Can you Keep that Door Hardware Looking New?

When brass doorknobs are brand new and first installed, they have a beautiful shine and luster. Over time and with exposure to weather, hand oils and other staining agents, brass doorknobs grow dull and unattractive. Commercial products are available that will clean them and restore the shine, but the products often run $10 or more for a small bottle and are sometimes abrasive. Replacing the doorknobs is an option, but definitely not a cost-effective one. Instead, try a homemade polish to make your brass doorknobs shiny again.

Important Tip:  You need to know if your brass door knob is lacquered or not.

To clean lacquered brass:

simply wipe with a soft, damp cloth; do not use any kind of household cleaner.

To clean nonlacquered brass:

 1. Squirt a dollop of ketchup on a rag, and rub over surface

 2. Wipe off residue with a damp cloth and buff dry.

For a homemade cleaner, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1/2 cup vinegar and add enough flour to make a paste. Rub onto the brass and leave for 10 minutes; rinse and buff dry.

 

Color Splash!

You can transform the entire appearance of your home with the right interior paint colors. The key is knowing which interior paint colors are right for your home and in which interior paint color combinations. Instead of choosing safe and conventional interior paint colors, why not take the time to research new possibilities? Learn how to choose the right paint color combinations for your home’s interior.

First of all there are the questions about what kind of effect you want to achieve and what kind of impression you hope to make. Are you looking for something peaceful and harmonious or do you want to create a bold and bright impact? Do you want to fit in into a conservative, historical neighborhood, or do you live in an area where you have full scope to explore your color eccentricities? Are you going to live in the house forever or do you plan on selling in the near future? In the latter case, you would be advised not to go overboard with the colors; potential buyers may not have the same taste and may be put off from buying.

Here are some commonly followed color schemes:

• A monochromatic color scheme. Here you use the same color together with its tints and shades.
• An analogous color scheme. This scheme is made up of colors lying next to each other on the color wheel.
• A complementary color scheme. This scheme is made up of colors lying directly opposite to each other on the color wheel.

You can get more creative ideas for your interior color schemes from:

• Fabric Designs.
• Photographs.
• Paintings.
• Nature.
• Other home interiors.
• Magazine layouts.
• Floral Arrangements.
• Pottery.
• Stones and Rocks.
• Crayons.
• Bird Feathers
• Animal Fur

In the Kitchen: 

The use of decorative knobs from All That Glass Cabinet Knobs can really liven up your kitchen cabinets.  From the wild to the sublime, the glass knobs will add sparkle and beauty to any interior. Created with the same glass used in Pyrex bake ware, our knobs offer beauty and durability. All That Glass Cabinet Knobs are not just another ornament on the shelf, but useful beauty that you will touch and use every day.

Allegre Collection Cobalt Glass Knob

In the Bathroom:

You can add colorful knobs to your bathroom cabinets as well! Hand blown glass knobs are the most creative interior accents for any of your cabinet or drawer hardware needs. From the wild to the sublime, the glass knobs will add sparkle and beauty to any interior.  Adagio Art Glass is owned by internationally acclaimed glass artist Mary Barron and her husband, Rick Barron. Mary’s glass art has been displayed at numerous invitational and juried shows and is featured in private and commercial collections in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Coastal Colors Collection

In your Living Room:

Why not dress up those living room draperies? Susan Goldstick Knobs can help! Interior designers, kitchen planners, cabinet makers and absolutely anyone who enjoys beautiful things, are among the many whom have discovered the challenge and the magic of decorating with the knobs. The collection has now grown to include more than 100 different styles in an endless array of color possibilities from their special color palette.

Banister Ball or Finial -HangUp Congo Lt

The most important thing when choosing the use of color in any room is making sure you love it! 

It expresses who you are so use some color and have some fun!

 

A Touch of “Bling” for your Cabinets?

Bollywood Raspberry Beaded Knob

Atlas Homewares

Knobs, Hinges, & More is proud to carry Atlas Homewares which carries decorative hardware including cabinet hardware, house numbers, bath ensembles, door knockers and doorbells.

Your cabinet hardware is just the “bling” to take your kitchen design from “blah” to “bravo!” As you’d accessorize an outfit, dressing your cabinets with this glam collection of cabinet hardware designs by Atlas Homewares completes the look in your space. The Bollywood Beauties collection of beaded knobs comes in a range of trendy hues that’ll dress up those boring cabinet fronts. Choose from glittering Raspberry, Blue, Green, Aqua, Bronze, Umber and Blank & White, available in sizes small and large. Or get your glam on with the Tangeres collection of glass knobs and pulls. This luxurious line of statement hardware doesn’t blend into the background! The collection comes in Ruby, Crystal, Emerald and Sapphire, and is finished with dramatic metal detail that turns each piece into an exotic work of art. 

