I think what you are describing is just fine, and probably pretty authentic for an older home.

My 1915 craftsman has crystal knobs with brass plates, except the back door knob is brass. I think you're good :)

I think you have made a mistake in your choice of hardware for an "old, large, traditional colonial". Polished brass hinges and traditional knobs would be the appropriate choice. But it's your house.

Oh dear I hope not! This is a close approximation of the look of our home, so I chose black hardware to copy. I have the same floors/rugs/paint/light fixtures :-) I had shiny brass hardware and just had to get rid of it!

Pretty! I think the black is nice.

You're fine, stop worrying. The brass would have tarnished to the max. : ) by now. Painted hinges look nothing but crusty. You needn't be a "period slave"

It might not be 100% historically accurate, but it'll look good and the style will be a nod to history. And yes, mix those knobs! (It's not really even mixing.)

No, they don't. I like your idea. We chose to use oil rubbed bronze back plates and knobs throughout our main floor where our wood trim is stained, and the same back plates with porcelain knobs upstairs where our trim is painted white. No regrets so far and it's been over 12 years.

Why not? I think it's a great idea to mix it up for even more authentic feel to the kitchen.

I think it looks fantastic, get what you love.

I agree. Your reasoning makes sense and I think it will look fine.

My 1925 Craftsman bungalo had crystal doorknobs in the parlor and dining room french doors, brass on the rest except the bathroom, which had brass on the outside and chrome on the inside and it was all original to the house. Go with your plan for the brass on the laundry and mudroom doors. Black will be fine for the rest. I take it they're all mortise locks.

If I were to outfit my door hardware in something historically accurate for my house, it would have to be cheap builders-grade brass. Instead I changed everything to flat black, including the hinges and it's one of the best, budget-friendly things I've done.

I think you're smart to not use crystal in the harder working rooms. I think it will all look great together.

It's your house, not a museum :-) I love your choices. For some reason the thought of dealing with door hardware is very daunting to me. It's not like we spend much time noticing hinges and knobs as a rule, so when it comes time to pick something for ourselves it can be a bit of a challenge.

Rita, I've changed my door hardware twice and it's actually fun. Well, the knob part is. It was a little hairy changing door hinges by myself with only two hinges per door.

I've gone from the aforementioned cheap brass, to satin nickel, to matte black. Love it. You stop noticing the old hinges and knobs, but when you change them, it's really uplifting.

hwr, that is one gorgeous hallway!

Remember of course that this isn't a permanent irrevocable change. If anyone wants to turn your house into a museum, they will have to change whatever you put in anyway and it won't be hard. Knobs are like wall paint. They aren't permanent.

(I admit I looked high and low--and ended very low--to find knobs to match my original small brass 50s mushroom knobs. But I like them!)

That is gorgeous! Well done.