The Best Handles, Knobs & Pulls for Cathedral, Arched or Shaker Style Cabinets
Are you looking for ideas to update your kitchen or bathroom cabinets without spending a fortune? Or maybe you’ve ALREADY spent a fortune on your space and NOW you want to save! Regardless of whether you’re starting your journey or ending it, this hardware will give you some major bang for buck (non-street-corner style – sorry to disappoint).
The first thing you need to do is figure out what type of cabinets you’re working with…
SHAKER STYLE CABINETS
CAN BE A VARIETY OF WOODS INCLUDING OAK, MAPLE, PINE OR CHERRY
This type of cabinet has a square/rectangle door profile with a ‘frame’ around it. It can be fresh outta the 80s oak or a simple recessed maple panel, but the great thing about this profile is that it’s super timeless (it’s usually the finish of the cabinet that gives its age away).
There are shaker styles that have more detail and some that have less. Some have a raised panel with a bit of detail, and some have a flat recessed panel. Regardless, the MAIN idea is that your door panel has a square or rectangular-shaped ‘frame’ around it.
ARCHED & CATHEDRAL STYLE CABINETS
USUALLY OAK OR MAPLE
Of the two, arched is an easier style to update than cathedral style. Arched is just a bit more subtle, a bit less…churchy. Cathedral-style cabinets are trickier to update as their shape is much more pronounced (passive-aggressive word for dated). In this case, regardless of the finish (wood or painted), it’s the STYLE of the cabinet that gives its age away. And while most of us get curves as we age, these aren’t the type of curves that are easy to camouflage.
And I’m not trying to be mean, I’m trying to be realistic so that I can help you embrace what you have and make the best choices moving forward (I swear)!
Left: Double Cathedral / Right: Single Arch
There is a single arch and double arch, a single cathedral and double cathedral and curse thee who has the double cathedral. The DC is just a bugger to update as its style is hard-pressed to step out of the ’80s UNLESS you want a more country look.
Should You Paint Your Wood Cabinets or Leave Them Stained – A QUESTIONNAIRE
But I digress; let’s stay on track here and start looking at hardware…
Let’s Give it a Name – Transitional
When I’m hardware shopping for clients who want to update their kitchen cabinets, I’m looking for styles that transition the cabinets from where they currently are to a more updated, modern version. I want flexible hardware, that can nod to one style while kindly humouring another – make sense? And we’re going to call this hardware style ‘transitional’.
TRANSITIONAL STYLE HARDWARE TO UPDATE KITCHEN CABINETS
Because shaker-style cabinets are transitional themselves, we can look at hardware with slightly cleaner lines, without being UBER modern and sexy – yes, I just called hardware sexy.
And, of course, you can get most of these styles in whichever finish you like; these are just the shapes to get you on the right track. And while some of these are a BIT pricier than I’d like, you can take the idea and shop at your local store to see if you can find a better deal.
GETTING A HANDLE ON THINGS
Cabinet handles, also known as pulls, have come a LONG way. Gone are the dated plastic pulls of the ’80s and wood-metal blends of the ’90s. NOW we have handles that actually add function AND style to a cabinet door, such as these…
Click on the links below to see the different available finishes.
- Cup Pull – Black | 2. Bar Pull – Black | 3. Arch Pull – Black | 4. Cup Pull – Polished Nickel | 5. Bar Pull – Polished Nickel | 6. Arch Pull – Polish Nickel | 7. Cup Pull – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 8. Bar Pull – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 9. Center Bar Pull – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 10. Cup Pull – Brass | 11. Center Cup Pull – Brass | 12. Center Pull – Brass
UGH, YOU’RE SUCH A KNOB
Just joking. However, some cabinets look best with knobs, particularly when you only have one knob hole and aren’t inclined to bust out the drill.
Knobs are a bit more unisex when it comes to working with shaker and cathedral-style cabinets and one knob can often suit both profiles. And really, can you believe I haven’t made a rude joke about knobs yet? I know, it’s disturbing, isn’t it?
Click on the links below to see the different available finishes.
