Choosing Kitchen Cabinetry Hardware

When installing new kitchen cabinetry, you may take a lot of time to decide upon the type of wood for your cabinetry, or the styles and finishes for your cabinets. But there is one other design element that can make a big difference in the final look of your kitchen: cabinetry hardware.

You'll find kitchen cabinetry hardware in many different styles, shapes, designs and colours. It can be lots of fun to select the knobs, cabinet handles or drawer pulls for your cabinetry, but sometimes the choices can get overwhelming. Here's a general guide to help you make the right selection.

Match your kitchen cabinetry hardware to your existing decor

Think about the rest of your kitchen – do you have a certain theme running through it? Kitchen cabinetry hardware is available in thousands of different colours, styles, shapes and sizes to match various kitchen motifs. For example, an ultra-modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances will look good with contemporary bar pulls in subtle metal tones and simple, straight lines. If your kitchen is garden-themed or includes a lot of elements from nature, you may want to select kitchen cabinetry hardware with an antique finish that incorporates plants, berries and vines into a highly stylized, curvilinear design. Or if you have a granite or quartz countertop, you may want to choose knobs and pulls made out of the same stone. The possibilities really are endless.

What type of kitchen cabinetry hardware do you prefer?

Will you go with knobs or pulls? There are definite advantages to each. As noted above, you can find both types of kitchen cabinetry hardware in a huge selection of styles, colours, shapes and sizes. The decision often comes down to personal preference and what you already have in your kitchen.

For example, if the doors in your home have knobs, you may want to choose knobs for your cabinets, and if your doors have handles, you may opt for pulls – but that rule is not written in stone. You can even mix and match, depending on the function of the particular section of cabinetry.

When considering styles, you will usually find a wider selection with knobs. However, pulls do have a more elongated look, so they may appear more sophisticated or elegant to some home owners. Pulls are also anchored to the cabinetry in two places instead of one, which makes them a stronger and more durable option for drawers.

Remember to replace kitchen cabinetry hinges

The hinges of your kitchen cabinets play the important role of ensuring that your cabinet doors stay in place. While you can't see them until you open the doors, the style of the hinges does matter. You will want to choose hinges that match the look of the knobs or pulls you selected. For example, if you chose copper knobs for your cabinets, you will want matching copper hinges. If you don't want your hinges to be visible, you can opt for concealed hinges.