A Home Owner's Guide to the Different Types of Door Knockers

Did you know that Americans spent over $420 billion on home improvements? If you're looking for a way to spruce up your home's exterior without spending quite so much, there are ways to make small but effective upgrades. And one of the best ways is to welcome family members and guests to your home with a stylish new door knocker.

Stick around to learn why new door knockers can transform your home!

Check Out Different Materials and Finishes

When you're exploring door knocker options, you may want to start by considering materials. With chrome, stainless steel, and brass among the top options, you'll have no shortage of choices. 

Choose iron for a classic look that will add strength and character to any front door. The weightiness of this material makes it ideal for an old farmhouse or modern home. That's particularly true if you choose an iron door knocker with a rustic finish.

By contrast, glossy finishes can create a modern style that pairs well with a contemporary interior. If your door has a shiny kickplate, consider adding a door knocker in matching metal. Similarly, look at metal finishes in places like your lampposts or chimney flashing and aim to choose a compatible metal finish. 

Softer finishes and colors lend themselves to understated door accessories. So, if you want to keep things simple, go with polished chrome in the shape of a ring, loop, or urn. For a little variation on the classic options, choose a pear shape made of steel or nickel.

Factor in the color of your door, bricks, and siding, too, when choosing materials. If you have a lighter wooden door, you might want a pop of brilliance with brass or chrome. If your door is a darker color, however, cast iron or steel would look best.

Try a Vintage Style

When it comes to door knockers, you can step back in time with the style you choose. And if you're living in an older home that's retained its original style, you might want to keep your upgrades consistent. 

For instance, a door knocker created with an Art Deco or Art Nouveau sensibility can transport your front door back to the 1920s. This style of door knocker will feature an elegant loop shape that flares out at the base of the handle. Get one in polished nickel or chrome for a touch of reflection on the front door of your vintage home. 

Or go with a Victorian-style door knocker to dress up your residential door. If you live in a Victorian-style house with a gabled roof, turrets, and bay windows, this knocker would fit right in. Pair a touch of ornamentation with a carved wooden door to cement the period look!

Whatever your design style, we have a rustic door knocker for you!

Add International Flair with Door Knocker Styles

For another approach to door accessories, consider a door knocker style connected with a different country or culture. After all, door knockers trace their history to ancient Greece. And they've been popular in England for centuries.

Channel a bit of history when you start exploring door knocker options. A lion's head communicates strength and power, and it's commonplace in England. Place one of these on a Tudor-style home for the ultimate nod to the 17th century. 

For a playful choice, surprise your guests with a door knocker hand reaching out from your door. This door knocker style emerged from the Mediterranean centuries ago. Use it to ward off evil — or at least get a conversation going with any visitors!

A Celtic door knocker embellished with knots or a Celtic cross will add detail to your front door. Or look to a brass Victorian knocker enhanced with rope designs to create a sophisticated style that calls to mind past centuries.

Objects

Go with as Door Knockers

If you want to create a playful vibe, you don't have to stick with the usual geometric shapes. Instead, consider going with a hand-forged object as the main adornment for your residential door.

Play up your farmhouse look with a rooster knocker. A cast iron rooster profile can serve as the backing plate, while a simple ring is affixed to it. This would look charming on a bright red door, and you can trust it will bring a smile to anyone's face.

Palmettos and shells are perfect objects to enhance the look of a beachside cottage. Or try rabbits, flowers, and pinecones to show your love of nature. With some flower pots on the front stoop and some burst of color in your door or shutters, you'll create a charming home.

Choose a Sleek and Modern Look

Do you live in a contemporary home? If you're used to having an open floor plan, white walls, and sleek countertops inside your home, you'll want the outside of your home to reflect these tastes. This creates a sense of aesthetic unity that will make you happy each time you head home.

For a modern style, keep your door accessories simple. This means avoiding door knockers with excessive carvings or intricate designs. Instead, let basic geometric shapes and clean lines be the stars of the show.

You may want to choose stainless steel or bronze in a satin finish. Brushed chrome also offers a muted quality that will add understated elegance to your front door. Look into a door knocker with a pendulum design that will appear clean and timeless.

As another option, go with a door knocker that has a simple square strike plate with a ring attached to the hinge. For even more simplicity, choose a door knocker without a strike plate.

And even rustic styles can pair with more modern home trends. Look into using a weathered railroad spike door knocker to greet guests. This trim and narrow door knocker will provide the perfect contrast to a polished or modern surface. And you'll love the handsome look of the weathered texture.

Keep Your Residential Door Classic

Sometimes your best bet is not to overthink things when you're investigating door knocker styles. You can't go wrong with a clean ring pull with a slight hammered texture — or none at all.

Sticking with a classic ring shape won't be a bad choice. Look at designs that feature beveled edges, unique finishes, or slight details for a little added interest.

For the ultimate throwback door knocker, go with a style that dates back to Colonial times. The distinctive shape, with tapered points on the top and bottom, will look recognizably classic. Choose one in a finish that provides enough contrast against your front door.

Diamond and V-shaped knockers provide another style that is traditional yet versatile. Ultimately, you can trust that you won't get sick of a clean shape. But even if you do, it's easy to detach your door knocker and replace it with a different one! 

And while you're at it, consider upgrading table legs, chair upholstery, and other aspects of your home decor. Making changes to parts of your furniture is a simple way to breathe new life into the pieces in your home. Know that you don't have to replace everything to refresh your look.

Consider the Door Knocker's Function

Will you install your door knocker on an exterior or interior door? And do you live in an area prone to lots of storms? These are the types of questions you should weigh before you purchase a new door knocker.

For instance, maybe you live in a coastal area where thunderstorms and salt water can take a toll on materials. If that's the case, stainless steel or aluminum would make the most sense. 

If you're working with an interior door, you won't be bound by environmental concerns. You can choose highly polished finishes that won't be subject to the elements. 

While you're at it, look at the mounting style for a dock knocker. Through-door knockers and surface-mounted door knockers are among the most popular choices today. Surface-mounted door knockers use screws to affix the accessory to the door. 

For the most durability, go with a through-door knocker. As the name implies, these door knockers are attached through the door from the inside for the most secure adhesion. Just keep in mind that you'll see holes in the door from the screws if you ever remove a door knocker. 

For the most modern look, try door accessories with concealed mounts. This means that you won't see the screws or hardware used to attach the door knocker to the door. You'll just see the elegant shape of whichever design you choose!

Find the Right Door Knockers

When you're ready to enhance the appearance of your home's entryway, door knockers are a simple and effective upgrade. You can opt for traditional geometric shapes in anything from hammered metals to glossy brass. Or, for an unconventional choice, choose an animal shape, retro design, or international style of door knocker to greet your guests.

Ready to find the best door knocker styles for your needs? Contact us so we can help!