Archive for the ‘cabinet hardware’ Category
Everyone loves things that look new, smell new, and feel new. I mean, there are even ways to purchase a ‘new car smell’ in a can and cleaning products that restore that ‘brand new’ feel to almost everything. For this reason, I find it wildly amusing that oil rubbed bronze hardware has become wildly popular. Because after all, one of the most obvious goals of oil rubbed bronze hardware is to create a somewhat antique or weathered look- which is, of course, in stark contrast to the feeling of ‘new’ that is so coveted. Nevertheless, I can’t help but jump on the oil rubbed bronze bandwagon. I mean, its deep color is so luxurious, its texture so unique that the same finish can feel entirely smooth in some designs and downright grainy in other pieces.
After scouring the market (which, I must admit, was more of a scavenger hunt than a chore), I’ve identified my top 10 favorite pieces of oil rubbed bronze hardware. Rated on price, color tone and style, here are my recommendations for oil rubbed bronze hardware:
1- 3″ Pull by Top Knobs, Item M1215. I love this piece because it is fairly priced, remarkably smooth and has a rather modern design despite its old world finish.
2- 3 ¾” Pull by Top Knobs, Item M1197. This pull is slightly larger than the standard 3″ pull and is shockingly contemporary for something made from oil rubbed bronze. I love, love, love it.
3- 3″ Blackrock Pull by Amerock, Item #55275-ORB. The height on this solid pull sets it apart from similar designs.
4- Blackrock Pendant Pull by Amerock, Item #55274-ORB. This pull is a great complement to the Backrock pull or a fabulous addition to any bedroom furniture all on its own!
5- 3″ Cup Pull by Belwith, Item #K343-10B. I appreciate the design of this cup pull because it will match both modern and traditional rooms.
6- 64mm Cup Pull by Liberty Hardware, Item #PN0601-OB-C. This cup pull has a dainty edge and a ruggedly weathered look that gets better with age.
7- 19mm Milk Bottle Knob by Liberty Hardware, Item #PN0248-OB-C. The cute style of this knob and a price under $5 a piece makes this Milk Bottle cabinet knob extremely delicious.
8- 3″ Pull by Top Knobs, Item #M964. The wide bases of this pull remind me of an old-fashioned telephone and are great for covering scratches if using this cabinet pull as a replacement on existing cabinetry.
9- 18″ Appliance Pull by Top Knobs, Item #M797-18. The shape of this oil rubbed bronze appliance pull is both sleek and chic- it may cost a bit more than other appliance pulls, but it’s probably worth it!
10- Round-Off knob by Anne at Home in Rubbed Bronze finish, Item #1092. While this item isn’t technically made of oil rubbed bronze, the rubbed bronze finished and the textured design of the knob provide a genuine look and feel.
New Uses for Home Accessories
Posted on: September 8, 2009
I bet you thought that cabinet knobs were only good for opening cabinets, right? Or that soap dishes can be used only in the bathroom. But what if you discovered that you could use some of your favorite cabinet hardware and home accessories for alternate uses that can improve both the look and efficiency of your space? I happen to love reading Real Simple magazine, and they have a section called New Uses for Old Things. In there, they offer incredibly creative ideas about how to use things that you’d find in your house for new purposes. In tribute to Real Simple, I’d like to offer a few ways you can use kitchen cabinet hardware to improve the way your home functions (beautifully, of course).
1- Cabinet knobs.
Old Use: opening cabinet doors and drawers.
New Use: hanging kitchen linens.
There’s no question that cabinet knobs are generally used for opening cabinetry. But homeowners can also use cabinet knobs as towel hooks, or places to hang potholders. Of course, I wouldn’t advocate hanging something off of every cabinet knob that you own, but there’s definitely no harm in using one or two to get some of your kitchen linens off of the countertop. Why have a cluttered counter or risk dirtying your linens with spills, when you can keep your things easily within reach and safely away from your workspace?
2- Appliance Pulls
Old Use: opening refrigerators or dishwashers with heavy doors.
New Use: as a convenient towel rack.
The goal of a towel rack is to keep your towels close at hand. And while many homeowners prefer to store their kitchen towels tucked inside a cabinet, towels that are hidden away may be difficult to reach when hands are dirty or wet. Instead, homeowners use appliance pulls as external towel racks in the kitchen. Choose an appliance pull or appliance handle that matches your existing cabinet hardware, and mount it on the side of your kitchen island to create an instantly accessible (and classy) kitchen towel rack.
3- Wall mounted soap dish
Old Use: holding your soap in the shower.
New Use: housing your sponge in the kitchen.
Homeowners who have kitchen sinks that are against a backsplash (as opposed to on an island, for example) can find a permanent home for their sponge on a soap dish mounted directly into the backsplash. This solution is ideal for those who don’t have drawers for their sponges and those who are tired of constantly finding their sponge floating in a pool of dirty water. No need for suction cup sponge holders that constantly lose their grip or sponge holders that create clutter on the counter. Bathroom soap dishes are available in endless finishes and styles- find one that matches your kitchen décor and enjoy a more organized sink area immediately.
