Kitchen Ironmongery is Threatening to Pull Me Over the Edge

Below is Part 1 of this kitchen hardware post. If you have read Part 1, please click the link below to get to Part 2. Otherwise, the post begins below the link. There is a part 3, as well. I didn’t put in a link for that because part 2 is quite short. So, please click the link below and scroll a bit to the asterisks and part 3.

In part 3 I’ll be going over the cabinetry hardware I’m planning on doing for my new kitchen!

Part 2 Begins Here

 

Hi Guys,

Get it? PULL me over the edge. hehe

 

No, Laurel, I don’t get it. What in freak’s name is kitchen ironmongery? Is it some evil being who’s threatening to destroy your kitchen?

 

Well, no. However, if it were about ten days ago, I wouldn’t have gotten it either because that was the first time I began to see this word!

How is that possible?

Okay, peeps from the UK, please stop snickering and calm down!

Thank you. ;]

 

Ironmongery is the English way of saying “hardware.”

In days of yore, all hardware was made of iron and created by an ironmonger (AKA blacksmith). However, ironmongery is still used in the UK, just like they say “chimneypiece” instead of “fireplace mantel.”

Still… I’ve heard of a chimneypiece

and

  • skirting board (baseboard)
  • cornice, (crown)
  • lounge (living room)
  • tap(s) (faucet)
  • scullery (small overflow kitchen where folks hide the dirty dishes and trash) ;]

You can read more about ironmongery in this Wikipedia article.

I’ve written about kitchen hardware before in this almost ten-year-old blog post.

 

And, there is also this blog post about kitchen hardware which I recall took me a week to recover from. I decided to create not one but FIVE unique kitchen combinations, from cabinets to ironmongery.

 

I mean, just doing the kitchen hardware was enough to put me under the kitchen table.

 

Today, if you’re searching for kitchen hardware, you will have so much choice. So, I feel the best way to handle this is to break it down so you can zero in on what will work best for you, your kitchen, and your budget.

 

So, let’s begin with the budget.

 

Cabinet knobs, for example, can vary between one dollar and well over $150 for ONE knob! However, most knobs run between $10.00 – $40.00 a knob.

The more expensive hardware is solid brass, but the less expensive hardware is usually made of an electroplated zinc alloy. More expensive hardware is solid brass, but for finishes like nickel and brass are then electroplated onto another metal.

The only metals used to make hardware that can be solid all the way through are copper, brass, and stainless steel. Well, iron, too. But most of us aren’t using iron hardware in the kitchen. Although, I think it’s making a comeback.

 

So, when you get a nickel knob, whether it’s polished, brushed, or satin, it is always electroplated over either solid brass or a zinc alloy.

 

What’s the difference?

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that ranges from 20/80 or 30/70. Copper is the higher number.

Zinc alloy comes in numerous forms, but 95% zinc and 5% tin are most common. But, sometimes, 1% of the alloy is copper.

Neither metal rusts, but zinc is prone to corrosion and pitting over time. Still, I imagine this is less likely to happen if it has the electroplated brass or nickel finish.

 

Brass is also heavier, and people associate that heaviness with better quality.

 

Although, that’s not necessarily the case. However, when it’s attached to your cabinet, can you tell if it weighs one ounce or two ounces? No, you won’t.

While some might disagree with me, if budget is an issue, and you find something beautiful in a zinc alloy with a beautiful electroplated finish for 1/4 the price, it makes sense to get the latter. Even if you need to replace it all in 10 years, you’ll still come out ahead.

 

Still, not all solid brass hardware is super-expensive.

 

The next subtopic of kitchen ironmongery is what the hell metal or finish does one use? And, the sub, sub-topic is, can you mix metals?

So, most of you know by now that it’s absolutely fine to mix metals. However, there are two I prefer not to see together: chrome and nickel.

As you know, chrome is a cool gray, almost blue-silver color. And nickel is a warm, champagne-tinted silver. They don’t look so great side-by-side.

 

As for what finish to use for what?

 

Okay, I will first state the finishes I’m not as fond of. And I’m saying this knowing full well that some of you will cyber-slap me across the room because you LOVE  something I don’t like and would never do.

But, THAT IS OKAY!!! If everyone liked the same thing, they would only make that one thing.

