Windows & Doors Review: Entry-Door HardwareDoor Prize: Get a handle on the new finishes, styles, and accessories for entry-door hardware.

In the race to keep up with the Joneses, homeowners are treating entry doors as an artistic way to express their personal tastes, and manufacturers are fueling the trend with dozens of new hardware designs in a variety of finishes. After all, a handleset is "the first piece of art that the Joneses see," says Minu Youngkin, residential marketing manager for Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, of which Schlage is a brand. "Now it's more important to become innovative, to have different finishes and different looks," she adds.

In many regions of the country, this emphasis on individuality means many homeowners are saying good-bye to brass. A new array of finishes is driving the evolution of front-door hardware from functional to decorative.

The trend away from brass has been so dramatic that John Kufner, general manager for entry products with Therma-Tru Doors, estimates demand for the metal has declined by more than 50 percent in the past five years at his company. Instead, brushed nickel finishes now account for half of his customers' purchases, with oil-rubbed bronze coming in a close second, he says.

Even modestly priced houses are sporting locksets with updated finishes. For example, the Denver division of Beazer Homes offers Kwikset's Sonoma lock in only two finishes–chrome and brushed nickel–for its entry-level homes, says Dianna O'Neall, design studio manager. O'Neall says that she hopes to add oil-rubbed bronze in the future because, "If we offered it, I know it would sell."

Meanwhile, some consumers crave the look of bronze because it is warmer than other metals, with "a lot of texture and character," says Christine Kirby, marketing director for Rocky Mountain Hardware. The company offers a variety of finishes in bronze, including a pewter look crafted from white bronze.

Kwikset's Venetian bronze finish "really took off" after being released in 2005, says Ken Brock, senior marketing communications manager for Kwikset and Weiser Lock. The company has followed that with 2006's release of rustic bronze, a warmer, darker finish.

Living finishes like oil-rubbed bronze, which patina over time, represent a move toward a more rustic look, says Dave Koester, brand manager for Weather Shield Windows & Doors, which uses Hoppe locks on some of its products. The door manufacturer plans to offer handlesets by Stone River Bronze–which Hoppe recently purchased–as an upgrade for some of its models.

"Maybe your TVs are going to flat screen and your refrigerators are going to a stainless steel look, but [exterior hardware] is going the other way with a sturdy, rustic look," he says. The trend took off following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he adds, when people began to focus on staying home and enjoying a return to simple living.

A Package Deal

Entry-door hardware styles follow lighting, cabinet hardware, and faucet trends, notes Mike Slack, director of lock products for Baldwin. Given that, it seems only logical that at some point the two would evolve together. Baldwin is manufacturing identically styled and finished products, like bath accessories and light fixtures from its many divisions, to produce a coordinated look, says Slack. Additionally, the company's higher-end Archetypes line will be expanded to fill out its product offerings with other complementary hardware such as cabinet hardware and strap finishes.

Keying in on this trend, Kwikset in the United States and Weiser Lock in Canada have launched architecturally inspired collections that match faucets supplied by sister company Price Pfister, says Brock. "We heard from builders that it was something they were interested in," he says.

The line includes the Ashfield collection, which is country-inspired, and the Avalon collection, which has a coastal theme. During the next few years, the company plans to add other styles, Brock says.

Curb Appeal

The increased focus on front doors means homeowners are paying more attention to not just handlesets, but also hinges, strike plates, knockers, exterior lighting, and even house numbers. At U.S. Homes' Sacramento division, homeowners receive coordinating handles and hinges, says Chad Martin, a marketing coordinator who works with products including Weiser Lock in the company's design studio.

Post-installation, Kufner says he has seen homeowners dress up Therma-Tru's Rustic Door line by adding products like faux strap hinges across the door front and clavos nails–once common in the Southwest and Mexico–to give their homes a unique look. "They're really coordinating the hardware beyond our wildest dreams," says Kufner.

In addition to security, lock manufacturers are also working to ensure that their finishes are protected against the elements. For example, Baldwin offers a tin nickel PVD finish on its handles for coastal areas, says Slack. That finish is more durable than chrome PVD finishes, he says, and works to prevent corrosion and rusting.

Manufacturers like Hoppe use stainless steel in lock gears to also combat rusting and corrosion, particularly in coastal parts of the country, says Pat Junker, vice president of sales for the U.S. division of Hoppe North America.

Lovely Levers

While brass is becoming a thing of the past, knobs are also fading in popularity as homeowners turn to levers. "Everyone has a knob. Everyone's seen a knob," says Thom Mack, a buyer specializing in hardware for Architectural Products by Outwater. "With levers, it's another design element."

Given the country's aging population, levers are a design trend that can also be ADA-compliant, notes Youngkin. "Plus, on a lever from a manufacturing point of view, there's a greater ability of offer more styles than you do with knobs," Youngkin adds.

With trends evolving so quickly, the best bet for pros is to keep up with the latest models rather than falling back on the same standard models for each home. "The new wave is going to be starting electronics," says Youngkin, who predicts that use of such products will increase over time despite limited current use (see "Will Homeowners Say Good-bye to Keys?"). "That's something that's going to continue to be more and more popular."

Koester agrees, saying there will be an increasing number of homes being wired for entertainment and security, including entry door access. "People are looking for one simple place where they can run their entertainment, their security, their lights," he says.

–BP

Baldwin

Baldwin. The New York handleset, shown in a satin chrome finish, features clean lines and contemporary styling, says the manufacturer. Other finishes include Venetian bronze, aged pewter, antique nickel, and polished chrome. 800-566-1986. www.baldwinhardware.com.

