Door Furniture Guide

Aged Brass Traditional Letterbox, from our current range.

"Door furniture" is the umbrella term for every fitting attached to a door beyond its lock and hinges: the handle you turn, the knocker you use, the plate that protects the timber, and the smaller fittings that finish the job. Getting it right is as much about proportion and finish as it is function, particularly on period doors where the wrong handle style can look out of place immediately.

What's included in door furniture

• Lever Handles – the standard handle for internal and external doors, operated by turning a lever rather than gripping a knob
• Mortice Knobs – round, fixed door knobs used with a mortice lock or latch, common on period and cottage-style doors
• Pull Handles – fixed handles fitted to doors that are pushed or pulled rather than latched, often used on entrance and glazed doors
• Cabinet Knobs, Cup Pulls, Flush Pulls and Finger Pulls – smaller pull-style fittings shared between doors and cabinetry, covered in more detail in our Cabinet & Furniture Hardware Guide
• Escutcheons – the cover plate fitted around a keyhole or cylinder, in both standard and security-rated versions
• Door Stops – fittings that prevent a door or its handle from striking a wall
• Door Knockers – traditional or decorative fittings used to announce a visitor, most common on front doors
• Letter Plates – the opening fitted to a door for post, sized to the door thickness and often paired with a letter box or tidy
• Door Viewers – spy holes that let you see who is at the door before opening it
• Door Chains – restrictors that allow a door to be opened partially while still secured
• Door Bolts – surface-mounted or flush bolts used for additional security or to secure an inactive leaf of a double door
• Door Closers – mechanisms that close a door automatically, required on most fire doors
• Finger Plates, Kick Plates and Push Plates – protective plates fitted to the face of a door to guard against marks from hands, feet or repeated pushing
• Door Furniture Sets – matched collections of handles, plates and accessories sold together for a single door leaf

We are adding a dedicated guide to each of these individually. In the meantime, browse our current ranges in Lever Handles, Door Knobs, Door Knockers, Letter Plates & Covers, Escutcheons, Pulls & Thumbturns and Bolts.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a lever handle and a pull handle?

A lever handle operates a latch or lock and is designed to be turned. A pull handle is fixed and does not operate anything – it is simply gripped to push or pull the door open, and is typically paired with a separate lock or panic hardware.

Do I need matching door furniture throughout a house?

Not necessarily, but keeping a consistent finish (for example satin brass or black) between rooms tends to look more considered than mixing several finishes. See our Hardware Finishes Guide for more on this.

What door furniture is required for a fire door?

Fire doors typically need a compliant self-closing device, correctly rated hinges, and intumescent-friendly furniture. See our Door Closers and Fire Door Hinges guidance, or get in touch and we can advise on a full specification.

Explore the other guides: Locks & Security, Hinges & Door Control, Cabinet & Furniture Hardware, Window Furniture and Hardware Finishes.