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Handles or knobs on cabinetry?

LAdancer
9 years ago

What is best on standard cabinets and drawers? Handles on medium sized cabinets and knobs on drawers OR
knobs on cabinets and handles on drawers? It may sound like a stupid question, right?
Drawers are 6 inches deep and a couple at 12 inches deep. They are not wide, about 19 inches.

Cabinets vary but are not large either--About 19 inches wide by various lengths.

Drawers look okay with knobs, I know, but are handles better? Cabinets look okay with knobs also, but are handles better?

Comments (12)

  • DeeV78
    9 years ago

    good question. I'm no expert, but I'm planning on installing handles on drawers and knobs on cabinet doors. Curious what others have to say. Not sure if this a preference thing or if there are any "rules" around best practice. thanks for asking the question; I look forward to seeing the responses

  • ck_squared
    9 years ago

    There are no rules. It's all personal preference. I have the same handles on all doors and drawers. The same size, too (some would say that is "wrong").

    Handles are better ergonomically.

  • dcward89
    9 years ago

    I did the same as ck...all handles everywhere, all the same size. Some people do a mixture of handles and knobs, some do all handles but different sizes...it's up to you and whatever your preference is.

  • kam76
    9 years ago

    Reference as everyone else said. I am planning to do handles for drawers and knobs for doors.

  • annkh_nd
    9 years ago

    Completely personal preference. I've seen all knobs, all pulls, and various mixtures.

    You can use pulls all the same size, vary the length of pulls for drawers of different sizes, place pulls vertically or horizontally. You can use 2 short pulls on a wide drawer.

    That said, some cabinet styles look better with a different knob or pull type, and some pulls look better one way or another. I was sure I wanted my pulls mounted horizontally on all the doors (upper and lower), but when I actually held my pulls up to my cabinets, it didn't look right.

    Thankfully, since there are no real right or wrong answers, you can do whatever looks and feels best to you.I don't think I've ever seen a kitchen reveal on this site where I thought "Man, that's a gorgeous kitchen - too bad they screwed up the knobs and pulls!"

  • peony4
    9 years ago

    I, too, recommend considering ergonomics. Once I started sampling pulls and knobs, I was surprised at how different some of them felt. For example, a few handles were hollow in the back, and didn't have that grip comfort of a rounded back (if that makes sense).

    Other than that, it's personal preference. I ended up buying a gazillion of each, in various sizes, and just holding them up to my cabinets to see which I liked better.

    Good luck! It's stressful, though... once that hole is drilled, you're committed. But like Annk writes above, I've never looked at a kitchen and thought, "Ewww... look at those handles and pulls..."

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    I have pulls on all my drawers and cabinets except I put knobs on short cabs above my fridge and hood. It just seemed right. Same finish but different style. On my new bathroom vanity I'm using just knobs on all drawers and single cabinet. Why the switch? I wanted to use glass and it worked better for me with a knob.

  • violetwest
    9 years ago

    I'm considering similar questions for my kitchen and bath cabinets.

    My main concern is that I don't want things that stick out (i.e., knobs) because I'm forever bumping into things,and I'm sure I'd have constant bruises.

    I also would want the hardware to feel comfortable in my hand.

    This post was edited by Violet.West on Wed, Jun 11, 14 at 17:51

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    kompy, your kitchen looks awesome! See, I don't even think, hmmm, why did she mix it up like that? It just looks good.

  • amck2
    9 years ago

    Someone mentioned bumping into knobs/bruising and I'll add that I've often caught belt loops and apron ties on the knobs of my current kitchen. With my remodel I'm going to make sure whatever I use on waist height cabs or drawers won't be something that will snag me.

  • LAdancer
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you everyone! And, kompy, your kitchen did make me think about the upper cabs and your comment, amck, about snagging your clothes is a good one, too. Thank you all.