4- Pull out laundry hampers
Old Use: keeping laundry off the bathroom floor.
New Use: keeping kitchen linens out of sight.
Although many people complain that they don’t have enough cabinet space in their kitchen, many also complain that the look of their kitchen is constantly sullied with wet or dirty rags, towels and aprons. Installing pull out laundry hampers in a kitchen cabinet is a great way to keep your kitchen clean without having wet rags piled up in every corner. Clean out a cabinet by getting rid of items you don’t need and moving some items from lower cabinets into higher ones. Then, install a pull out laundry hamper in a bottom cabinet. Choose a model with air vents to prevent your kitchen towels from getting moldy in the event that you forget to empty the wet linens. This creative system will prevent you from having to run constantly to the laundry room- and will make it easier to stash used linen napkins and tablecloths too!
I just heard about a great new contest that can be great for homeowners looking for kitchen design ideas and those who have just redone their kitchens. Kitchen Cabinet Hardware is offering a $100 to their website (and other home décor sites parented by the same company) as a prize in their new kitchen design contest. Applicants should sent in a 2 pictures of their kitchen- one from “before”, and one from “after”, to show the world how their new kitchen cabinet hardware impacted their space. Submissions should include a list of all new cabinet hardware used in the kitchen design, and any other relevant information.
Good news for homeowners is that the contest is open to both homeowners and professional contractors, so consumers looking for free kitchen design ideas can hopefully get an eyeful from the submissions. Even better news is that the contest has no purchase necessary- you can enter the contest even if you didn’t purchase your supplies from Kitchen Cabinet Hardware. I know that I’ll be monitoring the contest to see all the great ideas out there- I can’t wait to see yours! For a full set of rules or to enter, go to: http://www.kitchen-cabinet-hardware.com/kitchen-design-contest.php. To hear about more online contests, check out Grandma Jam, a great source for online contests. You can also check out Super Blog Directory for some other blogs that may discuss contests. It’s kinda like the lotto- hey, you never know!
People with small kitchens often wish that they could have a larger workspace, more cabinet space, or simply just a more luxurious kitchen. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to space constraints, permit problems or budgetary restrictions. Still, there are many ways through which we can maximize the efficiency and beauty of any small kitchen. The following small kitchen ideas will yield big results- and will enable you to love your small kitchen instead of cursing it.
– Install cabinetry up to the ceiling. If you are lacking storage space, a great way to take full advantage of even the smallest kitchen is to put double cabinetry on top, so that you utilize every inch of available space for storage. What’s more, double cabinetry is not only useful, but it’s also beautiful. Of course, my favorite benefit of having cabinets up to the ceiling is that you eliminate the need for dusting above your cabinets…
– Optimize your corner cabinetry. If your corner cabinets are a mess, implementing a more efficient system will improve the entire look and feel of your small kitchen. Ideas for making this happen include installing blind corner cabinets or a large lazy Susan that can make it easy to find what you’re looking for without rummaging through the entire corner cabinet. While lazy Susans are definitely a more affordable option, there’s no question that blind corner cabinets offer optimal efficiency and can completely revolutionize any corner cabinet.
Rev-A-Shelf Blind Corner Cabinet
– Paint your kitchen with a light color. Small kitchens often feel even smaller because they are painted with dark colors which will make the space feel closed. Choosing a light and warm color such as cream, warm yellow or beige can make a big difference in the way the room feels, and can make the room feel instantly larger.
– Take things off the countertops. If you find that your kitchen countertops are cluttered with accessories, get rid of them. Instead of having a counter-mounted paper towel holder, install a hanging paper towel holder under your cabinetry. Instead of keeping your bread box on the counter, hide your bread in a bread drawer organizer. Instead of keeping your mixer on the counter, stash it in your cabinet on an appliance lift, which will prevent the mixer from ever taking up space on your countertop again.
– Use long cabinet pulls to create an elongated look. Oversized cabinet pulls are a great way to trick the eye into thinking that a space is larger and longer than it is. Replace your old cabinet hardware with cabinet handles that are at least 8 inches in length. Place the handles horizontally on drawers and vertically on cabinet doors to make the most of the look.
Sati Nickel Bar Pull by Top Knobs
Whether you try just one of these small kitchen ideas or implement them all, you won’t believe how a few small touches can really change the feel of your kitchen.
Now that I’ve spent a few Sundays at the beach watching the kids collect a million seashells, I must admit that I’ve gotten a bit caught up in summer styles. And not just the latest bathing suit styles, but summer interior design trends. Specifically, I’ve noticed that a lot of manufacturers offer sea-themed cabinet hardware. At first I was skeptical- who would want to create such a summery space all year long? But then I started wondering- if so many brands offer beach-inspired designs, there must be a reason. And I suddenly realized that installing this type of cabinet hardware is a great way to remember the summer fun all year long.
