How to Choose Your Kitchen Door Handles
The right cabinet hardware can make or break your new design
Kate Burt
9 September 2019
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
When you’re having your kitchen designed, picking the perfect hardware for your cupboards might be one of those ‘save it till last’ details. Yet it pays to think ahead, as what you choose – or whether you decide, instead, to go for a handleless kitchen – will have a huge effect on the finished look. So get it right and factor in your choice from the start.
Try traditional
The painted, solid wood, Shaker style of kitchen is a trend that’s showing no signs of going anywhere. It’s a classic, after all.
For that reason, choosing the right hardware for your traditional kitchen can be a no-brainer; for drawers, brass cup handles, like these, will lend an authentic feel.
Find a local designer for your kitchen renovation
The painted, solid wood, Shaker style of kitchen is a trend that’s showing no signs of going anywhere. It’s a classic, after all.
For that reason, choosing the right hardware for your traditional kitchen can be a no-brainer; for drawers, brass cup handles, like these, will lend an authentic feel.
Find a local designer for your kitchen renovation
For practical reasons, cup handles are mostly just for drawers. But for cupboards? As you can see in this kitchen, the doors are finished with small round or oval metal knobs. As with drawer cup handles, this is the convention.
Consider what you’ll pick for pull-down doors (used, for example, on integrated dishwashers), as Shaker cabinetry would happily sit with either a knob or a cup-style handle. Ask your kitchen designer for advice on small details like this in case there are practical considerations they can share to help you make your decision.
For less frequently used cupboards – a glass display cabinet, for example – a small, turn-latch handle is a nice addition. These are a bit fiddlier to open, so don’t have one on the door to your bins!
8 Hardware Choices for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Consider what you’ll pick for pull-down doors (used, for example, on integrated dishwashers), as Shaker cabinetry would happily sit with either a knob or a cup-style handle. Ask your kitchen designer for advice on small details like this in case there are practical considerations they can share to help you make your decision.
For less frequently used cupboards – a glass display cabinet, for example – a small, turn-latch handle is a nice addition. These are a bit fiddlier to open, so don’t have one on the door to your bins!
8 Hardware Choices for Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Introduce the unexpected
Having said that, rules are for breaking, right? In this stylistically interesting kitchen, the Shaker aesthetic has been given a few characterful touches.
The chunky brass worktop on that very modern island and the geometric pendant may be the first things you take in, but what about the handles on those drawers? The ornate brass bail pulls (as these are known) are the sort you might see on something like a Victorian mahogany writing desk. As such, they provide a playful contrast to the otherwise clean, boxy profile of the unit.
Having said that, rules are for breaking, right? In this stylistically interesting kitchen, the Shaker aesthetic has been given a few characterful touches.
The chunky brass worktop on that very modern island and the geometric pendant may be the first things you take in, but what about the handles on those drawers? The ornate brass bail pulls (as these are known) are the sort you might see on something like a Victorian mahogany writing desk. As such, they provide a playful contrast to the otherwise clean, boxy profile of the unit.
Update the cup handle
Brass cup handles are a very popular choice for Shaker-style kitchens and look lovely against dark painted units like these.
However, if you love the brass, but want something that feels modern but with all of the solid gravitas of tradition, you could try a design like this.
These diamond-cut brass bar handles appear to take inspiration from engineers’ files; nice, sturdy objects that have been in many generations of toolboxes and so feel suitably ‘proper’.
Brass cup handles are a very popular choice for Shaker-style kitchens and look lovely against dark painted units like these.
However, if you love the brass, but want something that feels modern but with all of the solid gravitas of tradition, you could try a design like this.
These diamond-cut brass bar handles appear to take inspiration from engineers’ files; nice, sturdy objects that have been in many generations of toolboxes and so feel suitably ‘proper’.
Keep it contemporary
Want to ensure a sleek, modern finish? You can’t go wrong with practical oversized bar handles, partly because they’re the opposite of traditional.
Opt for an easy-to-clean finish, such as brushed steel, and enjoy the multi-functional nature of your hardware (you can hang tea towels from them, too).
Here, paired with an all-white bank of units, plus a pale wooden floor to soften the overall effect, the handles tie in with other fittings – ovens, lighting, tap – so the kitchen feels pulled together, as well as fresh and contemporary.
Browse contemporary kitchen ideas
Want to ensure a sleek, modern finish? You can’t go wrong with practical oversized bar handles, partly because they’re the opposite of traditional.
Opt for an easy-to-clean finish, such as brushed steel, and enjoy the multi-functional nature of your hardware (you can hang tea towels from them, too).
Here, paired with an all-white bank of units, plus a pale wooden floor to soften the overall effect, the handles tie in with other fittings – ovens, lighting, tap – so the kitchen feels pulled together, as well as fresh and contemporary.
Browse contemporary kitchen ideas
Cut it out
Who says you need hardware for your handles? With the right doors (solid wood, for example, rather than a laminated finish) a simple hole, strategically positioned, can look beautifully understated.
Who says you need hardware for your handles? With the right doors (solid wood, for example, rather than a laminated finish) a simple hole, strategically positioned, can look beautifully understated.
