The lockset (and associated door handles) are often the most underappreciated aspects of door design.

For instance, you may think little about finding the right lockset for an entry door as long as the set you choose works well and offers the security you need. But therein lies an issue - choosing any old lockset creates a design mismatch. And so, all of the security that comes from its deadbolt or the easy access offered by a lever handle will mean little when the set looks out of place on your door.

The key (pun intended) - finding balance.

Yes, you want to have a lockset that is secure, offers protection, and makes access easy for the user. But you must also find a lock that's specifically designed to match the form and dimensions of your door to ensure aesthetic alignment.

You'll learn just how to do that (and get some specific recommendations for pairing PINKYS locksets with doors) as you read this article.

Nailing Your Door Hardware - How to Choose the Right Wrought Iron Door Locks

Whether styling exterior or interior doors, you're looking for alignment between the door and lock. That's obvious on the functional level - the lockset must work properly for the door in which it's installed - but on a design level, you're looking for style as well as substance. Panache on top of practicality. These tips help you do that so you can navigate through the different types of locks to find the perfect fit.

Tip 1 - Start with Your Door Design

It seems like the simplest of tips, but it's one that is so often overlooked - your door design influences the lockset you purchase.

Let's look at an example of getting it wrong.

Assume you've purchased one of the Air range of PINKYS doors. That means you have a metal door that is more glass than metal, with the minimalistic approach taken for design leaving little room for clutter. The door is all bold black lines and solid geometric shapes - the pinnacle of modern design influences.

Then, you pair that door with an ornate lockset that has a huge metal plate, a massive handle, and perhaps even some intricate scrollwork built into the design. That is a stylish lock. There's no doubt about it. But it's also one that looks completely out of place on a door that's designed to emphasize modernity and minimalism.

Such a door requires a simpler and sleek design, and a simple knob will usually do, maybe using some angled geometric shapes to make it a bit fancier.

Of course, this isn't to say that ornate locksets are unfashionable or never fit a wrought iron door. A door inspired by Mediterranean design, which typically features scrollwork placed over its windows or panels, communicates a more grandiose design philosophy that a more ornate handle will properly accentuate.

Ultimately, it comes down to proportion - does the lockset mesh with the door's design? Go too large, too ornate, or even too small, and you get a mismatched design that attracts attention in all of the wrong ways.

Tip 2 - Choose Between Tubular and Mortise

It may seem like we're switching focus to function here (and we are, to an extent), but choosing between tubular and mortise locksets is vital for finding a lock that's compatible with your door.

To understand why, you need to know the differences between the two lock styles.

The main difference comes from the bored holes - a tubular lock has cylindrical holes (and thus, a circular locking mechanism), whereas a mortise lock has rectangular boreholes. That creates an immediate design concern because you have to match your lockset to the door. For instance, a door that's pre-drilled to fit a tubular lock needs to be redrilled with rectangular boreholes should you prefer a mortise.

Then, there are the security differences. Mortise locks are easily more secure because they contain inserts to prevent sawing and security latches that guard against picking. Both useful, but also both features that add to the lockset's bulk. And herein lies the design issues - a mortise lock will often be bigger and heavier than a tubular lock.

You may not have a problem with that, especially if you have a large wrought iron door or your door has ornate features built into it, creating bulk that complements the heavier mortise lock. But if you've gone down the minimalistic route, a slightly less secure (though by no means unsafe) tubular lockset may be a better option.

Tip 3 - Consider the Door Finish and Coloring

Next, you'll move on to matching the lockset to your door's finish.

It's here where your choice often comes down to which aesthetic principle appeals most to your eye - harmony or contrast.

The idea behind harmony is simple. Choose a lockset that matches (or at least complements) the finish applied to your door and you've achieved harmony. The most basic example is a black lockset set against a black door - simple, elegant, and in perfect alignment color-wise. But it's also possible to achieve harmony by choosing colors that complement a black door. Greys and earthy neutral colors work well here because they don't stand out against the black setting, instead melding into it to create a harmonious look.

