A Guide to Mixing Knobs and Pulls for Stylish Kitchen Cabinets

Every little thing counts when it comes to home design. Cabinet Hardware is one such element that frequently goes unnoticed yet has a big influence. These little components, like as knobs, pulls, hinges, and handles, are essential to the functioning and beauty of your room.

But what if you can’t decide between two hardware designs? Is mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware acceptable? The simple answer is yes, and doing so may really result in a particularly distinctive and visually appealing design.

Let’s investigate how to create a unified, elegant, and practical aesthetic as we dig into the realm of blending cabinet hardware.

Why Should One Combine Cabinet Hardware?

Aesthetic and utility are two major and simple reasons you would wish to employ many types of cabinet pulls and Knobs.

Mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware types may offer a kitchen a lot of personality and subtle visual intrigue from a design standpoint. You might want to avoid the monotony of using one handle for each door and drawer, especially in a bigger kitchen.

Some cabinets are more functionally adapted to particular types of hardware than others. For instance- For pull-out garbage cans, bigger drawers, and appliances, you’ll need a stronger pull. Consider your personal preferences for each function’s style as well. Some individuals choose latches for hutch-style cabinet doors, while others favor knobs for smaller drawers and doors.

The Case for Combining Hardware

Cabinet hardware consistency used to be frequently seen as an indication of good design. However, design styles have changed, and adopting a mix-and-match strategy has become more common for a number of reasons. 

1. Individuality and Personalization

By mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware, you may give your kitchen a unique look and feel. Similar to how you may mix and match your wardrobe’s accessories, your own style can be expressed through the hardware you choose.

2. Aesthetic Appeal

The variety of the design draws the eye and adds aesthetic appeal. When used with care, a combination of several hardware designs may give your cabinets depth and dimensions and give the room a more dynamic sense.

3. Break from Monotony

A consistent hardware aesthetic might occasionally result in a monotonous design. You may break up this monotony and provide a more lively and interesting environment by combining different types of devices.

4. Balance and Hardware

Mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinet hardware may assist in providing a balance and contrast between different design aspects. For instance, adding rustic or vintage hardware may soften the overall aesthetic and bring character to a kitchen that has a lot of slick, modern surfaces.

Guidelines for Mixing Cabinet Hardware Well

While blending or mixing cabinet hardware might result in an eclectic and aesthetically pleasing design, there are several rules to follow to make sure that your selections flow well together:

1. Pick a Unifying Element

Pick a unifying element to keep your hardware selections cohesive and retain a sense of harmony. This might be a common finish that is present in all of your hardware choices, such as brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or matte black.

2. Limit the Variety

While blending is recommended, keep the variety in check. Instead of an overpowering muddle of hardware styles, go for a balanced combination. Usually, two or three distinct styles are enough to provide the desired result of mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware.

3. Think About Proportions

Make sure the sizes of the various hardware components are appropriate for the cabinets on which they are fitted. A massive, elaborate pull can be too much for a tiny drawer, so take each piece’s size and purpose into account.

4. Context Matters

It’s important to keep in mind the context of your environment. Consider how combining hardware in your kitchen will work with your appliances, worktops, and general design scheme, for instance.

5. Test and Adjust

Collect samples and test them in your space before deciding on a hardware blend. What is fantastic on paper might not always transfer effectively in practice.

6. Consult Professionals

If you’re unsure of your decisions, don’t be afraid to get input from the interior designers or subject-matter specialists. Their knowledge may help you gain insightful information and guarantee the coherence of your design.

Additional Advice for Choosing the Correct Cabinet Hardware

Again, it can seem little, but your cabinets’ hardware is like their jewelry. Do you want to stand out or would you rather it be understated and useful?

We advise people not to make a hasty judgment in this section of the kitchen design. Yes, you can swap it out later if you want a different type or finish. However, the size and placement are quite difficult to relocate or adjust! You want to be sure you are planning things out since those holes in your cabinets are permanent.

