30 May 8 Key Factors to Consider When Selecting Kitchen Hardware | One Room Challenge | Spring 2020 | Week 4

I cannot believe we’re halfway through the 8-week One Room Challenge! Week 4 is about the time when some of us Guest Participants start to panic. What, me, panic?? Ha!!  Instead, Week 4, is my unofficial “Stretch Break” to pause and assess the progress in our Kitchen Makeover. And to see what’s left to do in only 4 weeks!! YIKES!! (Okay, maybe a little bit of panic.) This week I share 8 key factors to consider when selecting the right kitchen hardware for your cabinets.

If you’re just catching up with the spring One Room Challenge, sponsored by Better Homes & Gardens, please see our progress on our Kitchen Makeover below. You won’t believe where we started and how far we have to go!

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

 

Moody blues and golds

This is also the perfect time to remind you how the Collier St. Kitchen Makeover ties in with last fall’s Breakfast Nook Makeover for the 2019 One Room Challenge. Also, I really need to make a To-Do list. Geesh, I cannot believe I haven’t done it yet!

This is the breakfast nook that’s smack dab in the middle of the kitchen and living room. The colors, textures, and patterns I chose for this design are guiding my material selections for the kitchen, and later this fall for the living room.

 

In addition, I want to share the mood board I created for the kitchen.  The textiles for the breakfast nook, sponsored by Kravet last fall, continually inspire me. There’s also a sneak peek of tile and a few of the hardware samples from Top Knobs, a wonderful brand I’ve partnered with for our Kitchen Makeover.

 

Knock Knock! Who’s There? Top Knobs Hardware

 

I’m super excited to share my partnership with Top Knobs for our kitchen cabinet hardware!  I have long admired the beauty of this #1 leading manufacturer of decorative kitchen and bath hardware because of the many projects I’ve seen top interior designers incorporate its stunning hardware into their designs.

Exquisite Craftsmanship

In particular, Top Knobs is highly regarded for its exceptional craftsmanship and great attention to detail.  And it’s obvious the minute you hold one of their knobs or pulls in your hand for its hefty weight and feel.  However, it’s the attention to the architectural details and character of each hand-finished creation, that really attracts me to this brand.

 

For life!

As a luxury pillow designer/artist myself, I admire and respect the high-quality craftsmanship that goes into making the Top Knobs product line.  Every cabinet knob, door handle, hinge and pull offers a completely sealed finish, lasting for years and handling all the wear and tear kitchen hardware gets on a daily basis. That’s why they offer a “Lifetime Warranty”. Wow, how many brands do that??

Honey Bronze stole my heart

Kitchen hardware gold finish trends are hot right now. Top Knobs has expanded its popular Honey Bronze and Ash Gray finishes to 17 of their cabinet hardware series in 5 collections. With over 113 cabinet pulls and knobs to choose from, and all so beautiful, it was challenging to find the perfect ones.

Honey Bronze, a chic twist on classic bronze and brass finishes, turned out to be the absolute best finish to coordinate with our chandelier and pendants by sponsor CWI Lighting.

Now, can you see the Top Knobs hardware, in the Honey Bronze finish, hanging on the chandelier below?  I’m testing it out for a color match.  I bet you can’t find it! Not a great photo, but the hardware is a PERFECT match!

However, if you’re looking for something different, the Ash Gray, a unique alternative to traditional gray finishes, brings a warm feeling to designs and works with many kitchen cabinet color schemes.

Below are the Top Knobs hardware samples I’m considering. I know I want the honey bronze and I don’t really want knobs.  However, it’s been a tough decision, so I’m going to really need your help please.

However, let’s discuss the factors first on what to consider when looking for kitchen or bath cabinet hardware.

 

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8 Factors to Consider When Selecting Kitchen Hardware

 

1. Style
2. Color
3. Size
4. Finish
5. Type
6. Overall design
7. Ease of use
8. Quality

 

#1 Style – Decide if you want modern, traditional, old-world charm, or transitional. I knew I wanted modern.

#2 Color – This was kind of easy for me because I knew I wanted gold to coordinate with the Medallion Gold on our gorgeous chandelier and bar pendants by sponsor CWI Lighting. But there’s gold, and then there’s bronze, so it became a little more challenging until I fell in love with the Honey Bronze. Be sure you choose a color, gold, silver, black or gray, that fits in with your overall design scheme.

