Green gloss 1930s sunburst front door in a white rendered arched porch, with a satin nickel slim knocker, octagonal centre knob and letter plate
Whole-home inspiration · 1930s Art Deco

The 1930s house: satin nickel on a sunburst door

A gloss green sunburst door, geometric tiles and stepped Art Deco levers in soft satin nickel, the modern metal of the 1930s.

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The look
Fittings
Satin nickel
Front door
Deep greenAmber glass
Inside
Cream doorsJadeDusty pinkWalnutDeco tiles

A gloss green sunburst front door with amber and green stained glass in a white rendered porch, then cream doors throughout, black and white tiles, walnut, jade and a hint of soft pink inside, all finished in satin nickel.

Up close
1930s semi-detached house with a curved bay, steel windows and an arched porch framing a green sunburst front door Art Deco hallway with geometric black and white tiles, a walnut console, globe lights and a satin nickel Tiffany lever on a cream door Close-up of a satin nickel Tiffany Art Deco lever with a stepped backplate and ringed base on a cream hall door, geometric floor tiles beyond Satin nickel Art Deco knob on a stepped plate on a cream bedroom door, opening onto dusty pink walls, a walnut dressing table and a jade velvet stool Satin nickel Tiffany bathroom handle with thumbturn on a cream door, jade and black tiles and a pedestal basin beyond Satin nickel house numbers, slim knocker and letter plate on a green gloss 1930s front door below the sunburst glass
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From the sunburst door to the bathroom

Green gloss 1930s sunburst front door with a satin nickel slim knocker, octagonal centre knob, letter plate and a stepped bell push beside it 3 4 5 7
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Good to know

What makes a door handle Art Deco

Era1920s and 1930s
Trend statusRising: a new Deco revival
Inspired byOcean liners, cinemas and skyscrapers
Suits1930s semis, detached houses and mansion flats

The look of the 1930s

The houses built between the wars mixed traditional brick with new ideas: curved bays, steel windows, sunburst doors and stepped details borrowed from cinemas and liners. By then levers had largely replaced knobs indoors, and bright nickel and chrome had overtaken brass as the fashionable finish.

Why satin nickel

Satin nickel is softer and slightly warmer than chrome, so it suits the cream and walnut of a 1930s interior without looking clinical. It also hides fingerprints. For a sharper, more glamorous look the Waldorf and Charlston designs come in polished chrome.

Steps and tiers

Look for the details that define the style: stepped, tiered backplates like a skyscraper outline, levers with stacked rings at the base, octagonal knobs and squared-off ends. Repeat one design on every door and the whole house feels of a piece.

Getting it right

Lever or knob?

Use the Tiffany lever on most doors and the Deco knob on plate where you want something softer, such as bedrooms. Both come in latch, keyhole and bathroom versions.

Parliament hinges

Choose parliament hinges only where a door has to swing clear of a deep architrave or picture rail; they throw the door further out when open.

Keep the sunburst

If your original stained glass survives, keep the front door furniture simple: a slim knocker, an octagonal centre knob and a plain letter plate let the glass take centre stage.

Check the plate size

The Tiffany backplate is 204 x 49 mm; measure the marks left by your old handles so the new plate covers them neatly.