| Decorative hardware pieces, such as doorknobs, push | | | | style that was named after him. This somewhat |
| panels, latches, handles, hinges and locks, are often | | | | comical disagreement exemplifies one of the main |
| referred to as the workhorses of interior design. | | | | differences between European decorative hardware |
| They are some of the most necessary elements of | | | | styles and American decorative hardware styles. |
| a building. Without them, doors and windows wouldn't | | | | While American designers were highly enthusiastic |
| open or close, and neither would drawers or closets. | | | | about the possibilities that industrialization and mass |
| Ironically, it is because they are so ubiquitous that | | | | production brought to the table, European designers |
| they go unnoticed, but hardware sits right at the | | | | had more mixed feelings. Eastlake style hardware |
| intersection of function and style. This is why, when | | | | was highly elaborate, often to a fault. The man after |
| looking at various architectural and design trends, it | | | | whom the style was named criticized it for this and |
| can be helpful to study them through the various | | | | called for a more restrained approach to hardware |
| decorative hardware styles that went along with | | | | that harkened back the days of hand-crafted, |
| them. | | | | artisanal designs. |
| In America, decorative hardware styles have relied | | | | But the excess of mass production continued with |
| heavily on European influence. And it makes sense, of | | | | the advent of Victorian architecture. Victorian |
| course, the U.S. is a relatively new country with no | | | | hardware was even more lavish and easily accessible |
| long history of architecture and design to call its own. | | | | to the burgeoning middle class. England designers |
| The roots of American design are in the Old World. | | | | reacted against Victorian excess by taking a step |
| American vs. European Decorative Hardware | | | | back. This lead to the popularity of the so called Arts |
| Pre-Industrial American hardware could scarcely be | | | | and Crafts style, which emphasized handmade |
| called decorative. Informed by the practical, puritanical | | | | hardware like brass finials. American designers quickly |
| concerns of the early settlers, hardware was made | | | | took up this new trend, but instead of sticking with |
| of simple iron and designed with only with function in | | | | the handmade approached, hardware companies |
| mind. Stylish hardware was reserved for the wealthy | | | | began mass producing hardware that simply looked |
| and its design was based on the English styles of the | | | | handmade and resembled the styles of the past. |
| time, mainly the neo-classical styles. | | | | Revival styles became very popular in American |
| One of the first distinctly American decorative | | | | suburbs, where people sought to create their own |
| hardware styles was the Eastlake style, named after | | | | private havens in their own preferred style. |
| a British architect who, ironically, despised the very | | | | |