#3 Size –  Longer pulls are on trend right now, anywhere from 7 – 11 inches. I like that look and was leaning towards it.  I’m still trying to decide the best long one to accompany perhaps a shorter pull. But don’t go overboard, because you need to live with your kitchen hardware long after the trend ends.

#4 Finish – Many hardware brands offer different finishes on their color choices.  From flat and brushed to patina and polished.  Be sure to research these and see how they look with your overall design. Top Knobs has an array of excellent finishes from which to choose.

Check out all the finishes Top Knobs offers:

• Tuscan Bronze,
• Polished Chrome,
• Oil Rubbed Bronze,
• Patina Rouge,
• Pewter Antique,
• Polished Nickle,
• Flat Black,
• Honey Bronze,
• Ash Gray, and
• Brushed Satin Nickle

 

#5 Type – Type refers to the options between selecting knobs, pulls or a combination of both.  You’ll see why in #8 we’re going with all pulls and no knobs.  It’s an individual preference and it’s perfectly alright to mix them.

#6 Overall Design – I already mentioned in several places that we really want our kitchen to be unified with our newly designed breakfast/dining nook, as well as our living room (coming up in the fall 2020 One Room Challenge). Because, in reality, it is one large room with 3 different sections and they all need to work together.  I love mixing metals, so I’m very comfortable in having a chrome faucet and appliances and gold lighting and hardware. Just be sure you carefully select hardware that will complement your overall design.

#7 Ease of Use – One of the most important factors in selecting hardware for our kitchen cabinets is that my husband and I plan to “Age in Place”. What that means is we do not plan to leave our home but stay in it as we age.

I’ve been reading interior designer Mitzi Beach’s wonderful, insightful new book Design Smarts: Inspiration for Home + Life, which I highly recommend! It has made me think through the details of our Kitchen Makeover. After that, we decided to not select knobs because I know at some age, hopefully not till old age, 80’s, I will have arthritis in my hands. Therefore, I did not want to have to cup my hands around a knob. I think having a wide pull will be easier.  But if you have children at home, knobs would definitely be a great choice.

#8 Quality –  We’ve lived in our home for 35 years and it is filled with family antiques and modern touches here and there.  But mostly, it is filled with high-quality home furnishings passed down for generations.  What really attracts me to the Top Knobs brand is not only its beauty and hundreds of options, but their “Lifetime Warranty”.

Above all, Top Knobs handcrafts kitchen and bath hardware that is made to last a lifetime, and that level of top quality means a lot to my husband and me.

 

Top Knobs Takes Two New Collections to New Heights

 

The Grace Collection

 

Inspired by the ageless beauty of New York’s five buroughs, Top Knobs created the stylish Grace Collection of knobs and pulls that gives a nod to some of Top Knob’s most beloved designs over the past 25 years.

Design, style and industry innovations have evolved tremendously from where we were 25 years ago. The end result is something we are quite proud of and feel our customers will love. – Christine Zimmer, Product Manager

The Grace Collection is available in six beautiful finishes like their newest duo Ash Gray and Honey Bronze, as well as Brushed Satin Nickel, Flat Black, Polished Chrome and Polished Nickel.

 

The Ellis Collection

 

Influenced by the intricate architecture and southern hospitality of Savannah, Georgia, Top Knobs created the Ellis Collection available in many of the same finishes as the Grace Collection. The classically inspired pieces have been modernized, “allowing interior designers and homeowners to bring that feeling of southern sophistication into every project.”

Be sure to see these two striking collections and many more on the Top Knobs website www.TopKnobs.com

 

 

Now it’s time to Vote for your favorite one

See images below and with A, B, and C samples of 3 pulls on the smallest of our kitchen drawers. Let me know your vote please in comments or on Instagram.  (Bottom drawer still has old chrome pull.)

Which do you like best?  The top two come in longer lengths for upper cabinets and wider drawers.

 

Experience the design, selection, quality, value, and service

 

Top Knobs is only available to the trade at showrooms, so be sure to check with your interior designer.  They offer the design industry’s most extensive line of premium quality cabinet, drawer, and bath knobs, pulls and other hardware, which are created to suit all tastes and styles. With an enormously wide selection, from traditional to modern, Top Knobs brand is the result of a creative design staff and talented craftsmen. Each Top Knobs piece has the quality look and feel of custom-made, at an affordable price.

