Many people often underestimate the importance of selecting the proper cabinet hardware for their homes. It’s understandable though. In the grand scheme of things, how important can a few tiny pieces of metal be, right? Wrong.
Those small touches can make a huge impact on the design of the space. This is why interior design is so tricky. Your tiniest details can often make the biggest impact and there are hundreds if not thousands of choices to make when decorating and designing your home. Fortunately, I’m here to help!
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Cabinet Hardware Guide
The good news about cabinetry hardware is it’s quite easy to swap out. This means if you’ve already selected some hardware you’re not so in love with it’s an easy fix. The bad news is, good hardware is often quite expensive. If you’re already stressing about choosing the right hardware, don’t freight – I’ve got you covered!
This how-to guide will help walk you through the ins and outs of selecting the right hardware for your home and hopefully help answer any of those questions or concerns floating through your mind. I feel the need to say this, even though I repeat this every time, but these “rules” are purely suggestions. It’s not paint by numbers and your personal style may differ and that’s okay!
Types of Hardware
Cabinetry hardware essentially breaks down into two categories: knobs and pulls. Although very similar, knobs and pulls each have their own pros and cons.
Knobs are often cheaper and easier to install. Since you only have to drill one hole instead of two, it technically saves you at least half the time and effort placing them on your cabinets.
Pulls ten to be larger statement pieces, but your wallet definitely feels that statement too. Although easier to grip, pulls can be a more expensive option and more challenging to install.
Although it’s perfectly acceptable to choose all knobs on your cabinets and drawers or all pulls, I highly recommend mixing knobs and pulls together. Not only does it help add visual intrigue, but it’s also practical. Cabinets open easier with knobs and drawers with pulls. This is of course only a minute difference, but a difference nonetheless.
Choose Your Metal
This one may be a tough pill to swallow, but it needs to be said. Mixing metals is perfectly fine! However, if you’re aiming for a timeless look, it’s best to match your hardware, at least throughout the room. Aligning your faucets, showerheads, light fixtures, or any other metals will give the room a seamless look that’s hard to beat!
With that being said, if you love the idea of mixing metals or have different metal tones you need to make work, there are a couple of guidelines you should follow. First, try to limit your metal finishes to two per room. This will keep the space looking curated and not chaotic.
Second, keep the differing metal finishes on different planes. For instance, if you have silver light pendant lights over your kitchen counter, make sure your upper cabinets use silver hardware. Keeping the same finishes on one plane allows for a more curated visual to help with the cohesion of the space.
Select A Style
Now comes the fun part! Deciding on metals or mixing knobs and pulls isn’t as fun as deciding what style of hardware you want. The options are practically endless and you could spend countless hours scouring the internet or walking through hardware stores to find the perfect knobs and/or pulls for your home.
I truly feel that style is very personal, but I do think there are a couple of important considerations to reflect on before selecting your style. For instance, are your cabinets a sleek modern design? Or are they antique style with some distressing? If you said sleek & modern your options are fairly endless as you can add texture or keep it flat or matte and go crazy with shapes and textures. If your cabinets are a bit more antique or busy, keep your knobs simple and avoid anything too modern as the stark contrast won’t be as aesthetically appealing.
Size It Right
Last but not least, you need to make sure the size is right. While knobs are a bit more forgiving, designers typically recommend following a 1:3 ratio for your pulls. This means your pull should be about 1/3 of the length of your drawer or cabinet. The larger or smaller you get, the less proportionate your hardware will look within the space.
If you need something a bit more specific, here it is:
- Small Drawers (12″ of less) should use a 3″-4″ pull or a 1″ knob.
- Medium Drawers (12″-30″) should use a 4″-8″ pull or a 1″-1.5″ knob
- Large Drawers (30″-48″) should use pulls larger than 8″ or knobs bigger than 1″
Whatever cabinet hardware you choose, be sure to consider the size!
