Right before we installed the hardwood floors upstairs, we mentioned how we sprayed all of the blue trim and doors upstairs here…
… but they’re now naked when it comes to knobs.
We’re no strangers to ORBing things like we did here, but a lot of the doors here were rusted and pitted and some were even jammed/didn’t turn/didn’t lock.
So in this case, it really makes sense for us to replace them with something befitting of our freshly painted six panel doors. On one hand, it was a bummer to have to shell out loot for new knobs, but on the other hand the doors are in awesome shape and look like new with glossy white paint on them- so it’s a lot easier on the budget to just get new knobs (and hinges, which Home Depot sells in bulk “contractor packs”) than to replace all of the doors themselves.
I think we were aiming for two things when it came to our knob hunt: something classic (to work with our house’s style) and something special (we thought it was a fun opportunity to choose something you don’t see every day). So here are a few of the knobs that we courted, so to speak:
- This $56 white porcelain knob with a pewter stem
- This dark-toned $108 antique-ish knob
- This $73 chrome knob with a square plate
- This $35 oil-rubbed bronze knob with a rectangular plate behind it
- This $90 oil rubbed bronze & crystal one
- This $109 plated knob
- This $105 egg-knob in polished chrome
- This $28 oblong ORBed one
- This $24 chrome knob
- This $30 satin nickel egg-knob
- This blinged out $97 crystal and satin nickel one
- This $16 classic oil-rubbed bronze knob
- This interestingly shaped $43 satin-nickel knob
- This dark-toned $30 lever knob
It definitely wasn’t an easy decision – we honestly thought almost any of them would work nicely – but in the end it came down to what we were drawn to most, and our budget of course (some of the pricier ones would have been 1K worth of knobs just for the upstairs!). We’ve been in love with the idea of rich mocha hardwood floors, white trim and doors, and dark knobs for a while – just because that classic high contrast look seems so perfect for this house. So that helped us eliminate a few. And when we came across inspiring photos like this one and this one, it was pretty clear to us that we loved the look of a rectangular plate behind the knob – just for the added interest that it brought.
In the end, we chose these $35 guys (#4 above) for the four bedrooms and these $24 ones for the two bathrooms (they’re similar to #12 but without a hole in the middle and in the same finish as the other knobs since they’re the same maker, so we thought that was worth it). Then we got the cheaper closet versions of those for the closets (many of which could be dummy knobs like this).
Oh and before checking out I googled around for a coupon code that took 10% off of our order and gave us free shipping. So that saved us some cash.
We hope the new knobs will add up to an entire upstairs floor with a fresh-yet-classic feeling. We already have the dark hinges up, so we’re just waiting on our doorknobs…
It’s crazy to think a few short weeks ago the upstairs hallway looked like this.
As much as I thought the old carpet and blue trim were burned into my mind, they’re like a distant memory now that we’re all moved in. It’s funny how quickly your brain adjusts when you update things. Maybe that explains my love of before pictures. They save the starting point forever so you can always look back and say “dude, remember that?!”
*Update: none of the links in this post are affiliate links (got a question about it, so I thought I’d add a little note for ya).
Update – Wanna know where we got something in our house or what paint colors we used? Just click on this button:
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
Love your choices! Given a budget, I probably would have picked the same. Of course, I have a plan for getting the perfect doorknobs in our next house:
We have original antique glass knobs on every single door in the Little House and I am head-over-heels in love with them. As in when we sell the Little House I want to steal all the glass knobs and take them to our new house with us.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- original glass knobs = amazing!
xo
s
Lindsey says
My house goal for this year was to update all the knobs (like yours, too many of them were rusted and pitted to spray paint) and I ended up choosing the Kwikset Cove line too! I figured I could really have fun with the drawer knobs and pulls, and I love the simple, classic look of the knobs that runs uniformly throughout the house now, and it didn’t break the bank like I was expecting.
Em says
We have #8 (oblong, in black) on our interior doors and #14 on our exterior doors. I LOVE the oblong shape, it’s so different. We found a great price for the oblongs on Overstock.com and got free shipping. I will say that the oblong shape is unique enough that a lot of people comment on them when they first come into our house.
YoungHouseLove says
I love those too! Bet they look great!
xo
s
Heidi P. says
Yay! I guessed it! #4 :)
Natalie says
Loving the new house! How is Burger on the hardwood stairs? We have horrible tile (which one day I hope to replace with wood/cork flooring)starting in the kitchen leading all the way up to our upstairs hallway and our chihuahua couldn’t manage the tiled stairs so we had to put a runner down. He seems like a good little jumper, but mine always slipped too.
