eHow, an online library of advice for just about anything you need to do, has a nifty article about how to choose interior door hardware. We at Schlage know it can be overwhelming to walk into a hardware store and choose the right door hardware for your style and your needs, so this article can help make it easier.

First, it helps to know a little about the components of door hardware: the door locks, the door handlesets, and the hinges. The lock and the handleset are the most important, but of course, once you’ve chosen them, you want the hinges to match.

First, figure out how many interior door knobs you want to replace. Then, follow the steps below.
 

1. Determine what kind of lock each door will need. You can choose from door locks, standard latches without locks, or a keyed lock.
2. Decide on whether you want door knobs or door levers. Here again, your choice will depend on a number of things including the function of the door.
3. Select a style of decorative door hardware. Schlage’s decorative collection gives you many choices from traditional to transitional contemporary.
4. Finally, choose a finish. Schlage door hardware offers you many choices to meet your personal taste and the style of your home including satin nickel, antique brass, and aged bronze.
    

For details on how to choose interior door hardware, visit eHow and read the full how-to.

Trend watchers agree that 2012 will be a year for comfortable, cozy, cocooning. The word among interior designers is that this home-centeredness includes a new respect for craftsmanship and quality as well as an appearance that reflects a sense of warmth and age.

Dennis Hockman, editor of Chesapeake Home + Living magazine, notes that home style trends follow fashion. The metallic finishes of hardware, lighting, plumbing fixtures and some furniture follow trends in jewelry; designers often refer to hardware as jewelry for the home. He sees finishes moving away from silver and chrome to warm golds, especially antiqued brass. He points out that antique brass conveys the warmth of age and use and adds comfort and sophistication to any room.

Michele Bogg, an Indianapolis interior designer, agrees that that although "Chrome, bronze and brushed chrome are still popular, but you are going to see a more tarnished, muted gold coming back.” She identifies the new muted brass as “a more classical, timeless finish that looks elegant on its own or mixed with the muted tones of silver or bronze." She also advises not being afraid to mix finishes.

Schlage's Decorative Collections of door hardware are well suited to the new comfort-focused style trends. You can choose from over 1,000 combinations of decorative door hardware designs and finishes, including on-trend antique brass, aged bronze, and distressed nickel. Style-wise, our collections range from traditional to contemporary, meant for mixing and matching your designs based on the room, floor, or exterior. And of course, our locks offer the utmost in door security and quality that will stand the test of time.

Schlage Decorative Collections of interior hardware, exterior door hardware, and door handlesets were created to help you add designer touches to your home without the designer price tag. Visit our Decorative Collections Configurator to build your lock from scratch to match your personal style, and then print it out for shopping. Our Decorative Collection is currently available on Amazon.com and build.com and will soon appear in stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot.

Sources include “Furnishings feeling brassy — again", The Baltimore Sun, September 29, 2011

This month is National Crime Prevention Month, the official month for recognizing and celebrating the practice of crime prevention, while promoting awareness of important issues such as victimization, volunteerism, and creating safer, more caring communities.

At the end of the month is Halloween, a night of trick and treating when costumed figures fill the streets after sunset, with some looking to cause mischief and mayhem. That means that your home safety and home security is especially important.

Here are some tips for what NOT to do on Halloween.
 

• Don’t leave your door unlocked; an intruder posing as a trick-or-treater could easily let themself in. Make sure your door locks are sturdy and secure.
• Make sure older trick-or-or-treaters have a set return time and cell phones handy. With an electronic lock, you can give them their own code, rather than trusting them with a key.
• Don’t leave your porch light off and replace any broken exterior lights. A dark house and yard makes it easier for vandals and burglars to walk up undetected.
• Don’t answer the door after a certain cut-off time; legitimate trick or treaters should be off the streets by 8 or 9, depending on your community.
   

For more ideas about how to have a safe and secure holiday, take a look at these Halloween home security tips.

October is National Crime Prevention Month, the official month for recognizing and celebrating the practice of crime prevention while promoting creating safer, more caring communities. And at the end of the month is the one night of the year when you need to be more alert than ever about your home security. On Halloween, when your home is most vulnerable to vandalism, a home automation system can help protect yourself and your property.

Here are ten tips to keep you safe on Halloween and all through the year:
 

1. Don’t leave your door unlocked; an intruder posing as a trick-or-treater could easily let himself or herself in. A home automation system allows you to lock and unlock your door from anywhere.
2. Keep your home well lit, especially if you can’t be home. With a light control system like the Schlage LiNK, you can put your lights on a schedule to make it look like someone’s home and control them from any PC or smartphone with Internet access.
3. Keep your property lighted, and remove toys and debris from your hard. You don’t want a trick or treater taking a fall on your property (can you say lawsuit?).
4. Decide on a cut-off time to answer the door for trick-or-treaters. Legitimate trick or treaters should be off the streets by 8 or 9, depending on your community’s traditions and curfew. Turn off your porch light for a few hours, but turn it back on before you go to bed.
5. With a home automation system, you can control home security camera remotely to record activity on your porch and property. Wireless camera recording can be triggered by door/window motion sensors.
6. If you have pets, keep them inside. Some people think it’s fun to harass or hurt dogs and cats. It’s also good to keep pets away from the front door so that they can’t leap on trick or treaters.
7. If you have older kids going out, set a time for their return home and make sure they have a cell phone with them. Ask them to check in with you regularly. With remote control locks, they won’t have to carry a key and can let themselves in with a code. You can keep your door locked and be alerted when they use their code.
8. With wireless sensor integration, you can check the status of your windows and detect motion in an around the home from anywhere.
9. Don’t leave candles burning inside pumpkins or anywhere a costume could come in contact with the flame. Consider battery-powered lights.
10. If you see any suspicious activity, call your local police department immediately.
     

What safety tips do you have for Halloween?