DIY Home Improvement Guide

Choose The Brass Door Knob That Fits Your Home

There are thousands of different brass door knob choices on the market, so it can be hard to navigate through them all to get the one that is perfect for your door.  The shopping choices are different based on whether or not you’re looking for exterior or interior brass door knobs, but finding the right one is the same.

The first step is to figure out what style you want.  Brass door knobs come in every shape, style, and finish you can imagine so figuring out what you need before you start shopping will make everything much easier.  I usually help people start with the finish (ironic, huh?).  Brass comes in its regular color, silver, brushed, oil rubbed, and chrome so determining which is right for its application isn’t too tough.

After the finish is figured out, it’s time to look into the style.  The stuff around it will usually determine the style, this is especially true for exterior knobs where things like light fixtures, hinges, address numbers, and even the mailbox will influence the door knob’s style.

If you’re looking for something plain and easy, you can go shopping right now and just buy whatever catches your eye, but if you’re looking for something that doesn’t look like every other house in the neighborhood, start researching different styles.  I like using the internet to see all of the available styles.  It’s really easy to see a few hundred different options in a few minutes, which really gets the brain going with ideas.  If your home has a common theme throughout, use that theme as your guide to make sure that your choice makes sense.

Buying brass door knobs that are different than the cookie cutter style is an excellent way to make a big improvement in your home.  Just make sure that you have the ones that make sense and compliment every thing else, rather than just the cheapest ones!

Antique Brass Door Knobs

Antique brass door knobs are a class addition to any home, whether inside or out.  Most homes have some variation of the “generic door knob” that was installed when the house was built.  Any improvement on those will make a huge difference on the home’s style, but antique brass ones will also make a statement.  In this post I want to show you where to get these without spending a lot of money on them.

Before you go shopping, it’s important that you know how to clean them up.  You can save a ton of cash by buying the ones that don’t look like they’re in great condition.  Don’t forget that brass lasts forever, and as long as there aren’t any major dings, dents, or broken pieces you can bring an antique brass door knob back to life.  To learn more, see our post on cleaning brass door knobs.

You will have the best luck finding these knobs at antique stores.  The problem that you’re going to run into is finding enough of the same knobs to fill your entire home.  Matching door knobs certainly isn’t necessary, but some people prefer it.  I helped design a home that had the exterior door knob of each bedroom and bathroom match the style of the room’s inside.  It was very creative and looked great.  You may be able to save more money by getting the mismatched door knobs.

Finding matching vintage door knobs online is much easier.  There are door knob dealers that specialize in the shopping and hunting of these.  You’ll pay a premium by shopping with these specialized dealers, but they have everything you need.  Some knob stores have an antique section where you can shop from.  This is helpful because many of the larger online retailers will offer free shipping and brass is very heavy, so free shipping will save you a ton of money.

You can also check eBay and Craigslist to see if there are good deals.  Craigslist is helpful for finding salvage sales, which is when they sell all of the stuff from a house being gutted or torn down.

Antique brass door knobs are easy to find, just be patient and shop around and you’re going to find a good deal on exactly what you want.  The prices on these range from free to hundreds of dollars apiece, so check everywhere you can to get what you need.

Cleaning Brass Door Knobs

Cleaning brass door knobs is an easy and important project, especially when you have vintage door knobs.  Keeping vintage knobs looking somewhat new will help make sure that they stay in good condition and last another hundred years.

This project will be divided into two camps.  First, we’ll go through the steps of cleaning newer knobs that have just built up grime and goo from normal use, and after that we’ll talk about deep cleaning and brass polishing.  The steps from the basic cleaning can also be used for the deep cleaning to remove any gunk and junk that are on them.

