at the moment. Here are some of the top options if you want to offer a better range of fittings to go along with a standard entranceway.
Letterboxes are something that people tend to keep simple, but there’s no need to think small. If you offer a storm guard brush on a letter box you’re helping to insulate the opening and making a feature of it. The fibres of the brush help to trap heat inside, meaning that your heating costs go a lot further. Similarly a good piece of door ironmongery is a kicking plate, to trap heat and also provide a lock for the letter box which can be sealed at night to stop any unwanted post. Finally if the people in the property have pets they might consider a wire guard to catch the post before it hits the floor. That way they get all the bills they’re supposed to.
Door stops are another thing that people sometimes overlook. A good door stop can prevent damage to the interior of a property, and prevent damage to the door itself too. If you get spring door stops you can fit them discretely to a wall or floor. Oval door stops are more popular in offices and schools as they’re incredibly easy to fit and highly durable, meaning they can take the hammer of lots of people passing back and forth during the day. Escutcheons for keyholes are another form of protection for when you know people are going to be going in and out a lot. Some chrome escutcheons are a good idea of office rooms that need to be sealed at night.
When it comes to door handles the options are almost endless. The key thing is to make sure it matches the door. If you’re working in an institution a simple Oxford handle will do the job, but to personalise things for a property you might want to consider something fancier. The door handle is one of the first impressions people get of a house, so something like a Victorian handle with a privacy lever can make a big difference to the ornate feel of a place.
It’s good to think about function when it comes to interior doors, especially when you’re dealing with a working space. It’s amazing how few places have space to put your coat in this day an age. Get a coat or double wardrobe hook on the back of a door and the problem’s solved. It’s not rocket science, but it pays to think about these things.
Thanks to Will Poole for this article. Will loves to blog on home improvement and works for an online builders merchants in the UK.