Then, there's contrast.

And here's where choosing a lockset design gets tricky because attractive contrast is often difficult to achieve. Continuing with the black door example, a yellow or blue lockset will certainly offer contrast. But it can be an unattractive contrast - one that looks garish and stands out far too much against the setting. You turn your lockset into an unappealing focal point that looks mismatched compared to the rest of the door.

Still, it's possible to create attractive contrast in this black door example - silver, polished bronze, brass, and even gold sit nicely against black. They can even offer a regal touch to an otherwise seemingly spartan door, creating contrast with bold colors without going over the top.

Tip 4 - Lever or Knobs

Your door's handle is part of the lockset, and it's another aspect of design that can complement or fail to align with your door - one that you have to make a commitment to when choosing your lockset.

Though there are several variations when it comes to handle style, there are usually three main options:

• Lever
• Knob
• Rim Knob

Each serves different types of doors.

Starting with lever handles, these are the traditionalist's choice. The handle is secured onto a metal plate that's attached to the door, with that plate often being the deciding factor in whether you choose this type of handle.

Secured against a primarily metal or wooden door (perhaps one with just a couple of glass panes built into the top half), a lever handle looks perfect. But try fitting one onto a modern iron door (again, the PINKYS Air range is an example), and the metal plate may slightly cover the glass panes and finer lines of the door. Alternatively, the handle itself may offer an irritating distraction.

Knob handles are often the better choice for modern door designs. They're sleek and simple, though they come with practical considerations. For one, the user needs to have the dexterity in their hands to grip and turn the knob - making it less than ideal for older people or those who have dexterity issues. And, of course, a knob may look out of place set against a door that's mostly metal with little glass.

Finally, rim knobs - essentially knobs but with a narrower shape compared to the balls used for regular knobs. Rim knobs are interesting. They can be used in modern doors, but their irregular shape often doesn't mesh well with the bold geometric patterns in such doors. Rather, they're a better choice for ornate or archaic doors, though they require a special type of "rim lock" to work properly.

Tip 5 - Don't Forget About Matching with Hinges

A door installation requires a lot of hardware. The lockset is just one piece. Hinges are the other major component, and failing to match the lockset to the hinges can create a mismatch that ruins the door's entire aesthetic.

Color and finish are your main concerns here - they must match across all your hardware.

Take brass hinges, for instance. They look beautiful. They're shiny. But if you pair them with a black lockset, you get a color contrast that confuses the eye. The viewer won't know where to look - the recipe for a less aesthetically pleasing door.

There's no harmony there (remember - harmony is a major aesthetic principle), and the contrast is so extreme that the conflicting finishes of your hardware draw the eye away from the door itself.

There's an extra layer to this matching when it comes to interior doors - do you ensure your hardware matches across every interior door in your home?

That's a personal decision. Some may prefer the cohesion that comes with having matching locksets and hinges across all of their interior doors, whereas others may focus on matching their hardware to each door's surroundings - creating cohesion in small spaces at the expense of house-wide cohesion.

PINKYS Lock Set Options for Iron Doors

As a company that specializes in creating stunning iron and steel doors, PINKYS naturally has its own range of locksets - all manufactured to suit specific doors in the PINKYS range. So, let's help you find your matching set by looking at some specific PINKYS locksets and examining which of our doors each best suits.

The PINKYS Lock with Lever

Let's start with a lockset design that's familiar to most people - the lever handle set. This is our take on the most traditional lockset, and you'll see that in the design. A sleek black handle is set against a long and narrow backplate, on which you'll also find the keyhole.

That keyhole connects to a deadbolt on the lock's rear, allowing you to easily turn a knob from the inside to lock the door or use the key to lock it from the outside.

It's a simple, straight-edge design - a slim rectangle that perfectly complements the geometric shapes used in many of PINKYS doors.

Best For?