Go hell for leather…
Leather handles add an organic, handmade feel to even the plainest cabinets and drawers. They’re a savvy option if your new kitchen fund is tight, too. As with fashion, splashing out on the smaller details can elevate even a budget backdrop.
Consider how the visible metal of your fixings will coordinate with your tap, and, if you can, incorporate some bare wood, as here – it will be a natural partner for the leather.
Leather handles add an organic, handmade feel to even the plainest cabinets and drawers. They’re a savvy option if your new kitchen fund is tight, too. As with fashion, splashing out on the smaller details can elevate even a budget backdrop.
Consider how the visible metal of your fixings will coordinate with your tap, and, if you can, incorporate some bare wood, as here – it will be a natural partner for the leather.
…or make a modern mix
Like leather handles but don’t want them everywhere? Combine them with another design.
Here, the leather straps on the island work really well with the other natural materials at play, but the perimeter units have metal handles. These are fixed to the top edge of the door and drawer fronts, which makes for a clean, unfussy finish, as the handles don’t dominate.
A matt finish complements the kitchen’s other soft, contemporary finishes, including the strap handles.
Like leather handles but don’t want them everywhere? Combine them with another design.
Here, the leather straps on the island work really well with the other natural materials at play, but the perimeter units have metal handles. These are fixed to the top edge of the door and drawer fronts, which makes for a clean, unfussy finish, as the handles don’t dominate.
A matt finish complements the kitchen’s other soft, contemporary finishes, including the strap handles.
Take your position
Here, similar-shaped handles to those in the previous kitchen look very different thanks to a soft brass finish.
Note the positions of the handles on the cupboards: the under-sink door handle is pleasingly set away from the top edge, making it off-centre to the line of the drawer on its right. Yet above, the wall unit has its handle right at the bottom of the door, no gap. To the left, the brass is positioned top and bottom of each door to create the effect of one, long handle.
Here, similar-shaped handles to those in the previous kitchen look very different thanks to a soft brass finish.
Note the positions of the handles on the cupboards: the under-sink door handle is pleasingly set away from the top edge, making it off-centre to the line of the drawer on its right. Yet above, the wall unit has its handle right at the bottom of the door, no gap. To the left, the brass is positioned top and bottom of each door to create the effect of one, long handle.
Complete the circle
These round, inset handles were made to order by the designer (click on the photo for more details). Circle shapes have been routed into each door and the handles, wooden like the units, were then glued into place.
For something unique like this, choose a kitchen designer who’s happy to go bespoke, or find a good joiner to make your doors and handles.
These round, inset handles were made to order by the designer (click on the photo for more details). Circle shapes have been routed into each door and the handles, wooden like the units, were then glued into place.
For something unique like this, choose a kitchen designer who’s happy to go bespoke, or find a good joiner to make your doors and handles.
Ditch handles entirely
Handleless units are the ultimate in streamlined styling. While they’re a good option for minimalists, they’re also a surprisingly helpful choice if you love layering textures and accessories in your kitchen.
When you have enough decorative detail elsewhere – the flooring and bare bricks are very prominent here – handles could wind up looking fussy in the whole scheme of things.
Handleless units are the ultimate in streamlined styling. While they’re a good option for minimalists, they’re also a surprisingly helpful choice if you love layering textures and accessories in your kitchen.
When you have enough decorative detail elsewhere – the flooring and bare bricks are very prominent here – handles could wind up looking fussy in the whole scheme of things.
The designer of this texture-heavy kitchen has also made the most of the interesting surfaces by keeping them free of knobs and pulls.
Look Ma, No Hands: Tips to Designing a Handleless Kitchen
Look Ma, No Hands: Tips to Designing a Handleless Kitchen
Paint over it
Here’s another idea for the ever-popular Shaker look. Rather than metal knobs, go for wooden ones, so they can be painted to blend in with your units. The look is still traditional, but the lines are a little cleaner.
This is an especially good option in a compact kitchen, where keeping clutter to a minimum will help to visually expand the space.
Here’s another idea for the ever-popular Shaker look. Rather than metal knobs, go for wooden ones, so they can be painted to blend in with your units. The look is still traditional, but the lines are a little cleaner.
This is an especially good option in a compact kitchen, where keeping clutter to a minimum will help to visually expand the space.
Choose colour continuity
Painted wooden knobs aren’t the only way to go with a colour-matched door/hardware combo. Here, fixed to the edge of each door, vertically positioned long handles blend in, making them almost invisible. If you’re undecided about handleless, this could be a slick compromise.
Tell us
What kind of handles did you choose for your kitchen and why? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
Painted wooden knobs aren’t the only way to go with a colour-matched door/hardware combo. Here, fixed to the edge of each door, vertically positioned long handles blend in, making them almost invisible. If you’re undecided about handleless, this could be a slick compromise.
Tell us
What kind of handles did you choose for your kitchen and why? Share your experiences in the Comments section.
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I hate the handler in my current place. They’re constantly catching on my pockets and ripping my clothes. We’re having routered handles in our new place so there’ll be no chance of that happening
Before putting them in I never gave it a second thought, but can see that others have had the same problem with drawer handles. Who knew drawer/cupboard handles could give you so much grief. :)
Thanks for featuring our kitchen design - a combination of cup handles and knobs is a popular choice for many of our clients who go for a more traditional, shaker style kitchen.