Don't Forget the Cabinet Hardware! Your Guide to Kitchen Details

Overwhelmed by the endless options for cabinet hardware? Let’s break down the deciding factors, as cabinet hardware has the transformative power to elevate your kitchen’s style, make the cabinets easier to open, protect the cabinets’ finish, and offer a finishing touch that makes your space feel polished and complete.

An Easy Update with Big Impact

If you’re not planning a kitchen remodel, adding or changing the hardware can provide an instant style lift to your space. Knobs and pulls not only make a big decorative statement, but they make the cabinets and drawers much easier to open and they protect the finish on the doors and drawer fronts from the grease on our fingers as well.

Tips for Replacing Existing Hardware

If you already have knobs, you can easily replace them with new knobs even if you’re not updating the cabinets. If you have pulls and want to change them, and you aren’t updating your cabinets, you’ll need to take the center-to-center measurement. Open the cabinet door and measure the length of the pull from the center of the screw to the center of the other screw – the length of the pull on the outside of the door is not what matters if you are trying to reuse existing holes. Depending on the age of the existing hardware, you may have fewer options if the size isn’t as popular now, but Amazon, eBay, and online hardware specialty sites like Hardware Hut and My Knobs are great places to search.

Understanding Cabinet Knobs

Knobs can be round, oval, “T” shape, or square, and there are options for every look and style. Knobs were the norm in the past, and I find many people do not want them when they update. But they can work on any size door or drawer front (sometimes a pair is used on longer drawer fronts) and they can also be mixed with pulls on the drawer fronts. Larger knobs both in diameter and height are often good choices for people with gripping challenges. They are not as protective for the finish on the cabinets as pulls, so keep that in mind if you have painted wood or stained cabinets.

Exploring Cabinet Pulls

Pulls (or handles) come in a wide range of styles from traditional to contemporary. Pulls used to commonly be 3” wide, but now they come in a range of lengths for cabinets and appliances with panels. The height of your wall cabinets is a good place to start the decision process. I recommend looking first at 128mm pulls (about 5”) if your cabinets are 30” high and starting with 160mm (a little over 6”) if you have 42” high wall cabinets. There are also 192 mm (a little over 8”) if you are going for a more contemporary look. Don’t forget to consider the drawer fronts! I prefer to use the same length pull everywhere but there are no rules, and some people love a wider or narrower pull on different size drawers.

Finding the Perfect Hardware Finish

Your cabinet hardware does not need to match your appliances or faucet, although many people like the look of everything being in the same metal family. Mixing and matching finishes is a more contemporary way to decorate and can work well no matter the style of your home. Consider the tones in your cabinets, counters, and floor as you start your search, and the hardware can be the touch that pulls everything together. Warmer earthy colors look great with soft brass (sometimes called satin bronze) or oil rubbed bronze hardware. And cooler colors look great with gold, nickel, black and pewter. All of these tones are timeless, and the best decision is the finish you like the most in your kitchen.

Match Hardware to Your Cabinet Style

The other thing to keep in mind is the style of your cabinet doors. If you don’t know what style you have, poke around on Houzz or Pinterest for pictures of cabinets that are like yours. If you have a raised panel door, then you have a more traditional kitchen, and you’ll want to stick with more classic hardware options (but they can be updated versions of traditional looks, and you can use larger sizes to make the look current). If you have a slab style door, then your kitchen is more contemporary. If you have a Shaker-style door then you have the option of using the hardware to help define the style.

Ready for a Kitchen Update?

At Kitchen Tune-Up we want to help you make the most of your home. We would love the opportunity to see your kitchen, show you door and hardware samples, and create a plan to update and upgrade your space to meet your needs. Contact us today for a free design appointment and estimate.