Three Terrible Hardware Mistakes Not To Make

Whether sprucing up a vintage kitchen or choosing hardware for a new space, it’s easy to make a few boo-boos while trying to make a statement. Some people have the gift of visualizing design details, some people are talented at Photoshop for mocking-up a space and some people, well…some people made these choices.

Let’s critique.

Pull Placement  

Where on the door face to mount hardware? If you’ve ever gotten a brand new cabinet with no holes drilled, then you’ve definitely agonized over this question. Here’s what Horton Brasses owner Orion has to say on this topic:

The handles should always be centered on the drawer. Anything else makes it appear very off balance IMHO. With traditional furniture there is currently some debate about how and where to locate the handles. The historically correct answer is simply "where they look good". IE, they should be visually centered even if not actually centered. With graduated drawer sizes they eyes can play tricks. I think the same logic applies to kitchen drawers.

Thank you, Orion! Now, can anyone tell me what’s “off” in the above photo?

Fake Hinges

There’s ornamental hinges and there’s fake hinges. Look at this picture and tell me which category you think this very beautiful piece of cabinetry falls into? Unfortunately, the desire for period-inspired decoration was not well thought out. Someone should have consulted a forum of experts before drilling into the immaculate doors.

Notice I did not say doors + face frames.

Bluntly put, these hinges just don’t make sense. They are mounted on the doors but do not attach to the cabinet box. Plus, the center doors don’t have hinges at all. Oh, sad cabinet. It is painful to watch.

Ghetto Un-Fabulous on the Cheap

Do you need a tissue? Are you crying or laughing? A little of both? I understand. Really. Because I know the proprietor of these cabinets and she is crying and laughing every day over this disaster.

This house is a rental built circa the 1960’s. Obviously the owner switched out the original hardware from pulls to knobs. Now, I know that people don’t want to blow a whole lot of money on a rental. And I would never tell someone to go buy Horton Brassses luxury suite of Bakes Pulls for a rental (unless that rental was in the Hamptons!). But really people. Head over to your big box store and buy some eighty-nine cent pulls before you commit this travesty.