Moving Beyond Trends to Find Timeless Style

Like many passionate home designers, Angie’s personal aesthetic has evolved over time. Early on, navigating budget constraints and easily accessible trends often meant embracing whatever was popular in the moment, like the widespread farmhouse era. But as her experience grew, so did her realization that trend-focused spaces lacked staying power.

"I realized pretty quickly that when I designed based only on trends, I got tired of the space much faster," Angie shares. "Now I approach design differently. I ask myself, ‘Will I still love this in five years?’ Today, my projects are less about following trends and more about creating spaces that feel timeless, layered, and true to my personal style."

When updating her home's architecture, which included replacing the main entry door and adding striking double doors to the garage apartment, Angie sought design elements with lasting presence. She was drawn to enduring materials like stone, brick, and vintage-inspired silhouettes, making transitional hardware the ideal choice to seamlessly bridge her home's classic bones with modern functionality.

Elevating Architecture with Solid Brass Hardware

In any refined interior, touchpoints matter. Hardware is the tactile connection you make with a home every single day, making quality an essential consideration rather than an afterthought. To bring her vision to life, Angie selected pieces from Grandeur Hardware’s Fifth Avenue Collection, incorporating sophisticated hardware across her exterior entryways and interior cabinetry.

"Grandeur Hardware is known for its solid brass construction, and you can absolutely feel the difference," notes Angie. "Beyond the durability, I fell in love with the hardware details. The finishes are rich and beautiful, and the styles are classic and elevated. Exactly the kind of thoughtful details I look for when designing a space."

Choosing high-performing, high-quality hardware proved to be just as critical as selecting the doors themselves. The clean, versatile lines of the Fifth Avenue Collection brought a tailored, transitional beauty to the property, proving that the right architectural hardware doesn't just complete a room. It transforms it.

The Joy of a Hands-On Transformation

The story of How We Do began long before social media feeds and home reveals. Rooted in a childhood helping her parents paint walls and strip wallpaper, Angie’s passion for DIY truly took off after marrying her husband, Chad. Combining his construction background with her love for research and execution, the couple renovated their first home entirely by hand amidst busy careers and a growing family.

By 2019, documenting their step-by-step DIY renovations morphed into a thriving online community dedicated to empowering homeowners to build spaces they love. For Angie and Chad, installing the Grandeur Hardware pieces themselves added a personal layer of satisfaction to the project.

"Designing the space and then actually getting to bring it to life with your own hands is incredibly rewarding," she says. "Seeing the finished result come together, and knowing we built it ourselves, makes the whole process even more meaningful."

Balancing High Function with Elevated Aesthetic

Waiting for products to arrive. Some items are months out, and it’s like being a kid waiting for Christmas while it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.

While beauty was a top priority, Angie stresses that high-end design must always serve the family living inside it. A space can boast the richest finishes and gorgeous proportions, but without day-to-day functionality, the design misses its target.

Her core design philosophy relies on three fundamental principles:

• Function First: Beautiful choices must support the practical demands of daily family life.
• Patience Over Speed: Homes evolve organically. Focus on one project, learn the hands-on skills, and let the space grow with you.
• Invest in Quality Points: Touchpoints like entry doors, cabinet pulls, and interior levers warrant premium, solid brass craftsmanship that withstands heavy daily use while retaining its luster.

Creating a Place of Belonging

Ultimately, a home’s design is a canvas for the memories made within its walls. From building trim with a basic circular saw to making bold choices with color and rich brass finishes, every project in Angie’s home represents a season of growth.

"If my home could tell a story, it would tell a story of transformation," Angie reflects. "Home is where our family feels most comfortable being ourselves. It’s where memories are made, and life unfolds. At the end of the day, what matters most is that it’s a place where my kids feel loved and somewhere they truly want to be."

Bring the Look Home

Ready to elevate your home's entryways and cabinetry with timeless, transitional elegance? Explore the Grandeur Hardware Fifth Avenue Collection to discover solid brass hardware crafted to last a lifetime.