Choosing the right hardware for your kitchen cabinets is no easy task. With all the knobs and pulls and anything in between on the market, it might be confusing to decide which one to pick. Don’t worry – in this blog post we will explore some of the guidelines to help you make the decision that is functional and aesthetic at the same time.
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Decide on the type of hardware you like
To begin, you’ll need to decide on the type of hardware you like and how it will complement your cabinet design. For kitchen cabinets and drawers there are mainly two types of hardware: knobs and pulls.
While knobs are supposed to be attached to cabinet doors and pulls – to the drawers, there is no written rule that says to do so. Therefore, in practice, you often see pulls attached to cabinet doors and knobs on drawers.
Whether you go with knobs or pulls, or a mix of them, depends on the cabinet fronts you have chosen. Shaker-style cabinets can go with both, and you often see designers using a mix of knobs and pulls on this style of cabinet.
The only rule to keep in mind is to keep all of your pulls the same, and all of the knobs – the same.
The consistent use of the same type of hardware on all the doors and drawers gives the kitchen a more modern sleek look, even if the kitchen is of traditional style. Mixing the knobs and pulls introduces more interesting details to the design.
There are some practical things to consider while deciding what type of hardware to buy: knobs are usually cheaper, much easier to install, and they can be easily changed in the future because they only need one hole to be installed.
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If you decide to install a mix of knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets, make sure you match the style and finish. The easiest way to do it, unless you have a good eye for design, is to choose knobs and pulls from the same collection of a supplier.
Determine the size of hardware you need and where it will go
You want your hardware to be the right size for the cabinets, not just in terms of its design but also in terms of functionality and how it fits into the overall structure.
Yes, you can absolutely go for the same size pulls for all the cabinets or drawers and they look absolutely perfect. However, you can take one step further and elevate the look by choosing the size of the hardware based on a cabinet or drawer front size.
The relative scale approach is a good way to give the kitchen a more thought-out look. The doors and drawers tend to look more sophisticated when the length of the pulls is around 1/3 of the length of the door.
The taller the door (such as a pantry door, for example), the longer the pull. This approach visually elongates the space as well. When it comes to smaller upper cabinets (for example, above the range hood) you can go for either shorter pulls or knobs.
When it comes to long drawers, you can choose a single long pull, or opt for two smaller ones on both sides of the drawer.
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Select the style of the hardware
It can be tempting to just pick the hardware that is on sale at the time but resist this urge. You want hardware that’s consistent with your kitchen’s style and will last for years. If you’re not sure how to choose, look for inspiration online. Pinterest and Houzz are great places for gathering ideas for what you want in your kitchen.
When choosing a style for your kitchen cabinets, it’s important that you select one that matches the existing style of the kitchen itself and the rooms around it. Is your kitchen more modern or rustic? Are there more sophisticated elements that need to be incorporated into the design? What about the materials used for cabinets and countertops? The answers to these questions can help you narrow down your selection.
Generally speaking, hardware styles can be broken down into three categories: modern minimalist, traditional, and unique style. The unique style of exotic hardware is oftentimes handmade and it’s the right choice for those who want to add personality to their kitchens.
Hardware can define the style of your kitchen
While it is true that the room’s existing decor and style should define the choice of hardware, it is also true that your kitchen cabinet hardware selection can define the style of the room.
Let me explain: imagine a kitchen with shaker-style modern sleek cabinets. You can totally go for modern minimalist pulls or knobs and the overall space will look more transitional than traditional, leaning towards modern. Especially, if other elements, such as faucet and lights synchronize with that.
However, you can go for traditional hardware on the very same cabinets and the kitchen will exhibit a traditional elegance.
Select the finish
To select a finish, consider the style of your room and what will be easiest for you to maintain. It’s also important to think about how well each finish will complement other elements in the kitchen; Several important factors that will help choose the right finish are:
- style and finish of the cabinets
- finishes of other elements, such as lighting, and faucet
- the general color scheme of the space
It is totally OK to mix two types of finishes in a small kitchen, but don’t go for more than thee even if your kitchen is large. For example, you can use brass hardware with a chrome faucet or vice versa.
Having said that, mixing metals in the kitchen is the same as mixing metals on jewelry: it’s very personal. Some people totally love it, while others are hating it. Try to understand where you stand. However, when it comes to cabinet hardware, keep the finishes consistent throughout the pulls and knobs.
The only exception is if you have an area that really stands out from the rest of the kitchen.
When choosing the finish of the hardware, ask yourself what the intention is:
do you want the hardware, and thus the cabinets, to draw attention, or do you want to keep them low-key?
higher contrast with the background material will always draw attention to the details. For example, think about dark blue cabinetry and brushed gold or brass hardware.
If you prefer to keep the knobs and pulls low-key, then match the color and finish of the hardware the finish and color of the cabinet fronts as much as possible. You can even choose the hardware that is painted same.
