Choosing the perfect handles to enhance your kitchen cupboards

This guide will show you how to get a grip on your kitchen door handles.

Choosing between knobs, bows, bars, pulls and cups in various different materials can be an overwhelming design choice.

Kitchen door handles are often an over-looked finishing touch, but it can have the greatest impact on your overall look. It can really establish a style or ambience of the space and they enhance the look of your overall design and finishing touches such as pendant lights, bar stools and accessories.

Your handles should be the shinning hero of your design, not a last minute decision. Read on to discover all the different types available and how you can choose your perfect handle…

For inspiration browse our top 5 handles:

Statement traditionalist

Rustic and timeless

Edgy and industrial

Sleek and sophisticated

Simply contemporary

Think about your overall style

Your theme or style you’re wanting to achieve will dictate your choice of handle.

Contemporary stylists will champion sleek clean lines and crisp detailing. You may prefer a seamless approach with a handleless kitchen such as Milano Contour, or a stainless bar option or even a bow shape such as this Ella Antique Copper bar.

Traditionalists with Shaker or Country designs may prefer a more classic approach such as using luxurious materials such as aged brass cups, hammered cast iron knobs or how about the tried and tested oak handle.

For a more industrial look, using sleek worn handles or those made out of natural raw materials would complement the theme. Such as this iron effect knob or simple yet effective bow handle.

Choose your material

The material you choose for your kitchen handles has an impact on the overall look and feel of your space.

There are a range of different options to you including:

• Metals like copper, gold/brass, chrome, graphite black, weathered iron or brushed steel
• Woods including painted and natural finish
• Ceramics like porcelain

Different types of materials work well with particular designs. For example, industrial style kitchens would suit iron, black or steel handles and traditional kitchens look perfect with natural wood or hammered, muted metal styles to offer that rustic look.

Don’t forget the colour of your handle is important so they stand out against your units and blend with your worktop. For example gold handles look stunning with navy, green and grey coloured kitchen units with icy white quartz worktops.

Be practical

You will be using these handles day in and day out for many years so choosing a handle design that works for you is important.

Designs that are too fiddly, too small and have too much detailing aren’t right for the kitchen. Over time they will become annoying if you struggle to get a grip of them and difficult to clean if they have too many nooks and crannies. Bars and cups are fantastic styles for practicality reasons and are easy to clean too.