The 3 simple rules for mixing cabinet hardware styles: 1) Keep the same finish for all hardware 2) Choose different styles for drawers and doors 3) Use the same pattern for all cabinetry.
How to Mix Cabinet Hardware Styles
Choosing the right cabinet hardware is key to giving your entire chic interiordesign a distinctive personality. It’s fairly common to use the same hardwarethroughout the entire space for a uniform look on all cabinetry, but if youcrave something bolder and love to take risks with new combinations, you arein the right place.
There are so many amazing cabinet hardware options with bright color optionsin the market that sometimes we just want to be able to use all of them atonce. Not so fast – you’ll want to mix and match sparingly and with purpose.So where should you start? Mixing hardware may seem challenging, but there aresome simple ways to make your combination stand out.
Here are 3 simple rules that you can follow in order to mix cabinet hardwarestyles for best results.
1) Keep the same finish for all hardware This is the easiest wayto safely combine different styles of drawer pulls and knobs with varyingstyles. Having the same finish with bold colors will tie those variances instyle together and provide a sense of belonging as if they are all from thesame collection.
Also consider the texture. Keep the same orsimilar texture throughout too because even like finishes with differenttextures can seem vastly different. For modern designs, use neutral finisheslike polished chrome, satin nickel, and stainless steel. And for a moreclassic chic style feel, use rustic or aged finishes like brass and Englishantique.
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2) Choose different styles for drawers and doors We recommendusing pairings of two different hardware styles, one for drawers and adifferent one for doors. Stick to just two styles because it’s easy to manageand makes the overall design of your cabinets look harmonious, but still givesa distinct contrast.
To really mix things up, use knobs and drawerpulls together, such as knobs on doors and pulls on kitchen cabinet drawers.Or mix up your drawer pull styles for different functions for cabinets thatpull out or swing open. See example where the designer chose two classics, abar pull and atab pull.
3) Use the same pattern in all cabinetry The idea here isto duplicate the pattern in all doors and drawers you have in your cabinetry,that way the cabinet hardware styles won’t look mismatched. For example, youcan choose one type of hardware for upper cabinets and another style for lowercabinets. Mix and match knobs and drawer handles interchangeably.
Thekey is to stick with a pattern throughout all cabinetry. Don’t get overwhelmedwith options though – it’s best to start with only two different types ofhardware for cabinetry with at least 20 doors and drawers. Then move up fromthere for specialty drawers and cabinets with a third type of hardware.
Don’t allow yourself to be held back by the idea of matching your drawer handles completely. Step outside of the box a bit and experiment with your knobs and pulls. Test them out on different wall cabinets, drawers and doors, with different styles, finishes, and textures, until you find the hardware device and setting that works best for you. Throw in a little brushed nickel in with your black, or a little satin brass with your venetian bronze.
You never know how you’ll like something until you see it in the flesh. And don’t forget – we offer free samples on all of our drawer pulls and knobs, as well as custom sizes and finishes. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Reach out to us and we’ll point you in the right direction!
Drawers and cabinets range in size, so it can be difficult to determine what size you need. While there is no set rule, we generally recommend that the pull length is approximately 1/3 of the cabinet or drawer width.
The 3 simple rules for mixing cabinet hardware styles: 1) Keep the same finish for all hardware 2) Choose different styles for drawers and doors 3) Use the same pattern for all cabinetry. Choosing the right cabinet hardware is key to giving your entire chic interior design a distinctive personality.
Mismatching cabinet hardware with the sink can bring texture and personality to a room, allowing homeowners to express their individual tastes within their kitchens. However, cabinet hardware with different finishes may clash with other elements in the space and can feel overwhelming.
Choose up to three different finishes if you have a particularly large room. Three different finishes provide just the right amount of visual interest before becoming chaotic. You could experiment with four finishes in a larger space, but even that could feel overwhelming.
Using a pull that is approximately 1/3 the length of the drawer is a good rule of thumb. When in between sizes, size up. Cabinet doors do not follow the 1/3 rule. Generally, pulls between 5 - 7" for uppers are a safe choice - go larger for a more contemporary look.
The cabinet hardware finish should coordinate with the cabinet color. White cabinets look great with just about any hardware finish, but light- and dark-colored cabinets should be paired with hardware finishes that make the pulls—and hinges if they're visible—pop.
For your hinges, it is often best practice that they should match the finish of your handles and knobs if they are visible. But, with that in mind, you could opt for a blend of cohesive finishes instead of exact matches.
Yes, you can certainly mix bar pulls and cup pulls in an interior. To create a cohesive look, you may want to consider using hardware in similar finishes or colours. Additionally, you could use one style of hardware for larger cabinets or drawers, and the other style for smaller ones.
Our team's short answer to this frequently asked question is, yes—generally, your kitchen faucet should match your cabinet hardware. Matching your kitchen faucet to cabinet hardware creates a cohesive look that can be applied in every kitchen style, including contemporary, modern, and traditional.
We had to scramble to find a new faucet, but why not a new sink? Well, gold sinks are expensive, and I just had to have a gold faucet, so I took a chance on a gold faucet with a stainless steel sink. I was pleasantly surprised how well these two flow together. =)
For this reason we recommend avoiding antique copper finished faucets and accessories. Surprisingly, choosing a brushed nickel or chrome finished faucet looks quite good. Though it might seem to contrast, in reality those colors often complement the appliance colors and pull the whole space together.
For example, don't mix polished nickel and brushed nickel – it will look like you tried to make them all match, but missed. The rule – if your colors are different (silver tones, brass tones, brown tones, black tones) then you can mix the finishes.
Using metals too similar to each other can make your space look sloppy and inconsistent. Some better metals to mix would be brushed gold and brushed nickel, champagne bronze and matte black, or chrome and matte black. These combinations give your space tasteful depth and visual interest.
While a wealth of styles abound regarding cabinet pulls and knobs, a finite number of cabinet hardware finishes exist. The most popular metal finishes are chrome, brushed or polished nickel, antique brass, matte black or gold, and oil-rubbed bronze.
Stick with the rule of thirds for multiple pulls on a drawer. This means dividing the drawer into thirds and placing the pull hardware horizontally in the center of each left and right section. Another option with heavier and larger drawers is to use a larger cabinet pull to cover more of the drawer front.
Knobs are ideal for upper cabinets and smaller drawers, while pulls are better suited for lower cabinets and larger drawers. This is because pulls provide a firmer grip and can better handle the weight of heavier items stored in lower cabinets.
Pulls 3-7 inches in length will sit the most comfortably on doors less than 24 inches tall. Cabinet doors 24-36 inches tall are best adorned with pulls 7-12 inches long, while cabinets taller than 36 inches such as pantries, built-in appliances and pullouts should be accompanied by pulls longer than 12 inches.
Most drawers only require one knob or pull. For extra-long drawers (over 2 feet) that will have heavy contents, it can be both visually pleasing and practical to have two knobs or pulls.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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1) Keep the same finish for all hardware
2) Choose different styles for drawers and doors