As I began researching these unique cabinet hardware designs, I found that Anne at Home offers some of the most popular beach-themed cabinet hardware on the market…and for good reason. Anne at Home offers an extensive line of pewter hardware, which is known for it’s longevity as well as its style. More importantly, Anne at Home offers customers the unique opportunity to choose their own hardware style and match it with the finish of their choice, to create a custom look for any space. With over 30 colored finishes to choose from that range from green verdigris to an orangey-copper tone, homeowners can create something that is subtly colorful, without being overly garish as many colored cabinet hardware styles tend to be.
Anyway, I digress. Because pewter is a soft metal that is easy to work with, Anne at Home is able to offer sculpted cabinet hardware that is more than just a design stamped on a metal plate. Although I’m sure that many people appreciate, oh, Liberty Cabinet Hardware’s Coastal Collection, which offers knobs with a nautical theme, I appreciate the texture and unique shape of Anne at Home’s selection.
Anne at Home Dolphin Knob
Liberty Hardware Seashell Knob
But here’s the catch- pewter hardware isn’t cheap, and Anne at Home’s custom designs definitely aren’t cheap. While I’m usually an advocate of purchasing home décor items that aren’t the most expensive, sometimes I think that buying what you love may be worthwhile. Items like cabinet hardware are designed to last forever AND you generally don’t need more than 5 or 6 to outfit an entire bathroom. So…despite my normally cheap tendencies, in this case I think Anne at Home is worth a splurge.
What do you think?
Since I’m still mourning the loss of Michael Jackson, I thought it fitting to discuss my favorite black bathroom accessories. Why bathroom, you ask? For starters, you won’t see many black bathroom accessories around, and I think that this is a pity, because black accessories have the unique ability to add drama to any room- especially to smaller spaces like bathrooms. I’ve seen many 70’s bathrooms- mint green, powder blue, fuschia or light pink that would benefit from a bit of a modern twist. And while not all homeowners can afford a full bathroom renovation, adding a touch of black will instantly update even the most outdated bathroom. So here are 4 of my favorite black bathroom accessories…what are yours?
1- A modern black T-shaped knob. Bathroom cabinets generally don’t require much in the way of cabinet hardware, so picking black cabinet hardware that will really make a statement is an inexpensive way to accent the space. My favorite black cabinet pull is the one featured here- but you can see for yourself that any design will make a difference.
Berenson black cabinet knob
2- A fabulous black bathroom vanity. Even installed against the oldest of solid-color bathroom tiles, a black bathroom vanity can do wonders to reinvent a bathroom. If you have patterned tiles, however, you may want to think twice before installing a new bathroom vanity, unless you know for sure that it’ll complement the busy pattern. I happen to love ultra-modern bathroom vanities, and choosing a black one is a great idea because black never goes out of style. Just make sure that the dark finish won’t overwhelm your space- if you have a very small bathroom, black fixtures may overpower the space rather than enhancing it.
Double Black Bathroom Vanity
3- A patterned black shower curtain. You may think that having a black shower curtain will darken your space but I must tell you that it can also do wonders for disguising an unsightly shower. If your shower has mildew, cracked tiles, or an ugly design, you probably wish it would just disappear- and with a patterned black shower curtain, both you and your guests will have something beautiful to focus on.
4- A black wastebasket and rug combo. OK, OK, I know these are really two different black bathroom accessories, but I think they mesh well together since they both sit on the floor. Black trash cans are great (in my humble opinion), because they keep your eye focused on things other than the trash. Likewise, they look terrific when paired with a black bathroom rug that will conceal outdated floor tiles and provide a plush experience every time you exit the shower.
Black bathroom accessories aren’t ideal for every bathroom, but they are definitely great for MOST bathrooms. Without going overboard, you can add a touch of modernity to your space and transform an old-fashioned bathroom into a spa-like sanctuary.
Do I Really Need Cabinet Pulls?
Posted on: June 24, 2009
Allow me to introduce the first piece of furniture that I designed myself. I still can’t believe that I did it- or that I actually like the way it came out. The piece is a dark wood sideboard with 3 drawers that look like they’re ‘floating’, because they are not attached to the walls of the sideboard. And there are 3 ottomans underneath the drawers that can be pulled out to create additional seating in my dining room in case the need arises.
I’m wondering if I need cabinet pulls for this piece, or if the unique design will only be complicated by the additional design detail. In general, I love cabinet pulls (more than knobs), but for some reason, I’m vacillating whether I need them here. If I had to choose, I’d go with nickel cabinet pulls or possibly stainless steel. I have 2 metallic wall hangings in the room, and I think that nickel pulls would match nicely with them…if I have cabinet pulls at all.
Believe me when I tell you that I’m not opposed to installing the pulls because of the price- if you know me at all, you’ll know that I love cabinet pulls because they are an affordable way to dress up (or re-dress) your furniture. Still, I am confounded by the fact that I’m not sure I need or want them on this sideboard.
Care to tell me what you think?
My New Sideboard
Interior Design on Your Own Time 