The Styles and Textures of Kitchen Cabinets Hardware

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When it comes time to decide on the kitchen cabinets hardware you will be using for your home improvement project, the options available to you are practically limitless.  In order to narrow down your choices, you need to have a good look at the décor of the room that you want to achieve so that you can select the kitchen cabinets hardware that will match. 

Start by understanding the different styles of kitchen cabinets hardware and then move on to the textures that are available.  This way, when you head out to the home improvement store, you’ll have a good idea what you’re looking for. 

Kitchen cabinets hardware styles

  The following are the most common kitchen cabinets hardware styles and how they suit a room’s décor.

• Contemporary kitchen cabinets hardware – for kitchens in a contemporary style, you will want to look for hardware made of materials such as artisan glass, plastics, resin in vibrant colors, stainless steel, and brushed nickel.  Contemporary décor in a cooler style will include geometrically shaped knobs and long bar-style handles.  T-knobs are also a good shape for this type of room.  To warm up the look, try matte finishes.
  
• Country or farmhouse kitchen cabinets hardware – this kitchen style requires more simple designs and materials such as wood, brass, and porcelain.  This gives a soft, warm, and airy look.  Rustic brass cup pulls, cast iron, and faceted glass knobs are also popular for this theme. You can choose either basic smooth shapes – such as round – or decorative symbols such as flowers that are seen elsewhere in the room’s décor.
  
• Arts and crafts kitchen cabinets hardware – this style is meant to have a heavy, darker look using materials such as hammered iron, silver, or bronze.  It should look and feel heavily textured.  These knobs and pulls will often have cutouts in geometric shapes.
  
• Old world kitchen cabinets hardware – this style attempts to achieve the look of Europe from centuries ago, using heavy materials in aged finishes.  Wire frames and cast iron, or distressed texture ceramics are popular material choices.  Rust finishes are also becoming commonly used for achieving this look.
  
• Tuscan – this style almost always demands ceramic knobs that are either high quality mass produced or, preferably, hand painted.  Suitable colors include blue, lime, and rust.  Done properly, glass in jewel-tones with silver overlay can also add some unique appeal.
  
• Victorian kitchen cabinets hardware – the knobs and pulls used for this style should have an elegant antiqued appearance.  This type of décor usually leans toward a more feminine style, where frills are welcome.  Darkly stained wood and faceted clear glass knobs are the most commonly selected.

Kitchen cabinets hardware textures

With the right materials in mind for kitchen cabinets hardware, the next step is to find the proper texture.  Common options include:

• Hammered – this is exactly what it sounds like it should be.  A surface that has narrow or broad indentations. 
  
• Matte – a dulled texture that will bring subtlety to the kitchen cabinets hardware.  It is used most commonly on materials such as copper and brass, though chrome is also becoming popular in matte.
  
• Polished – a smooth texture with a reflective luster.  This has a bold, striking appearance.
  
• Distressed – this is a texture that is applied to give the kitchen cabinets hardware a deliberately worn and classic appearance.
  
• Satin – this kitchen cabinets hardware texture provides a patina somewhere between polished and matte.
  
• Oil Rubbed – this is a finish applied to some metals – usually bronze – to bring about a more aged look with a finish closer to charcoal in color.

With this information, it’s time to have a look at your own kitchen remodeling to be able to identify its décor so that you can choose an appropriate style and texture for the kitchen cabinets hardware.

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