One default IKEA cabinet knob could derail a whole room. Swap it for something with weight and suddenly a rental feels bespoke, a kitchen curated, a bathroom intentional. Little details, big first impressions.

You could say it’s the jewellery of the home. Subtle, sculptural, never just functional. The things you reach for every day… the pull of a drawer, the turn of a latch, the click of a lock. Tiny gestures with the power to shift the entire vibe. And yes, even a toilet-roll holder has the power to betray you (we’ve seen it). 



When we sat down with interior designer Leah and architect Jessie, the conversation ran from the macro to the micro. How hardware binds a palette together, how it pulls materials into dialogue, how it works in the hand. Do you surface mount or flush mount? Should a handle sit within the frame or stand proud on top? Scoop, pull or press? (I know, there’s a lot to think about.) These questions might sound fussy, but they’re the tiny design decisions that quietly control how you live with a room.

Leah admits she’s drawn to visual tension when it comes to choosing hardware, square knobs on curvy cabinets, loud handles on quiet furniture….“It makes me feel uneasy, and I love it… mostly because you rarely see it done well.” Jessie takes a gentler stance, reminding us that beauty belongs in the mundane... “Nothing in design goes untouched.” Between them lies the truth, function and style are always in conversation. That soft-close hinge you keep flicking isn’t luck, it’s engineering with taste.

Local makers like Lo&Co, Linear Standard and Studio Henry Wilson have shown us just how far hardware has come. No longer an afterthought, it’s now an object of desire. Blackened steel, raw brass, brushed copper, powder-coated or delicately painted… finishes that once felt rare are obtainable, even collectible. And mixing metals? Done with intention, it feels curated rather than overdone… a blackened bronze mirror grounding a bathroom of unlacquered brass, each finish playing off the other.

The more you look, the more hardware reveals itself (and honestly, it loves the attention). A handful of brass pulls in a ceramic bowl reads like sculpture. A handle displayed like jewellery on a shelf becomes an object in its own right. A sculptural toilet roll in a bathroom transforms utility into bathroom small. These details shift how we notice, how we touch, how we move through space.

And don’t forget, hardware keeps receipts. The cupboard leaned on during a late-night call. The drawer slammed in frustration. The handle tugged half-asleep every morning. If joinery could talk, Jessie imagines it sighing, “don’t overlook me. I might take more care, but I’ll bring joy.” Leah hears something sassier, “I’m a timepiece. I’ll grow with you, age with you. Keep me, use me, pass me along.” And sometimes, with an eye-roll, “yes, I saw that.” Because hardware doesn’t just function, it bears witness. It patinas, it ages, it tells your story with every touch (so pick something that will last).

I. Don’t hide the good stuff. Hinges and handles deserve to be seen.

II. Choose living metals. Patina is not a flaw, they will age gracefully with you.

III. Mix with intention. Let one finish lead, the others follow.

IV. Respect proportion. Tiny knobs look timid, oversized pulls look odd. Get scale and finish right, and your hardware will outlast trends.

V. Prioritise weight. When in doubt, go solid. As Leah says: “Heavy duty is sexy.”

VI. Let it pick you. Hardware is personal, it’s your moment to show personality.