Alternate post title: Come And Knob On Our Door. Don’t you love a good forced pun on a Wednesday morning?
Ever since we shared a bunch of doorknob options last week (and ordered the ones we liked the most), we’ve been waiting for them to arrive so that our upstairs doors could finally have some closure. Literally, we couldn’t close any of the doors. So when the box landed on our porch, we got right on installing them.
Like many DIY projects, adding the new knobs was a bit more complicated than we anticipated. The latch assembly was bigger than the existing holes in our doors, so I had to use a drill to carve them out a bit wider. I tried a file at first (as the knob instructions suggested) but it took a lot more time and effort than using the spinning drill bit to chip away at it, so that became my preferred method.
I had to do that on every single door (all eleven of them), so it definitely added to the timeline (and mess) of the project. On five of the doors I also had to chisel out this notch a bit deeper because it wasn’t allowing the latch to stick far enough into the hole where it had to line up with the knobs.
So, what I thought might be an hour of work turned into a four hour drilling and chiseling marathon (oh DIY, you unpredictable beast, you). But in the end, it was time well spent.
I didn’t really realize how unfinished the upstairs hallway looked with all of the naked doors staring at us. Although I’m sure Clara will miss peeking through the open knob holes and making faces.
This is the best I could do to get all of the doors into one shot (the master bedroom – seen above – is behind me). Taking this shot was actually the first time we’ve ever been able to close them all since moving in, which has been especially nice for rooms like Clara’s (no more propping the door shut with a floor pillow for naps) and the bathroom (for, well, obvious reasons).
We’re really happy that we went with the knobs with the big back plate too. They’re a nice traditional touch without looking overly ornate. Sherry says they’re like little exclamation points on every door, which is pretty accurate I think. They sort of quietly make a statement without being crazy and compete-y if that makes sense.
And as mentioned in last week’s post, we opted to put versions without the back plate on the closets and bathrooms to save a bit of dough (they were $10 less). We ended up putting a plated version on the hall bathroom too, just so that it didn’t stick out among the other doorways in the hallway when you get to the top of the stairs. So the plate-less version ended up going on the attic door, since it’s tucked away beyond the laundry area.
There’s also a two-doored linen closet in the hallway (you can see half of it in the fourth picture), but we thought two of the plated doorknobs right next to each other would be too much for that, so it got the basic closet ones on it as well as all of the other closets, which is nice. It blends since everything is the same finish, and it’s sort of a subtle reminder that the doors with the back plates are rooms, whereas any door with a regular knob is just a closet (or the attic storage room).
Last week some folks wondered if/how these doors locked, so we snapped these detail pics. On the inside there’s a little button behind the knob that you can push to lock it, and it unlocks when you turn the knob from the inside. We like having locks around so Clara’s exposed to them and can learn about them (we worry she’d lock herself into her friend’s room or a hotel bathroom or something if she never learned what they were and not to touch them). And it’s nice to know that if Clara were ever to lock herself in, there’s a keyhole on the other side that pops it right open with a flat silver key (see that small hole in the photo on the right below?). We’ve stuck the keys in our junk-drawer for easy grabbing, but so far we have lived with the doorknobs for a few days and Clara has heeded our “please don’t touch that part” requests. Update: Thanks for the tips to put the keys on top of each door! We did that in our houses growing up, but these keys are larger and flat (sort of like a hinge) so they wouldn’t balance on the door frame.
Which is good because we don’t want any funny business going on behind closed doors around here. We already caught Burger playing with Clara’s old play mat. Sneaky chihuahua…
So we’re glad that we don’t have a bunch of holey doors giving us the stink eye, but when it comes to furniture placement, window treatments, closet organization, and paint picks for the walls… let’s just say that we’ve lived here for two weeks and it looks like we moved in two weeks ago. There are still chairs and boxes in weird places, bare walls and mostly bare windows, and a whole lot to be done. But planning is the fun part for us. We’ve been brainstorming late into the night until one of us stops talking and we realize they’re asleep and we’re talking to nobody.
