Top 9 Hardware Styles for Flat-Panel Kitchen Cabinets
Accentuate this simple cabinet style to best advantage in a modern or contemporary kitchen with the right pulls or latches.
This is one of the most popular kitchen cabinet hardware styles of the past 10 years. You will see these as often on classic Shaker-style cabinets as on modern flat-panel ones. They most often make the biggest statement when they’re run as long as possible on the door or drawer. This style has end caps that are flush, so that you don’t have little bits that stick out and catch the pocket of your pants. Anyone who has ripped a pocket while walking briskly through a kitchen knows what I mean.
They work well with: Modern flat-panel or Shaker doors. Be a purist with a sleek glass backsplash or be more eclectic and mix them with subway tile and Shaker cabinets.
These are the pulls for modernists who prefer square edges and linear elements. It may seem like a silly distinction to some, but in modern design, these small statements make a big noise.
They work well with: Horizontal wood grain, horizontal long drawers and tile backsplashes.
These are wonderfully functional and utilitarian — almost office-y — pulls. They’re a great choice for a high-traffic, high-use kitchen where you don’t want the pulls sticking out and getting in the way.
They work well with: Bypass doors, stained wood doors and metal and glass doors.
These pulls offer another great option for those who don’t want their pulls to stick out into the traffic flow. They are very sleek, but be careful of dust and spills getting caught in the channels.
They work well with: Painted or stained wood flat-panel doors, minimalist backsplash elements and waterfall countertops.
These pulls are for the purist who doesn’t want to mix too many materials in a kitchen. They’re not the most pragmatic choice for high-use kitchens.
What they do for the kitchen: Create a seamless look in which metal cabinet hardware doesn’t interrupt the wood face of the doors.
They work well with: Minimalist kitchens with no wall cabinets, kitchens with open shelves and beautiful wood veneers.
![Contemporary Kitchen by thirdstone inc. [^]](https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/b011c19c0f0c7a30_1282-w660-h495-b0-p0--contemporary-kitchen.jpg)
These pulls are for the minimalist who wants a bit more. They’re discreet but still functional. They can be done small on all cabinets or longer, running the full length of the cabinet door or drawer.
They work well with: Wood veneers and high-gloss painted finishes.
Cutout bar pulls are decorative and simple at the same time, and have almost a ’70s feeling in antique brass. I love a pull that adds a little furniture detail and glamour to a modern flat-panel door style.
They work well with: Rift-cut travertine and high-gloss finishes.
Simple, classic and utilitarian, these are great for those who don’t want their hardware to make a strong statement.
Custom cabinets enhance your kitchen’s style and functionality
They work well with: Industrial appliances, stainless steel countertops and simple industrial lighting, like pendants with a single exposed bulb.
Not for those who use their kitchens frequently for cooking items heavy on the oil or butter. Fingerprints on the fronts of your doors will drive you mad! But it’s very sleek and cool looking to not have a stick of hardware in sight.
They work well with: Exotic veneer cabinets for which you don’t want anything to compete with the gorgeous wood, and full-height stone backsplashes that match the countertops for a restrained palette.