YoungHouseLove says
He seems to be fine on ours. We still have the old runner on them (all but the top few steps since we peeled it back to see if the wood was in good shape) but I think down the line we’ll see how he and Clara do without a runner and if they need one we’ll add a clean one back in.
xo
s
Jordan G @ The Happy Homebodies says
Love the knob choices! I’m in the market for new doorknobs too. Just an idea– if those knobs you removed are the heavy brass variety, you could get some money for them at a scrap metal place. We took all of our brass knobs and hinges from a past home and came home with about $75. Every dollar counts! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Woah, that’s awesome!
xo
s
Meredith says
sounds like you already made your order, but just for future stuff, have you ever checked out http://www.yourhomesupply.com/? that’s where i have gotten all my knobs and got a great deal! (also with a 10% off code!)
love the knob you chose. little things like that make SUCH a difference– it was one of the very first things i did when we moved in to our house almost three years ago!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Meredith!
xo
s
rachael says
You guys are such a tease! I want to see more of the master bedroom now!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Sorry Rachael! We have a lot of rooms to shoot and share with you guys, so we’re just planning to take those photos and share things as they evolve, just like we did with the living room updates yesterday :)
xo
s
jeannette says
those blue balusters on the stairs, as well as the ghost of blue hall trim past, are really mind boggling. everybody knows if you line your lips with dark lip liner they look smaller.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahaha!
xo
s
christina @ homemade ocean says
I can’t believe how much those wood floors changed the look! It looks amazing already :)
Maureen says
Love the ones with the plates!
On a side note, I also love the little peak into your bedroom in that second picture. Can’t wait to see how you have arranged your furniture in there. :)
Lauren Nicole says
I played “which one will they pick” before I scrolled down for the answer. My guess was either #4 or #12. BAM! Right on both counts!
… and now I’m feeling like maybe that’s kind of creepy that I “know” you guys that well. :)
Ashley L says
I’m loving the transformation upstairs! We actually started looking at new knobs for our house. Will all your knobs be the same finish even though they might be different on the first floor? What about the front door?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I think all of the curtain rods and door knobs will be ORB just because we seem to gravitate to that the most.
xo
s
LauraC says
Replacing the door knobs was one of the first things we did. It is a small thing, but one of my favorite updates. We went with ORB egg-shaped knobs we found at Lowes for about the same price of yours. They were clearancing them out, and now I see them online for $90!!! Steal of the century. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo
s
Paula says
What a difference!
It’s amazing what a coat of paint and some new flooring can do. I love before and after shots too because in the moment it often seems like updates to your house take forever (I’m sure you felt that way installing all those floors) but when you see the pictures you can really appreciate just how much you have done and realize it wasn’t even that long ago.
Can’t wait to see more updates!
heather says
ok- can you answer a few questions for my non home improvement mind: i have been wanting to change my knobs for a while. my friend has the crystal ones for her whole apartment and i LOVE them. i have a bunch of crystal light fixtures i think they would go perfectly. how do i know if i need privacy or passage or single dummy or double dummy? can you explain what each is. also- are they easy to switch out yourself? i usually get a handyman to do stuff for me but i would love to save money and do some of it myself.
for what it’s worth i have a bathroom door, dressing room door and 3 closet doors. since i live alone i don’t think anything needs to lock- i think just having it close is enough. but would love opinions on that too.
thanks! (and sorry for all the questions!)
YoungHouseLove says
I think you could switch them out yourself if you slowly took of the old ones, watched how they worked and came apart, and then put the new ones in (they should come with instructions too). As for what you need, just look at the descriptions and think about what doors you have now. For example, passage means it latches but doesn’t lock (no privacy), so those are good for closets. You’ll want privacy (ones that lock) knobs for bedrooms and bathrooms – and you’ll want dummy ones for any double closets you have (one door latches, so that’s a passage one, but the second knob is a dummy since they can’t both latch or they’d interfere/overlap). Hope it helps!
xo
s
heather says
thank you for the response. i have one double closet door but they don’t latch- they just come together in the middle. so i guess those would be single dummies?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes I think so!
xo
s
Kim says
I feel so smart and stylish because our picks were the same!
It might be weird (scratch that, it’s totally weird), but something I’ve always wanted to do is buy one of those awesome knobs from Anthropologie, and pretty up a closet door!
YoungHouseLove says
You know, we bought one of those for a book shoot and it had always been my dream as well! The issue is they don’t have latches – so the door wouldn’t stay closed! Totally surprised me that they didn’t function like actual knobs would!
xo
s
Angie says
Ooh, I love #2. Of course I’d be drawn to the crazy expensive one.
