Switch Plate Color Switch

As a designer, one of the joys about working with color combinations is that the possibilities are infinite. I'm not just referring to paint. Changing a metal or crystal color can also dramatically affect the look of the piece whether it be a knob, a finial or a switch plate. Since all of our products are made right here on our premises, custom color requests are easy to oblige.

It's always a nice surprise to see our designs wearing new color schemes. So I thought I would use this post to share some of the combos we've done with our switchplates.

Black is a popular "color" in a designer's world and we like to use it for extra drama. The architecture of the switch cover really pops when you put it with black.

Stepping outside of the rainbow for a moment, silver is a big decorating color and there are all different hues from pewter to platinum. This blank bloomer wall plate is stunning with both silver paint and metal details.

Finail? Finial? Is that your final answer?

Like a dowel screw, or an elbow bracket, a finial is one of those seldom used words that belongs to the decorating or hardware genre. You probably don't  know the meaning or sometimes even the pronunciation unless you've had the occasion to use it. Many people think of a finial as something that sits on top of a lamp (this is true) and few realize it's also a "drapery knob". When it comes to decorative window hardware, the vocabulary is rich with layman terms that can baffle the average person. So I thought I would address some of the basics to help our customers understand the terminology and to help them make good decorating decisions.

The finial is the piece that attaches to the end of the drapery rod. Ours have an inserted wood threaded screw that works with wooden rods. However you can easily remove the screw and replace it with one that is threaded for a metal pole.  When choosing the finial, there are a few things to consider. Think about the size and how it will fit the space.  Is it a large wall? Tight corner? You also want to think about the drape. Heavy materials may work best with a  large finial while light sheers may call for something smaller or more delicate. And finally think about  how the light hits the space.  Many of our finial designs have crystals or crystal cabochons that refract light and create a very pretty effect.

Pictured clockwise from bottom left: Sunflower finial, J finial Isabella, J tieback Birdie, and small Tiki knob.

Our finials range from 4-8" in projection. If you prefer something smaller, many of our 2" diameter knobs measure 1 3/4" at the base and can be converted to a finial by adding a dowel screw. If you're scratching your head about the dowel screw, here's a picture that shows it with one end threaded for metal (to go into the knob) and the other end threaded for wood (to go into the rod).

Now let's examine how the finial fits the rod. (Right image). We list the diameter of the finial at the widest part to give our customers a feeling for the size of the piece. However the measurement at the base of the finial is smaller, and designed to extend or flare a little beyond our rods 1 3/4" and 1 3/8" diameters.

Replacing your Switch Plates? Do a Double Take!

Oh, once there was a time, when switch plates were easy to understand; small openings for toggle switches, roundish openings for outlet covers and the fancy thingamagig was a round dimmer knob.

But that was a while ago. Now we're all wired for contemporary lifestyles and choosing switch plates requires some thought. Fortunately the electrical industry has made it a little less complicated because all switch plate designs have to comply with industry stardards. But you still have to take a good look at what's on your wall. Especially take note of your outlet covers.

There's more than one kind of receptacle for plugs and you want to be sure you're ordering the right configuration. I mention this only because it seems to be a common mistake that we notice with our customers.

Bloomer Ivy single duplex outlet cover

We use the terms decora or rocker to define our wall plates with wide openings. Although typically it may be a push switch, this wide size also fits all kinds of outlets, lighting controls, telephone devices and you name it. It's definitely the most popular configuration of today.

Coral glass single decora switch cover

Fabric Swatches and Paint samples

So what's all the fuss about custom? And what does it really mean when we say we specialize in custom made products? We toss this term around a lot because it so much represents the heart of who we are and what we do.

This is the advantage of being the modern day atelier with a virtual workshop and a web store. Yes, we make our products from scratch as they say. This gives us the flexibility to oblige requests for a specific color scheme. But how do we assure the customer that we can deliver a furniture piece that truly matches their decor?

The first step starts here. The customer sent us fabric swatches and filled us in with missing details about the room, such as buttercup walls and grassy green carpet

This is the Barcelona dresser that we created for her. Sure would love to see a pic of how it looks in it's final destination!

Addressing the comfortability factor is a huge part of the process and this is where all the little snippets from the room come into play. Upholstery and drapery fabrics, wall coverings, carpet, floor tiles and a good discussion about the room itself, are all the details that are taken into account when we create a custom color scheme and map out color placement.

Second Helpings

Since we're creating hand made products, there's bound to be some bloopers that come out of our workshop now and then. This is when our mistakes become bargain hunter delights. There's always a better deal on irregular merchandise and there's a lot of hot picks in our seconds inventory.

As you can appreciate, we exercise tight quality control when we're filling our orders and never would we let a flawed knob jump into a box.

So what characterizes a flaw?

We put them in two categories; the invisible (only noticeable to us in our workplace) and the visible (a slight defect that doesn't take away form the beauty of the piece). It's the lucky customer who nabs the irregular with the invisible flaw.

This may be a knob, pull, finial or even a lamp, where the color is a shade off or the size is off by a hair. Sometimes these lovelies end up on our web specials. But a singular piece without a match will more than likely go into our irregulars bin.

Furniture Facelift

Our knobs and pulls are the icing on the cake when it comes to giving old furniture a face lift. I don't think I can say it any better than the Style Struggler in her blog Dressing Up Dressers.

Decorative hardware is a key ingredient for style makeovers and it's not just about restoring a weathered desk or dresser. Even if you're not out scouting the flea markets, just take a look around the house.

Surely you will find a tired or old fashioned furniture piece that can benefit from a sweet knob pick me up. This bedroom dresser gets the glam treatment with our 2.5 in. diameter mini knobs and 5 in. orbit pulls in alabaster


And it doesn't have to be old either. Maybe it's just a mundane piece that's calling out for something special. This kitchen utility cart is wearing our 4 in. Bundle Tiki pull.

Did you say Purple and Turquoise for 2010?

I'm loving this color forecast that's a subject of this blog from 2 savvy designers. I've been watching these 2 colors slowly inch their way together since 2008 when we received an order for an 8 piece bedroom set from a customer in Arizona.

I remember at the time how I was impressed with the fashion forward color palette selection. Not your typical Arizona sunset hues, but beautiful shades of mauve, periwinkle and orchid with a teal-ish turquoise, something you might expect to see at the trend setting Maison et Objet furniture show in Paris.

Take a look at the media cabinet from this collection.

Although purple lovers have been discovering our line for years, the choice for green complements have always leaned more toward the celadon green family. But we've noticed a taste for bluish greens is becoming more popular in everything from knobs to window hardware, switch plates and furniture.

Turquoise and purple color palettes are becoming the choice for trend setting decor throughout the home.