Decorative cabinet handles can greatly enhance the look of your cabinetry.
Gone are the days of simple functional handles and knobs. Hardware that is
ornate and unusual is swiftly gaining in popularity. Ornamental hardware adds
personality, giving hardware that was once purely functional a bold new look.
Decorative hardware permits personalization, allowing you to transform the
overall look of existing cabinetry.
Detailed hinges can add an antique touch to any cupboard door. For a
decorative effect, straps can be placed on the outside of a cupboard door to
create the appearance of antique cabinetry. Some hardware manufacturers still
supply strap hinges, providing a sturdier support for heavier doors, but these
hinges are more costly. Most hinges these days are hidden inside of the cabinet
doors, but some manufacturers will provide a decorative strap element in order
to achieve this rustic effect.
Today, decorative knobs and handles are shaped to represent a variety of
items. Some handles do not even look like a handle at first glance, invoking the
aesthetic appeal of nature, or the comic charm of a knife and fork. Butterflies,
starfish, glass gems, and sports equipment is just a sampling of the shapes
offered by many hardware companies. There are a seemingly endless variety of
shapes and themes to choose from. Whichever genre you choose to pursue, you will
be sure to find a unique selection of styles and materials to choose from.
Distinctive knobs and handles will add value to your cabinetry, making the
hardware a focal point on the cabinet itself. Above all else, remember to have
fun, select a style that reflects your personal style.
With the increasing popularity of decorative hardware, most manufacturers now
offer a wide selection of cabinetry pulls. These pulls differ greatly from the
simple styles you may have seen before; incorporating images and shapes that you
may have not associated with cabinetry in the past. Some types of hardware that
has been utilized in the past are now enjoying a renaissance. The cup/bin pull,
which is an older style that is being revisited by many companies, is made from
sturdy, classic materials like brass and nickel. These pulls complement the
cabinetry without clashing. For the sake of variety, combining pulls and knobs
can even give plain cabinetry a custom style.
If you are seeking one of a kind hardware for your cabinetry, it is best to
seek out hardware that is hand-made from quality materials. Because hand-made
hardware is more labor intensive than the mass-produced variety, prices tend to
be higher than mass-produced items that are available in large home-improvement
stores.
Even cabinet manufactures have begun producing their own line of decorative
hardware, and have designed hardware to coordinate with their cabinetry lines.
They have created collections that offer a variety of coordinating pulls, knobs,
hooks, and hinges, offering an expansive selection of creative combinations to
choose from. Many hardware distributors specialize in their own distinctive
lines of cabinet hardware. Handles come in all sorts of unconventional forms,
giving consumers literally thousands of unique hardware options to choose from.
|
