Greatest Felicity in the Smallest of Things…

I am not sure if I have a low threshold for impression or take great appreciation in the smallest of things.  Hmmm….I’ll go with the latter.

It occurred to me one day as I was mindlessly closing a door that there is a certain solid and substantial click of old cast iron surface mounted door locks as it is being latched.  Something you just can’t find or replicate with modern door knobs.

Then I started to notice all the old latches, knobs and hardware throughout my house and I realized that I don’t have a single new piece of hardware.

I scoured eBay, craigslist, salvage shops and antique stores to find all the hardware for my home during the renovation.  Not in sets, mind you, but piece by piece.  It’s all mismatched, but more importantly it’s all old.  And I love it.

I grew up in an old town in the Northeast by the name of Doylestown, PA.  There was a rather well known poster that was a collection of old doors from many of the old houses in the area.  It was called the Doors of Doylestown.  I always loved that poster.

Here is my homage to that poster.

I hope you find some inspiration.

All the best~

Cindy

xoxo

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You can see the original green paint through the old glass knob.

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Found on eBay, hardware from an old chicken coop.

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Old brass.

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Layers of paint on the latch from this circa 1750’s hutch

Lovely large glass knobs.

Lovely large glass knobs.

Original to the house, both door and knob are as lovely (and useful) as they were on their first day.

Original to the house, both door and knob are as lovely (and useful) as they were on their first day.

An old pie safe with a glass knob. I keep this pie safe in my kitchen and it holds baking items, such as extract. I keep them in vintage apothecary jars that you barely get a hint of behind the screening.

An old pie safe with a glass knob. I keep this pie safe in my kitchen and it holds baking items, such as extract. I keep them in vintage apothecary jars that you barely get a hint of behind the screening.

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An old jelly cupboard with layers and layers of paint on the hardware.

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An old side table with a lovely, worn and patina’d brass knob.

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A surface mounted lock with a mis-sized rim keeper, installed upside down so as to take advantage of the previous hardware holes installed decades ago on this century old farmhouse door.

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Original paint finish and hardware on an old step back cupboard.

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An English armoire with a very simple, traditional knob and latch.

 

It’s All About the Front Door

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My renovation has got me thinking I want to change the entrance to my home.  Right now, I have two French doors for my front entrance and I think I would like to have a single door point of entry.  I intend to set the tone with the curb view of my house.  My dream cottage would be on Nantucket, so it seems that would be a good place to start.  Looking at these pictures, there is definitely a theme emerging.  I am leaning toward removing the planking just on the front porch and replacing it with cedar shingling.  Coupled with the bright white trim and some old lanterns flanking the door.  I would love to find a really old plank door that originated on a house in the North East.  It all depends on budget and availability.  To that end, here are some of the options I have found:

I hope you find some inspiration.

Always,

Cindy

xoxo.

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