When to use Knobs or Pulls

If you’re building a new home, remodeling, or just freshening up cabinetry in your home, many decisions await you! What color do you want for your cabinets? Do you want more drawers or doors? What is the look of the hardware you want?  This post, and all of the photos, will give you a ton of  kitchen cabinet hardware ideas, and help you learn where to put knobs and handles on kitchen cabinets. Mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets is absolutely crucial if you want to make your kitchen function and  look well designed!

However, beyond the aesthetics, functionality should always be at the forefront of your mind. What would make my cabinets function the best for me? is the question you should always ask yourself. You will need to choose between cabinet hardware and using a pull or a knob.

Both knobs and pulls are functional, both work. So which do you put on which cabinet or drawer? Let’s dive in to help you decide what hardware is right hardware for your cabinetry.

I’ll be using my gorgeous VESTA Fine Hardware that I used throughout my remodel in my bathroom and for my kitchen cabinet hardware to give you some visuals!

This is my makeup vanity area in my bathroom. In this space I used VESTA knobs on the small drawers, and a VESTA pull on the long one. I could have easily done either but it came down to what felt best in my hand. For the way I leaned down to open a drawer, the knob felt easiest to access the space.

Advice: it’s my preference to coordinate whatever decisions you make on which doors/drawers to place pulls or knobs and make them consistent in the same room. You don’t have to do this throughout the whole house, but here the sink vanity matches the makeup vanity for cohesiveness.

Keep in mind there is no “right” choice for how to choose your hardware. And there’s no right way to add in unique cabinet hardware. This is your home. What do you prefer?

To decide which selections of VESTA hardware I wanted for each room, I would open up furniture in my home or cabinets already hung. Did I like the feel of a knob or a pull? If it didn’t matter, then I chose the VESTA hardware hardware piece I liked the look of best!

When you’re at show floors, open the doors and drawers paying attention to what you prefer.

Our sweet GoldenDoodle, Ollie, is showing you our kitchen counter drawers. We used the VESTA Insignia pull on our drawers. The Insignia pulls have a geometric shape so are a solid option as modern cabinet pulls.

The scale of these drawers is pretty large and they are substantial and heavy drawers that hold pots and pans. A knob could have worked, yes, but the pull looks more in scale with the overall width of the drawers.

The long pull allows you to stand in various spots along the counter and do a quick pull out of the drawer for access into them. Sometimes I stand a few feet away and can grab the end of the pull. A knob may make you have to get a bit closer.

I also liked how love how these VESTA Insignia Pulls add a clean look from afar, but up close have great dimension. It’s subtle unique cabinet hardware from far away, but interesting up close. They feel very solid in your hand! The weight is excellent (all VESTA hardware is immaculately craftsmanship.)

Pro’s of Knobs:

• • Knobs can have a very clean, minimal look.

• • Alternatively, knobs can give you a place to use a statement piece. You can do a striking knob and keep the rest minimal.

• • Pretty easy to wipe clean.

• • One screw to install.

• • Knobs offer a ton of design options – and you can play with the design to make a fun statement to coordinate with the pull.

• • Knobs never look crooked if installed incorrectly!

• • If you replace them down the road, you don’t have to worry about the hole being in the wrong place.

This is a fun one — you may not notice in some of the kitchen cabinet hardware ideas you’re looking at – that even though there may be hardware, there isn’t necessarily a functioning drawer!

Look at my trash pullout. You’ll notice that the trash compartment looks like it has two different drawers, but really it’s just a faux panel to look like two when it’s really one giant pull out. This gave the island some added design elements and oomph. Even though it’s a heavy panel, the VESTA Divina Knob can easily handle it!

The height or width of the drawer dictates for a larger kitchen cabinet hardware piece to help pull it securely. There are choices for lengths of knobs – 3 to 4” is typical, but you can get larger.

The heaviness of the door (especially faux panels on dishwashers or appliances) mean you need more leverage so a pull is absolutely required.

Factor in the weight and dimension of your door it’s being used on. Heavier doors need a pull. Tall doors likely need a pull. Buy the right piece to fit both the scale and weight.

Aesthitcs – it can be nice to change it up to add interest! If you have an accent cabinet area change it up and make this area look different than the others by switching up the hardware choice and design. Unique cabinet hardware can make such a design statement! This is the perfect way of mixing knobs and pulls on kitchen cabinets.

Pulls can sometimes be easier to grab, especially for small hands on kids. Or if you have arthritis, then pulls are definitely easier to open.

My VESTA kitchen cabinet hardware is used daily and makes me happy every time I look at it. I picked what I loved. There is no rule for picking knobs or pulls, so pick cabinet hardware that makes you smile and what works for you.

Thank you, Vesta, for gifting cabinet hardware in exchange for this post. Your pieces are loved and admired daily.