- Classic Mushroom Knob – Black | 2. Mushroom Knob – Black | 3. Geometric Square Knob – Black | 4. Square Knob – Black | 5. Basic Mushroom Knob – Polished Nickel | 6. Mushroom Knob – Polished Nickel | 7. Round Knob – Polished Nickel | 8. Square Knob – Polished Nickel | 9. Mushroom Knob – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 10. Basic Mushroom Knob – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 11. Detailed Mushroom Knob – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 12. T-Bar Knob – Oil Rubbed Bronze | 13. Mushroom Knob – Brass | 14. Simple Mushroom Knob – Brass | 15. Square Knob – Brass | 16. Rectangle Knob – Brass
And you might be thinking, ‘umm Kylie, there are a lot of mushroom-shaped knobs in that image?’ That’s because I love you and am trying to save you from the freakin’ AGONY of oval and square knobs that inevitably loosen up and go off-kilter so you spend half your time in the kitchen tweakin’ your knobs so they all line up. I’ve got a few in there, but consider yourself warned. And no Mom, I’m not going to make a rude joke to finish the ‘tweakin’ your knob‘ sentence off but you KNOW I thought about it.
And I know you might have some questions about hardware finish, but that is an upcoming blog post (don’t hold your breath though as I have a few good ones in the meantime).
Want more?
5 Ideas to Update Oak Cabinets – (PART 1 in series)
MORE Ideas to Update Your Wood Cabinets – WITHOUT a Drop of Paint! (PART 2)
The 16 Best Paint Colours to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets or Trim (PART 4)
Need to get a ‘handle’ on things?
Check out my affordable E-design, E-decor and Online Color Consulting Packages!
READ MORE
8 Best Whole Home Warm NEUTRAL Paint Colours
The 4 Best Gray & Greige Paint Colours for Kitchen Cabinets & Vanities
The 7 Best Paint Colours to Update Dark Wood Trim
4 BUDGET-FRIENDLY KITCHEN UPDATE IDEAS
The Best Paint Colours for Kitchen Islands & Lower Cabinets
6 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2018, UPDATED IN 2022
Thank you for this post, as it is something which I wouldn’t have given much thought. We are getting ready to sell our home and I think replacing the drawer pulls will give the kitchen a simple, updated face lift.
Dear dear Kylie,
Have you considered incorporating these invaluable blog posts into book form..and SELLING your remarkable design skills and depth of knowledge…NOT to mention your superb writing skills.
You ought to be a WRITER!!! NOT to take away from your obvious and very creative design talents…but also take advantage of your ever so easy readable writing skills. JUST a thought!
Hi Kylie, I just had my kitchen cabinets painted with BM White Dove. What color would you recommend for the walls. I want to keep the walls a light color. The painter is doing this next week so I’m in a panic! Any recommendations are appreciated , thanks so much!
Hi Gale, thank you for the note! When it comes to wall colour it will be less about the cabinet colour and more about the countertop/flooring/backsplash (as White Dove is pretty versatile). I’d recommend you check out my e-design, it’s affordable and I do have the 3 day turnaround option. This way I can look at your photos/products and give you options that suit your space! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product-category/interior-paint-colors/
~Kylie
Hi Kylie! I’ve found your blog invaluable as I’ve started the remodel process on our 13 year old home. Does the size of the bar pull matter? I noticed most of the ones you posted were 4-5″ but it seems 3″ is the most common sold. Thank you!
Author
Hi Liz, for cabinet handles, I’d say 4-5″ is the common one when remodelling, as that’s a common width for the old hardware (so the holes are already there). I find that with most new kitchens that when they have a choice, my clients are choosing 5-7″ more commonly 🙂
Thanks!
What are your thoughts about knobs vs handles? Obviously I will do handles on the drawers, a curved handle (as I have dated cathedral doors). I am torn about the cupboard doors though…
Author
Hi Laura! I’ve always been a handle fan, but lately I’ve fully embraced knobs on doors (round ones for sure) – I say DO IT!
I’m going for a whole new kitchen in our 35 year old home. I’m looking for something classic because we’re retired and this has to last until they carry me out! 😉
I love white but worry that it will look dated in a few years. Can you address that? Same with. the shaker style. Which style is going to be the most classic? Has the white cabinets run most of its fashion cycle?
Also, I like the look of dark knobs and handles, but everything else in our house is polished nickel. Can I have dark pulls and knobs in the kitchen without changing the rest of the hardware throughput the house. Or can I have polished nickel cupboard hardware but use dark curtain rods and light fixtures?
I have the DC cabinet in honey oak. What knobs do you recommend.