(Photo: Kindra Clineff)
In the following decades, alternating current became standard, and the electrical industry decided that the pushbutton mechanism was unnecessarily costly; the old tubular switch type was redesigned for new wiring and codes. The last pushbutton switches were phased out in the mid-1950s. But restorers found the button switches’ “snap” as nostalgic as the slam of a screen door. Peter Brevoort of Michigan began manufacturing new pushbutton switches, redesigned to meet modern codes; OHJ announced their return in the November 1984 issue. Safe and reliable, they take less effort to use. And they snap! Today the UL-listed switches are available as dimmers. Switch plates come in 37 finishes and in layouts for pushbutton, toggle, rocker, outlet, and mixed configurations. Arts & Crafts-style plates recently were introduced. Classic Accents, (800) 245-7742, classicaccents.net
