These custom cast bronze beauties adorn the community center at the Estrella Mountain Ranch Golf Club. At 20 inches tall, these handles can be modified in size or can be cast in white bronze or brass. “I can even make handles to fit a woman’s hand,” says Steve Goldenstein, owner and artist at Studio Iron, LLC, in Apache Junction. As pictured: $980 each, studioiron.com.

Dress up your door décor with local, custom-forged hardware.

Dress up your door décor with local, custom-forged hardware.
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. But bold or decorative door décor speaks volumes about what’s inside your home.

After all, the iconic Sahara Casino in Las Vegas didn’t welcome Elvis, Sammy and Sinatra with plain door knobs – it boasted ostentatious S-shaped handles set into brass. The lion doorknocker on the most famous front door in the world, London’s Number 10 Downing Street, conveys a stately yet powerful mood at the British prime minister’s residence and offices.

What about your front door décor? Does it say formal or flamboyant? Is it a homebuilder special, identical to the hundreds of  other homes in your ’hood?

The simple switch to a custom door handle can pack your entryway with panache. “Door handles speak volumes about your home, your taste, and your quality,” says Matthew Drate, vice president of Hawk Hill, a Scottsdale-based manufacturer of handcrafted decorative hardware.

The right door pull also captures your understanding of proportion. “Ninety percent of America has ‘size 3068 doors,’ which mean they are a standard size,” says Denis Fallon, vice president of sales for Door Works in Scottsdale. “In the Valley, the larger size doors people go with are too big for a standard-sized door pull.”

Maybe it’s time to blend proportion with presentation. Let these examples pull you in.

Scottsdale Art FactoryCrafted in Scottsdale from hand-forged iron, this curlicue door handle measures 17.5 inches tall and 6.5 inches wide and features a natural patina finish. Square iron or Art Deco round iron-back plates are available. As pictured: $649 each. Allow four weeks. custom-doors.org

Craftsmen in WoodThis decorative pull in old wrought finish is available with or without the back plate and is forged in Phoenix. As pictured, dimensions are 17 inches by 3 1/4 inches. Other finishes include oil-rubbed bronze, rustic and pewter. As pictured: $1,150 for a set of two. Allow seven to nine weeks. ciwood.com

Door WorksHighly compatible with an Old World or Southwestern look, this twisted, pewter door handle is manufactured by Emtek in California. Carried by Scottsdale’s Door Works, which also has a full line of locally manufactured door handles, it comes in an 18-inch or 24-inch length with a matching deadbolt. As pictured: $188 each (deadbolt is extra). Allow four weeks. doorworksusa.com

Grizzly IronEcho your eco-sensibilities with the “Bamboo Handle” from Grizzly Iron in Phoenix. At 18 inches tall and 6 inches wide, this door hardware works well with contemporary styling, and is available for left and right doors. It is available in oil-rubbed bronze, natural steel, rusted finish or powder coating. As pictured: $275 each. grizzlyiron.com

Studio IronThe perfect accent for a wine closet, this grapevine handle is a one-of-one. “Grapevines aren’t identical in nature, so I don’t make them that way,” says Studio Iron owner Steve Goldenstein. The handle will range approximately 16 inches tall by 4 inches wide and can be finished in white bronze, medium bronze, brass or other finishes. As pictured: $640 each. Allow two to four weeks. studioiron.com

Hawk HillAptly named the “Ornate” handle, this Hawk Hill pewter door handle is hand crafted and made to order in Hawk Hill’s Scottsdale factory. It is available in 16 or 21 inches. (Note: Hawk Hill does not sell retail; visit its website for a directory of local stores.) As pictured: $625 each. Allow four to six weeks. hawkhillhardware.com