But the labels on those boxes at the hardware store rarely explain themselves. Passage. Privacy. Dummy. If you've ever stood in an aisle wondering what the difference is, this guide is for you.

At OKUN, home has always been at the heart of what we do — and we believe the little details make a big difference in how a space feels. Here's everything you need to know to choose the right function, the right finish, and the right look for every door in your home.

Designed in NYC · 8 min read · Door Hardware 101

The Three Functions, Explained

Every interior door handle falls into one of three categories. Get this right and the rest is just choosing how it looks.

What Is a Passage Door Knob (or Lever)?

A passage door knob — or passage door lever — turns to open the door but has no lock. That's the entire distinction.

So what is a passage door handle for? Rooms where you never need privacy: hallways, living rooms, laundry rooms, and most closets. You turn the handle, the latch retracts, the door opens. Simple, smooth, reliable.

People ask us what are passage door knobs going to feel like day to day, and the answer is: invisible in the best way. A good passage knob just works, every single time, without a button or key to think about. If you've wondered what is a passage door lever versus a knob, the function is identical — a lever uses a handle you push down, a knob is the round style you grip and turn. Choose based on aesthetics and accessibility (levers are easier for kids, older hands, and full arms).

Where passage knobs and passage door levers belong:

• Hallways and entryways between rooms
• Living and dining rooms
• Laundry and utility rooms
• Most standard closets
• Any door that simply needs to open and close

OKUN passage hardware comes in our full collection range — Valli, Zen, Arc, Dune, Brio, and Halo — so a passage lever door handle in one room matches a privacy door handle in the next.

What Is a Privacy Door Handle?

A privacy door handle does everything a passage handle does, plus it locks — but with a twist. Privacy lock hardware uses a simple push-button lock on the inside and an emergency override on the outside. No key.

This is the privacy lock door knob (or privacy lock door handle) you want on:

• Bedrooms
• Bathrooms
• Any room where you want door lock privacy without managing keys

The genius of a privacy door setup is the emergency unlock. If a child locks themselves in the bathroom, you can pop the lock from the outside in seconds with the included tool. That's why door handles with privacy lock are the standard for bedroom and bath doors across the country — you get door lock privacy when you want it and instant access when you need it.

When people search for door knobs with privacy lock, privacy lock door handles, or a door handle with privacy lock, this is exactly the function they're describing. OKUN privacy hardware includes the push-button mechanism, the emergency override, and the unlock tool — everything in the box.

A privacy lock door keeps the room private but never traps anyone inside.

What Is a Dummy Door Knob?

A dummy door knob — or dummy door handle — doesn't turn and has no latch. It's a fixed, decorative pull mounted to the door surface.

If that sounds less useful, it isn't — it's just for a different job. Dummy door knobs are made for doors that don't latch in the traditional way:

• French doors (where one panel stays fixed)
• Closet doors, especially bi-fold and double doors
• Pantry doors with a roller or magnetic catch
• Any door pulled open rather than turned

This is where the most common questions come in. French door dummy handles — also searched as dummy french door handles, dummy handles for french doors, and dummy door handles for french doors — give a pair of French doors that symmetrical, finished look without a working mechanism on every panel. You pull, the catch releases, the door swings.

Closets are the other big home for dummy hardware. A dummy closet door knob (or in pairs, dummy closet door knobs) and matching dummy closet door handles give double and bi-fold closet doors a clean, intentional pull. If you've searched dummy door knobs for closets, dummy door knobs closet doors, or closet door dummy knobs, the OKUN dummy line is built exactly for that — a non-turning static lever or knob that elevates the door without the complexity of a latch.

Quick Comparison: Passage vs. Privacy vs. Dummy

A simple way to remember it: passage opens, privacy locks, dummy decorates.

Knob or Lever? A Quick Word on Style

Throughout this guide you've seen both passage door knobs and passage door levers — and the same knob-vs-lever choice exists for privacy and dummy hardware too.

• A passage door knob is round; you grip and turn it. Classic, compact, traditional-modern.
• A passage door lever — also called a lever passage door handle or passage lever door handle — uses a horizontal handle you press down. It's the more contemporary look and far easier to operate with full hands, which is why a door passage lever is the go-to for accessible and family-friendly homes.

You'll see the lever called a few different things — door lever passage, passage lever door handle, passage door levers — but they all describe the same thing: a passage-function handle in lever form. OKUN offers both knob and lever styles so you can mix a sleek lever passage door handle in main living spaces with knobs elsewhere, all in one finish family.

Choosing a Finish: Black, Gold, Nickel & Chrome

Function decides how the door works. Finish decides how the room feels. OKUN hardware comes in four finishes designed to carry across an entire home:

• Matte Black — the most-requested look in modern interiors. A black door handle reads bold and architectural against white doors, warm woods, and bright walls alike. If you want one statement that ties a whole renovation together, a matte black door handle is it.
• Brushed Nickel — warm, transitional, and our best-seller. It works in nearly any palette and hides fingerprints beautifully.
• Chrome — bright, clean, and timeless for classic and contemporary spaces.
• Champagne Brushed Gold — searching for a gold door handle? This is it: a soft, elevated warm-metal tone that gives that contemporary glow without the dated brass feel.

Because every finish is available across every collection and every function, your black door handle in the hallway, your privacy door handle in the bedroom, and your French door dummy handles in the den can all match perfectly. That whole-home cohesion is where OKUN quietly outperforms builder-grade hardware.

Don't Forget the Vents: The Square Vent Detail

Hardware isn't the only thing that telegraphs "builder-grade." Those stamped-metal air vents do it too.

A modern square vent or linear slot diffuser finishes a room the way a great door handle finishes a door. OKUN's architectural grilles are commercial-grade aluminum in a clean matte white, with a concealed-screw flush mount that disappears into the ceiling or wall. They install with a screwdriver, adjust for airflow, and instantly remove that generic look — the same design philosophy as our door hardware, applied overhead.

If you're upgrading handles room by room, swapping a dated air return for a sleek square vent is the small detail that makes the whole space feel considered.

Room-by-Room Cheat Sheet

Here's how it all comes together in a typical home:

• Bedrooms & bathrooms → Privacy door handle with privacy lock and emergency override
• Hallways & living areas → Passage door lever or knob, no lock
• Standard closets → Passage knob, or dummy closet door knobs for double/bi-fold doors
• French doors → French door dummy handles (one fixed panel) paired with passage or privacy hardware on the active panel
• Pantry & decorative doors → Dummy door handle
• Air vents → Modern square vent grilles to match

Why OKUN

The gap between builder-grade hardware and architect-specified hardware used to mean a choice between cheap-looking and expensive. OKUN closes that gap.

• Premium design, accessible price — designer-grade levers and knobs without the $80–$120-per-handle markup
• Complete package — levers, latch, strike plate, mounting screws, Allen wrench, and emergency unlock tool all in the box
• Easy DIY installation — screwdriver only, reversible for left- or right-hand doors, about 15 minutes per door
• Finish cohesion — four finishes across every collection and function

Whether you need a single passage door knob, a set of door handles with privacy lock, dummy french door handles, or a clean square vent to finish the ceiling, OKUN gives you the architectural look your home has been waiting for.

Frequently Asked Questions