How to choose the right kitchen handles?

Explore the key elements to consider when selecting your kitchen handles, from doors to furniture.

When we think about designing our kitchen, it is natural to focus on the more obvious elements such as cabinet materials, worktops and appliances. However, there is an often-overlooked detail that can truly transform the aesthetic of your culinary space: kitchen handles. But how do you choose the kitchen door handles that perfectly match the style you want to create? How do you integrate them into your space in a way that is both functional and aesthetic?

To answer these questions, let us guide you through the various key factors to consider when selecting kitchen handles. Choosing the first stainless steel handle you come across can be a costly mistake in terms of design.

Creating harmony in the kitchen: from the door handle to the kitchen handles

Often considered as simple functional elements, kitchen handles actually play a much deeper role in interior design. They are capable of visually enhancing every room and reflecting the overall style of your space.

As for door handles, they are far more than simple hardware accessories. They act as eco-deco decorative elements, capable of conferring a particular atmosphere to your space. Whether it's a drawer handle, cupboard knobs or sliding door handles, these elements offer untapped potential to personalise and visually enhance your new kitchen.

The aim is to liven up your décor in an economical way, saving both time and money. You have the choice between seeking originality at all costs or creating harmonious combinations between the handles and kitchen furniture.

The door knob

Whether for budget reasons or in search of unique styles, the options for furniture handles and door knobs have evolved. The budget-friendly handle such as the door knob is now available in a varied range of colours including: matt black, brilliant gold, stainless steel metal and polished brass. The materials used have also diversified, ranging from wrought iron to stainless steel, via zamak and aluminium. The design of these door handles often adopts minimalist geometric lines, while some bold models such as porcelain handles with star motifs can add a more whimsical touch. These different models are designed to match the design of your kitchen furniture, while adding a distinctive touch to your interior. For example, in a modern kitchen, adding matt black door knobs can infuse a contemporary elegance. These small details can transform a new kitchen, adding both functionality and aesthetics to every piece of furniture in the room.

The baton handle

The baton handle, also known as a pull handle, is a practical option for kitchen doors. Suitable for fitting both vertically and horizontally, this door handle allows for opening by simple pulling and enables creative combinations. You can play with the orientation of baton handles to create unique designs. Before choosing this option, make sure it suits your usage habits and the style of your kitchen.

In brass or bronze, this door handle model is now available in modern materials such as zamak or nylon which meet the hygiene standards required in kitchens, and in a beautiful palette of colours.

The sliding door handle

Sliding doors are a popular solution for saving space in the kitchen. Recessed handles are often the preferred choice for sliding doors, as they offer a clean appearance. Make sure that recessed handles are easy to operate and that they integrate harmoniously with your design. The kitchen is the room that lends itself entirely to this, both for the entrance door and for the fronts of furniture and cupboards. The recessed handle or surface-mounted handle is a good solution as kitchen furniture handles. It is even possible to fit a key lock on the unit housing dangerous products that need to be kept out of reach of children, for example. Combinations of materials, such as a modern handle in stainless steel fitted on a glass or old wooden door, produce striking decorative effects.

Also think about coordinating the handles on your windows and French doors. Adding a lever handle offers a variety of models, and you can even incorporate a key lock rose for added security. To complete this approach, consider extending this consistency to the door stops from the same range. This not only protects the kitchen furniture, but also creates a cohesive aesthetic with all the handles present on the kitchen doors and furniture.

Before you get started, here are a few ideas and tips to help you make your choice based on the style and layout of your kitchen.

Adapting your choice to your kitchen styles

The choice of kitchen handles should reflect the overall style of the room. Here is how to match handles to different kitchen styles:

Ultra-modern kitchen

If you have a ultra-modern style kitchen, opt for handles with a clean design and a minimalist style. Discreet handles with a smooth finish such as stainless steel metal or a lacquered varnish look will make the difference. The aim is to maintain clean lines to match the modern aesthetic of the kitchen. The furniture handle is often invisible and recessed. Even if the furniture has no handles, the kitchen entrance door deserves a designer door handle.

The interplay of contrasting colours enhances the clean lines of the furniture: fit handles with a matt black finish on a white door or, conversely, white lacquered finish door knobs on a dark kitchen furniture drawer.

Expert tip: Opt for handles without excessive ornamentation. Minimalist handles help to maintain the clean, modern look of the kitchen.

Contemporary kitchen

Contemporary kitchens with a sociable feel love to play with contrasts by mixing materials. Their rectilinear shapes are softened with dark colours such as brushed chrome or black handles for aluminium and glass cabinets. Experiment with a modern, captivating look using geometric shapes. Brightness will be accentuated by more vivid colours such as red and of course, the latest trend: white handles for kitchen doors.

Expert tip:

Fit on the kitchen door a decorative chrome handle on a square plate that echoes the surrounding geometry! As an alternative to matt black, the stainless steel metal handle is a product with an ideal value for money for contemporary-style kitchens.

Prefer to combine oak with aluminium using these two-tone door handles that echo the codes of contemporary design.

Combine brushed steel and black finishes or pair the stainless steel of the kitchen sink with the bronze-effect door handle. Let your imagination run free for the décor of your contemporary kitchen!

Traditional kitchen

For traditional kitchens, bronze or brass handles offer an authentic charm. Choose materials that evoke the warmth of wood and favour contrasting kitchen furniture handles to create a reassuring and warm atmosphere.

