If you have the luxury of designing a new-build home, you have a blank canvass in which to realise your vision, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stamp your personality and character on a property you have worked hard to secure. Architectural ironmongery plays a huge part in shaping this kind of vision, and in some cases these are the little details that will stay with a house forever, or at least can be enjoyed by subsequent owners long after you have moved on. In the meantime, however, this is a rare chance to start a bottom-up interior design scheme where you call all the shots.
What influence does architectural ironmongery have on a custom home build?
When you are designing a new property with an architect, you are mainly looking at structural layout, maximising space and making sure you have a practical flow to a home where you use every inch of space effectively. When you come down to the finishing touches you might feel a little fatigued, but it is worth paying attention to these last details and it is often the fun part where the pressure is off. It is also important to show an interest in architectural ironmongery because it can have a big influence on the overall design scheme of the home.
Architectural ironmongery involves details such as door handles, hinges and locks. When you count up how many of these you need in a home, you start to realise they have a significant impact on the aesthetic appeal and how visually arresting your home is when you enter it. So you need to choose these little details carefully so they match other interior details, such as balustrade and bannisters, skirting, architrave and light fittings. Styles can be minimalist and contemporary, or traditional using a rustic style bolt or a thumb latch as a lock, for example. Architectural ironmongery also needs to fit in with your colour scheme, so think about the type of finish you want, should you choose fittings that are polished, chrome, brass, black, antique, chestnut, ebony or satin? There is a vast choice which allows you to tailor other interior features to match an overall design.
How to choose the right types of architectural ironmongery
It is true that the types of door handles and knobs you choose might be dictated by functional practicality, more than aesthetic appeal, but you should have scope with a new-build design to incorporate both. As well as the finish to your hardware, you can choose whether you want features such as pull handles to be vertical or horizontal, or would you want door knobs that are rounded.
Consistency is the key to this, and you may need to think ahead a little to envision what you might be adding to the home in the future. Mixing between different types of door handle is a classic mistake which messes with the balance and sense of calm in a home. So too, you can choose lever handles which are straight, curved or have textured grips. Colour schemes can match these types of detail, so think about what colour themes you might end up with in the home, and even think about furnishings. It might sound daft, but door handles can match with cushions, curtains and other furnishings to provide a pleasing and relaxing vibe of consistency.
Let EM-B help with your architectural ironmongery
Architectural hardware and ironmongery needs to be decorative and ornamental, but also practical and functional. Equally, you probably want it to be understated and subtle, but these are essential design elements which do allow you to show a design flourish and some technical expertise if that’s how you want to do it. In a new-build home every detail counts, and you won’t have any less favourable design elements which you have inherited from previous owners and hence will learn to tolerate. You are responsible for every decision and therefore are required to put some thought into how every element of the home will look.
The architectural ironmongery supplied by EM-B is meticulously crafted with love and attention, rather than mass-produced to a well-used template. This is borne out in how your tailor-made home will eventually look. So be inspired, browse our selection of architectural ironmongery, and contact EM-B for any further help or guidance on the interior design choices that will shape your vision and make it a reality.
