When someone walks into your kitchen, they first notice the paint, surfaces and overall theme, but once they are in it any longer, they begin to look around for the details of the kitchen. One of the first things to stand out, and one of the most important aspects, is the handles and knobs of the kitchen.
These metal accessories are attached to everything and make up an important part of your kitchen’s visual profile. Among the soft wood cabinets and the smooth countertops, the metal handles can make a statement all their own. Make sure that these accessories match the rest of your kitchen drawers and cabinets. Follow these hints and tips to get rolling with the best kitchen possible for you.
Start Big, then Go Small
Unless you are into vogue kitchen designs, you do not want to focus upon a single feature of the kitchen. Every facet should be a piece of a visual theme of the kitchen as a whole. When it comes to handles and knobs, choose a collection. Knobs and handles are understood to be for many different compartments and their design changes to reflect that. A collection has a variety of knobs to choose from.
These collections tend to come in three types: traditional, contemporary and transitional. Traditional is often called “old world” design. There are lots of vanity lines, circles and frilly designs. Contemporary matches the contemporary architecture model. It uses simple lines and sharp angles with almost no frills or flair. Transitional is a hybrid of the two. It creates dynamic interactions amongst designs. For instance, a traditional finish on a contemporary handle blends the two styles together.
Choosing which one is best for you will mean visiting a showroom. Stores will post the handles and knobs from different collections for browsing.
What do your Handles Feel Like?
The quality of handles and knobs can determine a lot about a kitchen. A handle can run anywhere between $2 and $8 depending on its quality. Consider your budget and what kind of handle design you want. Here are a few pointers when choosing between different handles. The feel of a handle when in use is very indicative of its overall quality. Pull on a few example handles and see if you can spot a few of the following:
- A handle that is sharp on the back end when you pull it is less cared for in production. If your fingers feel cramped when reaching into it, this means they were attempting to save on metal costs per unit. The reduced size can make pulling on it uncomfortable.
- How thin is the metal? Handles that are scant on strong metal may dent or wear down over time. If the handle is hollow or particularly light, it likely means it is not made of brass or steel, but rather a cheaper material. Cheap handles will not be solid all the way through to save on cost.
- Does the metal feel smoother? This means that the handle is likely high quality. Make sure the handle you pick feels comfortable. It would be a hassle to have all of your kitchen drawers and cabinets refitted because you hate the handles after a few months.
The best handles have a lifetime warranty. These can only be found in the most high-end handles that will run for around $8 or more per handle. However, this added cost includes the guarantee that you will never have to replace it, and it covers breaks and deterioration. If the paint begins to thin, you will likely have to do it yourself. Everything else is covered.
Colour to Match
Not all handles are just the basic gun metal colour. There are many different finishes to be added to a design, and it is critical to blending with the rest of the kitchen drawers and cabinets.
Choose a finish that matches the cabinet colour best. They do not have to be exact copies of each other, but try to keep them complementary or similar. For example, a nutty wood colour goes well with brass or copper finishes.
Here’s a tip: a white coloured kitchen can go with almost any colour handle. You can also work around this limitation by painting the cabinets. Handle finishes are important for going with a natural looking colour scheme. If you paint your cabinets an unnatural colour (blue, yellow, purple, red etc.) almost any colour of handle and knob will go with it.
There is one factor to consider before choosing a finish. If your drawers and cabinets have visible hinges, the handles have to match the hinges. This can mean painting the hinges or redesigning the kitchen to match these. Painting hinges can work, but you will have to be careful with how much stock you put into the paint. The constantly moving parts of a hinges will wear away at a finish and begin to look unlike the rest of the design.
The colour of appliances also affects the finish you will decide upon. This is slightly less important. You will almost never have to redesign a kitchen to fit the colour of the appliances, but considering it can add a new level of flow amongst your kitchen drawers and cabinets. Style does not even matter, as long as the colours are similar to one another. Usually though, when in doubt, make sure your handles match the other metals in the room.
Interesting Concepts Interest People
Kitchen accessories have certainly become an artistic experiment for different flavours of design. There are many different varieties of handle so do not be afraid to try something more than just a simple bar. These speciality-designed handles come in many varieties and can reflect the many different directions a kitchen can go.
Long, wavy handles with changing thickness, rustic-looking barn door locks and designs inlaid into the handle (be it a texture or a bending of the metal) can add a little spice to an otherwise normal kitchen. These handles may exceed normal prices by a bit and are usually considered to be high-end handles.
Conclusion
These are the ideas and styles on kitchen handles you need to know. Bet you didn’t know there were so many styles and options, did you? Choose handles and knobs for your kitchen that complement the other components of the room, and your kitchen will be your guests’ favourite room in the house.
