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You may have several kitchen cabinet hardware ideas floating through your brain, and if you’re struggling to narrow down a final list, it can be helpful view pictures of these different hardware choices in situ. Below, we’re sharing 13 images of incredibly stylish, professionally designed kitchens that all feature different types of cabinet and drawer pulls and knobs. The specific choice you make should ultimately correspond with your kitchen design and home decor as a whole—the hardware one might select for an all white kitchen with clean lines will likely vary from the hardware styles you’ll see in a farmhouse style kitchen or one with colorful cabinetry.
Keep in mind when reviewing kitchen cabinet hardware ideas that ultimately, functionality is your top priority. “I like hardware that is tactile and comfortable to use, so nothing too slender or delicate,” says Catherine Ebert, the founder of New York– and Washington, DC–based Catherine Ebert Interiors. “The hand-feel is super important.” Other interior designers agree that homeowners’ kitchen hardware choices should be the real deal and chosen for more than just appearance (something you might be able to get away with more easily in other areas of the home).
The good news is that designers are partial to a wide range of hardware finishes, so search through those brass and nickel options until you find one that truly speaks to you, whether tackling a modern kitchen makeover or designing a traditional space. It’s advisable to weave in a mixture of knobs (usually on doors) and pulls (generally on drawers) throughout your kitchen space, too.
Whether you’re looking for a style that leans a bit fanciful, or crave a minimalistic look, the following kitchen cabinet hardware ideas from interior designers are sure to inspire you and elevate your kitchen design in the process.
Interior designer Emilie Munroe doesn’t shy away from bold brass.
Oversized brass pulls shine in this kitchen by Emilie Munroe of San Francisco–based Studio Munroe. Here the curved shape plays off of the cabinet door detailing. And going big is always an excellent way to “add interest to classic architectural detailing in an unexpected yet understated way,” Munroe explains. “This is especially true if you select a finish that is different from the plumbing suite or passage door hardware.”
Wendy Labrum Interiors opts for smaller kitchen hardware as to not distract from the statement marble.
On the other hand, in instances where a backsplash or countertop is the star of the show, subtler pulls reign supreme. “For this modern kitchen, sleek antique brass edge pulls allow your eye to focus on the gorgeous Calacatta viola marble counter and backsplash,” explains Wendy Labrum of Chicago–based Wendy Labrum Interiors. “This style also provides a modern contrast to the vintage architecture in this 1880s Chicago row home.”
An Athena Coin polished brass knob has a historical tint.
The biophilic detail of the Lily pull gives it a decidedly natural look.
The filigree backplate elevates the knob to another level.
Go beyond predictable kitchen cabinet hardware and infuse it with a bit of cultural flair, or perhaps something that looks like an artifact. AD100 designer Young Huh did just that by launching a line of cabinet pulls in partnership with hardware manufacturer Modern Matter. Huh’s visually stimulating designs range from knobs with evil eye motifs to those resembling lotus buds and other inspiration from the Silk Road. By incorporating cameo rings with carnelian carvings, ancient coins, old doors, and the like, the New York–based designer and principal of Young Huh Design bestows a kitchen space with a sense of place that echoes ancient civilizations. “The most successful interiors nod to different geographies and periods,” Huh says. “It helps create enduring design—something I think people want more and more.”
It’s all about mixing, not matching, for interior designer Jess Weeth.
Mixing metals? That’s so 2022. Instead, why not keep your finish consistent and introduce a few different shapes into your space? Designer Jess Weeth of Weeth Home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, is a proponent of such an approach, as seen executed in this sunlit kitchen rooted in neutrals. “A mix of knobs, pulls, latches, and cup pulls gives the kitchen a cozy, collected vibe,” the designer says.
Bring in the gems, like these sleek Amazonite pulls selected by interior designer Sara Hillery.
Cabinet pulls will continue to be bolder and funkier in 2024. “Although hardware has always been likened to the jewelry of the home as a place to add personality and details, it has experienced a resurgence in the last few years,” says Sara Hillery of Sara Hillery Interior Design in Richmond, Virginia. “I’m embracing these fun new styles and shapes.” In a client’s home, Hillery used Modern Matter brass and customized Amazonite pulls to infuse even more color into this green bar, complementing the ceiling wallpaper and glass beads on the chandelier. She adds, “These blue pulls strike just the right balance of whimsy and inspiration in a classic form.”
The matte finish softens the black to make the fixtures a subtle accent, as seen in this Design West project.