*This post contains an affiliate link*
Anne @ Planting Sequoias says
I like these a LOT. There’s something to be said about quality doorknobs. They just feel better, ya know? I hate the rattle-y cheap feeling ones. Nice upgrade!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, they feel so heavy! Even the closet ones have this awesome weight to them. It’s funny how much you notice something that you don’t pay attention to when you replace them with something a little nicer. Haha!
xo
s
lu says
love the new knobs! great choice!
Anne says
Those look really great. How different your upstairs looks already!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
“You’ll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for yooooooou!” Huh? Oh…your fault! :)
I LOVE the knobs. They look great and yes, a definite exclamation point! You’re very patient with the chisel marathon…I think I would’ve curled up in a corner and cried.
Amy says
“We’ve been brainstorming late into the night until one of us stops talking and we realize they’re asleep and we’re talking to nobody.”
That sounds really familiar! :)
kathy says
I loved this line! So cute—and familiar to me too.
The upstairs hall looks beautiful…what a difference a knob and gorgeous wood floors make!
Keisha says
My husband will actually wake up, answer me then immediately start snoring again!
Lauren says
I love the puns! Keep ’em coming. And I agree, the plates are a great touch. They make me think of the ones you sprayed in the last place, only taken up a notch.
Jennifer says
New doorknobs make such a difference in a house. I remember when we were house hunting last time, there was a house that had all new knobs and hinges, and I totally remembered that house for it when we were going through our “what houses have we seen” review. That said, we bought a house with awful, ugly brass knobs. The difference is that it took us more than a year to replace them… a couple at a time. lol. Kudos to you for doing it all in one day. They look fantastic.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jennifer! We still have the downstairs ones to tackle, but we’re hoping to do that once we paint some of the trim and doors down there…
xo
s
Michele says
Looks fantastic you guys! I kinds forgot back plates existed on doorknobs and am so glad you reminded me. :)
Lori says
Great finishing touch to the doors! I really like that some of the doors have the plate and some don’t. Great choices (as usual :-)!).
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Lori! It’s so funny because I was going to go plate-less with the bathroom too, but then we pulled that attic door switch. It helps to see them in person to know which ones to do which way I think (and honestly there are probably a lot of ways it could work, like if only bedrooms had plates and all bathrooms and closets didn’t).
xo
s
Brit [House Updated] says
The new knobs look great! I love the dark knob contrast against the white doors. You know what else I love? Staying up late plotting fun stuff for your new house. I always think the planning and anticipation is half the fun! Unless someone falls asleep on you, of course…
Brittany says
They look amazing! Great choice!
Melissa Mitchell says
Your bedroom door knobs look like the one from the tiny door in Alice & Wonderland… charming! :)
Alissa says
Pretty! And this post just spawned an interesting idea in my head: a distinctive or extra fancy doorknob on the bathroom. Then if the downstairs bathroom is in use and someone needs to use the upstairs one, you just say, “It’s the one with the turquoise door knob,” so they don’t end up accidentally snooping.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s cute!
xo
s
Kara says
I’ve been looking at new knobs since your last post on them, good to know ahead of time it was more complicated than I’ve been thinking.
I LOVE your knobs! How’s that for a weird internet comment I never thought I’d write…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
s
Liz says
Woo! These look gorgeous! Mismatched old hardware is definitely a pet peeve of mine… but not enough that I’m willing to shell out the cash to fix it, in a rental. I DO appreciate a great doorknob though, and those are beautiful!
April says
LOL ya’ll crack me up with your puns. Knob on our door… hahaha.
