Last updated on September 6th, 2021
Knobs and pulls on your kitchen cabinets and drawers don’t just help you open the doors and drawers or help protect your cabinet finish by ensuring that the messes of cooking aren’t transferred from your fingers to the cabinets. They are like the jewelry of your kitchen and can enhance the look of your entire kitchen design.
When designing your new kitchen or remodeling your old one, choose these in the end with these 5 tips in mind!
Do You Want a Knob or a Pull?
Choosing knobs or pulls or choosing a mix of both – is a matter of choice and there are no hard and fast rules.
You could decide to use knobs on all cabinet doors and pulls for drawers, although it’s better to use pulls or handles with larger doors.
It is always easier to use a pull or handle to open a drawer. It allows you to use the whole hand instead of your fingertips to open the drawer, which can get heavy with pots and pans inside.
You can also decide to use only knobs or only pulls. Using all knobs is more common in older and more traditional kitchens, with using pulls being a more contemporary choice. How you plan to mount the pulls is also something that needs to be considered, with horizontal pulls used on drawers and vertical ones used for cabinet doors.
What appeals to you: Square Or Curved lines?
You will need to choose a design of knobs or pulls that is consistent with the type of lines in your kitchen design. A look at the cabinetry, edges of the countertops, lighting fixtures and other design elements should tell you if the majority of the lines used in your kitchen design are square or curved.
A square design in hardware is more contemporary and curved style hardware with softer edges is usually more traditional.
What about the finish?
Other than the standard chrome or brushed stainless steel finishes, there are many finishes available in knobs and pulls that can add interest to your kitchen décor.
And you don’t really need to match the finish on your handles and knobs with your faucets, as long as the finish complements the other elements in the kitchen.
Don’t forget ease-of-use
It’s important that you try out the knob or pull well, before you invest in the entire set. Don’t just touch it to see how the material feels, but also see how your hand fits inside the pull. Make sure it fits well and feels nice.
If you’re looking for a pull, make sure four of your fingers fit into it comfortably and that it doesn’t cram your fingers or feel sharp around the edges. If you’re choosing a knob, make sure it doesn’t have any pointy edges or ridges that press on your fingers. It might not seem like an issue when you use it once or twice, but using it hundreds of times a day can make it pretty annoying.
Last but not the least – consider the cost
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you usually get what you pay for. The finish and the design you choose will also impact the cost. Stainless steel and brass will cost more as will longer pulls and handles.
While going with inexpensive brands might give you a look that is cheap and a finish that is sub-par, avoid the big-box stores and shop around until you find what you like at a good price-point.
Whatever you choose, it’s a good idea to always buy extras in case something breaks or gets damaged later.
