If you love the look of antique door knobs and other antique fixtures, but think they are literally a thing of the past, think again. Working ones, lighting and plumbing fixtures of all styles are available through building salvage retailers and they aren't as expensive as you might think. Even antique doors and windows, gates and lampposts are available as long as you know where to look.
Most of the antique fixtures available have been salvaged from buildings that are slated for demolition.
Companies go into these buildings and literally take the building apart. This trend is called historical salvage, demolition salvage, fixture salvage, and "deconstruction", depending on what part of the country you live in and whom you ask.
Regardless of what you call it; "deconstruction" is the new way to demolish a building, though it involves little or no actual demolition. Since it involves reusing many materials, it is a much "greener" or eco-friendly way to "demolish" a building.
Door knobs, plumbing, lighting, and other nearly any fixtures that can be are removed. Windows, doors, and trim are carefully removed. Even full staircases with balustrades are painfully deconstructed to be reassembled at a new location. These antique pieces are often used in historic renovation projects, but you can use them in your home, too.
While some of you are excited that you can finally put all 1940s fixtures in your 1940s Craftsman-style bungalow, some of you are probably thinking, "Yeah, right. Brass with curlicues really goes with my minimalist design." I understand what you are thinking, but there are antique fixtures that will fit most any décor. One of the more budget-and design-friendly ways to bring antique fixtures into your home is to get antique door knobs.
Beautiful, classic, antique door knobs start around $20-$30 each, or about double what a standard door knob goes for at a home improvement warehouse. You will want to do a bit of research to make sure the ones you have picked out will work with your doors, but antique door handles definitely add more pizzazz than their cost would suggest.
If you want to match the original décor of your home, try to find pictures of homes like yours from the era to see what antique door knobs were used and always talk to your architect, contractor, and supplier. They will usually have sources for historically accurate fixtures.
If you want to bring the class of antique door knobs into a newer home, consider your overall design. If you have a chintz sofa, you might look at brass with curlicues or the classic octagonal glass. For those of you who desire simpler fare, consider perfectly spherical glass orbs, porcelain, or composite disks for your antique door knobs. They come in many colors, which will fit most any décor.
So, to live a little greener and with a little more style, look at what using antique door knobs and other antique fixtures can do for your home. They are a beautiful design choice.
Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops that offer both products and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it's your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make your space both functional and beautiful. Today, she gives advice on how to create a fabulous indoor space by using beautiful antique doorknobs, elegant glass door knobs, and chic glass doorknobs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre
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