Joelle says
Doorknobs look great…BUT show us inside those rooms!! I’m dying to see what you did to your master…i see the dining room curtains in there. Puh-lease? :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s actually the guest room! Most rooms haven’t changed very much since day one (https://www.younghouselove.com/2013/06/day-one-2/) but we’ll share them as we go as usual!
xo
s
Leigh K says
These knobs look great! One suggestion, instead of keeping the unlock-key thingies in a junk drawer, our home inspector recommended keeping one on top of each door jamb – that way they’re right where they’re needed and no need to go searching for them when you have to use one.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we did that in my house growing up, but these keys are big and flat (sort of like a hinge) so they’d fall off the top of the door if we tried to stash them up there :)
xo
s
Kenda says
Make them part of your decor some where…….no one would ever know!!!!
Your doors/knobs look awesome……what a relief to cross that off your list!
ErinY says
Not sure if your keys have a hole or not, but growing up my mom always hung ours on a nail behind a little cross in our hallway. Out of sight, but you always know where it is, and it was out of our reach when we were really young.
YoungHouseLove says
Smart!
xo
s
Sara T. says
Oh that last picture of Burger…I die! #chihuahualove
Diane says
No funny business behind closed doors.
For Burger? Tee hee.
Debi says
If you tape one of the keys to the top of your door frame it will always be at hand. You may even be able to just balance it there.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we did that in my house growing up! These are flat and big (sort of like metal hinges) so they would be super visible over the door.
xo
s
Melissa Breau (@MelissaBreau) says
Could you tape one of them to the inside of the linen closet? It might just be helpful to have one upstairs so if Clara did lock herself somewhere you wouldn’t have to go all the way downstairs to find one.
I remember growing up how often we’d accidentally lock one of the bedrooms (it was the only one WITH a lock…) and need to find a key. Fortunately, It could be unlocked with a toothpick if need be (how’s that for easy?). And it was. Many many many times.
YoungHouseLove says
Smart! I can definitely stash a few in there.
xo
s
Mallory @ R.Simple Life says
Love the knobs. The plates just take it to that extra level.
But, hello! You gave us the teeniest sneak peak into some of these rooms and I’m dying for more… even if they are still in early stages. They look good blurred behind the door knobs!
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely will share those as they go!
xo
s
Carrie Lea says
Yep, totally KILLING ME with slight glimpses into the rooms. AHHHH! It’s like you worked in marketing or something! :)
karen says
they look awesome!!!
and what a PIA to install, eh?!?
jen says
love this…so excited to watch you transform this new house into your own! :)
Heather says
All I can see is the background of the rooms and the rugs and curtains in different rooms now!
Brandy says
The knobs look great and the little teases of what the rooms look like 2 weeks in are killing me. If we all start chanting “show us, show us, show us” will you?? haha
YoungHouseLove says
I promise when we get the random piles and boxes under control we’ll share each room as it goes! Many of them still look exactly like they did on Day One so you’re not missing very much. Haha!
xo
s
Mary P says
When I was little, my parents stored that little silver key above my bedroom door, tucked on the top of the frame. That way, if there was something really awful like a fire or I got hurt, my parents could get to me really fast. Just a thought!
Renee says
I’ll admit I was skeptical of the choice when you guys posted your pick initially, but I LOVE how they turned out! I’ve been following you guys for awhile, but I am curious how you guys organize an extensive DIY list & prioritize. I feel like I’m in the middle of a DIY H-E-Double Hockey Sticks sometimes because I didn’t plan it all out right time wise.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh we pretty much try to be flexible and loosey goosey. So we bounce around and just do whatever projects make sense to move to the top of the list (ex: being able to close our doors again). Haha!
xo
s
Jenn says
I love these SO MUCH. I’ve never been so enthusiastic about a door knob. I’ve been itching to ditch our Trump Palace brass everything since we moved in 2 years ago, but it hasn’t been high on the priority list. Maybe seeing this will help convince my hubby that we should do it!
katie says
this adds so much character! Amazing!
