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QUICK TIP

A tea towel as a door handle? This commercial-style towel rail is not only handy for hanging tea towels but also adds an industrial character to the kitchen.

QUICK TIP  

Looking for something unconventional? Simple woven nylon tabs are used here as cupboard handles, giving the kitchen cupboards a casual and relaxed look.

Handles & Knobs

Handles complete the final details of your kitchen. Different styles of handles create different visual effects, so don't leave choosing the handles to the last minute when designing your kitchen.

For a minimalist modern look, you can opt for a "handleless" kitchen. Instead of handles or knobs on the doors, the kitchen doors have recessed grooves for you to grip. This design also makes cleaning the doors very easy.

A "handleless" kitchen.

Alternatively you can create a handleless kitchen by using push openers behind cupboard doors. A simple push by your hand or elbow is all you need to open the doors, perfect when your hands are occupied. This method also eliminates having grooves on the doors, creating a totally flush design.

Handless kitchen doors with push-open mechanism.

Another trend is integrated handles on doors. These integrated handles can either be created from a simple groove on the doors or made from other materials and recessed into the doors. They give a streamlined look by creating a flush design.

Doors with built-in integrated handles.

Recessed metal handle.

A streamlined kitchen with integrated aluminium handles. (Image by: Kathryn D aka "tropo" @ flickr.com)

Also popular in handle design are handles mounted along cupboard door edges. Apart from the door's easy-to-clean surface, another advantage of this type of handle is that there is no drilled hole on the front of the doors. This means you can update your kitchen by replacing the handles easily in a few years time without worrying about matching the exact size of the old handles.

Aluminium handle

Stainless steel handle

Think about the weight of the door when choosing handles. A wide deep drawer full of pots and pans can be heavy and difficult to pull with a single knob. A long easy-to-grip handle or two handles can solve this problem.

The same principle goes to integrated appliances: Doors on integrated appliances such as fridges and dishwashers are often heavier than other doors in the kitchen so make sure their handles are easy to grip to allow you to get a firm hold of the door.

A fully integrated dishwasher with a long handle is easy to open. (Image by: Teka Australia)

Think about the handles on appliances. Do you want them to match the cupboard handles? You can often find similar handles to match the handles on your appliances.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match different handles and knobs in your kitchen. For example, knobs for drawers and long handles for doors.

Large curved handles and doors with softly bevelled edges compliment with each other. (Image by: Maxine Sheppard aka "wanderer_by_trade" @ flickr.com)

Long slender horizontal handles visually increase the length of this kitchen.

Simple nickel-plated handles and stainless steel doors and worktop create an ultra-modern commercial-looking kitchen.

Horizontal thin handles line up with a thin stainless steel countertop to create a minimalist kitchen environment.

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