No Place Like Home -- Karen Wight

It’s the details that make a difference. They can take “ho-hum” to

“wow” in an instant. That’s the beauty and bother of hardware.

If you’re building a new house, remodeling an old one, or just

freshening up a tired room, choosing hardware that matches the mood is a

must.

If you’ve built your own home, you know the drill -- by the time you

are ready to select hardware, you’re tired, overwhelmed and the budget is

looking lean.

When you count up the hinges, doorknobs, drawer pulls, doorstops and

deadbolts, you could cry just thinking about making another decision and

writing another sizable check.

Bleak as this sounds, the world of hardware has improved. A lot. The

choices used to be rather simple and not too exciting. Rounds or eggs?

Brass or chrome? You still had to write the check, but it wasn’t fun.

I have news for you: hardware is now fun. Really fun. Almost too much

fun, because you can really get yourself into some trouble with the wide

(and wild) selections.

Many smart companies have figured out that hardware is like icing on

the cake. And most of us like icing. National companies like Restoration

Hardware and Pottery Barn have added stylish hardware lines. Boutique

stores like Anthropologie have thrown eclectic hardware into their mix of

“chick stuff” and have been extremely successful.

Hardware stores have upped the ante and now offer more than rounds and

eggs in brass or chrome. Check out local stores like New York Hardware

Company, Moultrup Finish Hardware, Water Works and Concept Studio. Even

the local hardware stores and Home Depot warehouses have gotten into the

act.

Now that I’ve primed you to go out and go crazy, remember enough is as

good as a feast. Adding a few “sexy” choices is good design. Making a

room look like a golf shop or wilderness retreat is overkill.

What am I talking about? Go check it out. You want “lodge”? You can

choose from acorns, twigs, oak leaves, bears and moose.

Are you on a permanent surfing safari? The world is your oyster,

literally. There are fish, starfish, shells, mini-surfboards and bamboo

handles.

Choices also include antique crystal knobs, intricate French designs

and hand-painted ceramic pulls and knobs. If you want authentic, hunt

down a few of the antique hardware stores (there are plenty in The Circle

in Orange).

Using a few of these specialty items can make a room pop. If you have

a built-in or a bank of drawers that need some extra attention, it’s time

for a hardware field trip.

Using cool knobs can make the tedious chore of selecting hardware

entertaining. Pick out your standards and then go a little crazy.

Every piece of cake needs a little icing.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs Sundays.