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Design DilemmaKitchens
donnalorenz

Please vote - knobs or pulls on the big drawers?

donnalorenz
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

Hi, you all helped me with my countertop query (Symphony Grey was the winner! will be templated on Thursday!) so I'm hoping you will weigh in on whether I should put knobs or pulls on the big drawers. There are five - one under the double ovens, two next to that cabinet (with a skinny drawer on top that must have a pull) and the two in the island (again, with a skinny drawer on top that must have a pull.) I have a couple more sleeps to make this decision.







Featured Answer
  • Toni Hamlett
    4 years ago

    I prefer pulls especially for wide drawers. I also buy them in different sizes. The larger the drawer width the wider the pull. As for upper cabinets I do either one but be consistent - meaning if you do knobs on upper cabinets I do knows on all uppers. If you do pulls on lower I do all pulls on lowers

    Comments (43)

    • PRO
      Icon Building Group
      4 years ago

      donnalorenz, We always would vote for knobs on cabinet doors and pulls always for drawers for a consistent and even pull open or push close. Although in most kitchens today the drawer glides are very smooth you will enjoy the opening and closing of the drawers so much better.



      donnalorenz thanked Icon Building Group
    • PRO
      BeverlyFLADeziner
      4 years ago
      last modified: 4 years ago

      Pulls would be my choice. Knobs for the upper cabinets. I don't want a knob stripped from use spinning around in my hand a few years down the road.

      donnalorenz thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
    • happy2b…gw
      4 years ago

      I prefer pulls for look and function.


      donnalorenz thanked happy2b…gw
    • Val
      4 years ago

      Pulls!

      donnalorenz thanked Val
    • kim k
      4 years ago

      Pulls for sure.

      donnalorenz thanked kim k
    • Nidnay
      4 years ago
      last modified: 4 years ago

      I like a mix like you have in your first photo....pulls for the top drawers and knobs for the bottom two drawers and then knobs for the uppers. I find it very monotonous to have all knobs or all pulls (depending on the style of kitchen).

      donnalorenz thanked Nidnay
    • Nidnay
      4 years ago

      Look how pretty this looks with a little variation (although I would much prefer that the pull was on the top drawer).

      donnalorenz thanked Nidnay
    • 2ManyDiversions
      4 years ago

      Far prefer pulls on both upper and lower, cabinets and drawers. Just more comfortable, easier to keep drawer and cabinet fronts clean. I love nidnay's kitchen (!!) and therefor think she has wonderful taste, but honestly I believe you can make any kitchen lovely using all pulls that suit your kitchen. Ours is, to us : ). Now, for uppers that are more decorative... I'd use knobs. We have pulls on every drawer and cabinet, except all the topmost 15" cabs, which I'll rarely access.

      Good luck on your personal choice!

      donnalorenz thanked 2ManyDiversions
    • ci_lantro
      4 years ago

      Pulls and the drawers need larger ones than the pulls pictured.


      donnalorenz thanked ci_lantro
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      ci_lantro, they only come in that size - and sadly I am completely in love with them and nothing else has even tweaked my interest! So they will have to do!

    • 2ManyDiversions
      4 years ago

      "I am completely in love with them and nothing else has even tweaked my interest" I understand this (and agree, those pulls are to die for with what you have!), I was in the same situation so I do understand. As you show in your photo above with green tape, I used double pulls on all my drawer stacks except one, and haven't regretted it.

      donnalorenz thanked 2ManyDiversions
    • RedRyder
      4 years ago

      Knobs for doors, pulls for drawers. Two pulls if the drawer is super wide and deep. My designer was very helpful around sizing of the pulls for my drawers. I had to find a style that had the two pull sizes I needed and a knob I liked. It was worth the hunt.

      donnalorenz thanked RedRyder
    • RedRyder
      4 years ago

      The small drawer pulls are 5” and the larger drawer pulls are 7”.

      donnalorenz thanked RedRyder
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      RedRyder - interesting where you put the knobs on the actual cabinet. I was going in the middle of the perceived square, or in line with the line of the profile - but my kitchen designer insisted on somewhere in the middle!

    • felizlady
      4 years ago

      I use two knobs on big drawers, but for you, it may depend upon the weight of the contents or the quality of the drawer glides. If the contents are light, the drawer may open easily with one finger pulling one knob of the two. When I select knobs, I look for a knob neck which is big enough for my pointer finger to fit easily behind it.

      donnalorenz thanked felizlady
    • greenbeetle
      4 years ago

      I'm in the process of making the same decision. RedRyder, would you be willing to share what brand your hardware is? That's the look I'm going for and am having problems finding just the right one.

      donnalorenz thanked greenbeetle
    • PRO
      Anglophilia
      4 years ago

      I prefer a pull for both uppers and lowers. They are easier to open if ones hands are wet or messy.


      On lower drawers, a cabinet builder once told me to always use a SINGLE pull, to two pulls. He said no one uses both hands to open a drawer - they grab a handle. And when there are two, it throws the pulls off over time. One single one in the middle is best. And yes, I DO have several 36" wide, deep drawers that are filled with many heavy items. NO problem!

      donnalorenz thanked Anglophilia
    • PRO
      Creative Design Cabinetry
      4 years ago

      pulls

      donnalorenz thanked Creative Design Cabinetry
    • Cheryl Hannebauer
      4 years ago

      I prefer pulls,myself.

      donnalorenz thanked Cheryl Hannebauer
    • 2ManyDiversions
      4 years ago

      Anglo makes a good point... however, we have blum heavy duty slides on our larger drawers (most of which are), the cabinets are well-built, and using one pull doesn't pull ours to either side - I was concerned about this, so have spent days and late nights pulling on them! I knew I wouldn't use both pulls much of the time. Additionally, it's sometimes hard to find larger (wider) pulls in some styles/finishes. Those I chose came in larger/smaller sizes and I ordered a single pull in all sizes to sample them, but the wider pulls were very, very thick, and I didn't care for them. However, one smaller 6" pull would have sufficed with the exception of 2 of our drawer stacks. One is 48" wide and a single smaller pull would not have worked.

      donnalorenz thanked 2ManyDiversions
    • judy1740
      4 years ago

      Pulls and longer ones in the centre of the drawer.

      donnalorenz thanked judy1740
    • PRO
      Flo Mangan
      4 years ago

      Pulls on drawers-proportionate to the drawer and in single pull in center. Longer pulls on longer drawers. I like the finger pulls for cabinets because you can just slip a wet finger under the groove and pull the cabinet open very easily. Cabinet doors are easier to open.

      hardware · More Info

      These are available in a variety of styles and finishes.

      donnalorenz thanked Flo Mangan
    • User
      4 years ago

      Single pulls on all drawers, sized to width of drawer. Larger, bigger drawers get larger heavier pulls. I sometimes used appliance pulls for 36" drawers. The key is using a single pull, no one actually uses two hands to open drawers. So if you have 2 pulls and you only use one hand, you are distorting the drawer.

      donnalorenz thanked User
    • PRO
      Century Hardware
      4 years ago

      Hey donnalorenz ,


      my vote is for pulls!

      donnalorenz thanked Century Hardware
    • RedRyder
      4 years ago

      Donnalorenz: the knobs and handles are Rusticware. I found them on GoingKnobs and Knobs4less.com. The 8” center pulls (which I thought were 7”) are $9.34 each. The 5” pulls are $7.22 each and the knobs are
      1 1/2” diameter, $3.73 each. I needed quite a few for the kitchen AND laundry room (77 total) so I liked the price as much as the look.
      They are oil rubbed bronze.

      donnalorenz thanked RedRyder
    • stir_fryi SE Mich
      4 years ago

      I have had a combo of knobs and pulls for 15 years. I find the cabinets with the knobs to get dirtier and the finish is more worn--probably because people aren't using them to open the doors like they should.

      donnalorenz thanked stir_fryi SE Mich
    • Cheryl Hannebauer
      4 years ago

      pulls for the drawers.

      donnalorenz thanked Cheryl Hannebauer
    • Cheryl Hannebauer
      4 years ago

      flo- now if I could only remember who & which post was looking for those finger pulls.

      donnalorenz thanked Cheryl Hannebauer
    • PRO
      Lion Windows and Doors
      4 years ago

      Pulls for drawers generally works best!

      donnalorenz thanked Lion Windows and Doors
    • PRO
      Flo Mangan
      4 years ago

      HaHa Cheryl - how are things coming along in your place?

      donnalorenz thanked Flo Mangan
    • ll71
      4 years ago

      I prefer large pulls

      donnalorenz thanked ll71
    • PRO
      Flo Mangan
      4 years ago

      Long pulls are fine, but they need to be in proportion to the drawer. That top one is way too long.

      donnalorenz thanked Flo Mangan
    • ll71
      4 years ago

      not according to the kitchen designers

      donnalorenz thanked ll71
    • teddytoo
      4 years ago

      I LOVE ❤️ the pulls you picked out!

      donnalorenz thanked teddytoo
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      Thanks teddytoo! Once I saw those, I was done looking! :) The knobs are pretty nice too. I ended up putting knobs on the cupboards and two pulls on the drawers (because they only came in one length) and a mix of pulls and knobs on the pantry wall. It looks nice. The countertop comes next Thursday and then I will post the after pictures - cuz of course I will probably need opinions about the backsplash options too, LOL!

    • frodaddi
      4 years ago

      Since most people so far have preferred pulls, thought I would post up a pic of our recent remodel using knobs, just for the sake of an example of that option.



      donnalorenz thanked frodaddi
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      Frodaddi, oh my! That's lovely!

    • Anne Duke
      4 years ago

      Pulls on big drawers, but only one. Your selection is pretty, be careful of gilding the lily with too many.

      donnalorenz thanked Anne Duke
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      Anne Duke, I get what you mean. I had originally thought pulls on the upper cabinets as well, but was convinced to do knobs and now I'm glad I did, because it would have been too much of a good thing I think.

    • PRO
      Home Art Tile Kitchen & Bath
      4 years ago

      I would go with pulls for function and look, or maybe even one pull in the center of a drawer, depending on their design. If their design is more decorative, I would go with one in the center.

      donnalorenz thanked Home Art Tile Kitchen & Bath
    • donnalorenz
      Original Author
      4 years ago

      Except for the painting, it's done! Here are the before and after pictures. Thank you to everyone for advising me along the way!







    • RedRyder
      4 years ago

      donnalorenz, the hardware choice was perfect! The whole kitchen looks great.

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