Door Handles, can you have too much choice? No, says Fab&Fix

We’ve seen the move in interior design, consumers are all about the choice. From fabrics and furnishings to paints and wall coverings, fixtures and fittings. We all want to be different, to have homes that reflect our personality, our lifestyle and experiences. To cater for all of the different consumer wants and needs, companies are introducing products ranges that reflect the season, fashions and latest trends. It’s a similar situation whatever industry we look at and the door and window industry is no exception. The need for choice is prevalent here too, manufacturers can’t stand still we have to evolve to continually update our offering to remain competitive.

This means offering more and more choice, but how does that work? How can you, as fabricators, stock something to suit everyone? With many manufacturers now offering next day delivery you don’t necessarily need to hold all the stock, but you may need to think about different ways to demonstrate that choice without necessarily taking up precious warehouse space. A door designer is a great way for consumers to visualise what their door will look like without having to see that product in the flesh, the ability to add and change the door handles, hardware, glass options and door styling gives the consumer a really good idea of what the finished product will look like. So you can offer the widest choice possible, and the end consumer feels like their door is personal to them.

If you don’t quite have the budget for a bespoke door designer, things like presentation panels help to show off the available door handles, knockers and letterplates and are ideal so that installers and consumers can see the choice. Or simple additions like colour swatches mean every door handle doesn’t need to be stocked in every finish but having the most popular colour in stock and then showcasing the other colour finishes through swatches may be an option.

Or if you would prefer a more defined approach, why not create several ‘suited’ offerings for your door ranges. For example, for contemporary doors using an Architectural package with a choice of bar or lever door handles, letterplate and knocker could suit the majority of consumers choosing this style of door. Then perhaps for your ‘Heritage’ styled doors, again offering a lever and pad door handle option, plus letterplate, numerals and knockers (if required) in a set range of finishes. Or using the colour swatches that work as a paint chart to aid the consumer decision-making process means you can offer the full range of finishes. There are lots of available possibilities but it does depend on how complex you would like your offer to be. 

Fab&Fix, your hardware partner of choice

At Fab&Fix our mantra has always been to offer the broadest choice possible, not only in terms of the number of different styles available but in colour options too. It is our mission to be the one-stop-shop for decorative hardware whether you are looking for residential doors, casement windows, sash windows, sliding or bi-fold doors. As we offer next working day delivery, we can be the hardware partner to support you to offer a wider choice, without necessarily stocking everything yourselves.

We’ve never been one to stand still; we are constantly looking to see how we can reflect what your consumers want within our range. The introduction of new styles and finishes in response to trends in door styles and consumer tastes form the focus of our product development. We understand that not everyone is the same and so what is right for one fabricator, installer and consumer, won’t necessarily be right for the next. Within the Fab&Fix range, there are over 200 fully suited products, plus the 13 unique finish options. So no, at Fab&Fix we don’t believe you can ever have too much choice!

Fab&Fix Hardex Rose

Just one of several additions to the Fab&Fix range is the introduction of a new premium colour to the palette. Hardex Rose is an attractive new colour, with hints of copper and a beautifully polished surface finish that adds the feeling of luxury to any door. Available in a choice of door handles, window handles, letterplates, knocker and cylinder pulls; the Hardex Rose collection could add a further element of choice to your range. It offers a contemporary alternative to the standard yellow gold and looks superb on a range of door colours and styles. Is the ideal complement to sockets, lighting and other fittings and fixtures in the same finish that has become popular in recent times.

At Fab&Fix we believe that attention to the finer details when designing and manufacturing decorative hardware is vital for creating that perfect entranceway to a home. Each piece of hardware is engineered for enhanced strength and durability, whatever the style and finish and the new Rose Gold finish is no exception. The key to this is Hardex, an invisible skin that creates a finish with unmatchable resilience and durability. And when a door or window looks that good, it needs to stay that way, so Fab&Fix products lead the way in anti-corrosion and performance standards. Ensuring whatever the style or colour is chosen, it’ll look good for years to come! 

Sarah Knight, Product Manager for Fab&Fix decorative hardware at ERA, agrees: “The launch of Hardex Rose is the 13th finish in the Fab&Fix portfolio and it demonstrates our commitment to providing fabricators and installers with the broadest choice of finishes, whilst also capturing the latest industry trends. The new finish appeals to consumers and maintains the premium levels of quality that Fab&Fix has been delivering for over 30 years."