Kitchen cabinets can be the defining feature of a kitchen's style and personality. The choice of wood, finish, and construction are important decisions, but once the actual cabinets are chosen there is still the question of hardware - the knobs, pulls, hinges and latches that can make a big difference in both the look and use of your cabinets. A change in hardware can also be used as a relatively inexpensive way of revamping the whole look of the kitchen without needing to replace the cabinets themselves. There are so many different options in the realm of cabinet hardware that there really is something to fit every taste.

The homeowner's personal style and interests are a key factor in deciding what styles of hardware to look at and choose from. Those preferring a traditional style may look more towards brushed or polished metal finishes, while a more contemporary taste may indicate the use of enamels or high gloss finishes. Finishes may be antiqued, polished, high gloss, matte or more, and materials include everything from simple plastics, to wood, metal and even stone. For a special theme or personal interest, there are knobs or pulls formed to look like almost anything, from a tree branch pull to a soccer ball knob. Hinges may be hidden, self-closing, or highly decorative, and can be integrated into the look of the kitchen or hidden away behind the cabinet doors.

Knobs and pulls both serve the purpose of providing an easy way to grasp and open a cabinet. Beyond the simple function of being a handle, though, the choice of which knobs or pulls to install can completely change the personality of the room. Knobs are handles mounted to the door or drawer with a single screw and bolt, while pulls are longer, generally fastened with a screw and bolt at each end. Either type of handle can be fastened directly to the door or drawer, or they may be combined with a matching backplate. A backplate serves the dual purpose of protecting the wood of the cabinet and adding to the visual effect of the knob or pull.

In most cases, buyers will get the same style of knob or pull for every cabinet in the kitchen. For the more adventurous, it can work to alternate contrasted but complementary knobs or pulls, or to choose several different styles that work together to form a theme, such as leaves, primary colors, or seaside objects.

It can be daunting to browse through listings of hundreds of styles of knob and pull to choose from. When faced with the amazing variety of choices, it may be tempting to go with something simple, cheap and safe. Depending on the kitchen, a basic wooden or brass knob may be perfect, but it's useful to look at a wide range of styles and materials. This lets the buyer get a feel for what may be possible, how much different options may cost, and what options really fit their personal style and kitchen.

Ceramic Ceramic knobs are durable, easy to clean, and present a clean, classic image. They are available in white, patterns and a variety of colors, and may be a standard rounded knob or pull, or textured and molded into interesting shapes. The knob or pull may be entirely ceramic, or may consist of a metal or wood base and ceramic insert.

Crystal Crystal knobs are a beautiful way to add light and brightness to a kitchen. Most are clear or frosted, and they may be faceted or cut to catch the light better and make the kitchen sparkle. While the most common shape for crystal knobs is a modified sphere, they may also be found cut into shapes such as flowers or geometric shapes.

Glass While crystal is beautiful, there are many more ways of forming glass, and glass knobs can be found in a variety of shapes, textures and colors. Options include stylistic geometric shapes, and a variety of whimsical themes such as leaves or shells. Glass takes color easily, so many styles are available in a range of lovely colors.

Plastic Plastic is an inexpensive material, although it can sometimes be brittle. While plastic knobs and pulls are available in a range of different colors, styles are generally fairly basic and simple. Buyers with a higher budget tend to prefer materials that have a more distinct personality, but plastic can be perfect for a utilitarian style or inexpensive project.

Wood Wood is a wonderful material for knobs because there are so many options. They are available in a range of shapes, and range from very simple and inexpensive, to more expensive wood knobs with decorative metal insets. It's also possible to purchase unfinished knobs so that they can be finished to match the wood of the cabinets exactly. Pulls are also available, although less common than knobs.

Stone Stone is harder to work than many materials, so stone knobs are more expensive than many options. In spite of this, stone knobs can make for a beautiful and different addition to the kitchen. For kitchens with granite countertops, there are even granite knobs in a variety of colors that may be chosen to match.

Metal

Metal is one of the most versatile materials that knobs and pulls can be made of. Because it can be worked in a variety of ways and has a high degree of strength even when stretched and shaped into odd forms, metal is available in almost any style of knob or pull that can be imagined.