1. So, let’s begin with chrome. I like chrome on old cars, but not on hardware.
2. Brushed or satin nickel. Brushed has brush marks, and satin is smooth. Both are a dull gray color.
3. Any poorly done “antique” brass finish. Some specialty finishes are done very well. DeVOL is one example of that.

 

deVOL-NYC-Classic

DeVOL showroom in NYC

 

And, I believe DeVOL single-handedly brought back the love of brass. If you look at their kitchens, most of their fittings are in one of their brass finishes.

 

Shaker Hardware - DeVOL

 

I love both unlacquered brass and a beautifully rendered antique brass finish. DeVOL’s hardware (ab0ve)looks like it’s 200 years old. Cool!

 

But, here’s where it starts to get interesting, for me, that is.

 

Until sometime in July, I was set to do unlacquered brass for the kitchen faucet, cabinet, and drawer hardware.

However, something was nagging at me.

It was my imaginary butler in my Boston hotel suite. AKA, my BackBay condo.

“Please ring me, madame, when you wish to have tea served.”

Sure thing, Dude. Just kidding, my pretend butler is the anti-dude.

 

He wasn’t making tea in a kitchen filled with slowly tarnishing brass hardware.

 

It was always with gleaming, lustrous, slightly sparkly polished nickel.

Remember when we were discussing the kitchen faucet?

The nickel (so punny I am tonight) finally dropped, and only then did I realize the faucet and hardware HAD to be polished nickel!

 

dark green timeless kitchen

However, I’m still planning to have the brass gallery shallow shelf, a touch of brass on the light fixture, and some art with antique gold frames.

So, for mixing metals, excluding the stainless steel appliances, I would limit it to three coordinating metals.

 

The choices are:

 

  • brass
  • bronze (a much darker brass)
  • black or one of the metals that’s nearly black
  • copper
  • nickel – polished and dull
  • chrome  – polished and dull

There are also specialty finishes such as verdigris and painted finishes,  wooden knobs, too!

In addition, there is porcelain, plain and painted.

And finally, glass hardware, both tinted and clear.

 

Should you do knobs or handles or something else?

 

Ahhh… This one might be the most difficult kitchen ironmongery decision of them all.

Let’s begin with the cabinet doors. I usually prefer knobs or latches for cabinet doors. However, sometimes I see bar handles running vertically for the doors. My old kitchen had an ugly handle for the cabinets and drawers.

For pulls, there are bar pulls and cup or bin pulls. There are also edge pulls, but that’s a little too edgy for me. ;]

 

Farrow & Ball Calke Green Butler's pantry

In addition to the knobs and pulls, there are latches which are a knob that turns. You can see some beauties from Rejuvenation in Mary’s beautiful butler’s pantry.

 

And then… There are Cremone bolts, which could easily be its own post.

 

I would love to do Cremone bolts for my glass doors. I need three of them.

Here’s the problem.

 

There are pretty much two choices when it comes to cremone bolts.

Cheap Crap made in India

Exquisite kitchen cabinet ironmongery but insanely expensive. It would be easy to put down 10k for the cremone bolts alone.

 

Wilmette Hardware Cremone Bolts

The cremone bolts I love are by Wilmette Hardware. (above)

 

Adler Cremone Bolt - Rue Knob - Wilmette Hardware - kitchen ironmongery

There are some other companies I’ve found, as well.  But, I adore Wilmette’s cremone bolt above.

 

Laurel, can’t you get them to sponsor you?

 

The nicest way I can put this is to say: highly unlikely. Unless they know me, which they never do, they ghost me. I’ve even had a friend ask on my behalf, and she gets ghosted, too.

The best I can hope for is a trade discount, which will still be too expensive.

Baldwin does make a good product, but I’m not as fond of them.

 

What about drawers, Laurel? And when do you need two knobs or two handles instead of only one?

 

Ahhh, that is a pretty big topic and should be a separate post. But for now, the best way to figure out placement is to use your elevations and draw in the hardware you’re thinking of doing to scale.

But, should you vary the hardware or do everything the same?

 

Many people do everything the same, and I feel it can be too much.  What I like best is a combination of knobs and handles, but if doing metal, in the same finish. If some pieces are painted and some metal, that’s okay, too.

