Handles

Pull handles are handles that enable us to pull open our doors, cabinets and drawers.  Therefore, they are very important functional pieces of hardware.  We cannot imagine the house without handles or knobs.

Whether to install a pull handle or a knob is a decision that depends on certain factors.  Knobs are fixed using a single screw, and are good for table drawers and light kitchen cabinets.  On the other hand, large drawers with tracks and rollers usually store kitchen cutlery and other metal items.  Therefore, they need more strength to pull them open.  Such rack and roller drawers require pull handles which are securely attached using two screws.

When you are looking for new cabinet handles for the kitchen, you are going to find that there are a lot that you can choose from. Here are two suggestions on how you can choose the right cabinet handles.
• Budget – The first thing to figure out is a budget.  This will help you with the other step.
• Style – The second thing to figure out is what kind of style you want for your handles.
Giving the cabinets new handles can really give the kitchen a whole new look and make it look like it’s brand new.

Cabinets, especially those with catches, need some force to be opened and shut. Therefore while shopping for cabinet handles, keep in mind the type of cabinet, the door size and the force required to handle them. Knobs can easily be pulled off because they are fixed with one screw. This is why cabinet handles, which are fixed with two screws, are preferable for bulkier cabinets. They look prettier than knobs and can enhance the beauty of your cabinets. A good interior designer will tell you that mildly contrasting colors look better. Brown handles would not look good on brown cabinets. Golden handles look great on honey colored cabinets, while silver handles look good on ivory cabinets.

After-market appliance handles can be a good way to give your home a little bit of a decorative uplift.  The most common types of appliance handles are metal ones.  Here is an overview of the many types of metal appliance handles.  Iron appliance handles are readily available.  These have a great, heavy look and can give your kitchen an Old World feel.  Simpler iron appliance handles look great on almost any type or style of appliance and can complement other iron details on furniture or décor.  Brass has an attractive gold color that gives your appliances a rich look.  Brass that is properly treated should stay bright for a very long time and is an easy to care for option.  Chrome appliance handles have a more modern feel and look great in kitchens with an overall simple design and a sleek, sophisticated edge.  If you have a more rustic kitchen design, there are “rust” toned appliance handles that can add an impressive detail, especially to appliance with wood veneers.  Oil rubbed metals have a similar rustic look that complements kitchens with lots of dark, unpainted wood cabinets or furniture.  Appliance handles can truly add the finishing details that will make your kitchen look complete.

The first thing most of us consider at when buying pulls and handles is the look we need. Every interior decorating expert will tell us that the hardware pull needs to match the rest of the décor. That’s absolutely true, but forgetting the heavy use a hardware pull is subjected to can lead to a lot of problems later on. The pull is being constantly pushed and pulled each time a door is opened or closed. If the pull is not of a design that allows for secure and strong mounting on the door it will soon work itself loose and a loose hardware pull can cause the wood around it to crack.

 Chrome handles are stainless and easy to clean and that makes them ideal for use on doors that are opened and closed frequently. All you need to do to clean the handles is to wipe them with a damp cloth. No polishing is required and in fact, if you are tempted to use a chrome polish make sure that it is not the abrasive kind that will add a little luster to the chromes handles but also wear away the chrome. While chrome handles convey a modern look and are normally not used with period décor, classic designs are available and using them with antique interiors can, at times, produce an interesting result.

The handle, door knob or pull that is fitted on a door is as important as the design of the door itself and the materials used. The most elegant and imposing of doors can have their look ruined by the use of the wrong handle, door knob, pull or latch. It’s a common mistake to just consider the wood and fabrication costs when budgeting for doors, leaving little or no money for the hardware. A beautiful mahogany or teak door with a cheap looking handle, door knob or pull will itself look cheap and keeping in mind that this is the first part of a room that a visitor sees, it will lower the effect of the rest of the room, no matter how good the décor.