 

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Okay, now that you know how excited I am to have Top Knobs sponsor the gorgeous kitchen hardware, let’s get to that dreaded To-do List!

 

Official Collier St. Kitchen Makeover To-do List

 

Here’s what’s been accomplished so far:

• Line up brand partnerships and sponsored products – DONE ✔
• Map out Kitchen Makeover plans with interior designer Patrick Landrum – DONE ✔
• Order sample hardware from Top Knobs -DONE ✔
• Discuss insides of cabinets with Rev-a-shelf rep – DONE ✔
• Set up date with Paper Moon Painting for cabinet painting – DONE ✔
• Meet designer at Empire Countertops to make final selection – DONE ✔
• Find reliable carpenter fast and get bids- DONE ✔
• Hire carpenter and have him remove upper cabinet and broken microwave – DONE ✔
• Have carpenter demo existing tile – DONE ✔
• Have carpenter demo existing granite bar and pass-through – DONE ✔
• Have carpenter replace tile sheetrock – DONE ✔
• Get bid for additional carpentry work – DONE ✔
• Get bid for tile installation – DONE ✔
• Discuss installing tile with fellow ORC friend Breaking Down the Box and set up tentative date – DONE ✔
• Set up 1st video Tutorial and shoot BLANCO videos- DONE ✔
• Study BLANCO website and Buying Guide – DONE ✔
• Select BLANCO sink and faucet – DONE ✔
• Order BLANCO products – DONE ✔
• Open BLANCO products and create fun videos – DONE ✔

 

Here’s what’s left to do in just 4 weeks:

• Clean out cabinets and scrub them down to prep for painters
• Schedule countertop demo and installation
• Schedule plumber for demo and installation
• Schedule carpenter for last 3 things to do
• Re-schedule painters
• Make final selections on hardware and order
• Review Rev-a-shelf plans and order product
• Pick up tile
• Select best color tile grout
• Install tile after countertop install and before painters
• Start ordering products for styling
• Make sure everything works and looks great
• Professional photography
• I’m sure I’ve missed something!!

 

Inspiring kitchen design

Below are three wonderful kitchen designers who have inspired me. Each has incorporated Top Knobs striking hardware into their beautiful designs.

White cabinets

Award-winning interior designer Laura D. Muller, of Four Point Design Build, has always been an inspiration to me. Her commitment to her clients and high-quality design is the stuff that dreams are made of. Her white kitchens particularly grab my attention.

 

Kitchen design by Laura D. Muller of Four Point Design Build. Hardware by Top Knobs. Photography by Riley Jamison.

Gold hardware

 

Two designers, Sheri Bruneau of Sheri Bruneau Interiors and Emily Clark of Clark & Co Homes, have incorporated beautiful Top Knobs gold hardware into their kitchen designs.

 

 

 

 

That’s a wrap of Week 4. I’m so excited for what’s ahead, also nervous, because in these last 4 weeks, EVERYTHING, has to be installed and completed and photographed.  I hope in some small way my One Room Challenge journey inspires you and helps you remain positive in these very difficult times our country is facing.

Please be sure to visit the Top Knobs website and their showrooms and follow their social media:

• Blog: http://blog.topknobs.com/
• Twitter: @TopKnobs
• Instagram: @TopKobs
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TopKnobs
• Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/TopKnobs/

 

Also, please follow subscribe to The Pillow Goddess Blog and follow my instagram The Pillow Goddess to see my Stories about the One Room Challenge. And, be sure to peruse and get inspired with the 300+ Guest Participants of the One Room Challenge and Featured Designers, following Instagram hashtags #oneroomchallenge, #thepillowgoddess, and #BHGORC.

Till next time, Week 5, stay safe, well, and continue to have hope for humanity.  We are all in this together and need to comfort each other through these very challenging times.  XO PG

Note: This post is sponsored by Top Knobs. All press info and images identified are courtesy of Top Knobs. All other images, except where credited, are my own, and opinions are all my own.

Thank you to all partners sponsoring the Collier St. Kitchen Makeover: