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Colour Trends – Not Only Shades Of Grey
Sheerline paints all its own profiles in-house. This ensures an agile and responsive service for customers while also enabling the company to track every...
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Getting A Handle On Residential Hardware
What matters most to customers in the residential market in 2024? We went to members the coal face and asked the Hoppe (UK) sales team. Here’s what we found.
The Hoppe (UK) sales people work closely with both distributors and specifiers, so that have a very clear perspective on preferences and trends.
Creating kerb appeal
According to business development manager Darren Shufflebotham, polished brass is becoming less popular. Once a finish of choice among homeowners, it’s now being replaced with black, graphite and satin chrome instead – all of which feature in the Arrone suited kerb appeal range are available in.
Andy Matthews, Hoppe (UK) head of sales, says: “When you look at any housing estate these days, lots of homes have composite doors with full-length pull handles – often with an anthracite grey finish.
“You can have full-length pull handles on timber doors, too, which works well because they usually have plain, flat faces.
“Generally, a pull handle is 316-grade stainless steel, meaning it can easily withstand the unpredictable weather in the UK. For example, it would easily beat the 480-hour salt spray test detailed in BS EN 1670:1998 on building hardware corrosion resistance.”
Co-ordinated hardware
Shufflebotham adds: “Customers are becoming savvier when it comes to choosing a product such as a composite door for their house. They want it to look good and this means coordinated hardware is now very popular.
“For internal hardware, bronze and satin gold are becoming very popular. Both complement each of the external finishes mentioned above perfectly.”
Suits you
Matthews has also spotted a trend for suited hardware, whereby ironmongery complements the door design. For example, customers might choose to have matching window handles externally and cabinet hardware internally.
Ensuring its available product ranges reflect customer demand, the suited range from Arrone also makes it easier for door manufacturers to source ironmongery in a range of finishes that complement both contemporary and traditional external door designs. Selected Arrone door handles, knockers, letter plates and numerals are part of the suited range and are available in seven different finishes.
Sustainability and durability
According to Matthews, the desire for sustainable products is only growing. He says:: “While price is important to customers, they are increasingly seeking hardware that has been produced using eco-friendly materials in a sustainable way.
“Sustainability is being driven by homeowners and there is demand for more durable materials and particularly those that are less prone to corrosion.”
Remaining safe and secure
Security is also high on the list of priorities for customers. The TS 007 Kitemark standard, created by the Door & Hardware Federation and the Glass & Glazing Federation, was launched in 2011 in response to growing concerns about opportunist burglars. This provides a level of security for replacement hardware.
“Nowadays, customers are more knowledgeable about security,” says Shufflebotham. “TS 007 provides a good level of security for replacement hardware.” To comply with TS 007, the cylinder and the hardware around it must have a cumulative total of 3 stars. This can be achieved by using either a 3-star cylinder on its own or a 1-star cylinder combined with 2-star security door hardware.
Designed to enclose the locking cylinder to protect against extraction, the Hoppe Atlanta security handle has been tested to standards recommended by Secured by Design and has received the 2-star TS 007 CertiSecure accreditation for door hardware.
Picture: Hoppe (UK) has black handles in its door and window hardware range.
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
20th August 2024