Whether you’re looking for a more modern look in the kitchen or just want some cabinet hardware that will stand up to abuse from your family, you may want to consider steel.
Once you hear the name, you’ll likely understand that steel cabinet hardware is stronger than many other hardware pieces you’d select for your home. Being a sturdy metal, steel hardware will be able to handle kids running around the house banging things against it, knocking over cabinets, and the other ordeals they’re going to put you through.
Also, the silver metal of steel is at the top of current trends for kitchens and cabinets, being wonderfully modern pieces. If you’ve already purchased or are considering purchasing steel appliances, think about how great your kitchen will look when your cabinet hardware matches the appliances.
Before you start shopping for steel hardware, you should make a list of what you need to get the job done right:
Type: There are many types of cabinet hardware. From knobs to pulls to handles, you need to make some decisions about the type of hardware you want for your kitchen. If you’re renovating and adding these pieces to cabinets that are already in place, you’ll need to choose pieces that will fit into the old cabinets, unless you want to do some restoration work.
Style – While cabinet hardware is made to be functional, these days it’s as much about decor. Look around at the other items in your kitchen and make sure the hardware pieces you’re considering fit in with the rest of the feel. For example, if you’re going for a modern decor style, you don’t want ornate steel hardware; you want something sharp and elegant.
Size – If you’re retrofitting new hardware into existing cabinets, you need to know what size parts you need. If you have knobs, this is not a big deal, since there is only one. But, if you have handles or pulls, you will have two holes that need to line up. So you need to take a measurement of the space between those two holes. This is the same amount of space between the entry points on the new pulls. A wise rule of thumb is to take one of your old pieces of hardware and compare it to the new pieces you are considering.
Numbers – This may sound like common sense, but many people forget to accurately count the number of knobs and pulls they need before they head to the store. Once they get there, they guess how many and often get home to start installing their hardware only to find there aren’t enough parts to complete the task. Start on one side of the room and count all the pieces. Write this number down and take it with you.
A modern and sturdy set of steel cabinet knobs and pulls is not far off. With just a few screws and a little planning, you can have a kitchen that looks new again and stronger than ever.
