Cabinet hardware is the jewelry of the kitchen. It’s a relatively small investment compared to the cabinets themselves, but it has a surprisingly large impact on how the finished kitchen looks and feels. The right hardware ties the design together. The wrong hardware can make an expensive kitchen look cheap, or a well-planned design feel disjointed.
This guide covers the practical decisions you’ll need to make when selecting hardware for your custom kitchen: knobs vs. pulls, finish options, sizing, placement, and how to match hardware to your cabinet style.
Key Takeaways
- Pulls (bar handles) are more popular than knobs for modern and transitional kitchens. Knobs are more traditional but remain versatile.
- Brushed brass/gold and matte black are the trending finishes. Brushed nickel and polished chrome remain safe, classic choices.
- Budget $3 to $15 per piece for mid-range hardware, or $15 to $50+ for designer options. A full kitchen typically needs 30 to 50 pieces.
- Always order one or two samples before committing to a full set. Hardware looks different on a screen than it does on your actual cabinet doors.
Knobs vs. Pulls: Which to Use Where
Knobs
Cabinet knobs are single-point hardware, typically round, square, or decorative in shape, attached with a single screw. They project 1 to 2 inches from the cabinet face and are gripped between the thumb and fingers.
Knobs work well on cabinet doors of all sizes. They’re compact, visually quiet, and available in an enormous variety of styles from ultra-simple to elaborately decorative. However, they’re less practical on drawers, especially heavy drawers loaded with pots and pans, because the single grip point makes it harder to pull smoothly.
Pulls
Cabinet pulls (also called bar pulls, handles, or bail pulls) attach with two screws and provide a longer grip surface. Standard lengths range from 3 inches to 12 inches, with longer pulls available for wider drawers and appliance panels.
Pulls are the go-to choice for drawers because the longer grip distributes force more evenly and makes heavy drawers easier to open. They also work well on doors and are the preferred hardware style for modern and transitional kitchens, where clean horizontal or vertical lines contribute to the overall design.
The common approach
Many kitchens use a combination: knobs on doors and pulls on drawers. This is a practical compromise that looks intentional and puts each hardware type where it functions best. Another popular approach is pulls everywhere for a uniform, contemporary look, especially with bar pulls in a consistent length.
Popular Hardware Finishes
Hardware finish is where your kitchen’s design personality really shows. The finish should complement your cabinet color, countertop, and other fixtures (faucet, light fixtures, appliance handles) for a cohesive look.
Matte Black
The most popular hardware finish in current kitchen design. Matte black adds definition and contrast to white, light gray, and wood-toned cabinets. It reads as both modern and slightly industrial, making it versatile across styles. It also hides fingerprints better than polished finishes.
Brushed Brass and Gold
Warm metallic finishes have surged in popularity alongside the move toward warmer kitchen palettes. Brushed or satin brass (as opposed to shiny polished brass) looks sophisticated and contemporary. It pairs particularly well with white, cream, sage green, navy, and natural wood cabinets. Champagne bronze is a related finish that reads slightly warmer and more subtle.
Brushed Nickel
A true neutral that works with virtually any cabinet color and kitchen style. Brushed nickel has been a popular finish for years and continues to be a safe, attractive choice. It’s warm enough for traditional kitchens and cool enough for contemporary spaces. It resists fingerprints well and ages gracefully.
Polished Chrome
Chrome is bright, reflective, and crisp. It’s the most formal of the commonly used finishes and pairs well with modern, transitional, and traditional kitchens. Chrome does show fingerprints and water spots more than brushed finishes, so it requires more frequent cleaning in a kitchen environment.
Oil-Rubbed Bronze
A dark, warm finish with subtle copper or brown undertones. Oil-rubbed bronze is the classic choice for traditional, farmhouse, and rustic kitchens, particularly when paired with darker wood stains or cream-colored painted cabinets. It has a lived-in quality that complements aged or weathered design elements.
Sizing Your Hardware
Hardware that’s too small looks timid. Hardware that’s too large overwhelms the cabinet face. Getting the proportions right is more important than most people realize.
Knob sizing
Most cabinet knobs are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. For standard-sized cabinet doors, a 1.25-inch knob is the most common choice. Slightly larger knobs (1.5 inches) can work on wider doors or when you want the hardware to make a stronger visual statement.
Pull sizing guidelines
| Cabinet/Drawer Width | Recommended Pull Length |
|---|---|
| 12 to 18 inch doors/drawers | 3 to 4 inch pulls |
| 18 to 24 inch doors/drawers | 5 to 6 inch pulls |
| 24 to 36 inch drawers | 6 to 8 inch pulls |
| 36+ inch drawers | 10 to 12 inch pulls (or two smaller pulls) |
The “pull length” refers to the center-to-center measurement between the two screw holes, not the overall length of the pull. This is the measurement you’ll need when ordering. A general rule of thumb is to choose a pull that’s roughly one-third the width of the door or drawer it’s mounted on.
