“Should I put on handles or knobs?” That is a question I hear on a regular basis. So let’s see if I can come up with some answers.
First of all, yes. You want to use some form of hardware on cabinet work. Some shops put a built-in finger pull on the edge of their doors and drawer fronts. That is really not a great idea. Over time the edges will start to darken and the finish will go bad due to being touched all the time. If you look at a kitchen that doesn’t have hardware you will see the edges of all the doors have stains from fingers. Not to say anyone is dirty, but, well, a little here and a little there, and there it is. The finish on the cabinets—while very good—is not as hard as the metal of the hardware, so it doesn’t clean as well as the hardware will. So while it may look very sleek and clean, you really need a metal surface for touching.
So what kind? Since there are 4,182,573 different types of hardware that can be a difficult decision. (Ok I just made that number up, but it seems like it when looking through the catalog.) There really is no right and wrong. Some like to do knobs on the doors and pulls on the drawers. Or some similar mix. Some prefer the cup handles , and sometimes people prefer just knobs on everything.
I personally encourage using some type of handle for the drawers instead of knobs. The reason for this is that in our shop we use Blum undermount softclose drawer slides. (Hey, they are the best, so why would we use anything else?) Soft close slides take a couple pounds of pull to get them to start moving; after that they move like a canoe on water, almost no resistance. Because of that initial pull the handle is easier to get ahold of than just a small knob. But that’s my opinion; you are allowed to disagree.
Typically the hardware is picked to contrast with the wood. Light wood, dark handles, dark wood light handles.
But every now and then someone wants it to just blend in.
And since the choices are almost endless you can find something that you like. We have done small molded animals in a first grade room, to gold plated in a million-dollar home. Choose a color you like, a style you like, and we will install it on your new or existing kitchen.
Wood Interiors
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