How To Choose The Best Size Pulls For Your Cabinets
If you’re wondering what size pulls you should choose for your cabinets, you have come to the right place.
When doing kitchen and bathroom remodels, cabinet hardware is something that is always an important thing to consider.
Pulls are like jewelry that complete the look of a space by adding that finishing touch to the design.
When working with clients, they often ask our opinion about choosing the right size cabinet pulls to fit the look they are trying to achieve.
While design is really very personal and there are no set in stone rules for selecting the best size cabinet pulls, there are some general rules of thumb we follow.
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Types Of Cabinet Pulls:
Before we jump into talking about the best sizes of pulls to choose, we should start by discussing some some of the different kinds of cabinet pulls out there. Each style of pull has it’s own look and in some cases, they even function somewhat differently.
Bar Pulls -
Bar pulls generally are characterized by having a long bar, attached by one or two points to the cabinet, that is used as handle to opening a cabinet door or drawer. These tend to be the most common type of pull we see. They work well on most styles of cabinet door, from shaker to more contemporary, because there are almost endless varieties, sizes, and styles available.
Cup Pulls -
Cup pulls are distinguishable as being half circles that attach to a cabinet and are opened by reaching underneath and pulling out. These are typically used most often on drawers because of the way they function, they are most used on cabinets that pull straight out. This is a popular option for many traditional and modern spaces, with a wide array of options available to fit many different styles.
Finger pulls-
Finger pulls are a modern cabinet design that is often screwed into either the side, top, or back of a cabinet door with a thin piece of metal that wraps around to the front of the door form the pull. These are a sleek and contemporary look that are popular when looking for a more minimal take on cabinet pulls. Finger pulls are often seen in kitchens with european flat panel cabinets.
Appliance Pulls-
Appliance pulls often resemble a larger version of the above bar pulls. They are typically a long bar connected to the cabinet with two points, one on either end. Appliance pulls come in a variety of sizes, some around 12” long with a large majority being 18” or longer. They can be when appliances have cabinet panels in place of the typical appliance front. These appliance pulls are often a larger version of other pulls used in the kitchen and can help the appliance blend more seamlessly into the space by having a similar handle. Sometimes, they can also be used on an appliance with the original stainless door if the holes in the appliance door line up with the appliance pull.
The Benefits Of Using Pulls For Both The Cabinet Doors And Drawers
When it comes to using only pulls, or using a mixture of both knobs and pulls, there isn’t a right or wrong choice. We often do both options for clients, and either one can look beautiful.
That said, because we are talking specifically about sizes for cabinet pulls, let’s talk about some of the benefits of using pulls for both cabinet doors and drawers:
Design -
Using a single style of cabinet hardware can offer a more cohesive look to the space. Depending on the style of the pull, it can also be a decorative feature that adds to the look of the cabinets.
Function -
Cabinet pulls, specifically bar pulls, are a good choice for all sizes of people from little children to adults, and even older people who may have a harder time grasping a small knob. For that reason, they can make it easier to open the cabinet doors for the entire family.
Dual Purpose -
Longer bar and appliance pulls can sometimes serve a dual purpose, being able to also serve as a towel bar in a bathroom, kitchen, or bar area.
Choosing The Right Size Pulls For Your Cabinets:
Standard size cabinet pulls can range between 1 inch for small bar and finger pulls and go up to 20+ inches for appliance pulls.
As we mentioned above, there isn’t a definite rule for selecting a size, but below are the rules we usually follow when talking to client’s about the best size pull for their cabinets.
When you start, it is helpful to have a plan of your kitchen and know your cabinet sizes to help in making your decision, as the sizes will help you select something that best fits your proportions.
Let’s start with some Of our basic rules of thumb When It Comes TO Selecting Cabinet Pulls:
Standard size cabinets up to 30” wide for drawers, or 34” tall for doors: 3 inches to 5 inches long pulls are often a good choice. (see image below for examples)
Larger cabinetry - drawers 30” and up or doors taller than 34”: Single pulls 5 inches to 12 inches can often look the most proportionate on larger doors and drawers. One exception to this would be that larger drawers can also get away with having two 3 inch to 5 inch long pulls as well, if that style is preferred.
Smaller Appliances (i.e. Dishwasher Or Fridge Drawers): 12 inch long appliance pulls are typically large enough.
Larger Appliances (Refrigerator Or Freezer Columns): 18 inches or longer appliance pulls can look most proportionate.
When To Use Two Small Pulls On A Drawer Vs. One Large Pull:
As we mentioned above, for cabinet drawers 30 inches wide or more we would recommend a pull 5 inches or longer, OR two pulls 3 inches to 5 inches long each.
This is necessary because the longer a drawer gets the more weight it can hold and the harder it may be to open.
So - how do you decide whether to do one large pull or two smaller pulls on a large drawer cabinet?
It’s simple! Take a look at your overall cabinet layout.
If the majority of your cabinets are 30 inches wide or less, with an exception of one or two larger cabinets, then you may want to consider having two smaller pulls on each larger cabinet.
Below is an example of a kitchen where we used two pulls on the large drawers. Most of the cabinets in the kitchen were less than 30” wide and had smaller pulls. To keep the look of the pulls similar, we used two smaller pulls on the larger drawer so that the sizes would look cohesive throughout the kitchen.
In this next picture you’ll see an example of a kitchen where the majority of the cabinets are larger and thus have larger drawers. In this case, the look was made most cohesive by using one larger pull for all of the drawers.
Do All The Cabinet Pulls Need To Be The Same Size?
Cabinet pulls throughout a space definitely do not have to be the same size. It is all a matter of your personal preference.
In the following image you will see cabinets with pulls of varying sizes depending on the different cabinet sizes. Although each cabinet may have different size pulls, you will notice that the stack of three drawers all do have the same size pull. In our experience, using the same pull size for a stack of drawers is something that is considered a standard practice.
In the next image, you will see that all the pulls that were used in this bathroom are the same size throughout the space, whether used horizontally or vertically on the doors and drawers.
When designing spaces for ourselves and our clients we do like to have some cohesiveness to the size of pulls throughout a space.
Ideally, we prefer the size of the pulls on the drawers to match and the size of the pulls on the doors to match. The exception to this being the appliance pulls, as they are usually larger.
We have found that this keeps the look feeling intentional and doesn’t detract from the overall design of the space.
Looking For Cabinet Pulls For Your Kitchen?
Check out some of our articles with favorites of a wide variety of styles of cabinet pulls for your kitchen, bathroom, built-ins, bars and more!
Coordinating Cabinet Hardware for a Delta Champagne Bronze Faucet
Cabinet Hardware Backplates - How To Easily Transform Cabinetry!
Conclusion
We know just how big of a difference the perfect pulls can make on cabinetry! Choosing the right size pulls is important to ensure you get correct proportions with your cabinet design. Using our simple rule of thumb makes it easy to create a plan that will meet your desired aesthetic and achieve a cohesive look.
Now we want to hear from you - Are you planning a remodel and looking for the perfect size cabinet pulls for your home? What style and size pull do you like best? Let us know in the comments below?
