How To Choose Cabinet & Drawer Pulls

Cabinet and drawer pulls are often called the jewelry of the kitchen. They’re accent pieces and special touches to make everything more elegant. Luckily, cabinet and drawer pulls are easy to change and can give your room an entirely new look without a lot of effort.

Here are some of the trendiest styles right now in case you want a fresh feel without a total renovation:

• Oversized drawer pulls are often 6 to 21 inches long. They’re huge, but they make a big statement on oversized drawers, tall pantry doors, and broom closets.

• Flat black finishes are modern and elegant. They have a high impact against stark white cabinets or any lighter color. This is a fairly new trend, but it’s catching on quickly.

• Gold has a warming effect in the kitchen or bathroom. It has an air of being more expensive than it is, leaving you with a dramatic space that looks and feels like a 5-star resort.

• Copper has the same warm, rich tone as gold, but it has a more informal look, and fits perfectly in a farmhouse kitchen.

• Weathered nickel and brass is also perfect for your antique or vintage decor. They add dimension and depth to your decor, and because they’re already weathered, you can’t ruin them.

• Cabinet and drawer pulls with exposed screws offer an industrial or retro look that many people are beginning to embrace. Hardware is already screwed into cabinets, so some people are enjoying showing the screws off.

• Glass knobs and pulls were popular during the depression, but they’ve come back in full force because they’re so versatile. If you’re brave, give these a try!

Fortunately, there are no rules. When it comes to choosing knobs or pulls, it all boils down to your personal preferences and the look you want to achieve. You can use knobs for cabinets and pulls for drawers, or vise versa. Or choose the one you like and put it everywhere.

Generally, pulls work better for drawers because they have to support the weight of the contents inside as you pull it out. Knobs will suffice for cabinets because you only have to swing the weight of the door on a hinge, making it much easier.

So, you picked your favorite knobs and pulls and you’re ready to install them. This is getting exciting! But, wait. Where do they go? This part is easier than you think.

• For upper cabinets, the bottom screw hole is 2 ½ inches from the bottom of the cabinet door, always to the side opposite the hinges.

• For lower cabinets, the top screw hole should be positioned about 2 ½ inches from the top of the cabinet.
• Hardware with only one hole can be mounted 2 ½ inches from the top/bottom of the door.

• For pantries and broom closets, center the handle vertically and place it on the side of the door opposite the hinges.

• If you’re using knobs with one hole on your drawers, center them horizontally and vertically in the middle of the drawer.

• For hardware with two holes, center it vertically, but measure the distance between the two holes and ensure that the center of the handle lines up with the center of the drawer.

• Do you like being different? Center handles horizontally and vertically in the middle of your cabinet doors, mount your pulls sideways, diagonally, or upside down for some additional flair.

Kitchen cabinet and drawer pulls need to be durable because it’s one of the most high traffic areas in the house. Materials like metal are perfect because they will stand the test of time.

Try to choose materials with a rough or weathered finish so they don’t show fingerprints or dirt as easily. Matte black is also a functional and versatile choice.

Avoid glass and other smooth finishes like the plague unless you want a nightmarish cleaning situation on your hands.

Bathrooms are also high traffic areas, but chances are you don’t have as many cabinets or drawers in your bathroom as you do in your kitchen, so you’re safer choosing a wider variety of materials.

Bathrooms are supposed to be warm, welcoming spaces and exude style and function. Matte black is an elegant choice that often doubles as modern while gold and copper offer a warmer, more traditional feeling.

Your bedroom is a haven of rest. This is where you need to choose something that helps you relax. Warm, dark colors work best. Bronze or black are great, but you could also go with the dramatic flair of oversized pulls or exposed screws. For chic, feminine spaces, crystal balls are excellent choices.

If you’re dealing with a kid’s bedroom, all bets are off. You’re at the mercy of your child’s favorite color, character, or shape. There are a wide variety of choices online from Lego bricks to dinosaur shapes and everything in between.

Amazon and Etsy will be your best bets for finding these types of niche drawer pulls. You’re unlikely to find such a variety at your local hardware store.