As you may already know, every ounce of decor and every improvement I make in our house is intended to give it the classic details and character that you would find in a charming older home. About 6 months after we moved into the house, I added floor to ceiling board and batten and it totally transformed the look and feel of the space. However, something was missing - great door hardware.

Here’s a “before” shot from shortly after we moved in. Don’t mind toddler Emme in time out.

I had swapped the ugly brass hardware for basic black knobs - which was a definite upgrade, but because the hallway was pretty stark and white, the cheap knobs stood out in a bad way. Also, when we replaced our front door two summers ago, I didn’t spend enough time shopping for a great exterior lockset. Honestly, I didn’t think that a great looking door lockset was that important - I wanted the door to stand out, not the hardware. Wrong! The stock set that I grabbed from the hardware store cheapened the look of the door. After installing it and not liking it, I started admiring other knobs and handles on old homes, and I came to realize that I love an exterior knob and long backplate (opposed to the lever style I originally chose) . The look is just so classic!

You may remember that we upgraded our upstairs hallway door hardware last year with really fancy knobs from Grandeur Hardware [see the post about it]. Let me tell you, they are like jewelry for the hallway, and the perfect finishing touch for that space.

The downstairs of our house is a little less fancy, and a little more utilitarian (on purpose). My family is tough on my furniture, walls, floors -everything. With the downstairs hallway being the main thoroughfare of the house and the constant use of our front door, I knew I needed to incorporate materials that could take a beating but still look really good. Just as I was on the hunt for the perfect door hardware for the hallway and front door, Regal Brands, the makers of my upstairs Grandeur Hardware knobs, announced that they recently launched a new brand, Ageless Iron. Ageless Iron is unique from their other brands because of it’s bold, rustic styling and solid feel of bronze. For me, the look and style was perfect, and more importantly the quality was impeccable too! The Vale Short Plate with the Keep Knob style totally fit the bill for the hallway doors, and The Keep Knob Combo Pack was exactly the look I was going for for the front door.

The installation, like that of their other brands, was super easy and the only tools I needed were a Phillips head screw driver and a utility knife. I had all of the interior knobs installed in the matter of two hours after dinner one night, and the front door set I installed while to kids were playing in the front yard. Easy peasy and a huge upgrade!

It’s amazing what a big change door hardware can make in the look of a home. Investing in a design that is timeless and high in quality can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your home!

Go check out Ageless Iron and the other brand by Regal Brands - they have something for every style!

Thanks for reading,

Dana