Your front door is an essential part of the overall look of the exterior of your home. It will be the one of the first things that you see when you come home after a long day out and will form a substantial part of the first impression that visitors form of you and your home.

One of the most important choices you will have to make about the look of your front door is whether you want to have a door knocker or a door bell. Don't forget that this is not just an aesthetic choice, these devices serve an important function that you should consider when making your decision.

Door knockers can be a classic choice, suitable for many different door designs. A knocker in a classic metal - brass or silver - complements any colour door, but goes especially well with dark wooden stains. While an old-fashioned style of knocker is probably what comes to mind when you think of these devices. They can be found in a huge variety of styles and designs, from medieval homages to a modern contemporary look. The sound of a knocker can be more pleasing to some people than that of a door bell. Unlike some door bells, where the sound can only be heard inside the house, when people use your door knocker they know that they have definitely made you aware of their presence, so you can avoid that annoying repetitive ringing. Knockers are also quick and easy to install, with no need for batteries or wires.

Bells can also be found in a range of styles to fit with your door designs. Although some door bells may look like cheap plastic, don't let those preconceptions turn you off bells. While plastic door bells do exist, those can in fact be perfect to unobtrusively fit in with French doors or other similar designs. You can also find bells in wood and metal casings, meaning that they can perfectly complement the same styles of doors that you might have thought only a knocker would work with. One important advantage of a door bell is that, while the noise of a door knocker may disturb close-by neighbours, a bell may not be heard outside of your own home.

A disadvantage of door bells is that you will likely need to refill batteries for an electronic bell and you may not realise that your door bell is not working until you have missed a few callers. Door bells can be just great for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. This is because you can install speakers throughout your home to play the sound of the bell or even technology that will use the doorbell as a signal to make a visual display to let you know someone is at the door. Door bells can also be bought that use induction loops to transmit the signal from the bell directly to your hearing aid so that you need never fear missing the fact that a caller has come to your home.

Both bells and door knockers have their own advantages and disadvantages and are suitable for the needs of different people. Something that you should bear in mind is that there is nothing stopping you from installing both of these options so that you can enjoy the benefits of each. After a time you may want to continue with both options or decide from your own experience that a door knocker or doorbell is more suitable for your needs.