Practical architectural ironmongery and functional door handles give an aesthetic refresh to your interiors. From the minimalist to the bold, colourful and sculptural, we select the best architectural, design-led door handles, pulls and knobs for a quick update of your domestic space.
Lever door handles by James Shaw
James Shaw’s hands-on approach has resulted in a unique design language featuring innovative takes on material waste to create beautiful objects. The latest in his Plastic Baroque series - a highly imaginative take on plastic recycling featuring pastel coloured squiggly forms made of extruded post-consumer plastic - is a door handle whose organic shape conceals a lever mechanism. A mix of precision engineering and design innovation.
Copenhagen door handle collection by Frederik Delbart for Quincalux
This refined collection revisits traditional handcrafted hardware with a contemporary twist. Conceived by Belgian architect Frederik Delbart for architectural hardware specialist Quincalux, it is available in textured black and white, satin brass, matt bronze, and stainless steel, and the design encompasses handles for doors and windows, plus pulls and knobs.
Leather door handles and pulls by Ochre
The simplicity of these door handles by Ochre is elevated by the leather wrapping, contrasting the stark polished nickel knuckles with a rich palette of yellow, blue, burgundy and green as well as neutral including white, grey and black. Available in six variations of size and shape and nine colours, the collection fits into Ochre’s mission to create ‘objects of style and beauty which are both timeless and contemporary’.
‘INC’ door handles by Piet Boon
The unassuming minimalism of Piet Boon’s door handles for Dutch brand Formani is always enriched by distinctive details that enliven the essential designs. Take the INC door handles: when viewed from the front, they appear as standard cylindrical forms, but once held, the hand feels the flattened shape, whose inclination and tapering offers a smooth, comfortable grip. The door handle is complemented by a full collection of pulls for furniture and window fittings in the same design, available in PVD satin black and satin stainless steel.
‘Macaroni’ Pull by Sam Stewart
New York based designer Sam Stewart has launched his e-commerce venture with a whimsical yet practical design that ‘looks good enough to eat.’ The playfully dubbed ‘Macaroni’ Pulls feature a candy-hued palette of translucent pink, purple, green, orange and yellow, chunky handles that can brighten up every corner of the home
‘Oasis’ by Robert AM Stern Architects for Rocky Mountain Hardware
Solid bronze architectural hardware specialist Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Hardware presents a new collection of sculptural handles for doors and cabinets created by Robert AM Stern Architects. The 13 new designs in the collection feature door handles, handles with back plates and a series of knobs and pulls, featuring continuous forms crafted in bronze. ‘While designing “Oasis”, we were inspired by historic architectural references and the Arts and Crafts movement,’ says Lawrence Chabra, Robert AM Stern Interiors Studio director and associate. ‘The result is a sculptural collection that juxtaposes the structural quality of doors and millwork with the inventiveness and craftsmanship of jewellery, featuring design elements that are similar to gem cutting.’
Michael Graves collection for Schwinn Originals
Knobs designed by the late American architect Michael Graves are reproduced in natural linoleum from linseed by Schwinn Originals. The sustainable material meets Graves’ simple, modern design, available in blue and burgundy, with shiny and matte steel and brass hardware details.
‘Twine’ door handle by Superfront
Swedish cabinet specialist Superfront has released its latest design, inspired by the Bauhaus: the ‘Twine’ collection includes door handles in four finishes (brass, steel, copper and black), with a utilitarian design. A thin metal wire is wrapped around the handles for a sleek, industrial look. Two door handle sizes are available, and there is also a furniture leg, for a full furniture refresh.
‘Milano’ by Antonio Citterio for Olivari
Italian company Olivari perfected door handle craft and design during a century of creative experimentation, in collaboration with some of the greatest minds in design. Its latest collection is inspired by an imaginary journey from Milan to Lugano, in collaboration with modern masters such as Antonio Citterio and Carlo Colombo. Citterio, whose door handle is named after Italy’s design capital, created an understated and timeless piece, an evergreen addition to the home that celebrates Milan and its discreet creative force.
