Front Door Handles: How to Find the Perfect One?

Front door handles rarely get discussed when talking about curb appeal or even the front door. But the right front door handle can truly change the personality of your home's appearance, like wearing the right necklace with that little black dress. So if you've been thinking about a new front door, maybe all you need to do is paint the one you have or change the front door handle.

What are the Different Styles of Door Handles?

With this article we're focusing on front door handles more than the locking mechanisms that go with them. There are three basic handle styles:

• Round door knobs that you … turn.
• Door handles that you pull and …
• Door levers you press down on, making them the most popular style today as they're easier to grip when opening a door and it's less likely your hand will slip off.

If you're curious, a Short History of Door Handles … in Apollo's International Art magazine, offers some interesting facts about door handles.

Reasons to Replace Front Door Handles

The real question you're probably asking is why change the front door hardware. There are several reason to consider and it's a relatively small project you can often do yourself.

• Door lock is old and not working properly, so it's time to replace?
• Upgrading to a lever style door handle will make it easier for elderly visitors.
• Maybe you've always wanted to have one key for multiple entry doors?
• If keys keep getting lost, a combination lock makes keys unnecessary.
• Exterior doors can now be controlled with a smart home, making it easy to monitor who's entering your house.
• New door hardware can increase the value of your house, as it's part of the first impression potential buyers.

Front Door Handles: Door Knobs You Turn

Round door knobs are the traditional type of door handle in the US but that's changing. You can find simple designs to very elaborate door knobs, and everything in between. Ideally you want to pick door knobs that work well with the door style and overall house design. And then there are an unimaginable number of hardware finishes to pick from … with black .

Here are just a few door knobs to spur your imagination, from an old antique one to a few of today's exterior door knobs if you prefer to stick to the traditional round style knobs.

It's truly amazing at the detail craftsmanship that once went into building homes. If you want to capture some of that magic, you should probably find a local architectural salvage store (here's a directory) where you'll find wonderful surprises like the front door knob on top. If you're content with what's being made today, you'll find a few choices below in the collection I created on Amazon.

Front Door Handles: Styles that You Pull

While we don't use pull style door handles as much today, they were very popular in years past. That's why you'll see them on older houses and when traveling overseas, be sure to check out the doors in Europe and Asia.

What defines a pull handle? It's a handle that allows you to open, close or lift an object through a pulling motion. In fact we use lots of handles in our homes each day. That's how you open kitchen and bathroom cabinets, dresser and desk drawers and even your refrigerator.

When picking a pull door handle, there are lots of styles to pick from. Most important though, pick a design that's easy to slip your fingers behind and hold onto the handle.

Front Door Handles: Levers are Easy to Push

Once you've seen some of the older style lever handles, you can see the details that differentiate these three lever style handles. Look at the end of the lever with varying or no scrolling, and most styles come in different finishes.

Here are some of my favorite front door handles found on Amazon. Once you click through to my list, you can get details on any of these door handles … and many more.

Want more ideas on how to enhance your home's front door and curb appeal? We've got articles on the new smart doors where you can control locking from your phone.

• Front Doors and First Impressions
• Doors Tips to Add Value to Your Home
• Digital Doorbell for Smart Homes