Decorative door furniture adds more than just aesthetic value to your home – it can add actual monetary value too, if you are looking to rent out or sell your property. However, many people still don’t realise just how much choice they have when adding those finishing touches to their renovation work. Door handles, cupboard knobs and electrical switches are available in a broad array of materials and designs, suitable for whatever your taste in interiors might be.

Consider traditional brass options

Brass is an ever-popular choice when it comes to door handles as is likely to remain so for the foreseeable. Start by deciding whether you want something traditional, something with a touch of history to it, or something more modern-looking, and then consider what colour would best suit your door or room. From handles with rectangular back plates that remain a feature in a large number of homes, to lever handles with smaller circular back plates, brass can be formed into many different designs. Or maybe you wish to install a door knob instead; these can also be found along with other door furniture including locks, latches, bell pushes and knockers. From there, it’s a case of selecting matching light switches and electrical socket plates to complete your room’s new look.

Sleek and silver

If you’re not a fan of the golden colouring of brass, there are plenty of silver-coloured materials to choose from. Chrome is a modern and much-loved finish in many people’s homes, and of course looks great alongside matt black surfaces, for a contrast both of colour and in terms of how they reflect the light. Stainless steel is a practical and visually appealing alternative, and a brushed steel finish can be much friendlier in terms of hiding fingermarks and other smudges, if your doors have to handle a lot of human traffic.

Dark and dramatic

For a real statement, you might not want to choose any of the most commonly seen materials – and black nickel is the ideal alternative if you’re looking for something a bit different. Black nickel door handles are available in all of the usual designs, allowing them to be fitted in place of existing brass, chrome or stainless steel handles. You may even want to mix different materials throughout your home, using the same design in each room, but with a different colour finish to suit your individual rooms’ colour schemes. Finally, for a real sense of historical drama, nothing compares with gothic iron door furniture, which combines traditional manufacturing techniques with modern anti-rust finishes. Heavy hinges, letter plates, knockers and handles can all be used together to give exterior doors an imposing appearance, while latches, hooks, bolts and chains can all add an element of security or decoration to the entrances of outbuildings.