Sam says
Oh my! What a difference! You’ve put in a lot of hard work to change that landing, keep it up and you’ll have a beautiful new home in no time =)
Elisa says
Great choices! We recently stayed at a friend’s house and they had pretty much their whole house in #12. Looked REALLY sharp, made everything seem so fancy, hah.
Also, I couldn’t help but giggle at the second to last picture of those blue spindles just chilling there, taunting you. (But the transformation is AMAZING.)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that blue trim is totally taunting me!
xo
s
Mandy says
I really really recommend a door knob similar to #14 for an entry way one day. Since replacing my front door’s door knob which used to be a round one I have found those knobs to be so convenient.
If you are ever carrying groceries or kids you can open them up with your elbow, butt or foot (I know all of this from experience).
The ones you pick really stick with your houses charm and style. Great choice!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Amy says
I so agree with this advice! My pup gets rowdy when we come home from walks (soooo excited to come inside!) and it’s way easier to wrangle him and open the door with the lever rather than the knob!
C Lor says
Your style is truly an inspiration. I look forward to your daily blogs. Keep it up.
caroline [thediynurse] says
I’m so excited– you picked the one I loved the most!!
We changed ours out for basic black ones after painting our interior doors black. I really wanted glass ones but it wasn’t in the budget. It still turned out super sexy. Cant wait to see em!
Constance says
Love ’em! I think I have a gift/curse – my eye went right to #5 (the most expensive one). I swear that happens to me every single time. I should probably put that to good use on something like the Price is Right.
Constance says
Oh wait – I was wrong – 2nd to most expensive one! Curse broken.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
s
tinaehb3 says
What I actually find more intersting is that you didn’t spray the spindles while you were spraying, which makes me curious as to what you’re going to do with them!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we only sprayed where we pulled up the carpet to reveal subfloor (which could get paint on it without any issues) so since the stairs are hardwood and we didn’t want to get paint on them, we’ll have to tackle them another time when we have the floors protected :)
xo
s
Plein jane says
It’s amazing how much that carpet and the blue doors and trim absorbed all the light coming into the windows. Just taking those out makes everything so much brighter and more reflective!
Glad to find out about MyKnobs.com (although it sounds a little bit like a porn site!) Can’t wait to see the new picks installed!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! I totally agree, the name sounds like it should be blocked at work!
xo
s
Liesl says
You guys do some amazing work…seriously. I really love the new look! Those floors are STUNNING. And I’m also secretly (or not so secretly anymore) glad you went with ORB…I’ve sorta fallen in love with ORB thanks to you all :) Haha!
Kaci B says
You guys are quick! Awesome update!! I’m so inspired to get on my own home updates.
Tamsen says
ok can we talk about how amazing this hallway looks already! Such a change and sooo much better! You guys are amazing. Also the knobs you picked were my favorites :) I moved this weekend and am also in the unpacking/such-a-mess stage, I feel your pain!
Mary | lemongroveblog says
Absolutely in love with your pick! The plated look on a door know just really ups the “class” factor in my opinion! :) We are currently ordering knobs through the same manufacturer for our exterior door. Super pumped to see these installed!
Karyn says
The “after” shot of the entire upstairs hallway looks absolutely HUGE compared to the “before” shot. It’s so beautiful!
Paula says
We have #10 in our house (inherited when we bought, and the previous owners used that oval shape EVERYWHERE), and I am not crazy about it, so I was actually secretly chanting “don’t pick 10, don’t pick 10” in my own head. I love what you chose!!!
Theresa says
It’s amazing what a big impact those few changes have made! The upstairs hallway is already looking great! You two are amazing! I really like the door knobs you chose, and how you did different knobs for bedrooms vs. bathrooms and closets.
Lisa says
Great choices in knobs and love the backed knob choices. Are there different colors of hinges available in HD or Lowe’s? I would love to change our knobs but the hinges are gold and I don’t want to spraypaint.
Another website for knobs is build.com – they also have coupons.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, they come in ORB, brushed nickel, and chrome I think – maybe even antique brass and brass too!
xo
s
Emily says
Those are the knobs we went with when we redid our house and I love them after a year and half! Great choice.
katalina says
my sister put in glass knobs and they feel so nice in your hand. love them.
Joan Klein says
Are you signed up on the Ebates website? They give money back for online shopping. Their Home Depot discount is 5% plus you can use your coupon code on top of it. Then you just wait for their check in the mail. Fun and easy way to save! The knobs look great!! Congratulations on your wonderful new home!
