One small change, ONE HUGE IMPACT

Updating Your Hardware

BY CHARLOTTE A.F. FARLEY

Whether you’re planning a full-fledged kitchen remodel, thinking about refinishing a piece of furniture, or hoping to bring a little more character into the bathroom, consider changing the hardware.

Unlike upgrading the hardware components on your PC, updating the hardware on your kitchen or bathroom cabinets is relatively quick, inexpensive and easier than you’d think. Cabinet knobs aren’t difficult to install: Simply grab a screwdriver, remove the existing knobs and install the new ones for a whole new look. Pro tip: if you have a tricky piece of hardware to fit, take it with you to your home improvement store when you shop for replacements.

Updating your hardware also makes for a great way to give your space a mini-makeover because, after all, your kitchen hardware is really the jewelry of the cabinetry. It can dress a room up or down while making a style statement.

Choosing new hardware

Once you’ve decided to switch out the old handles for something new, you might find yourself easily lost in making decisions between pull bars, handles, latches, hinges and drop bail pulls, thinking that this all sounds like someone’s workout of the day and not cabinet details! Navigating the hardware section can be overwhelming, but here are a few ideas on how to make choosing new hardware simple and fun.

Proportion

Whether you’re simply trading your old door pulls for something new or you want to update the appearance of your home’s doors with a trending style, there are a few things to consider. First, keep scale in mind! When we talk about scale, we’re referring to proportions. For instance, you won’t want to put itty bitty knobs on drawers and then have oversized pulls on cabinet doors — things will seem completely out of proportion. Whatever upgrade you have in mind, make sure that the hardware is in line size-wise!

Style

Next, you’ll want to consider the kind of cabinets you have in terms of shape and dimension. A modern cabinet door will benefit from sleek hardware, certainly, but what if your cabinets aren’t brand new? Any cabinetry that features a strong square shape will look lovely with flat bar pulls while a more rounded hardware will complement arched or cathedral style panels. Don’t forget that this is an opportunity to add your own brand of panache, too. Keep things classic with knobs and cup pulls, or impart a chic contemporary flair with thin pull bars.