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Remember this smart lock? Through the magic known as bluetooth, the August Smart Lock senses your approach and unlocks your door for you, without you reaching for your phone. Here’s the lowdown: It fits over the interior portion of your current deadbolt, so there’s no need to change out your door hardware, as from the outside you’ll still have the same keyed entry. August’s encrypted locking technology allows you to control when people have access to your home, from family members to cleaning crews, and you can see a complete log of who has come and gone (and the exact times of their arrival/departure) remotely from your phone or computer. Don’t worry about power outages or internet connections, as the August is powered by standard batteries. The second batch of August Smart Locks will be available later this year; reserve yours now.
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While these door knobs from Brinks Home Security aren’t as visually appealing as a minimalist/modernist would hope, they do pack a certain punch in terms of function. Simply push, pull, or rotate the door knob to open a door. Have your arms full of groceries/kids/laundry/etc? Use your hip/elbow/knee/whatever to push the knob and open the door.
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Maybe you can’t yet afford an Olson Kundig house, but you might just be able to splurge on some special Kundig hardware. There’s twenty-five cut-and-folded steel products- from cabinet pulls to various door hardware- each fabricated by 12th Avenue Iron. As usual, prepare your wallet for specialty hardware prices ($19+ per drawer pull will add up pretty quickly).
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“Down with lame door knobs” is the motto Mary & Jeff of ModKnobs go by. They couldn’t find any suitable ones on the market when remodeling their home, so they decided to release their own line. Four styles are available — puck, matte, walnut, oak — in a handful of materials: vulcanized rubber, PaperStone (a pressed material made from recycled cardboard), and of course; walnut and oak. If you’re going for sleek and modern interior you really can’t go wrong with one of these door knobs.  Prices range from $95 to $125, depending on style and material.
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The front door is your home’s main focal point, so it of course makes sense to keep it looking presentable. My own front door was looking pretty sad after ten years of not-so-gentle use, with chips in the paint, battered hardware and a pretty rough looking dent around the knob (not sure how it happened, it almost looked like someone took a battering ram to it), so it was past time to give it a facelift.

After scouring many shops online, I settled on this door hardware set by Emtek. It has a satisfying heft, and obviously, is super modern. After sanding down my door, filling the dent with Bondo (several times), more sanding, priming, and painting, here’s the finished product:

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Yes, this is more expensive than any door knocker you’ll find at your local hardware store. It’s also an exponentially nicer design and is sure to dress up your entrance a bajillion times more than the others available.

This bronze door knocker brings old world craftsmanship and unadorned utility together to create a minimalist sculpture. The hefty weight of the handle feels good in your hand, and has slightly recessed sides to intuitively grasp. The bronze is a living finish patina, which will naturally wear and color according to use and environment.

1.50″l x 2.00″w x 10.00″h

$275.00, Buy it here.

I like the idea of keyless locks, but often they look too space-age or just plain bizarre. This one is nice because it has a sliding panel to reveal the keypad and the handle itself is not too over designed.

(This item’s link and price was updated 05/05/10.)

I live in an older home with great bones, but it is in need of some serious updates. I love these simple modern doorknobs. Updating to these would really update the feel for minimal investment.

[posted by kris]

Admittedly, I’m rather new to the concept of pivoting doors because until recently, I lived in a place where the sole purpose of doors was to keep the outside out. But, now that I’m in Southern California, and the weather is almost perfect year round, you start to think of ways to bring the outside in. Pivoting doors are a great way to ‘move’ an entire wall.

I found some great resources for the pivoting hinges and the hinges themselves don’t look too expensive considering they do quite a lot. ePivots and Rixson both sell the pivot hinges and are a good place to start.

(room shot via Canadian Architects.)

Sometimes a huge fantastic door can really make a statement on the right wall, as well as allow for creating a large ‘movable wall’ in tight spaces. For instance, this wall conceals a full bathtub where there’s not enough walking space for a walk in bathroom.

[posted by kris]

There was a time in the 90’s when everything “modern” was stainless. Now it can be a design cliché if you’re not careful, but a stainless door pull is a good bet in a modern home without looking over the top.

If you’re looking to do a remodel or new construction in which you plan on having some large opening windows, local building codes as well as common sense will likely dictate that you have a balustrade so your child/pet/parent doesn’t fall out.

These are architectural, nice to look at, and available for purchase.

[posted by kris]

Here are a couple of different options for house numbers; switching out your old ones might be an easy way to spruce up your front door or gate area…

Signo House Numbers and Letters by Blomus (left): $25.50, Buy it here.

“The Signo House Numbers and Letters are typical of the clean, modern look of Blomus products. Blomus features designs inspired by première European designers, and crafted by German craftsmen.”
Letters: Height 3.5 to 5.9 in.
Numbers: Height 5.9 in.

HouseArt House Numbers (right): $24.00 – $46.00,
Buy it here.
“The HouseArt House Numbers add elegant style to the entry way and are designed to complement the HouseArt mailboxes and doorbell buttons. The House Numbers were designed by Ginger Finley and feature solid stainless steel. “
Finish: Brushed Stainless Steel, Dark Bronze, Rust (shown), Satin Black, or Satin Silver.
5 in. or 8 in.

Changing out your doorbell to one of these might just be the thing to add some polish to your home’s entrance.

“Create a clean exterior aesthetic with the addition of a modern Doorbell. This Small Doorbell can be installed vertically or horizontally and its pared down design fits a variety of architectural styles. The button has a satisfying touch resistance and the brushed stainless steel can complement our Neutra House Numbers. Necessary hardware for installation is included. The doorbell will work with most existing bells. Made in Germany.”

Brushed stainless steel.

Small: H 1.4″ W 5″, $125.00, available at DWR

Large: H 3″ W 3″, $150.00, available at DWR

(This item’s link and price was updated 05/05/10.)

Looking for that certain je ne se qua for your front door? Try this nickel plated, cast zinc door knocker.

Mounting hardware is included.
Free shipping

Size: 7.5″ H x 4″ W x 2″ D