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that is prized for its strength, durability, and the wide variety of colors and properties that can be achieved by varying the percentages of copper, zinc, and other additions. Brass knobs and pulls may be gold toned, coppery or even silver toned, and the finish may be brushed, polished to a high shine, or antiqued. There is a huge selection, and brass knobs or pulls can be found in almost any style, from traditional to whimsical.

Bronze Bronze is another alloy of copper, generally with tin, although other minerals may also be used. It has a distinctive dark tone that works well with antiqued looks. When highly polished, the bronze can have a warm glow to it that goes well with many darker woods.

Copper Copper, with its highly prized reddish tone, is a beautiful addition to any kitchen. Often formed into animal or plant shapes, it is also beautiful as a geometric knob or simple pull. Many styles use an antiqued finish, where a darker patina draws out the details of relief patterns.

Iron Iron is another popular and versatile metal used for pulls and knobs. Iron is strong and very ductile, so it can be formed into a variety of intricate shapes. Finishes may vary from a highly polished silver tone to a flat black finish.

Resin Resin has become a material of choice for many artists who love its versatility, strength and inexpensive cost. This versatility also makes it perfect for the whimsical knobs produced by companies like Laurey. Their products include knobs in the shape of soccer balls or golf balls, as well as tons of different animals and other shapes to fit special interests.

Hinges come in a variety of types and styles. What type of hinge to buy depends in part on what type of cabinets they are for. Some cabinets are designed to hide the hinges, while other cabinet doors are attached with the hinges showing. The two main types of cabinet are face frame cabinets and frameless (also known as European) cabinets.

Face frame cabinets are built with a hardwood frame on the face of the cabinet. This conceals the ends of the side panels and also adds strength and stability to the structure. The frame also acts as a very strong base to attach hinges to. Because of the frame adding stability, face frame cabinets can be built with less expensive plywood backs. Bottom cabinets may not need any top panel at all, since they are visually covered by countertops and the necessary structural strength is provided by the frame. The doors may close flush with the frame or be overlaid on the frame either partially or completely. In most cases, the frame is allowed to show between and around the doors.

Frameless cabinets are a popular European style which uses boxlike construction with the sides, back, top and bottom all out of the same material. The raw front edges are typically covered with a laminate matching the panels, since there is no frame to conceal them. The doors generally completely overlap the front edges of the box. This creates the appearance of an unbroken surface very different from the look of the face frame style cabinet.

Overlay Hinges Overlay hinges are designed for use with frameless cabinets. The two wings of the hinge are attached to the inside wall of the cabinet and the back of the door, so that the hinge is invisible when the door is closed. Since this style of hinge doesn't really show, they are more functional than attractive. This type of hinge is generally only used for full overlay doors.

Wrap Hinges Wrap hinges are designed so that only the knuckle and pin of the hinge show when the door is closed. The door wing attaches to the rear side of the door, while the frame wing may wrap around two or three sides of the frame to be attached on the side or back of the frame. Because the knuckle and pin portion of the hinge is visible, this type of hinge is available in a variety of finishes, and the pins may have decorative finials. This type of hinge is generally used for partial overlay doors.

Flush Hinges Flush or full inset hinges are used for cabinets where the doors are fully flush with the cabinet or frame. Both wings of the hinge are attached to the inner sides of the cabinet and door, with the knuckle and pin showing on the outside. As with the wrap hinges, there are a variety of finishes, and decorative options for the pin ends.

Face Frame Hinges Face frame or face mount hinges are partially concealed. The door wing of the hinge attaches to the rear side of the door, while the frame wing of the hinge is mounted visibly on the front of the frame. The knuckle and pin of the hinge are also visible. Because of this visibility, there is a range of different finishes and decorative options available. Many self closing hinges are of this type.

Surface Mount Hinges Surface mount hinges offer the most decorative options, because both the frame wing and the door wing of the hinge are mounted visibly on the outside of the cabinet. Many styles are simple and utilitarian, although there are wide ranges of finishes and colors available.

Self Closing Hinges Self closing hinges are becoming more and more popular, and are available as flush or face mounted hinges. Because it is the knuckle and pin mechanism that produces the self closing effect, the technology can be applied to a variety of configurations of the door and frame wings of the hinge.