Achieving a first class finish
From rose gold to forged black, a new generation of hardware finishes is growing in popularity, as homeowners look to add personality and value to their properties. Here, Kerry Blackford, Head of Product at ERA, explores how window and door manufacturers can capitalise on this trend, by offering suited hardware in a variety of contemporary and heritage finishes.
As homeowners across the UK continue to become braver with their design choices, window and door manufacturers are developing new door styles, wider colour portfolios and more glass choices to meet demand.
In recent years, achieving a contemporary aesthetic has been extremely popular with homeowners, with modern entrance doors and windows in shades of anthracite and black becoming household favourites.
Heritage-inspired hardware is also continuing to have its moment, with decorative furniture increasingly being chosen to create a traditional appearance for windows and doors to reflect the property’s historic origins. However, now it seems like hardware is having its moment, as homeowners’ passion for personalisation continues.
All about aesthetics
A leading example of this is the popularity for of alternative metallic shades, such as rose gold, which provide a modern alternative to traditional brass and complement a wide range of door and window profile colours.Fab&Fix’s new Hardex Rose finish has been specifically designed to help manufacturers in meeting this demand for metallics. Available in a range of suited hardware, it enables homeowners to add a contemporary touch to their entrance door and windows, whilst achieving a perfectly matching finish across their entire property. The range includes door handles, cylinder pulls and escutcheons, in addition to letterplates, bull ring knockers and window handles, all in modern designs that reflect the visual feel of the rose gold finish.Heritage influences continue to be popular, including doors and windows in timber or woodgrain-effect finishes, combined with colourful palettes and period-inspired hardware. Here, door knobs and knockers in traditional designs combined with aged finishes provide an effective and high quality addition. Modern manufacturing processes provide expertly engineered surface finishes that reflect classical styles from the nineteenth century, combined with modern performance.
The Fab&Fix Forged Black and Hardex Pewter range replicates the look of traditional forged black iron and aged pewter hardware, featuring interlaced hammered patterns that create an effective surface finish, which when combined with a matte black or pewter base, deliver an eye-catching and authentic visual appeal. The unique finishes are available across the complete portfolio of suited door and window hardware, which features over 200 products, including door knobs and knockers, in addition to the Sculptured, Monkey Tail and Noble door handles, window handles and Architectural letterplates. However, it’s not just increased standards of style that homeowners are searching for. Achieving improved levels of security and performance are also leading factors in the purchasing decision.
Setting the standard for security
As homeowners continue to return to normality, the amount of time they spend away from their property is increasing. However, their fear of burglary is also rising, with the 2021 Neighbourhood Watch Crime and Community Survey identifying that 67% of respondents were worried about becoming a victim of burglary and that this type of crime remains the greatest area of concern.
As a result, individuals are looking to improve the protection of their homes to deter potential burglary attempts. Door and window manufacturers can here aid homeowners in achieving the highest standards of security by working with hardware suppliers who provide a complete package of PAS 24 accredited window and door hardware in a range of diverse finishes.
This includes a range of 3 Star accredited cylinders, high security door handles that prevent attacks to the euro cylinder, in addition to inline locking window handles. By providing these types of products in a wider range of finishes and styles, fabricators can ensure they alleviate homeowners’ security concerns, without impacting their design choices.
The test of time
For homeowners looking to add real value to their properties, it is crucial the hardware not only looks good but continues to provide the same high quality finish for years to come. Here, fabricators should look to work with hardware providers which have invested in anti-corrosion testing to achieve the highest possible standards of durability and longevity.
Going above and beyond neutral salt spray testing, ERA’s prohesion testing process includes an electrolyte spray sequence with drying cycles at high temperatures to concentrate salt deposits, achieving real world accelerated testing. As a result, the unique Hardex finish is supplied with a 10 year function, finish and security guarantee after undergoing 1000 hours of prohesion testing.
This provides door and window manufacturers and their customers with the confidence the hardware will look as good as the day it is installed for many years to come.
As fabricators continue to invest in bringing designs to market that follow the latest trends, it’s important to offer high quality, style-appropriate hardware to match. By working with suppliers that offer a comprehensive range of suited products in both contemporary and heritage-inspired finishes, manufacturers can achieve a competitive edge, giving their customers more design freedom, without compromising on security or quality.
