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Many homeowners are investing their time and money into updating their homes today. If your like the rest of us, you’ve spent a lot of time in your house over the past two years and perhaps now it’s time to start working on those small updates to your home you have always planned.
One of the best ways to do an inexpensive update is with things like doorknobs and kitchen hardware.
These are the surfaces we touch the most in our house. Whether it’s going from room to room, closing a door for a Zoom meeting, or popping into the kitchen to grab an afternoon snack.
As you’re picking out new hardware for your room, it makes sense to wonder if your door knobs should match your kitchen hardware?
Design experts say no. All elements like doorknobs and hardware don’t need to match but they do need to have some consistency. Otherwise, they look a bit messy.
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Why the Small Things Matter?
Things like doorknobs and hardware are such small details that many wonder if they matter at all in their appearance. Functionally, that is true. They have a practical purpose and any product can fulfill that without a lot of style.
However, the fact they are little details is why these types of things are important to the overall style of your home.
Failing to look at these types of details is like getting dressed up for a night out and putting on the wrong type of jewelry for the outfit.
Door knobs and hardware offer:
- A finished look for the room
- Visual interest
- A way to pull together the room consistently
- A way to showcase your personality
Door knobs and other hardware make for great ways to subtly change your home, so they are a good way to get started with renovations. They aren’t expensive and most people can install them as a DIY project. You would be surprised at how much of a difference these small changes can make!
How to Get the Right Look?
Style and color matter as much as function when it comes to any type of hardware, including doorknobs and kitchen hardware. You may want the hardware to be a highly visible detail or you may want it to disappear into the color of the door or cabinet. There are hundreds of colors and styles from which to choose.
Generally, most designers like the idea of hardware making its own statement and being a detail that is noticed. To do that, pick hardware that contrasts with the door or cabinetry.
Those who have white cabinets will want to pick hardware that shines against it, like brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or even a black version. It depends on how much contrast you want and the exact style you’re after. Darker cabinets may need something that has more pop against it, like pewter.
The same room applies to doorknobs both in the kitchen and throughout the house. The doorknobs should look good against the door but many also like them to look good against the color of the floors.
While you don’t want to get doorknobs and hardware that are too drastically different, there are ways you can combine different styles to get the exact look you want.
Ways to Get a Great Look with Hardware
There is nothing wrong with mixing hardware on cabinetry and doors. Mixing and matching are a trend for 2022. However, you still want it to look like you planned it that way. Consistency is key in this. There are several ways to gain a consistent look and still use different styles of hardware.
Match One Element of the Hardware
You don’t have to match hardware exactly but have one part of it that is similar. For instance, you can choose one finish, like brushed brass, in different styles. You can have different pulls, handles, and knobs but all with that finish to put cohesion into your room.
You could also match your hardware by function rather than finish or style. A way to do this is to put matching doorknobs on all your drawers and put a different finish and style of matching pulls on your other cabinets.
The only thing about using that method is to make sure the two styles flow with each other. You don’t want an antique pull above a doorknob that is ultra-modern if both are in a different finish too. The styles and finish don’t have to match but they do need to go with each other.
This type of design offers a lot of visual interest so it works well.
Match by Section
One way to bring cohesiveness to your kitchen and all cabinetry in your home is to match hardware by section. Choose one type of hardware for upper cabinets and another type for lower cabinets. This still looks streamlined but offers more interest.
This method works well if you like the idea of doorknobs or hardware matching the floor rather than the cabinet or door. Lower doors, drawers, and cabinets are closer to the floor so you may want to use hardware that pulls out the color of the floor on those.
Compliment Hardware with Sink and Faucets
The sink and faucet in your kitchen are key components of the room. Your hardware should complement it and shouldn’t be too far off in style from what you’re using at the sink.
For instance, you don’t want sleek, modern nickel pulls if you have a brushed brass traditional, detailed faucet. You should also look at the other appliances in your kitchen, like your stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher for a cue on the type of hardware to get.
Mix and Match
If you like the idea of mixing and matching your hardware, choose elements that complement each other in some way. For example, you could choose decorative glass knobs that all share a similar color scheme like this dresser below.
When it comes to drawer pulls, mixing colors like this often adds a whimsical look whereas mixing finishes, like bronze and pewter, just looks messy.
Your Overall Look
You need to look at your room and house with an aesthetic eye to determine what you want to convey as an overall design before you buy anything. Traditional looks should include hardware and doorknobs that convey that look even if they are different colors and styles.
Those who want a modern look should go minimalist on hardware like non-detailed bar pulls and knobs.
Where Should Doorknobs Go in a Kitchen?
Most designers like doorknobs to be used on upper cabinets. Those cabinets are higher and could be difficult to open with pulls. Doorknobs make it easier. Pulls and handles work better from a functionality standpoint on lower doors, drawers, and cabinets.
Consumers said they like cabinets to have knobs and drawers or large pantry doors to have pulls, but trends and styles are changing.
What’s in Style?
Brushed nickel, sometimes called a satin nickel, remains the biggest seller for doorknobs this year. That’s because it’s a classic look that seems to go with anything.
Another popular 2021 style that remains hot now is matte black hardware. It is trending in pulls and doorknobs to light fixtures. Satin black is also a popular finish.
With kitchen hardware, square bar pulls are the most popular purchase for cabinets. Doorknobs are fading from popularity as people prefer latches.
Latches are less practical than a doorknob from a functionality standpoint but they give a kitchen a European farmhouse look.
Brass is back as well. It isn’t the same as what decorated your parents’ home in the 1980s. The brass of today is a different finish ranging from satin to antique finishes. There is matte, champagne, and lacquered brass too.
Decor vs. Function
The other thing to consider when picking out door locks, aside from finish, is function. There are so many options on the market today for smart door locks and door handles. These are something definitely to consider when making decisions.
Smart door knobs and locks are great for exterior doors but can also help secure important areas of the house from wandering children.
There are some great options on the market that can be matched to your existing home decor as well.
- Lock and unlock your door in a single motion – by scanning your fingerprints as you grip the door handle. A lightning speed 0.1 seconds is all that is required to open. Much faster than any key.
- No wires required. Fits standard-sized doors of 1-3/8” to 2-1/8” (35 to 55mm) door thickness, adjustable latch 2-3/8”(60mm) or 2-3/4”(70mm). Suitable for both left and right-handed doors.
- Voice prompts guide you to set up to 20 fingerprints, including 2 admin-user fingerprints. Note: When 2 admin-user fingerprints have been collected, adding new one will prompt normal-user fingerprint collection.
Final Thoughts
There aren’t any solid design rules anymore and so many manufacturers offer a plethora of choices that you can find any number of items that fit your style. The main thing is to plan out your look and stick to it.
That doesn’t mean it must match but every detail of your home, down to the doorknobs and hardware, should flow with your overall style to offer a cohesive look throughout your home.