Cleaning Brass Door Knobs

  1. Determine whether or not you have to take off the knob to get all of the grime off.  Look around the plate of the knob to see if the dirt has penetrated behind it.
  2. The severity of dirt will determine the cleaning solution that you’ll use.  Soap and water will work for mild jobs, but degreaser might be needed for the heavier jobs.  Follow the instructions on the degreaser to make sure that it doesn’t affect the finish on the door knob.
  3. Use a cloth, sponge, or soft plastic brush to work out all of the dirt and grime.
  4. You may see know that your door knobs really need to be polished or have unwanted tarnish.  If that’s the case, move onto the next section.  If not, nice job!  Enjoy the rest of your afternoon!

Deeper cleaning and tarnish removal requires a different process and solution.  This is more for vintage door knobs, but will obviously work for any really dirty brass door knob.

Materials: Screwdrivers to get door knobs off, ammonia, Brasso or other brass polish, rubber gloves, cloth towels that you have no problem throwing away later.

  1. Remove the door knob and plate from the door.  If you’re doing multiple doors, only stick to three or four knobs at a time.  Doing more at a time will turn into a big undertaking.
  2. Glove up and use ammonia with a cloth towel to get the tarnish off.  You can also use the scour side of a sponge if the tarnish is really bad.
  3. Change or wash your gloves and use the brass polish to make everything look great.  The amount of elbow grease that you put into the polish, the more junk and impurities will come out.  A problem that you’ll run into here is that your first knobs and plates are going to look better than the later ones because your arms will get tired as you go.  Pay close attention to how shiny each one is, and do your best to get the other ones looking the same.
  4. Reinstall the door knobs, and you’re finished.

Some people will spray a lacquer finish on the door knob after it’s clean to keep it clean and tarnish-free longer.  Personally, I’m not a fan of this because I can never get the lacquer to dry smooth.  If you’re good with a spray can, you may want to consider this step.

Vintage Glass Door Knobs

Vintage glass door knobs are the perfect addition to homes of any age.  Finding enough of them at affordable prices can be tough, but in this post I want to share some different ways to find vintage door knobs and crystal door knobs at decent prices.

The key to finding door knobs that fit your budget is to be patient and shop around.  There are millions of these floating around vintage and antique shops all around the country/world, as well as online.  If you buy the first ones that you see, odds are that you aren’t going to find the best ones for your home and you’ll probably pay too much for them.  Saving money is important when shopping for these because there are a lot of doors in your home, and changing out all of them could potentially be a very large expense.

Vintage glass door knobs are easily found in antique shops.  They collect them because they look cool, and will assign a price based on that “coolness”.  There isn’t a price guide for antique door knobs, so you can find them in every price range imaginable.  Heading out to different shops will give you an idea of what’s out there and easily found.  If you aren’t seeing what you want, turn to the internet.

There are stores on the web that specialize in going to antique stores and finding these door knobs for you.  eBay is also popular, but you’ll rarely find any sort of shipping deals on eBay.  Vintage glass door knobs are much heavier than they look (especially brass door knobs), so shipping costs can be extraordinary when you’re buying an entire home’s worth of knobs.  The trick is to shop around until you find the one that’s offering free shipping (it’s common).  This will save you at least a hundred bucks!

Some of the offsets on vintage door knobs are different than what current homes have.  This is rare, and the older the door knob is, the more likely it is that it won’t fit.  Professional online stores will have these dimensions listed for you so that you can measure your doors ahead of time.

Vintage glass door knobs can be very affordable when you take the time to shop around.  I don’t know many easier ways to make a huge improvement in a home than by adding the class that comes with crystal door knobs.

Where To Find Vintage Door Knobs

Vintage door knobs work perfectly in any home, but can be hard to find. This post is dedicated to showing you where to find them without having to spend a fortune.

It’s been said many times that the classics never go out of style, and that holds true for door knobs.  It’s these small details in the home that some people skip over, but are missing an easy way to make a big impact in their home.  Upgrading to something as simple as ceramic or crystal door knobs is one of the best ways to help your home stand out from the pack, which is awesome when you live there and a great selling point when it’s time to move.

