Attention to detail is something that differentiates an average kitchen from a stunning kitchen. You must be thinking about what exactly we are referring to! Well, in this case, it is the kitchen hardware that can really elevate your kitchen’s final look.
While it’s quite easy for the kitchen hardware to become an afterthought and for other aspects of kitchen design i.e., countertops, cabinetry, etc. to steal the priority, investing in the right kind of kitchen hardware and the visual impact it brings along, really makes it worth the investment.
A General Blueprint to Follow
Before jumping on to anything else, it is imperative to give you guys a blueprint that you can follow whenever you feel overwhelmed by the variety of hardware options available in the market. All you need to be sure of is your kitchen’s ultimate design and finish that you want to bring to life.
Design and Finish
Kitchen hardware can always be broadly divided into two categories – hardware with detailing like ridges, etc., and sleek hardware with straight lines. If you are aiming for a traditional kitchen design (read warmer tones and old-style cabinets like wooden or brass), the former category will compliment your kitchen the most.
On the other hand, if you have a more contemporary and modern final look in mind (read cooler tones and sharp contrasts), you must go for sleek hardware to maintain the minimalistic profile.
Always Follow your Flare
With that being said, you should never restrict your choice to these set standards. Always let your creative side out and play around with a combination of colors, metals, and design. In addition to this, you do not even need to stick to just traditional or contemporary design. Why not mix up the two? We have witnessed many designs with traditional brass lighting being perfectly complimented by black hardware. Who knew this would work? Only experiments can bring such unique ideas to life.
Selecting the Right Knobs and Pulls
Functionality
Apart from the visual impact aspect, kitchen hardware holds utmost importance in making your everyday life easier. Therefore, keeping functionality a priority when taking hardware-related decisions is crucial. For example, most people prefer knobs for cabinets and pulls for big cabinets and drawers.
Budget
However, the role of the budget while selecting hardware cannot be ignored. For example, most people go for knobs because they are not only easy on the pocket but also quite easy to install. On the other hand, pulls can put some dent on your pocket – but the variety that this category offers and the class it adds to the kitchen’s final look makes the price worth it.
Size
Moreover, the most crucial aspect to keep in mind while making decisions regarding pulls and knobs for drawers or cabinets is their size. Although there is no fixed standard, the ratio of pull size to drawer/cabinet size that always works out is 1:3. For example, if the drawer measure to be 12 inches in width, the size of the pull would be 12/3 i.e., 4 inches. As far as knobs are concerned, for small and medium drawers, knobs ranging between diameters of 1-1.5 inches are usually preferred. However, for larger drawers that are greater than 30 inches in width, two pulls of 1-1.5 inches diameter are preferred.
Selecting the Right Faucet
The faucet category has an insane amount of variety in the market – with each one having a different design, material, and price. This immense variety can overwhelm you, especially if you don’t narrow down the options. Well, it is easier said than done – I know! That is exactly why we are here to set the right direction for you.
How to narrow down the options for faucets?
The first step in this direction would be to set a budget. The budget you set must not be like throwing an arrow in the air – it must be based on some research. You can visit different retail stores selling kitchen hardware, talk to a plumber, or surf some reliable internet sites. Thorough research is necessary because you do not want to set your budget low to the extent that you end up buying a low-quality faucet, or high to the extent that you end up paying extra for features and style that will not matter in the long run.
Once you have set your budget, you must consider the following elements of a faucet before going for one:
1. Spout
2. Valves
3. Finish
4. Handle
5. Number of holes in your kitchen sink
Spout
While evaluating the spout of a faucet, two things are important – the area above your sink (limited if you have a shelf above your sink) and the number of bowls in your sink. A longer spout with a greater reach works best for sinks with multiple bowls. On the other hand, even if you have a single-bowl sink, a shorter spout will make life a bit difficult as the water will splatter and wet the entire area outside the sink, even behind the spout.
Valves
Every faucet starts to leak or drip after a couple of years, except the one with ceramic valves. Although these valves cost the same as others, their durability extends much longer compared to others.
Finish
If you are a clean freak and hate spots and water stains on your faucet, a chrome-finished faucet will be your best friend. On the other hand, if you can deal with a tolerable amount of fingerprints or water stains on your faucet, nickel-finished faucets can seal the deal for you. Lastly, you can also get your hands on bronze faucets, but I am quite skeptical about their durability. However, it’s of utmost importance that you make sure the finish of the faucet you go for matches the rest of your kitchen’s hardware. If it does not, it will look completely out of place.
Handle
Although faucets with dual handles seem more symmetrical to the eye, single-handle faucets are not only convenient when it comes to water adjustment, but also there is one less handle to clean!
Number of Holes in Kitchen Sink
If you want a single-handle faucet, you have to consider the number of holes in your kitchen sink. This is because sinks always have three-hole – one under the spout, one for the hot handle, and one for the cold handle. If you install a faucet with a single handle, the other handle hole will remain bare, and you do not want that. Many manufacturers have come up with a solution for this and offer a cover plate for the bare handle, but some do not. So, always check for the cover plate before you get a single-handle faucet!
Selecting the Right Sink
Choosing the right kitchen sink depends on how much you cook and how big of a family you have.
Single Big Basin
A single, big, and deep sink give you plenty of space to wash big pots and pans. But a multi-bowl sink will help you separate dirty dishes from clean dishes, and you still have space to use your sink. However, the different accessories that come with single-basin sinks these days, such as rinse baskets, can easily allow these sinks to fit into the double-duty category of double-bowl sinks.
Sinks with Multiple Bowls/Basins
A 60/40 sink has two basins – one small and one large. The large basin allows you to wash dishes and the smaller one is meant for food preparation. This sink provides you more flexibility because you can delay washing dishes and still have enough space for food prep. However, if you use large and heavy pots for cooking, you will not have enough space to wash them comfortably in the sink.
Other options that come under this category are a 50/50 sink (two equal size basins), and a three-bowl sink with one basin dedicated to the garbage disposal.
Sink Material
When choosing the right sink, the style and type of sink are not the only deciding factors. Sink material also plays a major role. Choosing the perfect sink material is guided by two aspects which are:
1. Whether it complements other design elements on your kitchen
2. The material’s durability
The four famous kitchen sink materials ought to be stainless steel, porcelain, natural stone, and granite composite. A million-dollar question here is – which sink material to go for? Well, let’s have a look at their individual properties:
Stainless Steel
This material is practically indestructible. This makes it perfect for heavy-duty work. Moreover, the best part is that it complements all kitchen styles, whether traditional or contemporary. However, nothing is perfect! The disadvantage of this material is that it’s susceptible to water spots, especially if you live in hard water areas.
Porcelain
A great option for vintage kitchen style, porcelain sinks come in a great variety of colors. However, it is susceptible to chipping and stubborn stains.
Brass/Copper
As a metal sink, the brass sink is absolutely brilliant, it is very durable and anti-abrasion, moreover, it is easy to clean and maintain.
Granite Composite
Granite composite sinks are a great alternative to both stainless steel and porcelain sinks. These don’t chip like porcelain and are resistant to watermarks, unlike stainless steel. However, it is better to avoid lighter colors in this category.
Natural Stone
The natural stone that receives the biggest applause in this category is soapstone. The best part about this is that your sink can end up matching your countertop 100%. However, the risk of chipping off and scratches is the biggest setback in this case. Plus, it will also put quite a big dent in your pocket.
