Replacing Old Discontinued Furniture Hardware

When a piece of hardware on a cherished piece of furniture breaks the first thought is to try to replace it with a matching piece of hardware that will be consistent with the wear of the remaining hardware. Many people have luck locating the perfect piece of hardware through collectors, but it is a time consuming process.

Attempting to replace all of the hardware on the piece of furniture can also cause a problem if the hardware is discontinued. With luck and perseverance, the replacement for the original hardware can be located through the original seller or manufacturer, but it cannot be expected that they have ample storage space to stock discontinued items.

Luckily, the availability of new hardware that will compliment the discontinued piece of furniture can be found because of the popularity of reproduction hardware. This makes it easy to match the new hardware design with the manufacture era of the piece of furniture.

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Difference in Crystal Quality

Crystal Quality HardwareWhen looking for an elegant way to dress up wooden doors, drawers or cabinets, explore the possibilities offered with glass and crystal knobs, and handles.

Crystal quality is usually determined by the amount of lead that is used in the manufacture of the handle, knob or pull. Crystal is described as full lead crystal if it consists of 23% lead. The light that comes through makes it glisten and picks up color from the light refraction.

Lead crystal with lower lead content doesn’t refract the light in the same way, so the colors and sparkle of the sunlight in the crystal quality are diminished slightly, though still beautiful.

High lead crystal is easier to cut than lower lead crystal because it is softer. The high lead content crystal is also easier to decorate. If crystal is manufactured with less than 23% lead, it is considered a standard crystal.

Glass manufactured with minute lead content is really not considered a crystal product as it is just glass, although designers often use the term crystal when talking about the material.

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Decorating with Cabinet Hardware

Decorating with cabinet hardwareThe purchase of large appliances or other major furniture acquisitions is a big step that takes time and planning. Once the new pieces have been delivered and arranged in the home, it’s often the case that something doesn’t seem quite right.

The discord may be simply that existing hardware doesn’t match the new décor. Luckily, this is an easy problem that can easily be remedied by changing out the existing hardware.

Kitchen cabinet hardware is available in a variety of materials, colors and finishes to complete the look that new appliances give a room. If the existing cabinet hardware doesn’t complement the new stainless steel appliances, simply change them out. You don’t have to choose stainless steel hardware in the same finish, although that would be perfectly suitable. Instead, you can choose a material or design that draws from the overall theme of the kitchen because the stainless steel appliances are neutral.

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Choosing Hardware from the Same Collection and Manufacturer to Assure Color Consistency

Many people who are doing large renovations or building projects with multiple pieces of the exact same hardware are often surprised to see a slight difference in color or finish when the pieces are unwrapped and placed side by side. The differences in color are usually not enough to be noticeable once the hardware is installed over a wider area as they are when they are in such close proximity.

In fact, in most cases the differences are so slight that no one but the handy man ever notices. But to a perfectionist, once the differentiation is observed, it presents a distraction that soon can lead to overall dissatisfaction with the result of the entire project.

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All About Door Hardware

Door Hardware

Door knobs and levers are chosen for specific applications and for functionality. With the options available on the market today, décor, safety and functionality can all be combined in the perfect choice.

If you haven’t heard of pocket door hardware, this may interest you. This door hardware allows the door to slide into the wall rather than open front to back. This is ideal for smaller rooms or hallways that would be cramped by a swinging door. When installed properly these doors are very unobtrusive and appear to simply be part of the wall when closed.

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Add a Touch of Style with Decorative Hardware

Decorative Hardware When you want to add a touch of style to your kitchen or bathroom, installing decorative cabinet hardware can really make a difference. From polished brass or stainless steel to crystal and glass handles and knobs, it is quite easy to give the whole room a fresh, decorative look by incorporating different cabinet hardware. Imagine a kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The stainless steel can cause even rich wood cabinets and drawers to feel cold and stark. But when you add elegant rich gold tone cabinet handles and knobs you are adding a touch of warmth and richness to the room. 

The same can be done in a modern black kitchen. Black cabinets look wonderful with stainless steel handles, intricate antiqued knobs and other stylish touches that you can add, and are sure to make a statement. Bathrooms are another place in the home where cabinet hardware can make a huge difference in the feel of the room. For example if you have a pastel colored bathroom with light airy colors you can easily find simple decorative pull handles for your drawers and cabinets. 

If you have an opulent luxurious bathroom with rich colors like burgundy and gold, you can also find gold toned or brushed brass cabinet hardware to complete the look. The bathroom also offers many other decorative hardware options including towel racks and shower door handles. It is easy to add a touch of class to any color scheme or design by using decorative cabinet hardware.

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Instructions for Replacing Switchplates

Replacing switchplatesReplacing switchplates is one of the easiest ways to brighten up a room and is often overlooked. The plate covering the electrical switch or outlet is often never even noticed as you reach out to turn a light on or off or plug in an appliance. They are also rarely remembered during daily cleaning routines. No wonder they accumulate dust, dirt and grime of everyday living.

There is no reason to limit yourself to a plain switchplate. An artistic, personal and decorative element can be brought into the area simply by choosing a switchplate that reflects your personal taste and style.

When looking for a replacement switchplate, keep in mind that they are also called wall plates and outlet covers.

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Happy New Year!

It’s less than a week into the New Year and most are going strong on their resolutions. Whether you are hitting the gym for the first time in months, redirecting your life down a new road or finishing something you once started – it is easy to get discouraged when you do not see immediate results. Let’s face it; this is why most resolutions fail. After working hard for a few weeks and having those skinny jeans still not button or feeling stuck after putting all your effort towards change can be really discouraging and it is easy to just give up. Instead of giving up, keep moving. Let’s create a plan now on what we want to achieve and do it.

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Install Bath Hardware and Fixtures Properly

Learn to install bath hardware the right way.
Learn to install bath hardware the right way.

Towel bars, clothes hooks, and even bathroom shelves are available in various sizes, materials and degrees of sturdiness. The choice of visual appeal is wide. But, unfortunately, visual appeal is not the only consideration when purchasing hardware for the bathroom.

While a dainty rack to hold a lace guest towel can look lovely near the sink, the reality is that sooner or later it will be expected to support the weight of wet towels and even a heavy bag of personal bath products. Even if the rack survives the weight, it’s possible that the wall that is supporting it won’t Going Here.

Bathroom shelves often accumulate cosmetics, hair styling equipment, and even books and magazines in addition to the decorative candles and figurines that were visualized when the bathroom was designed.

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Replacing Hardware for Existing Odd Size Holes

Adjustable drawer pullsNot all hardware is made the same and sometimes the hardware that comes with the cabinets that are in your home are odd sized.  This can mean that there is an issue when replacing the existing odd size holes with other hardware.  How do you make the new hardware fit the cabinets when the holes are too large or too small for your new hardware?  There are a few things that you can do to get your new cabinet pulls and hinges to fit without having to get new cabinets entirely.

  • Large Holes – When the holes are larger than the screws for the new hardware you can do one of two things.  You can either purchase inserts to make the holes smaller and allow them to be able to fit the new screws, or you can fill them with putty and drill new holes.  Many people prefer to use the inserts because they are easier to use.  It also keeps the cabinets from having too many holes.  Drilling new holes can offer a tighter fit for the new hardware so that can be a positive for that method.

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