How To Find The Perfect Vintage Door Knob

There aren’t any catalogs or websites that have all of the vintage door knob options, instead you have to have a general idea of what you want before you go on the hunt.  You’re going to come across lots of them, and if you have a fairly good vision of the one that’s perfect for your home, you’ll know it when you see it.  If you’re wandering around without a clue, you’ll either pass the best one or end up with something that doesn’t look right.

The easiest place to start your search is in antique stores.  Here you’ll find a huge assortment of knobs, but finding any that match is going to be tough.  If matching door knobs is important to you don’t have too high of expectations for the antique store.  What’s really good about these stores is that you can buy vintage door knobs at very low prices, not all of them will be cheap but some will surprise you.

Another great place to find vintage door knobs is salvage sales.  These are when they sell off all of a home’s stuff after its been demolished or gutted for improvements.  I usually find them in the classified section of the newspaper, but there can be long spells between sales.  Living in or around a big city will greatly improve your odds of finding a sale.  I’ve been able to pick up enough vintage knobs from the demolition of one huge home that would suffice to fill two regular size houses.

There are also stores all over the web that collect and sell vintage knobs.  Prices vary an incredible amount from one site to the next, so it’s a good idea to shop around.  The key to saving as much money as possible is to shop at the places that offer free shipping.  Door knobs are deceivingly heavy, and when you’re buying enough for your entire home you can expect to pay over a hundred bucks just to ship them!  Shop with free (or discounted) shipping and you’ll get what you want without breaking the bank.

Vintage door knobs are perfect in almost any home.  They’ve already lasted this long and will probably last as long as your current home does.  Shop around to save money, look locally, and don’t worry about having matching knobs!

Why Are Pink Crystal Door Knobs So Hard To Find?

If you’re having a hard time tracking down a pink crystal door knob for your home, you would think that it wouldn’t be that hard to find something so simple, but options are rare.  In this post I’ll show you how to increase your odds of finding them by searching in your town and online.  I can’t guarantee success, but you’ll at least have a shot at finding the exact on that you want!

A trick that I wrote about in another post about finding crystal door knobs cheap involves trading with someone that you know.  If you know someone that has pink crystal knobs in their home, offer to buy them a set of brand new knobs in exchange for theirs.  This is usually cheaper than trying to buy vintage door knobs from an antique store.  I think the key with pulling this off is to be upfront about your intentions and really setting them up with a nice door knob set.  You’ll have to hear about how nice their pink door knob looks in your home in the future, so you really don’t want to burn any bridges trying to do this!

Shopping For Pink Door Knobs Online

One reliable source for pink knobs that I’ve been able to find online is Amazon.com.  They have a small, but consistent selection of them, all of which vary in price from affordable to high-end.  Here are the four most popular choices that they have.

There are other places online to find pink crystal door knobs, but they seem to be very inconsistent with their inventory.

What Makes An Emtek Crystal Door Knob So Expensive?

If you’re comparing prices between other brands and an Emtek crystal door knob you’re probably scratching your head trying to figure out why they cost so much more.  Don’t worry, you’re not alone which is why I’ve written this post.  To answer the question simply, Emtek crystal door knobs are the highest quality around (disclosure: I have nothing to do with Emtek, just calling it how I see it!).

What Makes Them High Quality?

Their door knobs start with the highest quality internal mechanisms that make the knob function perfectly every time.  To quote their website:

Emtek locks have heavy duty mechanisms designed to provide trouble free service.

Knobs and lever handles are supported by springs mounted behind the rosettes and sideplates. These springs return the handles back to the “rest” position and prevent lever sag.

Latches are heavy duty diecast construction, with strong internal springs, solid brass nose bolts and sintered metal cams.

A plastic bushing located in the joint between handle and rosette ensures a friction free wear surface. This prevents metal from bearing on metal and provides smooth long-lasting operation.

