If you’re working on a kitchen remodel, you may be looking into kitchen cabinet hardware styles. There are an awful lot of hardware styles to choose from. It’s hard to know where to start! To make things easier on you, Discount Kitchens has put together a list of some of the most popular hardware styles used for kitchen cabinets. Let this be a jumping-off point for further hardware exploration.
Knobs
One of the most common kitchen cabinet or drawer hardware styles is the knob. For explanation’s sake, we’ll say you don’t know what a knob is. A knob is basically a fancy peg that’s attached to the front of a drawer or cabinet door. It can be grabbed and pulled to open said drawer or door.
Knobs are most commonly round on their end, but modern designs often offer knobs in square shapes as well. While most pulls are commonly made in metal, knobs are also found in wood and glass.
Bar Pulls
The next most common of the kitchen cabinet hardware styles in modern design are the bar pulls. These are simply handles made up of a bar that’s parallel to the drawer or door surface and attached at both ends.
These come in many designs and are made with many different materials. However, the favored design is usually stainless steel or matte black.
Drop Pulls & Bail Pulls
You’ll see the terms drop pulls and bail pulls all over when searching for hardware. If there’s much of a difference, we can’t spot it. Drop pulls and bail pulls offer the same general premise: they’re made up of a loop that’s anchored on both ends and can swing freely. The loop, or half-loop, will rest against the surface of the cabinet door or drawer until grabbed. It will then pivot upwards as the user pulls outward, and drop back into place when let go.
You’ve almost definitely seen these on an old dresser at your grandmother’s house – or maybe you grew up with them. They’re not as common in modern or contemporary design, but they’re certainly not hard to find.
Cup Pulls
A much more modern hardware style is the cup pull. Cup pulls are curved, solid, downward-facing, cup-shaped pulls. They’re made for hooking your fingers under and have no moving parts. They’re one of the sturdiest hardware styles available, but they’re also somewhat bulky in appearance. Therefore, they’re not suited to every style of kitchen interior.
Edge Pulls
Finally, there are edge pulls. These piece of hardware are made with a flat square or rectangle of metal that’s then bent in half at a 90-degree angle, the long way. Then, it’s further bent to add a ridge on one side. The resulting piece of hardware has one side attached, flat, to the drawer or door. At the top, the resulting edge and ridge provide enough for you to grip with your fingers.
Because these are simply to manufacture and have no moving parts, they’re more affordable than many other types of hardware. However, they’re a bit simple and may not have the desired flair – unless you’re looking for something sleek and minimalist. If that’s the case, these are the perfect choice.