I plan on doing a combination of kitchen ironmongery for my kitchen. However, you’ll have to come back Monday evening to see what I have in mind.

 

In the meantime, it’s a huge shopping weekend, so please check out the special edition HOT SALES! (Visual Comfort 20% off everything is ending on Tuesday!)

 

Also, I created a small widget, below, of some of my favorite kitchen cabinet hardware, AKA kitchen ironmongery. BTW, many of these pieces are currently on sale! Please click on any image to learn more.

 

Oh, it’s official.

 

My contractor has in his possession, the long-form building permit to construct the new staircase and entrance!!!

Seeeeee? I told you it would all work out. hahahahaha

Oh, but here’s what my contractor had to say about the new fireplace mantel. It makes my decision a little easier. His short response to my question is in the most recent comment, (as of Sunday at 1:30 AM) at the bottom of the post linked to above.

 

*********************************************************

Part 2 Begins Here

 

Hi Everyone,

And a happy Labor Day to you. Growing up in Evansville, IN, Labor Day meant that the following morning was the first day of school.

 

Today, will be a quick update on the topic of kitchen cabinet and drawer hardware.

 

I’m going to begin with part of a terrific comment by RMCD, left Sunday afternoon.

She had worked with a knowledgeable woman at the hardware store recommended by her contractor. This advice saved RMCD a ton of money and maybe her back, too!

Here’s what R had to say:

 

1. If you’re trying to manage high-end stuff on a budget, go knobs (or latches) on all doors, handles on all drawers.

 

I think if it’s a small drawer, a small knob is fine.

 

But, this tip below is something I’ve never considered.

 

2. Use only one handle per drawer, even if you’re not on a budget. If you have two handles (or two knobs), you need both hands to open the drawer, which can be inconvenient when you’re in the middle of cooking.
Also, most people just do the tug-on-one-handle-then-the-other-back-and-forth shimmy even when both hands are free, which warps the drawer’s alignment.

 

I don’t think anyone does a drawer wider than 36″. One sturdy 8″ pull on this size is fine.

 

This next one is a terrific tip regarding appliance handles.

 

3. Right now, the big craze seems to be “appliance pulls” for appliances that have been paneled to match cabinetry. They are INSANELY expensive!

 

YES!

 

But sooooo tempting if you have floor-to-ceiling pantry cabs. My friend at the showroom said that going with the largest regular handle size instead of the pull would still look and function great and save me a lot of $. She wasn’t kidding: 4 door handles, and I probably saved $1200 — and I don’t even miss the pulls.

 

So, what she’s saying is to go with an 8″ regular drawer pull instead of the huge appliance pull. They aren’t necessary. This is true.

I recall Nancy Keyes talking about this in this post.

Of course, doing the 18″ appliance pull is fine, too.

 

Placement and spacing of door and drawer knobs and pulls.

 

Let’s begin with drawers because now that we only have one knob or pull, they’ll be in the center of the drawer. However, deeper drawers may do better with a pull about the same distance down from the top rail as the more shallow drawers. It’s not necessary, but it means not having to bend down quite as far.

I have seen handles on the rail itself, but I’m not a fan of that look for traditional kitchens. I prefer it on the center panel.

 

Placement of knobs on doors.

 

The knob is traditionally put about 2-3 inches above the bottom for the uppers and 2-3 inches below the top for the lowers. And then, usually centered on the stile. The same holds true if you’re using handles.

However, if your upper cabinets are quite tall, you might need to place your knob or latch higher on the cabinet.

I think the height of the first shelf looks good.

 

One great way to check for placement is to use some removable dots for the knobs, and you could use removable Avery labels cut to size for the handles.

 

Another tip regarding placement. I do not recommend leaving it up to your contractor.  You might end up living with whatever he thinks is the best placement.

 

What size to get

 

Again, this is quite individual.

The average sized knob is 1.25″, but knobs typically come from 1″ – 1.5″.

I usually prefer round knobs to be on the smaller side, from 1″ – 1.25″.

Pulls are measured from hole to hole, not end to end of the pull.

For bin pulls, it depends on the style to some extent. However, 3″ – 4″ wide is good. They make them wider, and if you have a lot of wide drawers, that might make sense.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post about kitchen ironmongery!

 

****************************************************************

Part 3

Just the briefest update today, Thursday, September 7, 2023
Monday October 23, 2023!!!