This is technical nerdspeak for “everything inside our door knobs is awesome!”  The problem that most people have with their knobs is what they call above “lever sag” where the part that makes the door stay shut doesn’t pop out.  This is from low quality or really old springs inside the door that don’t function properly.  You don’t get that with Emtek.

Another important thing to note is that most of their knobs are leaded glass, which is incredibly clearer and more flawless than non-leaded glass.  Obviously, if you catch your kids licking your door knobs you may want to consider  non-leaded ones, but otherwise this is the highest quality you can get.

Why Should I Get An Emtek Crystal Door Knob?

These door knobs obviously aren’t for everyone.  If you’re operating on a tight budget you may want to look at other brands that will align closer to what you can spend, but if quality and class is what you’re looking for, Emtek is the choice.  They are brilliant and high quality door knobs that showcase your eye for style and detail.

With all of the door knob options, it’s important to know your options.  Emtek crystal door knobs are the highest quality knobs around, and if that’s the style and feel you want in your home they’re a great choice.

Where To Find Antique Crystal Door Knobs

There are other places to find antique crystal door knobs than just the antique store!  An antique store is great, and I’ll share some tips for that place, but there are some other options that you might not have thought of yet.  This post is dedicated to the classics that never go out of style, crystal door knobs and where to get them for your home!

Antiques At The Antiques Store?

The obvious place that people look when shopping for vintage door knobs is the antique store.  This makes total sense and you can usually find them there, but be ready for a roller coaster of prices.  You’ll see some that are well over $200, while another that looks just like it costs only $15.  I have no idea why this happens, but I see it all the time!  Most people want matching door knobs in their home, and the antique store isn’t the place to find that.  You’ll be lucky if you can find two or three matching knobs, but rarely an entire set.  Remember that your door knobs don’t have to match in your house, and it creates a more fun and lively feel when they don’t.  Just be sure that they are all at least similar (like all crystal, not a blend of chrome, nickel, and ceramic).

Antique Crystal Door Knobs At Salvage Sales

If you’re striking out at the antique store, flip open your newspaper to the classified section and look for salvage sales.  This is the ideal place to get antique crystal door knobs.  They tear down or gut old homes and have all of the stuff that was inside for sale.  I’ve been able to pick up an entire home’s worth of crystal knobs for $30!  It takes some digging and getting dirty, but if you find what you’re looking for it’s well worth it.

Bartering, Like Crystal Door Knobs, Never Goes Out Of Style

Another idea is trading.  I’ve never done this, but I know people that have with success.  If you know someone with really cool door knobs, offer to buy new ones for their entire home in exchange for the antique crystal ones.  This works well with the elderly and those in rough neighborhoods since you can use the safety angle to help your sell.  Be up front with your intentions though, and let them know that you really want their door knobs, not just to do them a favor.

The Internets?

Another great place to find antique knobs is online.  There are tons of dealers online that specialize in antique, or at least antique looking, knobs.  You can shop eBay if you like the bidding process, or cruise the web looking for what you want with cheap shipping.  Saving money on shipping is incredibly important because crystal door knobs are freakin’ heavy and cost a ton to ship!  This is even more true when you’re buying an entire home’s worth of them (think over $100 to ship if you don’t get a deal).

There are probably millions of antique crystal door knobs around the world just waiting for you to find them.  Use these three resources to get started, and if you have any hot leads please drop us a line in the comments section.

Save Money With A Crystal Door Knob Set

Let’s face it, crystal door knobs are expensive!  Buying a crystal door knob set can help you save money though, rather than buying them individually.  There are a lot of doors in most houses, and when you consider the fact that these knobs usually cost $60 or $70 each, you need to do everything you can to reduce the cost!  Also, vintage door knobs are hard to find in sets.

I have noticed that when you get into shopping for sets, rather than single knobs, the choices seem to become more generic.  I don’t mean generic in a negative sense, but you don’t see many of the really creative and stylish designs in sets.  It’s normally the simple fluted or round crystal glass knobs.  Unless you’re shopping for glass in crazy colors or designs, this works out very well to your advantage.  With the simpler knob designs you can get sets, rather than knobs, for around $70 or $80.  Effectively cutting your cost in half!