Placement Tips
On doors: Knobs and pulls are typically placed on the stile (vertical edge) opposite the hinge side. For upper cabinets, hardware goes near the bottom corner. For lower cabinets, hardware goes near the top corner. This puts the hardware where your hand naturally reaches.
On drawers: Hardware is centered horizontally on the drawer face. Vertically, it’s centered on the drawer front or placed slightly above center.
Consistency matters. Use a hardware jig (a template) to ensure every piece is positioned identically across all cabinets. Even small inconsistencies in placement are noticeable once all the hardware is installed.
Hinges: The Hardware You Don’t See
While knobs and pulls get all the attention, hinges are the hardware that matters most functionally. They determine how your doors open, close, and align over time.
Concealed (European) hinges
The standard in modern cabinetry. Concealed hinges are invisible when the door is closed, mount inside the cabinet, and are adjustable in three directions. Soft-close concealed hinges (which prevent doors from slamming) have become essentially standard in custom work and are well worth the modest additional cost ($3 to $8 per hinge vs. $1 to $3 for standard).
Exposed hinges
Visible hinges mounted on the face of the cabinet. These are a decorative choice used primarily in traditional, farmhouse, and rustic kitchens. Styles include butt hinges, H-hinges, and strap hinges. They add visual character but offer less adjustability than concealed hinges.
Inset hinges
Specialized hinges designed for inset cabinet doors (doors that sit flush within the face frame). These can be either concealed or exposed and require precise installation to maintain the uniform gap around each door.
How to Match Hardware to Your Kitchen Style
Modern/contemporary: Sleek bar pulls in matte black or brushed nickel. Minimal profile. Consider integrated edge pulls or push-to-open mechanisms for the cleanest possible look.
Transitional: Bar pulls or simple knobs in brushed brass, matte black, or brushed nickel. This is the most flexible style category, so the hardware can lean slightly traditional or slightly modern depending on your preference.
Traditional: Decorative knobs, cup pulls on drawers, or bail pulls with backplates. Oil-rubbed bronze, antique brass, or polished nickel finishes. The hardware should have some visual detail that echoes the formality of raised panel or elaborate shaker doors.
Farmhouse: Cup pulls (bin pulls) are the classic farmhouse hardware choice, especially on drawers. Knobs on doors. Finishes tend toward oil-rubbed bronze, matte black, or antique brass. Ceramic knobs are another farmhouse staple.
Budgeting for Hardware
Hardware costs add up faster than most people expect. A mid-sized kitchen with 20 doors and 15 drawers needs 35+ pieces. At $10 each (a typical mid-range price point), that’s $350 or more for hardware alone.
| Quality Tier | Price per Piece | Total for 35 Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $2 to $5 | $70 to $175 |
| Mid-range | $8 to $15 | $280 to $525 |
| Premium / Designer | $20 to $50+ | $700 to $1,750+ |
Don’t forget to add soft-close hinges to your hardware budget if they’re not included in your cabinet quote. At $5 to $8 per hinge, a kitchen with 40 hinges adds $200 to $320.
For a broader look at where hardware costs fit into your total project, see our kitchen remodel budget breakdown. And when you’re ready to see hardware options in person, the cabinet professionals in our directory often carry sample collections or can recommend local showrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my cabinet hardware match my faucet?
It doesn’t need to be an exact match, but the finishes should be in the same family. Brushed brass hardware with a brushed gold faucet is fine. Brushed nickel hardware with a polished chrome faucet is close enough. Matte black hardware with a polished brass faucet, however, can feel disjointed. The key is consistency in warmth (warm metals together, cool metals together) or intentional contrast (like matte black hardware with a brass faucet, which is a popular, deliberate mix).
Can I change my cabinet hardware later?
Yes, and it’s one of the easiest kitchen updates you can make. Swapping knobs is straightforward (same single screw hole). Changing pull sizes requires filling the old holes and drilling new ones, which adds a step but is still a manageable DIY project or a quick job for a handyman.
How many pulls and knobs do I need?
Count every door and every drawer front. Each door gets one knob or one pull. Each drawer gets one pull (or one knob for small drawers). Wider drawers (30 inches and up) sometimes use two knobs. Order 10 to 15 percent extra to account for any that arrive damaged or for future replacements.
Is expensive hardware worth it?
Mid-range hardware ($8 to $15 per piece) from reputable brands typically offers the best value. The finish quality, weight, and feel are noticeably better than budget options and are durable enough for daily use. Premium hardware ($20+) often features superior finish durability and unique designs, but the functional difference from mid-range is modest. Budget hardware can work but may show wear (finish flaking, loose screws) within a few years.
What’s the most popular cabinet hardware finish right now?
Matte black and brushed brass/gold are the top trending finishes. Brushed nickel remains the most universally safe choice. In practice, many homeowners choose based on their other fixtures (faucet, lighting, appliance handles) to create a coordinated look throughout the kitchen.
Last Updated: February 2026