 


Please ignore the next part in Italics. I didn’t erase it, because it’s part of history. I’m not doing the mirrored French doors.

 

Yesterday, my contractor drove us to DORchester (a neighborhood in Boston), to look at DOORS.

Jack at Dorchester Door & Window was super helpful and showed us three door styles, which were all lovely. The winner was clear. But, spacey me, forgot to take photos. I’ll ask Jack to take some and post them later.

Excluding the flat jib doors getting our own ornamentation, the doors will be two-panel doors with a flat panel, However, they will have a fairly hefty bead between the flat panel and the rails and stiles.

The beads on the two existing doors remaining have a prominent bead that sits “proud,” as they say. That means it extends beyond the rails and stiles.

 

However, four of the doors, the embrasure doors need to sit flat in their side pockets, so that is why we need a bead that sits flush, but still looks substantial like the existing doors.

 

The new doors will be 1-3/4″ thick. But, they looked to be at least two inches. They were nice and hunky.

OH! And he thinks he can do the mirrored French doors!!! However, I would need to provide the source for the lightly antiqued mirror. I adore the foxed mirrored glass at Old Rough Glass. However, do I really want the angst of having glass shipped from the UK?

I’m looking for tasteful antique glass in the USA. But, frankly, if it’s coming from any distance, breakage is possible. Of course, they know how to transport glass. Imagine if every order came in, broken.

 

Please start here.

In the meantime, I’m about 91% 99% sure this is the kitchen Ironmongery l’d like to do, plus those exquisite cremone bolts, (already on order) from Wilmette Hardware.

 

 

The big round knob in the widget is actually a small 3/4″ knob for the little back drawers. Although, I might just do the same knob I’m doing everywhere else.

 

In the end, I decided to do the cup pulls instead of the straight bar pulls for most of the drawers.

 

However, I can still do the handsome Schaub bar pull for the appliance handles. In addition, I could add a 12″ pull for the panel in front of the sink. They are more common in bathrooms, particularly hotel bathrooms.

I love the 3″ cup pull from Top Knobs, which is very affordable! I know some of you are going to discourage me from doing the 3″,  however, I have that size in my rental, and it’s plenty big. My drawers are between 13″ and 17″ wide.

Below are three graphics to show where everything goes.

sink wall kitchen ironmongery 10-23-2023

Back Wall kitchen hardware 10-23-2023

 

Range Wall kitchen hardware 10-23-2023

xo,

 

Please check out the newly updated HOT SALES!  I realize I didn’t announce the sales on Friday, but Melissa’s been working on them. 

ALSO, The Holiday Shop 2023 is open!!!

There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below. Thank you for the suggestion!

Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.

Amazon ad

To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put

A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.

Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.

Thank you so much!

I very much appreciate your help and support!

29 Responses

    1. Hi Elaine,

      I adore the cremone bolts! They make the kitchen and always make me think I’m only visiting the butler’s pantry. haha

      They are superb quality; very solid. I expect they will last forever.

  1. Dear Laurel,

    I have nearly religiously been reading your blog for more than a year and have been DE-lighted to have had much of your kitchen reno coinciding with my own. I have a problem that involves garage doors, which I need to email you about. But — wanted to share where I found my ironmongery. 🤓 Yesterhome has beautiful and inexpensive hardware, although I can’t recall if they have a polished nickel.

    Everything you do is beautiful and — like countless other readers — I have learned so very much from the guidance you lovingly deliver.

  2. Firstly, I have bigger-than-36” drawers. Wonderful if heavy glides (Blum’s extra heavy 130 lbs). This will be my second kitchen with huge drawers. Space saver.
    Secondly, for our NC mountain 1892 gothic cottage kitchen we’re going with locally blacksmithed custom iron primarily bc he has incredible escutcheons smd ring pulls and we need super strong drawer hardware). Rejuvenation is great too I say from experience. I appreciate their attention to period screws; really!

  3. We are in the midst of a total renovation of a 1790 4900sf home in Barnstable Village…on the Cape. We have completed quite a few and this time the completely new kitchen and pantry we used unlacquered brass. The best I found after months of searching was on Etsy made in UK by The Foundryman….check out this persons work as it is superb ! and I will use them again.

