Picking Knobs and Pulls You Will Love for Years
You choose kitchen cabinet hardware by matching the size to the drawer, the finish to your fixtures, and the feel to your hand. Get those three right and the kitchen looks finished. This guide walks through each step in plain terms. If you want a pro to fit it, see our kitchen cabinet hardware installation service in Philadelphia.
Small parts make a big difference. A new set of knobs and pulls is one of the fastest ways to refresh a tired kitchen. Hardware is what you touch every day, so it should look good and feel good. It should also hold up to years of use.
What Style of Hardware Fits Your Cabinets?
Start with the cabinet door. Match the hardware to the style, and you will rarely go wrong.
Knobs or pulls
Knobs are small and round. They suit doors and small drawers. Pulls are bars or handles. They give a better grip on wide drawers and heavy pots-and-pans drawers. Many kitchens use knobs on doors and pulls on drawers.
Match the door style
Shaker and traditional doors pair well with simple bar pulls or round knobs. Flat slab doors look clean with long, thin bar pulls. Dark cabinets can carry bolder metal. Light cabinets often look best with warm or soft tones.
Think about your hands
Hold a sample before you buy. Sharp corners can bite when your hands are wet or full. Pulls that sit too close to the door make it hard to get your fingers behind them.
Pick a material that lasts
Solid metal hardware holds up better than hollow or plated pieces. Check the finish too. Brushed and matte finishes hide fingerprints, while polished finishes show every touch. Choose something that suits how your family really cooks and cleans.
What Size Cabinet Pulls Should You Buy?
A simple rule works for most kitchens. DK Hardware advises picking a pull that is roughly one-third the width of the drawer front. Pulls are sold by center-to-center size. That is the distance between the two screw holes, not the full length.
The chart below shows common sizes by drawer width. A 12 to 18 inch drawer usually takes a 3 to 4 inch pull. A 24 to 30 inch drawer takes a 6 to 8 inch pull.
Wide drawers
On drawers 30 inches wide or more, use one long pull or two smaller ones. Two pulls spread the pressure across the drawer front. That keeps the front from twisting over time.
Knob size
Knobs of 1 to 1-1/4 inches suit doors and drawers under 12 inches wide. Go up to 1-1/4 to 1-3/8 inches for drawers from 12 to 24 inches wide.
Measure twice
If you are replacing old hardware, measure the center-to-center on the old pull first. Picking the same size means no new holes. If you want a new size, the old holes must be filled and refinished.
Check the depth
Look at how far the pull sticks out from the door. A deep pull can catch a hip or a sleeve in a tight aisle. In a small kitchen, a slimmer profile is often the safer pick.
How Do Philadelphia Kitchens Use Hardware Well?
Philadelphia homes range from narrow rowhomes to larger Northeast kitchens. Each one asks for something different from its hardware.
In tight rowhome kitchens, doors swing close to walls and to each other. Low-profile knobs and slim bar pulls keep clothing and hands from catching. Our Mayfair kitchen remodel with a granite island and pendant lights is a good example of keeping hardware simple so the stone and lighting stand out.
Our white Shaker kitchen shows the other approach. Brass hardware on white cabinets adds warmth without extra trim or color.
Placement matters as much as the pick. Room for Tuesday says to keep cabinet hardware in one finish and to make sure every door and drawer opens easily. On drawers, center the pull. On doors, set it near the corner edge.
Showcase Remodels has fit kitchen cabinets in Philadelphia homes since 2002. Every hole gets measured, drilled square and set level across the whole run. A crooked pull shows up the moment you walk in, so we use a template for every door and drawer.
How Do You Make the Final Choice?
Narrow it down to two or three options. Order one sample of each and hold it on a real door. Look at it in your kitchen light, morning and night.
Pick one finish for the whole kitchen. Match it to the faucet, light fixtures or appliance trim where you can. A single finish looks calm and planned. Choose a tough finish for the spots your hands touch most.
Set your hardware budget next to your countertop and cabinet picks. Our quartz vs granite countertops guide helps you choose a surface that pairs with your metal. The standard kitchen cabinet and countertop height guide helps you place pulls at a comfortable reach.
Cheap cabinets often come with weak screws and thin doors. Read what separates cheap and expensive cabinets before you spend on premium hardware for a poor box.
Order a few extra pieces when you buy. Finishes can vary from one batch to the next, so a later reorder may not match. Keep the spare screws in a labeled bag, too.
If you would rather not drill your own doors, hire a pro. One wrong hole is a permanent mark on a new cabinet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a pull about one-third the width of the drawer front. A 12 to 18 inch drawer takes a 3 to 4 inch pull. A 24 to 30 inch drawer takes 6 to 8 inches. Use two pulls on drawers over 30 inches wide.
They should share one finish. They do not need the same shape. Many kitchens use knobs on doors and pulls on drawers in the same metal. Your Philadelphia kitchen will look more planned this way.
Place knobs and pulls on doors about 2.5 to 3 inches from the bottom corner of upper doors, or the top corner of base doors, and 1 to 1.5 inches in from the door edge. Center pulls on drawers.
Ready for New Cabinet Hardware?
Showcase Remodels fits cabinet hardware square and level in kitchens across Philadelphia. Call us for a free quote.