‘Clémence’ by Pierre Daems for Maison Vervloet
Based in Molenbeek, Brussels, Maison Vervloet has been making decorative hardware since 1905. Its door handles have been designed in collaboration with some of today’s most respected creators, from India Mahdavi to Glenn Sestig and Charles Zana. Its latest collection sees the essence of Pierre Daems’ work being scaled back to the small forms of a door handle: the Belgian interior designer’s signature sinuous lines are replicated on the hardware, which nods to an art deco inspiration. Photography: Backflash Studio
Note Design Studio for Haven
Created for Swedish bathroom specialist Haven, Note Design Studio’s collection of handles and knobs is suitable for any room of the house. The minimal, well-considered design is available in a palette of metals that encourages mixing and matching, while maintaining a discreet, sophisticated aesthetic. Designed as simple geometries, the elements are ‘additional graphic expressions’ to enhance the look of a cabinet door. For the brand, the design duo have also created a series of complementary trays and boxes.
‘Nexxa’ by Zaha Hadid Design for Izé
Zaha Hadid Design has created a new sculptural door handle concept for architectural hardware specialist Izé. The ‘Nexxa’ door handle is designed and engineered to maintain a strong aesthetic. ‘We looked at how we could make it more innovative and at how we could design a handle in a single continuous line that isn’t broken even if the handle is being turned,’ says Woody Yao, co-director of Zaha Hadid Design. ‘We did a lot of research into how to make use of the break between the two elements as part of the story. Izé is all about the bespoke and the customised, so the idea was to create not an off-the-shelf design but a sculpture.’ Available in a range of finishes (including satin, polished black titanium and solid rose gold, a material never used on a commercial door handle before), the design was first conceived in 2006 by Zaha Hadid herself and further developed by her team in collaboration with Izé.
‘Madeleine’ by Inga Sempé for Dnd Martinelli
A tribute to the eponymous French cake, Inga Sempé’s ‘Madeleine’ door handle replicates the delicate ridged surface of a shell. The compact, elegant handle is made of hot stamped brass and available in polished antique gold (pictured), matte black, polished nickel and and satin gold, graphite and copper.
‘Symbols’ by Adam Nathaniel Furman for Swarf Hardware
British artist and designer Adam Nathaniel Furman has created a series of handles inspired by building blocks for British manufacturer Swarf Hardware. The geometric, modular designs of the ‘Symbols’ collection follow Swarf’s engineering-led approach and can be combined to create diverse compositions both horizontally or vertically. The shapes are hand-finished to provide a comfortable grip, and each piece is available in satin brass, polished brass and four powder-coated shades (with bespoke colours available on request). ‘“Symbols” is a little celebration of diversity in the home, like a set of beautifully crafted geometric emojis for quotidian life,’ says the designer. ‘They are a parade of small characterful personalities for you to pick and choose from, combining them in various fun ways to populate and animate your furniture.’
‘Fela’ handles by House of Eroju
Since 1997, London-based House of Eroju has been crafting door handles ‘that privilege a sense of touch’. Brothers Keji and Tunde Eroju specialise in architectural ironmongery defined by attention to craftsmanship and precision engineering, using materials such as bronze, concrete and leather. Their ‘Fela’ handles (available as pull handles or door lever handles) combine a minimal slate form with leather details in tan, red, olive and white. ‘Our use of leathers is second to none, from the hand-picking of skins, hand-cutting and hand-stitching techniques to the attention of an individual craftsperson,’ say the brothers. ‘Each piece is instilled with passion and pride incorporating years of experience.’
‘Seppa’ by Vbrokkr
Melbourne-based design studio Vbrokkr specialises in creating unique architectural hardware using traditional silversmithing and hollow-ware techniques. Its growing collection of limited-edition door handles, knobs and pulls was developed by founder Ned Vernon, who studied craftsmanship and design in Europe before launching the brand. His time in Europe led him to appreciate architectural ironmongery and its carefully considered designs and traditional symbolism. ‘Different cultural rituals and mythical symbolism of the door, such as protection, transience and the family unit’, became driving inspirations for Vernon, who also looked at architecture throughout history with a particular focus on brutalism and Italian midcentury design.
§