  4. Hi Laurel. Maybe it’s just me, but the beehive knob doesn’t seem to go with rest of the beautiful hardware. Have you considered using a large version of the small knob, or possibly a plain oval knob similar to the latch?

  5. If you want to see the most gorgeous cremone bolts on windows, go watch the last two episodes of The Pethricks on YouTube. He’s renovating a convent in France and his windows have just arrived. They cost a bloody fortune but they’re glorious.

  6. You will eventually end up with a kitchen & house renovation that you will love. Any wise words for a person who is just starting the design process (with a kitchen designer) and may very well be liking the new arrangement less that the original? I LOVE the layout of my current kitchen! Unfortunately, the “appliance gods” decided to change the measurements on many appliances since my kitchen was last updated (probably 20 years ago?). So we have to move the refrigerator (which I’m okay with) but then we discovered they changed the dimensions on slide in stoves as well which throws the whole thing on it’s head. Every design that works with the new dimensions is less pleasing to me than my current plan. My slide in range will need to be replaced very soon so I don’t have the choice of delaying the renovation but my heart went from being excited to not so excited. If you are spending all this money on a renovation, you expect to have a kitchen you like better than the first one. Any wise words to help me out here?

  7. I love your choice of ironmongery. And I admire your thoughtful approach to an often overlooked part of kitchen remodel planing. We did a mixture of knobs and pulls in our remodel. I live in a small town and our contractor thought I was nuts. He learned to trust me.

  8. I love polished nickel. It’s a bit more maintenance than a brushed finish, but worth it.
    When I remodeled my kitchen 12 years ago, it was impossible to find polished nickel appliance pulls for the paneled refrigerator and freezer. I ended up using heavy duty towel bars (from RH) in polished nickel and they have held up great.

  9. We just remodeled four bathrooms. The plumbing hardware is all the same and I love it. But satin nickel in two and polished nickel in two. The polished nickel is so beautiful, I really want to change the other two but wow, that stuff was expensive. The polished is also much easier to wipe clean. We have hard water and each individual spot on the satin finish has to worked on. I have found WD40 works very well. The kitchen is next and I’m definitely using polished nickel.

  10. Dear Laurel,
    I am originally from Manhattan and have lived in six countries. I used brass hardware when I did my first kitchen…loved it…and have never changed. Polished, antiqued, natural or lacquered it adds a warmth and beauty. It is traditional, classic and elegant. Why change when you have a find something wonderful?
    ps…I have renovated eight kitchens…six in US, one in France and England!

  11. Late to the show, sorry.

    When I sold hardware, I always had the person test the pulls & handles with their hands & image they were arthritic. Which size was easiest to wrap fingers around? Or slip in to pull. I love clamshells but they’re tough with old joints.

    We found gorgeous hardware at the Restore Store. Black & 8” pulls for $1 each for one kitchen.

    Also brushed nickel refrigerator handles for $2 each – wholesale were $110!!! Those drawer pulls and very comfy to use. They have an extra high offset from the face of the cabinet. My hands can slip in easily to pull on days my fingers may be sore.

    I had a vision for each kitchen and found all the bits and pieces over 4 years. They look great.

    I realize you don’t have the luxury of time and inventory at The Restore Store is unpredictable, but it may be a useful option to another reader.

    Best of luck!

  12. Yes!! Polished nickel is gorgeous!!

    We finally finished our kitchen reno a few months ago. They entire time I was planning on unlacquered brass with my cream cabinets. At the last minute I changed the hardware and faucet to polished nickel and it is breathtaking!! It is my FAVORITE thing in the new kitchen, and months later I still stand in the doorway and just gaze it. It somehow looks so refined while it sparkles… My north facing kitchen is pretty dark, and the nickel brightens it up, too.

    Also, I was a little concerned about fingerprints, but it hasn’t proved to be a problem. While I am not a slob, I am not one of those people obsessively polishing things either. The handles get wiped down every two weeks when the kitchen is cleaned, and that’s it. I have never needed to polish them otherwise – they don’t show smudges and fingerprints.

    I used Menlo Park by Schaub, like Laurel’s friend. We used a combination of knobs on doors, pulls on drawers, and cup pulls on a built-in hutch.

    Best kitchen decision I made!

  13. Great post! I just wish you had done it a year and a half ago when I was trying to figure out hardware, LOL. I can’t wait to see what you pick!