The furniture, more visible and often in solid wood, has visible handles. Elegant furniture knobs bring a quality interior look. In addition to iron or traditional stainless steel, the oak-finished door can be dressed with sculpted bronze handles to accentuate the welcoming touch, or handles with satin nickel or brushed silver finish to give the room a more modern character.

Expert tip: Aged brass handles can add a vintage touch to a traditional kitchen. Choose classic shapes to complement the timeless design.

Rustic kitchen

Despite the enthusiasm for modernism, rustic kitchens with their pine furniture and traditional tiling resist and adapt to contemporary decorating trends. The Scandinavian style remains fashionable, especially for the kitchen which is the heart of the home. They can afford to feature luxurious door handles in sculpted bronze or brass. Their hinged furniture doors, their solid wood furniture (oak, pine, maple…) create a welcoming atmosphere while meeting the eco requirements of fans of this noble and durable material. The colours of the furniture are often understated (brown and beige) as eco-friendly wood is dominant. Household linen tends to be light for a on-trend look or, on the contrary, vivid red to energise the warm ambience.

Expert tip:

For the dressing of the interior doors of this kitchen, in addition to wooden handles, other solutions are possible:

• Favour sober and traditional finishes to ensure stylistic harmony between the handles and the kitchen furniture; a round plate will lighten the heavy appearance. A black chrome or brushed brass finish handle will accentuate the country look of the décor.

• Or on the contrary, try a refined gold finish to restore vibrancy and luxury to dark wood kitchen furniture handles. Yet another contrast between the handles and the kitchen furniture that produces a quality style effect!

Expert tip: To accentuate the rustic look, choose handles with sculpted details or intricate ornaments that evoke a sense of tradition and comfort.

• Or alternatively, choose a handle with light lines (without a rose or key lock): the fluid shape and matt stainless steel metal finish will soften the impact of the kitchen furniture.

Choosing a durable door handle for the kitchen

Sturdy and easy-to-maintain handles

Each room has a different use and a different level of footfall. The kitchen, like the bathroom, is a wet room: it is best to avoid choosing handles made from materials sensitive to corrosion such as wrought iron. By general consensus, stainless steel is the most practical material in the kitchen thanks to its excellent value for money. An eco-friendly solution! However, other materials offer good alternatives.

Besides durability, it is worth bearing in mind that a kitchen door handle must be hygienic and easy to maintain. Furniture handles will get soiled during meal preparation. When cooking, you should not have to worry about preserving decorative accessories! You will open and close the cupboard door of your kitchen furniture hundreds of times a day! The entrance door too! You need to choose ergonomic handles that are easy to operate: not every kitchen can be fitted with baton handles!

To protect young children, you can fit a lock on the storage units intended to house any dangerous products such as household cleaning products.

All handles come with their matching closing rose. It is very easy to create harmonious sets even when the sole purpose is simply to be able to latch the opening or closing of a door! Once again, the door handle offers wonderful opportunities to showcase your kitchen.

Choice of materials for kitchen handles

The kitchen door handle must be made from a quality, durable material as it will operate the opening and closing of the doors of the central living room in your home hundreds of times a day. The preferred materials are bronze, zamak (an alloy of zinc, aluminium, magnesium and copper), stainless steel (inox) or naturally hygienic aluminium. Ceramic is also perfectly suitable. Why not fit white porcelain door knobs on your wooden kitchen furniture handles? Or indeed, drawer knobs for kitchen furniture in nylon, a material that requires no maintenance?

If you have sliding doors, do not forget to also match the recessed handles, which you will find in many finishes such as aged brass, satin stainless steel or chrome steel. Finally, a pull handle in polished brass or matt black will make a very decorative furniture or cupboard knob. The modern materials used guarantee quality and durability for your handles.

Eco-deco handles

Of course, price will play a part in your choice of kitchen door handle. To match the interior door handles with those of the furniture, do not limit yourself to the models offered by your kitchen showroom. Take the time to find the product of your dreams among a wider range of quality designer door handles at eco-friendly prices! Draw inspiration from reviews and decorating trends. You will save money and elevate your décor!

Whatever the style of your kitchen, take the time to carefully choose the door handle whose quality and style will enhance this central room of the home. The kitchen is undoubtedly the most frequented and most convivial space: it deserves a welcoming layout!

Think about coordinating your door handles with the kitchen furniture handles and knobs ! These small accessories will highlight your style and personalise your culinary space!

The door handle is an essential decorative accessory. At an affordable price, the designer handle brings a modern or, on the contrary, vintage decorative touch to your kitchen and, more broadly, to your interior.

It is up to you to find the best combinations between the rooms to be fitted and the decorative accessories that are the designer door and furniture knobs and handles. Pulling the handle of a kitchen furniture unit or the handle of a storage drawer will remind you every day how successfully you have given your home a new look, without being a DIY expert, and with a simple decorative hardware product. All at a reasonable price!

Handle installation

The last aspect to address is the technical side of handle installation. If you are reasonably handy, the question does not arise as it is relatively straightforward to fit door handles. On the other hand, if you have never heard of a centre distance, a plate or a cylinder for the locking system, do not worry! You will find all the explanations in our installation guide which shows in a few steps how to fit your new handle. Some articles on our blog also describe how to install a door handle. You will find that installation takes only a few minutes even for a complete DIY beginner!

By following these tips and taking into account style, durability and harmony with your interior layout, you will be able to choose kitchen handles that not only complement the aesthetic of your space, but also improve its day-to-day functionality. Pay a quick visit to our Millapoignées shop

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