Hardware & Handles, Happy New Year!

January 2026

Where form meets function with flair! Hardware for doors, cabinets, sinks and drawers. Some call it jewelry!

Universal Design (UD) and hardware go hand in hand, literally. Good UD means all can use the hardware and its pleasing to the eye and touch.

UD Handles particularly for doors need to step up on function but also on the flair component!

Checklist for Optimal UD for Hardware and Handles.

• Easy to use

• Flexible

• Intuitive

• Safe

• All ages could use

• Esthetically pleasing
  

UD Hardware on front Door handle and Key pad. Allows for an easy entrance, is simple , all ages could use this hardware.

Excellent UD!

Bath hardware

Hand held shower head above the Grab bar along with an easy to move water mixer. All great UD.

This technically is a UD faucet on the left. Separate hot and cold so someone can’t be scalded. Clearly a safety feature but if someone is having difficulty turning the handle this can be a problem.

Its good UD but there is better.

This large single lever is easy to use, a better UD design for sink hardware.

This public restroom has a better UD faucet and sink.

You can see a horizontal grab bar in the mirror allowing you to transfer from toilet to sink. The faucet is a single lever rather than the separate hot and cold handles. The sink has space under it to allow a wheelchair user to easily maneuver to the sink. All great UD priniciples.

The soap dispenser is not however. A hands free soap dispenser would be great UD.

Recently I had been working with an individual that is having difficulty using his hands. When this happens a wrist blade faucet can be very helpful. The handle or wrist blade has a longer lever arm making it easier to move. Notice hot and cold are marked on blades.

The Wrist blade faucet is a better UD option.

The best UD Hardware for Faucets?

Hands free or touchless faucets are so easy and user friendly. They are the best UD !

When deciding on a touchless faucet, check out Consumer Report or Buyers Guides before buying the faucets. Be aware of electronic vs battery operated, the mixer for water temperature, where the water will hit in the sink bowl, how easy the sensor turns on and off and issues of leaking. Even though you are great at DIY projects, consider having a plumber install this faucet to avoid any surprises or issues.

Touchless Kitchen Faucet

The circled sensor allows for 3 minutes of running water. Is that enough to wash or rinse dishes? Fill a pot of water? Consider how you would be using the faucet. The manual override allows for more flexibility.

All great UD.

Touchless Kitchen faucet

This is great UD. The single lever design, easy to see red and blue indicators for temperature also a sensor in front for touchless. It is usually best to have the touchless sensor always in the front rather than the side for easiest access.

Lets look at Door hardware and forgo the knob!

The paddle door handle is one of the best UD designs. Easy to use, takes minimal effort, obvious how it is used, there are left and right door handles for everyone. Now the knob above is another story and lacks good universal design.

These 2 closet doors have some unique hardware. This hardware can be used either horizontally or vertically. Here it is being used vertically, easy to pull open or close. The circular disks allow for you to grab onto it easily. Great UD.

Pocket Doors

This is one area of hardware that is not good as far as UD. The pocket door hardware is small and difficult to manage for anyone with arthritis or little fingers. The fact that you can push down to activate the lever is better.

This is one of the better UD designs for pocket door hardware. It costs a lot so my husband fabricated this for me. Easy to use, intuitive and simple. Stays outside the pocket and wraps around the door edge on both sides. I stole the idea from a doctors office!

Here is an older version of pocket door hardware that is still being used. Not good as far as UD design. Hard to use and not all can manipulate this.

Barn Doors

Look familiar? It is a smaller version of the closet door hardware. This time being used horizontally for a barn door. This design still is easy to use this way or vertically. Great UD! Notice that the hardware is flush on the door so there is nothing to “catch or stick out”.

If you can install a barn door rather than a pocket door you will find there is great UD hardware that can be used. Because the pocket is inside a frame, that makes it difficult to access a handle or hardware.

Cabinet hardware

The rule for Great UD on cabinet hardware: easy to use, obvious how to use it, all can equally use it, interesting design and is safe. This is where your personal design can be on display. Handles should not stick out so that things can be” caught” on them. All handles should point inward

This hardware has no sharp edges to catch on anything. Great UD

Ready for More?

Notice how this cabinet hardware sticks out and can catch things? Not Good UD.