If you want the fancier or edgier designs, you may be best off waiting for a sale, rather than a set.  These are almost exclusively sold individually, so your options are fairly limited.

Crystal door knob sets include the knobs for both sides of the door.  I’ve never done this, but I assume it would work, I have a hunch that if you are particularly crafty you could mash up different door knob sets to have one set be on one side of two doors.  For example, if you wanted crystal knobs on the outsides of the doors in your hallway you could take apart a set and make a hybrid of the inside knobs that are already there and the new crystal ones.  I’m not totally sure how this would work, but if you know or know that it wouldn’t work please leave a comment below.

It’s really easy to save money with a crystal door knob set over buying individual ones.  Your choices are a bit more limited, but it’s not difficult to find something that will look great in your home.

Vintage Door Knobs

Nowadays old equals cool, and this is certainly the case for vintage door knobs.  I love going on the hunt for vintage door knobs.  There are tons of places you can find them, but I’ll share my secrets with you in this article.

When I’m looking for vintage hinges or door knobs or anything old, for that matter, I’ll start at my local antique stores.  I honestly don’t have much luck finding them at these stores, but what I do is talk to the ladies that work there to see if they have any leads that can help me out.  Nine times out of ten they can point me to an estate sale or a salvage sale that will have exactly what I’m looking for.  Not only do I get what I need, I get it cheap.  Double win!

On the odd chance I can’t find vintage door knobs that way I’ll cruise to my local salvage yard to see what they have.  It’s a dirty and difficult job to look through all the crap that they have, but if you do find what a vintage knob you can get it for nearly free.

If all else fails, I’ll turn to the internet.  eBay has tons of vintage door knobs from all periods, and there are stores set up that do the hunting for you.  You’re going to pay much more this way, but if that’s what it takes to get the perfect vintage door knob, that’s what it takes!

Interior Door Knobs

In all my time on the DIY home improvement scene I’ve noticed that interior door knobs always seem to go unnoticed during decoration and remodeling.  Why?  I have no clue, but they are one of the easiest and most inexpensive things that you can do to improve the look, feel, and value of your home.

Replacing interior door knobs only takes a few minutes, and an average sized house can be completed in about the time it takes to drive to the store, buy all the knobs, and return!  Changing out door knobs is very easy, and most amateur interior designers will have no problem getting the job done.

A cool thing you can do is have different knobs on each side of the door.  You can have a knob on the outside of a bedroom door that matches the hallway and have the inside door knob match the bedroom.  The possibilities are really only held back by your imagination.

Interior door knobs come in every shape and size you can think of.  Before jumping into your local home improvement warehouse to buy knobs, spend some time figuring out what you really want.  You can get most styles at your local store, but the really creative and unique ones will be found online or at a specialty interior design store.  This is a really good opportunity to make a big difference in your home, so spend the time to make sure you get the most from it.

Chrome Door Knobs

Chrome door knobs are the perfect addition to your home when you want to stop looking like everyone else on your street.  I don’t have the facts to back this up, but I would estimate that at least 90% of homes have brass or gold door knobs.  That means that almost everyone on your street has the same thing!  Break the mold a little bit, take a walk on the wild side, and switch to chrome!

These door knobs are mostly used on the toilet side of the bathroom door, with brass door knobs on the other.  They do this so that the door knob will match the chrome faucet.  Usually, these are the only chrome door knobs that you’ll find in the entire house, ludicrous!

It’s perfectly acceptable to have a chrome front door knob, and if you want to add a bit more class you can use the brushed or satin chrome types.  Manufacturers are starting to create more of their brass models in a chrome finish, so finding the one you want will be as difficult as you make it.  You can start your search at your local hardware or home improvement store, but if you’re looking for something specific you’re going to have the best luck looking online.

