How to Mix and Match Cabinet Hardware

Bring a little bling to your kitchen or bathroom cabinetry when you dress up your door and drawer fronts with the right cabinet and drawer hardware. One of the best ways to completely refresh and rejuvenate the look of your cabinetry while giving it that professionally designed look is to carefully choose the cabinet hardware that will finish off the installation. Learn how to mix and match cabinet hardware like the professionals to get that designer look in your kitchen or bathroom. You can even showcase all the latest kitchen cabinet hardware trends.

Cabinet Pulls vs. Cabinet Knobs

When it comes to choosing your cabinet and drawer hardware, there are two primary options: cabinet pulls and cabinet knobs. Once you get a handle on the key differences of each style, it will be easy to choose the right cabinet hardware for your space. You’ll even learn how to mix and match both pulls and knobs to create a visually captivating look.

Cabinet Pulls

Cabinet pulls, which are often referred to as bar pulls, are linear in design and allow you to tuck your fingers behind a bar to pull out a drawer or open a cabinet. They come in a variety of different lengths, making it easy to find short ones to arrange horizontally on a drawer front, as well as long ones to mount vertically on tall cabinet doors. The elongated look of a pull makes them a great choice for extra-tall cabinets and wide drawers. 

Keep in mind that if you choose a pull with bars that extend past the supports, those bars can get caught on cardigans, pockets, and free clothing that may trail behind you as you pass. This may not be an issue at all if you have ample space in the kitchen but can be a consideration if you have an especially compact area.

Cabinet Knobs

Cabinet knobs feature a single post and are round, square, or even hexagonal in shape. Their compact design makes them ideal for a minimalist aesthetic. While they can be smaller and less obtrusive, they can also be slightly more difficult to grip, which may be a key consideration, especially if you are experiencing dexterity problems.

The knobs themselves can be made of metal, stone, glass, or even porcelain. In fact, the vast array of materials used to make knobs make them a popular choice for cabinet doors.

Other Cabinet Hardware Styles

Although cabinet pulls and knobs are the most common types of cabinet hardware, they aren’t your only options. Cup pulls are half-dome pulls that allow you to tuck your fingertips inside the opening. These cup pulls are ideal for drawers but are not necessarily an excellent choice for cabinet doors. Similar styles can also be referred to as edge pulls or finger pulls.

Catches or latches provide a vintage-inspired aesthetic to your cabinet doors, and actually help to keep your doors closed. This can be especially beneficial in tiny homes, RVs, or boats, where motion can cause cabinet doors to swing open.  

Finally, backplates can take any simple knob or pull design and give it an added layer of style. These plates mount flush to the cabinet and provide a detailed backdrop for your chosen hardware. Keep these additional styles in mind as you mix and match cabinet hardware in your kitchen or bathroom. 

Learning How to Mix and Match Cabinet Hardware

While this is not an exhaustive list of all the cabinet and drawer hardware options available, it is a place to get started. Fortunately, you don’t have to decide on one design to use as your cabinet and drawer hardware. Learn how to mix and match cabinet hardware to increase both functionality and visual appeal. There are some easy guidelines that will help you select pulls, knobs, latches, and other hardware essentials to show off the latest kitchen cabinet hardware trends.

Discover the Ideal Cabinet Hardware Collection

When you begin shopping for cabinet and drawer hardware, start by checking out all the different hardware collections. Choose the cabinet hardware collection that best speaks to the overall design style of your home, using cabinet design, furniture styles, and architecture to help direct you. Traditional, transitional, art deco, contemporary, rustic, nautical and even nature-inspired collections are just a few clicks away.  

As you check out all the collections, make sure to look at the fine design details on every type of knob and pull in the collection, keeping in mind that you may be featuring a few different options as your kitchen or bathroom cabinet hardware, so each individual design is equally important. Introducing a designer hardware collection to your cabinetry is a great way to give them a completely custom look. These unique cabinet hardware designs are a fantastic way to kick a builder-grade kitchen up a notch.

Consider Cabinet Door Design

The finer details of your cabinet door design will go a long way to helping you select the ideal cabinet and drawer hardware. Flat cabinet fronts offer a minimal aesthetic and aren’t limited with where you can place the hardware, giving you the freedom to choose any hardware in any width or length. 

If you have framed cabinet door fronts, such as traditional shaker door fronts, you have a more limited area to mount your kitchen cabinet hardware. In this case, choose cabinet hardware that is narrow enough to fit on the framed portion of your cabinet doors.

Learn How to Measure Cabinet Hardware Centers

With cabinet pulls, there are two posts that support the pull and mount it to the front of the cabinet. The measurement from the center of the screw hole of one post to the center of the screw hole of the next post is referred to as the cabinet center. Cabinet centers can measure anywhere from 2 inches to 18 inches or more, depending on the pull design.

If your cabinets don’t currently have any hardware or pre-drilled holes for hardware, you can install any size centers you prefer. If your cabinets already have hardware in place, measure from the center of one drilled hole to the center of the next.

Choose a Finish

The design style and the finish are the two aspects of the hardware design that will help determine the finished look. Stop to consider the color scheme of your kitchen design or remodel, right down to the color of the appliances and the finishes featured on your lighting solutions.  

Look for a hardware finish that will coordinate effortlessly with the overall color scheme of the room. If you have light cabinets, darker hardware finishes will really stand out. If you have darker cabinets, bright metallics will pop in contrast.

 Choosing a single finish to feature for both your cabinet knobs and cabinet pulls is another terrific way to make the two styles appear unified and intentional. If you have an entry door open to the space, make sure that the cabinet hardware you select coordinates in both style and finish with your entry door hardware and the closet and pocket door hardware, as well.

Be Consistent

Cabinet hardware isn’t just a consideration in your kitchen; it’s also a crucial factor in your bathroom designs and possibly even rec room spaces. As with any design in your home, consistency is key. Maintaining the same over-arching design style throughout the home will provide a streamlined look to your space.  

First, maintain consistency when it comes to the design style of each element in your kitchen, matching the style of the cabinetry to the style of the hardware and the style of the flooring.  

Second, keep the hardware selections consistent from one room of the home to the next. If you update your kitchen cabinet hardware, consider purchasing enough hardware to update your bathrooms as well, especially if that bathroom is a guest bath in close proximity to the kitchen. This is not as important in secondary bathrooms that are only being used by one or two members of the family.

Choosing Cabinet Hinges

The cabinet hinges and door hinges may not be the star of the show when it comes to appearance, but they aren’t to be overlooked. Not only are hinges the workhorse of the cabinetry, they can also be packed with unique features that will make your daily routine that much more enjoyable, such as soft-close designs that will prevent anyone from slamming cabinet doors and drawers.

Adding Appliance Pulls

Cabinets aren’t the only consideration when it comes to hardware. Did you know that you can even update the look of your appliances by shopping for eye-catching appliance pulls? Best of all, appliance pulls are available in most hardware collections, making it easy to keep the look cohesive throughout the kitchen. Make your appliances more integrated into your cabinetry by opting for panel-ready appliances.

Reflect Your Style with Kitchen Cabinet Hardware Trends

It can seem daunting to choose cabinet hardware, but when you know how to mix and match cabinet hardware the right way, you can get a fresh look for any style of cabinetry. Once you see how easy it is to refresh the look of your kitchen or bathroom with cabinet and drawer hardware, consider keeping the new look going by shopping for whole new suite of home hardware.