YoungHouseLove says
Love that tip! I have used them in the past but always forget about them! Better start remembering!
xo
s
Andrea says
We have those knobs on all of our interior doors – we replaced the doors about 5 years ago with white 5-panel doors, and chose the same knobs as you have (all with the rectangular plate, though, none of the other style). I love them, and we get compliments about them all the time.
You can unlock them from the outside. They come with a little key, really just a flat bit of metal, that goes in a hole on the outside and pops the lock. We have young kids too, so that was definitely part of our consideration. Works really well, easy to unlock.
But, we just sold our house, so bye-bye to those great doors + door knobs.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, I thought they had a hole on the outside in a hidden part of the base. So glad they’re nice and easy to use!
xo
s
Alice says
We chose the same ORB knobs when we repainted all our doors and trim white (actually antique white). We bought all the knobs and hinges online.
One thing though I noticed about your doors. They only have 2 hinges. I thought doors always had 3 hinges (ours do).
Crystal says
Just wondering about the advantages/disadvantages of having locking mechanisms on a toddler’s bedroom door? I had a nephew lock himself into his room and couldn’t figure out how to get out. Is Clara past that stage or do your knobs let you get in from the outside still?
YoungHouseLove says
They come with keys to be opened from the outside (I also learned how to pop them with a credit card as a teenager, haha!) and I think it’s a nice lesson for Clara. Being exposed to locks she has locked herself in and been scared and then learned not to do it. I think it’s nice to expose her to things like that and teach her not to touch them so I don’t worry that she’ll accidentally lock herself in a room at her friend’s house or in a hotel bathroom :)
xo
s
Heather says
All the bedrooms have locks on them? What happens when Clara starts locking it to keep you out?
YoungHouseLove says
There’s a hidden keyhole in the base to get in whenever they’re locked from the inside (they all come with keys). Although I like the lesson of teaching Clara about locks (having them there and teaching her about them makes me less scared she’ll accidentally lock herself into a friend’s room or a hotel bathroom, ya know?).
xo
s
Evelina says
How did everyone guess correctly? All three of my choices were wrong! Hahaha
Donna says
For anyone else who is shopping for knobs, check EBay! There is a great selection for super cheap prices, and most sellers offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount.
Kacy Paide says
I’ve been meaning to change my knobs for 8 years now! This is a good reminder of how easy it is. This is one mini makeover that goes a loooong way. Are you going to do oil-rubbed switch plates too?
YoungHouseLove says
I hadn’t even thought about that! Might need to do a test (with a white one and an ORB one) to see which one we like.
xo
s
Heather says
Do they sell ORB switches as well or just the plates? ORB plates with white switches would look weird, I think! Might look cool if the whole thing is ORB! But then I’d venture you have to go with ORB outlets too…
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh good question! Anyone know?
xo
s
Pamela says
Arnev products sells things that are like decals to go over rocker switches and socket tops so they match the plates. I got some wood look-alike ones to go with some custom heart pine switchplates. I didn’t see any ORB, though.
Kerry @ First Time Fancy says
Love your choices! We just moved into our house shortly before you guys did, but it’s not as old, and mostly just builder basic. We lucked out that all of the door knobs were great, but I hope to update some of the knobs on the white bifold closet doors. We just ordered some clearance Anthro knobs for our daughters room, and I want to use some pink acrylic ones for my office! Such a small thing that can make such a huge difference! :)
Kathryn says
I love the knobs you chose! It will look great!
It’s true how easily the old memories fad when you live with the new! It’s looking great!
HeatherM says
Wow, I thought for sure you guys would go to habitat for humanity re-store for something like this. Ours has bins of door handles like these, and since they collect them from entire houses before tearing them down, it is possible to find enough matching ones at a fraction of the price.
YoungHouseLove says
We checked ours twice over the past few months but all they have are brass ones. Does yours really have ORB ones with plates on them? That’s amazing if they do!
xo
s
From London says
Wow what a difference you’ve made already!
I love the sneak peek of your bedroom – can we see the other rooms yet??
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to show them as we go – sort of like how yesterday was a living room update. So as we change things and make them ours, we’ll share all the pics!
xo
s
Liz @ It's Great To Be Home says
I’ve been dying to try the dark knobs and hinges at one of our flips (or our next home), but we always wind up painting the original hinges so we haven’t gotten to try this look yet. It’s going to look amazing in your home!!
Sharon says
Somehow, I knew you’d pick #4 when I was looking at the knobs. It’s what I would have picked too. Your floors are gorgeous! Looking great guys!