Breaking Down My Kitchen Cabinetry Hardware
I’ve talked about hardware a lot here on the blog, but I always get a tons of questions about how to choose the best hardware for your kitchen cabinetry, in specific. While there are many different ways to select hardware, I typically stick to my tried and true “formula”. I’m also a big fan of mixing and matching different hardware sizes in the same collection and finish, for a layered look. Click through to read all about it… I’m breaking down my design decision making process for choosing cabinetry hardware in this one. Hopefully it’s helpful if you ever swap your hardware or renovation your kitchen! Maybe pin it for later, if it’s not in your immediate future?
I used eight(!) different sized cabinetry pulls throughout my kitchen, ranging from a small 3 inches to a whopping 18 inches. That may seem like a lot, but everything looks nice and cohesive. Why?
My biggest tip is to choose hardware from the SAME collection and use the SAME finish throughout.
I also prefer to use knobs on all the cabinet doors. That’s just a personal preference in terms of aesthetic and function, but I put a knob on every single cabinet door. That left me to decide what size pulls the remaining cabinets needed.
So how did I determine what size pull to buy for each cabinet? A little bit of math and a little bit of envisioning… aka- “eyeballing it”. I like to practice rule of thirds. I’ve talked about this before, but that’s when interior elements feel the most balanced to me. In the above image, you can see a great example of this: the brass pulls take up approximately 2/3 of the cabinet length.
If you’re curious about EXACT dimensions, I’ll copy those below as a cheat sheet or guide:
- 22″ cabinets = 6″ brass pull
- 24″ cabinets = 8″ brass pull
- 24″ dishwasher panel = 12″ pull (because it has to be hefty, since it’s an appliance)
- 30″ cabinet drawers = two 5″ brass pulls (it’s ok to install more than one piece of hardware, FYI)
- 32″ cabinets = 12″ brass pull
- 39″ cabinet drawers = two 8″ brass pulls (again, I doubled up)
- panel ready refrigerator = two 18″ brass pulls
- odd sized, super small cookie sheet cabinet = 3″ brass pull
- all doors = knobs
The entire reason I opted for this pretty brass hardware is solely because a.) the collection had SO many size options, b.) the finish was beautiful, and c.) the simplistic shape and projection worked well with my cabinetry doors. I’ll link the knobs and pulls, if anyone is interested.
Although I did use a little math, I definitely made sure to tape it out before hitting the purchase button and committing to the hardware. Remember this designer trick? It works for hardware too! Anytime you’re trying to get scale right, pull out the painters tape.
Maybe you’re wondering- why mix and match in the first place? Isn’t it easier to keep one consistent knob and pull throughout an entire kitchen? Easier… yes. Does it look better? No. It’s also not as functional. I love the dimension and layered look it adds. It also makes cabinetry feel more custom. The larger the door or drawer, the heavier or larger hardware it needs. This is great for function, but even more so for visual balance.
So what about the weird or odd sized cabinets? There is no hard and fast rule for those… sometimes that’s something I still struggle with. My tiny cookie sheet cabinet squeezed into the corner really gave me a headache. I wasn’t sure if I should center a knob or where I should position the smallest size pull (3″). Ultimately, I landed on the pull for the sake of consistency, but it felt super weird centered in a horizontal position and made the cabinet incredibly difficult (basically impossible) to open. I ended up trying it installed vertically at the edge and I think that was the right choice. All of that to say- tape it out, hold it up, and see what feels the best from a visual & functional standpoint.
Was that helpful? Feel free to drop any questions in the comment section below! Do you also enjoy a mixed hardware look? If you’re searching for a similar style on a budget, check out my kitchen look for less post! Spoiler alert- I found knockoff identical hardware. If you missed the reveal, you can find that post here. Everyone have an amazing weekend! See you back here on Monday?