While you are contemplating what to get, you may also live without the cabinet hardware. It might be advantageous to postpone installing the cabinets so you can consider what will look best on them. Even masking tape may be used to assess their sizes and placements!

Here are a few more factors to think about when choosing your cabinet hardware.

1. Cost

The prices of mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware designs can vary greatly. While some high-end choices can cost over $50 for each knob, others can be found on Amazon for about $3 apiece.

Particularly if you have a big kitchen with plenty of drawers and doors, the price of your cabinet hardware may really mount up. It is advisable to decide on a budget before you start looking. Nothing is worse than falling in love with a choice that is out of your price range!

Don’t forget to include the hardware (and hinges, if applicable) when establishing your kitchen’s total budget. Consider where you want to save money and where you want to treat yourself.

Do you place a high value on cabinet hardware, or do you consider other kitchen components to be more important? Do you frequently replace the hardware in your computer? If so, you might want to look at one of the more affordable choices! Do you care about the product’s quality and durability? If so, you might want to think about a finer version made of bronze so the finish won’t tarnish with time.

We will admit that the hardware for our kitchen cabinets was more of a luxury purchase for us. Finding all the alternatives we needed from a less-priced company was challenging.

2. Comfort

Make sure the alternatives you are thinking about feel comfortable in your hands by trying them out and holding them. Place a couple of different styles in your order, and then return the ones you don’t like. Make sure they are not too huge or too little on the scale and that they don’t have any weird angles that would make them unpleasant to grasp. You want these knobs and pulls to function well since you’ll use them a lot.

Some companies, like Top Knobs, provide sample programs where you may order a selection of designs. To examine all of the available possibilities, you may also go to a kitchen showroom.

3. Style

Consider your cabinets, light fixtures, tiling, and other kitchen design components when you choose your knobs and pulls. Do the corners of your cabinet doors have a shaker-style square shape? Or do they have a conventional raised panel form that is more rounded and elaborate?

Choose hardware that complements these other components as much as you can. Simple vs. ornate, hard edges vs. soft edges.

Likewise, bear in mind the kitchen’s other finishes. We blended metals by choosing gold for the kitchen sink tap and oil-rubbed bronze ( which has a dark appearance) for the hardware.

4. Function

Another crucial consideration when choosing cabinet hardware is function. Can you group any of your cabinets into different categories to make choosing the right design for each one easier?

For instance, we employed bigger drawers, such as the garbage pull-out and giant Bin Pulls at all of our appliances. We put pulls on the drawers since they are heavier and knobs on the doors because they are simpler to open.

When choosing the pulls, keep the drawer width in mind as well. The pull should, as a general rule, be roughly one-third the length of the drawer. For instance, a 6’’ pull would be centered on an 18’’ W drawer, a 4’’ pull would be centered on a 12’’ drawer, etc. We believe that having a single long drawer pull rather than two shorter ones makes a piece appear more unique and expensive.

5. Designing with creativity

Rules are frequently intended to be broken in the field of interior design. Combining cabinet hardware provides a fun opportunity to express your creativity while giving your room depth and personality. You may make a design that is especially yours by thoughtfully balancing various styles, finishes, and proportions.

The ultimate objective of design is to create a space that you enjoy and feel comfortable in. Keep this in mind as you embark on your own personal design adventure. So combine those cabinet hardware designs with confidence, and see how your room changes into an eye-catching representation of your own style.

Conclusion

The notion that mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets hardware is not only “Okay” but rather encourages has gained traction in the ever-changing world of interior design. This change is part of a larger design movement that embraces variety, individuality, and defying convention.

In addition to serving a practical purpose, cabinet hardware expresses your personality, sense of style, and the narratives you want your space to convey. You provide life to your interiors by combining various hardware types, finishes, and sizes. You change them from being predictable to fascinating and from uninspiring to motivating.

Always keep in mind that careful thought and balance are the keys to properly matching cabinet hardware. Finding a unifying component, maintaining proportions, and making sure the context is taken into account are all important factors.

Comment below and let us know which cabinet hardware you are going to mix for your kitchen.