When Decorating Your Kitchen, Do You Want Cabinet Knobs or Pulls?
If you’re planning to redecorate your kitchen, there are a lot of things you have to think about: theme (do you want a food-themed kitchen or something less relevant?); color scheme (do you want warm or cool colors? Do you want colors at all or simple black and white?); and accessories (what kind of cabinet knobs or pulls do you want? More importantly, which do you want – knobs or pulls?).
First, focus on the theme. Having food-related decorations can create a homey atmosphere in which to cook. You might want the only food in the kitchen to be the food you make, though, in which case you can focus more on textures and colors. Go for marble counters and put stucco on the walls. Choose the colors you want to use – one or two neutrals with one bright color will make the room really pop.
Now, the big question: should you go with cabinet knobs or cabinet pulls? We’ve put together a few tips to help you decide.
Cabinet knobs typically come in a larger aesthetic variety, so you’ll probably have an easier time finding something to match your theme than you will with pulls. You can buy cabinet pulls in just about every shape, so if you decide to go with a food theme, you’ll be able to find dozens of food-related designs.
However, cabinet pulls are easier to use than knobs, so if the decision comes down to convenience over appearance, pulls are the way to go. If you have young children in the house and don’t want them getting into the cabinets, knobs will probably do you well, though you can easily childproof the cabinets.
Though cabinet pulls are more easy to use, they usually require more attention by way of installation, because you have to make sure the ends line up perfectly and aren’t crooked.
If price is a big factor, you’ll probably want to go with knobs – knobs are smaller than pulls, which use more material and are for the most part more expensive. More ornate cabinet knobs, however, will be more pricey than simpler pulls, and it of course depends on what kind of materials are used. If you really want to save money, consider making your own cabinet knobs out of wine corks. Make sure they’re firmly secured though, otherwise it won’t take much force to yank them right off the screw.
To get an idea of how particular cabinet knobs or pulls will look and feel in your kitchen, order samples of the items you’re interested in and test them out. Many home hardware stores will let you order a sample of a few different products so you can see how they’ll go with the rest of your decor – after all, you wouldn’t buy a shirt without trying it on first, would you?