How to Choose Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Even the most subtle elements can completely change the character of your cabinet doors, and, as a result, the rest of your kitchen. Cabinet doors can truly transform your kitchen, but the finishing touch lies in the hardware you choose. When you replace your cabinet doors, you may also want to consider replacing your kitchen cabinet hardware.

Although it is often overlooked during the installation process, cabinet hardware can play a big role in the overall appearance of your kitchen. Understanding the different types, styles, and options for cabinet hardware gives you access to a whole new world of design and functionality options in your kitchen.

Types of Cabinet Hardware

Cabinet hardware can have a huge impact on your kitchen. Whenever you replace your cabinet doors or complete cabinet system, it is important to consider all of the hardware that goes into the appearance and function of your cabinet doors. Considering the hardware for your cabinet doors allows you to improve the look of your kitchen even further. The following are the main types of cabinetry hardware.

Hinges

Door hinges are responsible for keeping your cabinet doors attached to the frame. The hinge is the piece of hardware that allows the door to swing open and closed. Different types of hinges include soft-close and self-close hinges.

Cabinet Door Knobs

Just like regular doors, knobs allow you to pull your cabinet doors and drawers open and shut. Knobs can be made from different types of metals and come in a variety of finishes. Cabinet door knobs are usually about an inch wide and extend no more than a few inches from the door.

Cabinet Door Pulls

Cabinet door pulls serve the same function as knobs, except with a different shape and style. Cabinet door pulls look more like full handles, which allow you to get a better grip to open and close the door. Pulls can also come in various metals and finishes.

How To Decide on Cabinet Hardware?

Deciding on cabinet hardware can be a challenge with how many options there are, but your decisions will depend on how the hardware fits the kitchen. When choosing hardware, you should think about how well it will blend with the other design elements of the kitchen and serve the purposes you need. Ultimately, the two main considerations for picking cabinet hardware are form and function.

Form

The appearance of your cabinet doors, as well as the rest of your kitchen, will be a big factor in deciding on which hardware to use. For example, choosing hardware for white kitchen cabinets will be a different process than choosing hardware for wood-finish cabinet doors. Therefore, you should look explore your options for the different types of hardware to decide which you like best and which will best fit with the design of your home.

If you prefer more modern design elements in your home, then you should choose modern cabinet hardware. On the other hand, you may like the rustic look of brass or bronze cabinetry hardware. Ultimately, there are many factors that will play a key role in your final decision, but your taste and style will play the deciding role.

Function

Although cabinet hardware plays a big part in the style of your kitchen, at the end of the day, it needs to function well. As a result, your preferences for how the hardware functions should also have a crucial role in your decision-making process. For example, when choosing hinges, you can decide between soft-close and standard hinges. Soft-close hinges will stop the door from slamming against the frame by catching it about an inch away from the frame and slowly pulling the door closed. If cabinet doors are consistently slammed around your home, then you may consider this option.

When deciding between cabinet door knobs vs. pulls, you should also consider which will work best for you as you are working around the kitchen. If you are used to cooking and reaching for a drawer pull, then you may want to stick with pulls for your new doors.

Can You Mix and Match Cabinet Hardware?

The short answer to whether you can mix and match hardware is yes, you can. Mixing and matching hardware can even allow you to add a special touch to your kitchen. For example, mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets is its own design strategy and can add an extra element of character to your cabinets. One way to do this is to install knobs on cabinet doors and install pulls on cabinet drawer fronts to avoid a monotonous look. Doing the opposite, placing knobs on cabinets and pulls on doors, also provides a stylish look.

The extent to which you mix and match cabinet hardware is completely up to you. Some homeowners even like to choose different types of metals for hardware in different parts of the kitchen. The design of your kitchen will play a role here

What Size Hardware Should I Choose?

The size of the hardware that you use can actually be an important factor in the final result of your kitchen. When adding hardware, you want to be careful not to choose hardware that is not proportional to the size of your cabinet doors or drawers. Hardware that is too big for the surface area of your cabinet door or drawer can end up looking awkward or imbalanced.

Typically, for pull handles on a drawer, the hardware should follow a 1:3 pull-to-drawer ratio. Unless you decide otherwise for design purposes, a cabinet door knob should rarely be larger than 1 to 1.5 inches.

Refresh Your Cabinets

Clearly, if you are looking to spice up the appearance of your kitchen, then you have plenty of options. Whether you want to replace your kitchen cabinet hardware or want to replace all of your kitchen cabinet doors, look no further than CabinetDoors.com. In addition to practical cabinetry hardware, we offer a long list of cabinet door styles with various wood species and finishes.

Explore all of your options for new cabinet doors and cabinet door hardware by checking out our complete inventory. For over 40 years, we have been proud to offer quality products at wholesale prices directly to consumers’ front doors. If you have any questions about how you can transform your kitchen with our custom doors, contact us today.