Be daring, be bold, be the talk of the neighborhood!

I can hear it now, “Did you see the Jonses new polished chrome door knobs?”

“Yeah, I always knew they weren’t like us!”

Brass Door Knobs

Brass door knobs are what goes onto your home when you want the classic look without standing out too much.  I have them on my house, and so do most of my neighbors!  The good thing about a brass door knob is that it will last longer than you and your house will.  There are also thousands of different designs to choose from.

Most door knobs are made from brass, even the ones that have a silver or chrome finish.  Brass lasts an incredibly long time, and maintains its shape and finish under daily abuse while still being a very affordable material.  Aside from crystal door knobs, almost all other door knobs are made from brass.

You can find brass door knobs at any home improvement center, but if you want to find something really special you’ll have to turn to other avenues.  Antique brass door knobs can be found at antique stores, garage sales, and second-hand stores.  High end polished or solid brass door knobs can be found on the internet or interior design stores in your area.

Some people feel that brass knobs are the generic choice when you don’t really know what you want.  This is only true if you choose a generic style!  There are so many different options that you can choose from you’re bound to find the one that’s perfect for you and your home.  This is a good time for you to be very picky since there are so many options.  Consider the fact that these door knobs are going to be in your home for a really long time, unless you change them again, so buying one or a set that will fit your style for a long time to come is a fantastic idea.

When you know what you’re looking for, take the time to find it.  Don’t settle for something just because it’s the easy choice!  And don’t forget that door knobs are really easy to install, so even the most DIY novice can do it.  Unlike many other projects where you have to hire help to get the job done, installing brass door knobs is not one of them so you can save money!

Ceramic Door Knobs

Ceramic door knobs are true elegance in the home.  They are very much like their porcelain counterparts, but can be created in an infinite number of designs.  Ceramic molds allow these knobs to be made in every shape imaginable.  This high level of customizability may make it difficult to choose what you want, but the trickiest part is finding someone to make them for you.  There aren’t many custom ceramic door knob makers around, but if you find one the possibilities are endless.

You have to be careful with ceramic door knobs.  They aren’t very durable and a hard whack against a wall or while moving furniture will break or chip them.  Ceramic is much more brittle than porcelain is, so care must be used with them.

If you’re looking for some class in the kitchen you can use ceramic cabinet door knobs which will be easier to find and more durable than their larger counterparts.  These can usually be found online or in high end interior design stores.

Another idea that I’ve seen is taking plain white ceramic door knobs and painting them yourself.  You can add whatever design or color you want to on these to match your home.  You’ll need a kiln to set the paint onto the door knob, but you can find a local artisan or a college pottery studio to help you out with this.

Oil Rubbed Bronze Door Knobs

Oil rubbed bronze door knobs add a touch of class to your home without being flashy or over the top.  Their dark color adds great contrast to a front door or any other white/light colored door in your home.  We’ve all become so accustomed to seeing the brass/chrome door knobs that we perceive something different as high quality.

One really cool thing about oil rubbed door knobs is that they come in just about every style that a traditional door knob does.  Most of the major door knob makers offer this finish for each of their offerings, so you should have an easy time finding the one that you want.  Expect to pay a few bucks more than you would if you got brass or silver, but the price increase isn’t huge.

Installing oil rubbed bronze door knobs is an easy way to improve the overall appearance of your home without breaking the bank.  If you have the skills to change a door knob, you can install these in any room of your home.  They have models that fit front doors, privacy knobs, and dummy knobs.

Porcelain Door Knobs

Porcelain door knobs are the perfect classic American look for any home.  I, personally, love these door knob in bathrooms.  It’s really the perfect fit, and even better when paired with small tiles on the bathroom counter or floor.  They don’t only have to be used in the bathroom, they also work very well in every other room of the house.

