"Acorn" forged iron exterior hardware for retro style

My brick, ranch-style home has a colonial feel, especially on the exterior. I am dressing it up with black-iron hardware and lighting -- and it looks terrific. In fact, if you look at a lot of the classic "California ranches" you see these kinds of colonial touches, with the black forged iron really making the wood and brick "pop."

"Acorn" hardware appears really well made and just what the doctor ordered. Van Dyke's Restorers has a great selection -- you can see it best by browsing their Catalog (rather than online). In their Fall 2007 catalog there are 8 pages of Acorn products. Call 1-800-558-1234 for a catalog. Their url is vandykes.com, but again, the catalog is the way to go.

For the most complete listing of Acorn products, you can go to the Acorn website -- http://www.acornmfg.com/index.php. However, it is a bit hunt-and-peck, not really oriented to consumers. Looks like you can buy closeout items direct from them, but otherwise you must go to a retailer.

A few more retro knobs and pulls

The catalog just arrived and I see that Van Dyke's Restorers also has several good cabinet knobs and pulls in their most recent catalog. I really like one pull in the catalog - p. 176 - an asymmetric aircraft-style design. It's not on the website, and it's not expensive ($5.99). Check it out. I also like the "Diner series hook" pictured above/center. The Diner series appears to me to be more contemporary/2005 than 1955 - but it's a nice tribute for someone who doesn't want to go completely retro. Prices on other pulls look good, too - for example, the waterfall style pull pictured first is featured on a post below, but I think the price is better at Van Dykes. Try their website, search "art deco" and "diner" - but for the complete selection, you'll need to call for their catalog. 1-800-558-1234, or http://www.vandykes.com/

Cabinet pulls and knobs: Atomic, streamline and deco

My favorite pulls and knobs:

- Photos with green background: All from Rejuvenation Lighting, http://www.rejuvenationlighting.com/

- Gold pull: From Mac the Antique Plumber -- but go for the chrome instead! http://www.antiqueplumber.com/

- Atomic triangle, Dominoes and Mah Jhong tiles -- from Bauerware, http://www.bauerware.com/

- And note, there is a classic 50s/deco pull available from Crown City Hardware, costs nearly $20 but it looks beautiful. It's not online but you can order the catalog at http://www.crowncityhardware.com/