Choosing Bathroom Cabinet Hardware

Finishing touches and accessories that you select for your bathroom are like the icing on the cake. They add that extra touch of “special” to your bathroom project.

The cabinet hardware is like the perfect piece of jewelry that sets off your outfit. The cabinet hardware enhances the style of your bathroom. With so many choices, it’s important to consider ease and comfort for whoever will be using a particular bathroom. You may also want to consider the durability and potential bumps and scrapes when cabinet doors are open.

Here are some thoughts that will help you to consider the options.

Knobs or Pulls or a Combination?

When making these selections, consider the profile of the door and drawer fronts. For example, while you may love a bin-style pull, it may not function well on a 5-piece drawer front, which is better accented by a straight-bar type of pull.

What About Positioning?

For wall cabinets with a raised center panel style door, set the knob or the bottom of the pull (top of pull on a base unit), directly across from the center panel’s flat.

For a flat center panel door, 2 inches to 2-1/2 inches is a good starting point — hold up the hardware piece and let your eye make the final choice.

With a mitered door, never position the hardware in the lower corner where the mitered joints meet.

For drawers, if the hardware is of average size—3 inches to 3-1/2 inches wide— a good rule of thumb is to position a single piece of hardware on drawers less than 24 inches wide. If your cabinet draw is over 24 inches wide, you would want to use two pieces per drawer.

Hardware Finishing

When it comes to finishes, it is important to match the cabinet hardware to the bathroom’s other components. If you are selecting an oil-rubbed bronze artisan faucet, select the matching hardware.

It is OK to mix finishes, but they should not clash. Mixing brass with black cast iron might be a combination that may fight a bit. However, pairing brushed nickel with polished chrome can offer a dynamic and attractive contrast.