    When I budgeted my kitchen, I told my husband I was putting most of the budget into cabinets and appliances, and didn’t need to go high end on anything else. Joke was on me, bc when I started to look for hardware, I was shocked at how expensive it was. And frustrated that online or in person, no one was publishing PRICES! I never knew whether what I wanted was affordable or not.

    In the end I landed at the showroom my builder works with and got a great discount on beautiful Classic Brass hardware. I knew the metal mix I wanted, but was flailing on knobs vs handles, one vs two pulls on bigger drawers, size, etc. The woman who helped me at the showroom was amazing. We sat down with my drawings and she had it sorted out in about 15 minutes. Passing on a few items of wisdom that I learned from her: 1. If you’re trying to manage high-end stuff on a budget, go knobs (or latches) on all doors, handles on all drawers. 2. One handle per drawer, even if you’re not on a budget. If you have two handles (or two knobs, for that matter) you need two hands to open the drawer, which can be inconvenient when you’re in the middle of cooking. Also, most people just do the tug-on-one-handle-then-the-other-back-and-forth shimmy even when both hands are free, and it warps the drawer’s alignment. 3. Right now the big craze seems to be “appliance pulls” for appliances that have been paneled to match cabinetry (though why they can’t just call them “appliance handles” is beyond me). The are INSANELY expensive! But sooooo tempting if you have floor to ceiling pantry cabs. My friend at the showroom said that going with the largest regular handle size instead of the pull would still look and function great, and save me a lot of $. She wasn’t kidding: 4 door handles, and I probably saved $1200 — and I don’t even miss the pulls.

    FWIW, I did all the same line of handles and knobs, but did unlacquered brass hardware on the black cabinets and matte black on the chartreuse and maple island. My biggest frustration is that all my lighting is in unlacquered natural/raw brass (with some black and white), but I could only find unlacquered brass hardware that was polished. I went with the flow and am hoping over time the patina will even things out.

    Can’t wait for the next update on your kitchen!

  14. Hello Liz, I was just watching a video about cheap Chinese-imported musical instruments, and the person remarked that some of the odd parts were made out of a debased, low-quality metal that did not look like or react like any known metal, so he started calling it Chinesium. –Jim

  15. Hello Laurel, I think that nickel is always a handsome finish for a kitchen (or bath). However, with some of the prices you quoted, you might also need a nickel-plated revolver to protect your newly installed treasures.
    –Jim

  16. Good morning Laurel, my virtual bestie who makes me laugh-out-loud as I follow along on your always-thoughtful, always-delightfully humorous posts,

    For me, it’s always polished nickel — in every reno or flip. Something about the crisp, elegance, & warmth of the polished nickel ironmongery wins the battle every time.

    I am refurbishing a historic home on Orcas Island right now and will be replacing the chrome hardware that some genius put in the kitchen before I purchased the home. The difference between chrome and polished nickel fixtures really cannot be overstated. One is wrong. The other brings out the beauty of the cabinets, the room, the era of the home and the architectural style. Every. Single. Time! Anyway, that’s what I’ve found to be true.

    I can’t wait to see the hardware in your gorgeous kitchen!

    Happy Sunday,

    Liz

  17. This is the first blog of yours that I am going to “bookmark” :)) I’ve always figured I could find what I’m looking for by searching your blog but I’m not taking a chance on that (previous searches have sometimes proved difficult). I went for the DeVol look on my kitchen cabinets (although I didn’t realize that until you told me that was the look) but one knob changed from gold looking to silver and had to be replaced. No clue what they are made of and none of the others have mysteriously changed but, still, I’m thinking I’ll be replacing them. Also, some of the knobs on my gas range have become sort of strangely spotted and I’ve been thinking of replacing them so will be paying more attention to what I replace them with. Thanks Laurel

  18. Thank you for bringing up ‘cremone’ bolts – another word I learned today. I always loved these bolts that you actually see everywhere on doors and windows when you travel in France, I just didn’t know what they were called, they have such a polished, elegant look, they make the space look richer, the windows, doors look more finished. Not sure why they are not more popular in the US. I’ve once seen it in a Back Bay apartment that was redone by a lady from the UK, the custom door with the cremone bolts and with the ‘rods’ (catches?) running along the 10-11 ?? feet high french door was exquisite, added a huge decorative and architectural feel to it and looked like it was there for 100 years, I stared at those doors for a long time… I think they are a must for your glass doors!!

