When I lived in London, I developed a fondness for door levers, which can be operated by children, elbows, and slippery hands. Plus, well-designed ones add an architectural sophistication to interiors. Here are ten favorites. N.B.: See 10 Easy Pieces: Black-Handled Door Levers for more ideas.
Above: Top-of-the-line Nanz architectural hardware offers clean lines and impeccable craftsmanship. The Nanz Door Lever 2096, shown above, is a favorite; for pricing information, contact the Nanz Showrooms in NY, Chicago, LA, or CT.
Above: The basic Emtek Tubular Stainless Steel Kiel Door Leverset; $64 at The Hardware Hut.
Above: The Baldwin Classic Lever (5137.MR) is available in eight finishes, including satin nickel (shown); $77.72 at CSN Stores.
Above: The Omnia Industries 368/0 Door Lever ranges from $105 to $140 for a pair, depending on finish, at Knobs and Hardware.
Above: German company FSB offers 30 different lever designs in either stainless steel or aluminum. Architects like Jerome Buttrick of Buttrick Wong love the precision-engineered FSB 1108 Mortise Entry Set; $425 for the aluminum finish full passage set (price varies with options) at Knobs and Hardware.
Above: Italian maker Valli & Valli's Fusital line offers one of the most extensive collections of door levers, many designed by noted architects, including Antonio Citterio's Fusital Serie Atos H 5018 Stainless Steel Door Lever; $318.75 for a passage set at American Home Plus.
Above: The John Pawson–designed Valli & Valli Fusital H343-RP Passage Set, in satin (shown) or polished chrome, is $313.17 at Amazon.
Above: Thomas Hoof Produkt Swiss Zinc-Die Cast Door Handles; €34 for a set of levers (above L), €28 for the Rosettes (above: R), and €29 for the Ward Lock through Thomas Hoof directly.
Above: The Cifial 821Techno Leverset Interior Door Handle is $89.09 at Knobs and Hardware.
Above: UK company Turnstyle Designs offers an extensive selection of architectural door levers. We like the Barrel Solid Door Lever-S1333 ($262 for the passage set, shown above top) and the Square Door Lever and Rosette ($349 for the passage set). The solid door levers come in four finishes (bright chrome, dark bronze, satin nickel, and polished nickel) and are available with a round or square rosette. Available through showrooms around the country; go to Turnstyle to locate a showroom.