Black matte kitchen fixtures have been popular for a while, and now the finish is sneaking into kitchen cabinet hardware. Glenn Midnet, Morgan Bratcher, and Eliety Perez of Design West in Naples, Florida, opted to pair two-tone cabinetry with matte black fronted mounted hardware. “The black finish contrasts with the warm stained cabinetry it’s mounted on while cohesively tying together the deep ebony finish framing the space,” Midnet says. The hue also plays nicely with the quartz backsplash to tie together this cooking space.
Think of colorful hardware as Skittles for your kitchen cabinets and an antidote to an all-white kitchen, like this design by Fabrizio Casiraghi.
Don’t hesitate to go for colorful fixtures. Yes, metals like brass are classic, and lucite pulls are glamorous, but a pop of color is where it’s at. Introduce a touch of whimsy into your kitchen with turquoise pulls that pop against white slab cabinets, as seen here in Parisian flat designed by Fabrizio Casiraghi. Turquoise and terra-cotta are a winning combination, so the hue complements the tiled flooring wonderfully too.
Brass has class in this Ten Plus Three–designed space.
Warm brass pulls by Richelieu shine in this kitchen by Gonzalo Bueno, the Dallas–based cofounder of Ten Plus Three. “It adds so much character to clean and edited spaces, making them feel warmer and more special,” the designer explains.
The pale blue is a great contrast to the rich, black hardware.
Michelle Gage, the Philadelphia-based founder of Michelle Gage Interior Design, loves using latch-style hardware because it’s “not what everyone has” in their kitchen. She opted to pair the deep black hardware with pale blue cabinetry. “I knew in my heart of hearts that the kitchen had to be pale blue,” Gage says. The color black was an obvious choice given that the designer isn’t into nickel and had already used brass in the adjoining pantry area.
“The brass pulls out some of the warmer tones of the wood and adds a bit of sparkle when the light hits it,” Ebert shares.
Ebert incorporated Buster + Punch hardware with a knurled texture into this kitchen. “Although they are very glamorous they have an industrial vibe that helps give this uptown bar a bit of downtown edge,” she says. She also appreciates the way in which the brass hardware complements the taupe stained white oak cabinets in the space.
AD PRO Directory member Zoe Feldman created this dynamic and colorful kitchen.
In this kitchen, the cabinet knobs are the same Farrow & Ball Pea Green as the cabinetry itself. “Since there is already a lot going on in the room, we didn’t want to introduce another material,” says Zoe Feldman, the founder of Zoe Feldman Design in Washington, DC. “It feels simple and Old World—a very English way to prevent the hardware from pulling focus.” Feldman loves the timeless look of a classic ball knob.
The deep green cabinets have a hint of warmth in the hue and the brass accents.
Knurled hardware shines once again in this kitchen designed by Maggie Clarke, but it solely makes an appearance on the bottom cabinets, which are painted in Benjamin Moore Tate Olive. “I think the brass tones look fantastic against the green paint color,” the founder of Maggie Clarke Interiors in Memphis.
“Minimal yet functional hardware ensures that the beauty of the white oak cabinetry remains the focal point without distraction,” Karasawa says.
Midori Karasawa, the founder of Portland, Oregon–based Karasawa Interior Studio, incorporated edge pull hardware with a matte white finish into this kitchen design in an effort to achieve “a clean and modern Scandinavian sensibility.” She kept the pulls on the upper cabinets simple.
Your kitchen hardware will experience plenty of use as you open and close cabinet doors and drawers every day, so durability is key. “Hardware that is fingerprint-resistant, water-resistant, and easy to grip and operate would be ideal for a kitchen,” Karasawa says. When it comes to material, Clarke recommends that homeowners invest in solid brass hardware. Whatever you choose to buy, make sure it’s from a true hardware company to ensure functionality—this isn’t the time for a DIY. Gage says, “Save the cute stuff for your refurbished guest room dresser!”
There are plenty of kitchen cabinet hardware ideas for every design style. Designers appreciate hardware made of unlacquered brass knobs, satin brass, satin nickel, which Karasawa notes looks especially nice with stainless steel appliances, brushed nickel, and polished chrome. “I think natural metals all wear well with time and look good together, especially once they develop a bit of patina,” Ebert adds.
Interior designers say that they generally opt for pulls on cabinet drawers and knobs on cabinet doors, but this is not always the case. Karasawa is partial to keeping cabinet knobs to a minimum. “With numerous doors and drawers in kitchen cabinetry, too many visible knobs can overwhelm the kitchen’s aesthetic,” she says.
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By Alia How Are You
By Alia How Are You
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