If you’re thinking about replacing your entire fitted kitchen, kitchen door handles may be at the very back of your mind; they’re simply there as a method of opening and closing kitchen cabinets. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Kitchen door handles are the most important of finishing touches, and they’re the accents that can turn your kitchen from grim to glam. When you walk into a room, your eyes are immediately drawn to aspects of the room that stand out, and with kitchen handles being an obvious feature amongst large areas of plain wood, vinyl, or acrylic doors, they automatically draw focus. They can also solidify the overall theme of the kitchen. Why not try this experiment – if you’ve got a modern or contemporary kitchen, go out and buy an inexpensive traditional or antique door knob, or if you’ve got a more traditional kitchen, buy a sleek, shiny handle with somewhat futuristic qualities. Attach the new handle to your kitchen doors and you’ll understand just how much influence and impact a small door handle really has on the entire room.
When you’re changing or redecorating your kitchen, it is so important to consider the little things, as these are often the aspects that have the biggest effects. The look of the kitchen handles is vital, but remember that aesthetics are not the be all and end all of buying kitchen door handles. It’s also about how they feel, and how easy they are to use. In browsing our website, you’ll find kitchen handles that are an excellent compromise between style and usability, but here are some things to take into consideration.
Handles or Knobs: Which Look Better?
Whether you choose bar handles or kitchen door knobs, you know you’re going to get something that looks amazing. As a general rule, kitchen door knobs tend to be more suited to traditional kitchens as they’re ‘heavier’, whereas bar handles are much more streamlined and smooth, which fits in with the minimalist look of many modern kitchens. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and you’ll find plenty of contemporary knobs and traditional bar handles on our website.
Truthfully, in terms of deciding between handles and knobs, it doesn’t really come down to aesthetics, but rather usability. Kitchen door knobs and bar handles are equally as stylish and on trend, but they way they’re used in the kitchen is vastly different. It could be argued that knobs, especially the smaller variety, are more difficult to use as they require the fingers to bend around the knob in a specific way. This could make it challenging for children or the elderly to operate the kitchen doors, or could be painful for those with arthritis. Larger kitchen door knobs, such as our Winchester T Bar Knob, are a good compromise between the knob style and the ease of use of bar handles, and pulls are also a good alternative. Bar handles tend to be easier to use for those with hand mobility difficulties, and look great regardless of design. They are so versatile, with our Cage Drop Handle perfectly suited to classic homes, and our Titan Bow Handle which is the epitome of modern design.
Kitchen Handles for Contemporary Kitchens
If there’s one thing that gives a kitchen a contemporary feel it’s a touch of sparkle. Modern kitchens today tend to include high gloss cupboard doors, glittery splashbacks, and shiny marble countertops. A unique, eye-catching door handle would really complement a modern kitchen. Stainless steel handles are ideal. Polished to perfection, they give a reflective, mirror-like effect that blends effortlessly with high gloss accents. Our Stainless Steel Hollow ‘D’ Handles really add to the ‘wow’ factor of any kitchen, but you can also get amazing effects from chrome handles and from black matt handles if you’re looking for something a bit different.
Contemporary kitchens also tend to be quite minimal in design, stepping away from the ornate and intricate, and sticking with a more streamlined, simplistic style. Bar handles fit in with this trend wonderfully. Typically thinner and more straight forward than other forms of handle, they add an air of modesty and a sense of cleanliness to a kitchen that fuses with the classic traits of contemporary design. For the ultimate in minimalist style, take a look at our Acrylic bar handles that are almost invisible to the naked eye. It doesn’t get much more simple than that.
Kitchen Door Handles for Traditional Kitchens
Traditional kitchens are truly beautiful when executed properly, and they deserve finishing touches that really make the room. Classic kitchens tend to be more intricately designed and ornate than modern kitchens, with lots of solid wood, sharp, angular corners, and often a sense of purposeful overcrowding, in direct contrast with the minimalist feel of modern kitchens. If you’re looking for traditional kitchen handles, you may be surprised to learn that you probably have more choice in terms of style than you do if looking for modern kitchen door handles! What is classed as traditional today is very much open to interpretation, and many classic kitchens incorporate aspects from both traditional and contemporary designs.
Of course, there are the all-traditional styles, such as our ceramic knobs with rose designs, and our Valentino Pull, but classic kitchens can have a touch of sparkle too. If you’re looking for something that fits with a classic design, but doesn’t date your kitchen, why not consider our range of handles made from brass, satin nickel, or Aztec gold? These handles are more ornate than those designed for modern kitchens, so they’re perfect for finishing more classic spaces, yet they’ve got a bit more personality and energy about them than some other materials like pewter, for example. However, that’s not to say pewter isn’t a good option. In fact, pewter and solid wood kitchen door handles are two of the most sophisticated styles we offer.
It’s important not to put kitchen handles on the back burner when choosing a new fitted kitchen – they are just as important as any other aspect of the room, perhaps even more so! The right kitchen door handles for your room can really make your kitchen look great, so browse our website and consider all your options.