Pocket Door Hardware Trends - What’s New and Exciting
Moving into a new home or simply rejuvenating an existing home is all about interior design, and increasingly we are learning to think about every detail, particularly because we are faced with so much more consumer choice with regards to interior design. This extends to pocket door hardware and the accessories which don’t just finish off the visual appeal of a pocket door, but add critical functionality too. The important element of pocket door hardware that we need to keep in mind, is that it is essential to the everyday functioning of the pocket door system, but at the same time we now have the luxury of choice and being able to match hardware to our practical needs and also our aesthetic tastes.
With many interior design choices, however, the key is striking a balance between practical needs and visual appeal. The good news is that these essential features are foremost in the minds of today’s interior design experts and hence are incorporated into the latest trends and ideas.
The latest trends in pocket door hardware
Once you have installed your pocket door system, you want to enjoy many years of untroubled use and these hot new hardware ideas will help you do that:
Minimalist – The contemporary style for modern homes is still a minimalist appearance, which is not just sleek and elegant, but also unfussy and uncluttered. Modern homes have clean lines and lots of space, so pocket doors are already ideal for that because they literally disappear from view when opened, but having handles which are clean and understated helps too, because obviously these are visible when the door is closed. Flush pull handles are neat and unobtrusive, very easy on the eye, but are useful and convenient too. MB Direct supply these in chrome and satin finishes, and also a painted finish which can give a contemporary look.
The ultimate in minimalist hardware is something that can’t be seen, and just as the pocket door disappears from view when it opens into the ‘pocket’ wall cavity, so too you can install a touch latch system which acts as an invisible door handle for flush pocket doors. So, often we want a pocket door to open fully into the wall cavity so it can’t be seen, but that does raise the question of how you then close the door, if there is no door edge to grab onto. The touch latch system is built into the door edge and means you can press the leading edge of the door and it will eject out of the pocket, enabling you to grab it and close it. Alternatively, you can install a finger pull into the leading edge of the door, which is also discreet and unfussy in a contemporary style.
Multi-purpose – Pocket doors can be used to save space and also to divide space, and pocket door hardware can be multi-purpose too. In the 21st century we are increasingly seeing design products which have two uses and solve two problems and we want more efficiency from our products, so we pay once to get two uses from an item. The thumb and turn handles used in en-suite bathrooms and downstairs toilets are a good example of this. So we can use the thumb turn to lock the door and provide privacy, but we also use them as a neat and practical handle.
Sustainable – The importance of sustainability in all aspects of our home is on our agenda more and more as we raise our environmental awareness generally. So this comes with the products we buy in terms of packaging, but increasingly we are looking further down the supply chain and how products are manufactured. The hinges, handles and locks used on pocket doors are now manufactured using energy-efficient processes, sometimes using recycled materials and using non-lead-based paints which are easier to dispose of. Bronze handles, for example, are amongst the most sustainable products available because bronze is very durable and rarely needs replacing, while bronze is also an easily recycled product. Even electronic locks use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use batteries which, again, are hard to dispose of in a sustainable way.
Smart locks – Smart products are having more and more influence on our homes, such as smart speakers which control our doorbell, heating, lighting, security cameras and security alarms and you can also add smart locks to this. Smart locks can be activated using a smartphone app or using biometric features, such as eye, face or thumb-print recognition, and while pocket doors are not usually used as external doors, they certainly can be and smart locks are a useful and convenient way to enhance your home security.
Check out the range of pocket door furniture supplied by MB Direct, which includes flush pull handles and privacy door locks as discussed above.