How to Choose Decorative Closet Bifold Door Knobs and Handles

Bifold closet doors often take up a whole wall of a bedroom, so why not make them a part of the overall décor? Adding decorative knobs can help tie the closet folding doors in with the rest of the room. You can choose simple hardware to blend in with the style and colors of the room, or you can go with ornate or whimsical theme handles to make a bold statement. Consider the options below for the best decorative knobs and handles for your home closets.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Color swatches and/or paint samples
• Time to consider all the details and options
• Sample of existing hardware

1. Consider the doors' prominence in the room. In many bedrooms, the closet doors dominate one whole wall. If you have dark walls and bright white doors, it helps to choose closet knobs that match the wall color. (See article main photo.) This will draw the doors into the room's design. If your doors and wall are the same color or shade, you could choose a matching color and very simple knob so that it all blends together and doesn't draw the eye.

2. Consider the finish of all the furniture and accessories in the room. Are the lamps silver or gold, or an antique finish? Look at the drawer pulls on the dressers and wardrobes. Don't forget about picture frames and other decorations. If these items are all silver, for example, make sure you choose silver handles for the closet doors. If the room has a mix of finishes, try to choose the predominant color, or perhaps choose something that matches the finish of the door so that it blends together.

3. Match the style or theme of the room. If you have Victorian furniture, choose ornate and jeweled or basket weave designs. If it's a child's room, look for bright painted knobs or handles shaped like cars, animals, flowers--whatever matches your child's interests and the room's décor.

4. Match the color scheme. If you choose colored or wooden handles over metal finishes, make sure the color matches. Bring paint chips or fabric swatches when you visit the store, to be sure the knobs won't clash with your current colors.

5. Consider the user. If the bedroom is a guest room, ornate handles are no problem. If it's a closet you use every day, you'll want to consider getting handles that are easy to grab hold of. Consider the age of the child using the closet, and which handles are safest and easiest for them to use.

6. Consider price. Items available for immediate purchase in the store will generally be the least expensive option. Special order knobs will offer you a wider range of options, but will cost a lot more. Don't forget about shipping charges when ordering on-line.

7. Visit more than one store to see all the available options for decorative closet door knobs and handles. On-line retailers provide additional choices. See Resources section.

Tips & Warnings

• Bring a sample of your existing hardware to the store. Not all decorative handles and knobs come in the same sizes, so you want to be sure to choose the right one! If there is no existing hardware, measure the thickness of the closet door for knobs. Measure the distance between the screw holes to get the proper closet handle size.
• On-line photographs may not provide an accurate shade of the item.
• Ornate knobs and handles are also harder to clean.
• Square knobs give a nice, clean look to closet doors. However, closet knobs do tend to rotate when used, and the straight lines make it obvious when they are crooked.

Resources

• Find a variety of closet knobs at Lowes
• Find unique decorative hardware at MyKnobs