Merrie says
We have similar locking mechanisms. We keep one of the keys upstairs on top of the door frame outside our son’s room just in case. When we first moved in, he liked to lock himself in there. It’s easy for us to reach and he doesn’t even know it’s there.
Great door hardware!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we did that in my house growing up! These are flat and big (sort of like metal hinges) so they would be super visible over the door and would probably topple off every time the door opened or closed since they’re larger than the trim they’d be sitting on.
xo
s
Wendy @ New Moms Talk says
The knobs are fantastic!
How many of the design/other details get the “Clara consideration” factor?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I think everything in the house gets the Clara-proof/safe evaluation. Can’t have anything in here that she could maim (or that could hurt her!).
xo
s
Margaret says
Thanks, now I will be singing that all day! Not exactly something my coworkers will love to hear. Love the new knobs.
Jessica says
Looks great! I’m so glad that you decided to put a plated knob on the bathroom. In your original post it made sense to me to make all the rooms have similar knobs, including the bathroom, and to let the closets have the knobs without plates. Great choice! I love the look of the plates on the doors!
Kaely says
They look great! Our door knobs are similar, but with a longer plate and a little fake key hole. I love them.
We keep one of the little tiny keys on top of a door jam in our hallway. That way it’s within easy reach if a small person locks themself a door and you need to open it.
Meg Kearney says
Your upstairs is looking so finished to me already – compared to what you started with! Our 1920’s bungalow still has all of it’s original glass door knobs, I love them! Though when working on the guest room I spotted one brass I hadn’t noticed before. That will get switched out for sure!
Olivia says
Great. Now I need new doorknobs. They look a-MAZE-ing!
Maureen @ Altes Haus says
I need this. However, our wonderful and loving puppy (puppy who is really 9) likes to crunch down on doorknobs. LOL The ORB knob on our bedroom door is all fading already from it.
Sophie says
Those are some LOVELY doorknobs! It’s amazing how tiny things like that can make a space seem so more finished. I feel like this house is looking so much more ‘you’ already!
paintergal says
Loving the back plates on those knobs. Really adds to their substantiability. (is that a word? if not, it should be)
Our house has glass knobs throughout on every door (except for the bathroom we added upstairs) Love them!
Noël says
It looks so great already, guys! The shot with all of the doors closed upstairs looks so different (in an awesome way) from when you first bought the place!
Jana says
We are thinking about buying new doors for our house. Do you recommend a certain kind? I like the ones you have in your house now.
YoungHouseLove says
Ours came with the house, but we love them! They’re 6 panel wood doors (we believe they’re solid) that we sprayed semi-gloss white. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Stephanie says
Should I feel like a slacker since I’m STILL upgrading our knobs three years later?!! hahaha way to get it done guys. Upstairs looks great already!
LeighS says
Ahhh…this post was a tease…well played! Swing those doors open wide and show us some “in progress-a couple weeks in” WHOLE house pictures! At first, I was so sad to read you were moving, but I find that I am even more excited to read your posts each day now that you are in your new house.
Amy from Beloved & Co. says
Those are lovely! I love the look of dark hardwoods with white doors and dark knobs. It’s so elegant looking but still casual and welcoming!
Lydia says
I had doorknobs like your new ones growing up, this is making me all nostalgic! :)
Kristen says
You have inspired me to change our door knob color in our home. We have white doors and trim and the dark color knobs would look amazing!! Thanks for the ideas! My husband and I love you guys!
Lindsay J @ jensoncrew says
The doorknobs look amazing. Great picks!
Kathryn says
Great choice on the knobs! The rectangular base is awesome looking. It gives just the right amount of character!
Shannon {Our Home Notebook} says
They look so good! I love the knobs you picked out.
Keenan says
Looks Great. Have you ever had to make a door
Hole smaller. I am having that problem with my doors
Sense I too want to replace the knobs. Oh and if
You still have the old knobs bring them to a scrap yard. They
Look like solid brass so you could actually make some
Dough :):)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Keenan!
xo
s