Nickel: Satin Nickel, Brushed Nickel, Polished Nickel, Black Nickel
Bronze: Brushed Bronze, Caramel Bronze, Dark Bronze, German Bronze, Gilded Bronze, Light Bronze, Oil Rubbed Bronze
Black: Black Nickel, Flat Black, Matte Black, Patine Black, Rustic Black, Satin Black
Chrome: Dull Chrome, Matte Chrome, Polished Chrome, Satin Chrome
Brass: Antique Brass, Burnished Brass, Polished Brass, Satin Brass, Weathered Brass
Gold: Brushed Gold, Champagne, Golden Champagne, Honey Bronze, Satin Gold
Be aware that there are shade variations, especially in the Bronze and Gold categories, and that some finishes (Nickel, Bronze, Chrome, Gold) also come in a "Brushed" finish which means there are very fine lines in the finish. "Satin" finish generally means that the finish has a shine to it. e.g. Satin Nickel has a smooth shiny finish while Brushed Nickel is the same color but the finish contains very fine brush lines. Same rule applies to Stainless Steel and Brushed Stainless Steel finishes.
One rule we must stress when selecting a finish is to avoid ordering your hardware from two different manufacturers whenever possible. Different brands have their hardware manufactured in different factories and, therefore, the finished items can vary in color or shine from manufacturer to manufacturer even though the finish name is identical. Take "Oil Rubbed Bronze" for example. This popular finish can vary from a light brown with gold highlights to a dark, near black, finish depending upon the brand you select. Ordering your knobs in Oil Rubbed Bronze from one manufacturer and the handles in Oil Rubbed Bronze from a different manufacturer will end in disaster 99% of the time.
The photos on the KnobDepot website are of good quality and, in most cases, you will be able to ascertain whether or not the finish is what you are looking for from the photos. However, when you are unsure as to whether you will like the finish you are thinking of ordering or whether it will blend well with the room, the best solution is to order a sample piece before you place a full order which can get costly should you decide to ship all the pieces back. KnobDepot offers a Free Sample program for most brands.
Hardware Location:
Knobs and pulls must always be installed on the side of the cabinet door opposite the side where the hinges are installed - no exceptions! And while placement is often based upon your personal taste, most installers will place wall cabinet hardware 3-4" above the lower non-hinged corner and, on base cabinets, 3-4" below the upper non-hinged corner.
If drawer fronts have a raised center panel, make sure that the height of the center panel is tall enough to accept the knob or pull you are choosing. For example, a knob with a base dimension of 1 1/4" will not fit properly on a 1" high raised panel.
Also, measure the length of the drawer front raised panel to ensure that your pulls are short enough to fit.
Lastly, if you are replacing the hardware on your existing cabinets, the new hardware pulls must have the same center to center measurement as the old handles had. "Center to Center" is the distance from the CENTER of one screw hole to the CENTER of the other screw hole. If these measurements do not match up, you may consider using a "Backplate" to cover one or both of the existing holds when the new pull is installed.
]]>Your optimism is short-lived. For what you will find when you search for cabinet hardware on the internet is a multitude of retailers offering tens of thousands of knobs and pulls in numerous finishes and styles. You will quickly discover that choosing the right knobs and pulls can be difficult, time-consuming and frustrating.
We would like to give you some ammunition that will enable you to fight your way through this hardware jungle and make an informed decision. Here are some things you need to know when shopping for cabinet hardware.
Center to Center - the distance from the CENTER of one screw hole to the CENTER of the other screw hole. This is the standard industry measurement for sizing cabinet handles.
Overall Length - the distance from one end of the pull to the other end. This measurement is always greater than the center to center measurement.
Projection - measures how far the pull or knob sticks out from the surface of the cabinet door or drawer once it is installed.
Diameter - while self-explanatory in a round knob, the diameter of a pull or handle, if given, generally refers to the width or thickness of the bar portion of the pull (the part you grab).
While it is relatively easy to ascertain the look of finishes like Stainless Steel, Matte Black and Chrome from a picture on the internet, varying degrees of shine and color variation is common on most other finishes and not always readily discernible from a picture. A perfect example of this is the very popular Oil Rubbed Bronze which comes in shades ranging from brown to near black depending upon the manufacturer: