167 Contemporary Handles

Creating the perfect entrance into your home, or even into a room, is accomplished with the aid of a beautiful door and complementary door handle. Although the door that you end up with may be out of your control, the handles can quickly and easily elevate and enhance the design of any front or interior door style to that of a polished and finished gateway into the adjoining space.

When shopping for handles, there are a few questions that you will want to ask yourself in order to make the right choice for the right space?

Are you buying an interior or exterior door handle? After clarifying this, your available options will really differentiate themselves. Any door handle can technically be used as an exterior door handle, but in order to survive harsh outdoor conditions, the correct finish and material is essential for preventing tarnishing and early wear.

Which style of door handles do you want? Although there are many styles of door handles to choose from, ranging from extremely trendy to classic and traditional, make sure that you select a handle style that is right for the space and for the door itself. A door handle is the accent of any door, so consider the accent your home needs.


What finish do you want for your door handles? For interior door handles this may be more of an aesthetic decision, but for exterior doors it’s important to consider longevity as some materials and finishes will stand up to the harsh outdoor elements much better than others. Metals, like chrome are extremely resistant to tarnishing and brass is often used because of its attractive tarnishing. Rustic metals, or even antique handles, can be used for a worn in and aged approach, but preventing rust will be more of an issue. Other materials like stone, glass or ceramic are also commonly used, but primarily only for interior door handles.