Tell a group of science fiction writers to imagine the future of retail and what will they come up with? It's shaping up to be a world entrenched in virtual reality, robotic sales associates and now, the ability to 3-D print custom items for your home, Lowe's Innovation Labs has learned. In the latest project to come out of the home improvement store's innovation labs, Lowe's Orchard Supply Hardware store in Mountain View, California, on Wednesday will debut 3-D printing and scanning services that let shoppers customize their home accents and fixtures. Read MoreVirtual reality, 3-D rooms and more: Retail's new look In what Lowe's calls a first for a retail store, visitors to the California shop can also scan out-of-production antiques, or even fragments of a broken object that can be pieced back together, to create 3-D models for printing. The project is being done in partnership with Authentise, a 3-D printing company based in Mountain View. "This is specifically designed not for the 3-D printer enthusiast," said Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe's Innovation Labs.

"[We] wanted a full service that would allow regular folks to take an idea they had in their head and customize objects in an easy way." Although 3-D printers have been around for about 30 years, most people have never even seen one, let alone used one, Nel said. That's because the technology is cumbersome to operate, and it can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to buy a printer. Read MoreRetailers with the biggest online businesses The barrier to entry drops substantially through Orchard Supply's solution, Nel said. Though prices vary depending on the size of the object printed and the material used, projects printed in basic plastic can range between $5 and $20. These costs predictably rise if shoppers choose pricier materials such as stainless steel, titanium or gold. Timing also varies based on the complexity of the project, Nel said, adding that a simple plastic project could be completed in as little as five hours. The test is expected to run for about six months.

So far there are no plans to expand the service to other Orchard Supply or Lowe's stores, but depending on customer reaction, a larger rollout could happen down the road, Nel said. The project is the latest in a series of innovations from Lowe's lab. In late 2014, the company introduced robotic shopping assistants in an Orchard Supply Hardware store in San Jose, California. Earlier that year, Lowe's launched a 30-by-30 virtual reality room that allowed shoppers to view a 3-D version of their renovation plans. It has since expanded the "Holoroom" concept to a second location in the greater Toronto area. Nel said thousands of people have used the technology, adding it's been particularly popular with contractors. The professional segment represents about 30 percent of Lowe's business. Read MoreLowe's 3-D room makes remodeling a (virtual) reality Creating custom items for shoppers is a growing trend for retailers, thanks in part to millennials' penchant for items that are made uniquely for them.

Nike, for example, allows shoppers to choose the material, color and other elements of their sneakers through its NikeiD technology. In a 2013 Intel report that examines the history of retail, as well as where it's headed, the technology firm predicted that 3-D printing will play an integral role in the future of shopping.3 panel interior doors edmonton "Production can exist anywhere, so design can be localized to the needs of the community," the report said. sliding glass door valance ideas"As more products become uniquely produced for the individual, the need for retailers to carry inventory will diminish but the opportunity for them to offer 'print on demand' will grow."best price garage door torsion spring

Lowe's does not break out the sales for its 78-store Orchard Supply unit, but the company's overall sales rose 5.3 percent to $56.2 billion last year. Despite this growth, the home improvement store still trails Home Depot, which expanded sales 5.5 percent to $83.2 billion.on trac garage door company reviews There once was a time — 80 or so years ago — when multifaceted glass doorknobs with mirrored star-burst centers were standard issue in new homes. garage door company northumberlandToday, they are mined like diamonds at salvage yards and flea markets. lowes storm doors blackUnlike the flimsy "builder's special" models now sold at he corner hardware store, glass knobs from the first half of the 20th century were made to last, mounted in steel or brass shanks, as opposed to the brittle metal alloy and plastic ones used now, says Brad Kittel, president of the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America.

Their enduring craftsmanship and design — and their ability to work with most modern locksets — have earned them preferential status among owners of old and new houses alike. Emblems of Wartime Shortages Glass doorknobs date back to 1826, when the process for pressing molten glass into molds was invented, but they didn't become ubiquitous until after the United States entered World War I, in 1917. Cast brass, bronze, and iron doorknobs, which had dominated the hardware market since the beginning of the Victorian era in 1860, were in short supply because metals were needed for airplanes and ammunition. "But there was still plenty of sand out there to make glass with," says Kittel. And by 1920, the largest hardware makers, including Yale & Towne Manufacturing Co. of Connecticut and Barrows Lock Co. of Illinois, were mass-producing doorknobs of molded and machine-cut glass, and cut crystal to suit various house styles, wallet sizes, and tastes. During that era, most glass knobs were clear and featured six, eight, or 12 facets.

Their faces were flat so you could peer inside to see star, bullet, and pin-prick designs molded into their bases. Less common were colored-glass knobs in robin's egg and cobalt blues, emerald, amber, violet, white milk, and Vaseline glass (which got its yellow-green color from adding trace amounts of uranium to the mold.) Shapes also varied, from ovals with incised star patterns to crystal globes with tiny bubbles inside — a popular 1920s Art Deco style that works well with modern interiors today. The use of glass knobs continued through the '40s, but by the '50s tastes in both architecture and hardware had changed, and Americans began favoring cleaner modern lines in metals. Before long, developers were outfitting doors in suburban ranch houses with utilitarian-looking steel orbs. Where To Find Them Today, salvaged glass doorknobs are easy to find. But there are important points about fit, style, and construction to consider before buying. If you are looking to replace a single knob in a set, always bring along the mate, since there are more than 100 glass-knob patterns to choose from.

You'll also want to bring the spindle. Doorknobs manufactured after 1900 have threads inside their shanks that fit square, threaded spindles. Glass knobs made before the turn of the century were typically mounted on unthreaded spindles with holes in either end. In both cases, the knobs are secured to the rods with small setscrews. Be sure to fit the spindle to the knob before you buy because threads and setscrew sizes can vary widely. For pairs of knobs, you'll want to measure the door's thickness and compare it with the span between the knobs to ensure a snug fit. Though spindles are rarely too short, threaded ones are sometimes too long and may require cutting down with a hacksaw. Avoid pairs that are missing their spindles or setscrews. And be wary of knobs that turn inside their metal shanks, which can't be fixed. "If you get a spinner, it's worthless as a functional knob," says Kittel, who has tried in vain to reset the knobs with glass epoxy. "It works for awhile but it always comes loose again."