Cabinet Knobs and More

Stainless Steal

Several years back, when contemplating how to outfit a $400,000 building, we came across a hurdle we almost couldn’t jump over.  It seems that when you want a commercial kitchen, your only option is stainless steel.  This requirement, alone, seeming like theft, almost blew our budget out of the water - it was so expensive.

Why do you suppose that the authorities require stainless steel?  The answer is that it lends itself well to sanitation, important for a public kitchen area.  Stainless steel resists corrosion that could harbor unfriendly bacteria.  It achieves this by being an alloy of iron and carbon (making it steel) and chromium (making it stainless). 

Well, when it comes to little things, like cabinet knobs and even hand rails, you needn’t be concerned about expense, because there’s not a lot of stainless steel material in these objects.  The great advantage of stainless steel is in its strength and durability over long periods, especially in the absence of moisture.

Examine some of the samples on this page.  The natural color of stainless steel lends well to darker woods, paints and stains, making a beautiful and natural contrast.  See several styles in the collections found at Knobs, Hinges and More.

Add comment June 13th, 2007

Showing Your Numbers!

House numbers are used, as far as I can tell, only to validate or authenticate an address for someone who doesn’t know you.  Initially, the postman qualifies in this category, but others who don’t know you also will need to locate you through your address.  For most of us, we put the numbers near the front door, which is usually the “formal” entry into the home for folks we don’t know.  If your house is not visible from the road, most likely you will put the numbers on your mailbox. 

If you’re lucky, you can find “numbers” at the local hardware store, but they’re likely to be “lowest bidder” type materials and construction.  Of course, one option I call the “Opie” option from the Andy Griffith Show, is to wood-burn the numbers into the door frame - not recommended! 

If you’re of the more discerning mindset, consider durable number hardware from a variety of sources that include Hawk Hill, HouseArt and Deltana.

Add comment April 2nd, 2007

Lasting, Tasteful Contrast

Exterior decorators are constantly playing with their color wheels to achieve what they’ve come to recognize as tasteful combinations of colors that yield pleasing contrasts.  In other words, where it comes to house color that doesn’t change from year to year, they want to get it right the first time.  Fortunately, manufacturers of house accessories realize this continuing struggle and have come up with a slate of solutions in metal accessories that will satisfy the need for eye-pleasing contrast.

Consider the collection of colors available from House Art, Colony Mailboxes and others, manufacturers of metal mailboxes, doorbell buttons, house numbers and letters.  They come in matching colors, allowing you to select a mailbox, house number and doorbell to contrast your primary house color.  These come in well-known colors that include stainless steel, satin black, rust, satin silver and dark bronze.  I am hard-pressed to think of a color scheme that one of these colors can’t complement. 

I’ve seen several offerings of this type at the site of the friendly folks who run www.knobshingesandmore.com.  They’ve got a wealth of prestigious manufacturers they offer that’ll satisfy your contrasting needs!

Add comment February 21st, 2007