Cabinet Handle Size Guide - What are the best size Kitchen Handles?

Horses for Courses, Handles for Kitchens. Which size cabinetry handles should I put in my kitchen?

It’s a commonly asked question, which handles sizes are best for my cabinetry drawers & doors?

The proportion & scale in interior design is so important, it can be the big difference in not only an interior design’s visual appeal but it’s functionality. A handle too small is difficult to open, or the choice of a knob in the wrong place such as a heavy waste bin cabinet. In this short guide, we want you to leave thinking proportion rather than size of cabinetry handles. How well the handle or knob works with the door/ drawer and the rest of the kitchen as a whole. In your hand a D Pull may appear too big, put it on a large drawer and suddenly you need a magnifying glass to check which finish you've selected. 

'Which type of cabinet handles?' is a question that goes hand in hand with which size handles.

Firstly, it must be determined if you would like to use all knobs, all pull style or a combination of both. A combination of both knobs & pulls is becoming an increasingly modern feature in joinery. Many of the Touch cabinet handle collections now have a matching knob for this very purpose. Classic, traditional style joinery very typically will incorporate both a pull handle and knob or cup pull.

Cabinet Knobs

Knobs tend to have a smaller projection than handles and are usually more cost effective in comparison to cabinet handles. They are slightly easier to install as they typically require only one screw to fix the knob. Whilst they can be used throughout a kitchen, for functionality reasons a pull handle is often recommended to be used for larger pantry doors and heavier drawers and doors like pull out waste bin systems, integrated appliances and corner storage units.

View the range of Touch Handles Cabinet knobs online

Cabinet Pull Handles

Cabinet handles are available in many varied styles, designs & sizes. In the contemporary handle range, you’ll find everything from the minimalistic lip pull handle, to round & square D pulls, pull handles, D handles and the popular half-moon pull handles. In the traditional range, you’ll also find cup pull handles & swivel bail handles within handle collections.

View the range of Touch Handles Cabinet knobs online

What is the best size handles for my cabinetry?

Now that you have selected the type of cabinet pulls you will be using and the layout, the next question is what size handles do I use?

You can select one size handle to use throughout your kitchen or you can create a bit more interest by using larger handles on the larger doors & drawers. We recommend keeping it to a maximum of 3 sizes so as not to overwhelm your cabinetry. A small for smaller drawers or doors, standard size for the rest of the cabinetry and a large handle for larger cabinets such as full height pantry doors.

You likely will have heard of the ‘rule of thirds’ used across many creative disciplines, the rule of thirds is a great place to start when selecting the correct size handles but bear in mind it doesn’t need to completely dictate your choice, it's just a good place to start.

‘there really is not a golden rule, and I find when people try to put any element of home into a rule box, hardware especially, they miss out on the wow factor… Go larger scale, mix up the hardware in your kitchen, don’t be matchy matchy, think of hardware like jewelry… it is allowed to stand out. And most importantly- it absolutely does not have to match your lighting or plumbing finishes. Let it shine on its own.’ Amy Kochn, Kochn Design

Look for a handle that is roughly 1/3 of the length of the drawer for even spacing & placement. For larger pantry or wardrobe drawers a larger handle important for proportion and functionality. In the image below, showing 600mm drawer bank & the 128mm, 192mm & 288mm Mayfair Cabinet Handles and the rule of thirds lines.

Drawing a rough-to-scale model of your cabinet is a great way to get a visual of what you think will look best in your space. All handles on our website have a specification sheet with sizing and dimensions to assist you with this. If your cabinetry has been installed already and your cabinetmaker is just waiting on you to decide on sizing... a great way to get the picture in your head is by sticking masking tape or similar to the doors/ drawers in approximate size. Once you've ordered the handles, blue tacking them to the cabinet before drilling holes will ensure you are 100% confident in the sizes you have ordered.