Atlas Homewares are made from quality metals.  The actual metal type depends on the finish you order.  Atlas Homewares does not use metal substitues which will eventually show wear and deteriorate.

Atlas Homewares has been in business for many years and is located in California.

Tangeres Drawer Pull

Knobs, Hinges, and More 
also offers a wide variety of outstanding home decorating
and maintenance products 

 

 

Anne at Home Compliments your Cabinets

 

 

Knobs, Hinges &  More is proud to carry Anne at Home cabinet knobs.   

Anne at Home offers a wide variety of finishes and designs that allow you to express your personal style and taste. Their pewter hardware offerings include cabinet knobs and pulls, hooks, vanity top accessories, and bath hardware. Anne At Home uses a two part catalyzed finishing process for all pewter cabinet hardware, pewter bath hardware, and vanity top accessories.  These finishes have the following properties:   

• Excellent hardness and impact resistance
• Mar and abrasion protection
• Chemical and water imperviousness
• Freedom from lead and chromate hazard
• Non reactivity to ultra violet light and to oils
• Protection from oxidation
• Excellent color retention, durability, scratch resistance, and elimination of darkening over time

Pinecone Cabinet Knob

All finishes are hand applied, many finishes such as rubbed bronze, weathered white, iron red, antique gold, and all of the color washes are also hand rubbed.   

Single Bow Loop Cabinet Knob

Anne At Home offers a wide variety of finishes and designs that allow you to express your personal style and taste. They offer over 800 pewter hardware items; in 38 finishes at no extra charge. Their pewter hardware offerings include cabinet knobs and pulls, hooks, vanity top accessories, and bath hardware.   

When making pewter items at their production plant in Providence, RI, they still use the same manufacturing techniques used in making fine jewelry. Anne at Home’s designers and quality control staff oversee each step of the production process; hand finishing each production and model mold to meet our standards. They supervise the hand application, polishing, and lacquering of each piece.   

Color is the most prevailing element in decorating. Look to match our bath and cabinet hardware with faucets, tiles, fabrics, flooring, and furniture.   

Look to match Anne At Home bath and cabinet hardware with faucets, tiles, fabrics, flooring, and furniture from Knobs Hinges & More. 

 

Adding Some Pizzazz to your Draperies

Do your draperies need a new look but you’re finding it hard to spend the money to replace them? I have a solution that will freshen up your room for a fraction of the cost of buying new draperies.

Curtain hardware has come a long way from the time when one had no option but to stick with boring white curtain rods. Today there are so many options in the curtain hardware industry that can dress up any room. An array of beautified curtain rings, interesting curtain rods and curtain poles can be incorporated to make your window look exceptionally elite and stylish. You can now find drapery rods, curtain rods, curtain finials, curtain hooks, rings, and tiebacks in a mind-boggling assortment of designs in iron, wood, stainless steel, decorative ceramic, wrought iron, painted or not.

Here are some tips in choosing the right type of hardware for your home:

• Make sure that before buying you ordinate all the drapery material, drapery hardware, and fabrics to ensure that they look good together. Select thin, light rods for sheer drapery panels. For heavier draperies, find a rod with a larger diameter and choose a bold curtain finial.

• Make up your mind regarding the curtain rods as to whether you want them to be the prominent decorative element or if you want it to be hidden behind the draperies.

• The size of the room will decide the size of the drapery rod and curtain hardware accessories. Select wide diameter poles, rods, and rings for large room and vice versa.

• Before buying the panels, decide upon whether your draperies remain open most of the time or will they be opened and closed daily. Choose panels that can hang from the sides and can be arranged on a basic or decorative pole. To move the panels open and closed, you’ll need a draw cord system or clip-on or sew-on decorative rings.

• Longer fabric lines will add height to a room. For this install drapery hardware well above the window frame, or even up along the ceiling line.

Keep these valuable tips and guidelines in your mind the next time you go shopping for your curtain hardware. You can look at choosing drapery hardware as just another fun part of creating your own look in your home. Every element will enhance the space and reflect your taste.

At Knobs, Hinges & More, we have several manufacturers that can give you ideas to suit any type of drapery update you’d like to invest in. Te-Ma Cabinet Knobs, Dimestore Cowboy,  Susan Goldstick Knobs & Timber Bronze are the manufacturers that we work with.

For more information please contact Knobs, Hinges & More.

 

Spruce up the Entrance to your Home

What’s one of the first things your visitors do when they come to your home? If you guessed knock on the door, you’re right!  Before they knocked, what did they see? The front door is often a neglected part of a home.  The truth is that it is a very important part of your home’s overall character and style.  Today I’d like to share some tips that will make the entrance to your home the most inviting on the block.

The first thing that people notice is your front door.  Is it freshly painted?  Do you have a door-knocker?  Does your doorknob look clean and new?  Before that first knock, your visitors will notice your front door and its surroundings.  Here are some simple tips that will enhance the entrance to your home.

1. Keep your front door freshly painted.  During the summer months, heat and sunlight can damage the paint finish and even cause peeling.
2. Maintain your doorknob and lock.  No matter what finish you choose, there are many products available to keep them clean and looking like new.  Fusion Decorative Hardware carries a wide variety of doorknobs that will match any style home.
3. Add a door-knocker.  A beautiful door-knocker can really add some real beauty and interest to your front door. There are many styles to choose from at Michael Healy Door Knockers.
4. Outside lighting is important for 2 reasons.  The first is that it can really draw your attention to the home.  The second is to ensure the safety of your evening guests.
5. Make sure your doorbell is working and attractive. They are inexpensive and easy to install.  At Fusion Decorative Hardware , they carry many doorbells that sound nice and are relatively easy to install.  For instructions on how to install a doorbell, please review our blog post for help.

Be creative and have fun when updating your front door. There are many choices that can be economical yet sensible when updating your home. 

For more information please contact Knobs, Hinges & More.

 

How to install a Farm Sink ~ Part Two

Last week we looked at Farm Sinks in depth and discovered that they are traditional, beautiful and functional.  This week in Part Two, we’ll take a look at what’s involved if you’d like to install one in your home. 

 So roll up your sleeves and let’s get started!

 

 

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Cabinets built for farm sink installation OR Farm sink with an apron that will fit inside existing cabinetry when the false drawer portion is removed Drain kit, including disposal flange, if needed Silicone sealant Faucet to fit pre-drilled holes in sink or in countertop behind the sink Measuring tape Disposal, pea trap and other plumbing

Step 1

Assess your cabinetry. If you are building or remodeling a kitchen from the bottom up, you will be able to choose cabinets specifically made for apron sinks. They will have a cutout where the false drawer section below a sink would normally be. The depth and width of the cutout will vary, and it can usually be adapted to the size of sink you will be using. The importance of the cutout is that the doors underneath will be built according to the amount of space needed for the sink.

Step 2

Decide if you want your sink to be 1) under-mounted, 2) mounted below your counter top (most farm sinks are mounted this way), or 3) top-mounted so that the rims or ledge of the sink sit on top of, or above, the counter top material. This decision will affect the depth of the cabinet cutout.
If you are using existing cabinetry, simply measure the height from about 1/2 to 1/4 inch below the false drawer section to the top of the cabinetry. This will give you an idea of the space you have available for the height of your sink. If this area is less than 6 inches, consider top mounting your sink or modifying the doors below the sink so that they can accommodate a farmhouse sink apron.

Step 3

Find a sink that works with your cutout and counter top. Farm sinks come in a wide variety of sizes and materials. Some sinks are deeper or wider than others, so have your measurements in hand when picking out a sink. This will make installation a snap, and it will keep you from running into trouble in the installation.

Step 4

Carefully make a rectangular cut in the counter top material. For sinks mounted below the counter top, the cutout should be approximately 1/4 inch narrower than the sink width, side-to-side. The front-to-back measurement of the cutout will vary, depending on how far out you’d like the sink to come from the cabinetry. Most farm sinks will be installed anywhere from flush with, to 1 to 4 inches out from the cabinetry. The front-to-back cutout of the counter top should accommodate this measurement, minus a 1/4 of an inch for overlap.
If your sink has pre-drilled holes for the faucet, the counter top should also be cut accordingly.

Step 5

Place the sink. For under-mounted or rimless sinks, slide the sink into place inside your cabinetry. Depending on the material used in the sink (such as stone or cast iron), it may be necessary to build supports for the sink inside the cabinet. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for supporting the sink below its bowl. Rimmed sinks should be mounted so that the rim sits on top of the sub-board. The counter top will then be laid above the rims.
If the sink is top-mounted, the same process should be used, except that the rims will sit on top of the counter top material.

Step 6

Seal gaps and overlaps with silicone sealant. This will keep water from leaking into these areas and causing mold or mildew growth inside the cabinetry. You sink manufacturer may recommend a different sealant; always follow manufacturer guidelines.

Step 7

Install drain flanges. Follow manufacturer guidelines for installing drain flanges, drains, disposals and pea traps. You may need to modify pipes below the sink to accommodate the shorter space available due to the sink apron.

Step 8

Install faucet. Install your faucet into pre-drilled holes in the back of the sink, or into the counter top or backsplash behind the sink. A wide variety of faucets are available to suit your needs.

While installing your farm sink may be a bit time-consuming, the final result is worth the time and effort.  It adds that bit of character to a kitchen that is remarkable.  You’ll be glad you did it.