This is a simple question to answer because the PINKYS Lock with Lever is designed for the Air 4, Air 5, and Getty ranges of PINKYS doors. Take a peek at the Air 4, for instance, and you'll even see that we've accounted for this lockset's design by pre-fitting a black panel onto which you can install it. And given the lockset's rectangular shaping, it complements the geometric shapes used for the Air range.

As for the Getty Double Flat - you're getting something closer to a traditional design with this pair of doors. Rather than being primarily glass, as is the case with the Air range, you'll see a door with a solid metal base and glass panels at the top. But again, squares and rectangles are the order of the day in both the glass and metal panels - perfect for matching the rectangular back panel of our lever lock.

The Air Deadbolt

Simple, geometric, and effective - you get all three with the Air Deadbolt. It's ideal for anybody who isn't interested in having a handle set installed in their door, as the keyed entry on the exterior allows you to just turn your key and open your door with a pushing or pulling motion. Of course, you can also install this lock alongside one of our others to double up on security.

As for the lock's reverse, a rectangular deadbolt that requires a quick twist is all you need to open your door.

That rectangular shape means the lock meshes well with the sharp geometric shapes in many PINKYS doors, helped by the square back panel.

Best For?

The name gives the game away here.

The Air Deadbolt is best used in our Air range of doors simply because it's among the most minimalistic of the locksets we offer - ideal for complementing the modern look you achieve with the Air range.

However, the lock doesn't look out of place on our other doors, especially if it's used to reinforce security on the PINKYS doors that have larger metal panels. As such, it's compatible with our entire range.

The Durham Knob

From modernistic and contemporary, we move to a handle that is better suited for more ornate doors.

The Durham Knob is a one-piece deadbolt - perfect for complementing a key-based lockset. It's also a rim knob, featuring the irregular circular shape associated with that type of lock, as well as a textured design that ensures it sits well against metal doors that match its texture.

Best For?

The Durham Knob is one of the few locksets in the PINKYS range that doesn't mesh well with the Air range of doors. It's compatible with them. But its textured design means it may look out of place when compared to the sleek black lines in the doors themselves.

So, we believe this is the lockset of choice for those who want to achieve the Mediterranean look. And there's no better door in the PINKYS collection for that than the Beverly Double Flat.

The intricate scrollwork layered over the glass panels in this door is the perfect complement to the more old-world vibe of the Durham Knob.

The Stonebriar

If the Durham Knob's rim design hints at an ornate feel, the Stonebriar goes the full distance.

This lockset combines a similar rim knob as the Durham - only less textured - with a latch and curved downward handle. The latter two design features are found on the exterior-facing portion of the lockset, along with the keyhole, with the pair of rim knobs on the interior side operating both the deadbolt and latch from the inside.

So, you're getting dual protection with this lock. Plus, the already-ornate feel of the handle and latch are complemented by a textured backing panel that makes use of curves rather than straight lines in its design.

Best For?

The Beverly Double Flat mentioned earlier is a great pairing with this lockset - again, the intricate scrollwork comes into play to mesh with the classic vibe of the lock.

But given that we've already covered that door, here's another suggestion - the Getty Single Arch.

It's the curve of the arch that works in this door's favor. By complementing the curves in the lockset's backing plate (as well as the curve of the handle), you create cohesion in this combination that reflects elegance and grandeur.

Note - the Stonebriar lockset isn't compatible with any of the PINKYS Air ranges.

Find Your Iron Door Hardware at PINKYS

As you can see, choosing the right wrought iron door lock for your new metal door isn't as simple a process as it first appears. You have design questions to answer. Textured or not? Straight lines or curves? Bulk or minimalism?

The answers to those questions lie in the door itself - its design often hints at the best choice to take. Examine the line the door takes in its design and choose a lockset that strikes a harmonious balance with that line.

Thankfully, PINKYS makes it easy for you - we have a large selection of locksets ready and waiting for your perusal. The four highlighted here are just a sample of the full range, and you'll find many more in our collection. We also offer helpful information - such as which doors each lockset is compatible with - to guide you when making your decision.

Check out our locksets today. We're sure you'll find something beautiful to match your door.