Tips for Choosing Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Great kitchen design in Long Island is a combination of strong focal points that capture your attention and unifying elements that pull the look of the room together into a cohesive whole. Cabinet knobs, drawer pulls and hinges may seem relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of kitchen design, but like accessories for a fashionable outfit, they can make or break the style of the space. The right kitchen cabinet hardware also goes a long way towards improving the room’s functionality. Use the following tips to select hardware that will layer your Long Island kitchen with style and sophistication.

Accent Your Kitchen’s Unique Decorative Style

First and foremost, cabinet hardware should complement the decorative style of your Long Island kitchen. Quaint ceramic knobs with hand-painted flowers, for example, have no place on streamlined contemporary cabinets. Because today’s modern kitchen designs are often transitional or eclectic, however, there’s no need to adhere rigidly to a single style. If your kitchen has both modern and traditional elements, choose hardware that helps balance the room’s design, such as a classically designed cabinet knob with a contemporary finish.

Explore Your Finishing Options

Designs, shapes and sizes are important considerations when choosing cabinet hardware, but it’s the surface finish that plays the primary role when it comes to long-term functionality. The broad selection of finishes available ensures that you’ll find the ideal choice for your Long Island kitchen. Finishing options include:

• Brushed Nickel. A popular option for both modern and traditional cabinetry, brushed nickel has a matte surface that resists fingerprints and stains.
• Polished Chrome. Polished chrome gleams with style but requires regular cleaning to keep the surface free of smudges and fingerprints.
• Polished Brass. Like its chrome counterpart, polished brass has a glossy finish that takes regular care to keep it shiny. Polished brass brings out the natural warmth of wood cabinetry, however, and is particularly attractive on traditional wood cabinets.
• Oil-Rubbed Bronze. Perfect for kitchens designed with a Rustic, Tuscan or Old-World style, oil-rubbed bronze has a rich, aged patina that needs surprisingly little maintenance to keep its good looks.
• Glass. Although they require a little extra care, beveled glass knobs are appealing because they catch and reflect light, making glass the perfect choice when you want to add sparkle to a traditional kitchen.
• Ceramic. Durable and easy to maintain, ceramic hardware adds charm to kitchens designed in a Cottage, Country or Retro decorative style.
• Stainless Steel. A thoroughly modern material, stainless steel is a great choice for cabinet hardware with a futuristic tubular design. Sleek horizontal stainless steel drawer pulls, for example, emphasize the dynamism and movement of modern design.

Coordinate Kitchen Cabinet Hardware Finishes

Too many different materials and finishes in a kitchen can make the room feel cluttered and chaotic. Kitchen cabinet hardware, faucets, trim and lighting fixtures with complementary finishes, shapes and colors help unify the space by eliminating distracting and disparate design elements. Pay particular attention to the color spectrum featured in your Long Island kitchen too. If the space has multiple stainless steel appliances, for example, you may wish to avoid warm-toned finishes like brass or bronze.

Kitchen Cabinet Hardware Functional Considerations

For your long-term satisfaction, keep maintenance and ease-of-access factors in mind when choosing cabinet hardware for your Long Island kitchen. Ornately designed pulls and knobs may add appealing style, but they are more challenging to keep clean than simpler designs. Consider the specific needs of your household members too, both in the present and the future. You may wish to select hardware that children and seniors will find easy to handle.

Cabinet pulls, knobs and hinges give you the option to dress your kitchen cabinets up or down. They can give older cabinets a fresh new look and provide the perfect finishing touch on new kitchen cabinetry. Take the time to consider all of your options, and you’re sure to find cabinet hardware that will elevate your Long Island kitchen’s design and showcase your sophisticated taste.