 

What’s the Scoop on Farm Sinks? Part One

When shopping for a new sink for your kitchen, consider purchasing a farm sink. It has great character and it offers a lot of space for washing large pots and pans. The farm sink is one of the most proven and functional sinks available on the market. And because its practical and familiar design harkens back to an earlier, more utilitarian time, it adds a down home feeling to any kitchen. If you’re thinking about installing a new sink in your home and like that farmhouse feel, this might be exactly the style of sink you’ve been looking for. Here is some information on Farm Sinks that will help you decide whether it’s the type of sink for you.

The Defining Characteristics of a Farm Sink

The farmhouse design will definitely take you back to Grandma’s kitchen. It’s made with functionality in mind, and its signature trait is an “apron” front that drops down in front of the sink instead of stopping at the edge of the countertop. It’s made for heavy use, and built to weather the spills, drips, and splashes that came with keeping a kitchen on the farm.

Not Grandma’s Sink Anymore

Of course, few people go day in and day out baking, cooking, canning, and performing all the other tasks that made a farmhouse style sink so valuable and functional in times past. In the modern kitchen the farmhouse sink is installed as much for looks as it is for its excellent utilitarian design. And because functionality is just one of the factors modern homeowners take into consideration, there’s a wide range of additions and features that you can add to your new sink to adapt it to more modern sensibilities.

Single Basin vs. Double, Triple, Etc.

The traditional farm sink consisted of a single, large basin. This was perfect for the large pots and pans that went with the multitude of cooking chores that were necessary on the farm. The bigger the space, the better, as they say. Not so today, however. Most homeowners prefer at least a double basin to accommodate several different cooking tasks, and of course, a garbage disposal. If you’re a professional chef, or just like to pretend you’re one, triple basin professional style sinks are also out there for the taking.

Convinced a Farm Sink is for you? Next week learn how to install one in Part Two of Farm Sinks.

 

Kitchen Trends for 2010

With 2010 right around the corner, what can we expect for Kitchen Trends? Taking into consideration our current economic situation, we might see some trends that we haven’t seen before. We also might see some old traditions coming back as well. Because more and more families are cooking at home, consumers will be adjusting their purchasing habits for the upcoming year.

Here are my predictions for Kitchen Trend Predictions for 2010:

1. The live-in kitchen – Consumers spend three to four hours in the kitchen every day, not only cooking there but using it as a place to entertain, work, craft and spend leisure time. The kitchen is being reinvented as a second living room, he said, as appliances are camouflaged and functional objects are hidden or minimized, allowing people to create ambiance in the room.

2. The green kitchen – Americans continue to make their lives more environmentally friendly, but they’re increasingly confused and frustrated about what is really “green.” While they want products to be eco-friendly, they’re not going to pay much of a premium for it either — they expect retailers and manufacturers to deliver green products at competitive prices.

3. The wellness kitchen – Buying local food and/or growing your own often means it will be fresher and free from pesticides and preservatives — in short, more nutritious, he said. Today’s consumers are also interested in purifying their water and air.

From my list, you can see that next year will see more of us eating at home, but also being more aware of our environment and health.

Definitely a great way to start the new year!

 

The Uses of Kitchen Cabinet Organizers

There are two reasons why we get frustrated with our kitchens.  The first is not having enough space to work in, and the second is lack of organization. What’s the solution?  Kitchen Cabinet Organizers will not only get organized, but you can also create a lot more space as well. You will  find that there are hundreds of different types of organizers that you can use in the kitchen. Most of them, you have probably already seen on television commercials.

The types of Kitchen Cabinet Organizers that you will find include magnetic storage tools, kitchen carts, grocery bag holders, storage food containers, kitchen drawer organizers, countertop organizers, and china and silver organizers. These different types of organizers could be the difference between a kitchen running smoothly and the lady of the house running around trying to find what she needs. There are also many different types of organizers that will set inside your cabinets, thus making a lot more cabinet space that you never thought was there. There is the cabinet door shelves that can be used for bottles and spices.

You will also find stacker trays. These stacker trays are very popular Kitchen Cabinet Organizers because you can stack many different items on them including can goods so that you can save room and at the same time, view the items that are in the back with no problem. You can also get the cabinet drawers that roll out of the cabinet. They sit on their own track, or they can be installed to the sides of the cabinets with side rails. There are also turntables that you place on a shelf inside your cabinet. You can put a multitude of items on these turntables and still be able to reach everything on them with just a quick spin.

If you are looking to find room for all those pots and pans, you will find several different types of Kitchen Cabinet Organizers that will hold your lids on the door of the cabinet while another organizer stacks the pots neatly within the shelving area. All of these organizers are a must-have to any kitchen that needs some attention when it comes to the lack of space as well as the lack of organization. Because sometimes when you don’t have that much space, it is very hard to be organized.