17 Kitchen Cabinet Hardware Ideas You Can Easily Recreate

Mix and Match Hardware On Your Island and Cabinets

“This stunning kitchen deserved interesting and show-stopping hardware," designer Marie Flanigan says, and we agree. Her game plan: use various hardware to highlight the difference in the design of the island versus the built-in cabinets, yet magically pull it all together.

Here's how: the pulls on the island mimic the brass edging to the cabinet fronts, while the knobs on the cabinetry seamlessly mesh with the stained wood cabinets also found throughout.

Don't Be Afraid to Go Oversized

If these round ring pulls remind you more of a wardrobe than a kitchen cabinet, that's what Katie Paulsen, interior design at Maestri Studio was going for. The custom storage piece between the kitchen and living room needed to bridge the two rooms, and the hardware does just that.

"The oversized pulls added the unexpected furniture feel that we were going for, and they gave the piece that special touch that it needed to appeal to both spaces," Paulsen says. 

Liz's Antique Hardware Half Circle Pull $48.00

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Try Sleek Hardware for a Statement

Claire Staszak, the principal designer and owner of Centered by Design, considers hardware one of her favorite details to curate. "It can be sleek, minimal, and intentional—or fancy, sweet, and statement-making," she says.

For this kitchen, she opted for the former: streamlined inset campaign-style (referencing old military luggage) hardware, all in polished nickel, to make these drawer boxes extra special.

Experiment With Bold Colors in a Small Space

If the idea of going bright and bold in your kitchen is too much, how about in a bar nook instead? Mel Bean Interiors did just that in this space, where Bean wanted to feature a standout design while keeping functionality at the forefront.

"The contrast of the malachite stone hardware with the mulberry cabinet color offers a surprising, yet complementing combination that works well in small spaces," Bean says.

Opt for Touches of Metallic

Leave it to Marie Flanigan Interiors to know just what hardware would add depth and intrigue to this kitchen. "The ornamental bolts and custom back plates give the room added metallic touches and draw the eye to the gorgeous millwork," Flanigan says.

Use Antique Brass to Add Warmth

Designer Joshua Smith has some words of wisdom regarding kitchen hardware: "When you’re working with a neutral color palette, think of cabinet hardware as jewelry for the kitchen."

Here, Smith opted for elegant yet minimal hardware that echoes the clean and modern lines of the kitchen, choosing an antique brass finish to add some warmth to the white lacquer cabinetry. 

Restoration Hardware Vauxhall Pull $30.00

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Take Inspiration From Your Favorite Movie

For her cozy cottage kitchen, Liz Marie Galvan was inspired by one of her favorite movies (and probably one of yours too): The Holiday. "Painting large wooden knobs that are the same color as the cabinets were such an easy and affordable DIY to create for our kitchen," she says. 

Stun With Contrasting Black and White

What is black and white and gorgeous all over? You guessed it. Designer Lindye Galloway, the founder and chief creative officer of Lindye Galloway Design Studio + Shop, kept it classic for this enviable all-white kitchen.

"Within this project, we opted for matte black linear hardware on the perimeter of the cabinetry to give a subtle yet modern look to the kitchen," Galloway says.

Select Hardware That Won't Date Itself

Anna Franklin, interior designer and founder of Stone House Collective, selected this kitchen's hardware with one goal in mind: to look both modern yet timeless. Mission accomplished.

"It will look neither too trendy in present date, yet won’t become dated in the years to come," says Franklin.

Top Knobs Ascendra Pull $13.00

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Note That Sometimes Imperfect Is Perfect

Designer Marie Flanigan sings the praises of the incredibly versatile selection of hardware from Rocky Mountain Hardware, which she used in the serene kitchen above.

"I love how the fluting is slightly imperfect, which only serves to highlight the elevated craftsmanship," Flanigan says. "With so many finishes, the hardware is perfect in any palette.”

Mix Modern and Traditional

Rumor Designs' lead designer, Lindsey Jamison, didn't shy away from all sorts of colors, patterns, and textures in her own kitchen.

"With an eclectic kitchen design, you have an opportunity to be playful in different areas," she says. Since her cabinets are traditional shaker-style, she paired them with modern, clean-lined pulls.

Lean Into Older Cabinetry

Blessed (or cursed) with having older cabinetry? There's an upside, says Caron Woolsey, Founder and Principal Designer of CW Interiors.

"Time has breathed into it a character that's only earned with age," she says. "As such, older cabinets and the patina that accompanies them lend themselves to decorative hardware that leans into their nonconformity, proving that newer isn’t always better."

Anthropologie Mother-Of-Pearl Knobs $32.00

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Do the Twist

"We love adding a little jazz with beautiful cabinet hardware in our custom kitchens," Liz Lapan, VP of Operations at In Detail Interiors says. "It's like jewelry, really."

These twisted pulls, part of a collection from Emtek, have "enough of a bling feel to be really special against the deep Basalt colored cabinetry," according to Lapan. If you want to opt for hardware that feels a bit more refined and luxe, Lapan suggests a soft brushed champagne bronze finish in your kitchen.

Contrasting Colors Make for a Cool Kitchen

For a subtle, sophisticated contrast in your kitchen, put metallics on the back burner and choose a primary color for your hardware. For example, how about brightening up black cabinets with red knobs? That's what Naked Kitchens oh-so brilliantly decided on here, and the risk pays off.

Be Brave and Go Bold

This kitchen is all about bold statements and fun color, so Ashley DeLapp Interior Design didn't shy away from standout hardware when it came to these cabinet pulls.

"I love a pink and green color combination, and this wallpaper provided the perfect backdrop to experiment with a mulberry cabinet," DeLapp says. "I added a tiny touch of green in the hardware to really liven things up without being too overpowering."

Modern Matter Sands 0.60" Custom Knob $39.00

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Modern Matter Star 3.25" Enamel Backplate $45.00

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Hardware Doesn't Have to Be Hard

Think hardware, you likely don't immediately imagine soft leather pulls, but if you're looking for something different for your kitchen, they could be just the fit. Naked Kitchen opted for leather drawer pulls in this kitchen. They're unexpected, they're cool, and they're sure to draw attention.

For Affordable Hardware, Shop Vintage Options

Charlotte Evans Russel of Charlotte's Happy Home had two requirements for her kitchen's hardware: they must be affordable and must be vintage. She checked both of those boxes with these slim pieces that perfectly match her SMEG range.