  19. Replying to Mary E. We haven’t had any problems with our wooden knobs. Our house is 30 years old and the knobs are still original. Ours didn’t have any insert; the screws go directly into the wood. We bought them at a hardware store and stained them to match our cabinetry. You might want to put a drop of wood glue in yours to see if that would solve the problem.

  20. I look forward to seeing what you choose for your cabinetry hardware. I know it will be stunning. I have had both knobs and pulls in various kitchens where I’ve lived. For some reason, (probably me) I tend to get my fingers stuck in pulls on doors when they swing. Because of these experiences, when we built our house, I insisted on knobs on my cabinets. I think pulls are fine on drawers as long as they have rounded ends, so there is nothing to get hooked on. I like your idea of using both knobs and handles. It adds another dimension of interest to the room.

  21. Good morning all,
    For my simple kitchen I wanted wooden knobs. I soon discovered they don’t last long. They pull off from the threaded piece that’s inserted in them that accepts a screw. I’ve been through 2 sets of knobs now. I finally gave up & bought some cheap glass knobs. Are all wooden knobs this problematic? I would love to know if there’s wooden knobs out in the universe that don’t have this issue.
    That’s great news that the permit came through for the staircase. I’m assuming the cabinets need to be installed first in order to have room to work on the staircase.

  22. Re: iron making a comeback, I just did iron hardware in a small cottage kitchen. It was insanely hard to find! YesterHomeUK on Etsy (lovely selection) had what I needed. I chose a black powder-coated iron, so honestly, same look as black zinc or wood, but this vendor had really nicely proportioned handles and the heart wants what it wants (and in a tiny kitchen it’s a tiny splurge).

    Your polished nickel kitchen will be absolutely gorgeous. I went nuts with unlacquered brass in my house and while I love it, I’m never quite sure whether I should just let it patina or do some judicious polishing. Would love to know what other folks do.

  23. Lovely post! Any idea where I may find polished nickel gallery rail? I am building a house with polished nickel finishes in the kitchen and would like a matching rail on the range over mantle. Work your magic for I can not find a source. 😇

  24. First time commenter! Your kitchen and reno is so much fun to follow. Thank you for all the details you are sharing. I live in an antique home too and have found some nice hardware and lighting from House of Antique Hardware. I wanted to share in the small chance you hadn’t checked them out yet 🙂

  25. Dear Laurel,
    First, I am now consistently making my Amazon purchases using your link.Thanks for putting the link right in front of me because that is what it took to cue my addled brain. Second, did anyone else hear the word “ironmongery” and immediately think ancient Olympic men’s event? I love the word because it suggests that the years I spent dithering on new kitchen cabinet knobs I wasn’t really dithering, I was “wrestling with ironmongery.” And Laurel, thanks for the detailed discussion. I think you have not only distilled the best examples of classic styles, but also provided a great analysis of finishes, which is so helpful–it’s a minefield out there. Finally, I commented previously on my DeVol knob splurge, and that I don’t regret it a bit. It’s made me wonder whether we tend to undervalue good hardware and fixtures. In budgeting for an upcoming bath remodel the fixtures and hardware are near the top of my list so I don’t blow the budget before I get to them.

  26. Although I, too, was unfamiliar with the term “ironmongery,” I only just now realized that the greenery next to your name is a sprig of laurel (duh)! Your knowledge/opinions must be encyclopedic–I mean a whole set, not just one volume! I have to wonder if every interior you encounter is instantly mentally critiqued. That’s probably so; I can relate. I was classically trained as a vocalist, and it is difficult for me to enjoy popular singing competitions or most vocal renditions I hear if I am being honest. I look forward to your posts; they’re uplifting, particularly on days when my spirits need to be lifted. As an interior design school dropout, I find that your writing style makes each topic more interesting instead of being stuffy in nature. Your elevations do make my head swim, though. . . and I would NEVER invite you into my house!

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Hi, I’m Laurel, and Laurel Home is the website and blog for Laurel Bern Interiors.
I’ve been creating new-traditional interiors since 1988. The blog is where I share all.

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