• Door handsets can range from simple to ornate.door knob image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  The three most common types of entrance door latch in use today are knobs, levers and thumb-latch handles. Within these three categories there are literally hundreds of options. All three can be found in a variety of architectural styles, and each of them is typically available in a range of materials and finishes.
  
  

Latch Options

• The design, or look, of door handsets is primarily effected by the handle mechanism. Each of the three styles is popular for different reasons.
  
  The knob is by far the most common. The simple twisting action of a knob makes it simple to use. Its design makes it the longest-lasting of the three styles, and it is available in the widest range of choices. It is also the least expensive option of the three styles.
  
  Lever handles have come more into play in recent years due to their ease of use. Small children, the elderly and many people with disabilities find levers easier to use than knobs. Slightly more expensive, they are also available in a wide range of styles.
  
  The thumb-latch handle is typically the most ornate. It attaches to the door with a long handle operated by a thumb button at the top. Thumb-latch handles are less common and are frequently found in more upscale construction and older homes. They are the most expensive; they typically incorporate a deadbolt privacy lock, which compensates for some of the increase in price.
  
  

Architectural Styles

• The style of the home should be enhanced by the hardware. In door hardware these styles can be broken into three broad categories.
  
  Modern door hardware will feature stark, clean lines. Typically devoid of much in the way of decorative detail, these handles may be strictly utilitarian or, sometimes, impractical. Modern handlesets may have features such as keypad locks, or be made from less common materials such as stainless steel or colored acrylics. The design goal is to be fresh and distinctive.
  
  Hardware in a contemporary style is the most common. While it has clean lines, it is not typically as austere as modern. It strives to blend with any and all styles of architecture, while frequently adapting design elements from modern and vintage styles.
  
  Antique or vintage reproductions are typically more elaborate. They are usually more expensive and have more customized finishes. In this category function may take a back seat to form. Here you find ornate details, such as embossed designs, and mixed materials, like metal and glass in the same handle.
  
  

Door Handle Finishes

• Most handsets available in retail outlets come in a variety of finishes. Contemporary handsets typically come in four or five basic finishes: a gloss gold, gloss silver, matte or "brushed" gold, brushed silver and matte gold with dark antiquing, usually called bronze.
  
  Vintage reproduction hardware is typically finished flat rather than gloss. It comes in a wider variety of finishes, including copper, black or white distressed painted finish and sometimes verdigris. Brushed gold and silver finishes are also common.
  
  Glass knobs can be found with gold or silver hardware; some vintage reproductions also have antiqued surfaces. Modern and contemporary glass handles have metal settings that trend toward the brighter gloss finishes with some brushed golds and silvers.
  
  Modern hardware is more custom. It tends to trend with current architectural styles.