As if finding porcelain door knobs wasn’t already tricky, finding them in a color other than white is even harder.  There are more companies making these right now than there have been in the last 50 years, but the only real benefit of that is lower prices and different color bases for the door knobs.  I recommend starting your search online for porcelain door knobs, and if you can’t find what you want there look to the specialty interior design stores in your area.

Another option is antique porcelain door knobs.  There are plenty of these door knobs around, but expect to have a hard time finding more than a few of the same style knob.  If you plan on redoing all of the door knobs in your house you may be better off finding new ones that all match.

Western Door Knobs

Western door knobs are the perfect final accessory to any country themed home.  These door knobs can make your guests feel like they’re walking into a comfortable home when entering your front door.  Western door knobs can vary from a sheriff’s star to a horse them to your family’s brand in cast iron.

These door knobs are pretty hard to track down.  There are a few retailers online, but for the most part you’re going to have to find someone that makes custom knobs or a skilled blacksmith.  This gets even more difficult if you want it to be a locking door knob, since there is such an increase in craftsmanship that goes into the finished product.

If you’re not looking for a locking western door knob you could get away with making your own as well, DIY doorknobs aren’t unheard of!  I’ve seen a restaurant in the Southwest that used leather from a saddle for their door knobs.  They cut the pieces out and sew the edges to help keep it from taking too much abuse.  It was a very fitting and classy accessory for this restaurant.  I know that saddles are expensive, but this should be used as an example of the options that are available to you.  If you were to need a lock, you could install a deadbolt above the door handles.

Crystal Door Knobs

If you’re looking for something that will make a dramatic improvement to your home, crystal door knobs are one of the simplest ways to do so.  We’ve all become so accustomed to seeing the regular brass or steel door knobs that when we see something like a crystal door knob it has a huge impact on our impressions of a home.  Not to mention they are really cool!

Crystal door knobs aren’t cheap, but if you look at it like you’re doing something that will make a real difference to the value of your home you may be able to swallow the cost.  The average crystal knob is about $60 to $70, and when you multiply that by home many doors in your home need them it can be a large chunk of money.

Antique crystal door knobs are also a viable option.  If you can find a salvage sale or an antique store going out of business you may be able to find these door knobs very inexpensive.  It will take some work, and you’ll probably have to spend some time refurbishing them, but you can save a ton of money.  This is definitely the best way to get your hands on enough door knobs.

Another cool thing that I’ve seen in some homes is where not all of the door knobs match each other.  This might seem like a wacky idea, but since all of them were crystal and of similar design, it worked out really well.  If you were to do this you could potentially save a lot of money because you can pick them up one at a time when you see really good deals.

When decorating a home good is in the details, and adding a detail like a crystal door knob is a way to make your home feel like a mansion!  It’s also a really good DIY project that even the most beginner of beginner’s can successfully complete in an afternoon.  The only major roadblock I see for beginners is having to repair or refurbish old crystal door knobs, but if the ones that you’re working with are new or in good condition this will be very easy.

Entry Door Knobs

For a completed look of the exterior of your home, a decorative entry door knob is a must.  There are thousands of different ones to choose from, and that number greatly increases when you’re also considering antique entry door knobs.  The good news is that they’re easy to find, and aren’t too expensive or difficult to install.

How do you choose which entry door knob is right for your house?  This really depends on how far you are into designing the front of your home.  If you’ve completed the landscaping and lighting, you can find a door knob that fits that theme.  I recommend that your exterior lights, entry door knob, and your mailbox (if it’s by the door) have a similar look and feel to them.  If you don’t have any of those, you can find a door knob that you really love and build the rest of your design from there.  A well designed front door area really provides a great first impression for visitors and is an easy way to improve the value of your home.

Installing entry door knobs is easy.  There aren’t any extra tools that you need to get the job done, and the kit will usually come with instructions along with the hardware.  If not, take the old one off and you can probably figure it out from there.  The entry door knob will go into the existing inside knob, or you can upgrade that one as well.