A well-known interior designer once said to me: “My dear boy, first impressions are everything—but the devil’s in the details.” And in my opinion, when it comes to decorating or furnishing your home, truer words were never spoken: Detail is, quite literally, everything. From the silk tassels on a tiny scatter cushion to a carefully sourced wrought iron toilet roll holder, you can tell a lot about a person’s taste by the seemingly insignificant minutiae of their décor—and believe me, those smallest of details can leave the greatest impressions.
I remember poking around Habitat with my mum as a kid—I can’t have been older than 10 or 11—and while she was browsing the bed linen, she picked up a gray jersey cotton stripy number. I shouted something like, “Oh no mum, not that one! It wouldn’t go in your bedroom at all. Come look at this one over here—it’s got actual wooden buttons.” So there you go: a keen eye for detail even back then. But fear not, this is not a column about early-noughties bed linen. Or my childhood, for that matter.
Roll on 24 years to the present day, and with the New Year now firmly upon us, what better excuse is there to fine-tune the interior decor details of your home? And to my mind, there is no way to demonstrate your flair and panache than by refreshing your door furniture. Be they large or small, with a simple turn of the screw—and a little spit and polish—you can go from drab to fab in a jiffy.
Let’s start with the door handles. Does anyone remember that episode of Absolutely Fabulous when Eddie gets a Concorde to New York from London just to track down the exact right door handle reference? Frankly, I have always felt that I would probably do the same (but flying economy). I mean, let’s face it: we see and touch them almost every day so they might as well be beautiful and satisfying to use—and so they’re certainly worth a reference trip, or three.
But where to begin? There are a few things to consider and measure before unlocking your wallet. Firstly, scale: I am all for going large here, but there are limits. Traditionally speaking, smaller decorative handles work best on cabinets, such as built-in kitchen cupboards or wardrobes. If they are simple pull handles, and not operating a door latch or lock, you’re pretty much free to use what you want. (I once used off-cuts and old bits of wood in various shapes and sizes for my kitchen larder doors: I massaged them in linseed oil and then just stuck them on with wood glue.)
If you’re in the market for something well-made and classic, however, I would head straight to P.E. Guerin, which just so happens to be the oldest decorative hardware firm in the United States—they have been based on Jane Street in Greenwich Village since 1892—as well as the only metal foundry in New York City still in existence. I’m big into their Nugget cabinet knob, and of course, my inner goth loves the Gothic hexagonal cabinet knob too. Better still, they’re all available in a range of finishes.
If you’re looking to make more of a statement, Green River Project’s Twig Pull black birch handles are the ones for you; I ve seen them in action, and they really look the business. Alternatively, you could go a little crazy, as I did for my own hallway cupboards, and commission giant oversized chain handles—the effect is not as basement sex dungeon as you might imagine, instead bringing a touch of drama and fun. (For those, simply track down your local blacksmith or welder.)
The doors to the actual rooms of our homes may require a little more consideration—and although it pains me to say it, they often require a degree of practicality. This doesn’t mean you can’t still have plenty of fun, though, so let’s start with the fun. Finger plates! Perhaps not the most widely-used words in interior designers’ vocabularies nowadays, but they’ve become a particular favorite of mine. Both practical and decorative, they are a great way of introducing what is essentially artwork onto your doors. The Georgians were the first to use them in their homes, so the good news is there are plenty of antique finger plates hiding out in junk shops, antique markets, and bargain bins up and down the land in the UK (and indeed, further beyond).
I’m particularly fond of the Arts and Crafts movement plates. Not only do they work especially well in a contemporary interior space thanks to their fresh, nature-inspired shapes, but they’re often made from copper or wrought iron. (Personally, I think the shiny brass ones are ghastly.) You might get lucky at a flea market, but it’s also worth doing some digging online to find local dealers who specialize in the historical period or movement you’re looking for. And if you fancy putting some actual artwork on your door? Clear glass or acrylic finger plates are the perfect moment to pop something creative underneath, whether it’s something you’ve painted yourself, an off-cut of fabric, or a leftover scrap of your favorite wallpaper. The possibilities are endless.
Last, but certainly not least, you can’t forget your keyholes, locks, and door stops—all offering fabulous opportunities to add additional intriguing details. (I love keyholes—especially looking through them.) The best places to find them are good old-fashioned hardware shops. My personal favorite is the London institution David Penton and Son, located on Marylebone Lane, although they also have an online store. There, you’ll find an incredibly extensive selection of locks and keyhole surrounds for all your needs, although I have also been known to buy a piece of old furniture just for its old locks or keyholes—it’s a great way of giving something a new lease of life. Door stops can also be great fun, and I’m a sucker for anything with a bit of wit: Benedict Foley s Leo doorstop, carved to resemble a giant lion’s foot, is a particular delight.
In fact, while I agree with that decorator on the fact that first impressions are everything, and that the devil’s in the details, I’d like to add my own maxim to that list when it comes to brightening up your doors: don’t forget to bring a sense of humor, too.
