Differentiating Spaces with Hardware Changes: A Designer’s Guide

Differentiating Spaces with Hardware Changes: A Designer’s Guide

Attention-to-detail is one of the defining traits of Joseph Giles and it’s our role to help designers with these details, too. As a designer, you know that every element plays a role in creating an atmosphere that reflects the sophistication and personality of the client. Here, we’re passionate about creating hardware that doesn’t just fit into spaces but transforms them.

In this article we’re covering how subtle changes to hardware throughout a property can differentiate spaces, adding distinction and elevating certain areas above others.

Master Suite: A Personal Sanctuary

The most intimate quarters of the home, the master suite is where personal taste can truly flourish. It’s here that we can get creative with hardware, for example if a door handle like our Halsey lever has been used throughout the house, the designer could consider a marble, timber or precious metal inlay for the master suite - it’s these details that differentiate the space.

The Grandeur of State Rooms

In the public eye, state rooms stand as the pinnacle of your design. They're where impressions are made and where the hardware must speak the loudest. Some clients take this to extreme, for example the clients who commissioned bespoke eight-foot dagger-tipped door pulls. However, even simply opting for large door pulls over a lever or doorknob for these areas can add a touch of elegance and power. In spaces designed to awe and inspire, the hardware is not just seen; it’s experienced.

Themed Rooms: Complementary Hardware

The true skill of an interior designer is often shown in how they can weave a narrative into each room. Whether it's a gun room that evokes the spirit of field sports with leather-wrapped levers or a cinema room that calls for a brushed midnight black finish, choosing the right hardware is about adding layers to the story you want to tell. It’s about making each room not just a space but an experience that reflects the interests and passions of those who live there.

Back-of-House Areas

Back-of-house areas and servant's quarters are where practicality comes into play. While these spaces are all about high traffic and functionality, they don’t have to lack in style. Choosing hardware for these areas involves a delicate balance: some clients opt for a different lever to the rest of the property, whereas others simply opt for a more durable finish, such as polished chrome for these areas. Plated finishes like these are a go-to, offering the resilience needed for daily use while maintaining an aesthetic that complements the residence's overall design. It's about understated elegance that works hard behind the scenes.

Methods of Tiering

We’ve already mentioned using tiering to set a master suite apart from other areas of the house, however, tiering can be something that is used right through the property.

One method of achieving this tiering is to use texture.  For example, some properties may use a plain lever, such as our Montgomery in the back-of-house areas, a linear knurl Montgomery in the main areas of the house and then diamond-knurl Montgomery for the master suite.  They may choose to use our timber Montgomery in areas that lend themselves to it such as a garden room.

Another method of differentiation is to use backplates rather than roses for key areas of the house, adding a layer of distinction between client-facing areas and back-of-house areas.

Finally, doorknobs are often tiered, using smaller doorknobs on the third and fourth floors of townhouses where the servant’s quarters were typically located, whether as a nod to the heritage of the building or to reflect its current use.

In Conclusion: The Art of Detail

Designing luxury homes is an art form where every detail counts, and hardware plays a crucial role in bringing a vision to life. At Joseph Giles, we understand that. We're not just making hardware; we’re crafting the finishing touches that define the character of a home.

Differentiating spaces in this way is not only clever design, it is a practical way of reducing cost whilst maintaining design continuity in back of house areas, whilst setting apart the most special areas of the property with something distinctive.