Craftsmen in Wood

Craftsmen in Wood. Model 114-22, a lever shown in an old wrought finish, is an entry set that typifies a growing shift away from knobs. In addition to their stylish good looks, levers also are ADA-compliant, pros say. 602-296-1050. www.craftsmeninwood.com.

Omnia Industries

Omnia Industries. The Metro stainless steel handleset, designed to be paired with the company's stainless steel levers, is a deadbolt lockset. Because it is stainless steel, it is resistant to corrosion, weathering, and staining, says the manufacturer. At 5-1/2 inches center to center, the product fits most standard pre-bored entry doors. 800-310-7960. www.omniaindustries.com.

Hoppe

Hoppe. The stainless steel HLS9000 multi-point locking door system is available in both automatic tongue and manual tongue, in two-roller and four-roller versions. Locks made with stainless steel better resist atmospheric corrosion that can cause pitting and staining, claims the manufacturer. 888-485-4885. www.us.hoppe.com.

Schlage

Schlage. The Venice exterior handleset, shown in an antique pewter finish, features adjustable through-bolt posts for easier installation, the firm says. Any of the line's inside trim can be combined with any outside escutcheon design to create a variety of looks. 800-847-1864. www.schlage.com.

Baldwin Archetypes

Baldwin Archetypes. The Chateau collection is inspired by 17th-century French architecture. Large in scale, each piece is individually cast using a lost wax process and finished by hand. The model is available in an aged bronze finish, which gives a warm, honey-colored glow, or a pewter bronze finish, which has a cooler appearance, says the manufacturer. 888-592-2216. www.archetypes.com.

Rocky Mountain Hardware

Rocky Mountain Hardware. The Nickum entry set features a stepped thumblatch escutcheon shown in white bronze with a light patina. This contemporary mortise lock is available in different size escutcheons to match interior doors. The product is available in seven patina finishes, with the choice of a thumblatch or lever interior. 208-788-2013. www.rockymountainhardware.com.

Yale

Yale. The Fairfield one-piece handleset is fashioned from solid brass, showcases intricate detailing, and is available in satin nickel, satin chrome, antique nickel, gun metal, and gold finishes, says the manufacturer. The split-hub, low-torque mechanism features an ANSI Grade 2 lock. 678-728-7400. www.yalelock.com.

Stone River Bronze

Stone River Bronze. Style A3622, shown with an extended grip handle, is made through an investment cast process. All of the company's models are available in 10 finish options, three standard texture options, and a bronze alloy choice of nickel, silicon, or manganese. 435-755-8100. www.stoneriverbronze.com.

Safe & Secure

In homeowners' quest for grander entrances, they are choosing taller entry doors. As the market shifts to accommodate this demand, there is a trend toward multi-point locks that bolt into different locations of the door frame. For example, Therma-Tru partners with Hoppe to provide three-point locks for models taller than 8 feet.

The added locking capacity increases security and wind-resistance, says John Kufner, general manager for entry door products with Therma-Tru Doors.

Although normally considered an upgrade, in markets like Southern California–the biggest national market for 8-foot-high door sales–multi-point locking is considered a norm, he says.

With an increase in safety and security, brand manager Dave Koester says Weather Shield "pretty much insists on using a three-point lock system" with 8-foot doors.

But Brian Woods, purchasing manager of Winchester Homes, notes his company has not had luck with multi-point hardware for doors. "We're finding they're a bear to replace after sale," he says, particularly if homeowners need to re-key the lock.

–Monica Soladay

Will Homeowners Say Good-bye to Keys?

Late last year, Cambridge Homes, an Altamonte Springs, Fla., division of K. Hovnanian, began offering a keyless entry lock by Kwikset for all of its models, says Maurita Pohlman, a design studios consultant for the company. But since the introduction, there haven't been many requests for the product, Pohlman says.

"I think [home buyers are] just not as familiar with it," Pohlman says. "If it continues to not generate any interest, we'll probably eliminate it from our selections."

Although those in the industry say keyless and remote entry locks are the wave of the future–and note that such models are now common in commercial and multifamily projects–few owners of single-family homes seem to be jumping on the bandwagon.

U.S. Homes' Sacramento division, a subsidiary of Lennar, does offer a keyless model by Weiser Lock as an upgrade, but few people request it, says Chad Martin, a marketing coordinator who works with products at the company design center.

"There's so much they can upgrade; it's probably just not a priority," says Martin.

For its Lincoln Crossing active adult community for residents aged 55 and older in Lincoln, Calif., U.S. Homes is building "smart homes" with pre-wired home theaters, music speakers in rooms, security cameras, and other features. But despite all those features, the homes do not include keyless entry door locks, Martin says.

What may turn the tide for keyless residential entry is whether such models can be incorporated into home security systems, says John Kufner, general manager for entry door products with Therma-Tru Doors.

Martin theorizes that until then, customers may worry about potential technology problems with the keyless entry. "I could see homeowners saying, 'If that were to not work one night when I came home, that could be significantly more serious than a computer or DVD not working,'" Martin adds.

–Monica Soladay

Kwikset

Kwikset. The Powerbolt 1000 electronic deadbolt runs on four alkaline batteries. It retains the memory of security codes during power outages and allows the use of secondary codes for guests. An alarm sounds after the use of three consecutive incorrect code attempts. 800-327-5625. www.kwikset.com.