Consider specialty hardware for a unique look
When it comes to choosing style and finish, you have endless options: modern vs traditional, metal vs wood or glass, and all of the subcategories within metal hardware.
However, specialty hardware for cabinets is an easy way to bring a unique look to your kitchen. Consider sourcing unique artistic handcrafted knobs and pulls that are rarely seen in other kitchens.
The material and design choices are literally endless: ceramics, glass, plastic, natural stones, minerals, encaustic designs, wood, resin, and bone. You name it:
Be practical with your choices
It is easy to get carried away with endless options of cabinet hardware, but keep practicality in mind:
- Choose hardware that is easy to clean, durable, and easy to install.
- Choose hardware that’s low maintenance
- Choose hardware that doesn’t have pockets and details where dirt and grease might accumulate
Generally speaking, high-quality stainless metal hardware is the most durable, and easiest to clean. When it comes to the easiness of installation, knobs are easier to install than pulls, since they only need one hole in the cabinets.
Placement of knobs on cabinets
When it comes to placement of the knobs on doors on shaker-style cabinets the knobs are traditionally placed in the corner, right in the center of horizontal and vertical frame pieces. For upper cabinets, the knobs and pulls are placed at the lower end of the door, and for base cabinets – at the upper end of the door.
However, a more modern look can be achieved by placing the knobs slightly higher centered along the vertical frame, just like in this picture:
When placing the hardware on drawers, you have two options: center the knob or a pull, or place two of them. If you are going for the second option, a rule of thumb is to divide the drawer length into three and center the hardware pieces on the left and right of the thirds.
FAQ
What is the rule of thumb for cabinet hardware?
As a rule of thumb, go for knobs for doors, and pulls for drawers. Keep all of the knobs the same, and all of the pulls – the same. Keep the finish of the hardware consistent. The only exception is if you have an area that stands out in the kitchen. when it comes to sizing, ideally you want the pulls to take around 1/3 of the drawer length, however, it is much easier to just go for the same length and honestly, it looks great.
when it comes to choosing the finish, as a rule of thumb, the decision should be based on your goal: if you want the hardware to stand out, choose colors or finishes that contrasts with the background, i.e. cabinet color. If you want to achieve the opposite, go for colors the same as the cabinet fronts, or those that would not contrast.
How do you determine cabinet hardware size?
You can take two approaches: uniform size, or relative scale. Uniform size means that you go for the same size pulls no matter what the size of the cabinet is. In this case, you determine the size based on the smallest cabinet in your kitchen. With this approach, for long drawers, you might need to place two pulls on either side of the drawer.
you can absolutely go for the same size pulls for all the cabinets or drawers and they look absolutely perfect. However, you can take one step further and elevate the look by choosing the size of the hardware based on a cabinet or drawer front size.
The relative scale approach is a good way to give the kitchen a more thought-out look. The doors and drawers tend to look more sophisticated when the length of the pulls is around 1/3 of the length of the door.
What size cabinet pulls for 36 inch cabinets?
In the relative scale approach, The doors and drawers tend to look more sophisticated when the length of the pull is around 1/3 of the length of the door. Therefore, 36-inch cabinets would look great with 12-inch pulls, if you are going to install just one in the center.
However, you can go for 7-inch pulls and install two of them on both sides of the drawer. In this case, use the rule of thirds: divide the total length into three, and center the hardware pieces in left and right thirds.
Kitchen remodel checklist
DIY kitchen remodel projects can be intimidating. If it’s your first project, you might feel overwhelmed and anxious. I have created this kitchen remodel checklist, which you can share with anyone and track the progress of the project.
Simply, duplicate this page and edit it as you wish: check and uncheck boxes, add notes, and add items.
If you find this resource helpful, write a review!
Can you mix cabinet pull sizes?
Yes, you can mix cabinet pull sizes. Ideally, you can use a relative scale approach, meaning that the length of the pull is around 1/3 of the length of the door. This approach works great, especially on taller cabinet doors, such as pantries. Using longer pulls elongates the overall space of the room visually.
Do knobs or pulls look best on Shaker cabinets?
Shaker-style cabinets are unique because they can look great with either knob or pulls if installed properly. The choice of the hardware for shaker cabinets might even determine the style of the room:
The consistent use of the same type of hardware on all the doors and drawers gives the kitchen a more modern sleek look, even if the kitchen is of traditional style. Mixing the knobs and pulls introduces more interesting details to the design.
The only rule to keep in mind is to keep all of your pulls same, and all of the knobs – the same.
Can you mix and match hardware finishes?
As a rule of thumb, keep all of the knobs same, and all of the pulls – the same. Keep the finish of the hardware consistent. The only exception is if you have an area that stands out in the kitchen.
Conclusion
Hardware is a great way to customize your kitchen and make it more personalized. When choosing hardware, it is important to keep in mind what style you want your kitchen to have so that it matches the rest of the room and complements other elements such as cabinet colors or tile flooring. You should also consider how practical all of these choices will be for everyday use.
