Few products provide as much bang for your buck in terms of bringing out the personality of your home as cabinet hardware. These 5 Pointers will help you make the best choice for yourself and your family, saving you time and money in the process.
1. Nearly all Hardware Pricing is Set by the Manufacturer, Not the Store
Almost all cabinet hardware manufacturers set either a minimum advertised price (MAP) or a minimum sale price policy in order to create an even playing field and stop stores from undercutting one another. While these policies don't prevent stores from charging more than the minimum, most stores keep their prices right at the minimum, just as we do.
This means that when looking to buy new knobs, price shopping is nearly impossible. Instead, we recommend buying from the store that you feel will offer you the best service.
2. The Same Finish from Different Manufacturers Rarely Match Perfectly
Say you're looking for a combination of cabinet knobs and pulls in a satin nickel finish. Virtually all manufacturers offer a satin nickel finish, but there will be variations from manufacturer to manufacturer. We recommend ordering all hardware that you want to match from one manufacturer in order to ensure that the finishes are the same. If you have your heart set on pieces from two different manufacturers, then we recommend ordering samples to make sure they're a close enough fit.
3. Almost all Hardware these days is either a) mass-produced overseas, or b) custom made in the US
Almost all cabinet hardware sold in the US these days is made in China (though even some Chinese companies have started moving their factories to Vietnam for lower labor rates). The hardware still made in the US tends to be the higher end pieces that are custom made to order.
The advantage of the mass-produced lines is that they are less expensive, and are available to be shipped out immediately. Our favorite mass-produced lines include Jeffrey Alexander and Top Knobs.
Domestically produced hardware tends to be more expensive and takes much longer to ship because each piece is custom made to order. The advantage of these lines is that they tend to be made from higher quality materials, come in a far wider variety of finishes (since no one needs to hold stock), and tend to have more innate charm and personality. Our favorite custom made lines include Edgar Berebi, Rocky Mountain Hardware, and Anne at Home.
4. It is now possible to search for your Hardware based on an Image or Pinterest Board
Browsing pages and pages of hardware can be one way to get inspiration, but what if you've already seen what you want in someone's home or online and are just trying to find it to buy it? Search by Image is now here! Just upload an image of the hardware you want, and we'll use it to search the catalog for a match. You can even connect to your Pinterest account and search via your saved Pinterest Boards using our Pinterest Search.
5. We sell over 50,000 product variations, so here are some shortcuts to help drill down to a manageable number
Don't get overwhelmed by the options, a few simple steps can reduce them to a manageable number. If you already have pre-drilled holes for cabinet pulls, you can Shop by Size, which breaks down our selection according to drill center, which is the distance between the holes. Also, if you know what style you want, you can use our new Shop by Style page.
And for the absolute easiest shopping experience, book a complementary Design Consultation with one of our in-house interior designers.
